La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § LX-2111

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section LX-2111 - Evaluation, Appraisal, and Interpretation

A. General

1. Appraisal Techniques. The primary purpose of appraisal (henceforth known as "appraisal") is to provide measures that are objective and interpretable in either comparative or absolute terms. Licensees shall recognize the need to interpret the statements in this Section as applying to the whole range of appraisal techniques, including test and non-test data. Licensees shall recognize their legal parameters in utilizing formalized appraisal techniques and adhere to such.

2. Client Welfare. Licensees shall promote the welfare and best interests of the client in the development, publication and utilization of appraisal techniques. They shall not misuse appraisal results and interpretations and shall take reasonable steps to prevent others from misusing the information these techniques provide. They shall respect the client's right to know the result, the interpretations made, and the bases for their conclusions and recommendations.

B. Competence to Use and Interpret Tests

1. Limits of Competence. Licensees shall recognize the limits of their competence and perform only those testing and appraisal services for which they have been trained and is within R.S 37:1101-1122. They shall be familiar with reliability, validity, related standardization, error of measurement, and proper application of any technique utilized. Licensees using computer-based test interpretations shall be trained in the construction being measured and the specific instrument being used prior to using this type of computer application. Licensees shall take reasonable measures to ensure the proper use of formalized appraisal techniques by persons under their supervision.

2. Appropriate Use. Licensees shall be responsible for the appropriate application, scoring, interpretation, and use of appraisal instruments, whether they score and interpret such tests themselves or use computerized or other services.

3. Decisions Based on Results. Licensees shall be responsible for decisions involving individuals or policies that are based on appraisal results have a thorough understanding of formalized measurement technique, including validation criteria, test research, and guidelines for test development and use.

4. Accurate Information. Licensees shall provide accurate information and avoid false claims or misconceptions when making statements about formalized appraisal instruments or techniques.

C. Informed Consent

1. Explanation to Clients. Prior to performing such, licensees shall explain the nature and purposes of a formal appraisal and the specific use of results in language the client (or other legally authorized person on behalf of the client) can understand, unless as explicit exception to this right has been agreed upon in advance. Regardless of whether scoring and interpretation are completed by licensees or by computer or other outside services, licensees shall take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate explanations are given to the client.

2. Recipients of Results. The examinee's welfare, explicit understanding, and prior agreement shall determine the recipients of test results. Licensees shall include accurate and appropriate interpretations with any release of individual or group test results.

D. Release of Information to Competent Professionals

1. Misuse of Results. Licensees shall not misuse appraisal results, including test results, and interpretations, and shall take reasonable steps to prevent the misuse of such by others.

2. Release of Raw Data. Licensees shall ordinarily release data (e.g., protocols, counseling or interview notes, or questionnaires) in which the client is identified only with the consent of the client or the client's legal representative. Such data are usually released only to persons recognized by counselors as competent to interpret the data.

E. Test Selection

1. Appropriateness of Instruments. Licensees shall carefully consider the validity, reliability, psychometric limitations, and appropriateness of instruments when selecting tests for use in a given situation or with a particular client.

2. Culturally Diverse Populations. Licensees shall be cautious when selecting tests for culturally diverse populations to avoid inappropriateness of testing that may be outside of socialized behavioral or cognitive patterns.

F. Conditions of Test Administration

1. Administration Conditions. Licensees shall administer tests under the same conditions that were established in their standardization. When tests are not administered under standard conditions or when unusual behavior or irregularities occur during the testing session, those conditions shall be noted in interpretation, and the results may be designated as invalid or of questionable validity.

2. Computer Administration. Licensees shall be responsible for ensuring that administration programs function properly to provide clients with accurate results when a computer or other electronic methods are used for test administration.

3. Unsupervised Test-Taking. Licensees shall not permit unsupervised or inadequately supervised use of tests or appraisals unless the tests or appraisals are designed, intended, and validated for self-administration and/or scoring.

4. Disclosure of Favorable Conditions. Prior to test administration, conditions that produce most favorable test results shall be made known to the examinee.

G. Diversity in Testing Licensees shall be cautious in using appraisal techniques, making evaluations, and interpreting the performance of populations not represented in the norm group on which an instrument was standardized. They shall recognize the effects of age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status on test administration and interpretation and place test results in proper perspective with other relevant factors.

H. Test Scoring and Interpretation

1. Reporting Reservations. In reporting appraisal results, licensees shall indicate any reservations that exist regarding validity or reliability because of the circumstances of the appraisal or the inappropriateness of the norms for the person tested.

2. Research Instruments. Licensees shall exercise caution when interpreting the results of research instruments possessing insufficient technical data to support respondent results. The specific purposes for the use of such instruments shall be stated explicitly to the examinee.

3. Testing Services. Licensees who provide test scoring and test interpretation services to support the appraisal process shall confirm the validity of such interpretations. They shall accurately describe the purpose, norms, validity, reliability, and applications of the procedures and any special qualifications applicable to their use. The public offering of an automated test interpretations service is shall be considered a professional-to-professional consultation. The formal responsibility of the consultant shall be to the consultee, but the ultimate and overriding responsibility shall be to the client.

I. Test Security. Licensees shall maintain the integrity and security of tests and other appraisal techniques consistent with legal and contractual obligations. Licensees shall not appropriate, reproduce, or modify published tests or parts thereof without acknowledgment and permission from the publisher.

J. Obsolete Tests and Outdated Test Results. Licensees shall not use data or test results that are obsolete or outdated for the current purpose. Licensees shall make every effort to prevent the misuse of obsolete measures and test data by others.

K. Test Construction. Licensees shall use established scientific procedures, relevant standards, and current professional knowledge for test design in the development, publication, and utilization of appraisal techniques.

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § LX-2111

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners, LR 15:625 (August 1989), amended LR 24:443 (March 1998), LR 29:147 (February 2003), LR 41732 (4/1/2015).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1101-1123.