Lecture 8: Ethical Guidelines for Test Users

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:16]Hello learners, welcome back to the course on psychological assessment in applied setting. Today in this lecture we will be covering the topic of module 2 lecture three that is ethical guidelines for test users. So as we have already seen that psychological testing is a sensitive endeavor that is taken up in the professional relationship between a practitioner and the client. So whenever a practitioner is conducting a psychological test they need to do it with utmost care for the client. If the test is used in a wrong manner or an inappropriate manner, the uh results of the test could actually mean more harm to the client than they do benefit.

[00:01:11]There are several organizations that have proposed guidelines for ethical use of tests. The American Psychological Association being one of them. And in this lecture we shall be taking up the ethical guidelines provided by APA. Now when we talk about test users whom do we refer to? So psychologists who are uh trained in the field of psychology students of psychology who may be administering these tests at a part of their course and also anybody else who's working under a psychologist. They all need to adhere to these ethical guidelines.

[00:01:54]The first principle adheres to the best interest of the client. Whenever a test is conducted, it's conducted in the professional relationship between the psychologist and the client. and the psychologist as a service provider needs to ensure that the test is doing is in the best interest of the client. So the uh if the psychologist feels that the test is not something that is necessary to be conducted there is no need to conduct tests on a client unnecessarily.

[00:02:33]A psychologist needs to ensure that when they are performing a test that is going to actually mean some benefit for the client in the counseling process or in their personal life which will help them. If the psychologist does not see any use or purpose of a test then the psychologist is not ethically recommended to perform the test. Another part of this principle applies to the fact that psychologists need to provide explanations of test results to the client. Right? So after the test has been performed, the psychologist needs to explain the uh findings to the client. Why is that so? No matter how well the test has been performed or conducted and interpreted by the examiner, if the examinee does not understand the test results, they can actually uh harm them in ways that the psychologist does not anticipate. So if the examinee misinterprets the results or attaches their own understandings to that result, they can actually u uh be affected in a negative manner by those results. Also there could be certain circumstances where examinees are have a very worrisome or anxietyrone or self-doubting nature. In those cases, maybe a psychologist should not use tests at all because the benefits that they can gain from doing the tests and the informations that they can receive from the test might not outweigh the anxiety that the examinee might uh face as a result of the u misinterpretations that they may attach to the test result or uh the uh fact that they are not able to understand the labels that are associated with them as a part of the findings of the result. The next principle pertains to confidentiality and the duty to warn. So like any other data collection procedure when psychologists are performing tests they need to seek uh the permission from the examinee uh when they are uh conducting those tests. They need to ensure that the test results are kept confidential and they are not shared with anybody until and unless it is extremely important but according to the psychologist and in that case they need to seek permission from the client. So uh in cases such as where the examiner might feel that they have to share the results with another psychologist or a teacher or a guardian or maybe in research settings where the student may have to share the results with the research supervisor. In those cases the permission needs to be taken from the examinee. In case of children or minors, this permission needs to be taken from their legal guardians. But even in that case, even if we are doing these tests on children's and the uh permission is taken from their legal guardians, the child has the right to know what the test is being performed uh on them is for and how that test will be performed.

[00:06:13]So you have to explain it to them. There are certain exceptions to uh uh the principle of confidentiality uh such as if the test findings are found to be uh indicative of something that might be dangerous to the client or to the people around them. In that case, the psychologist has the duty to warn.

[00:06:39]So for example, as a part of your testing, if you come across a finding that indicates that the psych that the examinee is prone to suicidal ideiation or has suicidal tendencies, then in that case it is important that the psychologist goes ahead and informs. So if the psychologist feels that the examinee might be prone to suicidal tendencies then it is important that the psychologist informs the authorities uh or some uh uh loved ones of the client that they need to ensure that the person uh does not act upon the suicidal ideations. In that case, the psychologists can breach the confidentiality agreement and inform individuals. However, this is only to be done if the psychologist deems that the uh findings are revealing of something that pose a danger either to the client or to the people around them. The next principle pertains to expertise of the test user. So as we have discussed in the previous lecture uh individuals uh or the responsibility of uh uh ensuring that people who are buying the tests or conducting the tests are qualified to do so lies on the shoulders of the publishers. However, this is also shared by individuals who are actually conducting the test. So just because somebody can buy a test does not mean that they are qualified to do the test.

