Practitioner Guidelines for Psychometric Testing

Company Policy on Testing and Test Use

The relationship between the test user and any test taker should be consistent with good practice, legislation and the test user’s local policy on testing as determined by the country psychological association, which will naturally take account of local or national regulations and laws. It is expected that test users will always make clear the expectations, roles and responsibilities of all parties to help to avoid misunderstanding, hurt and litigation.

For their part, the test user will endeavour to:

• inform test takers of their rights regarding how their test scores will be used and their rights of access to them*;
• treat test takers with courtesy, respect and impartiality regardless of race, gender, age, disability, etc.;
• use tests of proven quality, appropriate for the test takers, and appropriate for the assessment purpose;
• inform test takers prior to testing about the purpose of the assessment, the nature of the test, to whom test results will be reported and the planned use of the results;
• give advance notice of when the test will be administered, and when results will be available, and whether or not test takers or others may obtain their scores**;
• have a trained person administer the test and have the results interpreted by a qualified person;
• ensure test takers know if a test is optional and, when it is, the consequences of taking or not taking the test;
• ensure test takers understand the conditions, if any, under which they may re-take tests, have tests re-scored, or have their scores cancelled;
• ensure test takers know that they will have their results explained to them as soon as possible after taking the test in easily understood terms;
• ensure test takers understand that their results are confidential to the extent allowed by law and best practice;
• inform test takers who will have access to their results, and the conditions which scores will be released;
• ensure that test takers are aware of the procedures for making complaints or notifying problems;

The test user will inform test-takers that they are expected to:

• treat others with courtesy and respect during the testing process;
• ask questions prior to testing if uncertain about why the test is to be administered, how it will be administered, what they will be required to do and what will be done with the results;
• inform an appropriate person about any condition that they believe might invalidate the test results or which they would wish to have taken into consideration;
• follow the instructions of the test administrator;
• be aware of the consequences of not taking a test if they choose not to take it, and be prepared to accept those consequences;