OBSERVATIONS

During all assessments, Dr. Tarnoff takes detailed testing observations, which are used to help determine the reliability and validity of testing results. 

Observations are used to provide both qualitative (e.g., a narrative of behavior) and quantitative (e.g., frequency of a behavior) measures of functioning. Observations of an examinee are part of a comprehensive evaluation, and if necessary, may occur in multiple settings. 

Observations are used at the start of interventions in order to establish baselines of behaviors in order to determine if interventions are effective. Observations may occur in a classroom to help determine a student’s time on- and off-task. Observations may include specific event records and can include:

• The occurrence or absence of a behavior (i.e., did an expected/unexpected behavior happen during the observation?)
• The frequency of a behavior (i.e., how often is the behavior occurring?)
• The duration of a behavior (i.e., how long did a behavior last?)
• The intensity of a behavior (i.e., with how much force did the behavior occur?)
• The latency between two behaviors (i.e., how long was the period between the end of one behavior and the start of a subsequent behavior?)

Observations can occur within the school environment or within the community/work setting depending on the referral question.