The readings this week were very timely for me as I gave the two IQ tests (KBIT 2 & BarOn EQ) to my client, scored them, and had a taped interpretation session with her and her mother. I must admit I was a little nervous but excited too. The actual administering of the tests went well. I had practiced on my own two children and read the manuals so I felt pretty comfortable with the administration. My client, a 10yr girl named Megan, scored in the Above Average range on the IQ test. This was not a real surprise to me as I have known her for years from church and I was impressed with her knowledge during the testing. The EQ test was another story! She took the test and that went well. I could tell she was really concentrating and taking her time. When I went to score the test, I came up with a 56 Total EQ which put her in the "Markedly Low- atypically impaired emotional and social capacity". I must admit I freaked out a bit. My interpretation session was the next day and this just wasn't making sense. I knew that Megan did seem self-conscious at times and was shy with adults but I didn't think that should reflect such a low score. I went back and rechecked her answers and my scoring. I had missed one answer and while it raised her score to a 58 we were still in the same category. I looked at the profile again and it hit me...I had forgotten to convert the 58 to the Standard Score. When I did that, Megan scored a 101 which is in the middle of the Average range. I definitely learned a lesson! I am so glad I figured this out before the session with Megan and her Mom.
While preparing for the interpretation session, I found the article by Tinsley and Bradley to be very helpful and I appreciated several suggestions. First they underscored what we have been saying in class all along. Tests are only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to understanding a person. "Tests should virtually never be interpreted in isolation but rather should be integrated with the other information available to present a unified picture." (Tinsley & Bradley, 1986). I also took note of their methods of involving clients input during the interpretation session. I myself started the session with asking Megan about the two tests and having her describe them a bit to her mother and me. I also used Tinsley & Bradley's advice about explaining to your client and parents about the "inexact nature of test scores" (1986).
While our textbook was helpful in me planning my interpretation session there was one more point that Tinsley and Bradley made that made an impression on me. "Clients do not always need information above all else." (1986). Being a task oriented individual, this was important for me to note. I will need to monitor myself during sessions so I don't let the dissemination of information be important above all else. I do also feel that I am generally sensitive to people's needs and mood but I know in a hurried situation I might lose sight of that as I want to accomplish my goals for the interpretation session. I will try to keep this in the forefront of my mind for my future interpretation sessions.
Drummond, R. J. & Jones, K. (2010). Assessment procedures for counselors and helping
professionals. (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:Pearson.
Tinsley, H.E.A, & Bradley, R.W. (1986). Testing the test: Test interpretation. Journal of
Counseling and Development, (64)462-466.
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