Neurosis detector: what makes a good psychological test and can it be fooled?

The test for the presence of neurosis is a simple way to independently determine whether you have a neurotic disorder. However, it should be taken into account that this diagnostic method is not reliable enough. Firstly, it does not always show results that correctly reflect the presence and severity of the disease. Secondly, the diagnosis is never made solely on the basis of additional techniques. Even a specialist needs to talk with a person and observe his behavior. Any online questionnaires can be considered only as a reason to visit a specialist and clarify the nature of the pathology.

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general information

Tests are a very popular method of primary diagnosis of neuroses and depression. They became widespread after the advent of the Internet. This provided a number of advantages - you can go through them in advance in order to more accurately assess your condition, better understand what is happening, and decide on a plan for further action.

At the same time, accessibility has caused a number of negative phenomena. Many amateur options have appeared on the Internet that do not show reliable results and can be misleading. Some people, out of fear of turning to a psychologist or psychiatrist, began to self-medicate, being unable to reliably confirm the presence, assess the severity and nature of disorders.

Taking into account the above circumstances, the selection of tests for diagnosing neuroses should be taken very seriously, but when assessing it, some skepticism will not be out of place.

Neurasthenia occurs in people prone to anxiety and instability

Three factors are involved in the occurrence of neurasthenia: biological predisposition, personal characteristics and traumatic circumstances.

Genetic predisposition and/or physiological characteristics of the nervous system are formed during conception, pregnancy and early childhood.

Personal characteristics include increased anxiety and sensitivity, emotional instability, impatience, impulsiveness, high demands, and lack of adaptive coping strategies. The “portrait” of a person who is predisposed to the development of neurasthenia may include the following characteristics: impressionable, intolerant of frustration, disorganized, acutely sensitive to non-recognition of oneself and the products of one’s activities.

Exhaustion of the nervous system occurs due to overwork, disruption of sleep and rest patterns, long-term and/or severe illness, excessive intensity of work or academic activity. Chronic or extremely severe stress contributes: acute conflicts, frustration, significant life changes, hard work, unfavorable living conditions, being in danger.

Story

The first questionnaires appeared in France at the beginning of the 20th century. Their goal was not to study the state of mind, but to determine the level of intelligence when distributing children into classes with different educational programs. Practice has shown that the method provides good results and can be used to compare people according to any parameters, including psychological ones. Since then, experts have developed many options: a test to determine the neurosis of obsessive thoughts and states, for depression, and for various psychopathological changes.

Meaning and benefit

Psychologists base their conclusions on the data obtained during the research. Since the subject of psychology is a person, he provides the necessary information. But people are always subjective and often are not interested in frankness. It turns out that the specialist is forced to deal with incomplete, often distorted information.

Testing partially solves this problem. It makes it possible to reduce subjectivity, properly structure the material, and identify important symptoms. At the same time, true objectivity remains unattainable even when using questionnaires and projective techniques. If the respondent is deceiving or deluded, he will choose the wrong answer, this will affect the result. If he knows how the test works, he will unconsciously “fit” the data to the option that he considers preferable.

The main symptom of neurasthenia is increased mental or physical fatigue

With neurasthenia, increased mental or physical fatigue dominates over other symptoms:

• deterioration of memory, attention,
• decrease in the quality and pace of thinking,
• a feeling of weakness after minor exertion that does not go away after sleep and is accompanied by muscle pain.

Other manifestations include:

• irritability,
• anxiety,
• inability to relax
• loss of taste for life and the ability to enjoy a person, sleep disturbance,
• headache and/or muscle pain,
• decreased mental or physical productivity.

Validity

For serious conclusions, only professional tests are suitable - designed taking into account what exactly is being measured. The higher the validity, the better the method copes with the task that needs to be solved, for example, determining the level of anxiety or depression.

Another type of this indicator is criterion-related validity. It indicates the level of agreement between results obtained using other similar methods. The closer the final values ​​are, the higher the criterion validity. This is important for specialists, since confirming the same diagnosis in several ways helps ensure its correctness.

Most online tests have low validity. This is due to an insufficient number of questions and an inaccurate definition of the parameter requiring assessment. Many questionnaires are compiled by amateurs for fun or by professionals, but to solve a specific narrow problem.

Everybody lies

People need the support and approval of others, which manifests itself during testing when they choose the option that they, their parents, friends, acquaintances, and other members of society would like. This happens without malicious intent, but it affects the result. Taking this into account, professional questionnaires include several questions to assess the level of sincerity.

Moreover, when determining a lie, not only the answer itself is taken into account, but also the time spent choosing it, and in comparison with similar indicators for other questions. Each professional questionnaire is tested on a large number of subjects before use. If the data is not confirmed by other tests, low reliability or validity is detected, the technique is not used until it is “brought” to the required level.

Rapid aging

In the era of the widespread use of the Internet, psychological tests have quickly become outdated. It is very convenient to conduct a survey and process the received data on a computer, but if the test gets onto the network, it spreads and becomes familiar to many people. As a result, respondents roughly understand what will be asked of them and what is best to answer to obtain the desired result.

Sometimes it comes to the point that the test taker answers questions in one tab, and looks at the test description and interpretation options in another. It’s like looking in a solution book while doing homework at school. Formally you will achieve success, but in practice you will not get any benefit.

