Overview
The Test of Problem Solving 2 – Adolescent (TOPS-2:A-Adolescent; Bowers, Huisingh, & LoGiudice, 2007) is a norm-referenced instrument that assesses critical thinking abilities based on student language strategies using logic and experience. It is for adolescents ages 12 years through 17 years, 11 months. The TOPS-2:A uses a natural context of problem-solving situations related to adolescent experiences and assesses five different decision-making areas critical to academic, problem solving, and social success. The following cognitive processes are the focus of the TOPS-2:A: understanding/comprehension, analysis, interpretation, self-regulation, and evaluation. The test is comprised of five subtests: Making Inferences, Determining Solutions, Problem Solving, Interpreting Perspectives, and Transferring Insights. By responding to verbally- and visually-presented reading passages, students’ performance of these skills are assessed by requiring students to pay careful attention to, process, and think about what they hear and read; think about problems with a purpose in mind; resist impulsivity; and express answers verbally.
Summary
Age: 12 years 0 months to 17 years 11 months
Time to Administer: 40 minutes
Method of Administration: Individually administered, norm-referenced assessment of critical thinking skills related to situations in and outside the academic setting. Test items are presented both verbally and in print to minimize possible auditory memory or reading deficiencies affecting test performance.
Yields standard scores, percentile ranks, age equivalents
Subscales: Overall Composite Score: Total Test Score
Subtest Scores: Making Inferences, Determining Solutions, Problem Solving, Interpreting Perspectives, Transferring Insights
Autism Related Research
None found. However, using its predecessor (TOPS-A), the results of a study conducted by Griswold and colleagues (2002) lead these authors to recommend this test with students who have Asperger Syndrome (i.e., high-functioning persons on the autism spectrum) to assess their ability to use language to express themselves in relation to answering questions, making inferences, and drawing conclusions- especially with vague or abstract concepts.