Today’s educational (as well as clinical, neuro and forensic) psychologists are under pressure to deliver high quality assessments to parents, schools and professionals, and need to plan their consultations and interventions with schools, young people, parents and other adults very carefully. They also need a good mix of assessment tools, interviews and observations to carry out their work and help them administer the assessments, score and interpret reports with ease. Q-interactive is a tool designed to help Psychologists do exactly that ensuring their work is of a high quality.
Q-interactive has many unique features and benefits so let’s take a closer look at them: First and foremost, Q-interactive (or QI for short) is a digital tool offering professionals an assessment that flows seamlessly without the need to plan the details on paper. This not only saves time, but also facilitates the move to a paperless workplace without having to worry about the logistics of test administration.
Clients also favour the format requiring less paper, as many of them are comfortable using electronic equipment, even at a young age. Tom Long gives a very good example of a complex child with ADHD with a number of behavioural difficulties, who was not too keen on two paper/hard copy tests, but fully engaged with the iPad and completed the entire assessment.
The assessment confirmed that he is cognitively very able and didn’t need to be placed in a school for children with significant learning difficulties, which was deemed necessary until he experienced QI-based assessments.
Other benefits of QI include an easy set up and support materials, such as online tutorials. The programme is quite intuitive and some users don’t even need a tutorial, but when a rare glitch occurs, there is a telephone support system in place.
In the work environment, a more experienced colleague can often be of help to those who are using the tool for the first time. On average the programme can be up and running with a new set up within 40 minutes!
QI is also very easy to use – users can take advantage of a Practice Assessment feature which allows them to practise administration of subtests free of charge, but once the assessment has been set up and trialled, there are rarely any problems. Anyone new to iPads may feel a little anxious at the start, but your worries will quickly disappear as QI works even in remote areas with no Wi-Fi.
The set-up for assessment, the sync with the desktop QI site and interpretive reports always work with no difficulties.
QI’s other great feature is its flexibility and many users don’t even realise its full extent while administering subtests. Flexibility becomes more evident as the users become more familiar with the tool and are able to pick and choose subtests from a selection of the assessments available. For instance, subtests from both the WISC-V and the WIAT-III can be included in one battery to give a fuller picture of a child’s ability.
Automated assessment scoring is also worth mentioning – it is truly effortless, and some of the interpretative statistical analysis helps to interpret the tests, subtests and scales, providing ease of analysis for report writing and feedback to the client.
Another great feature is reporting - for example the QI report with the WISC-V is comprehensive, detailed and provides a wealth of information and help to validate interpretations and observations. QI reports are helpful for raising questions and undertaking detailed analysis of assessments with regards to relevant interventions for the clients, which are refined and backed up through normative assessments.
Psychologists who already use QI have no hesitation in recommending this assessment to their colleagues, due to the ease of administration and the value this tool adds to their work.
QI is especially effective in supporting psychologists with the shift towards agile and mobile networking. The above post is based on the Q-interactive review by Tim Long, Educational Psychologist, which he did earlier this year, explaining why he recommends this assessment tool. If you'd be interested in writing your review of QI, please add your details to this form.
The clinical psychologists and neuropsychologists at the Cambridge Centre for Paediatric Neuropsychological Rehabilitation (CCPNR), who work with children and young people affected by brain injury through accident or illness, have also reported a leap forward since starting to use QI. They attributed it to the digital format, automatic scoring and robust technical support. Read the full review here.
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