I agree that, if you read the letter closely, the part about Alex's scoring makes it clear that they don't think she's outside the range for her own age. But the fact that they're comparing her to the range for babies who are a few months older, and finding her wanting, makes it sound as though there's a problem with her. There was another part I didn't quote which said something about "if she's still outside the expected range at 18 months, we can enroll her in the study then."
As a mother, I wasn't afraid for Alex's development upon reading that letter. As a psychologist, and as someone who has given psychological tests for a living, I am angry because I think the letter would be read by many, or most, mothers as evidence of a delay. They made an inappropriate comparison using an inappropriate test, and that was unethical. It really bothers me to see someone do my job badly, and in a way that - were I someone else - could have caused me real fear.
Yes, of course, compared to someone whose child actually is delayed I have things quite easy. (I'm not furious, actually, just pretty irritated.) That doesn't mean that I shouldn't deliver a sharp professional rebuke to someone who is using tests in a sloppy and unprofessional manner.
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Re: confused
Date: 2005-11-19 12:51 am (UTC)As a mother, I wasn't afraid for Alex's development upon reading that letter. As a psychologist, and as someone who has given psychological tests for a living, I am angry because I think the letter would be read by many, or most, mothers as evidence of a delay. They made an inappropriate comparison using an inappropriate test, and that was unethical. It really bothers me to see someone do my job badly, and in a way that - were I someone else - could have caused me real fear.
Yes, of course, compared to someone whose child actually is delayed I have things quite easy. (I'm not furious, actually, just pretty irritated.) That doesn't mean that I shouldn't deliver a sharp professional rebuke to someone who is using tests in a sloppy and unprofessional manner.