Assessment
What are the Processes and Instruments for Assessing the Exceptionality?
A series of assessments, observations across times and places, analysis of student work, and analysis of interview data from parents, teachers, and student comprise the identification process of determining ADHD in an individual. Culatta, Tompkins, and Werts laid out 9 sequential steps for assessment & identification following a referral. These are the following:
1. Administering and collecting rating scales from relevant persons
2. Orienting the family and the student to the evaluation
3. Interviewing the student
4. Administering normed tests such as IQ, achievement, and continuous performance tests
5. Conducting direct observations in several settings, including school, community, and home if possible.
6. Interviewing the parent(s)
7. Conducting medical evaluation
8. Integrating all the data
9. Giving feedback and recommendations to the team
These tests and assessments are conducted by a variety of experts and requires once overseer. On the other hand, the Council for Exceptional Children recommends a 6-step procedure in identifying ADHD in a child. These are the following:
1. Document behavior observed by both parents and teachers that is indicative of ADHD.
2. Re-evaluate tests such as group intelligence tests, group achievement tests, and vision and hearing tests to determine whether they are accurate measures of potential or whether poor performance may be the result of attention problems. A physician may be consulted to see whether an identifiable physical condition is causing inattention or hyperactivity.
3. Attempt classroom management to correct or control behaviors leading to poor academic performance. If such attempts are unsuccessful, request a referral for ADHD placement.
4. Conduct psychological evaluation to see whether the student meets criteria for ADHD placement. Administer individual tests and behavioral rating scales. Review medication recommendations.
5. Have the team, including the child’s parents, plan for the special educational needs of the child.
6. Implement the Individual Education Plan.
Some common instruments used for assessing ADHD in children include the following:
1. History – this is the developmental history of the child which is often provided by the mother or the caretaker/guardian.
2. Rating Scales
Conners Rating Scales (CRS) – this is the most comprehensive rating scales for the parent(s) and teachers. The Conners Parent Rating Scale Revised (CPRS-R) includes 8 sales and 2 indices: (1) Oppositional, (2) Cognitive Problems, (3) Hyper-active-Impulsive, (4) Anxious-Shy, (5) Perfectionism, (6) Social Problems, (7) Psychosomatic, and (8) DSM-IV Symptom subscales, plus the ADHD Index and the Global Index (formerly the Hyperactivity Index). As for the Conners Teacher Rating Scale Revised (CTRS-R), it contains 59 items parallel to CPRS-R except for the Psychosomatic Scale.
Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC) – this is a combined rating scale for the parents, the teachers, and for the referred individual. It covers behavior, cognitive, and emotional data that are not only descriptive, but are also a diagnostic aid.
Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale – Secondary-Age Student (ADDES-S) – this has a school version (60 items) for the educators and a home version (46 items) for parent reports. It categorizes behavior patterns in areas of (a) Inattention and (b) Hyperactivity-Impulsivity.
The Brown Scales – this is consists of 40 items grouped into five clusters, namely: (a) activating and organizing work, (b) sustaining attention and concentration, (c) sustaining energy and effort, (d) managing effective interference, and (e) utilizing working memory and accessing recall.
Learning Styles Inventory – just like the Brown Scales, this is is a self-report inventory. It measures the child or teen’s learning preferences.
3. Specific Objective Measures of Attention – this is a well-developed instrument that is usually computer based, where the normative data of a person’s performance is compared to one or more norms.
4. Cognitive Measures – this involves assessment of abilities, achievements, memory, visual-motor, language, visual-spatial, sensory, motor, executive control, and social-emotional skills.
5. Behavioral and Emotional Characteristics – this involves evaluation of problematic behaviors in children including the characteristics of ODD/CD.
A series of assessments, observations across times and places, analysis of student work, and analysis of interview data from parents, teachers, and student comprise the identification process of determining ADHD in an individual. Culatta, Tompkins, and Werts laid out 9 sequential steps for assessment & identification following a referral. These are the following:
1. Administering and collecting rating scales from relevant persons
2. Orienting the family and the student to the evaluation
3. Interviewing the student
4. Administering normed tests such as IQ, achievement, and continuous performance tests
5. Conducting direct observations in several settings, including school, community, and home if possible.
6. Interviewing the parent(s)
7. Conducting medical evaluation
8. Integrating all the data
9. Giving feedback and recommendations to the team
These tests and assessments are conducted by a variety of experts and requires once overseer. On the other hand, the Council for Exceptional Children recommends a 6-step procedure in identifying ADHD in a child. These are the following:
1. Document behavior observed by both parents and teachers that is indicative of ADHD.
2. Re-evaluate tests such as group intelligence tests, group achievement tests, and vision and hearing tests to determine whether they are accurate measures of potential or whether poor performance may be the result of attention problems. A physician may be consulted to see whether an identifiable physical condition is causing inattention or hyperactivity.
3. Attempt classroom management to correct or control behaviors leading to poor academic performance. If such attempts are unsuccessful, request a referral for ADHD placement.
4. Conduct psychological evaluation to see whether the student meets criteria for ADHD placement. Administer individual tests and behavioral rating scales. Review medication recommendations.
5. Have the team, including the child’s parents, plan for the special educational needs of the child.
6. Implement the Individual Education Plan.
Some common instruments used for assessing ADHD in children include the following:
1. History – this is the developmental history of the child which is often provided by the mother or the caretaker/guardian.
2. Rating Scales
Conners Rating Scales (CRS) – this is the most comprehensive rating scales for the parent(s) and teachers. The Conners Parent Rating Scale Revised (CPRS-R) includes 8 sales and 2 indices: (1) Oppositional, (2) Cognitive Problems, (3) Hyper-active-Impulsive, (4) Anxious-Shy, (5) Perfectionism, (6) Social Problems, (7) Psychosomatic, and (8) DSM-IV Symptom subscales, plus the ADHD Index and the Global Index (formerly the Hyperactivity Index). As for the Conners Teacher Rating Scale Revised (CTRS-R), it contains 59 items parallel to CPRS-R except for the Psychosomatic Scale.
Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC) – this is a combined rating scale for the parents, the teachers, and for the referred individual. It covers behavior, cognitive, and emotional data that are not only descriptive, but are also a diagnostic aid.
Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale – Secondary-Age Student (ADDES-S) – this has a school version (60 items) for the educators and a home version (46 items) for parent reports. It categorizes behavior patterns in areas of (a) Inattention and (b) Hyperactivity-Impulsivity.
The Brown Scales – this is consists of 40 items grouped into five clusters, namely: (a) activating and organizing work, (b) sustaining attention and concentration, (c) sustaining energy and effort, (d) managing effective interference, and (e) utilizing working memory and accessing recall.
Learning Styles Inventory – just like the Brown Scales, this is is a self-report inventory. It measures the child or teen’s learning preferences.
3. Specific Objective Measures of Attention – this is a well-developed instrument that is usually computer based, where the normative data of a person’s performance is compared to one or more norms.
4. Cognitive Measures – this involves assessment of abilities, achievements, memory, visual-motor, language, visual-spatial, sensory, motor, executive control, and social-emotional skills.
5. Behavioral and Emotional Characteristics – this involves evaluation of problematic behaviors in children including the characteristics of ODD/CD.
posted by ails at 12:43 PM
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