Description and application of an evaluation scheme for assessment from a decision-making perspective.

Described a scheme for evaluating the utility of test data in decision-making. The scheme, which is based upon a dispositional model of assessment, asks three sequential, binary questions about the total assessment procedure. The three questions focus on whether meaningful referral questions are asked, whether an accurate understanding of the client is achieved, and whether the available interventions are related effectively to the individual client's needs. The scheme is applied to a group of vocational rehabilitation clients (N = 58) from a rural area. Results showed the scheme to be reliable in evaluating the results of the assessments. The categorization showed a surprisingly high percentage of cases in which no meaningful referral questions were asked. Further, the scheme highlighted the differences between a diagnostic model of testing and dispositional assessment. For example, requiring the assessor to understand the treatment context as well as the client results in a more conservative estimate of the assessments' successes. It also results in evaluations that are more meaningful in terms of meeting the client's goals. Finally possible effects of the rural context in which the assessments were conducted on the types of errors made were discussed.