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Our History
In the seventies of the previous century, Polish Psychological Association and the Institute of Psychology of the University of Warsaw took the mutual initiative to create an institution developing and distributing psychological tests.
This idea was supported by Prof. Maria Żebrowska – Chair of the Polish Psychological Association, and Prof. Tadeusz Tomaszewski – Director of the Institute of Psychology of the University of Warsaw.
This idea was supported by Prof. Maria Żebrowska – Chair of the Polish Psychological Association, and Prof. Tadeusz Tomaszewski – Director of the Institute of Psychology of the University of Warsaw.
1975
The founding of the institution was possible thanks to the agreement of 1975 between the Polish Psychological Association and the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Warsaw, and, first of all, thanks to a donation including among others a large library collection. The donator was Prof. Bohdan Zawadzki – psychologist working for many years in the United States. In this way, the Bohdan Zawadzki Laboratory of Diagnostic Techniques was established. Its aim was to conduct research, train and publish as well as, prove help to psychology students and pedagogical-psychological counselors. The head of the Laboratory was Włodzimierz Grodzicki MS, and afterwards Ewa Oleszkiewicz MS. Since 1981, the Laboratory was headed by Teresa Szustrowa, PhD, and its team consisted of: Anna Ciechanowicz PhD, Joanna Filipczuk MS, Aleksandra Jaworowska PhD. A Commission of Experts affiliated to the Laboratory was created, including professors: Maria Manturzewska, Janusz Kostrzewski, Jerzy Brzeziński, Jacek Paluchowski, Elżbieta Hornowska. The Laboratory focused mainly on the most important task for Polish psychologists, namely adapting and normalizing tests endorsed by the Commission of Experts as the diagnostic canon.
1981–1990
From 1981 to 1990, despite political and economical difficulties, psychologists-practicians started to gain access to licensed, normalized, correctly edited tests by Polish and foreign authors, and to the psychometric literature. Among the first tools published in Poland were: Raven’s Matrices, Eysenck’s EPQ-R, STAI Inventory, Wechsler’s WISC-R for Children, and Columbia Mental Maturity Scale.
1990
The agreement under which the Laboratory existed was terminated in 1990. Two at that time independent institutions were created: the Laboratory of Diagnostic Techniques at the Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, with mainly didactic goals, and Pracownia Testów Psychologicznych Polskiego Towarzystwa Psychologicznego – substantively and financially independent entity of the Polish Psychological Association which became the main publisher of tests in Poland.
1990–2006
In 1990-2006 the Pracownia Testów Psychologicznych Polskiego Towarzystwa Psychologicznego was headed consecutively by Teresa Szustrowa, PhD, and Anna Ciechanowicz, PhD. The technical team of Pracownia Testów Psychologicznych Polskiego Towarzystwa Psychologicznego increased gradually. It included in 2006: Aleksandra Jaworowska PhD (in Pracownia – from the beginnings), Prof. Anna Matczak (in Pracownia since 1996), Joanna Stańczak MS (in Pracownia – since 1990), Diana Fecenec MS (in Pracownia – since 1995), and Ewa Zalewska MS (in Pracownia – since 2004). A bookstore managed by Joanna Filipczuk MS was established to sell psychological books and tests.
At that time, Pracownia adapted and normalized many Polish and foreign tests. It published tests which were awaited by the practicians in the years before the activity of Pracownia; the offer of Pracownia included Wechsler’s Intelligence Scale (WAIS-R, WISC-R), all Raven’s Matrices, general ability tests for children, youth and adults, temperament and personality questionnaires, tools for job consultancy and employee selection. Reeducation programs for children with reading and writing difficulties were developed as well as programs to diagnose and treat disorders caused by central nervous system damage. Pracownia published also books about diagnostic techniques and several problems & directions of the psychological therapy. Additionally to the scientific and publishing activity, Pracownia conducted trainings about test administration and interpretation, widely acclaimed by practicians. The bookstore, organized and managed by Pracownia, became a very important and valued place in the psychological society. The diagnostic tools developed by Pracownia were purchased by pedagogical/psychological counseling centers, universities, health service, army, police, banks, state institutions, NGOs, and the group of independent psychologists, increasing steadily, and developing their own workplace. The Pracownia reinvests the income in research, also donates each year 15% of the income to help in the mandatory activity of the Polish Psychological Association.
At that time, Pracownia adapted and normalized many Polish and foreign tests. It published tests which were awaited by the practicians in the years before the activity of Pracownia; the offer of Pracownia included Wechsler’s Intelligence Scale (WAIS-R, WISC-R), all Raven’s Matrices, general ability tests for children, youth and adults, temperament and personality questionnaires, tools for job consultancy and employee selection. Reeducation programs for children with reading and writing difficulties were developed as well as programs to diagnose and treat disorders caused by central nervous system damage. Pracownia published also books about diagnostic techniques and several problems & directions of the psychological therapy. Additionally to the scientific and publishing activity, Pracownia conducted trainings about test administration and interpretation, widely acclaimed by practicians. The bookstore, organized and managed by Pracownia, became a very important and valued place in the psychological society. The diagnostic tools developed by Pracownia were purchased by pedagogical/psychological counseling centers, universities, health service, army, police, banks, state institutions, NGOs, and the group of independent psychologists, increasing steadily, and developing their own workplace. The Pracownia reinvests the income in research, also donates each year 15% of the income to help in the mandatory activity of the Polish Psychological Association.
2006
In 2006, the Board of the Polish Psychological Association, having the status of a public benefit organization since November 2005, decided to transform Pracownia Testów Psychologicznych in a limited liability company with the Polish Psychological Association as its only partner. Pracownia Testów Psychologicznych Polskiego Towarzystwa Psychologicznego sp. z o.o. was registered in September 2006. It inherited the substantive, publishing, and popularizing activities as well as the assets of the predecessor. The new company employed all the former staff-members. Aleksandra Jaworowska, PhD, became the Head of the Company. Since 2008 the company uses its former name – Pracownia Testów Psychologicznych Polskiego Towarzystwa Psychologicznego sp. z o.o. – and operates under that name until today.
2024
Prof. Jan Cieciuch, PhD, became the Head of the Research and Development Department.
Joanna Stańczak was appointed President of the Board.
Joanna Stańczak was appointed President of the Board.