A random sample of members of the National Association of School Psychologists was surveyed to examine the assessment activity of practicing school psychologists. Test-usage estimates and importance ratings for well-established standardized instruments, newly revised or released instruments, and informal procedures such as interview and curriculum-based assessment were examined. Estimates of time involved in various service delivery activities also were obtained. Results indicated that assessment activities still account for about 50% of the practice hours of school psychologists, followed by consultation (20%) and treatment (19%). School psychologists reported frequent use of intellectual, behavior-social-emotional, achievement, and perceptual assessment methods, but were less likely to be involved in vocational or preschool assessment. Familiar instruments, such as the Wechsler scales, the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-educational Battery-Revised, the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised, the Bender-Visual Motor Gestalt, the Beery Developmental Test of Motor Integration, and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, were the most used tests. However, in the social-emotional domain, direct assessment methods, such as interview and observation, were more frequently used and rated as more important than standardized measures. These results, and the limitations of the study, are discussed.
Decision-makers in school psychology are presently engaged in the process of determining how to, if possible, move forward with conducting mandated psychoeducational evaluations of students in schools during the pandemic. Whereas prominent organizations within the profession (e.g., American Psychological Association, National Association of School Psychologists) have issued guidance and encouraged practitioners to delay testing, it is not clear whether that is a viable option in every jurisdiction. Accordingly, professionals are now considering the potential use of telehealth platforms to conduct assessments, in some form, as we move forward and deal with this crisis. The goal of this brief commentary is to raise some provisional limitations associated with the use of telehealth to conduct psychological assessments that we believe will have to be considered as use of these platforms is debated. Recommendations for professional practice are also provided.
Due to physical distancing guidelines, the closure of nonessential businesses, and the closure of public schools, the role of telehealth for the delivery of psychological services for children has never been more debated. However, the transition to teleassessment is more complicated for some types of assessment than others. For instance, the remote administration of achievement and intelligence tests is a relatively recent adaptation of telehealth, and despite recommendations for rapid adoption by some policymakers and publishing companies, caution and careful consideration of individual and contextual variables and the existing research literature, as well as measurement, cultural and linguistic, and legal and ethical issues, is warranted. The decision to use remotely administered achievement and intelligence tests is best made on a case-by-case basis after consideration of these factors. We discuss each of these issues as well as implications for practice and policy, as well as issue provisional guidance for consideration for publishing companies interested in these endeavors moving forward.
Two hundred fifty-nine preservice teachers at a medium-sized university in the Southwest participated in the current study. The participants were randomly assigned to a labeled condition, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or nonlabeled condition, and were presented a vignette in one of three forms: a written case study, a video clip, or a written case study with a video clip. The vignette described an elementary school aged child displaying disruptive behavior, while the video portrayed a similar aged child exhibiting disruptive behavior in the classroom. Following the presentation of the vignette, participants made judgments about the child's social skills and attentional skills by completing an examiner-made rating scale. There was a significant main effect for the label condition on judgments of attention; participants in the labeled condition made significantly more negative judgment than did those in the nonlabeled condition. There were also significant main effects for the participants' high school location and vignette treatment.
There continues to be a critical shortage of school psychologist practitioners and academicians. Undergraduate students in psychology, education, and other majors (N = 674) from a large comprehensive university in the southwest completed an examiner‐made web‐based questionnaire designed to assess their attitudes and preferences for choosing graduate training in psychology. There were differences among the participants on Interest in Graduate School, Child Interests, Attitude toward Research, and Exposure to School Psychology. Psychology majors were more interested in graduate school than all other majors in the sample and were more interested in research than “other” majors. Psychology majors reported significantly less exposure to school psychology than “other” majors. Examination of the endorsement patterns of the participants indicated the following. Generally, misconceptions about school psychology were not endorsed at high levels. Sixty seven percent of the sample indicated they would attend graduate school. And 77% of the participants also endorsed items indicating they had interests in focusing on children and child related problems. The participants did specify there were some geographic restraints related to choice of graduate school. Fifty to 60% of the participants agreed they had personal qualifications which would make them highly competitive for graduate school admission. Implications for school psychology recruitment are offered.
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