[00:08:20]And that is why the test users themselves need to uh ensure that they have the required knowledge and training to be able to conduct and interpret that test. This is very important as there could be certain untrained examiners who have a tendency to make overzealous pathized interpretations. So you know we all have that tendency that if we are conducting a test we need to find something and if we take the example of personality tests where there are certain nuanced concepts like extroversion and the tendency for introversion. Examineers have that tendency and especially untrained examiners who don't know about the uh detailed uh uh description of these concepts may want to classify the examinee as either an extreme extrovert or an extreme introvert. But that is not the case. Most individuals lie somewhere in between. And that is why it is very important that the psychologists or the students of psychology who are using these tests should uh have the training that is required to conduct these tests.

[00:09:38]The next principle pertains to taking informed consent before the test begins and I emphasize this needs to be done before the test begins. So before that the examiner needs to inform the examinee about what is the test being performed, why is it being performed and take permission from them, take agreement or consent from them that they are okay with the test being performed on them. Another aspect is that this informed consent needs to be taken in a language that can be understood by the examinees. So psychological testing may have language that is uh extremely technical but when taking informed consent psychologists must ensure that they use language that can be understood by the examinee. Now what all needs to be covered under informed consent. So when taking informed consent psychologist needs to inform the client the reason for testing. Why are they performing a particular test? Why they think that test is important for them?

[00:10:52]All of that needs to be told to the examinee beforehand. The uh test that is being used, the type of the test that is being used, that is also something that the examinee should be aware of before they give consent. So whether it is a personality test, an intelligence test, whether it will be a paper pencil procedure, what type of a procedure would it be? All of that needs to be informed beforehand. The intended use of the test, the uh what will the findings of the test be used for? if it is used in an organizational setting, whether the uh organization will decide on promotion or selection based on the test results, all of that also needs to be a part of the informed consent procedure.

[00:11:42]The range of material that is used there. So, uh it is very important to see that the examinees are aware that the material that is being used about the material that is being used. So whether it is a paper pencil test, whether it is uh it will require the examinee to perform some sort of a task, all of that also needs to be informed to the examinee and if they have any reservations regarding that, those also need to be clarified.

[00:12:13]Consequences of the intended use, what will the test results mean for the client? Would the psychologist decide on a diagnosis based on the test? Would they decide on the treatment procedure based on the test findings? If it is an organizational setting, would the uh promotion or hiring be decided on the basis of the results of the test? All of that also needs to be informed beforehand. If the testing procedure would be recorded in any form be it written, audio or video that also needs to be informed to the client beforehand and only if they give permission then the psychologists can go ahead with the recording and finally the confidentiality statement also needs to be a part of the informed consent. So whether the test results will be kept confidential or if they will be shared whom will they be shared with and why will they be shared with them all of that needs to be uh explained during the informed consent procedure. Even children or individuals with limited intelligence have the right to know about the tests that will be conducted on them. Although they will not be the ones who provide uh informed consent for their testing.

[00:13:31]Their legal guardians will be the ones who give the consent. However, they should know at least what is the test that is being performed on them. There are certain exceptions to when informed consent does not need to be taken. So if the testing is a part of mandated statewise testing program, if the government or some legal agency has uh requested that testing in that case examinees need not give informed consent beforehand. Then if there are some schoolbased uh testing. So if the examinee has enrolled into a course and they uh the testing is the part of the ending of the course then it is implied that whoever has enrolled in the course would appear for the test and is okay with giving that test. So in that case also informed consent does not need to be taken from the examinee. And there are certain cases when ex the informed consent is clearly implied such as when you go for an entrance test. If you are applying for the exam then that already means that you have given consent that you are okay going uh giving that test and whatever uh results will be interpreted from them you are okay with it. So in that case also a separate informed consent need not be taken. The next principle pertains to use of obsolete tests and the standard of care.

[00:15:03]So when we talk about psychological tests, the standard of care refers to doing what is usual, customary and reasonable. So a test user if they are confused as to what is the right thing to do, they are uh expected to do what is usually done by people in the field.

[00:15:25]So if others uh other responsible psychologists are also using a particular test for a sample then it is okay to use it like that that way. Then if it is customarily done so if there are researches which have been published on using a particular test for particular populations then that is also all right and it also needs to be reasonable. So a psychologist cannot just say that just because everybody else is doing it so I will also do it.

