Essentials of Cross-Battery Assessment

by Dawn P. Flanagan, Samuel O. Ortiz, Vincent C. Alfonso

Quickly acquire the knowledge and skills you need to confidently conduct Cross-Battery Assessment The Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) Cross-Battery assessment approach (also referred to as the XBA approach) is a time-efficient assessment method grounded solidly in contemporary psychometric theory and research. The XBA approach systematically integrates data across cognitive and achievement batteries, enabling mental health professionals to expand their traditional assessments to more comprehensively address referral concerns. This approach also includes guidelines for identification of specific learning disabilities and assessing cognitive capabilities of culturally and linguistically diverse individuals. Like all the volumes in the Essentials of Psychological Assessment series , this volume is designed to help busy mental health professionals quickly acquire the knowledge and skills they need to make optimal use of psychological assessment instruments. Each concise chapter features numerous callout boxes highlighting key concepts, bulleted points, and extensive illustrative material, as well as "Test Yourself" questions that help you to gauge and reinforce your grasp of the information covered. Essentials of Cross-Battery Assessment, Second Edition is updated to include the latest edition of cognitive ability tests, including KABC-II, SB5, WISC-IV, WPPSI-III, DAS-II, WAIS-III, and WJ III COG as well as the most current comprehensive achievement tests, such as WJ III ACH, KTEA-II, and WIAT-II. A new chapter demonstrates the use of the XBA approach in assessing learning disabilities in a manner consistent with the recent reauthorization of IDEA. This book now includes a CD-ROM that contains three programs that allow you to enter data and review the Cross-Battery Assessment Data Management and Interpretive Assistant (XBA DMIA) v1.0; the Specific Learning Disability (SLD) Assistant v1.0; and the Culture-Language Interpretive Matrix (C-LIM) v1.0. CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Grad School

417 pages, Paperback

First published November 6, 2000

Reviews

[Jacob Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of incredibly useful and relevant information. As of now, a lot of the tests talked about in the book have been updated and so a more up-to-date version would be very useful. The underlying axioms are critical to know for practice.

[Katie Galloway · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a comprehensive examination of cross battery assessment. It is well researched but dense and dry. There are many charts and a substantial portion of the book contains the appendices. These are extremely helpful in clarifying the text material. There is also a cd which contains interactive spreadsheets.

This book is designed for professionals and assumes a certain understanding of the concepts and methodology employed in administration and analysis of these assessments. This is a pity as the material would be of service to others, including parents and others dealing with learning disabilities. I applaud the inclusion of the chapter on addressing cultural and linguistic differences.

While valuable to professional, the material is too obtuse for the layman. Recommended for the target audience.

[Li · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this for work and for a book study. This book is the latest update in the Cattell-Horn-Carroll cross battery (CHC) approach utilizing assessment of cognitive and neuropsychological strengths and weaknesses to aid in the identification of specific learning disabilities and assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse students. To be a little bit more objective (rather than basing my review simply on what a chore this book was to read), I'm basing this review on the following five areas. Usefulness (is this book good at providing information for its stated purpose; did I learn anything new): 5. If this is this technique you are going to use, then this book is a very good resource. There appear to have been many improvements in response to research and feedback in this edition. I'm especially excited about the updates and reported improved user-friendliness in the software. Readability (does this book use vocabulary and sentence structure that are conducive to learning complex material): 2. Several terms changed names from the last edition. (A glossary would have been a welcome addition to the book.) The vocabulary was so advanced that it was hard to keep track of the meaning of the sentence. The sentences were very long, and their structure was often complex, which also contributed to the poor readability. Do all of these factors give the impression that the authors are smart, comprehensive, and know what they're talking about? Absolutely, but that means nothing if the meaning of the message is lost to the reader. I've spoken to several others who are reading this book, and most feel the same way. I would have been much more receptive to simpler language and sentence structure so I could focus my energy on understanding the updates in the approach. The subject matter is already so dry that these factors exacerbated the situation. This book is intended for professionals with in-depth training in assessment, and the subject matter is high stakes in nature. Naturally, that requires the understanding of certain terminology by the reader. However, I consider poor readability to be this book’s greatest weakness. Organization of the book: 2. I would have preferred to be told in the beginning that there was a change in something (e.g., mathematical equation) that the software will calculate for you rather than being overwhelmed by all of the statistical history and then told at the end that I don’t really need to know all of those details. A simple flow chart outlining the basic steps to the approach would be beneficial as well. Although this approach isn't completely black and white, a rough "how to" outline would be helpful in the onslaught of information. Tone of the book: 2. There were several statements that irritated me. Perhaps they would come across less so verbally, but in writing... Personal feelings toward the book (do I agree with this approach; do I have reservations about this approach): 2. I still have some questions about the approach and am somewhat concerned about the reliability on expert validity mentioned. I did, however, appreciate the quizzes at the end of most chapters and some of the appendices, tables, rapid reference guides, and “don’t forget” boxes. In summary, an average of my various ratings results in a 2.6. If Goodreads incorporated half-stars into its ratings system, I'd give this book 2.5 stars. Sadly, though, Goodreads' system is based on whole stars, and I always round down, which means this book gets a 2 from me. Overall, this was a very technical read that provided much useful data regarding the CHC approach. However, improved readability would have been greatly appreciated. I hope the authors take that into consideration in future editions.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource outlining the CHC theory and how to use assessments to get a clear understanding of the whole individual, taking in to consideration both broad and narrow abilities. Each step of the XBA was outlined with examples and explanations. Strengths and weaknesses were discussed. A CD was provided to assist in correlating scores between tests, identifying SLD, recognizing cultural and linguistic impact on scores.
Highly recommended for school psychologists new and experienced.

[Cecile]

Good

[Marci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the easiest read in the book, but I certainly learned a lot. It's written in a very technical format that makes for some intense need for concentration and effort when reading.