It is imperative that counselors understand how to critically evaluate assessments before using them to make clinical decisions. This evaluation can be conducted through integrating the 5 sources of validity. Each source of validity is discussed, along with methods to appraise psychometric quality, throughout this special issue.

Validity of the Personal Growth Initiative Scale (PGIS) is tested by considering relations among the PGIS, ways of growing, gender-role orientation, and psychological well-being. Individuals' (N=169) ability to distinguish ways of growing in their lives that are in awareness, intentional, or both is related to gender-role orientation. (Author/EMK)

The Behavioral Dimensions Rating Scale was administered to both emotionally disturbed and normal students. The factor structure was found, using confirmatory factor analysis, to be invariant over these groups. Thus, the construct validity of the instrument was supported as a measure of disturbance of school age children. (Author/KS)