Using the professional literature, students will critique a psychological test. Students should use a variety of resources including validation studies, testing manuals, and assessment reviews. Please choose assessments that are relevant to your future work setting. For example, a school counseling student might select an: 1.) Aptitude Test; 2.) Intelligence Test; 3.) Achievement Test. A clinical mental health counseling student might select a: 1.) Symptom Checklist; 2.) Substance Abuse Assessment; 3.) Personality Measure (e.g. remember personality is a very broad concept). This assignment is focused on developing your skills in critically evaluating a standardized assessment. Please note, that each you are assigned to a group for the final presentation. Please meet with your group early to make sure the test you choose to critique aligns with the assessment battery identified by your group.
Your critique should answer the following questions
Test Coverage and Use (CACREP.F.7.m)
What are the intended uses of the test? What interpretations does the publisher feel are appropriate? Are inappropriate applications identified?
Who is the test designed for? What is the basis for considering whether the test applies to your clients?
Practical considerations including reading level, test length, cost of the test, and level of training required for administration.
Appropriate samples for test validation and norming (CACREP.F.7.f; F.7.m)
How were the samples used in pilot testing, validation and norming chosen? How is this sample related to your client population? Were participation rates appropriate?
Was the sample size large enough to develop stable estimates with minimal fluctuation due to sampling errors? Where statements are made concerning subgroups, are there enough test-takers in each subgroup?
Do the difficulty levels of the test and criterion measures (if any) provide an adequate basis for validating and norming the instrument? Are there sufficient variations in test scores?
Describe the scaling used by the test developers (e.g. strengths and limitations)
Outline the scoring procedures.
Multicultural Considerations
Reliability (CACREP.F.7.g; F.7.h)
How have reliability estimates been computed? Have appropriate statistical methods been used? (e.g., Split half-reliability coefficients should not be used with speeded tests as they will produce artificially high estimates.)
What are the reliabilities of the test for different groups of test-takers? How were they computed?
Is the reliability sufficiently high to warrant using the test as a basis for decisions concerning individual students?
To what extent are the groups used to provide reliability estimates similar to the groups the test will be used with?
What is the standard error of measurement? What does this value insinuate?
Criterion Validity (CACREP.F.7.g; F.7.h)
What criterion measure has been used to evaluate validity? What is the rationale for choosing this measure?
Is the distribution of scores on the criterion measure adequate?
What is the overall predictive accuracy of the test? How accurate are predictions for individuals whose scores are close to cut-points of interest?
Content Validity (CACREP.F.7.g; F.7.h)
Is there a clear statement of the universe of skills represented by the test? What research was conducted to determine desired test content and/or evaluate content?
What was the composition of expert panels used in content validation? How were judgments elicited?
How similar is this content to the content you are interested in testing?
Construct Validity (CACREP.F.7.g; F.7.h)
Is the conceptual framework for each tested construct clear and well founded? What is the basis for concluding that the construct is related to the purposes of the test?
Does the framework provide a basis for testable hypotheses concerning the construct? Are these hypotheses supported by empirical data?
Test Administration (CACREP.F.7.m)
Will test administrators understand precisely what is expected of them?
Do the test administration procedures replicate the conditions under which the test was validated and normed? Are these procedures standardized?
Test reporting (CACREP.F.7.l; F.7.m)
How are test results reported? Are the scales used in reporting results conducive to proper test use?
What materials and resources are available to aid in interpreting test results?
Test and Item Bias (CACREP.F.7.g; F.7.h)
Were the items analyzed statistically for possible bias? What method(s) was used? How were items selected for inclusion in the final version of the test?
Was the test analyzed for differential validity across groups? How was this analysis conducted?
Was the test analyzed to determine the English language proficiency required of test-takers? Should the test be used with non-native speakers of English?
Please make sure your responses are formatted into a coherent narrative. Bulleted lists, or the aforementioned list of questions with your responses written underneath will not be accepted.
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|