Describes the Dyslexia Early Screening Test (DEST) and the Cognitive Profiling System, both normed and designed to be administered to children four years and older. Reliability and validity of the tests are discussed, as well as their use to identify children at risk before they fail. (Author/CR)

Discusses some of the major issues faced in attempting to assess systematically the effectiveness of business-communication courses (by assessing the level of improvement of students' writing competency). Discusses goals of assessment, type of test (standardized versus custom-made), guidelines for scoring, use of results, and reliability and…

This study examined the validity and reliability of four assessments, with three instruments per domain, with 103 students at residential secondary schools for the hearing or visually impaired. Domains included generalizable mathematics, communication, interpersonal relations, and reasoning skills. Data suggest the instruments are highly…

A study examined the reliability and validity of the Quality of Life Instrument Package using data from 500 persons with developmental disabilities in Ontario. Data indicate that most of the instruments found in the package met acceptable psychometric standards. Appropriate uses for the full and short version are discussed. (Author/CR)

This study assessed the psychometric properties of two subscales of the Adelaide Behaviour Disorder Scale that have been hypothesized to describe conduct problems and emotional problems of adults with intellectual disability. Criterion scores for identifying individuals needing clinical intervention were established and validated against…

Using data from state and academic reports, an independent committee of researchers has evaluated the Massachusetts Teacher Tests. Scores are found to be highly unreliable, and the tests are found to contain questionable content. Suspending use of the tests is recommended. (SLD)

The critique of the Massachusetts Teacher Tests by W. Haney and others points out some flaws in the tests but ignores the fact that the tests provide some useful information to guide teacher selection decisions. Calls for additional study of these teacher evaluation instruments. (SLD)

The leadership characteristics of 163 gifted Chinese secondary students in Hong Kong were assessed with the use of the Roets Rating Scale for Leadership (RRSL). Higher self-ratings were found for characteristics related to aspiring to leadership and achievement, openness to novel experiences and different perspectives, and high energy level than…

Evaluated the Early Coping Inventory (ECI) as a measure of coping skills in low-risk nursery school children. Findings pointed to significant associations between observers' ratings and teachers' ratings on the Evaluation of Adaptive Behavior in Nursery School. Findings suggest that the ECI may be valuable in early identification of children with…

Reports on the psychometric properties of a new semistructured interview, the Structured Interview for the Five-Factor Model of Personality (T. Trull and T. Widiger, 1997). Data from clinical and nonclinical samples (187 undergraduates and 46 mental health outpatients) support the reliability and validity of the measure's scores. (SLD)

A study of 239 British female undergraduates explored the potential of using the Child Abuse and Trauma Scale to measure childhood emotional abuse. The concurrent validity and internal consistency of this new childhood emotional-abuse subscale were found to be at an acceptable level. (Author/CR)

A questionnaire developed to measure barriers to help-seeking behavior in adolescents was tested with 280 high school students following a pilot study. The instrument, Barriers to Adolescents Seeking Help, was found to have good test-retest reliability and adequate validity. Its use in identifying adolescents amenable to or resistant to therapy is…

This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Environmental Rating Scale, a measure specifically designed to assess residential treatment programs for individuals with autism. The measure's reliability was demonstrated by assessments of the internal consistency, stability, and interrater reliability. Preliminary analysis of validity…

Paper introduces a collection of papers on educational assessment, noting controversies surrounding both old and new assessment methods, discussing the persistent set of technical issues that must be addressed by the research community in measurement, and examining work by the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student…

The validity of the 600-yard walk/run, the 20-meter shuttle run, and a modified 16-meter shuttle run was determined to measure aerobic capacity (VO2peak) in 34 children with mental retardation (ages 10-17). All field tests were found to be very reliable, and VO2peak was significantly related to them all. (Author/CR)