Objective: To complement standardized measurement of symptoms, we developed and tested an efficient strategy for identifying (before treatment) and repeatedly assessing (during treatment) the problems identified as most important by caregivers and youths in psychotherapy. Method: A total of 178 outpatient-referred youths, 7-13 years of age, and…

Results confirm previous findings that the revised State University of New York at Stony Brook observation code is a valid instrument for quantifying and discriminating the classroom behavior of children referred because of hyperactive behavior. (Author)

Evaluated the psychometric characteristics of the Children's Beliefs about Parental Divorce Scale with three nonclinic samples. Demonstrated six subscales: Peer Ridicule and Avoidance, Paternal Blame, Fear of Abandonment, Maternal Blame, Hope of Reunification, and Self-Blame. The number of problematic beliefs varied by family structure but not by…

Reports the development and standardization of the teacher version of the Child Behavior Profile. Analyses showed significant differences on the scales between nonreferred boys and boys referred by teachers due to emotional or behavioral problems, supporting the discriminant validity of the teacher profile. (LLL)

Reports findings on the concurrent validity of the broad-band Internalizing and Externalizing profile types of the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist. Results indicated that Internalizers were favored on a number of measures of adaptation when compared with Externalizers. (Author/MCF)

Contends that the Speech Sounds Perception Test form (Adult and Midrange versions) is structured such that correct responses can be determined rationally. If a patient identifies and responds according to that structure, the validity of the test is compromised. Posttest interview is suggested as a simple solution. (Author/JAC)

Examined the validity of a hand-scorable, mechanical procedure for deriving interpersonal maturity level (I-level) subtypes with a sample of serious delinquents (N=1,131). Results showed that 65 percent of the youths received a single classification, 34 percent a multiple (dual) classification, and one percent were unclassifiable. (BH)

Attempted to expand the construct validity of the profile and factor scales for the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC) by determining the relationship of these scales to empirically derived dimensions of problem behaviors in children and adolescents (N=691). Results provided substantial evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. (LLL)

Reviews research on two measures of transference: Q-sort questionnaire measures and psychotherapy process measures. Q-sort, although reliable, lacks validity information. Psychotherapy process measures have reliability and validity. Considerable comparability was found between process measures and operationalized propositions from Freud's…

Teacher ratings on the Behavior Problem Checklist of adolescents who were clinically diagnosed as schizophrenic (psychotic) and those who had an adjustment reaction of adolescence (nonpsychotic) were compared. The schizophrenics tended to be rated as more deviant on both the flag items and Inadequacy-Immaturity dimensions of the checklist. (Author)

Responds to an article questioning the construct validity of the Beck Hopelessness Scale. Suggests that social desirability should not be invoked as a potential confound unless the obtained covariation is theoretically inconsistent or is so overlapping as to make the respective scales redundant with respect to factorial content. (Author/RC)

Examined methodological issues confronting psychologists who conduct research with correctional populations. Sections included intrusion of values; problems with trait-derived methodologies in correctional population research, including inadequate construct validity, ignoring environmental influences and ignoring subjects; naturalness and problems…

This study used as source of data the MMPI protocols of 223 psychiatric inpatients randomly divided into two groups for a double cross-validation design, clinical diagnosis of depressive versus nondepressive states as criterion, and multiple regression as the main analytic technique. (Author)

A role-playing measure of teenage girls' problem-solving skills--the Problem Inventory for Adolescent Girls (PIAG)--was administered to groups of Caucasian and Black female delinquents and nondelinquents. The PIAG significantly differentiated between adjudicated delinquents and nondelinquents and between subjects reporting high and low levels of…

States that the correlation between social desirability (SD) and hopelessness is open to several interpretations, but, in the absence of further data, concern for false-negative rates dictates caution in interpreting hopelessness scores when assessing suicidal behavior. Presents data on the relationship of SD, hopelessness, and prediction of…