Psychological Testing, Assessment, and Test Security
This domain tests competent test selection, informed consent, interpretation limits, and protection of test materials.
Core rules
- Use instruments you are trained to administer and interpret, with evidence of validity and reliability for the population and purpose. Consider language, culture, disability, and accommodations.
- Obtain informed consent before assessment, explaining purpose, procedures, fees, who receives results, and limits of confidentiality. For forensic or third-party evaluations, clarify who the client is and how results will be used.
- Test security protects copyrighted materials and preserves validity. Do not reproduce, teach, or release test items publicly. Store protocols securely and release raw data only to qualified professionals or as required by law and ethics.
- Integrate multiple data sources; do not base high-stakes conclusions on a single score. Document limitations, deviations from standardization, and the basis for interpretations.
Worked example
A parent demands a copy of a child’s raw MMPI-A protocol. The psychologist explains that raw data go to a qualified professional, offers a summary report and interpretation, and releases the protocol only under a valid authorization or legal requirement to a qualified recipient.
Traps
Releasing copyrighted test items to parents or attorneys; using an instrument outside its validated population without caution; interpreting scores without collateral data; failing to document accommodations; practicing forensic assessment without specialized competence.