4-Day Online Introduction to R-PAS: Rationale, Administration, Coding, and Interpretation 

Gregory J. Meyer, Ph.D. and Joni L. Mihura, Ph.D.

This 4-day online workshop by Gregory J. Meyer, Ph.D. and Joni L. Mihura, Ph.D. comprehensively introduces the foundations of R-PAS and its use in applied practice. It is ideal for two types of participants: a) those with no previous Rorschach training or experience and b) those who are experienced clinicians and instructors who have training in previous Rorschach systems and want a thorough “hands on” understanding of how to use R-PAS in applied practice or teach it to others. With respect to the latter, many very experienced assessors have found this to be an extremely useful training experience, even though it is also ideal for beginners.

The workshop is live with synchronous attendance. It alternates between lecture, presentations, and interactive experience with every aspect of R-PAS administration, coding, and interpretation. All participants should have an R-PAS Manual available during the workshop (The Rorschach Performance Assessment System, Administration, Coding, Interpretation and Technical Manual, by Meyer, Viglione, Mihura, Erard, & Erdberg, 2011). Ideally, participants also should have access to a set of inkblots. After registering for the workshop, participants will receive a 10% discount code so that they can order the Manual or other products at www.r-pas.org. In addition, just before the workshop begins, all participants with an active R-PAS user (or sub-user) account will receive both one free protocol allocation, which allows you to code and process a protocol on r-pas.org, and one free Case-Based Interpretive Guide that you can attach to the protocol to facilitate clinical interpretation.

Participants should read Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of the R-PAS manual before attending. Participants also should register for an account prior to the workshop, as you need an account to receive a protocol allocation and Interpretive Guide. In addition, we will show you the site during the training in order to familiarize you with its features. 

Comments from Previous Workshop Attendees

• "Fantastic!!"
• "This was a great training, worth every second and penny."
• "Great interactions with students and each other."
• "Both were outstanding and engaging presenters. It's always nice to listen to people who 'know their stuff' but can also communicate it so clearly."
• "I would absolutely recommend this program to others! This was worth every cent and the time commitment!"
• "Very clear, organized information, thoughtfully and knowledgeably presented."
• "My facility with and understanding of the Rorschach and R-PAS improved substantially and more than I anticipated. Thank you for an incredibly helpful and informative program."
• "The program was excellent and the presenters did a great job and were very knowledgeable. I would definitely attend another workshop or webinar."
• "Very nice workshop. Well organized in terms of content and flow of topics… Overall it was an excellent training!"
• "Very helpful from basic introductory knowledge to complex aspects of administration, interpretation, and coding."
• "Clarity of presentation great. Great guidelines for differentiation of various R-PAS variables."
• "The practice was incredibly helpful. Thank you!"
• "This was a great training and I will recommend it to my coworkers. Thank you very much!"

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

Thursday

1. List two reasons why use of the Rorschach task can helpfully complement self-report inventories.
2. Describe the rationale for developing R-PAS.
3. Describe the primary consideration when selecting variables to include in R-PAS.
4. List two of the five main problems that R-PAS aimed to fix.
5. List two of the “Six Steps to Using R-PAS in Practice.”
6. Describe how internationally collected data on “fit” and “frequency” contributed to the R-PAS Form Quality tables.
7. Describe how to code four variables from three of the simpler coding categories (Location, Content, Object Qualities). 

Friday

1. Describe how to code four variables from three of the more complex coding categories (Determinant, Cognitive, and Thematic codes).
2. Identify how coding Oral Dependent Language differs from coding all other variables.
3. Explain two of the six Coding Principles.
4. Demonstrate coding skills with practice examples from the manual and discuss challenges.
5. Describe what it means to use R-Optimized administration.
6. Describe your primary task when completing the Response Phase.
7. Describe your primary task when completing the Clarification Phase.
8. List two problems that may arise from problematic seating during administration. 

Saturday

1. Describe the main choice point for deciding if you need to ask a Clarification Phase question.
2. Identify the four situations that trigger a Clarification Phase question for determinants.
3. Describe one of the primary purposes for using the Administration Checklist.
4. Demonstrate administration skills via small group practice and subsequently list two respondent communications that you overlooked when serving as the practice examiner.
5. Identify two key features of the R-PAS online scoring system.
6. Identify three of the resources available to account holders on the R-PAS site designed to facilitate learning administration, coding, or interpretation.
7. Describe two of the composite variables computed at the protocol level.
8. Identify how the R-PAS norming procedure to generate standard scores for interpretation overcame the historical challenge of developing such scores for Rorschach variables.
9. Identify the two types of information provided for each variable in the Case-Based Interpretive Guide. 

