4. School Observations, Formal Assessments and Questionnaires Flashcards
When you are going to school to observe a kid, how should you prepare the school for your arrival? (4)
1) check if the school had an observation done before. If not, check that they understand why you are coming to observe the child.
2) Observe the child in a variety of classes because the child may be have differently in different classes
3) Observe them just before, during, and after recess time. see how they cope with unstructured play and transition to/from class.
4) Clarify your cover story. Make sure the teacher does not announce who you are there to observe. Just say ‘observe the class’.
In the classroom context what must you take note of when observing the kid?
1) what subject?
- is behavior consistent across different subjects?
- may have diff relationships with diff teachers
2) how are activities and groupings done?
3) regular teacher teaching?
4) other teaching support given? teaching aide.
During transition between classes, what must you take note?
How does the child cope with the transition?
During recess, what should you be observing? (5)
- quality of interactions with other children?
- what sort of play? joint play or individual play?
- does the child initiate interactions?
- preference for being on their own?
- activity level of child?
What are aspects of behaviors to look out for when observing the child? (5)
1) social communication
2) sensory needs
3) rigid behaviors
4) attention & hyperactivity
5) impulsivity
What are some social communication behaviors to look out for in a child? (4)
- taking turns in conversations and games
- interest in others
- eye contact
- way of interacting
- should capture verbatim responses if possible
What are some sensory behaviors to look out for in the child? (4)
- sensory seeking or avoidant
- reaction to physical contact from others
- unusual movements
- chewing behaviors
What are some rigid behaviors you should look out for? (3)
- how does the child cope with changes
- special interests (eg. keep talking about a specific subject or hobby)
- ritualistic behaviors (eg. specific sequence)
How do you monitor the child’s level of attention and hyperactivity?
- see if child stays on task when unsupervised
- concentration and engagement in class
- fidgeting and struggling to sit still in class
How do you monitor the child’s impulsivity?
- interruptions and vocalizations
During interviews with teachers which 4 aspects should you ask about?
1) language/academic performance
2) child’s behaviors in school
3) social skills
4) child’s emotions
When asking teachers about the child’s language/academic performance, which aspects should you touch on? (6)
- strengths and weaknesses
- progressions and regressions
- existing interventions offered (extra support or small groups)
- age appropriate learning. does the child perform like other children his age
- overly formal speech?
- any labels attached to child? how do others treat him based on the stigma?
Why is it important to explore with teachers their concerns about child’s behaviors in school?
Because teachers may give certain meaning to the problems. They may have biases and interpretations of the child which can prevent effective support.
What are some social behaviors you should look out for in school?
- friendships and their progression
- bullying (bully or victim)
- prosocial behaviors
How do you determine if someone has a learning/intellectual disability? (3)
- IQ < 70
- Concurrent problems with adaptive functioning across multiple environments. Cannot meet the expected standards for his/her age and cultural group.
- Onset is during developmental period
What are the 3 kinds of assessment for intellectual functioning?
1) Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV)
- age 16 and above
2) Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V)
- age 6-15
3) Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV)
- age 3 - 7
What are the 5 domains assessed in the assessment for intellectual functioning?
1) Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI)
2) Visual Spatial Index (VSI)
3) Fluid Reasoning Index (FRI)
4) Working Memory Index (WMI)
5) Processing Speed Index
What does the verbal comprehension index (VCI) measure?
measures the ability to listen to a question, draw upon learned information, reason, and express answers verbally
What does the visual spatial index (VSI) measure?
The ability to evaluate visual information and visual-spatial relationships to construct geometric designs
What does the fluid reasoning index (FRI) measure?
The ability to identify patterns in visual objects and apply these rules
What does the working memory index (WMI) measure?
The ability to register, retain, and manipulate visual and auditory information that is kept in mind
What does the processing speed index (PSI) measure?
Assess children’s abilities to scan and discriminate between visual information quickly.
Why is there a need to assess IQ in terms of the different domains?
Because if there is too much discrepancy between the different domains, cannot just use 1 global IQ anymore, need to look into specific domains
Why is assessing IQ (intellectual functioning/cognitive ability) only not able to tell us the full picture?
Because we must interpret it in the context of academic achievement.
- If academic achievement is CONGRUENT with low IQ scores, then the child probably has a learning disability
- If academic achievement is INCONGRUENT with IQ scores, then the child probably lacks motivation, mood or behavioral problems. This requires psycho-social interventions.
How should you administer psychological tests?
- Standardized administration. Must administer according to standardized instructions. Read instructions word for word and follow the manual exactly. But sometimes still not accurate when the child is inattentive or struggles.
