The Self-Audit (SA) is an objective, standardized and automated (computer scored) self-administered
test. It is designed for adult counseling and treatment program intake. The Self-Audit (SA)
can also be used in HMO's, EAP programs, courts, probation and community corrections settings. The
Self-Audit (SA) consists of 160 items and takes 30 to 35 minutes to
complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. The
Self-Audit (SA) contains eight (8) measures (scales):
1.Truthfulness Scale,
2. Distress Scale,
3. Resistance Scale,
4. Morale Scale,
5. Violence Scale,
6. Alcohol Scale,
7. Drugs Scale and
8. Stress Coping Abilities Scale.
APPLICATIONS
* Self Audit *
Counseling and treatment programs
HMO's and EAP programs
Court, probation and community corrections
Adult (male and female) clients/offenders
Eight Scales
(Measures)
The eight Self-Audit (SA) scales are summarized as follows:
Truthfulness Scale:
Measures how truthful the client was while completing the SA. It
identifies denial, problem minimization and faking. It identifies
attempts to fake good.
Distress Scale:
Measures pain, misery and suffering. Distress incorporates physical
pain, mental abuse, anxiety anguish and depression.
Resistance Scale:
Measures the client's defensiveness, resistance to help and
uncooperativeness. This scale score varies directly with the client's
attitude and outlook. Some people resist help; whereas, others accept it.
Morale Scale:
Measures the client's mental outlook with respect to enthusiasm,
confidence and willingness to work through hardships.
Violence (Lethality)
Scale: Measures the client's propensity for using force to
injure, damage or destroy. This scale identifies people that are
dangerous to themselves or others.
Alcohol Scale:
Measures alcohol (beer,
wine and other liquor) use and the severity of abuse. Alcohol is a licit substance.
Drugs Scale:
Measures drug (marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, ecstasy, LSD, crack, barbiturates
and heroin) use and the severity of abuse. Drugs refer to illicit
substances.
Stress Coping Abilities
Scale: Measures how well the client handles stress. This is a
non-introversive screen for identifiable (diagnosable) emotional and
mental health problems.
* * * * *
The Self-Audit differs from the Victim Index (VI) in that the SA contains a
Violence
(Lethality) Scale and an individual
Alcohol
Scale and Drugs Scale. In contrast, the
Victim Index (VI) has a
Self-Esteem Scale,
Suicide Ideation
Scale and Substance Abuse Scale. To further contrast these two tests, their scales
(measures) are listed below.
Self-Audit
Victim Index
1. Truthfulness Scale
1. Truthfulness Scale
2. Distress Scale
2. Distress Scale
3. Resistance Scale
3. Resistance Scale
4. Morale Scale
4. Morale Scale
5. Violence Scale
5. Suicide Ideation Scale
6. Alcohol Scale
6. Self-Esteem Scale
7. Drugs Scale
7. Substance Abuse Scale
8. Stress Coping Abilities Scale
8. Stress Coping Abilities Scale
Some evaluators will want to compare
test-generated reports. An example Self-Audit report can be viewed by
clicking on the
Example Self-Audit Report
link. An example Victim Index report can be reviewed by clicking on the
Example Victim Index Report link.
In response to counselors' requests, the
Victim Index was modified and called the Self-Audit. Some clinicians requested
violence, alcohol and drug information and were willing to let go
of Suicide Ideation, Substance Abuse and Self-Esteem measures. Risk &
Needs Assessment, Inc. (Risk & Needs) decided to address this situation by developing the SA
and concurrently maintaining the VI. This gives assessors a choice. They
can select the test that best meets their needs.
Why Use the
Self-Audit?
When dealing with clients and patients, it is important to accurately assess their problems and
needs. The Self-Audit (SA) helps clients in understanding their life situation
and possible stressors.
Early problem identification
facilitates quicker intervention and treatment.
At one sitting of approximately 30 to 35 minutes, staff
can acquire a vast amount of patient information that can influence subsequent intervention and treatment
outcome.
