Reports (Psychological)

Psychological reports are summary documents written by mental health professionals to help others understand a person and the context in which the person lives (Tallent, 1993). Reports often describe a specific referral question and review the assessment process used to derive the included interpretations and intervention recommendations. In school settings, it is most commonly the school psychologist who creates a case study report aimed at helping both family members and school personnel gain a clear understanding of the academic and/or social–emotional needs of a child and the rationale for any suggested categorizations (e.g., special education placement) or interventions. Sometimes the school psychologist is one member of a larger multidisciplinary team that works conjointly to assess all aspects of a student's individual functioning and environment, and produces one comprehensive assessment report. Diagnostic and intervention decisions reflect the collective agreement of the team members (e.g., speech pathologists, occupational therapists, school social workers, school psychologists, and teachers).

Psychological reports serve as a means of communication between school personnel (e.g., teachers, social workers, psychologists, and administrators), family members, and outside professionals (e.g., medical doctors and clinicians). Thus, the author of such documents must recognize the need for “user friendly” reports that are jargon-free and contain interpretations easily understood by all readers. Recommendations should be specific, realistic, and practical, and be written with the intent of creating positive change for the student.

[Page 446]Although psychological reports may vary in style and format based on the author's professional role and personal style, a typical psychological report includes the following subsections (Sattler, 2001; Wolber & Carne, 1993):

• Identifying information about the examiner and examinee
• Reason for referral
• Assessment instruments and evaluative procedures
• Background information
• Behavioral observations during the assessment
• Assessment results (often divided into two sections called intellectual/cognitive functioning and personality functioning)
• Clinical impressions and recommendations
• Summary

A useful psychological report includes only information relevant to the purpose of the report and integrates testing results, behavioral observations, and background information gathered from all necessary sources (i.e., parents, school records and personnel, medical charts, and previous psychological treatment records). Psychologists should base interpretations on assessment findings rather than on speculation. It is critical that school psychologists gather data from a variety of sources and settings in order to corroborate and/or elaborate on formal test results. All information should be reported in a clear, concise manner. Readers are more appreciative of a report that is well organized, not too complex, has practical recommendations, and has a more tentative tone than one that is lengthy, contains too much theory or jargon, comes across as authoritative, and suggests unrealistic interventions (Tallent, 1993).

Once the school psychologist's report is written, it becomes part of the student's official academic file and is subject to the legal and ethical principals and standards governing the profession. Specific ethical principles and standards regarding confidentiality, the assessment process, and the maintenance of records serve as guidelines for how psychologists should prepare and disseminate such information. Separate ethical principles and standards also address the use of word processing or computerized report writing programs. Parents and eligible students have a right to inspect and review a student's academic record under a federal law commonly known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

...