- accommodations should be noted. (eg. done at home, or done with extra support)
- results are norm-referenced. match by age.
What are some aspects to measure with regard to adaptive functioning? (5)
1) communication
2) daily living skills
3) socialization
4) motor skills
5) overall functioning
How does the Response to Intervention (RTI) approach help us identify students with specific learning disabilities?
- for a specific subject, struggling learners are provided with interventions at increasing levels of intensity
- tier 1 (least intense) -> tier 2 (most intense guidance)
- if student does not respond well to tier 1 intervention, they will go on to tier 2 intervention. if they still don’t do well with tier 2 intervention, they get moved up to tier 3.
- help schools pick up on early signs of learning issues and determine who qualifies for special education services.
How does the Processing Strength and Weakness (PSW) Approach help us identify students with specific learning disabilities?
- Average or above average cognitive ability/IQ after weakness is removed
- Cognitive and achievement weaknesses are meaningfully related
eg. working memory index and numerical operation
eg. verbal comprehension index and word reading
eg. processing speed index and math fluency
If both are low, it is an indicator of specific learning disability.
Which 2 criteria must be fulfilled to prove that the child has a specific learning disability?
1) discrepancy between target domain and another unrelated domain of cognitive ability
2) cognitive and achievement weakness must be meaningfully related (ie. no statistical difference)
How might the biopsychosocial model still be useful if the child has a learning disability which is neurological in origin?
Recovery is mediated by psychosocial processes such as motivation, emotion, representation of the illness (eg. “I will never get better”), and social support,
Which scale/questionnaire is useful for a child who seems to have anxiety and depresison?
Revised Child’s Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS)
also administer parent version to parent
What is the purpose of using questionnaires?
Evaluation
- progress of therapy
- enhance motivation and engagement
- informs end of therapy discussions
In what ways are questionnaires beneficial for assessment? (3)
- can provide multiple perspectives in different settings
- highlights differences in opinion (eg. between mother and child)
- quick clinical screening of symptoms (general profile)
In what ways are questionnaires beneficial for formulation? (2)
- informs judgments when diagnosing is appropriate
- increase understanding of how the problem(s) developed and is maintained
How are questionnaires beneficial for MDT working?
Good tool for communicating assessment findings and more effective collaboration with those in the MDT
What are the potential costs to administering questionnaires?
1) can obscure as much as illuminate. spotlight that illuminates one area but blinds you to another.
2) “death by questionnaire” - too many questionnaires can hurt rapport
Neuropsychology assessments usually measure aspects of brain functioning according to ‘cognitive domains’. What are these domains? (8)
1) orientation
2) attention and concentration
3) memory
4) language
5) visual perception and visuo-spatial skills
6) executive functioning
7) speed of processing
8) praxis
What is the purpose of assessment in neuropsychology? (10)
1) determine a baseline. establish current level of functioning to compare results to at a later time point.
2) determine whether a person has cognitive difficulties, and to what degree
3) determine change in ability (eg. cognitive decline)
4) contribute to a diagnosis
5) establish effect of a specific treatment (eg. neurosurgery)
6) establish if a person’s cognitive difficulties are organic (in the brain) or psychological in origin
7) determine patient’s effort levels
8) influence patient’s care plan
9) validate a patient’s experience
10) assess for capacity-related issues
What is a capacity assessment?
An assessment to determine if an individual is capable of making an informed decision on a specific matter and whether they fully understand the related implications. Neuropsychologist may offer advice on how to support a patient’s capacity to make a decision.
How should the neuropsychologist formulate the case?
Biopsychosocial model.
See how biological factors (eg. brain damage), psychological factors (eg. anxiety), and social factors (eg. relationships) interact to produce symptoms.
What is rehabilitation?
A process aimed at enabling them to reach and maintain their optimal physical, sensory, intellectual, psychological, and social functional levels.
What therapies can be used to minimise the impact of cognitive difficulties in patients? (4)
1) Psychoeducation
2) Occupational Therapy
3) Family Support sessions (systemic)
4) Group therapy
How is psychoeducation helpful for the client?
Helps them understand their difficulties and shift the explanation away from the individual’s own flaws to understanding that this is just a natural consequence of brain injury. May also help family to be more tolerant.
How is occupational therapy helpful?
helps the client improve his independence and physical functioning
How are family support sessions helpful?
help family members reflect and cope with the changes in the client
How is group therapy helpful for the client?
helps the client feel validated as other members could relate to his experience. other members can also advise practical solutions based on their own experiences
