La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § LXIII-1702 - Definition of Psychological Testing, Evaluation and Assessment
A. As contained in
R.S.
37:2352(7), the practice of
psychology includes, but is not limited to, psychological testing and
evaluation or assessment of personal characteristics such as intelligence,
personality, abilities, interests, aptitudes, and neuropsychological
functioning. The Board of Examiners of Psychologists finds it necessary to
formally define psychological testing in order to protect the people of this
state from the unlawful, unqualified and improper use of psychological tests.
The intent of this rule is to provide a definition of psychological testing
sufficient to allow this board to effectively regulate this aspect of
psychological practice. The Board of Examiners of Psychologists recognizes
that, except as otherwise provided by law, psychological testing may only be
administered and interpreted by a person duly licensed as a psychologist by
this board under
R.S.
37:2351 et seq., or by a person under the
direct supervision of a psychologist, provided that such supervision is in
compliance with the regulations of this board.
B. Nothing in these regulations should be
interpreted or construed as to limit or restrict the practice of physicians
duly licensed to practice medicine by the Board of Medical Examiners. Also,
nothing in this rule should be construed as having application to any persons
licensed or certified under other laws of this state when acting within the
legal scope of such licensure or certification in rendering services as
expressly set forth under those relevant statutes.
C. Psychological testing, evaluation or
assessment hereinafter referred to as "psychological testing," is defined as
the administration and/or interpretation of measurement instruments, devices,
or procedures for the purpose of treatment planning and/or diagnosis,
classification or description of mental and emotional disorders and
disabilities, disorders of personality or behavior, psychological aspects of
physical illness, accident, injury or disability and neuropsychological
impairment. The use of computerized psychological assessment procedures is also
included in scope of this regulation.
D. Psychological testing explicitly includes
the following three areas:
1.
intellectual-which includes those normative-based individually administered
instruments used to measure cognitive functions such as abstract reasoning,
fund of knowledge and problem solving;
2. personality and emotional-which includes
those normative-based instruments used to measure both trait and state aspects
of personality and emotional characteristics and functioning;
3. neuropsychological which includes those
normative-based instruments used to make inferences about brain and behavior
relationships. These relationships include, but are not limited to,
sensorimotor functioning, attention and concentration skills, memory
functioning, language function, concrete and abstract problem solving, and
measures of cognitive flexibility and creativity;
E. Notwithstanding any provisions herein to
the contrary, psychologists as well as other appropriately licensed or
certified professionals may also administer or use tests of language,
educational and achievement tests, adaptive behavioral tests, and symptom
screening checklists or instruments, as well as tests of abilities, interests,
and aptitudes. The administration and interpretation of these tests is not
exclusively within the scope of this regulation.
F. Psychological testing within the
independent practice of psychology must be performed in accordance with the
requirements of LAC 46:LXIII.Chapter 13, Ethical Standards of Psychologists.
The ability to competently interpret psychological testing assumes a doctoral
degree in psychology with formal academic training in statistics, test
construction, sampling theory, tests and measurement, individual differences,
and personality theory. In addition, the interpretation of psychological tests
for treatment planning, diagnostic, classification, or descriptive purposes
assumes formal doctoral level academic training in the areas of abnormal
psychology, psychopathology, psychodiagnosis and, in the case of
neuropsychological diagnosis, additional formal training and/or demonstrated
competence in the field of clinical neuropsychology. All training must be
supervised by a licensed psychologist and must include formal supervised
practical experience and internship training, when appropriate, involving the
use of psychological tests with different patient populations.
Notes
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