Assessment practices for children with severe mental retardation

Potential limitations in assessment practices with children who have severe mental retardation have been identified in the literature. The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent to which practicing school psycholo gists use alternative methods as opposed to standardized/norm-referenced me asures in the assessment of children suspected or identified as having mode rate to severe/profound mental retardation. As part of a larger survey, ass essment practices of school psychologists with children functioning in the more severe level of mental retardation were reported by 202 school psychol ogists. Results suggest that school psychologists use norm-referenced measu res at all grade/age levels. Various other types of methods were also noted by 0.5 to 35.8% of the respondents, with the highest frequency of alternat ive approaches employed at the preschool level. Implications For assessment practices with children with moderate to severe/profound mental retardatio n and for the training of school psychologists in alternative methods of ev aluation consistent with the need to link assessment to intervention are di scussed.