Advantages of Screening
Screening and assessment instruments filter out individuals with problems warranting referral for
a more comprehensive evaluation and counseling or treatment. This filtering system works as follows:
SAI RISK RANGES
Risk Category
Risk Range Percentile
Total Percentage
Low Risk
0-39%
39%
Medium Risk
40-60%
30%
Problem Risk
70-89%
20%
Severe Risk
90-100%
11%
Reference to the above table shows
that a problem is not identified until a scale score is at the 70th
percentile or higher. These risk range percentiles are based upon clients
that have completed the SA. This procedure is fair and avoids extremes,
i.e., over-identification and under-identification of problems.
A doctor, counselor, health care
professional or agency may refer clients with identified problems for
further evaluation or treatment services. In the case presented above,
eleven percent (11%) of the adults screened (Severe Problem) would be
referred for counseling or treatment.
In this
example, 89% (contingent upon adopted policy) of the people screened would
not be referred for additional (and unnecessary as well as expensive) services.
Savings
(dollars) could be large with no compromises in clients receiving
appropriate evaluation and/or treatment services. Indeed, it is
likely more clients would receive help. Without a screening program, there
is usually more risk of over or under-utilization of additional specialized services.
Test Booklets
The Self-Audit (SA) test booklets are provided free.
These booklets contain 127 items and are written at a 5th to 6th
grade reading level. If a person can read the newspaper, they can read the SA.
Reports
In brief, SA reports summarize the client's self-report history, explain what attained scale
scores mean and offer specific score-related recommendations.
Within 2½ minutes of test data
entry, automated (computer scored) reports are printed on-site. These
reports summarize a lot of information in an easily understood format. For
example, reports include an SA profile (graph), which summarizes all scale
scores at a glance. Also included are scale scores, an explanation of what
each score means and specific score-related recommendations. In addition,
significant items (direct admissions) are highlighted, and answers to a
built-in interview (last sequence of items) are presented. Emphasis is
placed on having meaningful reports that are helpful and easily
understood. To review a Self Audit Example report click on the
Self Audit Example Report link.
Reliability, Validity and Accuracy
The SA has a proprietary built-in
database that insures inclusion of all administered tests in a
confidential (no names) manner. SA reliability, validity and accuracy
statistics are reported herein. This analysis demonstrates that SA scales
have high reliability and validity coefficients.
For example, interscale consistencies (coefficient alphas) for SA scales are reported in the
following table for clients tested with the SA.
Self AUDIT RELIABILITY (N=1,100, 2002)
Self Audit Scales
Coefficient Alpha
Significant Level
Truthfulness
.88
p<.001
Distress
.89
p<.001
Resistance
.93
p<.001
Morale
.92
p<.001
Violence (Lethality)
.89
p<.001
Alcohol
.90
p<.001
Drugs
.91
p<.001
Stress Coping
.93
p<.001
All SA scales have alpha coefficients above the professionally accepted standard of .75 and are
highly reliable. And, all coefficient alphas are significant at the p<.001 level.
Early studies used criterion measures and were validated with other tests, e.g., Minnesota
Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) L-Scale and F-Scale, 16PF, Victim Index,
Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale, Treatment Intervention Inventory (TII),
etc. The SA evolved from the Victim Index. Much of this research is
summarized in the document titled "SA: An Inventory of Scientific
Findings." To review this research, click on the
Self-Audit Research link.
The Self-Audit is introduced on Risk & Needs'
website to expand its normative sample. As always, used
diskettes shall be returned to Risk & Needs for inclusion in the SA expanding database.
Software
The SA is available in Windows diskettes. Windows diskettes require a one time
set-up procedure after which SA data (25 or 50-test) diskettes are used to
score and print reports. Training manuals are provided free, and new test
users can be walked through these scoring procedures over the Risk & Needs telephone line.
Proprietary SA diskettes contain 25
or 50 test applications. These 3½" diskettes score, interpret and
print reports on-site. Once an SA account is established, ordered diskettes
are mailed to users. When all test applications on an SA diskette are used,
these diskettes are returned to Risk & Needs where demographics and test data are
downloaded into the SA database for subsequent database analysis. The
proprietary "delete names" program is activated by the test user with a
few keystrokes to delete all client names from diskettes before they are
returned to Risk & Needs. Deleting all client names insures protection of each
client's confidentiality and compliance with HIPAA (federal regulation 45
C.F.R. 164.501).
