Test Review: A Review of the Feifer Assessment of Reading (FAR)

This review focuses on the Feifer Assessment of Reading (FAR) produced by S. G. Feifer and R. G. Nader in 2015. The FAR is a comprehensive reading test that is individually administered to children and adults aged 4 to 21 years. The structure of the FAR is based on a gradient model of brain functioning (Goldberg, 1990; Luria, 1980) and reflects a neuropsychological approach to reading. This instrument is designed to detect the presence of a reading disorder by examining the cognitive and linguistic processes that support proficient reading. According to Feifer and Nader, the FAR is unique because it allows for the identification of four specific reading disorder subtypes including surface dyslexia, dysphonetic dyslexia, mixed dyslexia, and a reading comprehension deficit. The FAR is comprised of 15 subtests that yield a Total Index (TI) and four indexes: the Phonological Index (PI), the Fluency Index (FI), the Mixed Index (MI), and the Comprehension Index (CI). A Screening Form consisting of the one subtest from the PI, FI, and CI is also available. This review begins by describing the administration, scoring, and interpretation of the FAR. It then reviews the FAR's technical adequacy (test development, standardization and norming, scale/item characteristics, reliability, and validity).