Related Posts

• The 5Ws of Data Collection with PAR

  

  Why? Many of us are familiar with the ethics of psychological testing, including carefully choosing tests based on how they were standardized. Have you ever found yourself curious, flipping through a manual, wondering if the population you work with was adequately represented in the creation of a test? One way you can ensure this, contribute to the field, and be compensated for your time is by participating in data collection with PAR! Data collectors are essential to research and development of psychological tests and are often the first to know what products and assessments will be hitting the market. Who can collect data? Most of our data collectors are clinical psychologists, school psychologists, psychometrists, speech and language pathologists, and other clinicians. PAR follows the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Guidelines for Psychological Assessment and Evaluation, a system of qualification levels that guides decision-making about who can purchase, administer, and interpret tests (APA, 2020). Anyone administering assessments must be well trained in standardized administration protocols, ethics, and demonstrate competency in practice. For data collection, requirements differ by test. Most projects require a PAR qualification level of B ...

• Focus on: Data collection

  

  Ever wonder how PAR gets the information needed to standardize our tests? We rely on data collectors all across the U.S. to help us gather that information. Data collectors are crucial to test development because they help us find the clinical, standardization, and reliability samples needed to create our assessment products. If you have an interest in contributing to the field in a meaningful way, you might be just the person to help us create our next instrument!  Who can be a data collector?  Most of our data collectors are clinical psychologists, school psychologists, psychometrists, speech and language pathologists, and other clinicians. PAR follows the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Guidelines for Psychological Assessment and Evaluation, a system of qualification levels that guides decision-making about who can purchase, administer, and interpret tests (APA, 2020). Anyone administering assessments must be well trained in standardized administration protocols, ethics, and demonstrate competency in practice. For data collection, requirements differ by test. Most projects require a PAR qualification level of B or C.  What is involved in data collection?  Data collectors are responsible for finding participants and are ...

• Tips for successful teleassessment with children

  

  This week’s blog was contributed by Carrie Champ Morera, PsyD, NCSP, LP. Carrie is a licensed school psychologist and the lead project and content director at PAR.  During in-person assessment sessions, you're in control of setting up the physical environment to make it conducive to success. When you work with children and adolescents via telehealth, specifically for teleassessment, you provide not only clinical services but also  guidance to prepare younger clients for their remote sessions. Failure to do so can interrupt telehealth treatment or teleassessment, decrease remote participation and engagement, and jeopardize the ideal conditions needed to establish rapport and build a therapeutic alliance.   Here are 10 tips to consider as you design and maintain a working teleassessment environment with children and adolescents.  Before your first remote session with your student, let them know what to expect. Replicate what you would do during an in-person session.  Before beginning teleassessment, ensure your client has all the materials they need. We developed a checklist to help you get started, available here.  Provide the client with a moment to adjust after entering the assessment space. Take your ...

• Going FAR: Determine dyslexic subtypes

  

  This is the second part in a series on the Feifer Assessment of Reading (FAR). Catch up on the first part here.    The FAR is a comprehensive assessment of reading and related processes that was developed to fill a gap in student testing. It measures the neurocognitive processes responsible for reading, within the actual context of reading, to explain why a student may struggle.   Information gleaned from the FAR can be used to determine if a student is likely to have dyslexia. However, it digs deeper than other measures to identify the likely dyslexic subtype as well, which arms educators with the detailed information they need to develop effective interventions.   “I prefer the FAR over other measures because it gives me more specific dyslexia information,” said Angela Hoffer, PsyD, NCSP, a school psychologist in Aiken, South Carolina. “I like that I can provide more tailored recommendations for students.”  The FAR is based on the premise that interventions for reading disorders vary by dyslexic subtype. The FAR measures four subtypes of dyslexia:   Dysphonic—an inability to sound out words; these students rely on visual and orthographic ...

• Celebrate National School Psychology Week!

  

  The week of November 7–11 is National School Psychology Week (NSPW). Being a school psychologist has always been crucial, and given the current shortage of school psychologists, along with increasing demand for your services, your role is more demanding—and important—than ever. If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, here are some resources and supports that may help.     Sponsored by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the theme for NSPW this year is “Together We Shine.” The events of the past few years have led to disconnection and even isolation. While we each have an inner light, when we work together, we can shine brighter to help others in our schools and in our communities.  Here are some suggested activities for NSPW:  Counselors: Help students see the power of working together by focusing on these skills.  Help students develop their social and active listening skills.  Engage students in discussions about building self-esteem and confidence.  Encourage students to develop social connections.  Schools: Offer additional activities that emphasize togetherness.  Hold a scavenger hunt, asking students to find someone who makes a positive contribution to the school.  Initiate classroom discussions that ...

• November is National Career Development Month

  

  November may conjure up images of colorful leaves, cornstalks, and turkey, but, for the past 57 years, it has also been National Career Development (NCD) Month.  Championed by the National Career Development Association (NCDA), the purpose of NCD Month is to focus on activities that can help individuals find, grow, or change career paths. Career professionals, students, and employees are encouraged to engage in a variety of activities like career workshops, résumé refinement, and career exploration and awareness.   Here are some activities for individuals interested in promoting career development:  Participate in NCDA’s annual poetry and art contest, which promotes career development.  Encourage students to dress up for their dream careers for a day.  Hold a career fair.  Help students or employees update their résumés.  Inform students about job shadowing opportunities, internships, and tours.  For businesses, set up a mentor program for your employees. Encourage your staff to be mentors or get a mentor.  For career professionals (or any professional looking to provide career guidance to clients or students), the Self-Directed Search is a time-tested career assessment tool that matches an individual’s aspirations, activities, and talents to the ...