NSW PSYCHOLOGISTS REGISTRATION BOARD

tel: (02) 9219 0211 PO Box K599

fax: (02) 9211 9318 Haymarket NSW 1238
psychreg@hprb.health.nsw.gov.au www.psychreg.health.nsw.gov.au

Advice to Psychologists on uniform principles on release of

psychological test data

This document is adapted from "Release of Psychological Test Data" (January 2007) by Rhondda Rytmeister, Head,
Psychology Department, Children’s Hospital at Westmead. The document was prepared in consultation with the following
committee members at Westmead : Suzanne Benson, Senior Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist, Rehabilitation
Department; Helen Bibby, Clinical Psychologist/Researcher, Adolescent Medicine; Dr Ruth Brunsdon, Senior Clinical
Neuropsychologist, Rehabilitation Department; Sara Coombes, Clinical Neuropsychologist, Rehabilitation Department;
Assoc/ Prof. Pam Joy, Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist, Child Development Unit; Dr Melanie Porter, Honorary Associate,
Developmental Cognitive Neuropsychology Research Unit; Polly Pickles, Clinical Psychologist, Child Development Unit.

The NSW Psychologists Registration Board recognises that it is in the interests of the public for
psychological test material to remain secure and confidential. Disclosure has the potential to invalidate
the accuracy of psychological tests and thus harm clients of psychologists who require accurate and
valid assessment of their psychological attributes. Psychologists should therefore be mindful of these
principles in handling psychological test material and releasing this material. The following advice will
assist psychologists in preserving the integrity of psychological tests.

The following information regarding the reporting and release of Psychological test data is based on
policies of the NSW Psychological Registration Board, the Australian Psychological Society
professional guidelines, conditions of supply set out by producers of specialised psychological tests,
as well as relevant government policies regarding confidentiality and privacy.

General Principles

In accordance with the guidelines of the Australian Psychological Society and producers of specialised
psychological tests, psychological test scores must be interpreted by qualified Psychologists, Clinical
Psychologists and Clinical Neuropsychologists. Thus psychology test scores should not be released to
any other profession. A report of the assessment results will always be made available with
appropriate consent as detailed below. The analysis and interpretation of psychological test data must
always draw upon many other features of the clinical presentation in addition to the raw test scores
obtained. Please refer to section 12 of the APS Ethical Guidelines and page 15 of the Supplement to
Guidelines on knowledge required to interpret a Psychological test.

When psychological testing is conducted, a psychological report of the test results will usually be
generated. A copy of the report will usually be provided to the client and the referring agency as
appropriate, and if required the departmental medical records. A copy of the report will be kept by the
psychologist with the original test protocols.

It is recommended by this advice that psychological test data (scores), however, should only be
released on request from another psychologist, and only directly to a person qualified to read and
interpret the data: that is, a psychologist currently registered with the relevant regulatory body (eg.
NSW Psychologists Registration Board). This is to avoid misuse and misinterpretation of confidential
psychological test scores by those not qualified to interpret such material.

A registered Psychologist in the following circumstances can obtain psychology test scores:

• When there are clinical or legal grounds for the request;

• When the data are needed for comparison with other test results;
• Where there is a handover of management to another registered psychologist;
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• Where another registered psychologist has significant contact and involvement with the
client;
• For medicolegal requests (see below); or when data are demanded by subpoena
• For the purposes of research
• Where appropriate release of the test scores has been obtained from the client (or their
guardian)

Definitions

A Psychological Test:

• Is an assessment performed under standardised conditions emphasising quantitative

measurement.
• Draws inferences from a sample of behaviour about broader underlying attributes
• Assesses essentially psychological constructs: (e.g. intelligence, aptitude, memory, cognitive
skill, perception, personality, self esteem, feelings, emotions, attitudes or values) both in their
normal and abnormal manifestations.
• Is accompanied by a manual containing statistical evidence that the instrument is both reliable
and valid for its intended purposes.
• Is generally restricted to use by Registered Psychologists by its publishers/distributors.
• May include individually administered assessments, computerised procedures and
questionnaires.
• May cause psychological damage (e.g. affecting self-concept, incorrect diagnosis, wrongly
assigning a patient for treatment) if misused.

