STUDY Flashcards
(56 cards)
Which of the following is a commonly used metric for establishing reliability of measurement within the context of a single-subject design?
A.
Internal consistency
B.
Test-retest reliability
C.
Interobserver agreement
D.
The generalizability coefficient
C. Interobserver Agreement
Although all responses represent common reliability metrics, only interobserver agreement is commonly used within the context of single-subject design. In fact, the other metrics would be difficult to calculate given the nature of single-case data.
A school psychologist serves a population consisting primarily of non-White students, many of whom identify as Black and Hispanic American. The school psychologist approaches a more experienced colleague for advice. Which TWO of the following recommendations should be offered to the school psychologist?
A.
When using an interpreter in a family conference, direct statements and questions to the interpreter to increase the accuracy of the translation.
B.
Understand that stereotypes can prevent understanding of factors unique to individual students and their families.
C.
Be aware that individuals within a family often differ in the degree to which they identify with the majority culture.
D.
Set aside personal cultural beliefs and values in working with this population.
B and C
Which THREE of the following are key components NASP considers necessary for developing threat-assessment policies in schools?
A.
Creating district-wide procedures
B.
Conducting a needs assessment at the district and school levels
C.
Creating a team of professionals from different disciplines to evaluate crisis response
D.
Interviewing parents and students regarding the district’s school safety policy
E.
Raising awareness of district policies on school safety and threat response
F.
Consulting cultural brokers for culturally sensitive crisis responses
A. C. E.
The base rate of a disability is directly tied to which of the following critical assessment considerations?
A.
The reliability of the assessment
B.
The accuracy of the diagnosis
C.
The construct validity of the assessment
D.
The false positive rate of the assessment
B. The accuracy of the diagnosis
The base rate of a test is directly connected, via the Bayes equation, to the accuracy of the assessment. This is a critical consideration in evaluating low-incidence disabilities. The lower the prevalence, the less accurate an assessment will be in indicating that disability.
Which of the following consultative strategies has been shown experimentally to increase intervention integrity?
A.
Weekly check-ins with the consultee
B.
Choice of intervention
C.
Monitoring the progress of intervention effects
D.
Interviewing to explore implementer resistance
Option (B) is correct. Choice is a well-known tactic, outlined in the applied behavioral analysis literature. It is an easily implemented, experimentally valid means of increasing compliance with a treatment protocol.
Ernie, a first-grade student, has been referred for an evaluation to determine whether he has autism. He moved to the United States from Ecuador the summer before the current school year. Ernie has very limited proficiency in English, and he and his family primarily speak Spanish at home. Ernie’s classroom teacher has limited Spanish proficiency, and Ernie receives pull-out support with an EL teacher for 90 minutes daily. Which of the following findings from a comprehensive evaluation will lend the greatest support to a classification of autism?
A.
Ernie’s mother reports that he speaks regularly at home, but he often speaks overly loudly and has unusual speech patterns.
B.
The school psychologist observes that Ernie typically responds to other students in his class with one-word responses.
C.
Ernie’s teacher reports that he does not initiate interactions with his peers in school and often plays by himself during recess.
D.
During breaks in testing, Ernie draws pictures of trains, and when the examiner asks about the pictures, Ernie reports that he likes playing with trains.
Option (A) is correct. The parent report indicates that Ernie has language capabilities, presumably in his native language, although abnormalities in volume and tone are noted.
A school psychologist is evaluating Mona, a first-grade student, following a referral to the student support team. During testing, the school psychologist notices that Mona has difficulty understanding directions and answering questions. When speaking with Mona’s teacher, the school psychologist learns that Mona has had similar difficulties in the classroom. Which of the following best describes how the school psychologist should proceed with the evaluation process?
A.
The school psychologist should speak with the school’s speech therapist and discuss the potential for a speech and language evaluation.
B.
The school psychologist should consider adding additional subtests to the evaluation in case Mona was not concentrating during the first testing session.
C.
The school psychologist should document observations and a teacher interview in her report and discuss it with Mona’s parents.
D.
The school psychologist should consider waiting to evaluate Mona until she has had more time in school to learn how to follow directions.
Option (A) is correct. The school psychologist should advocate for the involvement of other special education professionals who have training in the areas where Mona is experiencing difficulty.
Frequency recording should be used when observing which of the following behaviors?
A.
A student is out of seat for long periods of time.
B.
A student calls out multiple times.
C.
A student takes several minutes to begin an assignment.
D.
A student is off task during math lessons.
Option (B) is correct. A student calling out multiple times is a discrete behavior with a beginning and an end.
Which TWO of the following best describe alternative approaches to retaining a student?
A.
Allowing the student to move to the next grade while repeating specific grade level classes they failed
B.
