Exam Development

In order to develop a content‐valid examination, the knowledge and skills necessary for competent practice in the profession must be determined. The process for identifying these competency areas is referred to as a Role Delineation Study (or Job Task Analysis), and these processes require the input from Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from the field that represent different regions and schools. It is through the work of these SMEs and a dedicated psychometrician that the various domains and tasks related to the field are identified

The identifications of the group are later shared with a larger audience of practitioners for validation. Once completed, the role delineation study serves as the blueprint for examination construction.

The next step in the exam construction is Item Writing (or question writing) for the exam. Item Writers are chosen by the Chair of the Commission and must be current NPCP Certified Pilates Teachers with 5 years teaching experience and represent similar demographic characteristics as the candidate population. Using the exam blueprint and under the supervision of a dedicated psychometrician, Item Writers work to create the necessary number of questions to create or replenish new or existing forms (exams). 

Following the Blueprint determined through the validation of the Job Task Analysis, the test administration company develops, assembles and produces two draft examination forms.

A high‐quality examination must have a defensible passing score. That is, the score that separates passing examinees from failing examinees must be determined in a systematic and reasonable way.

To achieve this, a group of SMEs is chosen by the Certification Commission that includes individuals whose careers and professional qualifications indicated strong knowledge of Pilates teaching. Under the supervision of a dedicated psychometrician, the group works to establish data that the psychometricians can analyze and use to determine the passing point for the exam.

Essential to the exam construction process is that the exam content reflect current practice. To this end, supporting references are routinely updated, and additional references selected as needed to address the broad spectrum of the Pilates method. References serve as evidence for each item on the exam.

Questions on the NPCP exam are referred to as items. Each item on the NPCP certification exams must have a minimum of one reference; references must be current, verifiable, and support the basis of the subject matter addressed by the given item. The reference list for the NPCP exams reflects content that spans a spectrum of knowledge including anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, emergency procedures, special populations, Pilates teaching, and protocols specific to the Pilates method.

References

ACSM. (2021). ACSMs Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (11th ed.). LWW.

American Heart Association. (2016). Basic Life Support Provider Manual. American Heart Association.

Biel, A. (2014). Trail Guide to The Body (5th ed.). Books of Discovery.

Calais-Germain, B. (2008). Anatomy of Movement (3rd ed.). Eastland Press.

Clark, M., & Lucett, S. (2021). NASM Essentials of Corrective Exercise Training (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Corey-Zopich, C., Howard, B., Ickes, D., & Mellor, T. (2014). Pilates for Children and Adolescents. Handspring Publishing.

Friedman, P., & Eisen, G. (2004). The Pilates Method of Physical and Mental Conditioning. Doubleday and Co.

Isacowitz, R., & Clippinger, K. (2019). Pilates Anatomy (2nd ed.). Human Kinetics.

Kapandji, I. (2019). The Physiology of the Joints - Vol. 1 (1st ed.). Handspring Publishing.

Kapandji, I. (2019). The Physiology of the Joints - Vol. 2 (1st ed.). Handspring Publishing.

Kapandji, I. (2019). The Physiology of the Joints - Vol. 3 (1st ed.). Handspring Publishing.

Kapanek, B., Levine, B., & Jaffe, W. (2011). Pilates for Hip and Knee Syndromes and Arthroplasies. Human Kinetics.

Kapit, W., & Elson, L. M. (2013). Anatomy Coloring Book (4th ed.). Pearson.

Kendall, F., McCreary, E., Provance, P., Rodgers, M., & Romani, W. (2005). Muscles Testing And Function (5th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Kisner, C., & Colby, L. (2018). Therapeutic Exercise (7th ed.). F. A. David Company.

Lessen, D. (2019). National Pilates Certification Exam Study Guide (4th ed.). Pilates Method Alliance.

Neumann, D. (2016). Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System (3rd ed.). Mosby.

Picot, S. (2006). Pilates and Pregnancy: A Workbook for Before, During and After Pregnancy w/ DVD. Picot Pilates.

Pilates, J. (1998). Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising that Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education. Presentation Dynamics.

Pilates, J. (2012). Return to Life. Pilates Method Alliance.

Note to candidates: These references should not be used to prepare for the exam as they do not represent the exam content as a whole but rather address the required evidence for specific items. Study materials have been developed for exam preparation and can be found here.