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TEST SELECTION |
Many site visitors have asked Risk & Needs "How to select a test?" Rather than give a definitive answer, Risk & Needs offers the following suggestions. Click on any topic links (they are underlined) below for more information.
TOPIC LINKS
1. Identify the type of clients/offenders to be tested.
Identifying the type of people that you will test is the first step in the test selection process. For example, Risk & Needs tests are designed for both juveniles and adults. These clients/offenders include: troubled youth, juvenile offenders, adult court defendants, DUI/DWI offenders, probationers, inmates, parolees, domestic violence offenders, welfare-to-work recipients, shoplifters, gamblers, sex offenders, counseling clients, patients, victims, etc. The Tests Functionally Grouped webpage categorizes Risk & Needs tests by function or purpose, which clarifies the type of clients/offenders involved.
2. What kind of information do you want?
All Risk & Needs tests have a Truthfulness Scale (determines truthfulness while testing) and substance (alcohol and other drugs) abuse severity scales. In addition, each test has other scales (or measures) to assess other important attitudes and behaviors. The important question is "What attitudes and behaviors do you want to evaluate? Clicking on a tests name on the Tests Alphabetically Listed webpage will quickly inform you of that test’s measures (scales). The term "scales" defines a tests areas of inquiry, i.e., what it measures.
3. In what setting will you be testing?
Tests are administered in many different settings. For example, courts; jails; prisons; probation and parole offices; departments; agencies; counseling offices; hospitals; treatment programs; etc. Assessment settings warrant consideration of test length (number of items), type of administration (paper-pencil, or computer), test content (scales), etc. Risk & Needs tests can be administered in paper-pencil format, on the computer screen or via human voice audio. These options are discussed in the Unique Features webpage.
4. What is your anticipated testing volume?
Testing volume can affect test length (long or short form), type of scoring (manual, computer, optical scanner), test administration (individually versus groups), processing time (scoring, interpreting and printing reports), etc. Risk & Needs client’s testing volume varies from a few tests each year to over 50,000 tests a year. Oh yes! Testing volume also affects cost or price. Risk & Needs costs are presented on the Test Unit Fee webpage.
Tests are often listed in the Mental Measurements Yearbook. Risk & Needs tests are listed in its website on either the Tests Functionally Grouped webpage or its Tests Alphabetically Listed webpage. Another source of available test information is Behavior Data Systems, Ltd. webpage www.bdsltd.com.
In addition to the above links, each Risk & Needs test
webpage has a "Test Comparison Checklist" which helps you compare Risk & Needs
test with any other test. To get to this checklist, simply click on a tests
name and then scroll down the webpage until you come to the Test Comparison
Checklist. It is a table that contains important test features for test
comparison.
As always, additional information can be provided upon request. Risk & Needs telephone number is (602) 234-3506, its fax number is (602) 266-8227 and its e-mail address is hhl@riskandneeds.com.
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