Understanding Informant Discrepancies in Youth Psychoeducational Assessment

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Exploring Assessment Data for Psychological Insights and Technological Advances in Education (Table 5)

Abstract

In psychoeducational assessments, psychologists include multiple informants and sources to develop a comprehensive understanding of a youth's academic, behavioral, and social-emotional functioning. However, this can result in discrepant data, known as informant discrepancies, which challenge the assessment process. This study explores psychologists' perceptions of and experiences with these discrepancies. We interviewed seven psychologists working with youth and used thematic analysis, combining inductive and deductive coding guided by the Operations Triad Model. We found that psychologists view discrepancies as valuable but challenging. They employ iterative decision-making processes that are often personalized, experience-based, unstructured, and lacking a theoretical framework. Our study highlights the need for interpreting informant discrepancies comprehensively, contextually, and individually, and aims to provide systematic guidelines for addressing them effectively.

Authors

• Mihyun Kim, University of Georgia

• Taehee Kim, University of Georgia

• Michele Lease, University of Georgia