Satisfaction With Standardized Language Testing

Abstract

There is little documentation regarding which standardized tests of language development clinicians prefer and their degree of satisfaction with tests and the testing process. This study reports the results of a survey of 216 clinicians in a variety of work settings across the state of Oregon. Clinicians rated their degree of satisfaction with several factors associated with testing: time available for test administration and interpretation; funding available for purchasing tests; and psychometric properties of tests. The findings indicated that approximately one-half of the respondents expressed neutrality regarding overall satisfaction, with the remaining clinicians almost evenly split between expressing some degree of dissatisfaction or satisfaction. School clinicians were significantly less satisfied than clinicians in clinic/hospital settings. Clinicians with caseloads greater than 40 expressed significantly greater dissatisfaction with tests and the testing environment. Clinicians also indicated the tests most commonly used with four age groups that covered the birth-to-19 years age range. Possible sources of clinician dissatisfaction are also explored.