interpretation report writing

1. Interpretation & Report Writing Psychoeducational Assessment Rob Kubick & Erich Merkle March 20, 2003

3. General Observations Was this a valid assessment? Was this a reliable assessment? Was the student cooperative? Do I need to do more?

4. Global Scores Clusters/Index (e.g. Broad Reading) Are all of the clusters consistent? Are the scores within each cluster consistent? Why/Why Not?

5. Subtest Scores Why did the student score high or low on this subtest? What were the student�s strengths? What were the student�s areas of need? How did behavior impact results?

6. Written Description Goal: Tell the reader what the student can and can not do - describe the student as a learner Tell the reader what was administered Describe each �cluster� separately Start general and get specific - �Top-Down Approach�

7. Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) - II Interpret the Total Composite score Must administer all subtests in order to do this. Limited utility Interpret the Composite areas Reading, Mathematics, Written Language, and (if administered) Oral Language Note where overall skill development is in relation to the student�s age/grade. Note which composites are strengths/weaknesses (how do they compare with each other?)

8. Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) - II Interpret the subtests within each Composite score Which areas stand out as strengths/weaknesses? What might explain differences in performance? If the scores are unified, it is generally ok to interpret the composite score. Conduct analyses of patterns within individual subtests What trends can you detect within a subtest? Qualitative observations are very useful here.

9. Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) - II Conduct analyses of individual items within a subtest This is not a necessary step unless there is useful information that can be obtained (e.g. glaring skill deficit, unusual behavior) Be sure to discuss within the report any behaviors that may have impacted performance. Again, qualitative section may be useful here. Decide where it is most appropriate to address in the report.

10. Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Interpretation Begin by ensuring you have administered all subtests necessary to have Broad, Clusters, and Individual achievement areas represented to answer referral question. For general LD investigations across all academic areas: Subtests 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9,10, 11, 13, 17, 18 May add other subtests for additional narrow-band diagnostic information

11. Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Interpretation (con�t)

12. Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Interpretation (con�t) Interpret Total Achievement score if available Subtests 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11 req�d Only a global measure of academic performance, average of 9 tests in Broad Clusters Not indicative of specific deficits, yielding limited treatment utility

13. Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Interpretation (con�t) Examine 3 Broad Achievement Clusters Reading, Mathematics, Written Language Note where overall skill development is in relation to the student�s age/grade Note which Broad Clusters are strengths/weaknesses (how do they compare with each other?)

14. Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Interpretation (con�t) Examine Reading, Math, Written Expression Clusters Each cluster is consistent with one of IDEA �97 LD domains Note where overall skill development is in relation to the student�s age/grade Note which clusters are strengths/weaknesses (how do they compare with each other?) Significant Intra-individual discrepancies?

15. Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Interpretation (con�t) Consider 3 Cross-Academic Clusters by comparing to student�s current age/grade and strengths/weaknesses between these clusters Academic Skills, Academic Fluency, Academic Applications

16. Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Interpretation (con�t) Interpret the subtests within each Cluster score Which subtests stand out as strengths/weaknesses? What might explain differences in performance? If the scores are unified, it is generally ok to interpret the composite score and indicate average skills across the subtests.

17. Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Interpretation (con�t) Conduct analyses of individual items within a subtest This is not a necessary step unless there is useful information that can be obtained (e.g. glaring skill deficit, unusual behavior) Be sure to discuss within the report any behaviors that may have impacted performance. Again, qualitative section may be useful here. Decide where it is most appropriate to address in the report.

18. Psychoeducational Report Writing A clinical or psychoeducational report serves a number of purposes: Provides accurate assessment-related information to the referral source or other concerned parties Provides a source of information for testing clinical hypotheses and for conducting program evaluation/research Serves as an archive of historical, interview, psychometric, observational, and other information as well as of current remediation and treatment plans May serve as a legal document

19. Psychoeducational Report Writing (con�t) Important considerations: Report presents what you have learned about the child in a way that shows respect for his or her individuality Must take into consideration the circumstances under which testing took place, the limited opportunities for observation/interaction, and behavioral bases for judgments made in report Specific behavioral and test experience examples should be used Recommendations must be made with appreciation of the needs/values of the child, the family, the school, society and yourself Report should be written as soon as possible!

20. Principles of Report Writing: Organize findings by detecting common themes through/across procedures, integrating main findings, using theoretical focus Include relevant material and delete potentially damaging material Focus on presence of a behavior rather than absence of it

21. Principles of Report Writing: (con�t) Use all relevant sources of info Reliable/valid test results, behavioral observations, individual test responses, interview data, and case history. Be definitive in your writing when the findings are clear, be cautious when the findings are murky Words such as probably, it appears, perhaps, and it seems�

22. Principles of Report Writing: (con�t) Use behavioral referents to enhance readability Specific examples are valuable, sources should be given for examples not obtained personally Interpret the meaning and implications of a score, rather than simply citing names and scores

23. Principles of Report Writing: (con�t) Obtain the classification of tests from the numerical ranges given in the test manuals Use percentile ranks whenever possible to describe child�s scores because they likely most easily understood Interpret subtest scores using both normative and intraindividual comparisons

24. Principles of Report Writing: (con�t) Remember statistical significance when comparing a test score to another subtest or instrument, usually .05 or less Interpret the implications of subtest or test variability with caution Do not make diagnoses solely on test scores � consider all sources of info

25. Principles of Report Writing: (con�t) Communicate clearly and eliminate technical material �Charlie evidences intellectual erudition and potency in sequential and fluid processing as exhibited through statistically significant Pearson correlation comparisons and ANOVA analyses of his CHC cognitive factor profile�� Eliminate biased terms from the report Attend to grammar and stylistic points

26. KSU SPSY Report Template General Organizational Structure: Identifying information Reason for Referral Background Information (including family, medical, developmental, social, vocational, & school hx) Behavioral Observations Tests Administered/Interpretation � tables! Summary (integration of findings) Recommendations