Clinical cognitive ability assessment--and its corollary, score interpretation--are in a state of disarray. Many current instruments are designed to provide a bevy of scores to appeal to a variety of school psychologists. These scores are not all grounded in the attribute's theory or developed from sound measurement or psychometric theory. Thus,…

An old issue in psychological assessment is to what extent power and speed each are measured by a given intelligence test. Starting from accuracy and response time data, an approach based on posterior time limits (cut-offs of recorded response time) leads to three kinds of recoded data: time data (whether or not the response precedes the cut-off),…

Supplementary methods for the analysis of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status are made available, including (a) quantifying the number of abnormally low Index scores and abnormally large differences exhibited by a case and accompanying this with estimates of the percentages of the normative population expected to…

Objective: To study the effect of administration sequence on Conner's continuous performance test (CPT-II) scores in clients requesting psychological assessment. It was hypothesized that when administered at the end rather than beginning of a test battery, the test scores will show higher symptom severity. If present, order effects may cause the…

This study investigated the possibility that apparent sex differences in IQ are at least partly created by the degree of sample restriction from the baseline population. We used a nationally representative sample, the 1970 British Cohort Study. Sample sizes varied from 6518 to 11,389 between data-collection sweeps. Principal components analysis of…

The repeated psychological assessment of 41 high-risk infants during the first 2 years of life using the Mental Scale of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development was investigated. Analyses indicated that the infants' cognitive functioning remained fairly stable over the 2 years, particularly from age 6 months on. (Author/JDD)

Evaluation of patients on the Cognitive Status Examination (CSE) significantly discriminated the brain-damaged from the psychiatric and medical groups. Examined the relationship of scores to age and education, as well as the effect of demographics on group discrimination. Presents a distribution of cutting scores for screening purposes. (Author/KS)

Two memory tests for neuropsychologists--the Denman Neuropsychology Memory Scale and the Recognition Memory Test--are reviewed, with attention to test administration and technical features. Both tests are considered useful additions to the repertoire of tests of memory function. Implications of and cautions concerning their use in Australia are…

Explored validity of new clinical test of verbal memory incorporating constructs from normal and pathological memory research, to quantify the ways examinees learn verbal material. Factor analyses of normal subjects and neurological patients indicated that verbal memory consisted of a number of component factors, reflecting learning strategy,…

Investigated possible priming effect of two neuropsychological tests, the Booklet Category Test (BCT) and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Obtained counterbalanced order effects on like-aged sample of 63 South African elementary school students (normally- achieving, low-functioning, learning-disabled). Found a significant effect of set-shifting…

Investigated the validity of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) with a sample of black low socioeconomic status preschool children enrolled in a Head Start program. Used the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale as a criterion. Demonstrated convergent and construct validity, but suggests that the K-ABC is no more culture fair for…

Theme issue contains 18 articles on (1) clients' role in assessment of the elderly in long-term care; (2) choosing assessment measures (physical, cognitive, quality-of-life, well-being, social support, multidimensional, culturally appropriate); and (3) making assessments useful (including using technology, assessment by telephone, and clinical…

Computers are used to manage assessment information for special education students and to administer, score, and interpret tests. Although the content validity of computer-administered assessment instruments may have certain practical limitations, several useful advantages can be gained by using computer-administered tests, including real-time…

The emotional cognitive relationship was examined in 136 heart transplant candidates undergoing psychosocial and cognitive assessment as part of evaluation for transplantation. Results show increased emotional distress was reliably associated with decreased cognitive functioning in patients who scored as nondefensive on the Minnesota Multiphasic…

Three developments over the past 15 years--our understanding of cognition, new techniques in technical psychometrics, and the computer explosion--form the basis for a proposal for new intelligence tests. These developments are reviewed, and both leaps and steps in intellectual assessment are proposed. (Author/RD)