Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A. General
1. Appraisal Techniques. The primary purpose
of appraisal (henceforth known as "appraisal") is to provide measures that are
objective and interpretable in either comparative or absolute terms. Licensees
shall recognize the need to interpret the statements in this Section as
applying to the whole range of appraisal techniques, including test and
non-test data. Licensees shall recognize their legal parameters in utilizing
formalized appraisal techniques and adhere to such.
2. Client Welfare. Licensees shall promote
the welfare and best interests of the client in the development, publication
and utilization of appraisal techniques. They shall not misuse appraisal
results and interpretations and shall take reasonable steps to prevent others
from misusing the information these techniques provide. They shall respect the
client's right to know the result, the interpretations made, and the bases for
their conclusions and recommendations.
B. Competence to Use and Interpret Tests
1. Limits of Competence. Licensees shall
recognize the limits of their competence and perform only those testing and
appraisal services for which they have been trained and is within
R.S
37:1101-1122. They shall be familiar with
reliability, validity, related standardization, error of measurement, and
proper application of any technique utilized. Licensees using computer-based
test interpretations shall be trained in the construction being measured and
the specific instrument being used prior to using this type of computer
application. Licensees shall take reasonable measures to ensure the proper use
of formalized appraisal techniques by persons under their
supervision.
2. Appropriate Use.
Licensees shall be responsible for the appropriate application, scoring,
interpretation, and use of appraisal instruments, whether they score and
interpret such tests themselves or use computerized or other
services.
3. Decisions Based on
Results. Licensees shall be responsible for decisions involving individuals or
policies that are based on appraisal results have a thorough understanding of
formalized measurement technique, including validation criteria, test research,
and guidelines for test development and use.
4. Accurate Information. Licensees shall
provide accurate information and avoid false claims or misconceptions when
making statements about formalized appraisal instruments or
techniques.
C. Informed
Consent
1. Explanation to Clients. Prior to
performing such, licensees shall explain the nature and purposes of a formal
appraisal and the specific use of results in language the client (or other
legally authorized person on behalf of the client) can understand, unless as
explicit exception to this right has been agreed upon in advance. Regardless of
whether scoring and interpretation are completed by licensees or by computer or
other outside services, licensees shall take reasonable steps to ensure that
appropriate explanations are given to the client.
2. Recipients of Results. The examinee's
welfare, explicit understanding, and prior agreement shall determine the
recipients of test results. Licensees shall include accurate and appropriate
interpretations with any release of individual or group test results.
D. Release of Information to
Competent Professionals
1. Misuse of Results.
Licensees shall not misuse appraisal results, including test results, and
interpretations, and shall take reasonable steps to prevent the misuse of such
by others.
2. Release of Raw Data.
Licensees shall ordinarily release data (e.g., protocols, counseling or
interview notes, or questionnaires) in which the client is identified only with
the consent of the client or the client's legal representative. Such data are
usually released only to persons recognized by counselors as competent to
interpret the data.
E.
Test Selection
1. Appropriateness of
Instruments. Licensees shall carefully consider the validity, reliability,
psychometric limitations, and appropriateness of instruments when selecting
tests for use in a given situation or with a particular client.
2. Culturally Diverse Populations. Licensees
shall be cautious when selecting tests for culturally diverse populations to
avoid inappropriateness of testing that may be outside of socialized behavioral
or cognitive patterns.
F.
Conditions of Test Administration
1.
Administration Conditions. Licensees shall administer tests under the same
conditions that were established in their standardization. When tests are not
administered under standard conditions or when unusual behavior or
irregularities occur during the testing session, those conditions shall be
noted in interpretation, and the results may be designated as invalid or of
questionable validity.
2. Computer
Administration. Licensees shall be responsible for ensuring that administration
programs function properly to provide clients with accurate results when a
computer or other electronic methods are used for test
administration.
3. Unsupervised
Test-Taking. Licensees shall not permit unsupervised or inadequately supervised
use of tests or appraisals unless the tests or appraisals are designed,
intended, and validated for self-administration and/or scoring.
4. Disclosure of Favorable Conditions. Prior
to test administration, conditions that produce most favorable test results
shall be made known to the examinee.
G. Diversity in Testing Licensees shall be
cautious in using appraisal techniques, making evaluations, and interpreting
the performance of populations not represented in the norm group on which an
instrument was standardized. They shall recognize the effects of age, color,
culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation,
and socioeconomic status on test administration and interpretation and place
test results in proper perspective with other relevant factors.
H. Test Scoring and Interpretation
1. Reporting Reservations. In reporting
appraisal results, licensees shall indicate any reservations that exist
regarding validity or reliability because of the circumstances of the appraisal
or the inappropriateness of the norms for the person tested.
2. Research Instruments. Licensees shall
exercise caution when interpreting the results of research instruments
possessing insufficient technical data to support respondent results. The
specific purposes for the use of such instruments shall be stated explicitly to
the examinee.
3. Testing Services.
Licensees who provide test scoring and test interpretation services to support
the appraisal process shall confirm the validity of such interpretations. They
shall accurately describe the purpose, norms, validity, reliability, and
applications of the procedures and any special qualifications applicable to
their use. The public offering of an automated test interpretations service is
shall be considered a professional-to-professional consultation. The formal
responsibility of the consultant shall be to the consultee, but the ultimate
and overriding responsibility shall be to the client.
I. Test Security. Licensees shall maintain
the integrity and security of tests and other appraisal techniques consistent
with legal and contractual obligations. Licensees shall not appropriate,
reproduce, or modify published tests or parts thereof without acknowledgment
and permission from the publisher.
J. Obsolete Tests and Outdated Test Results.
Licensees shall not use data or test results that are obsolete or outdated for
the current purpose. Licensees shall make every effort to prevent the misuse of
obsolete measures and test data by others.
K. Test Construction. Licensees shall use
established scientific procedures, relevant standards, and current professional
knowledge for test design in the development, publication, and utilization of
appraisal techniques.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
Promulgated in accordance with
R.S.
37:1101-1123.
