Expectations Test [1]
The Expectations Test is a child self-report measure developed to measure expectations for emotions, experiences, and efficacy for social situations in general and especially when there is a concern about sexual or physical abuse. In response to 16 ambiguous photographs of children, children are asked to describe how they think the child will feel, what will happen to the child, and if the child can control what will happen to him/her in each photograph.
Responses are scored for 9 categories of expectations: 1) Sexual Abuse, 2) Physical Harm, 3) Separation from a Parent, 4) Other
Negative Experience (e.g., time-out), 5) Emotional Distress, 6) Neutral, 7) Physical Contact (coded as a positive experience, e.g., being hugged or kissed), 8) Other Positive Situations, and 9) Unknown Outcome. Responses are also scored for five emotions (scared, sad, angry, fine, and happy). Scores for each of the five emotions and nine expectations are derived by summing answers across the 16 photographs. Scales for predicting a history of sexual abuse, a history of physical abuse, a history of exposure to family violence, and the level of posttraumatic stress can also be calculated.