I.

Front 1

48. Of the following, the primary problem associated with the use of local norms in evaluating a program is that

A. the practice increases the problem of teaching toward the test
B. local standards of performance may be confused with nationally acceptable standards
C. they cannot provide a database for comparison of student test scores
D. their use may increase the likelihood of bias toward local students

Back 1

B. local standards of performance may be confused with nationally acceptable standards

Hint 1

A drawback to using local norms is that they can veer far from national standards and norms on the same assessment. For example, students may perform in the average range for a mathematics assessment for a school, but may be performing below the national proficiency level determined for math.

Front 2

51. Which of the following are basic assumptions of family systems theory? Select all that apply.

A. Children typically become more dependent on other family members as they age.
B. Family members’ personalities are not fixed; rather, behavior changes as a reaction to contextual cues.
C. An event that affects one family member either directly or indirectly affects the other members.
D. Biological traits that determine personality tend to run in families.

Back 2

B. Family members’ personalities are not fixed; rather, behavior changes as a reaction to contextual cues.
C. An event that affects one family member either directly or indirectly affects the other members.

Hint 2

The basic tenets of family systems theory include the acknowledgment of changeable behavior as determined by context rather than rigid traits, as well as the recognition that events that affect one member of the family system in some way affect the other members, too.

Front 3

53. Which of the following is true regarding the mental health consultation model?

A. It includes consultee-centered consultation with school staff to enhance the academic achievement of students.
B. It emphasizes the consultant helping the consultee or client see how his or her thoughts or feelings affect the situation.
C. It emphasizes the consultant having formal administrative or supervisory authority over the consultee.
D. It defines consultation as a problem-solving process with clearly specified objectives and a client-centered focus.

Back 3

B. It emphasizes the consultant helping the consultee or client see how his or her thoughts or feelings affect the situation.

Hint 3

The mental health model is based on psychoanalytic theory. It focuses on the feelings of the consultee or client and how those feelings affect the situation.

Front 4

84. The principal for a Title I school informs the school psychologist that instead of trying to identify children at risk for reading problems in kindergarten, she wants to focus on first-grade students who may be at risk. What is the most likely explanation for why the principal wants to identify students in the first grade?

A. The school lacks funding for materials needed for all kindergarten students.
B. The effects of family literacy practices may diminish with formal kindergarten instruction.
C. The overwhelming majority of students have serious difficulty transitioning to kindergarten, and their stressors make it difficult to accurately assess their reading ability.
D. Students need to be allowed adequate time to benefit from response to intervention (RTI).

Back 4

B. The effects of family literacy practices may diminish with formal kindergarten instruction.

Hint 4

For many students with low socioeconomic status, enrollment in kindergarten may be their first exposure to reading. Research shows once these students are exposed to formal reading instruction, the risk factors associated with learning disabilities in reading decrease.

Front 5

92. Which of the following is the best example of an evidence-based strategy that could be used to promote home-school collaboration?

A. Sending a monthly newsletter created by the faculty and staff home to parents
B. Scheduling parent-teacher conferences every 15 minutes during teachers’ planning periods
C. Setting behavioral goals for each grade and sending reminders to parents at the beginning of each grading period
D. Inviting parents to participate in prereferral intervention team (PIT) meetings

Back 5

D. Inviting parents to participate in prereferral intervention team (PIT) meetings

Hint 5

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) states that partnerships are created through shared problem solving and decision making, as well as increased two-way communication. PITs are characterized by shared decision making, collaboration between multidisciplinary team members, parental involvement, and two-way communication.

Front 6

93. According to family systems theory, as students become more differentiated or separated from other family members, they become

A. more susceptible to threats to self-esteem
B. more defensive of maladaptive family beliefs and characteristics
C. less vulnerable to stress from family and peer situations
D. less responsible for their own behavior

Back 6

C. less vulnerable to stress from family and peer situations

Hint 6

As students become more differentiated, they become more resilient to stress both from within the family and from outside sources.

Front 7

111. According to Gerald Caplan’s model of consultee-centered case consultation, the consultant is primarily interested in

A. identifying the causes and solutions of the client’s presenting problems
B. identifying and eliminating the causes of the consultee’s difficulties in handling a problem
C. establishing a hierarchy of authority to enable effective decision making
D. establishing a rapport with the client to identify a solution to the problem

Back 7

B. identifying and eliminating the causes of the consultee’s difficulties in handling a problem

Hint 7

In consultee-centered case consultation, the consultant is primarily interested in the problems that prevent the consultee from solving a problem, and not in the solutions to the client’s problems.

Front 8

128. A high school psychologist is seeking a screening instrument for anxiety and depression that has solid psychometric properties. Ideally, the lowest reliability coefficient for the screening instrument is

A. 0.25
B. 0.40
C. 0.50
D. 0.80

Back 8

D. 0.80

Hint 8

Ideally the reliability of a screening instrument should be 0.80 or above.

Front 9

A school psychologist using problem-solving consultation should first do which of the following to help a teacher decrease the number of times a child refuses to follow instructions?

A. Encourage the teacher to establish a relationship with the student
B. Develop a relationship with the student
C. Develop a relationship with the teacher
D. Collect data on the target behavior

Back 9

C. Develop a relationship with the teacher

Hint 9

The relationship between the school psychologist (consultant) and teacher (consultee) plays a major role in the effectiveness of consultation services. Consultations should begin with the development of this relationship. Development of a good working relationship with the consultee helps ensure the success of the planned interventions.