Examines the psychometric properties of an instrument designed to assess study behaviors of college and university students. Finds that the "Study Behavior Inventory" is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing study behaviors. Suggests that study behaviors consist of short-term, routine goals and long-range, specific goals. (RS)

This report describes the development of the Family Background Questionnaire, a 179-item instrument with 22 subscales designed to assess memories of family characteristics. Results with 1,020 college students in three separate studies for initial reliability and validity, factor analysis, and test-retest reliability support the reliability and…

Ten dimensions of teacher concern were identified through a factor analysis of 568 inservice teachers' responses to the Teacher Concerns Checklist. Studies of test-retest and alpha coefficient reliability and concurrent validity of these dimensions supported their use in research on teacher concerns. (SLD)

Two instruments, one a self-report measure and one an informant assessment, were developed to assess the strength of a person's end goals and motivational sensitivities. Results of seven studies involving 2548 adults and adolescents support a 15-factor solution for each instrument, with solutions similar to each other. Implications for a model of…

A new procedure, the Letter Memory Test, was developed for evaluating adequacy of effort given during neuropsychological testing. It is a computer-administered forced-choice recognition task. In three studies involving nearly 400 patients and community volunteers, the test discriminated among poorly and highly motivated groups, and its internal…

Comparability of two forms of the CCTST is evaluated. Data are compared with a previously reported study; relationships to comparable tests are considered. Evidence indicates low internal-consistency reliability estimates, a lack of comparability, and poor construct validity for Forms A and B of the CCTST. (Author/EMK)

The relationship between teachers' judgments of students' academic achievement and students' performances on an achievement test was investigated (N=12 teachers; N=47 students). Accuracy of teachers' judgments, the relationship between judgments and performances, and the effect of high vs. low achievement status on judgments were studied.…

A study involving 92 adults with mental retardation examined the validity and reliability of the Leisure Assessment Inventory. Two indexes (Leisure Activities Participation and Leisure Interests) demonstrated higher reliability from test to retest whereas the remaining two (Leisure Preference and Leisure Constraints) showed only moderate…

Describes the development of the College and University Community Inventory (CUCI), an instrument designed to measure the extent of community within colleges and universities for students. Article discusses the methods for establishing the instrument's validity and ascertaining reliability indices. (Contains 18 references.) (Author/GCP)

This study evaluated the reliability of the Child Behavior Checklist with 42 children and youth with mild mental retardation. Use of kappa coefficients and intra-class correlations at item and syndrome levels indicated that the Child Behavior Checklist may not always represent a reliable checklist for the assessment of psychopathology in this…

Presents data showing that the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory's (CDI) large variability, lack of stability, and insufficient ability to predict early language delay are authentic reflections of individual differences in early language development rather than measurement deficiencies. Responds to critiques regarding sociodemographic…

Outlines the purposes of statistical analysis and types of research questions that can be answered. Defines data types as a guide for choosing statistical tools. Describes a hypothetical research study on teaching computer software to illustrate the use of analytical tools. (SK)

The Math Essential Skill Screener Elementary Version (MESS-E) is a screener devised to identify primary grade students at risk for math difficulties. Item analysis, interitem consistency, test-retest reliability, decision efficiency, and construct validity of the MESS-E were studied using four independent samples of boys and girls grades 1-3. The…

Recognizes the attraction of Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS), a technique that uses a scale to measure client's achievement, but suggests that there are concerns about the calculation of its standard scores. Examples show how GAS may be used in service development, whether or not numerical values are attached. (Author/CR)

A protocol for screening the complex verbal, simple verbal, simple visual, and spatial working memory was tested on 125 persons with mild, moderate, and severe mental retardation. Results found the test discriminated well between levels of mental retardation, correlated reasonably well with IQ, and possessed relatively good test-retest…