I know, this sounds like a "typical Debbie Downer post from Kochava." But I don't think it is, though what I have to say will probably stir a lot of emotions.
Some of you may not know (and those of you who do may have kept silent) that psychological testing is a growing trend in the conversion world. I have had both a psychological "written test" as well as an actual psychological evaluation by a therapist.
So let's talk about psychological testing in the conversion process. There should be no shame in these discussions, which is why I will describe this issue using my own case as an example.
I wrote previously about my experience in the written psychological test:
"A Rabbi Asked Me Inappropriate Questions" Is a Red Flag...But You Probably Can't Do Anything About It If You Want a Conversion. The written exam is definitely the growing trend in both conversions and the job interview process. I've had them in both contexts, multiple times in the job hunting arena. (Thankfully, I got all those jobs, so I suppose that means I "passed.") Written exams have "right" answers, "wrong" answers, and ones that require further evaluation by talking to the person. A right answer for one authority figure may be the wrong answer for another, so don't assume every test is created equal.
I do not approve of psychological testing in the conversion context, at least how I have seen it being used. Some of my problems:
A) The test is often "too" thorough, as I noted the sexual questions on the test in the prior post. Job interview psych tests don't have those kinds of questions; they focus more on theft, embezzlement, and laziness. I believe a reasonable conclusion about a person's sanity, assuming you can get one from this method, can be done without hitting all the Freudian notes.
B) The test is usually (if not always, in some groups) administered by someone who is not trained in psychology or any related field. I can't know this, but it seems like (based on my experience) someone could simply print this questionnaire from the internet and analyze each question based on the analyst's (can't imagine it's anyone but a rabbi) interpretation of the "correct" answers for that particular question. I find it hard to believe these rabbis have been specifically trained in how to give such a test, much less how to evaluate it or deal with "questionable" responses (or how much weight those questionable responses should be given).
C) It is so easy to lie. As I said in the prior post, I answered honestly, and I know I was an idiot for doing so. If you've ever taken a psychological test, the answers are often very clear: "Have you ever killed an animal?" "Have you ever taken office supplies home?" "Do you take frequent breaks while working?" There are even "how to" instructions for how to pass these kinds of tests! See, for example, eHow. A "bad" candidate can get through this test almost as easily as a "good" candidate, if not more easily. A "good" candidate is more likely to answer honestly and then be punished for doing so.
D) What does it even prove? So maybe you do have issues stemming from childhood physical or sexual abuse. Maybe you do have low self-esteem. Maybe you do have a diagnosed psychological issue. Maybe you are a little nutty. Does that mean you'll be a bad Jew? I don't think those are mutually-exclusive. If the test were being used to spot potential issues and deal with them, that would be one thing. My suspicion is that they're simply a way to weed out "undesireables" or maybe even to target "discouragement" more effectively. I don't believe these tests are being used correctly, and that even if they were, do they really accomplish anything to begin with?
So if I disapprove of psychological tests so strongly, how can I be "okay" with psychological evaluations? Most importantly, psychological evaluations are done by an out-of-house professional: someone unconnected to the beit din (except maybe socially) and who has no stake in your conversion. But it's also a professional: someone who knows what traits to focus on, how to test troublesome issues, and how much weight any issues should be given. And even better, if issues are present, the counselor/therapist/psychologist can explain potential follow-up options and help you get any assistance you may need (or want!).
Psych evals are the growing trend, but no one talks about them. No one wants to say, "Yeah, the beit din sent me to a head shrinker." The Jewish community, particularly in some communities, still stigmatize mental health issues and believe they'll go away if ignored. I was sent for a psych eval, and I knew it was not something you mention to your dates later. Of course, I did, but only because I made it into a funny story or an anger-inducing story as a call to action to protect conversion candidates, as the situation required. As you know, I'm a weirdo.
My understanding is that batei din are increasingly requiring every candidate to go through a psych eval. In my opinion, this is the best case scenario. No one is singled out; it's "standard operating procedure." It should be (but probably isn't) listed in their conversion application and costs disclosure. (Yes, every beit din should disclose potential costs to you at the beginning, which is getting more common.) Psych evals cost money, and it's money the candidate will have to pay. There may be ways to find a mutually-acceptable person approved by your insurance company or to negotiate reduced fees. As I was unemployed and without insurance, I negotiated a reduced fee (technically, the beit din negotiated it for me because they're awesome guys), but it was still very expensive. In the end, I asked my parents to pay for it as my Chanukah gift that year, and the therapist was very patient and accommodating.
