Deck 15: Issues Related to Assessment With Diverse Populations

Question 1

According to Padilla and Borsato (2008), which of the following is often considered during the test development phase?

A)ethnic identity
B)age of immigration
C)extent of acculturation
D)none of the above

Answer 1

none of the above

Question 2

Almost all counselors can expect to be increasingly involved with the assessment of clients with:

A)different cultural backgrounds
B)motor disabilities
C)cognitive impairments
D)personality disorders

Answer 2

different cultural backgrounds

Question 3

If an instrument has slope bias, then the instrument would:

A)predict differently for different groups.
B)be biased for one group but not the other.
C)predict the same criterion performance for everyone.
D)have different intercepts.

Answer 3

predict differently for different groups.

Question 4

Which of the following constructs has been found to have more of an impact on test performance than either instrument bias or ethnicity?

A)culture
B)language
C)socioecomonic status
D)all of the above

Question 5

In examining an instrument for possible bias, the counselor should examine the internal structure of the instrument and determine if:

A)there are group differences on the criterion.
B)the reliability coefficients are different for different groups.
C)the norming group is appropriate for use with certain clients.
D)experts have reviewed the instrument for possible bias.

Question 6

A counselor who takes into consideration the role of culture in the manifestation of a possible disorder is operating from a(n) _______________ approach to assessment.

A)etic
B)emic
C)universalist
D)ethnocentric

Question 7

If a counselor is using an instrument that has subscales with an African-American client, the counselor should examine whether the __________ of the instrument has been examined with an African-American sample.

A)variance
B)incremental validity
C)predictability
D)factor structure

Question 8

If the intercept for an instrument that predicted college performance was higher for the majority group than the minority group, then the instrument would:

A)under predict minority group members' performance.
B)over predict minority group members' performance.
C)predict the same for majority and minority individuals.
D)have reliability problems for the minority group.

Question 9

If an instrument is found to have content that is more familiar to one ethnic group as compared to another, then that instrument would have __________ bias.

A)intercept
B)group
C)content
D)criterion

Question 10

Helms et al.(2005) assert that rather than using race to categorize assessment results, the construct of _________________ is more effective in explaining significant differences in assessment of cognitive abilities and other areas of psychological assessment.

A)cultural preference
B)racial identity
C)gender identity
D)worldview

Question 11

The degree to which construct-irrelevant factors systematically affect a group's performance is called:

A)differential item functioning
B)bias testing
C)criterion bias
D)selective discrimination

Question 12

Substantial research suggests that minority students tend to be __________________ in special education.

A)underrepresented
B)equally represented
C)misrepresented
D)overrepresented

Question 13

Individuals from different cultures can vary greatly in their perceptions due to their ____________, which includes group identity, individual identity, beliefs, values, and language.

A)cognitive schema
B)genetic background
C)worldview
D)personality

Question 14

Postmodernists suggest that ____________ has a pervasive influence affecting perceptions of reality, and should be considered in all assessment techniques.

A)language
B)persistence
C)motivation
D)self-esteem

Question 15

A method for analyzing the relative difficulty of individual items for different racial or ethnic groups is __________.

A)Differential Item Functioning
B)Intercept Bias
C)Internal Structure Analysis
D)Item Discrimination Index

Question 16

What area of counseling and psychotherapy have some called the fourth force?

A)testing and assessment
B)social constructivism
C)technological applications
D)multicultural counseling

Question 17

When assessing the relationship between an instrument and the criterion it is designed to measure, counselors should keep in mind that:

A)the sample size for European Americans is usually equivalent to that of other minority groups.
B)the exact same validity coefficient for two groups may not be statistically significant for both groups.
C)several studies have examined differences in validity coefficients between Hispanic individuals and other groups.
D)none of the above

Question 18

In addition to racial/ethnic differences, there is debate in the counseling field that the term multicultural could also refer to differences in:

A)sexual orientation
B)socioeconomic status
C)physical/mental disabilities
D)all of the above

Question 19

In the past, the field of assessment attempted to develop __________ instruments, but found this impossible and has focused on developing culture-fair instruments.

A)culture-equivalent
B)culture-free
C)culture-parallel
D)culture-valid

Question 20

In evaluating an instrument for content bias, practitioners need to:

A)give the instrument to different groups and compare their performance.
B)examine the development procedures and steps taken to control for group differences.
C)examine the validity coefficients for different ethnic groups.
D)analyze the content of the instruments themselves to see if there are any problems.

Question 21

Historically, clients with hearing impairment were often assessed using instruments that involved reading; however, this assessment strategy is flawed because:

A)it ignores the connection between hearing and reading ability.
B)it is a violation of standardized administration procedures to require clients to read test items for themselves.
C)it is unethical to use verbally-based assessments with individuals with hearing impairment.
D)none of the above

Question 22

When using interest inventories with clients with disabilities, a counselor should:

A)not give any instructions to clients in order avoid influencing their answers.
B)expect lower scores and include that in the interpretation.
C)instruct the clients to respond with their preferences, not their capabilities.
D)focus more on achievement assessment because of the disabilities.

Question 23

A counselor who is assessing a client not represented in the instrument's norming group should:

A)only proceed if the instrument has high reliability and validity.
B)proceed if there are individuals somewhat similar to the client in the norming group.
C)carefully consider how the information is going to be used and interpret the results very cautiously.
D)never use any instruments unless the client's cultural background is highly represented.

Question 24

With regard to fairness in assessment, Helms (2006) suggest that when interpreting test scores, counselors should consider the client's:

A)level of intelligence.
B)past experience with psychological testing and psychotherapy.
C)family history and presence of significant life stressors.
D)psychological characteristics and internalized racial or cultural experiences.

Question 25

If an instrument has been translated into another language, there should be evidence:

A)of reliability and validity for the translated version of the instrument.
B)that the instrument has retained its meaning after being translated.
C)that the translated instrument is equivalent to the original (e.g., same difficulty level).
D)all of the above

Question 26

In order to interpret assessment results, a counselor needs to:

A)have comprehensive knowledge of the client's culture.
B)determine the degree of acculturation and gather relevant background information.
C)have detailed information about the instrument's characteristics.
D)all of the above

Question 27

Bilingual individuals are likely to be specialized by domain (e.g., use one language for school and work and a second language for home and social events); therefore, some researchers suggest that bilingual individuals be:

A)given both performance and nonverbal tests.
B)assessed in both languages.
C)tested on social construct in their native language.
D)given intelligent tests in their native language.

Question 28

What is the expectancy effect, which has been shown to impact examinees' test performance?

A)Examinees' expectations of assessment performance impact actual performance.
B)Examiners' expectations impact examinees' perceptions of examiners' race.
C)Examiners' expectations have a small impact on examinees' performance.
D)Examinees and examiners of the same ethnicity impact each other's expectations and performance during assessment.

Question 29

When administering instruments that have been translated to another language with non-native English-speaking clients, the counselor should:

A)find someone who can translate the instrument into the client's native language.
B)give the instrument to the client with instructions to ask questions about anything confusing.
C)read the manual to find out what modifications should be made, and what research supports these modifications.
D)find someone who speaks the client's native language and have him or her give the instrument orally.

Question 30

A commonly used method to assess intelligence for clients with severe motor disabilities is to use:

A)a picture vocabulary test
B)a number of performance tests
C)aptitude assessments with special norms
D)an adaptive behavior scale

Question 31

In counseling a client with a hearing disability, the counselor needs to:

A)have the client read the questions typically asked in an intake interview.
B)consider the magnitude and the age of onset of the loss in any assessment.
C)enlist the help of someone who knows sign language to serve as an interpreter.
D)pantomime the interview questions to the client with the hearing deficit.

Question 32

The Standards for Multicultural Assessment is a resource that:

A)guides construction of culture-fair testing for counselors in school settings.
B)is a compilation of standards related to multicultural assessment gathered from other sources.
C)sets the legal standard for the administration of tests with multicultural clients.
D)is equivalent to the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing.

Question 33

According to Altman, Thurlow, and Vang (2010), only about ______ of individuals with disabilities perform at a proficient level on achievement tests.

A)30%
B)40%
C)50%
D)60%

Question 34

If an instrument is recommended for linguistically diverse populations, the counselor should:

A)feel confident in using that instrument with clients who do not speak English.
B)expect to find information in the manual related to the appropriate use and interpretation with specific groups.
C)expect to find different versions of the instrument (e.g., a Spanish version).
D)use the instruments with minority clients from any background.

Question 35

What are the conclusions of research examining the effects of an examiner's race on examinee's performance?

A)there may be significant bias, but it depends on the race of the examiner and examinee
B)race and socioeconomic status combined show higher rates of bias
C)there appears to be significant bias, and this should be taken into consideration for assessment administration protocol
D)there is no conclusive evidence about the effect of examiners' race on examinees' performance

Question 36

If a client has a visual impairment, the counselor should:

A)read the instrument to the client.
B)find a reader with a monotone voice.
C)have the instrument translated into Braille.
D)see if there are procedures for adapting the instrument.

Question 37

The ________________ between the examiner and examinee has been found to impact examinee performance, especially among examinees of color.

A)number of common experiences
B)degree of rapport
C)level of empathy
D)the physical distance

Question 38

If a counselor is asked to assess a client from a minority background, but he/she does not have training or experience with individuals from this background, the counselor should:

A)seek out knowledge about assessment procedures with diverse clients.
B)refer the client to a counselor with the necessary expertise, if appropriate.
C)seek out information about the client's background characteristics.
D)do all of the above

Question 39

_________________ refers to a dynamic process of change and adaptation, wherein a person retains parts of his/her culture of origin while simultaneously adapting to the new or host culture.

A)Adaptation
B)Acculturation
C)Acclimation
D)Accomodation

Question 40

In general, __________________ subtests are considered to be the best estimate of cognitive ability in children with hearing impairment.

A)verbal
B)academic
C)multiple-choice
D)performance

Question 41

In a quality neuropsychological assessment, the client is given:

A)a battery of instruments
B)the WAIS-III and the MMPI
C)intelligence and adaptive behavior tests
D)an intelligence test and an EEG

Question 42

A potential complication in identifying mental health issues in older individuals is that:

A)they are less likely to openly share information about their mental health with counselors.
B)they are less likely to seek help from counselors and their mental health issues may be overlooked.
C)there are typically many other health concerns that take precedence over addressing mental health.
D)some mental health issues may have a unique presentation in older individuals, and may be difficult to distinguish from cognitive impairment.
Discussion Questions

Question 43

If assessment procedures are altered to accommodate a client with a disability:

A)this should not be noted in the file because it might be prejudicial.
B)this should be included in the psychological report or noted in the client's file.
C)the counselor should consider the results as being useless and not use them.
D)the counselor should use the results in the same way as with anyone else.

Question 44

Neuropsychological assessment concerns appraisal of the:

A)cognitive development of the individual
B)behavioral effects of possible brain trauma
C)deficit in information processing and memory
D)central nervous system dysfunctions