The reliability and validity of a procedure to measure diagnostic-reasoning and problem-solving skills taught in predoctoral orthodontic education were studied using 68 second year dental students. The procedure includes stimulus material and 33 multiple-choice items. It is a feasible way of assessing problem-solving skills in dentistry education…

Seventy-three children (ages 4-18) with hearing impairments were administered the Auditory Perception of Alphabet Letters test. Results indicated excellent reliability, and high intercorrelations with both open-set and closed-set auditory tests. The study concludes that spoken names of alphabet letters can be employed as an effective auditory…

Hearing-impaired students (n=324) in grades 9-11 were administered the Adolescent-Coping Orientation for Problem Experiences. The measure was found to be valid and reliable for measuring subjects' coping skills and for assessing students' suitability for various types of educational placements. (Author/JDD)

Twenty rehabilitation patients were assessed on their activities of daily living using the Barthel Index, and were also observed by two occupational therapists in a simulated home unit. Results indicated good inter-observer reliability, and good agreement between asking the patient and professional observation of the patient. (JDD)

A study of Scholastic Aptitude Test scores for nine groups of students with disabilities taking special test administrations found differences in score levels among disability groups but no significant differences of measurement precision and no evidence of disadvantage for disabled students. (Author/MSE)

Examines reliability and validity of two versions of Hispanic Stress Inventory (HSI), a new instrument to assess psychosocial stress among Hispanic adults. Subscale scores found to correlate highly with criterion measures of distress. Tests showed internal consistency and supported HSI reliability. Need for further evaluation discussed. (TES)

The development, preliminary assessment, and uses of two paper-and-pencil measures of dyadic perspective-taking are described. A literature review revealed 23 perspective-taking type items each for the Self Dyadic Perspective-Taking Scale and the Other Dyadic Perspective-Taking Scale. Results for 277 college students indicate that the tests are…

The importance of using the standard error of measurement (SEm) in determining reliability in test scores is emphasized. The SEm is compared to the hypothetical true score for standardized tests, and procedures for calculation of the SEm are explained. (JDD)

The psychometric integrity of a short form of the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress was evaluated, based on data provided by 66 mothers and 66 fathers of 33 handicapped and 33 nonhandicapped preschool children. Alpha reliability, factor structure, and construct validity analyses indicated that the measure has reasonable psychometric integrity.…

Presents findings from an experiment that sought to determine the minimal number of blanks required to ensure parallelism in cloze tests, differing only in the point at which deletion starts. Results showed the required minimum depended on the scoring methods used, with exact-word tests requiring about 100 blanks and acceptable-word tests…

In today's political climate, standardized tests are inadequate and misleading as achievement measures. Educators should employ a variety of measures, improve standardized test content and format, and remove incentives for teaching to the test. Focusing on raising test scores distorts instruction and renders scores less credible. Includes 13…

Calculated Cronbach's alpha coefficients for five recent studies (N=1,723) which used the Manifest Needs Questionnaire (MNQ) to measure needs for achievement, autonomy, affiliation, and dominance. Results showed acceptable levels of internal consistency for achievement and dominance needs. Found support for autonomy and affiliation needs with some…

Information in published articles on communicative testing is examined and discussed from the point of view of a classroom teacher. The administrability, reliability, and validity of communicative language testing are highlighted. (MSE)

The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised is a semistructured interview for caregivers of children/adults for whom autism/pervasive developmental disorders is a possible diagnosis. The interview was reorganized, shortened, and modified for children with mental ages from 18 months into adulthood. Its psychometric properties are strong for preschool…

At the beginnings of 2 consecutive academic years, 289 students in grades 1-5 completed the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey, a measure of children's attitudes toward reading. Attitudes were normally distributed across recreational reading and academic reading subscales and total score. Significant but moderate one-year test-retest correlations…