Erford's book presents a broad overview of basic issues in psychological and educational assessment. The book familiarizes students with the essentials of testing, covering such concepts as ethical, legal, and diversity issues; reliability, validity, and test construction; and the pertinent tests needed by professional counselors to conduct thorough and effective assessments. Erford's guidance on basic procedures such as test selection, as well as the book's examples and applications relevant to a range of practices and clientele, help students learn how and when to use the correct assessment tools with diverse clients. In addition, the author and other contributors focus on the importance of counselor identity and the essentials of this complex field.
Erford (2013) is both scholarly in his discussion of Assessment practices in Counselling, and yet wisely thoughtful of the needs and capacities of clients at the receiving end of therapeutic assessment processes. His book eruditely explores varied personality, behavoural, intelligence, achievement, and family therapy assessment constructs, definitions, and tools that would need to be considered in therapeutic assessment processes and in the preparation of therapeutic assessment plans. I enjoyed reading and referencing this book and highly recommend it to future and present counsellors. Happy scholarly reading.
Author wears his feelings right out on his shirt sleeves even in textbooks. I have found this to be true in each of his texts. These are rather easy to read and so I thank Erford for saving us from the pedantic writings I am coming to expect from academia.