Standardized Tests for Cognitive-Communication Disorders

Question 1

What are some questions SLPs might ask in choosing a standardized test?

Answer 1

Question 1: Does the Person Have a Problem?

Question 2: If There Is a Cognitive-Communication Disorder, What Are Its Characteristics?

Question 3: What Are the Implications of the Test Results beyond the Test Session?

Question 4: Where Should I Begin with Treatment?

Question 2

True or false : The tasks in a standardized test should be the same as those in the individual’s daily communication life.

Answer 2

False : The tasks do not have to be the same as those in the
individual’s daily communication life as long as they predict performance in those settings.

The tests should predict performance on other measures or in contexts to which the results will be generalized. Beyond this, these contexts should be relevant to the client in his or her daily communication life.

Question 3

State 2 observations with regards to the existing standardized tests.

Answer 3

This works best if you look at the CIF diagram from REA 5703 : https://uottawa.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/250777/viewContent/3836695/View

If you look at the CIF diagram and compare it to standardized tests, you will notice that there are tests and measures at both the impairment level and the activity/participation level of health outcome. Although none consider personal or environmental factors influencing performance.

Most important theme : the striking absence of a test developed for the evaluation of COMMUNICATION
in individuals with cognitive-communication disorders.

Question 4

What was the conclusion of this article (4 points) ?

Answer 4

Given the limitations of most of the standardized tests in our field, it is tempting to abandon the notion of standardized assessment.

However, nonstardized approaches also have limitations.

Rather than abandoning standardized tests, we should take an active role in developing instruments that meet our needs.

As the field of speech-language pathology begins to incorporate formally the ICF framework in assessment, we will need new assessment tools that capture multiple elements of health outcome.

Question 5

What did the author’s recommend with regards to the use of standardized tests for people with cognitive-communication disorder (3 points) ?

Answer 5

(1) to use caution when evaluating individuals with cognitive-communication disorders using existing standardized tests, given the limitations discussed in this article;

(2) to consider standardized testing ‘‘within a broader framework that considers evaluation of the person’s pre-injury characteristics, stage of development and recovery, communication-related demands of personally meaningfuleveryday activities and life and communicationcontexts’’and

(3) to collaborate with other professionals who evaluate cognitive function, particularly when considering the
use of impairment-level cognitive tests.

Question 6

Many SLPs use standardized tests to identify clients’ strengths and challenges as a starting point for intervention. Why should you be cautious with such an approach?

Answer 6

The authors state that in general, tests used and recommended by SLPs were strong in content and face validity (i.e., thoughtfully constructed) but relatively weak in construct validity (i.e., did not measure what the manual claimed, particularly ‘‘strengths and weaknesses’’).