From published data on the Wechsler subtest performance of mild and borderline mentally retarded persons, 4,304 protocols from 4,004 individuals were collated and their subtest patterns on other Wechsler instruments were compared. Results indicate that mildly retarded groups tend to score lower on subtests that better measure general intelligence.…

Examined temporal stability of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) for adolescents (N=155) identified as either educable mentally retarded (EMR) or learning disabled (LD). Found three major scales of WISC-R to be more stable over three-year period for LD than for EMR group, while subtest scales for EMR group showed greater…

Reliability and validity of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Scale, a measure developed for adults, were studied for adolescents using a sample of 223 adolescents ages 12 to 18, from community and clinical sources. Results demonstrate that the instrument is a reliable and valid measure of social phobia for adolescents. (SLD)

The accuracy of diagnosing hypothyroidism in 160 adults with Down syndrome was examined. A significant association between a clinical diagnosis of hypothyroidism and increasing age was found but no significant association was found between a clinical and a biochemical diagnosis. Regular biochemical screening is recommended. (Author/SW)

Describes the Yopp-Singer Test of Phoneme Segmentation, which provides teachers with a tool for assessing children's phonemic awareness and identifying children who may experience difficulty in reading and spelling. Offers evidence of its reliability and validity, and discusses its use. (SR)

Thirty-two preschool children were administered the Cognitive Levels Test (CLT) to evaluate its temporal stability and concurrent validity. Results indicated good temporal stability for the CLT-Cognitive Index and high correlations between the CLT-Cognitive Index and the Stanford-Binet: Fourth Edition. (Author/JDD)

Conducted two studies to examine relationship commitment, considered as two constructs (personal dedication and constraint commitment). Developed Commitment Inventory and administered initial inventory to 141 subjects (Study 1) and revised inventory to 279 subjects (Study 2). Demonstrated that Commitment Inventory shows promise as reliable and…

Presents an overview of the CLUES (also known as the CL7) instrument. Discusses the instrument's reliability and validity and its application to organizational communication research. Suggests that the instrument demonstrates unidimensionality in low-context cultures, high reliability, and known validity in a wide array of relational types. (RS)

As the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator becomes increasingly popular as a management and training tool, criticisms of its reliability, validity, and effectiveness have arisen. Some critics see it as a way of giving people type-based excuses for substandard performance. Proponents claim it can match people with a congruent job better than any other…

Describes a dozen ways in which reading tests are at variance in their demands with the demands of reading as it occurs in everyday life. Suggests that these sources of variance render reading tests considerably less valid as measures of real world reading behavior than most people want to believe. (RS)

A Bayesian alternative to interpretations based on classical reliability theory is presented. Procedures are detailed for calculation of a posterior score and credible interval with joint consideration of item sample and occasion error. (Author/SLD)

This study evaluated the technical qualities of a naturalistic test of reading decoding skills, the"Diagnostic Names Task." Evaluation of the measure with 25 elementary grade disabled readers examined subtest reliability, sensitivity to change resulting from instruction, meaningful clustering of subskills, and criterion-related validity.…

Reliability and accuracy of peer ratings by 32, 28, 33 general surgery residents over 3 years were examined. Peer ratings were found highly reliable, with high level of test-retest reliability replicated across three years. Halo effects appear to pose greatest threat to rater accuracy, though chief residents tended to exhibit less halo effect than…

Confirmatory factor analysis using the LISREL computer program was performed on test scores from 500 workshop participants (adults) taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator--Expanded Analysis. Results, cross-validated with 500 other scores, support 4 factors as well-defined constructs. Improvements are suggested for subscale reliability. (SLD)

The formula developed by R. Levine (1955) for equating unequally reliable tests is described. The formula can be interpreted as a method of moments estimate of an equating function that results in first order equity of the equated test score under a classical congeneric model. (TJH)