The APA Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (1999) are up for revision. On-line can comments can be made at: http://www.apa.org/science/revisions.html. APA individual members and divisions and groups have until next Monday, Nov 5th to submit comments. The comments will be used to determine the general areas or priorities for this revision. This looks like a lot, but please read on, I made it real easy for you (!) and it IS important.
CONA has submitted a set of revisions, but this is one of those times when we think QUANITY of input received regarding the NEED to include older adult considerations really counts. So, we implore each of you to please consider going online and providing input. Consideration of aging-related issues is really lacking.
One (easy) way to help geropsychology to be heard is to copy and paste any of CONA’s responses that “speak to you” with into the form and submit it. Of course, spending more time to craft additional and more specific or different comments would also be appreciated! One complicating factor is that the Standards are not online to review. But I have PDFs of most relevant chapters that I can share for folks who want to look at/craft their own responses (Outline of Standards sections at bottom, FYI). Here are CONA’s main comments (pulled from a very nice letter that had to be chopped up because only on-line comments in boxes are accepted). When you go to the webpage there are pull down boxes that ask what chapter/section and standard you are referring to. CONA’s comments relate to general issues/introductory sections rather than particular standards, so below I put how I input them – related to the chapters/sections in which these issues should be addressed).
Input for Chapter 7. For Standard #, choose “Introduction.” Insert following comment into “Addition” box:
CONA recommends that a new chapter, devoted to testing older adults, be added to Part II: Fairness of Testing.
Rationale: With the population aging, the numbers of older adults with cognitive impairments is rising. Psychologists are increasingly called upon to assess older adults for cognitive functioning to aid in the determination of mental status changes, concerns with living independently, driving, and decision making capacity (e.g., for financial matters, health care and treatment). In addition, there are a number of complexities associated with testing this population. A robust literature exists on this topic (American Bar Association/American Psychological Association, 2005; Molinari, 2000; Lichtenberg, 1999), which addresses multiple considerations that must be taken into account. For instance, psychological testing, evaluation, and interpretation is subject to the combined effects of co-morbidities, medical problems, medication side-effects, multiple sensory difficulties, cognitive impairment, and testing environment.
Input as: Chapter 12 (Psychological Testing and Assessment). For Standard #, choose “Introduction.” Insert the following comment into “Addition” box:
CONA requests recognition and consideration of mental health disorders of older adults in the section on “Purposes of Psychological Testing.”
Rationale: Although problems such as depression and anxiety do not increase with age, by the year 2030, the number of older adults with mental disorders will more than double from an estimated 7 to 15 million individuals (Jeste, 1999). Non-Hispanic white men age 85 and older have the highest suicide rates of any age group (NIMH, 2007). Depression, one of the conditions most commonly associated with suicide in older adults, is a widely under-recognized and undertreated medical illness warranting closer assessment. Eight to 20 percent of older adults in the community, and up to 37 percent in primary care setting suffer from depressive symptoms (DHHS 1999). Community-based prevalence estimates indicate that about 11.4 percent of adults aged 55 years and older meet criteria for an anxiety disorder in 1 year (DHHS, 1999).
Input as: Chapter 12 (Psychological Testing and Assessment). For Standard #, choose “Introduction.” Insert the following comment into “Addition” box:
CONA requests consideration of guardianship as one of the legal issues to be addressed in the section on “Testing for Judicial and Governmental Decisions.”
Rationale: When the decision-making capacity of an older adult is questioned, a petition for guardianship may ensue. Accurate and task specific capacity assessment is needed to provide physicians, families, and the courts the data that they need to meet the needs of older adults while maximizing autonomy and participative decision-making.
SO, If you can find the time to do this, it would be much appreciated. Thanks, in advance, for your help. Debbie
Deborah DiGilio, MPH Director, Office on Aging American Psychological Association 750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002-4242 (202) 336-6135 (202) 336-6040 FAX DDiGilio@apa.org http://www.apa.org/pi/aging
Part I: Test Construction, Evaluation, and Documentation
1. Validity
2. Reliability and Errors of Measurement
3. Test Development and Revision
4. Scales, Norms, and Score Comparability
5. Test Administration, Scoring, and Reporting
6. Supporting Documentation for Tests
Part II: Fairness in Testing
7. Fairness in Testing and Test Use
8. The Rights and Responsibilities of Test Takers
9. Testing Individuals of Diverse Linguistic Backgrounds
10. Testing Individuals with Disabilities
Part III: Testing Applications
11. The Responsibilities of Test Users
12. Psychological Testing and Assessment
13. Educational Testing and Assessment
14. Testing in Employment and Credentialing
15. Testing in Program Evaluation and Public Policy
