Assessment Instruments

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Instruments for PSA normally fall under three categories which are listed below. Each category is designed to test specific groups of symptoms as you will read on this page. Click on the title of each instrument type to find a list of assessment instruments.

Physiological 

Physiological assessment instruments are measurements of body systems that may not necessarily be visible to the audience. These can be performed by either the self or a trained tester. There is some debate on the relevance of testing particular physiological factors. More research is required in this area. Click on the link above to find a list of physiological assessments. 

Cognitive

Cognitive assessment instruments measure thinking patterns related to PSA. The symptoms these test  may not necessarily be visible to the audience, although they are sometimes given away by the speaker saying that they are either nervous or making comments about their presentation. These are usually performed via self report.  There are several valid and reliable assessments in this category. 

Behavioral

Behavioral assessment instruments are  for symptoms that are visible to the audience. They are used for identifying behaviors related to communication PSA and are most often performed by a trained tester.