PLYMOUTH
STATE UNIVERSITY
of the University System of New Hampshire
College of Graduate
Studies
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL/BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT
SY
6300 Leo
R. Sandy, Ed.D., NCSP
W 09,
Rounds 107 38
Mountain Vista Drive
Tel. 535-2287
(W), Fax. 535-2572 New Hampton, NH 03256
Email:
lsandy@plymouth.edu Tel.
279-4271 (H)
URL: http:oz.plymouth.edu/~lsandy/home.html
Office Hours: By appointment (Office times are 2:00 – 5:00
PM, Tuesday and Thursday).
REQUIRED TEXT
Merrell, K.W. (2008). Behavioral, social, and emotional assessment of children and
adolescents
(3rd ed.).
New York: Lawrence Erlbaum
RESOURCES APA Style:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
My Web Page: http://oz.plymouth.edu/%7Elsandy/links.html
EVALUATION:
* Class Participation 30%
* Assessment Report Simulation (2-10, 2-17) 20%
* Case Study Report (2-17) 40%
* Test Critique (12-16) 10%
PARTICIPATION/ATTENDANCE
GRADING POLICY
Number of Absences Level of Participation Grade
0 HIGH A/A-
0 AVERAGE B+/B
0 LOW B-/C+
1 HIGH B+
1 AVERAGE B-
1 LOW C
For 2
unexcused absences, the course grade will be no higher than C+
. For 2 excused
absences, an incomplete grade can be given and the classes missed made up the
next time the course is given. For 3 or more absences
(excused or unexcused), the course will need to be retaken.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
To provide a clear, balanced
presentation of the learner’s social/emotional characteristics. The
students will be introduced to the areas of assessment of behavior by
interview, observation and norm-referenced techniques. Functional behavior
assessment will also be addressed. Objective and projective techniques will be
introduced and the students will have the opportunity to learn about the
history and practical administration of these instruments.
COURSE TOPICS:
·
Foundations of assessment
·
Classification systems
·
Direct behavioral observations
·
Behavior rating scales
·
Interviewing techniques
·
Sociometric techniques
·
Self-report assessment
·
Projective-expressive assessment techniques
·
Assessing externalizing and externalizing problems
·
Assessing behavioral, social and emotional problems
·
Assessing social skills and peer relations
·
Assessing social and emotional behavior of young
children
·
Social-emotional assessment and cultural diversity
·
Linking assessment results to interventions
·
Reporting test results
·
Ethical, legal and professional issues in assessment
and reporting
·
The “triangle of support”
·
Statistical properties of assessment tools
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1.
What are the major social/emotional/behavioral
measures and approaches used to assess clients?
2.
How do cultural factors impact assessment and the
reporting of assessment findings?
3.
What are the legal, ethical and professional issues in
the administration, interpretation and reporting of assessment results?
4.
What are the main
classification systems used on social/emotional/behavioral assessment?
5.
How can the reporting of assessment findings be done
in a collaborative and culturally sensitive manner?
6.
What are the best practices involved in social/emotional/behavioral
assessment?
7.
How can the results of social/emotional/behavioral
assessment be used effectively in intervention?
ASSIGNMENTS:
1.
Each week students will do assessments of children who
represent varying ages. Drawings, sentence
completion tests, observations, interviews, rating scales, picture-story cards
and self-reports will be used. Consent forms will need to be signed by parents
prior to assessing children and only fictitious names will be used to identify
the children.
2.
Students will also do simulations based on best
practices in reporting the results of testing in a staffing context. A rubric
will be used to evaluate oral and written reports.
3.
A case study
(psychological report) using a projective drawing, sentence completion test,
picture-story card, direct observation, interview, behavior rating scale,
functional behavioral assessment and self-report. The case study should include
a reason for referral, background information, test results, interpretation,
hypotheses and suggested interventions.
4. Students will do a
test critique using Tests in Print or
Buros Mental Measurement Yearbook
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Students
will be able to:
·
Administer, interpret and report on
social/emotional/behavioral assessments using best practices and in a
culturally sensitive, professional, legal and ethical manner
·
Link the findings of assessment results to
interventions
·
Explain how sociocultural
factors impact assessment
·
Explain and demonstrate how the finding of social/emotiona/behavioral assessment are effectively and
collaboratively reported to parents and colleagues
·
Explain the DSM IV and Multiple Gating System
approaches to classification
·
Explain the statistical properties of assessment tools
·
Explain best practices in the use and reporting of
social/emotional/behavioral measures
·
Explain the theoretical foundations of
social/emotional/assessment
·
Explain the “triangle of support”
·
Explain legal, ethical and professional issues in
social/emotional/behavioral assessment
NOTICES:
Incomplete
grades are strongly discouraged and should only be requested for emergency
situations. If an IC grade is given, students will have one full semester to
complete the course requirements. After that, the registrar will record an F
grade that will stand, and the course will have to be retaken if it is a
requirement.
