Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 46 - PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS › Part LXIII - Psychologists › Subpart 1 - General Provisions › Chapter 17 - Specialty Titles › Section LXIII-1702 - Definition of Psychological Testing, Evaluation and Assessment

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. As contained in
				  R.S.
				  37:2352(7), the practice of
				  psychology includes, but is not limited to, psychological testing and
				  evaluation or assessment of personal characteristics such as intelligence,
				  personality, abilities, interests, aptitudes, and neuropsychological
				  functioning. The Board of Examiners of Psychologists finds it necessary to
				  formally define psychological testing in order to protect the people of this
				  state from the unlawful, unqualified and improper use of psychological tests.
				  The intent of this rule is to provide a definition of psychological testing
				  sufficient to allow this board to effectively regulate this aspect of
				  psychological practice. The Board of Examiners of Psychologists recognizes
				  that, except as otherwise provided by law, psychological testing may only be
				  administered and interpreted by a person duly licensed as a psychologist by
				  this board under
				  R.S.
				  37:2351 et seq., or by a person under the
				  direct supervision of a psychologist, provided that such supervision is in
				  compliance with the regulations of this board.
B. Nothing in these regulations should be
				  interpreted or construed as to limit or restrict the practice of physicians
				  duly licensed to practice medicine by the Board of Medical Examiners. Also,
				  nothing in this rule should be construed as having application to any persons
				  licensed or certified under other laws of this state when acting within the
				  legal scope of such licensure or certification in rendering services as
				  expressly set forth under those relevant statutes.
C. Psychological testing, evaluation or
				  assessment hereinafter referred to as "psychological testing," is defined as
				  the administration and/or interpretation of measurement instruments, devices,
				  or procedures for the purpose of treatment planning and/or diagnosis,
				  classification or description of mental and emotional disorders and
				  disabilities, disorders of personality or behavior, psychological aspects of
				  physical illness, accident, injury or disability and neuropsychological
				  impairment. The use of computerized psychological assessment procedures is also
				  included in scope of this regulation.
D. Psychological testing explicitly includes
				  the following three areas:
1.
				  intellectual-which includes those normative-based individually administered
				  instruments used to measure cognitive functions such as abstract reasoning,
				  fund of knowledge and problem solving;
2. personality and emotional-which includes
				  those normative-based instruments used to measure both trait and state aspects
				  of personality and emotional characteristics and functioning;
3. neuropsychological which includes those
				  normative-based instruments used to make inferences about brain and behavior
				  relationships. These relationships include, but are not limited to,
				  sensorimotor functioning, attention and concentration skills, memory
				  functioning, language function, concrete and abstract problem solving, and
				  measures of cognitive flexibility and creativity;