As part of a longitudinal study, Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT) performance was assessed at age 11 and related to California Child Q-Sort evaluations obtained both concurrently and at age 14. Offers evidence for a "competence" interpretation rather than a "conceptual tempo" interpretation of the MFFT and strongly…

Takes issue with the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation report (Schweinhart, Weikart and Larner, 1986) indicating that preschoolers taught by direct instruction end up with twice the rate of delinquency of children who participated in High/Scope's own kind of preschool education. Argues that self-report methodology invalidates High/Scope…

Responds to commentaries by Bereiter and Gersten concerning findings of the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation's 15-year Preschool Curriculum Comparison Study. Addresses issues of design of study, experimenter bias, sample size, self-report validity, interpretation of findings, and related topics. (NH)

Summarizes trends in competency testing for teachers in the United States. Points out the strong public support for this testing and the problems with predicting teaching success from test results. Concludes that teacher competency testing in Canada, currently less prevalent than in the United States, will increase dramatically. (JHZ)

Elementary school children with attention deficit disorder were classified according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) as hyperactive or not. Teachers' ratings indicated hyperactive children were more problematic. Teachers were able to distinguish between the groups, using the Abbreviated Conners' Rating Scale…

The Student Development Inventory and its seven subscales were administered to 163 college students to determine its reliability and factorial validity. Results suggested that it is a reliable and convenient attitudinal inventory. (Sample items are included.) (Author/GDC)

To verify its factor structure and construct validity, the Science Teacher Inventory of Need was administered to Malaysian secondary school teachers, using English-language and Bahasa Malaysia versions. Validity and reliability were adequate. The resulting six factors involved instruction, updating knowledge and teaching skills, diagnosing…

Factor analyses of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) were performed on separate groups of Anglo (n=100) and Mexican-American (n=100) fifth-grade children to determine the comparability of underlying structures and to examine the existence of possible bias in construct validity of the K-ABC for each group. (Author/LMO)

Discusses the possible limitations and the advantages of computer-assisted language testing and several test variables which are of concern in determining test validity. The concept of computer-adaptive testing and its relationship to these variables is described. (SED)

Both pharmacy and nonpharmacy organizations have condemned the use of the polygraph in the employment setting on the basis of questionable validity and protection of civil rights. Pharmacy educators should be familiar with the problems attendant to the use of this technique. (MLW)

Describes study using Self-Directed Search vocational interest inventory with 75 Canada Native high school students. Finds the inventory reliable and stable for use with Indian students. (LFL)

Two new indices of stability of content-referenced standard-setting results are presented, relating variability of judges' decisions to the variability of candidate scores and to the reliability of the test. These indices are used to indicate whether scores resulting from a standard-setting study are of sufficient precision. (Author/LMO)

Results of factor and correlational analyses of the Ethical Behavior Rating Scale (EBRS) are reported. The test-retest method and internal consistency estimates yielded reliability coefficients. Construct validity was determined by correlating the EBRS with items from the Ethical Reasoning Inventory. The EBRS reflects the behavioral aspects of…

Sato's Caution Index is a method of analyzing item response patterns independently of total test score to provide diagnostic information about students. This research supports the validity of the diagnostic interpretations of the Index when compared to graduate students' self evaluation. (Author/BS)

Examined Estimated Learning Potential (ELP) and IQ scores as predictors of learning task performance in 31 Black and 32 White educable mentally retarded children. ELP did not correlate more highly with performance than did IQ score, yet ELP may be more differentially sensitive to declassifying Blacks as retarded. (NRB)