Providing additional social-emotional and behavioral interventions to support the student in areas that affected academic performance
C.
Retaining the student and outlining a specific plan for them to catch up to their same-age peers
D.
Providing the student with additional opportunities to receive academic support either before, during, or after school
E.
Providing the student’s parents with educational materials to complete with the student to close the educational gap
Options (B) and (D) are correct. Addressing the social-emotional and behavioral needs often allows for greater concentration in class and further academic success. Additional academic support offered before, during, or after the school day can close the academic gap.
Which of the following research designs is most appropriate to measure the effectiveness of a reading intervention for three separate students?
A.
Reversal
B.
Changing criterion
C.
Multiple treatment
D.
Multiple baseline
Option (D) is correct. In a multiple baseline study, a baseline level of reading performance would be established separately for each student.
A school psychologist is counseling an anxious student. A coworker has suggested that the school psychologist use a behavioral approach during counseling sessions. If the school psychologist follows this advice, which of the following will most likely occur?
A.
The school psychologist will interpret the student’s lack of progress as the result of executive dysfunction.
B.
The school psychologist will ask the student to keep a journal in which the student identifies the thoughts that correspond with the student’s mood.
C.
The school psychologist will interpret the student’s lack of progress as a form of resistance.
D.
The school psychologist will help the student identify triggers, gratifying activities, and achievable goals.
Option (D) is correct. Identifying antecedents or triggers, gratifying activities, and achievable goals are all principles associated with behavioral therapy.
A 9-year-old student struggles with deductive problem-solving and often cannot determine what shape would logically complete a pattern. According to the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of cognitive development, the student likely has difficulty in which of the following areas?
A.
Crystallized intelligence
B.
Fluid reasoning
C.
Processing speed
D.
Short-term memory
Option (B) is correct. Fluid reasoning refers to the ability to problem-solve and mental operations that one uses when faced with a relatively novel task that cannot be performed automatically.
Leandra is an 18-year-old high school senior with bipolar disorder who currently receives wraparound services. She reports that her mother is controlling and does not allow her to date or see friends socially. Leandra’s mother defends her actions, saying that Leandra has not made good decisions in the past. Since receiving wraparound services, Leandra’s decision making has improved and her mood has been stable. She has expressed a desire to move out of her mother’s house.
Which of the following people is most appropriate for Leandra to consult to help her address this issue with her mother?
A.
Her mental health counselor
B.
Her psychiatrist
C.
A youth and family wrapround partner
D.
A member of her IEP team
Option (C) is correct. A youth and family partner is part of the wraparound team from the community who can help the student communicate with their parents in a positive way. This person works in conjunction with the rest of the student’s support team to help a student meet their goals.
A student is currently receiving a phonics-based reading intervention once a day, three times a week, in a group of eight students. The student’s growth in reading fluency is monitored for three months, and it is determined that the student is not responding to the intervention.
Which of the following intensification approaches would be most likely to result in a faster rate of growth in reading fluency?
A.
Reducing the size of the intervention group
B.
Adding self-regulated learning strategies
C.
Adding additional phonemic awareness instruction
D.
Increasing the frequency of the intervention
Option (D) is correct. Increasing the frequency of an intervention is the most obvious way to increase the intensity of the intervention. Although increasing the frequency is not the only strategy, it is the one most often researched and most likely to have a practical effect.
According to NASP, which THREE of the following best describe effective district-wide policies for discipline in school?
A.
Selecting and identifying a zero-tolerance policy that is supported by research and data
B.
Abolishing the use of a zero-tolerance policy and selecting an alternative policy that is supported by research and data
C.
Establishing district-wide rules and expectations that are used in each school
D.
Having building-based administration be responsible for creating consequences for when students break rules within the classroom
E.
Creating multidisciplinary teams at the district- and building-wide levels to review student discipline policies
F.
Having each school within the district create rules and consequences that are most effective for the developmental ages of the students within the building
Options (B), (C), and (E) are correct. NASP discourages the use of zero-tolerance policies and instead supports the creation of multidisciplinary teams to create rules and expectations that are universally applied at the district- and building-wide levels.
During a small group counseling session, a student disclosed a personal experience about a previous incident of abuse. Another group member shared this story with a parent, who called the school psychologist, asking for specific details about the case out of concern for the student.
Which of the following aspects of counseling is most important in this situation?
A.
Practicing unconditional positive regard
B.
Clarifying the problem
C.
Maintaining confidentiality
D.
Implementing interventions
Option (C) is correct. Confidentiality is important to establish in a group situation. It is not permissible to disclose a student’s experience to another student’s parents, regardless of their concern. The exception to this rule is the mandatory reporting of abuse to Child Protective Services.