[00:15:55]They also need to themselves determine if it is uh reasonable to do it or not.

[00:16:02]So this is why we need to look at the standard of care when we talk about using tests. Now how does that apply to using obsolete tests? So obsolete testing applies to two conditions. uh the first one is to the use of outdated tests. So as we all know that after every few years test authors tend to revise their tests and provide a newer edition. Now what happens in that case is that psychologists need to update themselves and use the latest revision of the test. But it is obviously understandable that the test user uh may not always have access to the latest tests and let's say a month from now a new revision is published. So would that mean that a test that was valid today is pronounced invalid just a month later?

[00:17:02]No, that is not the case. And this is where psychologists are recommended to refer to the standard of care. [snorts] If it is usual and customary, that is others are still using that test the older version of the test then it is okay to use the older version. And if a reasonable time gap hasn't yet passed since the new revision of the test was published, then also it is okay to uh publish the new test to use the new test. Right? So if for example a test is published uh or a test is revised from a month from now in that case the uh test user can still use the older version.

[00:17:44]However uh it is not recommended for any psychologist to use tests that were 30 or 40 years old and that have not been updated or revised now. So that is one aspect of obsolete testing. The other aspect of obsolete testing pertains to using old test results. Now we all know that psychological traits are prone to change, right? Every psychological trait changes and does not remain stable across the lifespan. So if an examinee had been administered a test maybe 2 years back using those test results today or making decisions based on those test results would not be very appropriate or ethically correct. So now how do you decide uh what is the time gap between when a test result can be used an old test result can be used or not. So again in that case the psychologist is recommended to see if it is reasonable for that particular trait and this needs to be decided on a case-toase basis. So if uh the test was of mood or a effect which are traits that change very quickly a test result that was obtained maybe 2 days back would not be applicable today. However, if it was a a test result of intelligence or personality uh that was obtained maybe 2 months back and not much has changed in the individual's life or surroundings or in terms of development then that test result is still valid today. The next principle pertains to responsible report writing. So the report that the examiner provides to the examinee is extremely important as it has a lasting impact.

[00:19:42]Whatever interpretation the psychologist draws on the basis of that uh test they are conveying it to the client or to another psychologist or another practitioner through that document that is the report and that is why that needs to be prepared with a lot of caution with a lot of caution and responsibility.

[00:20:07]The report needs to be written in a simple and direct language. Even if the psychologist is meaning to convey the results of preparing that report on the demand of another practitioner or a teacher, even then the report needs to be written in a language that can be understood even by the lay person. This means that the report should not contain any sort of jarens that uh people with limited knowledge of psychology cannot understand. Also, uh psychologists should refrain from providing recommendations in reports and they should stick to what the test can um uh assess. So uh if you have conducted a test and you found that the individual has uh a high depression or high tendency for uh getting depression in future then it is not recommended that the psychologist goes on to prescribe medication for depression in the report.

[00:21:12]It's recommended then that you just provide a uh reference to uh somebody or to a to a professional who can uh look into that matter and prescribe them who are who are authorized to prescribe medication to the individual and the psychologist should not do that as a part of the test report themselves. The next principle pertains to communication of test results. So as we have discussed earlier also it is extremely important that the examinee who is taking the test understands the results of the test because everybody is curious to know if a test was performed what was what is that was found out from the test what do the results say and they are likely if you just provide them a report and you don't explain the results to them they are likely to draw their own interpretations. s and as I said that no matter how good a test administrator and an interpreter you have been your test findings could be harmful if they are interpreted in the wrong manner by the individual. That is why uh all psychologists who are performing tests should take steps to adequately and accurately explain test results to the examinee. They should ensure that the uh concepts that have been highlighted in the test report or any labels that have been used in the test report are understood in the right manner by the examinee. Psychologists should also check for any adverse reactions. So if you tell the parents of a child that your child has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder that you have found out through a test of ADHD. It's not enough to just leave them and say that I hope you understand what ADHD mean or explain what ADHD mean. You also need to go one step further and clarify whether they have adequately understood that concept or not and what that means and what that does not mean. That is why it's very important to take feedback from the client after the explaining from the psychologist's end has been done. In that give and take dialogue that happens between the practitioner who has conducted the test and the examinee or their legal guardians who are being explained the test results.

