Computer-based Test Interpretation (CBTI) in view of supporting career-related decision
raises a series of ethical and professional problems (Sampson, 2000, 2003):
- applicability of current psychological testing / assessment standards on the
Internet; - rectitude in using computers for test interpretation in career counselling;
- integrating computer-based interpretation in career counselling;
- the necessary qualification to use the computer for test interpretation;
- confidentiality of the client data transmitted and stored;
- validity of interpretive information offered on the Internet;
- need for counsellor’s intervention in case of clients requiring personalized
assistance; - inadequate training of practitioners and their dependency on computer-based
interpretation; - need to become aware of circumstances specific to the location of the client;
- accessibility of services to poor clients;
- ensuring optimal conditions in case of Internet testing (the presence of other
people prevents the creation of a visual and auditory privacy necessary to the
client in order to establish and maintain an efficient counselling relationship).
Method presentation
As Harris Bowlsbey (apud Bingham, 1991) shows, one of the counselling functions that
can successfully be taken over in part by computers is psychological assessment.
Computer-based testing involves the following stages: selecting the adequate test,
instructing the client, administering the instrument, data processing, and test
interpretation.
Selecting the appropriate test. The ideal case is when the necessary tests are available on
the Internet and validated for the target population. Practitioners first clarify their testing
purpose and identify the adequate instruments, then proceed to test selection by obtaining
and using information on the latter. For each instrument susceptible for use, counsellors
must get information about technical qualities (reliability, validity, administration norms,
interpretive resources, and adaptation to client categories), in accordance to which they
will choose the best version. The Internet presents the advantage that information on
available tests is always updated. In order to become aware of other practitioners’