Assessment feedback with parents and preadolescent children: A collaborative approach.

Abstract

Psychologists routinely provide feedback to parents (and sometimes children) after conducting psychological assessments of children. The authors review the literature on sharing feedback from child assessments. They then present a rationale, grounded in the theory and principles of collaborative assessment, for why it is useful to discuss assessment results with parents and children. Citing available research evidence, they propose a conceptual framework for understanding the potential therapeutic impact of feedback. Next, they present detailed guidelines-illustrated with case examples from a research project and an independent assessment practice-for how to prepare for and give oral and written feedback to parents and children. The authors encourage assessment professionals to consider the insights and techniques derived from collaborative assessment when providing feedback.

Adolescents with Diabetes and Their Parents’ Perceptions of Mental Health Screening, Assessment, and Feedback

“…Consequently, providers need to consider efficient, yet effective ways to provide feedback. Based on previous research and clinical experience, we recommend that clinicians provide feedback in a verbal or written summary, gauge the client or his/her parents' reactions and understanding, allow time for questions, and offer recommendations (Tharinger et al 2008).…”

“Why Won't My Parents Help Me?”: Therapeutic Assessment of a Child and Her Family

“…TA with children has been practiced for many years (Finn, 1997(Finn, , 2007 and has been described recently by Tharinger, Finn, and members of the Therapeutic Assessment Project (TAP) at the University of Texas have written about the overall model of TA with children (Finn, 2007;Tharinger, Finn, Wilkinson & Schaber, 2007;Tharinger & Roberts, in press), the efficacy of TA with children (Tharinger, Finn, Gentry, et al, in press), providing parent feedback (Tharinger, Finn, Hersh, et al, 2008), providing child feedback through individualized fables , and utilizing family intervention sessions in TA (Tharinger, Finn, Austin, et al, 2008). This article is the first complete case study using TA with a child and family.…”

“…Next, a session is conducted in which the assessment findings and recommendations are summarized and discussed collaboratively with the child's parents (Tharinger, Finn, Hersh, et al, 2008). In a subsequent session, usually the following week, developmentally appropriate findings are presented to the child who is typically accompanied by his or her parents.…”

Child-Parent Psychotherapy in the Context of the Developmental Disability and Medical Service Systems

“…A collaborative approach to engaging parents in the process of developing assessment questions, encouraging parents to be present to observe their child's strengths and difficulties during standardized assessment, incorporating parents' insights into understanding their child's performance, and soliciting their feelings about the process, all enable parents to become active, engaged participants in the assessment process. The approach to assessment feedback outlined by Tharinger et al (2008) helps the clinician to show compassion and incorporate a parents' current story and understanding of their child, while gently challenging some of the parents' attributions.…”