Database
The SA system contains a proprietary built-in database. Earlier it was
noted that all SA used diskettes are returned to Risk & Needs, and the test data is
downloaded into the SA's expanding database. This database allows ongoing
research and testing program summary, features that were only rarely
possible before. Ongoing research insures quality control. Annual testing
program summaries provide for program self-evaluation. And, these features
are provided free. To review a summary report click on the
Annual Summary Report link.
Built-in Database
The SA permits ongoing research and annual program summary -- at no
additional cost. As discussed earlier, when the 25 or 50-test diskettes
are used, used diskettes are returned to Risk & Needs and downloaded into the
expanding SA database. Advantages of this proprietary database are many
and include database analysis and annual summary reports.
No personal information, names, social security numbers, etc. are ever downloaded into any
test database.
Returned diskettes can be summarized
on a state, department, agency or provider basis -- at no additional cost
to users. To review an example annual summary report, click on this
Annual Summary Report link.
After downloading test data returned diskettes are destroyed.
In summary, all returned SA
diskettes' test data is centrally filed at Risk & Needs' offices in the SA
database. This database has many advantages. Database analysis permits
ongoing cost efficient research that includes scale alpha coefficients,
ANOVA, frequency distributions, correlations, cross-tab statistics along
with reliability, validity and accuracy determinations. To review the
Self-Audit: Inventory of Scientific Findings, click on the
Self-Audit Research link.
Staff Member Input
The SA is to be used in conjunction with experienced staff judgment. When
available, adjustment records should be reviewed, as they can contain
important information not provided or incorrectly provided by the client.
Experienced staff should also interview the client. For these reasons, the
following statement is contained in each SA report: "Self-Audit results are confidential
and are working hypotheses. No diagnosis or decision should be based solely upon these results. These
test results are to be used in conjunction with experienced staff
judgment and review of available records."
How Do You Assess Denial?
Sometimes, clients minimize, exaggerate or distort the truth. Sometimes,
this is deliberate, but it can be inadvertent. People tend to want to
appear in a good light -- it's normal. Yet, in many cases, it's important
to determine whether or not the client is telling the truth. The SA
contains a Truthfulness Scale that determines how truthful the respondent
was while completing the test. This scale identifies denial, problem
minimization and faking. And the SA doesn't stop there. Error of
measurement due to untruthfulness is measured for each scale and reported
as Truth-Corrected scores. Truth-Corrected scores are more accurate than raw scores.
Unique Self-Audit (SA) Features
Truthfulness Scale: Measures how truthful
the respondent was while completing the SA. This scale identifies denial,
problem minimization and faking. The SA Truthfulness Scale has been
validated with other tests, truthfulness studies and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
(MMPI) L- and F-Scales. It consists of a number of items that most people agree or disagree with.
This important scale has been demonstrated to be reliable, valid and accurate. Much of
this research is reported in the document titled: "SA: An Inventory of
Scientific Findings."
Truth-Corrected
Scores: Truth-Corrected scores have proven to be
important in enhancing assessment accuracy. This proprietary
truth correction procedure is comparable to the MMPI K-Scale correction
methodology. The SA Truthfulness Scale has been correlated with the other
seven SA scales. The truth correction equation then converts raw scores to
Truth-Corrected scores. Raw scores reflect what the respondent wants you
to know. Truth-Corrected scores reveal what the respondent is trying to
minimize. Truth-Corrected scores are more accurate than raw scores.
More Than Just
Another Alcohol or Drug Test: In addition
to substance (alcohol and other drugs) abuse, the SA assesses other
important areas of inquiry like distress, morale, self-esteem, resistance and stress coping
abilities. The SA is designed specifically for adult client assessment and screening.
Three Ways to Give
the Self-Audit: The SA can be administered in three
different ways: 1. Paper-pencil test booklet format. 2. The SA can be
given directly on the computer screen. And, 3. The proprietary "human voice
audio" involves both the computer and a headset. The respondent uses the
up-down arrow keys. As the respondent goes from question to answer with
the arrow keys, that question or answer is highlighted on the monitor
(screen) and simultaneously read to the respondent. These test
administration modes are discussed in the "SA: Orientation and Training
Manual." Each of these test administration modes is made available so test
users can select the mode that is best suited to their needs.
