Behaviours to Observe during

Psychological Assessment
1. Behaviour at the start of the assessment
 Client’s behaviour at the beginning of the assessment (e.g., waiting room, in
class).
 Client’s behaviour when transiting into the assessment room.

2. Language
 Clinician’s understanding of client’s expressive communication.
 Client’s understanding of test instruction and impact on assessment
performance.
 Possible strategies that clinicians can use to help client understand task
instructions and perform tasks (i.e., test-of-limits).

3. Emotional State
 Client’s emotional state/ mood during the assessment.
 Possible strategies that clinicians can use to help client regulate their
emotional state at the start and during the assessment.

4. Level of Activity
 Client’s energy level (e.g., calm vs active) and their impact on assessment
performance.
 Possible strategies that clinicians can use to help client regulate level of
activity.

5. Attention or Distractibility
 Client’s ability to stay on task and their impact on assessment performance.
 Possible strategies that clinicians can use to help client attend to task.

6. Responsiveness to Assessment Items

 Client’s degree of cooperation when instruction is given.
 Client’s amount of effort when responding to a task.
 Possible reasons of client’s refusal to cooperate/ engage during assessment –
e.g., tasks are too demanding, client is tired, anxiety, etc.
 Possible strategies that clinicians can use to help client engage in the
assessment tasks.

7. Motor Skills
 Client’s proficiency of motor skills (gross and/or fine) and their impact on the
assessment performance.

8. Sensory Needs
 Client’s sensory needs and their impact on assessment performance.

©Community Psychology Hub. All rights reserved

Further resources:
Aylward, G. P., & Carson, A. D. (2005). Use of the Test Observation Checklist with the
Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales for Early Childhood, Fifth Edition (Early SB5). Retrieved
from http://hmhco-v1.prod.webpr.hmhco.com/~/media/sites/home/hmh-
assessments/clinical/stanford-binet/pdf/sb5ec_checklist.pdf?la=en.
Glutting, J. J., & Oakland, T. (1993). Manual for the guide to the assessment of test behavior.
San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.
Kaufman, A. S., Kaufman, N. L., Dougherty, E. H., & Tuttle, K. S. C. (1994). Kaufman WISC-
III Integrated Interpretive System Checklist for Behaviors Observed During
Administration of WISC-III Subtests. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
McConaughy, S.H., & Achenbach, T.M. (2004). Manual for the test observation form for ages
2-18. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont, Research Center for Children, Youth & Families.
McConaughy, S. H. (2005). Direct Observational Assessment During Test Sessions and Child
Clinical Interviews. School Psychology Review, 34(4), 490-560.
National Association of Special Education Teachers (n.d.). Student Behaviour during
Evaluation Checklist. Retrieved from
https://www.naset.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Forms_Checklist_Etc/Assessment/Student_Be
havior_During_Evaluation.pdf

©Community Psychology Hub. All rights reserved