Wechsler Ethical and Cultural Considerations Flashcards

A school psychologist is pressured by administrators to lower a student's WISC-V scores to deny services. The ethical response is to:

Answer: Report scores accurately and resist altering data

Psychologists must maintain integrity and accuracy, refusing to falsify or distort assessment data.

Why should examiners be cautious about stereotype threat during Wechsler testing?

Answer: Anxiety about confirming a negative stereotype can lower performance

Stereotype threat can depress test performance, so a supportive, neutral testing environment helps ensure valid results.

An examiner has a dual relationship as both therapist and forensic evaluator for the same client. This is problematic because:

Answer: It creates a conflict of interest that can bias the evaluation

Mixing therapeutic and forensic roles creates conflicts of interest that can compromise objectivity.

When a Wechsler result conflicts with prior testing, the ethical examiner should:

Answer: Investigate possible reasons and report discrepancies transparently

Discrepancies should be explored and disclosed rather than concealed, supporting honest and complete reporting.

Norm samples matter ethically because a Wechsler score is meaningful only when:

Answer: The examinee resembles the standardization sample

Scores are interpreted relative to a normative sample, so representativeness is essential for valid comparisons.

A client withdraws consent midway through WAIS-IV administration. The examiner should:

Answer: Respect the client's right to withdraw

Clients retain the right to withdraw from assessment, and examiners must honor that choice.

Releasing raw Wechsler test data to an unqualified third party is generally:

Answer: Restricted to protect test security and prevent misuse

Raw test data and materials are protected to maintain test security and prevent misinterpretation by unqualified parties.