Examined equivalence of mode of administration of the Career Decision-Making System, comparing paper-and-pencil version and computer-based version. Findings from 61 undergraduate students indicated that the computer-based version was significantly more reliable than paper-and-pencil version and was generally equivalent in other respects.…

To measure teacher involvement in decision-making, the authors developed Teacher Decision-Making Instrument, a 68-item survey with 8 categories. This instrument can be used for follow-up analyses and for comparisons between teacher and administrator responses. The Shared Education Decisions Survey is designed for use by members of school…

The Milestone Reinforcer Survey was developed to assess reinforcer preferences of adults with mild to profound retardation living in community settings. Psychometric properties of the survey were established with 120 adults. The total reinforcer scores were found to be internally consistent, consistent across raters, and stable over time.…

In this study, interrater reliability of the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) was investigated utilizing 84 direct-care staff members familiar with 42 adults with moderate to profound mental retardation. Problematic overt behaviors were evaluated using the MAS. MAS items were found to be moderately but significantly reliable across raters.…

The Psychopathology Instrument for Mentally Retarded Adults--Sexuality Scale was developed and used to study 86 adults with mild/moderate mental retardation. Psychometric characteristics were favorable. Differences in the rate of sexually aberrant behavior are addressed as a function of living and work placement, positive history of sexual abuse,…

Performance-based assessment, the umbrella term for various measures to test higher order thinking skills beyond the reach of multiple-choice tests, is the front runner in the race to provide testing alternatives. Problems concerning training, reliability, and cost remain unresolved. A sidebar summarizes testing developments in Arizona,…

The Neurobehavioral Assessment of the Preterm Infant instrument was developed by means of pilot, exploratory, and validation studies. The validation study tested the generalizability of results for different cohorts, test versions, hospitals, and examiners. Seven stable functions were identified: motor development; scarf sign; popliteal angle;…

Data from standardization sample (n=1,700) of Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R) were used to develop table that gives Full Scale intelligence quotients (IQs) for four-subtest (Comprehension, Arithmetic, Picture Completion, Block Design) abbreviated form of scale. Reports reliability and validity coefficients…

To measure Theory of Work Adjustment personality and adjustment style dimensions, content-based scales were analyzed for homogeneity and successively reanalyzed for reliability improvement. Three sound scales were developed: inflexibility, activeness, and reactiveness. (SK)

This critical review of the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension considers construct validity, cross-situational consistency, replicability, and applicability to non-English cultures. (SK)

Investigated reliability and construct validity of Children's Depression Scale. Data from Australian sample of 202 adolescents revealed that four factors met stipulated criteria and accounted for 54% of variance. Revised subscales, three with five items and one with four items, had strong construct and face validity and high reliability.…

Discusses the validity and reliability of using food records and recalls when measuring dietary intake and eating behaviors of children, noting the advantages of collecting dietary data in a school environment. The article explains the appropriate use of food records and describes how to improve the method. (SM)

Describes development of Harassment Sensitivity Inventory (HSI), an 18-item inventory developed to assess sensitivity to the negative effects of male to female sexual and nonsexual harassment in a work setting. Discusses initial psychometric data collected with sample of managers and supervisors (n=133). Claims HSI holds promise, although further…

Investigated reliability and validity of Career Key (CK), career guidance instrument, and explored extent to which college students found the CK helpful. Findings from 175 undergraduate students revealed that the students generally found the CK helpful. Investigations of reliability and validity for CK were generally positive. Female students gave…

Four years of experience with an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) following an eight-week surgical clerkship (n=356 students) are reported, including data on mean student performance across years, reliability coefficients, and generalizability. Implications for improvement and development of OSCE are discussed. (Author/MSE)