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1.
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Detailed History
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• Info from others
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Have I talked to family, teachers, or others to find out about behaviour at home?
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| ○ Self care |
| ○ Social interaction or romantic relationships |
| ○ Memory, bizarre behaviour, any violation of cultural norms |
| ○ Activities of daily living |
| ○ Comparison to peers re language development & abilities |
| ○ Money management, knowledge of pension etc |
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• Medical History
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Have I got a medical history from doctors, the client, family or medical files?
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| ○ Hearing and vision |
| ○ Medication use |
| ○ Previous head injury or other mental health or neurological condition |
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• Info from client
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Have I got a social history from the client?
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| ○ Biographical information, family structure (e.g. genogram) |
| ○ Any personal or parental substance use (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, petrol) |
| ○ Social circumstances, are their basic needs met (e.g. food, shelter, power, meds)? |
| ○ Schooling, work, jobs, or meaningful occupation |
| ○ Relationships/family functioning |
| ○ Legal issues |
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2.
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Testing Process
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Were there any factors influencing the assessment process and what was the impact?
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• Context – could anything about the setting have impacted the results?
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| ○ Background noise, interruptions, clinician/client gender difference, away from homelands, chaotic setting, pain, discomfort, hunger, family worries, house worries, health worries? |
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• Motivation – Were they motivated to do well? Do they distrust mainstream systems?
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• Engagement – Were they engaged in the process? Was the relationship affable & appropriate?
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• Tiredness/alertness – Did they sleep last night? Do they have a place to sleep?
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• Intoxication/medications? – Are they taking any drugs and/or do they need medications?
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• Perceptual issues – Hearing/vision. Do they need a hearing aid or glasses? Was there background noise/distractions?
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• Understanding – Did they understand what you asked them to do?
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• Language – Do they need an interpreter? Is the interpreter an appropriate person/relationship?
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• Item format – Timed?, question/answer?, pencil/paper?
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3.
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Test Results
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What is the pattern of scores?
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• Where are the discrepancies and is it what I would expect based on my hypotheses about the source of impairment?
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4.
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Triangulating
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Is there concordance between scores, clinical impression, daily functioning and other information?
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• If not, why not? Did the factors above impact?
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5.
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Implications
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All things considered, is this a reliable assessment?
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• If not, do I need more information and can I get it?
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• Is further assessment required?
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• What can I responsibly do with/say about the results?
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• How will this impact their everyday functioning?
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