I believe that a psych eval can be very helpful to the candidate, as well as the beit din. I'm a strong believer in psychology, self-improvement, and personal growth. I'm the annnoying person who reads books about those topics and actually tries to implement them into my life. I recognize that this is unusual; most people are content to address problems when they become a problem, not seeking out problems. My college's motto was "Know Thyself" (like probably 400 other colleges), and I strongly believe in that. Conversion candidates are obviously already open to change and discomfort, so they are in the perfect position to do a self-evaluation of their motives and history and how it lead to this life path. I believe a psych eval can help by bringing in a disinterested third party with professional training to help you identify the path that lead you here. It's also harder to lie to yourself that a problem isn't really a problem until you have an objective observer. That's just human. In short, I suggest that everyone, candidate or not, can benefit from this kind of discussion with a professional.
Problems I'd like to see addressed: How much information and what kind of information is passed from the psychologist to the beit din? Is it merely a "I do/do not believe this person is an acceptable conversion candidate from a psychological standpoint" or "I believe this person is an acceptable conversion candidate from a psychological standpoint, but has issues with X, Y, and Z" or "I do not believe this person is an acceptable candidate for conversion because of X, Y, and Z"? Who gets the info: the entire beit din? Their intern or secretary? Only the administrative rabbi? Only the av beit din? From a lawyer's perspective, the rabbis and psychologists should be paying more attention to the HIPPA issues and create a form that explains what information is being given to whom. (And get the candidate's signature!)
Others are asked to do a psych eval on an ad hoc basis, as I was. However, in my situation, certain bullies had made very public accusations about my mental health. Unfortunately, when someone calls you crazy, it's not very effective to turn the insult around. So I was asked to undergo a couple of sessions (number to be determined by the therapist) with a licensed social worker who was also frum and had worked with many other conversion candidates. It wasn't the most pleasant experience, but it certainly wasn't a bad one. I was nervous and I was angry to be there in the first place, but she did her job efficiently and respectfully. I suppose I "passed," but she did give me her evaluation of my personality and struggles I faced and some psychological options to pursue if I wished. Everyone could use a professional to talk to (and has at least one issue to deal with). However, it's a luxury that many of us cannot afford. But I won't lie to you, I would like to have that luxury one day, as my life has been very difficult in many ways.
From the perspective of the rabbis, I think standardized psychological evaluations would also benefit them. There must be few things scarier than telling someone that you believe that she, that individual, needs a psych eval. If you believe (or have been told) that a person is mentally unstable, you have no idea how they will react. Even "normal" people could break down in tears or become angry. When I was sat down for "the psych eval" conversation, I noticed immediately how nervous the rabbi was. I became terrified because I didn't know what could make him afraid! He gave a long explanation of the facts that had lead up to that moment, and then climaxed by saying they had decided the fairest (and most objective) way to deal with the accusations was to ask me to go through a psych eval. To his visible shock, I took it in stride and agreed with him that the situation required it. I wasn't pleased that bullies' accusations were going to put me out almost $500, but I did (and still do) believe that was the only practical option available to the beit din. And I was thankful for the opportunity to address the accusations, as I had not been given that opportunity by others. I felt that my word was being given equal weight finally, and I was thankful.
There is a deeper question that is sidestepped by this post: why is an analysis of a candidate's mental health an issue for the rabbis at all? That is a much tougher question, but the longer I'm in the conversion community, the more I understand part of the reason why. I will not sugarcoat this: there are some really effin' crazy people trying to get converted. Sometimes the craziness is totally harmless, and sometimes it is the sole reason someone is seeking a conversion. For example, in my case, I believe the therapist (I guess that's what you call social workers doing therapy?) explored a great deal into whether I was converting as a means of escaping my past (and I believe she would investigate that thoroughly in every conversion candidate). For example, someone who suffered in a former religion may simply be running to another religion, without really caring for what religion it is. Or someone with a missing or abusive family history may be trying to build a new family and community, again without really affiliating with the Jewish religion. Someone with aggressively religious family may be using conversion solely as a rebellion. Some people may want to build a new persona to escape their history, much as some people lose themselves in World of Warcraft or other "communities." I believe these can be factors that bring a candidate to Judaism (and even keep him or her there), but if it is the sole factor, that person isn't an acceptable conversion candidate under the halacha. Many things bring a person to Judaism, so those factors aren't bad in themselves, so long as there is the sincere affiliation with the Jewish religion and faith. I've written before about some of these factors:
Why on Earth Would Someone Convert to Judaism? Even if those issues aren't an issue worth blocking or delaying a conversion, it can be very powerful to pinpoint those issues and working through them either alone or with a professional. Know thyself.
ADDENDUM: A smart friend made a very insightful comment that I thought should be included: "The further removed we are from one another and the less known you are as a person to your converting rabbi, the more standard this will become. But instead of seeing this as the inevitable result of concentrating the business of conversion into fewer venues, I guess we can see how this now 'makes sense'. And the more extreme things get the more things will continue to make sense until someone decides enough is enough. Obviously, I'm not in favor of routine psych evals. However, the more extreme the system gets the more 'normal' the extreme will seem."
Is that wrong?"