Potential limitations in assessment practices with children who have severe mental retardation have been identified in the literature. The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent to which practicing school psychologists use alternative methods as opposed to standardized/norm-referenced measures in the assessment of children suspected or identified as having moderate to severe/profound mental retardation. As part of a larger survey, assessment practices of school psychologists with children functioning in the more severe level of mental retardation were reported by 202 school psychologists. Results suggest that school psychologists use norm-referenced measures at all grade/age levels. Various other types of methods were also noted by 0.5 to 35.8% of the respondents, with the highest frequency of alternative approaches employed at the preschool level. Implications for assessment practices with children with moderate to severe/profound mental retardation and for the training of school psychologists in alternative methods of evaluation consistent with the need to link assessment to intervention are discussed.
References
1.
Alter, M., Gottlieb, B. W., & Gottlieb, J. (1986). Dimensions of assessment of severely and profoundly mentally retarded persons. In P.J. Lazarus & S. S. Strichart (Eds.), Psychoeducational evaluation of children and adolescents with low incidence handicaps (pp. 123-153). Orlando: Grune & Stratton.
2.
American Association on Mental Retardation. (1992). Mental retardation: Definition, classification, and systems of supports. Washington, DC: Author.
3.
Bayley, N. (1993). Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
4.
Berg, W. K., Wacker, D. P., & Steege, M. W. (1995). Assessment with persons who have severe or profound handicaps. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology (3rd ed., pp. 805-816). Washington, DC: NASP.
5.
Bracken, B. A. (1987). Limitations of preschool instruments and standards for minimal levels of technical adequacy. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 4, 313-326.
6.
Bracken, B. A. (1988). Ten psychometric reasons why similar tests produce dissimilar results. Journal of School Psychology, 26, 155-166.
7.
Bracken, B. A. (1998). Bracken Basic Concept Scale-Revised. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
8.
Brigance, A. H. (1991). Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Early Development-Revised. N. Billerica, MA: Curriculum Associates.
9.
Browder, D. M. (1987). Learners with severe intellectual disabilities. In Margaret C. Wang, Maynard C. Reynolds, & Herbert J. Walberg (Eds.), Handbook of special and remedial education: Research and practice (2nd ed. pp. 281-302). Oxford, England: Elsevier.
10.
Browder, D. M. (1991). Assessment of individuals with severe disabilities: An applied behavior approach to life skills assessment (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
11.
Cole, K. N., Swisher, V., Thompson, M. D., & Fewell, R. R. (1985). Enhancing sensitivity of assessment instruments for children: Graded multi-dimensional scoring. The Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 10, 209-213.
12.
Curtis, M. J., Hunley, S. A., & Baker, S. C. (1996). Demographics and professional practices in school psychology: A national perspective. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Atlanta, GA.
13.
Elliott, C. D. (1990). Differential Ability Scales: Introductory and technical handbook. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
14.
Evans, W. H., Gable, R. A., & Evans, S. S. (1993). Making something out of everything: The promise of ecological assessment. Diagnostique, 18, 175-185.
15.
Gerken, K. C. (1991). Assessment of severely handicapped preschoolers. In B. A. Bracken (Ed.), The psychoeducational assessment of preschool children (pp. 392-429). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
16.
Hiskey, M. S. (1966). Hiskey-Nebraska Test of Learning Aptitude. Lincoln, NE: Union College Press.
17.
Kamphaus, R. W. (1993). Clinical assessment of children's intelligence. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
18.
Kaufman, A. S., & Kaufman, N. L. (1983). Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
19.
Kaufman, A. S., & Kaufman, N. L. (1990). Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
20.
Kaufman, A. S., & Kaufman, N. L. (1993). Kaufman Adult Intelligence Test. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
21.
Leiter, R. G., & Arthur, G. (1948). Letter International Performance Scale. Chicago: Stoelting.
22.
LeMay, D. W., Griffin, P. M., & Sanford, A. R. (1983). Learning Accomplishment Profile-Diagnostic edition. Winston-Salem, NC: Kaplan Press.
23.
McCarthy, D. (1972). McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. New York: The Psychological Corporation.
24.
Newborg, J., Stock, J. R., Wnek, L., Guidubaldi, J., & Svinicki, J. (1984). Battelle Developmental Inventory. Allen, TX: DLM Teaching Resources.
25.
Reschly, D. J., & Wilson, M. S. (1997). School psychology practitioners and faculty: 1986 to 1991-92 trends in demographics, roles, satisfaction, and system reform. School Psychology Review, 24, 62-80.
26.
Riccio, C. A., Houston, F., & Harrison, P. L. (1997). Assessment and intervention training of school psychologists. Manuscript in progress. Texas A & M University.
27.
Sigafoos, J., Cole, D., & McQuarter, R. J. (1987). Current practices in the assessment of students with severe handicaps. The Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 12, 264-273.
28.
Simeonson, R. J. (1986). Psychological and developmental assessment of special children. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
29.
Terman, D. L., Larner, M. B., Stevenson, C. S., & Behrman, R. E. (1996). Special education for students with disabilities: Analysis and recommendations. Special Education for Students with Disabilities, 6(1), 4-24.
30.
Thorndike, R. L., Hagen, E. P., & Sattler, J. M. (1986). Technical manual for the fourth edition Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale. Chicago: Riverside.
31.
U.S. Department of Education. (1996). Eighteenth Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [on-line]. Available: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/OSEP96AnlRpt/
32.
Wechsler, D. (1981). Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
33.
Wechsler, D. (1989). Wechsler Primary and Preschool Scale of Intelligence-Revised. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
34.
Wechsler, D. (1992). Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (3rd ed.). San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
35.
Wilson, M. S., & Reschly, D. J. (1995). Assessment in school psychology training and practice. School Psychology Review, 25, 9-23.
