This is psychological work at the full performance level administering a variety of psychological tests and applying psychological techniques in the evaluation and treatment of prison inmates or children and youths and providing psychological information to agency staff are significant aspects of the work.

Work is performed under the direction of a Director of Correctional Professional Services or Social Work Administrator.

• Administers, scores and interprets tests and batteries of tests in such areas as intelligence, educational attainment, personality factors, vocational aptitude, and learning disability; reviews literature to determine testing methods and techniques; consults with other psychologists on test administration techniques and results interpretation; investigates the appropriateness and validity of psychometric instruments being used or considered for use.
• Prepares reports on psychological examinations for use in educational and vocational guidance and psychotherapy; prepares reports on testing requested by the social services staff or required by the courts as part of sentencing; prepares written recommendations pertaining to inmate eligibility for work- release status; prepares written recommendations pertaining to development of service goals for inmates, children, and youth.
• Conducts individual and family psychotherapy using a variety of treatment approaches and techniques; determines and maintains appointment schedules for inmate therapy sessions; conducts group didactic sessions with inmates on general psychological coping skills; conducts group therapy sessions; refers inmates with very severe psychological problems to a contracted psychiatric unit for treatment; confers with social service staff about referring children and youth with severe psychological problems to appropriate psychiatric units for treatment.
• Meets with inmates or children and youths undergoing acute extreme emotional stress; evaluates inmates' or children's and youths' problems; decides whether intensive treatment is needed.
• Prepares individual case histories for inmates or children and youths tested or undergoing therapy.
• Participates in planning and conducting psychological training for a variety of professional and community groups; provides consultative services to social workers, corrective officers, and other prison or social service staff in regard to particular inmate or children and youth problems; recommends appropriate psychological inmate or children and youth problems; recommends appropriate psychological literature for agency staff review; assists staff in the interpretation of psychological and psychiatric reports; coordinates agency staff usage of psychological and psychiatric diagnostic services in the community.
• Attends and participates in psychology or social service staff meetings; discusses cases in progress; discusses and participates in the distribution of the testing and psychotherapeutic workload.
• May provide technical direction to lower-level psychologists.
• May assign work to clerical personnel and may supervise student interns in routine testing and casework.
• Performs related work as required.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• psychological test administration techniques and standard test forms, devices, and procedures used to measure intelligence, educational attainment, personality factors, vocational aptitude, and learning disabilities.
• classifications of mental illness and abnormal behavior patterns.
• projective and non-projective test evaluation methods and techniques.
• personality structure and development.
• the application of psychological theory and techniques in psychotherapy.
• the social factors influencing personality development.
• the sources of information and current literature and research in the field of psychology and psychometrics.

SKILL IN:

• administering a wide variety of psychometric examinations.
• conducting psychotherapeutic interviews.
• adapting psychometric tests for use in vocational guidance.

ABILITY TO:

• interpret psychometric test scores.
• make sound recommendations based on psychometric data and personal interviews.
• prepare written case histories and test evaluations.
• present ideas effectively, both orally and in writing.
• establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental officials, associates, social workers, and others.

• Completion of a master's degree program at an accredited college or university with major course work in psychology which shall have included courses in psychometrics.
• Three years of supervised paid psychological experience in a clinic or counseling agency involving diagnostic evaluation and therapy or guidance.

PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS, AND/OR CERTIFICATES

• Certification by the State of Pennsylvania's Department of Education as a School Psychologist at the time of appointment if required by work assignment.

PAY RANGE: EP21
Class Established: 1/1953

Latest Spec. Revision: 9/1982

TOC/vp/sb