Reading Impaired Assessment: Reading impaired clients represent as many as
20+ percent of the people tested with the SA. Risk & Needs' tests are written at a 5th
to 6th grade reading level. If a person can read the
newspaper, they can read and understand the SA. Risk & Needs also offers a
proprietary alternative for reading impaired assessment, which is called
"human voice audio."
Human Voice Audio:Human voice audio is available in English and Spanish. It helps resolve
many reading and cultural difference issues. A person's passive vocabulary
is often greater than their active (spoken) vocabulary. Hearing items read
out loud often helps reduce cultural and communication problems. As
discussed earlier, "human voice audio" test presentation requires a
computer, earphones and simple instructions regarding how to operate the
up-down arrow keys located on the computer keyboard.
Confidentiality: Risk &
Needs encourages test users to delete respondent names from diskettes before
they are returned to Risk & Needs. This proprietary name deletion procedure
involves a few keystrokes. Once respondent names are deleted, they are
gone and cannot be retrieved. Deleting names does not delete demographics
or test data which is downloaded into the SA database for subsequent
analysis. The "delete names" procedure insures client confidentiality
and compliance with HIPAA (federal regulation 45 C.F.R. 164.501).
Test Data Input
Verification: This proprietary program
allows the person that inputs test data from the answer sheet into the
computer to verify the accuracy of their data input. In brief, test data
is input twice, and any inconsistencies between the first and second data
entries are highlighted until corrected. When the first and second data
entries match or are the same, the staff person may continue. Use of this
data input verification procedure is optional, yet strongly recommended by
Risk & Needs.
Inventory of
Scientific Findings: Much of the SA
research has been gathered together in one document titled "SA: An
Inventory of Scientific Findings." This document summarizes SA research
chronologically -- as the studies were completed. This innovative
chronological reporting format was established largely because of the SA
database, which permits annual database analysis of all tests administered
that year. It also allows the reader to observe the evolution of the SA.
Staff Training: Risk &
Needs' staff is available to participate in SA training
programs scheduled by test users in the United States. Large departments, agencies or
statewide programs often are interested in SA training. Sometimes, smaller
agencies or departments get together for a joint SA training session.
Risk & Needs gives attendees certificates attesting to their SA training.
Staff training is also provided on Fridays at Risk & Needs'
Phoenix offices from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30
p.m. These training sessions are free. To participate, contact BRisk & Needs at least ten days in advance. Participation is on a first call, first scheduled basis.
Free Examination Kit.
A 1-test demonstration diskette is available on a 30-day cost free basis. Demo diskettes are in
Windows format. The Examination Kit includes a 1-test demo diskette, installation CD (with instructions),
test booklet, answer sheet and some descriptive materials. Risk & Needs Assessment, Inc. does want the
test booklet and diskette returned within 30 days.
Selecting a Client Assessment Instrument or Test
If you are selecting a client
assessment instrument, the following "comparison checklist" should prove
to be helpful. This checklist itemizes important assessment and screening
qualities. The "Other" column represents any other test you might want to
compare to the Self-Audit (SA).
SA reports summarize the client's self-report history, explain what attained scores mean and
offer specific score related recommendations.
Within 2½ minutes of test data entry, automated (computer-scored) reports are printed on-site.
These reports summarize a lot of information in an easily understood
format. Emphasis is placed on having meaningful reports that are helpful and easily understood.
When dealing with clients it is important to accurately assess
their problems and needs. The Self-Audit (SA) helps clients
understand their life situation. The Self-Audit (SA) contains eight
scales (measures): 1. Truthfulness Scale,
2. Distress Scale,
3.
Resistance Scale, 4. Morale Scale,
5. Violence (Lethality) Scale,
6. Alcohol
Scale, 7.
Drugs Scale and the Stress Coping
Abilities Scale.
Additional information can be provided upon request by writing:
Risk & Needs Assessment, Inc. P.O. Box 44828 Phoenix, Arizona 85064-4828.
Our telephone number is (602) 234-3506
Our fax number is (602) 266-8227
and our e-mail address is
sheryl@riskandneeds.com.
