by William D. Anton, PhD, James R. Reed, PhD
Purpose: Screen for common psychological problems in individuals ages 18 years and older in 10 different areas
Age: 18 YRS+
Admin: Individual or group
Time: 20 minutes
Qualification Level: A
The EAPI is the first clinical instrument specifically targeted for use in Employment Assistance Programmes, as well as by all mental health professionals who provide counselling and other services to working adults. It facilitates rapid identification of common psychological problems and may be used to guide appropriate referrals or short-term interventions.
This valid and reliable instrument screens for major problem areas experienced by EAP clients and can be used most effectively as part of the intake process to enhance understanding of presenting symptoms.
- The EAPI assesses problems in 10 areas:
- Anxiety
- External Stressors
- Depression
- Interpersonal Conflict
- Self-Esteem Problems
- Work Adjustment
- Marital Problems
- Problem Minimisation
- Family Problems
- Effects of Substance Abuse
Administration/Scoring
Clients respond to the 120 statements contained in the EAPI Item Booklet using a 4-point scale ranging from False, not at all true to Very true. Responses are entered on a self-scoring carbonless Answer Sheet. The EAPI requires 3rd-grade reading ability. Critical items that may indicate suicidal ideation are marked with shading on the carbonless bottom part of the Answer Sheet. The back of the Answer Sheet contains a Profile Form for conversion of raw scores to T scores. A graph of the profile may be drawn to show the client's scores across scales. Scoring and profiling takes only 5 minutes.
Reliability/Validity
The EAPI Professional Manual contains information on the EAPI test materials, administration and scoring procedures, scale development, normative data and guidelines for interpretation, case illustrations, and results of studies supporting the EAPI as a reliable and valid assessment tool in EAP settings.
The EAPI was standardised and validated for use with employed adults ages 18 years and older. Normative data were collected from 1,266 employed adults who were 18-76 years old. Internal consistency reliability coefficients range from .73 to .92 with a mean of .86. The Professional Manual presents supportive evidence from eight validation studies.
