Validity in psychometrics refers to the degree to which evidence and theory supports the interpretations drawn from a test, and Messick's Contemporary Validity Theory (1994) includes several facets with well-established evidence collection methods. However, there is a lack of consensus on appropriate methods of evaluating the facet of…

In many psychological and educational applications, it is imperative to obtain valid and reliable score estimates of multilevel processes. For example, in order to assess the quality and characteristics of high impact learning processes, one must compute accurate scores representative of student- and classroom-level constructs. Currently, there…

With adolescent mental health concerns on the rise, it is important that school counselors provide adequate support in the areas of academic, career, and social/emotional support. Yet, there are few scales that look at the perceptions of students around the support that their school counselors provide in these areas. This study sought to validate…

Reliability indicates the internal consistency of a test. In educational studies, reliability is a key feature for a test. Researchers have proposed many traditional reliability estimates, such as coefficient alpha and coefficient omega. However, traditional reliability indices do not deal with the data hierarchy, even though the multilevel…

Background: Children with reading difficulty exhibit deficits in multiple cognitive areas (e.g., language skills, working memory, processing speed). Therefore, evaluation of reading difficulty typically includes assessment of both academic functioning and general intelligence (IQ). Although the IQ construct is considered robust in the general…

This study is meant to explore the psychometric properties of The Self-Advocacy Skills Inventory Beta. The Beta is a measurement of self-advocacy skills for individuals with different disabilities. This dissertation presents the results of a confirmatory factor analysis, as well as an examination of reliability of the Beta as well as its scales.…

Over the decades, counselors have been asked to provide culturally appropriate services to clients and make social justice efforts (American Counseling Association, 2014; Arredondo et al., 1996; Sue et al., 1982). School counselors have also been encouraged to act as social justice leaders who advocate for systemic changes in schools (Curry &…

Experienced discrimination based on identity and appearance (or discrimination experience) is critical to assess among the college student population given its relationship to six key components of the college student experience. Investigating this variable requires the use of a psychometrically sound scale that demonstrates adequate validity and…

Quality academic advising has been known to have lasting impacts on student success and persistence in higher education. In 2017, NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising established a set of 20 competencies known to be the essential topics that advisors and student success professionals have an understanding of, knowledge of, or skills…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; APA, 2013) by deficits in social communication and the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests (RRBIs). Despite the mandatory requirement of both categories of impairment for a diagnosis of ASD, research…

In the process of instrument development, developers follow protocols and conduct analyses to ensure psychometric properties are met. During development, developers determine an assessment format that best aligns to their desired construct, including direct or indirect assessment. Within indirect assessment, participants hold a non-active role in…

Self-efficacy is frequently explored as a construct within assessments in counselor education (Crutchfield & Borders, 1997; Cashwell & Dooley, 2001; Kozina et al., 2010). However, despite the importance of advocacy in our field, there is a lack of research that measures self-efficacy in relation to advocacy attitudes and behaviors (Smith…

Scientific understanding of the nature of intelligence has steadily evolved over the years; however, the past century has seen an explosion of research aimed at understanding the construction of intelligence, the relationships between neuroscience and cognitive skills, and the best ways to measure intellectual abilities. While there is no clear…

Religious support has consistently been linked with better psychological functioning. The Multi-Faith Religious Support Scale (MFRSS; Bjorck & Maslim, 2011) is one measure used to assess such support, but to date, no one has assessed denominational differences using this scale. I compared Catholics and Protestants in this study regarding the…

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) influence almost every aspect of our daily lives. However, despite the high demand for STEM occupational talent, the STEM pipeline continues leaking, with less than one-sixth of high school students pursuing STEM majors and only 50% of entering STEM majors matriculating into STEM fields.…