Assessing testing practices of mental health professionals

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to assess the testing practices of mental health professionals who practice in the state of Iowa and to examine the differences between professionals who have been actively testing for shorter or longer periods of time. There are situations when psychological tests are used in counseling in which ethical principles are called into question. As a basic ethical principle, therapists are expected to recognize their own personal and professional limitations. Ethical counselors do not employ diagnostic or treatment procedures that are beyond their scope of training. While all mental health professionals should have formal training in psychological and educational measurement and testing, this training does not necessarily make one an expert. Questions of user qualifications should always be addressed when testing is being considered. The AACD's Ethical Standards ( 1988) state: "With regard to the delivery of professional services, members should accept only those positions for which they are professionally qualified." Such a guideline still leaves unanswered the question, How can I recognize the boundaries of my competence, and how can I know when I have exceeded them? The questionnaire used in this study was seen as a consciousness-raising instrument to encourage a greater awareness of these issues. Additionally, the research sought to determine any significant relationship between academic/demographic factors and assessment practices.