This book belongs to a series edited by Alan and Nadeen Kaufman. The author, Jack A. Naglieri, lives up to the Kaufmans’ standards and does a wonderful job on this text. The book opens with an overview of the test and why this book was written. The CAS is a test for intelligence, and as many well know, staying up with all the tests and scales is very difficult, especially with all the revisions that are going on right now. The overview touches lightly on the history of the test, which is nicely presented and not overly defined.  The book was designed for  professionals who need to quickly obtain new knowledge in the intelligence testing field.

Naglieri brings out a very special point in the introduction about I ntelligence testing. Though almost all IQ tests are based on Binet and Simon’s tests, and of course the Wechler (WISC and WAIS) tests, and we still use those tests today, not much has been done in ways of "upgrading" the tests to today’s technology. We are still doing the test, and using basically the same stimuli as we did in the early 1900’s. He then slowly moves into the explanation of the CAS and how it was developed. He briefly reviews the Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive (PASS) theory on which this test was based. The Introduction/Overview is somewhat lengthy, but will hold your interest easily.

The book then moves into the area of how to administer the CAS. This section is especially helpful if you need to become familiar with the test quickly, and don’t have time to practice administering it. I could see it also being useful if you are familiar with the test, but don’t administer it often, and need a little review. As with the other books in this series, there are easy-to-find gray sections with sections such as "Don’t Forget" and "Rapid References." It nicely displays illustrations of the test, so it is easy to keep track of where you are.

A chapter on how to score the test and how to interpret the test is also in this book. The author closes the book out with the chapters on Strength and weaknesses of the test, and the clinical applications of the test.

The last chapter is dedicated to making the connection between the Pass and Application.

If you are a clinician, and plan or do use the Das-Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) IQ test, then this book is a must.

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Categories: MentalHealth, General

Keywords: assessment, testing, and measurement