| AdminHistory | Admin History 1959-1987: [Note that in 1987 at Steering Committee on Test Standards under the Professional Affairs Board was formed which led to the launch of the Certificate of Competencies in Test Standards and Register of Competencies in Occupational Testing RCOT in July 1991, later RCPT [Register of Competence in Psychological Testing]
Minute 3105 for the Council meeting held on 22nd November, 1958 reads: "That a standing committee on tests standards be appointed".
Of the eight members appointed to the founding committee, six were present at the first meeting on 10th February 1959; they elected Professor P.E. Vernon chairman and Mr. D.A. Pidgeon secretary.
The activities of the committee since that first meeting fall into two main phases: up to, September 1968 and from October 1968 onwards.
The significance of the dividing date is that the committee was then given responsibility for vetting proposed short courses for non-psychologists in the use of psychological tests. The initial terms of reference, adequate throughout the first phase, numbered five.
When phase two began, new terms of reference were drawn up. The committee is now a Standing Committee of the Professional Affairs Board, wherever PAB is mentioned the original wording would have been "council".
The committee met 22 times during the first ten years (average 2.2 meetings a year).
In 1959 the committee decided to produce a document which would contain recommendations on training in test use, restrictions of sales, and ethics of borrowing parts of tests for personal or commercial gain. In 1970 the committee elected a separate chairman and secretary to handle specifically the reviews of courses.
Chairman and Secretaries up to 1978:
Chairmen:
Prof. P.E.Vernon- 1959
Dr. C.B. Frisby- December 1961
Dr.K.M.Miller- October 1968
Secretaries:
Dr.D.A.Pidgeon- 1959
Dr.A.Pilliner- July 1962
Mr.H.Lock- May 1973
Dr.I.J.Blain- June 1975
Courses review:
Chairmen:
Dr.S.M.Chown- 1970
Miss M.Procter- June 1974
Dr.P.Kline- May 1976
Secretaries:
Dr.A.P.Sealey- 1970
Dr.F.Fransella- April 1971
Mr. J.H.B. Dodd- May 1973
Mr. D.P. O'Donovan- May 1976
Dr.J.Goodman- May 1977
Dr.I.J.Blain- Oct.1978 (Acting)
Sources: "BPS Standing Committee on Tests Standards The First 22 years" paper prepared by Dr.K.M.Miller with the assistance of Dr. I.Blain
Documents produced by BPS Standing Committee on Tests Standards:
1960 Technical recommendations for psychological and educational tests- BPS Bulletin, May pp 13-17
1965 Principles governing the employment of psychological tests and clinical instruments- BPS Bulletin, 18 pp 27-28, October
1966 Psychological Tests: a statement by the British Psychological Society- October- London BPS pp 4
1969 Classification of tests and test users: courses of training in the use of psychological tests other than degree courses- BPS Bulletin 22
1970 BPS: Qualification for users of psychological tests: a statement by council- Bulletin 23 pp, 5-6 January
1972 Criteria for evaluating short courses on psychological tests: notes on completion, Bulletin 25, pp 36, January ("14 points")
Duplicated papers
Criteria for advanced courses
Courses on less complex scales- SCTS
The organization of courses on psychological tests: notes for guidance- SCTS Dec.1972
Publications
1980 Technical Recommendations for Psychological Tests- Bull. May
1980 Notes for Guidance in planning short courses in psychological testing- Bulletin, June
1981 Principles governing the employment of psychological tests- Bulletin, August |