Writing Interpretive Reports meaningful & useful suggestions

Writing Interpretive ReportsWriting Interpretive Reportsmeaningful & useful meaningful & useful

suggestionssuggestions

OverviewOverview

Personal GrowthPersonal GrowthCareer CounselingCareer CounselingFor Other ProfessionalsFor Other ProfessionalsDiagnostic PurposesDiagnostic PurposesGeneral PrinciplesGeneral Principles

Personal GrowthPersonal Growth

Create a comprehensive picture of Create a comprehensive picture of the individualthe individual

Relate the test scores to all relevant Relate the test scores to all relevant background informationbackground information

Lead to practical suggestions, skill Lead to practical suggestions, skill development, and compensatory development, and compensatory strategiesstrategies

Career CounselingCareer Counseling

Focus on occupational aptitudes and Focus on occupational aptitudes and interestinterest

Relate the test scores to the client’s Relate the test scores to the client’s educational and occupational historyeducational and occupational history

Lead the client toward further Lead the client toward further investigation, goal setting, and investigation, goal setting, and decision makingdecision making

For Other ProfessionalsFor Other Professionals

Focus on the decision to be made by the Focus on the decision to be made by the other professionalother professional

Provide an objective summary of the test Provide an objective summary of the test resultsresults

Relate the test scores to the client’s Relate the test scores to the client’s disposition during testing to establish disposition during testing to establish validityvalidity

Limit interpretations and synthesis, report Limit interpretations and synthesis, report the scores in a more clinical, technical the scores in a more clinical, technical stylestyle

Diagnostic PurposesDiagnostic Purposes

Typically made by a psychologist, Typically made by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or multidisciplinary teampsychiatrist, or multidisciplinary team

Relate the test scores to the client’s Relate the test scores to the client’s disposition during testing to establish disposition during testing to establish validityvalidity

Limit interpretations and synthesis to Limit interpretations and synthesis to the role of the counselor on the teamthe role of the counselor on the team

General PrinciplesGeneral Principles

Ultimately the report format, Ultimately the report format, style, reach, and tone will be style, reach, and tone will be determined by:determined by:

Who has to make decisions based Who has to make decisions based on the results?on the results?

How high are the stakes?How high are the stakes?


Remember that many things Remember that many things influence test scores:influence test scores:

Measurement properties of the testMeasurement properties of the testCultural factors and client backgroundCultural factors and client backgroundThe client’s motivationThe client’s motivationThe client’s experience with other testsThe client’s experience with other testsPhysical and psychological conditions Physical and psychological conditions

of the testingof the testing Inherent abilityInherent ability


It is always important to comment on It is always important to comment on and try to establish the degree of and try to establish the degree of validity of the testing situationvalidity of the testing situation

However, this section can be very brief However, this section can be very brief if:if:

The client expressed appropriate The client expressed appropriate behaviorsbehaviors

Took the task seriouslyTook the task seriouslyHad no significant distractions or Had no significant distractions or

adverse reactions and needed no breaksadverse reactions and needed no breaks


A valid testing situation is a necessary A valid testing situation is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for strong but not a sufficient condition for strong conclusionsconclusions

Confine statements to tentative or Confine statements to tentative or suggestive languagesuggestive language

Do not try to prove or establish factDo not try to prove or establish fact

Help the client learn and make decisionsHelp the client learn and make decisions

SEM and Confidence IntervalsSEM and Confidence Intervals

For technically savvy audiences, For technically savvy audiences, use the standard error of use the standard error of measurement and confidence measurement and confidence interval conceptsinterval concepts

For a 95% Confidence IntervalFor a 95% Confidence IntervalScore + / - (1.96 * SEM)Score + / - (1.96 * SEM)


John scored a 97 on an IQ test. John scored a 97 on an IQ test.

Mean = 100Mean = 100SD = 15SD = 15SEM = 3SEM = 3

What is John’s true IQ?What is John’s true IQ?


We don’t know.We don’t know.

