What are the two reasons for assessment (according to VIDA)
- Describe
2. Diagnose
What are the two comparison standards for assessment?
- Normative - measures of population averages. Requires species-wide expectations
- Individual - comparison of an individual premorbid and current levels of functioning
What is/ and the purpose of a scatter analysis
Scatter analysis requires you to look at individual test scores of a measure (e.g score in a verbal memory task compared to score in a visual memory task). If scores differ within a measure = scatter suggesting specific difficulties not global difficulties.
Non-impaired people don’t have discrepancies or scatter.
What are cut-off raw scores in tests?
A particular number and if the clients score falls either side it will indicate either an impairment or normal functioning.
Tests with cut-off raw scores = Mini MSE or DASS.
What is the most common way to report test scores?
Convert the clients raw score into a standard score according to a normal distribution of scores in a non-impaired population, which is then plotted on a normal curve for interpretation.
Raw score conversions are helpful as they allow you to compare scores irrespective of what test they came from
How do you calculate a standard Z score from a raw score?
Raw score - test mean / test standard deviation.
For indexes - M = 100, SD = 15
For subtests - M = 10, SD = 3
What are the Five report writing standards?
- Comprehensiveness: Referral question is clear, history, observations, and summary is included. Comments are not vague but specific to clients unique aspects
- Integration: Should included at LEAST three different sources. Do not write a test by test description instead organise around domains
- Validity: interpretation are consistent with literature, sensitive to issues (cultural diversity or age), conclusion/diagnoses reasonable. Indicate the degree of certainty e.g. “probably indicates”
- Client-centered: Not test focuses - recommendations are clear, specific and reasonable to the client
- Overall writing: Jargon free - does not include test response examples (tests are protected
What are the six sections of a report?
- Referral question (nature of problem/reason for referral)
- Evaluation procedures (tests, interviews, review of previous reports etc)
- Background information (only relevant to referral)
- Behavioural observations
- Interpretation and impressions (main body of report described in domains of functioning)
- Summary and recommendations
What are some types of recommendations in a report?
Treatment (e.g psychotherapy)
Placement (e.g special education)
Further evaluation (e.g MRI)
Self-help (e.g support groups)
Alteration in environment (e.g medication alarm)
