Computer-Assisted Testing and the Goals of Counseling Psychology

Abstract

This article explores how the use of computer-assisted testing and assessment can potentially contribute to the goals of counseling psychology. The following five trends in computer applications in testing and assessment are analyzed in relation to five goals of counseling psychology: (1) computer-based test interpretation (goals of remediation and rehabilitation, and serving diverse populations); (2) computer-assisted instruction (goals of remediation and rehabilitation, and education and development); (3) integration of audio-visual media (goals of prevention and serving diverse populations); (4) adaptive devices (goal of serving diverse populations); and (5) computer-assisted research (goal of research). The necessary commitment of human and financial resources, research priorities, and ethical issues are then discussed as issues that will influence the extent to which computer-assisted testing can contribute to the goals of counseling psychology.

Counseling on the Information Highway: Future Possibilities and Potential Problems

“…Completion of computer-assisted instruction, assigned as homework in counseling (Sampson, 1986b), could be monitored by the practitioner, and appropriate follow-up could be provided via E-mail or two-way videoconferencing if the client appears to be having difficulty completing the assignment. Access to a wide variety of assessment, instructional, and information resources, in formats appropriate in a wide variety of ethnic, gender, and age contexts (Sampson, 1990a;Sampson & Krumboltz, 1991), could be accomplished via WWW and FTP sites. A record of instructions, documents, and information resources sent to clients, as well as notation of completed homework, could be automatically included in the client's case notes.…”

“…Assessment. Orientation to the assessment process and specific assessment instruments could be provided through computer-assisted instruction (Sampson, 1990a). Assessment instruments could be completed by the client between sessions and made immediately available to the practitioner via electronic file transfer.…”

“…Assessment instruments could be completed by the client between sessions and made immediately available to the practitioner via electronic file transfer. Generalized test interpretations, designed to prepare clients for subsequent sessions with a counselor (Sampson, 1990a), could be offered by the test author in computer-assisted instruction formats. Electronic file transfer could facilitate access to computer-based test interpretation software with the latest available clinical and research data.…”

Using the Internet to Enhance Testing in Counseling

“…The gender, age, race, and ethnicity of the individual visually presenting information on test interpretation can be made to match the group membership of the test taker. Keeping group membership constant should make it easier for the client to relate to and understand the individual presenting the interpretation (Sampson, 1990a). Additional multicultural research on test content and test interpretation can be added to CBTI as the research becomes available.…”

Computer‐Assisted Instruction: A Missing Link in Counseling

“…CAI on the topic of employment transitions for various multicultural groups could be used to help individuals prepare for employment (prevention and education), as well as being used as a problem-solving resource for employed individuals who are experiencing employment difficulties related to their minority group membership (remediation). With the growing availability of interactive video disk technology (Baron & Hutchinson, 1984), the ethnic group membership of the counselor presenting information can match the ethnic group membership of the client, thus potentially avoiding negative client bias toward counselors who "don't really understand what's going on," as well as potentially reducing language and dialect barriers (Sampson, 1990).…”