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    Issues in Psychological Testing

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    Issues in Psychological Testing

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    tchisango Tadios
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    10 views7 pages

    Issues in Psychological Testing

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    tchisango Tadios

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 7

    PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT (CC9)

    M.A SEMESTER-2
    ETHICAL ISSUES IN PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING

    Dr. Saba Farheen

    UGC NET, UGC PDF, Rajasthan SET, PhD

    Part Time Assistant Professor

    Department of Psychology, Patna

    University Email id-

    [email protected]
    Ethical issues in Psychological Testing:- Psychological Testing needs to be
    conducted in a fair and ethical manner, in accordance with relevant equal
    opportunities legislation and professional codes of practice. Professional bodies
    have ethical codes of practice, often including specific codes, and anyone
    making assessments should be familiar with the relevant code of practice.
    Several testing organizations have published practice guidelines to help define
    the scope of responsible test use. Sources of test use guidelines include
    teaching groups (AFT, NCME, NEA, 1990), the American Psychological
    Association (APA, 1992b), the Educational Testing Service (ETS, 1989), the
    Joint Committee on Testing Practices (JCTP, 1988), the Society for Industrial
    and Organizational Psychology (SIOP, 1987), and professional alliances
    (AERA, APA, NCME, 1999). Some issues are as follows-
    1. Confidentiality- Practitioners have a primary obligation to safeguard the
    confidentiality of information, including test results, that they obtain from
    clients in the course of consultations (Principle 5; APA, 1992a). Information
    obtained in clinical or consulting relationships, or evaluative data concerning
    children, students, employees and others are discussed only for professional
    purposes and only with persons clearly concerned with the case.
    2. Informed Consent-Before individuals undergo assessment they should give
    their consent and, whatever the purpose, have a right to withdraw it. They have
    a right to know what is about to happen, why it is needed, and understand the
    implications of information given. The principle of informed consent is so
    important that the Standards manual devotes a separate standard to it- Informed
    consent implies that the test takers or representatives are made aware, in
    language that they can understand, of the reasons for testing, the type of tests to
    be used, the intended use and the range of material consequences of the
    intended use. If written, video, or audio records are made of the testing session,
    or other records are kept, test takers are entitled to know what testing
    information will be released and to whom. (AERA et al., 1999).

    3. Labelling- After the Psychological testing, a person is often subjected with


    certain mental disorder. The labeling process may not only stigmatize the
    person but also lower tolerance for stress and make treatment more difficult. In
    view of the potentially negative effects of labels, a person should have the right
    not to be labeled.
    4. Data Protection- Test-takers must protect the client’s information. Sensitive
    data could include a person’s:
    • Ethnic origin
    • Beliefs and opinions, for example on religion or politics
    • Disabilities
    • State of physical or mental health
    • Sexual orientation
    • Any convictions, offences committed or legal proceedings
    5. Invasion of Privacy- When people respond to psychological tests, they have
    little idea what is being revealed, but they often feel that their privacy has been
    invaded in a way not justified by the test’s benefits. Psychologists must inform
    subjects of the limits of confidentiality.
    6. Communication of Test Results- Individuals who take psychological tests
    anticipate that the results will be shared with them. Yet practitioners often do
    not include one-to-one feedback as part of the assessment.
    7. Consideration of Individual Differences- Knowledge of and respect for
    individual differences is highlighted by all professional organizations that deal
    with psychological testing. The American Psychological Association lists this
    as one of six guiding principles. The relevance of this principle to
    psychological testing is that practitioners are expected to know when a test or
    interpretation may not be applicable because of factors such as age, gender,
    race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language,
    and socioeconomic status.
    8. Divided Loyalties- It is the often conflicting commitments of the
    psychologist who uses tests. A conflict arises when the individual’s welfare is
    at odds with that of the institution that employs the psychologist. Psychologists
    must inform all concerned where their loyalty lies. They must tell clients or
    subjects in advance how tests are to be used and describe the limits of
    confidentiality.
    9. Test Security- Test materials must be kept secure. Test items are not
    revealed except in training programs and when mandated by law, to protect test
    integrity.
    9. Human Rights violation- Different kinds of human rights are relevant to
    psychological testing, including the right not to be tested. Individuals, who do
    not want to subject themselves to testing, cannot be forced to do so. It is their
    right to know their test scores and interpretations as well as the bases of any
    decisions that affect their lives. The subjects have right to know who will have
    access to test data and the right to confidentiality of test results (APA, 2010).

    10. Dehumanization- With high-speed computers and centralized data banks,


    the risk that machines will someday make important decisions about our lives
    is always increasing. Such forms of testing remove any human element from
    decision-making process. Technology tends to minimize individual freedom
    and uniqueness.

    11. Access to psychological testing- Everyone has not accessed to


    psychological testing. Being tested can be expensive. Neurological and
    psychiatric assessment are available to those who can afford them.
    12. Test Security- Test materials must be kept secure. Test items are not
    revealed except in training programs and when mandated by law, to protect test
    integrity.

    13. Sensitivity to Disabilities- Another important ingredient of valid test


    administration is sensitivity to disabilities in the examinee. Impairments in
    hearing, vision, speech, or motor control may seriously distort test results. The
    Disability Discrimination Act (1995) refers to reasonable adjustment which
    means, for example, that individuals having visual impairments are supported
    by the use of large type or Braille materials. In the case of measures not having
    time limits, such as questionnaires, people having visual disabilities may be
    able to dictate responses.

    14. Test Anxiety- Test anxiety refers to those phenomenological,


    physiological, and behavioral responses that accompany concern about
    possible failure on a test. There is no doubt that subjects experience different
    levels of test anxiety about being tested.

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