We are 95% confident that John’s true We are 95% confident that John’s true score on this IQ test is between 91 score on this IQ test is between 91 and 103.and 103.

If John took this test 100 times, 95 of If John took this test 100 times, 95 of the intervals we could put around his the intervals we could put around his score would capture his true score.score would capture his true score.


Do not over interpret percentilesDo not over interpret percentiles

Remember that small changes in Remember that small changes in T scores near the middle of the T scores near the middle of the distribution can account for distribution can account for relatively large changes in relatively large changes in percentilespercentiles


T Score Percentile

46 3447 3848 4249 4650 5051 5452 5853 6254 66

40-60 Middle 68%43-57 Middle 50%46-54 Middle 31%

T Score Distribution

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00 80.00 90.00

Value

Fu

nct

ion


Flat profiles are reasonably likely to occurFlat profiles are reasonably likely to occur

It does not necessarily mean something It does not necessarily mean something was wrong with the test or examinee was wrong with the test or examinee motivationmotivation

Everything is within the normal range and Everything is within the normal range and other indicators are necessary to other indicators are necessary to determine relative strengths and areas determine relative strengths and areas for growthfor growth


Always include a brief description of Always include a brief description of the purpose for which each test was the purpose for which each test was developeddeveloped

Briefly describe what each test is Briefly describe what each test is intended to measureintended to measure

Summarize the technical properties of Summarize the technical properties of each testeach test


Decide on the central message of the Decide on the central message of the reportreport

State it early, and state it again in the State it early, and state it again in the summarysummary

Support that message throughout the Support that message throughout the report with various types of evidence:report with various types of evidence:– Test scores, client background and life Test scores, client background and life

experiences, behavioral observations, and experiences, behavioral observations, and client self-disclosures client self-disclosures


Use carefully chosen adverbs and Use carefully chosen adverbs and adjectives to describe behaviors the adjectives to describe behaviors the client might exhibitclient might exhibit

Strike a balance between the test Strike a balance between the test scores and other sources of informationscores and other sources of information

Organize and synthesize the Organize and synthesize the information for the readerinformation for the reader


The test scores themselves may The test scores themselves may provoke negative reactions for some provoke negative reactions for some audiencesaudiences

Parents may resent or be confused by Parents may resent or be confused by their child being reduced to “a set of their child being reduced to “a set of numbers” or “labels”numbers” or “labels”

A simple interpretive summary may be A simple interpretive summary may be finefine


It is sometimes helpful to relate the It is sometimes helpful to relate the test scores to the client’s:test scores to the client’s:– Past experiences, successes, and failuresPast experiences, successes, and failures– Present functioning and life circumstancesPresent functioning and life circumstances– Future plans, goals, and life circumstancesFuture plans, goals, and life circumstances

Keep a balanced and objective toneKeep a balanced and objective toneEmphasize both strengths and areas Emphasize both strengths and areas

for growthfor growth


Be aware of how the test scores and Be aware of how the test scores and the report will be used (or misused)the report will be used (or misused)

Be aware of hidden agendasBe aware of hidden agendas

Sometimes test scores can only hurt Sometimes test scores can only hurt someonesomeone

Consequential validity of the reportConsequential validity of the report

Don’t Ignore Personal QualitiesDon’t Ignore Personal Qualities

Personal qualities can be powerful Personal qualities can be powerful stress buffers and offer stress buffers and offer compensatory skillscompensatory skills– Social skillsSocial skills– Social connectionsSocial connections– Employment historyEmployment history– Life experiencesLife experiences– Common senseCommon sense– MaturityMaturity

Balancing Different IndicatorsBalancing Different Indicators

Playing NCAA Athletics as a Playing NCAA Athletics as a freshmanfreshman

CombinedHS GPA SAT Score ACT Score

3.550 400 373.000 620 522.500 820 682.000 1010 86

Report Writing ResourcesReport Writing Resources

http://www.msresource.com/format.html

http://www.msresource.com/theory.html

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Writing Interpretive Reports meaningful & useful suggestions