Drafts
of papers are accepted no later than two weeks prior to the due date. Late and
redone assignments/papers will receive a significantly reduced grade.
Note:
The assignments are designed to not only show learning of the course content
but also to provide artifacts for state certification. Thus, it is not
sufficient just to “cover” material but to provide specific assignments that
show evidence of knowledge of the standards. Reading and discussing these
topics do not provide verification of learning.
COURSE FORMAT:
Each
meeting will involve a discussion of readings and lecture-discussion. There
will also be demonstrations,
simulations, and activities that highlight the social/emotional/behavioral
assessment role of school psychologists. Students will do test critiques,
administer tests and conduct observations and interviews of children and report
their findings in class.
CLASS SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS:
December
2 Course Introduction
and Overview of Social/Emotional/Behavior Assessment
December 9 Foundations of Assessment and Assessment and Classification,
Ch. 1 & 2.
December 16 Direct Behavioral
Observation and Behavior Rating Scales, Ch. 3 & 4.
Activity: Behavior Scale
results discussion
Test Critique due
January
6 Interviewing Techniques, Ch. 5
Activity: Interviewing
Simulations and Field Interview Results discussion
January 13 Sociometric
Techniques and Self-Report Assessment, Ch. 6 & 7.
Activity: Sociometric Techniques and Self-Report Results discussion
January 20 Projective-Expressive
Assessment Techniques, Ch. 8.
Activity: Projective
Testing Results and Discussion
January 27 Assessing
Externalizing and Externalizing Behaviors, Ch. 9 & 10.
Activity: Functional
Behavior Assessment Results discussion
February
3 Assessing Other Behavioral, Social
and Emotional Problems, Social Skills and
Peer
Relations, Ch. 11 & 12.
Activity: Adaptive
Behavior Assessment Results and Discussion
February 10 Assessing Social and
Emotional Behavior in Young Children, Ch. 13.
Test report simulations
February
17 Course Evaluation
and Social-Emotional Assessment and Cultural Diversity,
Ch. 14.
Test Report Simulations
Test
Reports due
This
course meets the following School
Psychology Standards:
Std. 2
e. Communicating effectively, in
written and oral form, findings and recommendations to parents, classroom
teachers, and other educational personnel
To
meet this standard students will write a psychological
report that is free of jargon, that invites interpretation by parents, teachers
and other school personnel, that is presented through simulation, and that is
evaluated through a rubric
(1) Knowledge, understanding, and the ability to
consult about the following:
a. Psychological foundations, in the
following areas:
1. Mental
health disorders and diagnosis;
To
meet this standard, students will write a psychological report that utilizes a
classification system of mental disorders and diagnosis
b.
Foundations of education,
in the following areas:
1. Identification, evaluation, and education of
exceptional learners;
c. Assessment, in the
following areas:
4.
Behavior assessment;
5. Social and emotional functioning;
7.
Adaptive functioning
To meet this standard
students will write a psychological report that includes behavioral
observation and rating scales, interview and projective test results and an
adaptive behavior measure
2) Knowledge, understanding, and demonstrated
ability in psychological and psychoeducational
evaluation and assessment, including ability to:
1. Administer,
score, interpret, integrate, and report data obtained from psychological and
educational measures, interviews, observations, and behavioral procedures
including functional behavior assessments, with preschool and school aged
children and youth;
To
meet this standard students will administer a battery of
social/emotional/behavioral tests and include observational and
interview data and a functional behavioral assessment and write a psychological
report.
4.
Assess educational disabilities and mental health conditions, for appropriate
educational, behavioral, social, psychoeducational,
psychological, and psychiatric interventions in the school setting
To
meet this standard students will administer a battery
of social/emotional/behavioral measures to include direct observations and interviews
and a functional behavior assessment and develop appropriate suggestions for
intervention within the school setting
5.
Link assessment results and make educationally relevant recommendations
To
meet this standard, students will write a psychological report and translate
the results into specific and appropriate suggestions
6.
Communicate effectively, in written and oral form, findings and recommendations
to parents, classroom teachers and other school personnel;
To
meet this standard, students will write a psychological report and present it
in a simulation in a way that conforms to best practices. The simulation will
be evaluated by a rubric.
(3) Knowledge, understanding and ability to
intervene and facilitate the functioning of individuals and groups of preschool
and school aged children and youth, including ability to:
2. Develop behavior improvement plans, including
appropriate supports based on results of behavioral assessments
To
meet this standard, students will use the results of a functional behavior
assessment to develop a behavior improvement plan
3.
Plan and
recommend mental health interventions for preschool and school aged children
and youth
To meet this standard, students will perform a
psychological evaluation and use the results to plan and recommend mental
health interventions.