ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the specific features of Therapeutic Assessment that are consonant with Sullivan's thought. There are many direct parallels between Sullivan's approach to treatment and the principles and practice of Therapeutic Assessment. In Therapeutic Assessment, the author has attempted to reaffirm Sullivan's thinking and emphasize that the primary goal of psychological testing is to help the individual being tested (i.e., the client). In Therapeutic Assessment, we see participant observation in the interpersonal process of the assessment as the primary method of understanding clients' problems in living. On this basis, the author believes that Harry would be greatly pleased with the development and increasing interest in Therapeutic Assessment. The chapter explains the Importance of Clients’ Goals, the respect for Clients’ Privacy and the Primacy of Careful Listening and Observation. Sullivan’s theory has been integral to author's thinking about why assessment can produce lasting and far-reaching change in clients.
