ERIC Number: EJ1254193
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2325-7466
Use of Projective Techniques in Emotional Disturbance Evaluations
Allen, Ryan A.; Hanchon, Timothy; Bornancin, Bradley
Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, p6-14 Spr-Sum 2019
Determining eligibility for the special education category Emotional Disturbance (ED) is a challenging task. The difficulty in identifying students with ED is due, in part, to problematic federal criteria (Olympia et al., 2004; Skiba, Grizzle, & Minke, 1994). Unchanges since 1975, these criteria have created an environment in which inconsistent assessment practices and diagnostic decisions are inevitable. The current study examines school psychologists' ED assessment practices, and in particular, the use of projective assessment techniques in eligibility determinations. The results suggest that school psychologists regularly use these controversial diagnostic techniques despite questions regarding their psychometric soundness (i.e., reliability and validity) and utility. Among the projective measures reported, those with the most limited empirical support (e.g., H-T-P, KFDS) were most widely used.
Descriptors: Projective Measures, Emotional Disturbances, School Psychologists, Diagnostic Tests, Counseling Techniques, Psychological Evaluation, Freehand Drawing, Psychological Testing, Counselor Attitudes
American Academy of Special Education Professionals. 3642 East Sunnydale Drive, Chandler Heights, AZ 85142. Tel: 800-754-4421; Fax: 800-424-0371; e-mail: editor@aasep.org; Web site: http://www.aasep.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Thematic Apperception Test
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A