Can testing answer these big practical questions?
In last class Kristin presented a case in which a comprehensive assessment was conducted in order to decide whether or not a patient was a good candidate for an ADHD treatment program. In the end it was decided that she was not, and should be sent to a different program dealing with mood regulation and personality disorder type problems. Hopefully, this will help the patient receive the right kind of help, and avoid the disruptive effects on the ADHD group of having a participant who doesn’t belong there.
This is a good example of how testing can serve practical purposes.
Here are a list of other questions that we might address with testing and assessment:
- Does this person have the right stuff (competencies and personality traits) to be a successful CEO for this company?
- Should we accept this student to our dentistry program?
- Should this violent offender get parole? What is the probability of recidivism?
- Does this person who just completed an addiction rehab program need further treatment? What kind and for how long?
- Will this morbidly obese diabetic be able to lose enough weight to manage his condition with behavioural treatment, or does he need bariatric surgery?
- Should this depressed person get pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, a combination, or none of the above?
- Does my 13-year-old have the maturity to surf the web on her own?
- Does Lance Armstrong feel any remorse about cheating at the Tour de France?
- Is this man/woman a good candidate to be Prime Minister of Canada?
These and an unlimited number of other questions may be addressed with testing. How well does testing perform in being able to answer them? That’s the billion dollar question!
