Psychometric misuse can cause harm, standards stress clinical judgement support

This is done through a process of informed consent in which individuals (1) are accurately informed of the purpose, methods, risks, benefits, and alternatives to the research, (2) understand this information and how it relates to their own clinical situation or interests, and (3) make a voluntary decision about whether to participate.

Over the past decade it has become a commonplace—almost a definitional truism—to subscribe to the Institute of Medicine's view that clinical guidelines are (or should be) “systematically developed statements which assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate health care”.1 Guidelines now subserve other functions too: they provide up to date overviews of research evidence, its strengths, weaknesses and scope of application; summarise research findings in a manner which allows derivation of performance indicators and review criteria; and are used to develop pathways of care, reminder prompts, and to help set healthcare priorities.

[30] have elucidated a logical and well accepted model (Table 2), along the lines of the systematic format that practicing physicians have been taught and have practiced for a long time (Chief Complaint, History of Present Illness, Past History, pertinent Family and Social History, Review of Systems, Physical Examination and Laboratory and Imaging studies). This practical approach to problem-solving in ethics involves: Clinical assessment (identifying medical problems, treatment options, goals of care)

The utility of psychometric tools was defined from this perspective as ensuring the welfare of American society, namely the education of people with high innate ability as picked out by mental tests (Minton, 1987). Moreover, tests were expected to “bring tens of thousands of these high-grade defectives under the surveillance and protection of society” (Terman, 1916, p.

It is proposed that culture (values, beliefs, styles of behavior) can affect neuropsychological testing. Cognitive testing represents a social situation that-as any social situation, it is one governed by implicit cultural rules. At least eight different culture-dependent values underlie cognitive t …

In the practice of psychological assessment there have been warnings for decades by the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), other associations, and test vendors, against the disclosure of test raw data and test materials.

Combining item response theory and diagnostic classification models: a psychometric model for scaling ability and diagnosing misconceptions.

Cultural sensitivity remains vital in accurately diagnosing and treating patients from different backgrounds and ethnicities. Cultural influences are linked to healthcare disparities and providers' attitudes in clinical encounters. The entire healthcare team must learn the importance of appropriate responses to a patient's concerns that involve cultural differences.

In these cases, culturally-informed psychologists ask culturally appropriate questions and interpret psychometric tests carefully to avoid imposing Western standards. ... Karen Treisman, specialises in immigration cases involving unaccompanied children seeking asylum and children with attachment disorders at risk of harm.