What is a common issue related to assessment bias that practitioners need to be aware of?

Examiner bias is a common issue related to assessment bias that practitioners must be vigilant about. It refers to the subjective influence that a clinician or examiner may have on the assessment process. This can manifest in various ways, such as the examiner's expectations affecting their observations or scoring, or their attitudes influencing how questions are posed or interpreted. When practitioners hold preconceived notions about a participant's abilities based on factors like race, socioeconomic status, or previous experiences, these biases can inadvertently lead to inaccurate assessment outcomes.

Being aware of examiner bias is crucial because it can compromise the validity and reliability of assessment results. For instance, if an examiner unconsciously favors certain responses or misjudges a participant’s performance based on their own biases, the evaluation may not reflect the true abilities or needs of the individual being assessed. This highlights the importance of training in cultural competency and self-awareness for practitioners to minimize these biases and ensure fair, equitable assessments.

In contrast, while test design flaws, participant age, and question ambiguity can also introduce issues in assessments, they do not directly involve the subjective influence of the examiner, making examiner bias particularly critical to address in any evaluative process.