1. Developing an Assessment

2. Assessment Planning Process
Analyze the environment
Agency, clients, TR program, staff & resources
Define parameters
Function, content, implementation strategy
Select or develop assessment
Establish assessment protocols
Train staff & interns on protocols
Peterson & Stumbo, 2000

3. Assessment Implementation Process
Review assessment protocol
Prepare for assessment
Administer assessment to client
Analyze or score assessment results
Interpret results for placement into programs
Document results of assessment
Reassess client as necessary/monitor progress
Peterson & Stumbo, 2000

4. Selection of Assessment Procedure
Determine the purpose
Specify the exact content to be covered
Identify other selection criteria
Search assessment resources
Compare possible procedures to selection criteria
Select assessment

5. Reality
“In actual practice, more therapeutic recreation specialists rely on agency-specific assessments than on nationally available tests.”
Peterson & Stumbo, 2000, p. 221
Why?
Content of commercial assessments rarely matches content of programs or agencies

6. Rationale for Teaching Development to Undergraduate Students
“Many individuals feel that assessment development and validation is a complex enough process that it should not be advocated as a task for the typical TRS. Individuals with bachelor’s degrees may not have the conceptual and statistical expertise for development and validation. Another view states that TRSs are more likely to develop their own assessments (good or bad) than buy commercial assessments so instruction in correct methodology is important.” (Stumbo, 2002, p. 163)

7. Developing an Assessment
Select the assessment content
Comes from content of program
Based on current literature, needs of clients, and TR models or theories
Develop list of programs designed for a specific group
Define client goals

8. Developing an Assessment
Determine the assessment purpose
Placement into programs
Basic screening, identifying problems, narrow problems, reassess problems
Understand client group
Disabilities, education, backgrounds, etc.

9. Developing an Assessment
Determine type of assessment
Interviews, observations, self-administered surveys, record reviews
How many clients assessed?
How much staff time is available for assessment?
What are the skills of staff?
What will yield the best information to place in programs?

10. Developing an Assessment
Select the client outcomes to be assessed
Outline the assessment content
Make a two-way chart
Make sure assessment is representative of content of program
See p. 170

11. Developing an Assessment
Select the type of items to use
Closed-ended or open-ended
Yes/no, true/false, matching, multiple choice, rating, & ranking = closed
Fill-in-the-blank, short answer, & extended answer = open
Match the items to specific client outcomes

12. Developing an Assessment
Make the final selection of items
See Stumbo, 2002, p
Norm group
Validity & reliability

13. Developing an Assessment
Make manual/protocol
Directions for administration, scoring, interpretation, and reporting
Reliability & validity
See Stumbo, 2002, p
Pilot test & make revisions