OT 6220 – Assessment and Measurement in Occupational Therapy Practice Test

The choice indicating emotional state and sensation deficits as a person factor that could threaten the validity of assessment results is correct because these factors can directly influence an individual's performance during assessments.

Emotional state can significantly impact cognitive functions, motivation, and overall test-taking behavior. For example, anxiety or depression may hinder a person's ability to concentrate or respond effectively, leading to distorted results that do not accurately reflect their true abilities or skills. Likewise, sensation deficits could affect how an individual interacts with the assessment tools or how they engage in tasks, ultimately compromising the fidelity of the data collected.

In contrast, environmental factors like background noise, room temperature, or the duration of the assessment may create discomfort or distraction, but they do not inherently stem from the individual’s personal capabilities or characteristics. While they can be significant in ensuring a comfortable testing environment, they primarily affect the context of the assessment rather than the individual's inherent traits and abilities. Thus, they pose less of a direct threat to the validity of the assessment results compared to emotional states and sensation deficits.