Jesse is an eleventh-grade student with a moderate intellectual disability and is currently engaged in transition planning with the IEP team. After taking a course in plant care last semester, he has expressed an interest in finding a job at a plant nursery.
Which of the following would be most helpful in helping Jesse meet his goal?
A.
A vocational rehabilitation counselor
B.
An independent living facility
C.
The Social Security Administration
D.
The local community college
Option (A) is correct. A vocational rehabilitation counselor will be able to work with Jesse and his transition team to find and secure employment.
In which TWO of the following ways can a teacher best create an inclusive environment for students who are English learners (ELs)?
A.
By advocating representation of diverse groups in school showcases
B.
By enforcing an English-only rule in the classroom to help students who are ELs acclimate
C.
By providing instructions verbally to increase English exposure
D.
By including small-group work to allow students to work with peers with whom they are comfortable
Options (A) and (D) are correct. Advocating for representation in school showcases allows students who are ELs to feel included and seen in the whole-school environment. Additionally, allowing students who are ELs to work in small groups and to choose their group members increases the chances that these students will be engaged and comfortable participating in class.
An early-career school psychologist feels there are limited opportunities for consultation, collaboration, and interaction with other school psychologists to address various case issues. Which of the following actions would best help the school psychologist to find support?
A.
Increasing self-care
B.
Taking an additional course
C.
Reaching out to the school administrators
D.
Applying for the NASP mentorship program
Option (D) is correct. This option best satisfies the early-career school psychologist’s need for consultation, collaboration, and interaction in a formal, professional manner.
In which TWO of the following ways can a school psychologist best support a student with epilepsy?
A.
By calling the student’s primary health-care provider at the onset of a seizure
B.
By providing referrals for outside counseling for related depression and anxiety
C.
By working with the school social worker to provide case management services if the student has significant absences
D.
By developing a seizure action plan
Options (C) and (D) are correct. Case management services are necessary if the student will need to spend significant time out of school to attend appointments or because of seizures. Developing a seizure action plan will allow school staff to know how to act quickly and safely in the event of a seizure.
Which TWO of the following are typically included in a functional behavioral assessment?
A.
A preference assessment completed with the student to target desired reinforcers
B.
Collection of frequency data through observations of the student
C.
Collection of data to determine the efficacy of the interventions implemented
D.
Teacher completion of a questionnaire assessing causes of the behaviors
E.
A behavioral intervention plan
Options (B) and (D) are correct. Functional behavioral assessments identify the function of the behavior and include observations of the student and the teacher completing questionnaires assessing when the behaviors occur.
A student’s parent requests that the school psychologist send the student’s psychological evaluation report to the parent’s work e-mail address before an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. The most ethical procedure for the psychologist to follow is to
A.
inform the parent that only a personal e-mail address may be used, and if that is provided, send the report as an encrypted attachment
B.
obtain the parent’s consent to transmit the report to the work e-mail address and send it as an encrypted attachment
C.
send the e-mail via a third-party company that handles high-security e-mail and copy the principal
D.
ask the parent to pick up a hard copy of the report at the school prior to the meeting
Option (B) is correct. Based on NASP’s standards, parents and adult students must be notified of the electronic storage and transmission of personally identifiable school psychological records and the associated risks to privacy. Furthermore, to the extent that school psychological records are under their control, school psychologists protect electronic files from unauthorized release or modification.
Which of the following considerations in intervention planning reflects a possible motivating operator for problem behavior?
A.
Whether the student receives sufficient adult attention prior to entering the classroom
B.
Whether the student is motivated by tangible reinforcement
C.
Whether the student’s problem behavior is maintained by escape due to task aversion
D.
Whether the student’s reinforcement plan follows a variable or fixed schedule
Option (A) is correct. A student’s lack of attention up to the point of class instruction will likely increase the reinforcement value of receiving adult attention in the classroom, and thus motivate the student to seek it. This is important because the teacher could potentially then use antecedent attention as a strategy (i.e., give attention at the beginning of class preemptively), or know that this is a high-value reinforcer during the class period.
Jessica, a fourth-grade student, has a known hearing impairment and receives services under Section 504 to accommodate her in the classroom. Her parents are concerned that she also has emotional and academic struggles, and they provide consent for testing. Ms. Fanshaw, the school psychologist in the district, has no experience in assessing students with hearing impairments.
Using an ethical problem-solving model, which of the following should be Ms. Fanshaw’s first step?
A.
Consulting the available ethical and legal guidelines, such as district policies
B.
Determining the potential ethical and legal issues of evaluating Jessica herself
C.
Conferring with her supervisors and colleagues
D.
Considering alternative solutions and their legal and ethical consequences
Option (B) is correct. According to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the first step in an ethical problem-solving model is to define the potential ethical and legal issues of the problem.
