Beware of those psychology ads

THE EDITOR: We are a group of psychologists with graduate training and various levels of expertise and experience in the assessment of children and adolescents.

We are very concerned to see advertisements for courses claiming to train professionals other than qualified and certified evaluators in the use of psychological assessment instruments targeted at children and adolescents.

Many psychology tests, including those we have seen advertised, are restricted material, meaning they can be purchased only by those who can provide evidence of appropriate graduate training in psychological assessment.

Participants in these courses will most likely not be able to access these tests for use after the course, unless the materials have been made available to them illegally and unethically.

There are good reasons for these controls. Training in assessment is not simply administering and scoring tests and measures.

It is knowing when to use which tests and how to interpret the results in light of all the other information about the person being tested.

It is being aware of typical patterns of test results and what may be the underlying issues causing such patterns.

It is understanding how individual behaviours, experiences and characteristics can affect test results and how test scores should be interpreted with this in mind.

Individuals who are not qualified and experienced in assessment are very likely to use these tests inappropriately and to draw wrong conclusions on the basis of the results. There is a high risk that the tests will be used to “label” children and adolescents, which may have a significant negative impact on their lives and education. Labels may lead a young person’s parents and teachers to believe he or she has a certain diagnosis, when this is not the case.

Conversely, a serious condition may be overlooked completely and the young person may not get the help he or she urgently needs.

Before taking any such courses, prospective participants should look up the tests being offered for training to satisfy themselves they have the appropriate education and experience to use these tests.

Giselle Dumas, MSc

Allyson Hamel-Smith, MA

Lena Jogie, MSc

Katija Khan, PhD

Keith Lequay, PhD

Karen Moore, PhD

Anna Maria Mora, MEd, MA

Kim Rostant, MEd

Sean Stephens, PhD

Analisa Wittet, MSc