ABSTRACT
This chapter covers Phase II of the model of Therapeutic Assessment with Children: the Data Gathering/Testing Phase. The first section focuses on how tests and test responses are viewed from the model and provides a rationale for choosing tests to address Assessment Questions. A discussion about when and why parents might be invited to be tested themselves is given. Following, the reasons and benefits for why parents are usually asked to observe all or part of their child's testing sessions are discussed, as are the multiple methods developed to facilitate this happening. Next, multiple methods of Extended Inquiry are described to encourage follow-up with selected responses children give to test items. Following, the steps involved in gathering information from collateral contacts, testing the child, and discussing observations and findings along the way with parents are provided. The importance of reviewing the findings test by test, along with comportment, life events, and multigenerational history, is emphasized as preparation for an analysis across all findings that will occur in Phase III. The chapter ends by returning to the case study being followed across chapters.
