Letters

Most small businesses and even most corporations are not educated about the fundamentals of testing. Without this education, psychological assessment can easily be misused. Tests could be used that are not specifically designed for employment purposes or even appropriate for that setting. Psychological tests used outside of their specifically designed purpose or used on populations of people that it was not designed for significantly decrease the validity of the results. Without the qualified individuals to administer and score these specialized tests, individuals may be at risk of misinterpretation. Businesses are not held as accountable as psychologists may be to the confidentiality of these results, either.

Any business considering the use of psychological tests for employees should explore these issues themselves and even then hire or consult with qualified professional services that provide testing.

Peter Thomas
Via e-mail