Presents psychometric investigation of the eight-factor clinical model of the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) as representing the most appropriate interpretive model for the SOQ. Notes that factor-analytic and internal consistency reliability results failed to support hypothesized eight-factor model. Discusses alternative factor scheme and…

The findings of a study of 55 elderly adults support the test-retest reliability of the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills, illustrate the utility of alternative methods for examining the reliability of individual subjects' measures, and indicate that not all test-retest differences represent measurement error. (Author/JOW)

Describes psychometric development of the fourth revision of the Interview for Diagnosis of Eating Disorders (IDED-IV). IDED-IV internal consistency and item-total correlations were assessed. IDED-IV yields sufficiently reliable and valid data for determining diagnoses in research studies and clinics specializing in the treatment of eating…

The long-term stability of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) (D. Wechsler, 1991) was studied with 667 children twice evaluated for special education consideration. Test-retest reliability coefficients are reported, providing the highest estimates of WISC-III stability yet reported. (SLD)

In a sample of 24 children with motor/language delays, the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children (PS) and All about Me (AAM) had moderate to good reliability in measuring self-perceptions of competence. PS subscales other than cognitive competence and competence factor had lower reliability. (SK)

Extends the reliability research of the Qualitative Scoring System for the Modified Version of the Bender-Gestalt Test. The test was administered to 48 children, and the 48 test protocols were scored independently by two psychologists using the Qualitative Scoring System. Results indicated that the scoring system is highly reliable. (JPS)

Presents a normative typology for classifying the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) factor index profiles according to profile shape. Current analyses indicate that overall profile level accounted for a majority of the variance in WISC-III index scores, but a considerable proportion of the variance was because of…

Objective: This article provides the results of the psychometric testing of the Brief Impairment Scale (BIS). The BIS is a 23-item instrument that evaluates three domains of functioning: interpersonal relations, school/work functioning, and self-care/self-fulfilment. It capitalizes on the strengths of existing global measures while addressing some…

Teachers' competence to estimate the effectiveness of learning materials is important and often neglected in programmes for teacher education. In this lecture I will try to explore the possibilities of designing scaffolding instruments for a "priori" assessment of language learning tasks, based on insights from SLA and cognitive psychology, more…

Objective: This study describes the development of an engagement scale for use with youth in residential treatment centers. Engagement includes attitude about treatment, bond with providers, and participation in treatment activities. Method: Interview data were collected at the midpoint in residence of 130 youth in two centers. Items were selected…

Interest development is not an easily studied process. There are at least 4 methods for examining the process of stability and change over time: relative stability, absolute stability, profile stability, and structural stability. A program of research that focuses on examining these 4 types of stability is summarized relative to the issues…

In this study, we investigated a new instrument: the Southampton Test of Empathy for Preschoolers (STEP). The test incorporated 8 video vignettes of children in emotional scenarios, assessing a child's ability to understand (STEP-UND) and share (STEP-SHA) in the emotional experience of a story protagonist. Each vignette included 4 emotions (angry,…

Two studies are reported presenting the development of the Adolescent Friendship Attachment Scale (AFAS), a 30 item self-report measure of adolescent close friendship conceptualized as an attachment relationship. Study One reports the results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses with a sample of 490 adolescents aged 13 to 19 years. A…

Background: In Australia, diagnosis and management of depression in adults with intellectual disability (ID) often occurs within the primary care setting. Few tools are available to assist general practitioners (GPs) in the diagnostic process. The study aim was to assess properties of carer and GP checklists developed to address this problem.…

This article attempts to present a novel application of a method of measuring accuracy for academic success predictors that could be used as a standard. This procedure is known as the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, which comes from statistical decision techniques. The statistical prediction techniques provide predictor models and…