1. Writing Interpretive Reports meaningful & useful suggestions

2. Overview Personal Growth Personal Growth Career Counseling Career Counseling For Other Professionals For Other Professionals Diagnostic Purposes Diagnostic Purposes General Principles General Principles

3. Personal Growth Create a comprehensive picture of the individual Create a comprehensive picture of the individual Relate the test scores to all relevant background information Relate the test scores to all relevant background information Lead to practical suggestions, skill development, and compensatory strategies Lead to practical suggestions, skill development, and compensatory strategies

4. Career Counseling Focus on occupational aptitudes and interest Focus on occupational aptitudes and interest Relate the test scores to the client’s educational and occupational history Relate the test scores to the client’s educational and occupational history Lead the client toward further investigation, goal setting, and decision making Lead the client toward further investigation, goal setting, and decision making

5. For Other Professionals Focus on the decision to be made by the other professional Focus on the decision to be made by the other professional Provide an objective summary of the test results Provide an objective summary of the test results Relate the test scores to the client’s disposition during testing to establish validity Relate the test scores to the client’s disposition during testing to establish validity Limit interpretations and synthesis, report the scores in a more clinical, technical style Limit interpretations and synthesis, report the scores in a more clinical, technical style

6. Diagnostic Purposes Typically made by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or multidisciplinary team Typically made by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or multidisciplinary team Relate the test scores to the client’s disposition during testing to establish validity Relate the test scores to the client’s disposition during testing to establish validity Limit interpretations and synthesis to the role of the counselor on the team Limit interpretations and synthesis to the role of the counselor on the team

7. General Principles Ultimately the report format, style, reach, and tone will be determined by: Ultimately the report format, style, reach, and tone will be determined by: Who has to make decisions based on the results? Who has to make decisions based on the results? How high are the stakes? How high are the stakes?

8. General Principles Remember that many things influence test scores: Remember that many things influence test scores: Measurement properties of the test Measurement properties of the test Cultural factors and client background Cultural factors and client background The client’s motivation The client’s motivation The client’s experience with other tests The client’s experience with other tests Physical and psychological conditions of the testing Physical and psychological conditions of the testing Inherent ability Inherent ability

9. General Principles It is always important to comment on and try to establish the degree of validity of the testing situation It is always important to comment on and try to establish the degree of validity of the testing situation However, this section can be very brief if: However, this section can be very brief if: The client expressed appropriate behaviors The client expressed appropriate behaviors Took the task seriously Took the task seriously Had no significant distractions or adverse reactions and needed no breaks Had no significant distractions or adverse reactions and needed no breaks

10. General Principles A valid testing situation is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for strong conclusions A valid testing situation is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for strong conclusions Confine statements to tentative or suggestive language Confine statements to tentative or suggestive language Do not try to prove or establish fact Do not try to prove or establish fact Help the client learn and make decisions Help the client learn and make decisions

11. SEM and Confidence Intervals For technically savvy audiences, use the standard error of measurement and confidence interval concepts For technically savvy audiences, use the standard error of measurement and confidence interval concepts For a 95% Confidence Interval For a 95% Confidence Interval Score + / - (1.96 * SEM) Score + / - (1.96 * SEM)

12. SEM and Confidence Intervals John scored a 97 on an IQ test. John scored a 97 on an IQ test. Mean = 100 Mean = 100 SD = 15 SD = 15 SEM = 3 SEM = 3 What is John’s true IQ? What is John’s true IQ?

13. SEM and Confidence Intervals We don’t know. We don’t know. We are 95% confident that John’s true score on this IQ test is between 91 and 103. We are 95% confident that John’s true score on this IQ test is between 91 and 103. If John took this test 100 times, 95 of the intervals we could put around his score would capture his true score. If John took this test 100 times, 95 of the intervals we could put around his score would capture his true score.

14. General Principles Do not over interpret percentiles Do not over interpret percentiles Remember that small changes in T scores near the middle of the distribution can account for relatively large changes in percentiles Remember that small changes in T scores near the middle of the distribution can account for relatively large changes in percentiles

15. General Principles

16. Flat profiles are reasonably likely to occur Flat profiles are reasonably likely to occur It does not necessarily mean something was wrong with the test or examinee motivation It does not necessarily mean something was wrong with the test or examinee motivation Everything is within the normal range and other indicators are necessary to determine relative strengths and areas for growth Everything is within the normal range and other indicators are necessary to determine relative strengths and areas for growth

17. General Principles Always include a brief description of the purpose for which each test was developed Always include a brief description of the purpose for which each test was developed Briefly describe what each test is intended to measure Briefly describe what each test is intended to measure Summarize the technical properties of each test Summarize the technical properties of each test

18. General Principles Decide on the central message of the report Decide on the central message of the report State it early, and state it again in the summary State it early, and state it again in the summary Support that message throughout the report with various types of evidence: Support that message throughout the report with various types of evidence: –Test scores, client background and life experiences, behavioral observations, and client self-disclosures

19. General Principles Use carefully chosen adverbs and adjectives to describe behaviors the client might exhibit Use carefully chosen adverbs and adjectives to describe behaviors the client might exhibit Strike a balance between the test scores and other sources of information Strike a balance between the test scores and other sources of information Organize and synthesize the information for the reader Organize and synthesize the information for the reader

20. General Principles The test scores themselves may provoke negative reactions for some audiences The test scores themselves may provoke negative reactions for some audiences Parents may resent or be confused by their child being reduced to “a set of numbers” or “labels” Parents may resent or be confused by their child being reduced to “a set of numbers” or “labels” A simple interpretive summary may be fine A simple interpretive summary may be fine

21. General Principles It is sometimes helpful to relate the test scores to the client’s: It is sometimes helpful to relate the test scores to the client’s: –Past experiences, successes, and failures –Present functioning and life circumstances –Future plans, goals, and life circumstances Keep a balanced and objective tone Keep a balanced and objective tone Emphasize both strengths and areas for growth Emphasize both strengths and areas for growth

22. General Principles Be aware of how the test scores and the report will be used (or misused) Be aware of how the test scores and the report will be used (or misused) Be aware of hidden agendas Be aware of hidden agendas Sometimes test scores can only hurt someone Sometimes test scores can only hurt someone Consequential validity of the report Consequential validity of the report

23. Don’t Ignore Personal Qualities Personal qualities can be powerful stress buffers and offer compensatory skills Personal qualities can be powerful stress buffers and offer compensatory skills –Social skills –Social connections –Employment history –Life experiences –Common sense –Maturity

24. Balancing Different Indicators Playing NCAA Athletics as a freshman Playing NCAA Athletics as a freshman

25. Report Writing Resources http://www.msresource.com/format.html http://www.msresource.com/format.html http://www.msresource.com/format.html http://www.msresource.com/theory.html http://www.msresource.com/theory.html http://www.msresource.com/theory.html