Assessment and intervention: Bridging the gap with a practice-based model

Abstract

Aim:This article describes a practice-based assessment model – Assessment for Intervention (AFI) – that aims to bridge the gap between assessment and intervention. According to this model the school psychologist is a scientist-practitioner: he formulates and tests hypotheses in close co-operation with teachers, parents and the student involved.Method:The seven principles (why?) and five stages (how?) of the AFI-model are presented.Findings:The first findings of an evaluation study are reported. Despite several limitations (e.g. low response rate), this study gives an indication of the elements of AFI that teachers, counsellors, parents and assessors find important and of the challenges assessors have to deal with in their daily practice. It also provides points of improvement for the AFI-model. Finally, it shows that most assessors work according to the seven principles and five stages.Conclusion:In practice the model bridges the gap between assessment and intervention and makes the assessment process more meaningful to teachers, parents and students. It is concluded that it is necessary to investigate whether the AFI-model actually leads to more ecologically valid case formulations and more effective interventions than ‘assessment as usual’.