4-2 Final Project Milestone Two: Draft of Observation and Benefits and Limitations In Milestone One, you chose a case history and a method of analysis. In Milestone Two, you begin to examine data. Sub

Data Analysis Approach

Katherine Alexandre

SNHU

July 7, 2024

Data Analysis Approach

Introduction

Arthur A. is a seventh-grade, 12-year-old boy who was referred for psychological evaluation at the request of his parents due to the decreasing academic achievement and participation in the classroom observed by the teachers. Arthur was a satisfying student in school, but lately, he has been failing in his classes, and most of his work is not only unfinished but also poorly done. He could miss most of the academic class sessions yet be very much involved in most physical activities. Moreover, Arthur developed sleep problems: he goes to bed after midnight, loses things, and often cannot finish a task, which causes increased conflict with their parents, especially with their father. The purpose of the referral is to evaluate Arthur's current functioning and guide interventions within the home and school environments. The presenting problem includes the identification of considerations influencing learning, attention, and behaviors in relation to Arthur, as well as the planning of necessary support and interventions. Based on the APA Ethical Code, one has to conduct the assessment in a confidential manner asking for informed consent from the patient, as well as using the fair and valid assessment tools adapted to Arthur's case (Frick et al., 2020). Possible ethical considerations may also involve ensuring that the assessment will be in the best interest of Arthur’s development and that all the parties to the assessment understand what is expected of them and why the evaluation has to be done.

Stakeholders

Arthur's referral for psychological assessment was initiated by his parents at the request of his teachers, indicating a collaborative concern from both home and school environments. This dual-source referral is critical to the assessment as it introduces the requirements to address the multiple sources and contexts affecting Arthur's behavior and performance. The readers of this report are limited to Arthur’s parents and the school system, as they are the direct stakeholders in Arthur’s learning process. Because parents and teachers are stakeholders, data derived from home and school contexts include observations and feedback (Garbacz et al., 2017). This requires getting specific information from the teachers about Arthur’s performance in class, behavior during learning sessions, interaction with other children, parents about his behavior at home, timetables and disagreements. The aim is to obtain a wealth of details about Arthur’s functioning and to investigate whether there are consistencies or inconsistencies in his behavior in different settings. As the parents and the school system are the main users of the assessment, the results aim at defining areas in which home and school focus on Arthur’s needs for help. It also emphasizes the importance of coordination and for ensuring that the findings of the assessment are well decipherable and actionable by both parents and teachers.

Data Analysis

To analyze the data for Arthur's assessment, I will organize the information into several key categories: performance, conduct, academic achievements, and reports from parents and teachers of that particular child. This structured approach will also help in looking for pattern or absence of pattern across several sources. The academic performance will be measured in terms of grades and teachers' recommendations, while the observation data will include the child's demeanor in the class and interactions with other children. IQ and achievement testing and behavior ratings will yield empirical indices of Arthur's cognitive and emotional status (Reynolds et al., 2021). The technical findings will be translated into a language that Arthur's parents and teachers can easily comprehend and act upon. This includes the use of clear and simple language, no professional terminology, descriptions of what was seen, and the meaning of testing in context. Charts and graphs are also useful when presenting information, as they assist in presenting it in a very understandable manner. This method is selected based on a review of comprehensive assessment approaches that call for the integration of data from different sources to improve reliability and validity. It has been established that observation data supplemented with standardized assessment information yields a broader view of a child's functioning and results in more appropriate recommendations.

References

Frick, P. J., Barry, C. T., Kamphaus, R. W., Frick, P. J., Barry, C. T., & Kamphaus, R. W. (2020). Ethics in Testing: Rights, Responsibilities, and Fairness. Clinical Assessment of Child and Adolescent Personality and Behavior, 61-74.

Garbacz, S. A., Herman, K. C., Thompson, A. M., & Reinke, W. M. (2017). Family engagement in education and intervention: Implementation and evaluation to maximize family, school, and student outcomes. Journal of school psychology, 62, 1-10.

Reynolds, C. R., Altmann, R. A., & Allen, D. N. (2021). Assessment of intelligence. In Mastering modern psychological testing: Theory and Methods (pp. 331-382). Cham: Springer International Publishing.