Often the same thing happens outside of the user’s consciousness. He has already seen the test, roughly knows its interpretation and answers taking this circumstance into account, without realizing it. Will he be able to obtain reliable information, for example, to confirm anxiety neurosis? Hardly. Will he be able to understand that he unwittingly cheated? Probably no. And this is bad, because when assessing his condition, he will rely on unreliable data, being confident in their reliability and correctness.

Cultural references, or Why the test cannot simply be translated

Due to information globalization, questionnaires developed in countries with a developed tradition of test format are translated into Russian and used in Russia.

There are two fundamentally different approaches to how exactly tests can be adapted for use in another country. The first option is localization. All original questions are translated into the foreign language in the country where the test was developed, and validity is tested on a small sample of native speakers (for example, students who come to study in a foreign country). Thus, localization is the export of a test. It provides the opportunity to compile a database of responses to the questionnaire around the world, since the questions are the same everywhere. Localization is applicable to many graphical (non-verbal) tests. For example, Raven matrices can be used on any sample, regardless of language - they only translate the instructions.

However, for many verbal questionnaires, localization produces incorrect results because the questions require adaptation according to the cultural norms of the society. Moreover, it is necessary not only to change the wording, but also to “test” the test on a wide sample, recalculate the keys to each answer, etc. Unadapted questions confuse subjects: for them, the described situations are too speculative and incomprehensible. For example, how many times in your life have you been prescribed a course of antidepressants? In the USA and Europe they are prescribed quite often, but in other countries this treatment practice is not very common.

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The second option is adaptation, or intelligent import. A group of specialists from the importing country, native native speakers, is working on adapting the test. They not only translate the test questions, but also revise the keys - the correspondence of questions, answers and measuring scales. Based on cultural norms, specialists rework the test so that it is understandable to native speakers. Sometimes, as a result of adaptation, a new test appears, which is an analogue of the original one for use in a particular country. This process is called modification. Unfortunately, a situation often occurs when the test has not yet been fully adapted, but is already beginning to be used in such a “raw” form. Thus, many Western tests develop a bad reputation among specialist users, although in fact the real problem is not the quality of the test, but in unfinished adaptation.

You may be wondering why you should take psychological tests at all. No matter how trivial it may sound, a high-quality test will really help you learn something new about yourself or understand something that you are not aware of. Due to social pressure, people are often not ready to admit those characteristics of themselves that are considered taboo or that seem not very pleasant. The test will help you understand yourself better and view the situation more objectively. But the results of a low-quality test, on the contrary, will not be able to provide you with new and useful information. Remember that many popular tests on the Internet do not have a scientific evidence base. Therefore, test is different from test: rely on tests, but don’t make a mistake yourself.

Cost of services

This list does not contain all prices for services provided by our clinic. The full price list can be found on the “Prices” , or by calling: 8(969)060-93-93. Initial consultation is FREE!

Solution

If there are psychological signs indicating the development of neurosis, you should take the matter seriously. To begin with, you can read information on the topic of interest, trying to get a general impression and learn to compare different pathologies, but without trying on everything. This is the worst and most unreliable method of diagnosis; you can find yourself in the place of the hero of the book “Three in a Boat, Not Counting a Dog” and find that you have all the diseases except puerperal fever.

Once a general understanding of the various types of neurotic disorders has been formed, you can take a free test on one of the many online services. The next step is to select several psychologists who specialize in working with the identified disorder. It is important that they have a confirmed education, undergo regular supervision, and improve their qualifications.

However, there is a simpler option. You can contact a large clinic that employs psychologists who specialize in both the diagnosis and treatment of various neurotic disorders. This approach helps to save time, not to start the disease and not allow it to become chronic.

You can sign up for testing at the Leto clinic by phone 8(969)060-93-93.

Treatment of neurasthenia - anti-anxiety medications and psychotherapy that teaches how to cope with stress

If you suspect neurasthenia, you should seek help from a psychiatrist, as you need to differentiate the symptoms of neurasthenia from depression. Only a psychiatrist can do this.

After a conversation and examination, the psychiatrist makes a diagnosis and prescribes treatment, which consists of pharmacotherapy, normalization of lifestyle and psychotherapy.

1 Pharmacotherapy. For neurasthenia, a psychiatrist prescribes drugs that help relieve symptoms - anxiolytics, antidepressants (SSRIs).

If you suspect neurasthenia, you should seek help from a psychiatrist, as you need to differentiate the symptoms of neurasthenia from depression.

2 Normalization of lifestyle. Correcting your daily routine helps cope with physiological stress - lack of sleep patterns, irregular meals, lack of rest. General introductions to the daily routine are as follows:

• Sleep at least eight hours.
• For every four hours of work, one hour of rest.
• Every day, devote time to a resourceful activity that improves your mood, brings joy and does not take away your strength.
• At least three meals, preferably at the same time.

3 Psychotherapy. Neurasthenia is a consequence not only of exhaustion of the nervous system, but also of a violation of personal functioning, which can be improved under the guidance of a psychotherapist. Evidence-based methods of psychotherapy are CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), ACT, MBCT. With the help of psychotherapy, you can develop adaptive coping strategies that will protect you from painful reactions to many stressful events. In psychotherapy, effective interaction skills are developed that will help reduce the number of interpersonal conflicts.

With a responsible approach to treatment and compliance with preventive measures, neurasthenia is completely curable.