-
What are some potential sources of error that can cloud clinical judgment?
(1) type of feedback provided by examiner
(2) working relationship of examiner/examinee
(3) format in which test is administered
(4) state of the examinee
-
What does the research indicate with regard to providing examinees feedback related to their test performance? (e.g., positive vs.negative feedback)
- Performance feedback can affect results in either direction
- Inconsistent feedback = threat to reliability/validity of test scores
- Rewarding responses
- -increase in examinee motivation, performance
- -any verbal/nonverbal indication that examinee is performing well
- •e.g., “good,” “you’re really smart,” nodding approval
- -Positive feedback can be detrimental when no right/wrong answer exists (interviews, attitudinal surveys)
- -Examiner responses shown to affect examinee’s responses
- Negative responses
- Any verbal/nonverbal indication that the examinee is not performing well
- e.g., discouragement, decrease in performance, shaking of head, smirking, heavy sighing, or any verbal response indicative of an incorrect answer
- Research has shown:
- –incentives help to improve performance on IQ measures
- –effects of verbal praise about as strong as money, candy
- •esp. for younger children
- –children of minority respond better when feedback is
- “culturally relevant”
- -examinees increasingly endorsed bogus symptoms with approval from examiner
- “Are your intestines too long?” /“Do the ends of your hair itch?”
-
Is there any kind of feedback that can be provided to an examinee during a test administration? If so, what kind(s)
- Proper test administration protocol:
- (1) no performance related feedback
- (2) deflect examinee questions
- (3) follow all standardization guidelines outlined in test manual
-
Why is it important to establish a comfortable working relationship with an examinee? What are some of the consequences of failing to do so?
- In order to obtain examinee’s “maximum”(best) or “typical”(most representative ) results
- •Comfortable working relationship is crucial to obtaining accurate test results
- •Testing environment should be as comfortable, non-threatening as possible (examiner’s behavior is critical here)
- •Research findings:
- –children score higher on IQ measures under “enhanced” rapport conditions
- –score lower under “disapproving” or neutral examiner conditions
-
Other considerations for establishing rapport.
- •Test scores higher when examiner is “familiar face”
- •Attitudinal surveys –examinee may give response he/she perceives examiner expects
- •No conclusive data to suggest race of examiner impacts test results
-
Suggestions for establishing rapport
- •(1)Provide advanced notice to examinee–especially younger children
- •(2)explain reason(s) for testing–use age appropriate language for children
- •(3)start with easy questions, items, tasks–allow sense of confidence to build
-
What are expectancy effects? Why may it be important to be aware of them?
- •Results may be affected by what examiner expects to find (a.k.a. “Rosenthal effects”)
- –i.e., examiner has preconceived notions as to outcome
- –acts in manner to confirm expectations
- •Important b/c can be influential in scoring of tests
- –e.g., being told a student is “smart” by his/her teacher
- –giving examinee “benefit of the doubt” because he/she is pleasant
- –penalizing examinee because he/she misbehaves
-
Test administration considerations-Other factors that may influence test results:
- (1) expectancy effects
- (2) language of test taker (or other potential communication barrier)
- •# of ESL students in U.S. increasing dramatically
- –e.g., verbally loaded intelligence measure
- –appropriate for ESL student?
- (3) level of training, experience of examiner
- •Level of training examiner receives depends on type of measure used
- •Measures of cognitive ability (IQ) – no set protocol as to what is acceptable level of training–at discretion of individual training programs–typically administered by licensed psychologists and school psychologists
- (4) computer-assisted administration
- •Test items presented on computer terminal. Responses automatically recorded.
- •Advantages: standardization ensured,precisely timed responses,,examiner bias controlled
- (5) test format
- (6) Hearing (or visually) impaired students
- –beware of verbally loaded measures
- –visual-spatial tasks for VI
-
Research findings on level of training, experience of examiner
- –early trainees make numerous scoring and other types of errors
- –little improvement made over 1st five administrations
- •i.e., # of errors remains stable
- –error rate decreases after only 10 administrations of same test
-
Define Test Format & it's Research Findings
Manner in which test is administered can affect test results
- •Research findings:
- –more information disclosed in self-report format vs. live interview
- –will disclose even more when confidentiality of responses is ensured
|
|
