Who Is Testing Whom?

Abstract

Children exhibiting extremely disruptive behavior constitute a large percentage of those referred for testing. These children often are challenging to test, even for the experienced examiner, because their behavior is overly active, noncompliant, and disrespectful. They typically do not enjoy the quiet, calm environment considered most conducive to testing. Yet, critically important decisions regarding educational placement and psychological treatment often are based on the results of such testing. The purpose of this article is to offer 10 suggestions that examiners can use to manage disruptive behavior so that optimal test performance is elicited from children, and testing is more enjoyable for both children and examiners.