The requirement to comprehend how computer technology may be utilized ethically and within the confines of professional standards has grown and will continue to grow as test interpretation software becomes more widely available. School psychologists have an ethical responsibility to choose technologies that will improve their evaluation methods within the confines of their practice environments (Carlson & Harvey, 2004). The following analysis focuses on potential ethical and professional practice issues that may result from a school psychologist’s decision to employ a computer program during an assessment activity.
Nowadays, computing technology is used in evaluation in more ways than only producing reports or informational chunks or program that rates and analyzes test results. In some conventional testing methods, school districts have selected computer-based examinations that give examinations and adaptable testing. Particularly in the field of psychological assessment, where test-takers often initiate assessments, there has been significant progress in client feedback in recent years. While these implementations may raise specific ethical questions about the type of use of personal data, they are outside the scope of the current debate because individual school psychiatrists have less control over whether to use conventional or electronic tests.
There are other factors that make it challenging to relate the results of neuropsychological tests to occupational functioning. The limitations of their equipment, many of which were created for diagnostic purposes, are a constraint for neuropsychologists. Additionally, it is not apparent if the instruments that are now available sufficiently sample the subset of talents that ultimately determine workplace behavior. To get the most ecologically sound findings, it is crucial to supplement laboratory test results with information from other sources, such as experts, informants, and evaluation methods.
Clinical endeavors frequently have faults, maybe to an equivalent degree as computer-generated studies and results. Low inter-rater reliability is an issue that is lessened by the use of software programs in assessment when diagnoses are solely dependent on the observations and knowledge of the therapist and are subsequently impacted by the physicians’ differing definitions of the same symptoms. However, because they were made by men and utilize language, machines already have subjective characteristics.
The use of software systems in the evaluation may lead a practitioner to misjudge and exceed their own competency if it gives the school psychologists a greater sense of safety. The likelihood of such fraudulent practices strengthens the fundamental principle that all computer-based systems must be utilized in tandem with the solid professional judgment of a skilled practitioner. The question of whether the machine and its programs are being used to do activities that the clinician alone is unable to perform must ultimately be taken into account.
Regrettably, most contemporary statistical prediction criteria are of low utility, and many computerized evaluation algorithms for deciphering personality test findings are not tested. The documentation that comes with most test interpretations software products does not describe the processes used to connect behavioral responses with interpretative statements, despite the fact that conventional tests must be supported by documentation that describes validation techniques. Even when these decisions’ governing decision rules are made public, the typical practitioner typically cannot understand them.
To sum up, having unlimited resources to study the problem for ethical assessment practices, I would be engaged in conducting a study-comparison of possible software solutions for assessment. In this way, potential flaws in the systems can be found. While researching this topic, I was surprised by the lack of validation of the software before using it in actual conditions; this suggests that the software can, in theory, produce false results.
Reference
Carlson, J. F., & Harvey, V. S. (2004). Using computer-related technology for assessment activities: Ethical and professional practice issues for school psychologists.Computers in Human Behavior, 20(5), 645-659. Web.