Administers an experimental college version of the Musical Aptitude Profile (CMAP) and 2 motivation measures to 187 nonmusic majors in a music appreciation course. Eliminates CMAP results from analysis resulting from low reliability. Includes data table that were significantly related. (NL)

An evaluation of the Manic Depressive and Depressive Association of Chicago (Illinois) used an adapted version of the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) as part of a mail survey. Results for 184 respondents reveal characteristics of both the instrument and client satisfaction factors. (TJH)

This study assessed the Resident Lifestyle Inventory for congruent validity, test-retest reliability, and social validity using 19 severely disabled adults in community-based residential facilities. Results indicate the test is psychometrically acceptable and accurately used by residential programs. Support staff also consider it useful for…

This study evaluated the Consent Screening Interview, which assesses the ability of adults with developmental disabilities to give direct consent for community residential placement. Interviews conducted with 17 adults with mental retardation and a control group of 8 individuals indicated that the instrument differentiated between those subjects…

This study derived data from the Family Environment Scale, from home visits to 29 individuals with moderate mental retardation, and from other sources to determine that the Parenting Style Survey is a reliable and valid measure of parenting behaviors for individuals who have a child with mental retardation living at home. (Author/JDD)

A study found that trained standardized patients could provide a reliable assessment of English proficiency of foreign medical graduates by comparison with a standardized language test, but further research is needed to determine whether it is necessary to provide a clinical context for language assessment. (MSE)

Discussion of time-related measures in computerized ability tests focuses on a study of college students that used two intelligence test item types to develop a multitrait, multimethod assessment of response time measures. Convergent and discriminant validation are discussed, correlations between response time and accuracy are examined, and…

Examined item-level and test-level characteristics for items in a high-stakes school-leaving mathematics examination. Results from 158 students show that the influence of testwiseness is lessened when three-option items are used. Tests of three-option items are at least equivalent to four-option item tests in terms of internal-consistency score…

Presents a methodology developed by Vallerand (1989) in the psychological field that translates and validates questionnaires and inventories developed for specific cultures. This cross- cultural technique ensures that the instrument will provide data that are valid and reliable in the target population. Seven necessary steps are defined, and…

Examined teachers' interpersonal behavior and its association with affective and cognitive outcomes among 1,512 elementary mathematics students in Singapore. Validated a widely applicable and convenient questionnaire to assess teacher interpersonal behavior. Found that different data analysis methods yielded consistent associations between teacher…

The performance on a cognitive screening test of 37 children (ages 4-6) with mild mental retardation or learning disabilities was compared to their peers. The tasks constituting the initial version of the battery were evaluated in terms of their classification accuracy and yielded a set of five different cognitive tasks. (CR)

Explores the relationship between measurement theory and practice, considering five broad categories of: (1) models, assumptions, and terminology; (2) reliability; (3) validity; (4) scaling; and (5) setting performance standards. It must be recognized that measurement is not an end in itself. (SLD)

Most states have expanded their statewide testing programs to include alternative educational assessments, and two (Kentucky and Maine) have completely abandoned the multiple-choice format. However, over half of states designing alternative assessments are encountering major difficulties related to the high cost of performance-based assessments,…

Examined the use of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires with 96 low- and middle-income parents on their child from 4 to 30 months. Found that percent agreement between a professionally-administered standardized assessment and questionnaires completed by low and middle-income parents was 80% to 91% and 85% to 93%, respectively. (Author/KB)

Investigated reliability of the Family Narrative Consortium (FNC) scales for measuring the effect of social context on construction of family narratives. Analyzed data from four FNC studies to determine reliability of scale dimensions of narrative coherence, narrative interaction, and relationship beliefs. Found that the scale was a set of…