[00:23:48]The examiner can ensure that their message has reached properly. There are several concepts such as depression, anxiety that have u that do have some meaning for lay persons as well. So uh it is also recommended that before explaining the test results if you've conducted let's say a test of depression that you explain or you try to understand what depression means to the client. what do they understand by depression and then clarify if their understanding of depression is right or not and even if it is right if that is uh what is being assessed by the test or not because every test would assess depression in a different manner. So it's very important for the examiner to explain to the examinee or their legal guardians exactly what the test results mean. Now there are certain exceptions to this principle as well. If the test has been conducted as a part of forensic testing that is some court has prescribed that they want to get the psychometric evaluation of uh uh of a criminal or somebody who has been accused. In that case it is not required for the psychologist to explain the test results or convey the test results to the examinee.

[00:25:15]There are certain tests that are conducted as a part of organizational screening. So in you know as a part of the hiring process certain organizations conduct tests to check whether the the applicants have a particular aptitude or not whether they are fit for the organization or not. Again in that case it is not required uh by the uh ethical guidelines for the organization or the examiner to convey the test results to the client. However, in this case this needs to be uh uh mentioned while taking informed consent. The next principle applies to consideration of individual differences.

[00:26:01][sighs] There are a lot of cultural, individual and role differences in in uh examinees and we are all aware of that not each examinee is the same. Everybody will differ based on u various aspects such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability status etc. Psychologists who are conducting tests need to be aware of these individual differences. They need to avoid any biases that can creep into their testing uh procedure due to these differences. So if a test is meant for a particular age group, then the psychologist needs to be very cautious if they are using that test on a different age group. uh if a particular test or its interpretation is not meant for some sample. For example, if an intelligence test has been standardized for uh people from a particular culture or country, then using that test in a different culture or country could be harmful and inaccurate. In that case, the practitioner who is doing so is recommended to first standardize the test in that culture or country and only then go ahead with the testing procedure. Now we come to the principle of testing of cultural and linguistic minorities.

[00:27:34]We all know that cultural backgrounds impact results. So whenever we are conducting a test differences in the cultural background of examinees could impact their results. And now with the lot of immigration and migration from between cultures there are a lot of diversities in terms of culture present in every geographical region. So this principle becomes very important. If we only look at India, we have people from different ethnic backgrounds, from different uh nationalities, from even within the country itself, we have people who speak different languages. So it is important to understand that a test that has been developed for people of a specific culture might not be applicable in its full accuracy for people from a different culture.

[00:28:31]So psychologists need to understand what are the different sources of cultural differences. Uh cultural differences can come from the fact that people belong to different cultures. They can even come from the fact that a person has moved from one culture to another culture. So uh if we look at the US or the American population, Indian-Americans who are first generation Indian-Americans are would be different in terms of their psychiatric attributes, in terms of their psychological attributes than individuals from who are second or third generation Indian-Americans. So we also need to take into consideration the um cultural backgrounds of individuals and whether they have received any sort of cultural shock in their life. There are certain behaviors that make sense in a particular culture. If we compare western cultures with eastern cultures, western cultures uh tend to be very individualistic while eastern cultures tend to be more collectivistic. So there are certain behaviors like how much a person shares about their personal life with others that would be much greater and much easier in an in a collectivistic culture than an individualistic culture. So what would be considered normal in one culture would not be considered normal in another culture. That is why when you are conducting tests on cultural minorities. These are individuals who uh for whom the test has not been standardized or for whom the test has not been standardized on a large scale then you need to be very sure that you are doing it with a lot of caution and that when you're interpreting the test results that you are not um making any over generalizations.

[00:30:27]So uh u psychologists would themselves have uh some stereotypes regarding cultures that should not creep into their interpretation when they are um conducting tests. So they need to be very sure that their interpretations are bias free. Culture itself is not a monolithic thing. It's not something that is steady that would be same for everybody. people from the same culture could also differ and that is why psychologists need to be aware that uh people from different linguistic or cultural backgrounds may also differ. So just because you have successfully performed a test on a person from certain culture does not mean that the same interpretation can be drawn for a individual another individual from that culture or that linguistic background.

[00:31:25]So psychologists need to be very cautious when they are uh using and interpreting tests for people from different cultures. I hope this lecture has helped you in understanding the ethical guidelines for test users. Thank you so much.