Examples of psychological tests

• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition
• Conner’s Continuous Performance Test – Second Edition
• Reynold’s Adolescent Depression Scales

A Non Psychological Test:

• Does not have intrinsically psychological content (i.e. not of a kind on which psychological
theories are based)
• Measures academic achievement or attitudes towards particular issues which do not require
inferences of a psychological nature
• With the exception of tests of academic achievement, non-psychological tests do not have
norms or other standardised reference points
• Examples of non-psychological tests:
─ Age or grade equivalent reading, spelling, maths, writing tests of achievement only
─ Magazine-style checklists
─ Political surveys
For further information, refer to the Australian Psychological Society (APS) Supplement to Guidelines
for the Use of Psychological Tests pp 2-3

Knowledge required to interpret a psychological test

Test interpretation is a matter for a Registered Psychologist who has the appropriate:
1) Knowledge of
• The technical properties of the test
• The nature of the constructs underlying a test score
• The reliability and measurement error of individual subtests
• The representativeness of the standardisation sample
• Levels of differences between factor based index scores required for statistical significance by
age
• Levels of differences between subtest scaled scores required for statistical significance by age
• Frequency of factor score differences: significance versus abnormality
• The range of professional and ethical issues surrounding the use of tests
2) Skill in

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• Reporting test results, including oral feedback to the individual and a written report to the
referrer.
• Integrating test results with other sources of information about the person (e.g. academic
record, case history, physical health etc.)

3) A willingness to take full responsibility for the choice and use of the instrument concerned in the
event of a challenge concerning its reliability, validity, utility or fairness.

Potential Misuses of Psychological Tests

• Misinterpreting differences between test scores as genuine differences when in fact the
differences are within the limits expected by chance eg interpreting “subtest scatter” on the
basis of variation in scores, which are not statistically significantly different.
• Ignoring the standard error of measurement and quoting a single score, eg taking the mid
point of an IQ range as a reliable true score.
• Generalising beyond the established meaning of the test score eg interpreting the
“comprehension” subtest as a measure of language comprehension; or high scores on
measures of stress as indicating clinical anxiety or depression
• “Blind” interpretation of scores eg interpreting test results without reference to other features of
the clinical presentation.

For further information, refer to the APS Supplement to Guidelines for the Use of Psychological Tests
pp 8-15.

Administering and Scoring Psychological Tests

Section 1.3 of the APS Ethical Guidelines indicates that a suitably trained person (e.g. psychology
student) may administer and score a psychological test1. However, the interpretation of such a test for
clinical purposes should always be conducted under the supervision of a Registered Psychologist.

Reporting Results

1) Reporting Results in Clinical Reports

These are written reports that are usually sent to the client and relevant professionals such as the
referring doctor. The APS recommends that the most appropriate form for communicating IQ test
scores is to report scores in terms of qualitative descriptions of ranges (eg “average range”)2. This
recognises that a test score is an approximation and is subject to measurement fluctuation and
therefore best reported as part of a range. Similar qualitative terms can be used to describe other test
data (e.g. a score that falls one standard deviation above the mean might be described as “high
average”).

Reports should contain only the essential findings of psychological testing, fully integrated with other
sources of information (APS Page 17) and should be structured around the assessment issues rather
than the test. They should be reported in lay terms which are non psychometric and jargon should be
avoided (Page 19). In certain circumstances, a psychologist may feel that it is necessary to include
percentiles in a written report to clarify how frequently a score (or difference between scores) might be
expected to occur in the population. In this case, the percentile should be accompanied by an
explanation and given as a band corresponding to the standard error of measurement. IQ scores
should not be provided. Age equivalent scores should be used with caution.
2) Reporting Results in Data Sheets
Psychologists are sometimes asked to provide more detailed data from their assessment to other
registered psychologists. For example, a school counsellor might require more detailed information to
allow for a comparison to results of a test of academic achievement, or to assist with an application for
funding to assist a student. In this case, only the data that is relevant to the specific request should be
made available; for example, a funding application may require further details about the results of an
IQ test.

1
This may include individually administered or computerised tests.
2
See APS Position Statement on reporting results from IQ assessments

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In general the most appropriate form to report results in data sheets is:
• For IQ tests: IQ ranges at 95% Confidence Interval and other relevant differences
• For other norm referenced tests: Standardised scores
• For tests without standardised scores: Raw scores and converted z-scores noting the
reference used for the norms.

Under ethical guidelines, data can be provided only to another registered psychologist, and should be
accompanied by a copy of the full report and/or a cover letter regarding the interpretation of the
scores. They should be accompanied by an indication that they should not be provided to anyone
other than the intended recipient (i.e. they should not be further distributed).

3) Medicolegal Requests
In compensation claims or reports for a criminal court or other areas, it is possible that a number of
psychologists and neuropsychologists are involved with the client's case. Insurance companies may
request the clinical reports written by psychologists, however raw data is not typically included in
reports. When requested, raw data will be sent directly to the psychologist who is conducting an
assessment, for purposes of comparison. This policy takes into account the APS Code of Ethics 2007
(clause B13) which places constraints on "blind" test interpretation. Accordingly, raw data is not
released to non-psychologists (e.g. solicitors, insurers) unless there is a greater public interest in so
doing. Examples which might meet the public interest include to facilitate early and appropriate
treatment or rehabilitation, prevent unnecessary overtesting or to monitor impairment/recovery.

4) Research
Psychological information or test data collected by a psychologist can be released for research
purposes. The following guidelines are recommended concerning the release under the following
circumstances:
• When the research proposal has been approved by an appropriately formed Ethics Committee
operating under NHMRC guidelines, and a copy of the approval has been sent to the
psychologist involved, and
• The psychologist's employer has approved the release of this data, and
• The psychologist who has collected the data must be a co-investigator on any ethics
application and a co-author on any papers arising from the research as they are the only ones
qualified to interpret and summarise the data, and,
• Agreement prior to the release of data that the position of co-authorship rotates, in the event
that a number of papers arise from the research, and
• The data are stored according to the guidelines in this policy

Storage and Access to Psychology Test Materials

Test materials must be stored and accessed in accordance with their requirements for administration,
scoring and interpretation.

APS Supplemental Guidelines for the Use of Psychological Tests indicate that test materials:
• Should be stored under lock and key while not in use
• Should not be available to those who are not qualified to use them

Storage and Access to Psychological Test Data

APS Supplemental Guidelines for the Use of Psychological Tests indicate that test results:

• Should only be accessed by qualified persons with a legitimate need to know

• Should be marked ‘confidential’
• Should never be kept in a file where unqualified people have access

Storage and access should not compromise the ethical purposes of testing and in particular the
introduction of error into scoring and interpretation (Section 2.3 of the APS Ethical Guidelines) such as
may occur if accessed by unqualified test users.

All documents associated with assessments should be stored in accordance with relevant guidelines
for retention and disposal of patient/client records. Section 2.3 of the APS Ethical Guidelines states

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when determining how long to store records, the psychologist must consider factors such as requests
of clients, the need to maintain professional accountability and the relevant legislation.

Upon termination of employment or completion of a research project, it is the responsibility of the

psychologist to ensure that test data and materials are stored and accessed under the supervision of a
qualified psychologist.

Consent for Release of Information: Privacy & Confidentiality

Privacy
Section 2 of the NSW Psychologists Registration Board Code of Professional conduct indicates that
unless required by law, or by duty of care to the client or others, Psychologists must not release
information about clients without authorisation from the client/parent/guardian for release in writing.
For individuals between 14 and 16, the code states that judgment should be made as to whether these
adolescents should be treated as adults or children based on the client’s psychological development.
Written consent must include the specific purpose for release of information.

Section A.7 of the APS Code of Ethics states that informed written consent must be obtained by the
client (or parents) when the test data is to be used for a different purpose from that of the original
assessment. Test results should only be provided to those who have a legitimate need to know.

The release of test results may be sought under Freedom of Information legislation. The APS Privacy
Policy indicates that clients have the right to access (not copy) information. Section 2.4 of the APS
Ethical Guidelines states that access to psychological test protocols should at all times be supervised
or controlled by a psychologist.

Section 2.4 of the APS Ethical Guidelines states that test documents may be deemed exempt
documents on the grounds that disclosure would be contrary to public interest, where:
• Disclosure would invalidate the utility of the test or tests in the practice of psychology
• Disclosure would impair the ability of psychologists to perform their duties properly
• Disclosure would constitute a breach of the contractual agreements under which psychologists
are supplied with test materials.

National Privacy Principle 2 states that a psychologist is not always entitled to disclose personal
information in the absence of a legal obligation to disclose it.

National Privacy Principle 6.5 states that if an organization holds personal information about an
individual and the individual is able to establish that the information is not accurate, complete and up-
to-date, the organization must take reasonable steps to correct the information so that it is accurate,
complete and up-to-date.

Confidentiality

All psychological documents should be marked ‘confidential’.

According to Section 2.4 of the APS Ethical Guidelines, it is the ethical responsibility of the
psychologist to indicate to those tested the limits of confidentiality, which exist in the testing situation
such as legal obligation, and duty of care.

Where test materials are used for teaching purposes, students or trainees must be made fully aware
of their ethical responsibilities, particularly in relation to non-disclosure and confidentiality.

Updated May 2008

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