A descriptive study of access to psychological assessment materials on-line: How accessible are images of commonly used cognitive and personality tests?

The protection of psychological tests is important. The potential for open access to protected test materials on the internet represents a new concern. In this exploratory study, we examined access to images of commonly used cognitive and personality test materials on the internet. We also examined...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Brad A. MacNeil, Grace Fitzgibbons, Chandler Gotfried, Lauren Kraft, Parker Krain, Melisa Mendoza, Chloe Parr, Isabella Savage, Olivia Wilkerson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Acta Psychologica
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000169182500753X
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849233640339275776
author Brad A. MacNeil
Grace Fitzgibbons
Chandler Gotfried
Lauren Kraft
Parker Krain
Melisa Mendoza
Chloe Parr
Isabella Savage
Olivia Wilkerson
author_facet Brad A. MacNeil
Grace Fitzgibbons
Chandler Gotfried
Lauren Kraft
Parker Krain
Melisa Mendoza
Chloe Parr
Isabella Savage
Olivia Wilkerson
author_sort Brad A. MacNeil
collection DOAJ
description The protection of psychological tests is important. The potential for open access to protected test materials on the internet represents a new concern. In this exploratory study, we examined access to images of commonly used cognitive and personality test materials on the internet. We also examined the content of the images that were accessible, whether test stimuli or sample stimuli were present, and the online posting source. An internet image search was conducted using keywords to determine web-based access to cognitive and personality test materials. Results demonstrated easy access to images of many commonly used cognitive and personality test materials through an online image search. Images included test record forms, and in some cases actual or sample test items and stimuli. Common sources where the images were posted online included social media, research and private practice websites. Results from this exploratory study provide initial helpful insights into the access to images of psychological test materials online, and safeguarding considerations for psychologists, other professionals, and test publishers working to protect the integrity of these tests.
format Article
id doaj-art-7fac4a79c1074bff863bf4841458a6b1
institution Kabale University
issn 0001-6918
language English
publishDate 2025-09-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Acta Psychologica
spelling doaj-art-7fac4a79c1074bff863bf4841458a6b12025-08-20T05:04:00ZengElsevierActa Psychologica0001-69182025-09-0125910544010.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105440A descriptive study of access to psychological assessment materials on-line: How accessible are images of commonly used cognitive and personality tests?Brad A. MacNeil0Grace Fitzgibbons1Chandler Gotfried2Lauren Kraft3Parker Krain4Melisa Mendoza5Chloe Parr6Isabella Savage7Olivia Wilkerson8Department of Behavioral Science, College of Health Science, Doctoral Clinical Psychology Program, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308, United States of America; Corresponding author: College of Health Sciences, Department of Behavioral Sciences, Clinical Psychology Program, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308, United States of America.Department of Behavioral Science, College of Health Science, Doctoral Clinical Psychology Program, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308, United States of AmericaDepartment of Behavioral Science, College of Health Science, Doctoral Clinical Psychology Program, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308, United States of AmericaDepartment of Behavioral Science, College of Health Science, Doctoral Clinical Psychology Program, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308, United States of AmericaDepartment of Behavioral Science, College of Health Science, Doctoral Clinical Psychology Program, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308, United States of AmericaDepartment of Behavioral Science, College of Health Science, Doctoral Clinical Psychology Program, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308, United States of AmericaDepartment of Behavioral Science, College of Health Science, Doctoral Clinical Psychology Program, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308, United States of AmericaDepartment of Behavioral Science, College of Health Science, Doctoral Clinical Psychology Program, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308, United States of AmericaDepartment of Behavioral Science, College of Health Science, Doctoral Clinical Psychology Program, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308, United States of AmericaThe protection of psychological tests is important. The potential for open access to protected test materials on the internet represents a new concern. In this exploratory study, we examined access to images of commonly used cognitive and personality test materials on the internet. We also examined the content of the images that were accessible, whether test stimuli or sample stimuli were present, and the online posting source. An internet image search was conducted using keywords to determine web-based access to cognitive and personality test materials. Results demonstrated easy access to images of many commonly used cognitive and personality test materials through an online image search. Images included test record forms, and in some cases actual or sample test items and stimuli. Common sources where the images were posted online included social media, research and private practice websites. Results from this exploratory study provide initial helpful insights into the access to images of psychological test materials online, and safeguarding considerations for psychologists, other professionals, and test publishers working to protect the integrity of these tests.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000169182500753XPsychological assessmentCognitivePersonalityTest securityTest protection
spellingShingle Brad A. MacNeil
Grace Fitzgibbons
Chandler Gotfried
Lauren Kraft
Parker Krain
Melisa Mendoza
Chloe Parr
Isabella Savage
Olivia Wilkerson
A descriptive study of access to psychological assessment materials on-line: How accessible are images of commonly used cognitive and personality tests?
Acta Psychologica
Psychological assessment
Cognitive
Personality
Test security
Test protection
title A descriptive study of access to psychological assessment materials on-line: How accessible are images of commonly used cognitive and personality tests?
title_full A descriptive study of access to psychological assessment materials on-line: How accessible are images of commonly used cognitive and personality tests?
title_fullStr A descriptive study of access to psychological assessment materials on-line: How accessible are images of commonly used cognitive and personality tests?
title_full_unstemmed A descriptive study of access to psychological assessment materials on-line: How accessible are images of commonly used cognitive and personality tests?
title_short A descriptive study of access to psychological assessment materials on-line: How accessible are images of commonly used cognitive and personality tests?
title_sort descriptive study of access to psychological assessment materials on line how accessible are images of commonly used cognitive and personality tests
topic Psychological assessment
Cognitive
Personality
Test security
Test protection
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000169182500753X
work_keys_str_mv AT bradamacneil adescriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT gracefitzgibbons adescriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT chandlergotfried adescriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT laurenkraft adescriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT parkerkrain adescriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT melisamendoza adescriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT chloeparr adescriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT isabellasavage adescriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT oliviawilkerson adescriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT bradamacneil descriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT gracefitzgibbons descriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT chandlergotfried descriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT laurenkraft descriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT parkerkrain descriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT melisamendoza descriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT chloeparr descriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT isabellasavage descriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests
AT oliviawilkerson descriptivestudyofaccesstopsychologicalassessmentmaterialsonlinehowaccessibleareimagesofcommonlyusedcognitiveandpersonalitytests