Once the clinician obtains parent permission, appropriate ethical assessment requires tools and interpretations sensitive to language, culture, cognitive ability, physical ability and personal history. The report should note any changes to the administration of a test or measure, as well as the use of outdated or obsolete methodologies. Additionally, preschool children demand the flexibility of play-based assessment, creative test administration and a greater emphasis on caregiver reports.
In "Assessment of Children," J.M. Sattler identifies the "Four Pillars of Assessment" that every assessment should include: Norm-Referenced Tests, Interviews, Observations and Informal Assessment Procedures. Preschool assessments will differ from those of older children, due to a greater emphasis on interviews and observation. Informal assessment using a developmental profile or portfolio approach will typically have more useful data than testing for this age group.
In a direct assessment, the evaluator works directly with the child for assessment purposes, such as play-based measures, child interviews and norm-referenced tests. To ensure the most valid test results, the child should be as comfortable as possible without compromising the validity of the measure. Considerations for direct assessment include temperature preference, noise and light sensitivity, attention span, favorite activities and items, activity level, communication preferences, typical daily schedule, physical abilities, frustration triggers, effective calming strategies and the most appropriate location for testing.
The evaluator responsible for administering a specific measure should be qualified to do so. Test manuals state the qualifications needed for administration, and the examiner is legally bound to administer or interpret only those measures for which he is qualified. Federal law requires an examiner to display or provide her license or certification upon request, along with specific contact information for concerns regarding her professional conduct. Just as important is an examiner's understanding of the child's abilities, cultural background, and life experiences and how these factors potentially affect the interpretation of results.