7-2 Final Submission: Psychological Report Submit your psychological report. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect
Observation and Benefits and Limitations
Katherine Alexandre
SNHU
July 27, 2024
Observation and Benefits and Limitations
Observation
Client Behaviors and Test Conditions
Arthur A's observation was done in the classroom during the lesson with a substitute teacher, making it more of an artificial setting. This could have been due to a change of environment since this would have enabled Arthur to change his behavior. Other negative behaviors included being off-task, inattention, and refusal to work. Arthur was found to have repeatedly requested replays from the teacher (Godwin et al., 2016). Such behaviors are associated with the referral question, which seeks to determine why the boy has been truant in school and does not attend classes or complete schoolwork. Arthur was said to be tired and was even described as having slept late last night, which could have reduced his productivity. His understanding of the observation, which is known as the Hawthorne effect, could have made him change some of his behaviors, although his non-interactivity shows that such effects could have been minimal. The observation relates to the issues with his performance and conduct in class due to the poor performance and conduct observed during the exercise.
Subject's Response to Testing
Arthur's response to testing was marked by variable engagement and discomfort. He appeared to be unmotivated, with short and involuntary answers, which could be attributed to his late night. His comfort level was poor, and he looked disinterested, especially when it came to timed exercises. There are several reasons for this lack of effort and discomfort. Studies show that sleep loss decreases attention and working memory, slows processing, and reduces effort (Massar et al., 2019). Also, the emotional state greatly influences test performance; Arthur may be annoyed with his academic difficulties or nervous about the test, which could affect his performance. Such conditions indicate that his performance could have been affected by lack of sleep and low morale, and therefore, the test results may not have been an indication of his actual intelligence and academic capability.
Benefits and Limitations
Test Selection and Rationale
The tests used for Arthur A were the IQ and achievement tests combined with parents' and teachers' behavior rating scales. The IQ test was selected to evaluate Arthur's learning capacity, and the test results would give an initial idea of his intelligence quotient. Standardized achievement tests assessed his academic proficiency in subjects like reading or mathematics, which provided information about his achievement compared to other students (Meier & Knoester, 2017). The parent and teacher behavior ratings also gave further information on Arthur’s behavior and performance in other settings. The results from these tests indicated that Arthur could process information at a level that was close to average for his age, but he performed poorly in academic areas compared with his peers. These outcomes revealed discrepancies between his intellectual abilities and his academic progress, which responds to the referral question about his deteriorating behavior and learning problems at school.
Benefits and Limitations of Each Test
The IQ test was helpful in understanding Arthur's learning capacity, as it gave the expert a quantifiable indication of Arthur's intelligence. Its primary use is in revealing cognitive profiles of strengths and limitations. However, its limitation is that it may not give due consideration to factors out of practice, such as lack of sleep or emotional stress. The achievement test enabled the assessment of Arthur's current reading and mathematical abilities as a learner. The advantage of this test is that it directly assesses academic proficiency and pertinent skills. However, it may not take into account other considerations like effort inconsistency or classroom participation that may influence performance. The parents' and teachers' behavior ratings gave a general picture of Arthur's behavior in various settings, which explained their difficulty in school. The advantage is that it offers a broad perspective of the situation; however, the drawback is that the estimations could be prejudiced and less precise due to subjective ratings.
Ethical Considerations
The tests that were administered to Arthur complied with the APA Ethical Code because it stresses the issues of informed consent, confidentiality, and utilization of accurate and valid assessment instruments. The IQ and achievement tests were standardized and suitable for evaluating the subject's cognitive and academic aptitudes, guaranteeing that the scores were accurate and precise to his requirements (Weinert & Artelt, 2019). Arthur's parents agreed to the assessment, making it ethical to explain the purpose and the process in which the assessment would be conducted. Privacy was maintained during each stage of the testing to ensure that Arthur and his test information were not disclosed to unauthorized individuals. The behavior ratings from parents and teachers were useful but were informative when analyzed in a balanced manner.
References
Godwin, K. E., Almeda, M. V., Seltman, H., Kai, S., Skerbetz, M. D., Baker, R. S., & Fisher, A. V. (2016). Off-task behavior in elementary school children. Learning and Instruction, 44, 128-143.
Massar, S. A., Lim, J., & Huettel, S. A. (2019). Sleep deprivation, effort allocation and performance. Progress in brain research, 246, 1-26.
Meier, D., & Knoester, M. (2017). Beyond testing: Seven assessments of students and schools more effective than standardized tests. Teachers College Press.
Weinert, S., & Artelt, C. (2019). Measurement of skills and achievement: a critical assessment of theoretical and methodological concepts. In Research handbook on the sociology of education (pp. 106-131). Edward Elgar Publishing.
