Performance Test

A performance test is an assessment that requires an examinee to actually perform a task or activity, rather than simply answering questions referring to specific parts. The purpose is to ensure greater fidelity to what is being tested. They are particularly used in the assessment of nonverbal aspects of behavior such as motor performance.

Performance tests are commonly used in workplace and professional applications, such as professional certification and licensure. When used for personnel selection, the tests might be referred to as a work sample. A licensure example would be cosmetologists being required to demonstrate a haircut or manicure on a live person.

Some performance tests are simulations. For instance, the assessment to become certified as an ophthalmic technician includes two components, a multiple-choice examination and a computerized skill simulation. The examinee must demonstrate the ability to complete seven tasks commonly performed on the job, such as retinoscopy that are simulated on a computer.

Categories of Performance Tests

Continuous Performance Tests (CPT) are measures used in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of children and adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. There are four main tests:

i). Conners' Continuous Performance Tests

ii). Gordon Diagnostic System

iii). Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous performance Tests

iv). Test of Variables of Attention/Test of Variables of Attention-Auditory

Criterion Referenced Test

A criterion-referenced test is one that provides for translating the test score into a statement about the behavior to be expected of a person with that score or their relationship to a specified subject matter. Most tests and quizzes written by school teachers are criterion-referenced tests. The objective is simply to see whether or not the student has learned the material. Behavioral observation is the systematic recording of behavior by an external observer.

The systematic nature of behavioral observation is characterized by detailed procedures designed to collect reliable and valid data on client behavior and the factors that control it.

Behavioral observations are an opportunity to deliver both positive and constructive feedback. It is a feedback session structured around observations of a particular behavior or a set of behaviors, and a feedback-rich environment is one in which everybody is learning.

Behavioral observation is a widely used method of behavioral assessment. Unlike other methods of behavioral assessment, most of which rely on people’s perceptions of behavior, behavioral observation involves watching and recording the behavior of a person in typical environments (e.g., classrooms).

Depending on the nature of the behaviors of concern, observers may be interested in any one or a combination of several characteristics related to the behavior. The most common characteristic observed is frequency, or how often a behavior occurs. Other characteristics include magnitude (how intense a behavior is) and duration (how long a behavior lasts). A behavior change agent might be interested in reducing the frequency of a problem behavior, reducing its intensity, or reducing its duration. Regardless of which characteristic is observed, it is important to measure that characteristic consistently throughout the behavior intervention process.

Methods of Behavior Observation

♤ Anecdotal Recording

Anecdotal recording involves recording and interpreting a narrative of behavior during an observation period using an antecedent-behavior-consequence (ABC) format for interpreting behavior.

To conduct an anecdotal observation, an observer records all behaviors observed, along with what was observed to occur before and after the behaviors. For this type of observation, it is important that only observable behaviors are recorded. No inferences about behaviors should be made.

For Example, if a student is observed to slam her book closed, the observer should record “slammed book closed,” rather than “student frustrated.” Either during or after the observation period, it is helpful to arrange observations into a chart that specifies behaviors, antecedents (what happened prior to the behavior), or consequences (what happened as a result of the behavior).

♤ Duration Recording

Duration recording produces an estimate of the amount of time a person spends engaged in a particular behavior. This is the only method discussed thus far that allows one to make statements related to percentage of time spent engaged in a behavior (although interval recording and time sampling data are often misinterpreted as meaning this).

Duration recording is a difficult recording method to use, because the observer needs to note when the behavior both begins and ends. As such, behavioral definition specificity is imperative with this method.

Duration recording begins with the observer watching for the target behavior to begin. A stopwatch is started at that time, and then stopped when the behavior ends

♤ Latency Recording

Latency recording is a very specific observation method that provides information about the amount of time that elapses between an environmental event and the commencement or completion of a target behavior.

Most typically, this method is used to determine the amount of time it takes for a person to comply with a command. In this case, the environmental event is the command, and the target behavior is compliance with that command. This method is very difficult to use, because not only does “compliance” need to be very solidly defined, but the event (i.e., command) also needs to be identifiable.

With latency recording, the observer starts the stopwatch when a command is given, and stops it when the client either begins to comply or has complied completely with the command. It is the observer’s choice whether to measure the time to beginning compliance or completing the task, but whatever method is chosen needs to be used consistently. The decision is likely to be based on the commands themselves.