Assessing the Child's Needs

Educational Forum, The, Spring 2002 by Anderson, David W

Psychological and Developmental Assessment: Children with Disabilities and Chronic Conditions, edited by Rune J. Simeonsson and Susan L. Rosenthal. New York: Guilford Press, 2001. 386 pages. ISBN 1-57230-645-9.

In Psychological and Developmental Assessment, editors Simeonsson and Rosenthal have provided an excellent resource on assessment of children with special needs. The book is highly useful to educators seeking advanced or specialized training in assessment or as a reference tool for those engaged in the practice of special education and intervention. Simeonsson and Rosenthal have gathered an array of knowledgeable psychologists, educators, and practitioners as authors, and their skillful work as editors is evident in the uniformity of presentation.

Because the text seems to assume prior understanding of handicapping conditions, child development, and basic concerns of assessment (e.g., reliability and validity), it seems to be most appropriate for use in graduate-level courses. Though the authors of several chapters seem to view psychologists as their primary audience, the content is applicable to educational interventionists as well. The book's organization is logical and as would be expected: Following a broad over-view and discussion of essential issues in clinical assessment, the book turns to general strategies and measures of quantitative and qualitative assessment. Before long, the text moves on to matters related to assessment of children with specific conditions, such as motor or sensory impairment, autism, or chronic illness. The final chapter provides a solid discussion of ethical and legal issues pertaining to assessment of children with special needs, drawing from accepted standards of professional organizations as well as federal legislation.

Simeonsson and Rosenthal have not presented a typical introductory text on assessment, the kind that emphasizes quantitative measures and norm-referenced testing, generally organized around academic or developmental domains. Instead, they build from a broader view of assessment that recognizes the interactive and dynamic nature of development. Simeonsson and Rosenthal (3) advocate a broad definition of clinical assessment, calling for the use of "varied procedures and tools to document psychological and developmental characteristics of children."

Though chapter authors discuss specific standardized instruments, inventories, and observation scales, a strength of the text is its emphasis on a multidimensional focus to clinical assessment. In this sense, their purpose is to identify intra-individual differences that would inform program development for the specific child. The presentation regarding ecobehavioral assessment is particularly informative, building on ecological and ethological concepts to account more appropriately for environmental and contextual variables when assessing children with special needs. Too often, assessment is narrowly focused on cataloging the child's weaknesses. Psychological and Developmental Assessment encourages identification of children's strengths and the mutual effect of the child's transactions with others and with objects. In this regard, the approach advocated in the book acknowledges the need for assessment in the natural environment. In concert with this approach is a thorough discussion of assessment of the family context, taking into account cultural differences and modes of interaction among family members.

Another distinguishing feature of Simeonsson and Rosenthal's book is the focus on assessment procedures appropriate for children with various types of disability (motor and sensory), children with autism, and children with chronic illnesses. Attention also is directed to assessing trauma and maltreatment in children with special needs-an important area for consideration, given the added vulnerability of these children to abuse. Finally, there is a chapter on the assessment of executive functions in children with neurological impairment, which provides a useful paradigm for assessing those with traumatic brain injury, attentional deficits, and learning disabilities.

Each chapter opens with a brief anecdotal story of a child. Taken together, these stories provide helpful illustrations of the dignity and value of each child, regardless of disability. Though not always addressed in detail by the authors of the chapters, these illustrations should allow for good class discussion if the book is used as a course text. Current theory and research related to developmental issues and assessment concerns inform the text. It is a welcome addition to the literature, both in content and in focus.

The reviewer, David W. Anderson, is Professor of Special Education and Director of Graduate Programs in Special Education at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota. His research interests include cognitive, social, and emotional development and disorders as well as promoting special education in developing nations. Dr. Anderson is a member of the Delta Sigma Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi.