ABSTRACT
Little is known about how child psychologists are formally prepared to perform one of their most challenging professional roles, the sharing of test data with their patients’ families. Although much time and energy is justifiably invested in mastering test procedures and using tests to describe personality characteristics and reach differential diagnoses, there is little formal training in how to convey this information to parents, and most psychologists learn these skills by observation or through trial and error. Although providing feedback to parents is often challenging for clinicians, providing feedback regarding personality assessment can be particularly difficult, as the results of personality assessments frequently involve judgments regarding children’s individual attributes, place in the family, the quality of their relationships with parents and siblings, and potential causes of behavior problems. Thus, the results of the evaluation frequently relate to the parents’ investment in their view of their child and their relationships, which may elicit intense personal feelings in the parents when they hear this information.
