Diagnostic Assessment

Ethnographic Interviewing

the client, spouse, or parents help determine the important info to share

Evidence-Based Practice

Current Best Evidence + Clinical Expertise + Client/Patient Values

Dynamic Assessment

- Active participants & examiner participates - Results describe modifiability - Administration fluid - Responsive - Profile range of communicative behaviors - Potential to learn or expand behaviors - Child-centered - DA = size of the ZPD - Testing the limits - Graduated Prompting - Test-teach-retest

Norm-referenced Assessments

- Comparing an individual to a normative group - Purpose is to rank individuals - Test planning addresses a broad content - Items are chose to distinguish among individuals - Performance can be summarized meaningfully using percentile or standardized scores - Developmental scores, age-equivalent score, grade-equivalent scores - Percentile rank - Standard Scores - IQ tests, SATs, classroom tests w/ grading curve, most language tests

Criterion-Referenced Assessments

- Purpose is to distinguish specific levels of performance - Test planning addresses a clearly specified domain - Items are chosen to cover content domain - Performance can be summarized meaningfully using raw scores - Raw Scores - Performance Standard - Driver's test, eye examination, classroom exam without grading curve, MLU, PCC, treatment probes with a set criterion (e.g., 80%), oral mech exam

7 Step Process of Diagnostic

Step 1: Define the Problem - Definition & delimitation of the problem area - Occurs at the time of referral - Given what you know about the client, what type of communication problems are expected? Step 2: Development of the hypothesis (questions) to be tested - Hypothesis - Occurs before you prepare your diagnostic proposal - What types of questions do you want your evaluation to answer? Step 3: Collection of the data - Methods - Development of the procedures for testing the hypothesis - Writing the diagnostic proposal (pre-staffing) - What tools (observations/ probes/ samples/ tests) will you use to answer your questions? Step 4: Collection of the data - Experiment - What order will you present your information? - How will you record your observations/ test results/ probes and samples? - How will you deal with individual testing issues (age, cultural background, motivation)? Step 5: Analysis of the data - Results - Usually occurs after the formal evaluation although informal analysis should happen during evaluation. - How will you score, evaluate and organize the data? - What information can be quantified and what is descriptive? Step 6: Interpretation of the data as they relate to the diagnostic questions - Conclusion - Occurs after you have evaluated & organized your data. - What are the answers to the questions you posed before the evaluation? Step 7: Development of the Treatment Plan - Next Project Occurs after you have answered your questions - Treatment conditions: areas of communication, specific goals to target, recommendations for type of therapy, setting, length, and frequency