Computer-Based Test Interpretation Software: Its Effect on School Psychologist Decision Making
Computer-Based Test Interpretation Software: Its Effect on School Psychologist Decision Making
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Date
1989
Authors
Wisor, John Wesley
Advisor
Strein, William
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the utility
of interpretative software for school psychological
decision making in its role as a decision aid. One
hundred two professional school psychologists were
provided case data and asked to make a series of
diagnostic and prognostic decisions based on the case
material. One subject group received case material only
and each of the other two groups received one of two
variations of the narrative output generated by a
computer-based test interpretation software package in
addition to the case material. The subjects were also
asked which data sources were most influential as they
made their decisions.
Diagnostic agreement among the psychologists within each group was analyzed by Kendall's coefficient of
concordance or weighted Kappa. For each decision there
were no significant differences in agreement between
those psychologists who had access to the decision aids
and those who did not. Chi-square and Freidman analysis
of variance results for similarity of diagnosis across
groups were mixed with some trends suggestive of greater
similarities of decisions among the subjects utilizing
different variations of the computer output than among
decisions made by unaided psychologists. Further the
school psychologists overwhelmingly indicated that test
data and behavioral observations were the most
influential data sources for their decisions and that
computer-based data sources were the least influential .
Also there appeared to be no significant relationship
between school psychologist professional experience and
the perceived influence of the case data sources as well
as little relationship between degree of experience in
using computers to the data sources considered to be
useful in the decision making process.
The results were discussed in terms of
psychological decision theory. Trends in the data
suggested the computer narrative was most effective in
situations where it was necessary to discriminate among
ambiguous decision choices rather than in more clear cut
situations. It was concluded that computer-based decision aids have the potential to debias the decision
process, but that definitive changes will not come until
the technology is improved and school psychologists
become more familiar with the use of computers.