Sunday

1. Identify the key features that differentiate the Page 1 and Page 2 variables in the results output.
2. Describe two of the general principles for R-PAS interpretation.
3. Describe the four procedural steps used for interpretation (“The 4 Ss”).
4. Demonstrate interpretation skills via a case interpretation.
5. List two benefits of showing the raw score values (i.e., underlying units) on the Profile Pages.
6. Identify when it may be beneficial to consider Complexity Adjusted scores for interpretation.
7. Describe the role of non-normed idiographic response information for informing interpretation.
8. List two resources available to help develop skill with interpretation. 

SCHEDULE

*There will be a 15-minute break each morning and afternoon. Because we are ending by 3 pm on Sunday, the other days last until 5:45 pm. 

Agenda:

Day 1 – Thursday

8:30 am: The online meeting room opens; it would be wise to check in to make sure your system is set.
9:00 am to 12:30 pm:  Introduction: Why use the Rorschach and why use R-PAS; 6-Step overview of
          how R-PAS works – Lecture
12:30 to 1:45 pm: Lunch
1:45 to 5:45 pm: Coding, Part 1 – Lecture interspersed with practice as a group

Day 2 – Friday

9:00 am to 12:30 pm: Coding, Part 2 - Lecture interspersed with practice as a group; Coding principles
       – Lecture; Review of independently completed practice coding – Group discussion
12:30 to 1:45 pm: Lunch
1:45 to 5:45 pm: Practice coding – Small group practice, followed by group discussion; Administration,
       Part 1 (Response Phase, documentation, introduction to Clarification Phase) – Lecture

Day 3 – Saturday

9:00 am to 12:30 pm: Administration, Part 2 (Clarification Phase, documentation) – lecture; Identifying
        what the assessor should do next and challenges with seating – Group discussion; Practice with
        Administration Packets – Small group practice, followed by group discussion
12:30 to 1:45 pm: Lunch
1:45 to 5:45 pm: Converting response level codes to protocol level variables and normative data –
           Lecture; Introduction to www.r-pas.org and understanding the R-PAS output – Lecture and group
           discussion; Principles of interpretation – Lecture 

Day 4 – Sunday

9:00 am to 12:00 pm: Interpretation with a case example – Interactive lecture with group discussion
12:00 to 1:15 pm: Lunch
1:15 to 3 pm: Interpretation (continued) and summarizing R-PAS data to generate interventions and 
        recommendations – Interactive lecture with group discussion

Fees: The cost for the four days is either $600 (early registration, by April 13th) or $700 (regular, after April 13th). Students (40% off), university instructors (20% off), and clinical supervisors (10% off) may request a discount code prior to completing registration by contacting us at info@r-pas.org; students should submit proof of academic enrollment or an unofficial transcript, while instructors and supervisors should submit some documentation attesting to their role. Discounts are not available after registration is completed. 

Cancellations: You may cancel and receive a full refund minus a $25 processing fee up to seven days before the event.

Continuing Education Credit:  Participants are eligible for 25.5 hours of continuing education credit. The program must be completed in its entirety with sign-in each morning and sign-out each evening in order to qualify for this credit (i.e., partial hours cannot be accommodated). CE Fee:There is an additional $15 charge to obtain a CE certificate. If you wish to receive CE, please select this option when registering. 

This program is co-sponsored by the Society of Personality Assessment (SPA) and R-PAS. SPA is approved by the American Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. SPA maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Facilitators: 

Gregory J. Meyer, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Toledo, where he has been since 2003. Before this, he was at the University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was the director of the inpatient and outpatient Psychological Assessment Service. He was the Editor of the Journal of Personality Assessment from 2002 to 2013. His research focuses on psychological assessment, with an emphasis on the integration of personality assessment methods. Much of his work has addressed performance-based measures of psychological processes, most notably with the Rorschach. With more than 90 peer-reviewed publications, he has made many contributions to the published literature in this area, as well as in psychometrics and assessment more generally. He regularly provides invited lectures and trainings internationally. On four occasions, the Society for Personality Assessment recognized him with Distinguished Contribution Awards for articles in the published literature. He also received the Award for Distinguished Contributions to Assessment Psychology by the Assessment Section of Clinical Psychology (American Psychological Association, Section IX, Division 12). He is a Fellow of Division 5 (Evaluation, Measurement, & Statistics) of the American Psychological Association and of the Society for Personality Assessment. In addition to co-authoring the manual for the Rorschach Performance Assessment System, he co-edited a casebook entitled Using the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS).

Joni L. Mihura, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at the University of Toledo. She received early career awards from the American Psychoanalytic Association and the Society for Personality Assessment (SPA), as well as the Walter G. Klopfer Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Literature from SPA. She is an SPA Fellow, has served several years on its board of trustees, and is currently the President Elect. Dr. Mihura serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Personality Assessment and Rorschachiana. She has published many articles and chapters on psychological assessment and is coeditor of the Handbook of Gender and Sexuality in Psychological Assessment and Using the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS). She is a co-developer of R-PAS (www.r-pas.org) and presents invited lectures and trainings internationally.