Psychoeducational assessment with the deaf and hard-of-hearing

This study addressed the preferred choices of tests by psychoeducational professionals for individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HOH) in five areas of assessment (cognitive/intelligence, neuropsychological, academic skills, speech and language, and socio-emotional/psycho-behavioral). The study also addressed test modifications, use of language, and psychometric issues such as reliability, validity, and normative data. Currently, many tests lack appropriate psychometric properties for the D/HOH. Given this information, an exploratory approach was taken to identify common tests. This is an important area of research because it affects a minority group – the deaf and hard-of-hearing, for whom psychoeducational assessment traditionally has proven to be challenging. Evaluation of assessments used with the D/HOH population can facilitate a discussion towards more appropriate tests