Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to test second- and higher-order factor models in the areas of structure of abilities, allometry, and the separation of specific and error variance estimates. The estimation of validity and reliability, second-order models within factor analysis models, and the concept of discriminability were also studied.…

An empirical method (PRESS) for examining and contrasting the cross-validated prediction accuracies of some popular algorithms for weighting predictor variables was advanced and examined. The sample specific PRESS method was suggested as most appropriate when selecting among several alternative weighting algorithms to achieve maximum…

The practicality of three appraisal instruments was measured in terms of user preference, namely, behavioral observation scales (BOS), behavioral expectation scales (BES), and trait scales. In all instances, BOS were preferred to BES, and in all but two instances, BOS were viewed as superior to trait scales. (Author/ABB)

Reports on a study investigating the effect of prior knowledge of written prose in intact, topic sentence deleted, and topic sentence and concluding sentence deleted conditions, and advances a methodology for determining prior knowledge. (FL)

Investigated the ability of mathematics anxiety to predict grades in an algebra course for 112 college women and 72 men. The results showed that math anxiety had little to do with course grades, was more strongly related to general anxiety in men than in women. (Author/JAC)

A longitudinal study was conducted to determine how a comprehensive battery of tests administered in kindergarten predicted reading achievement in Grades 1-6. The test variables were reduced to six predictive factors by factor analysis that, combined with the child's sex and the parent's language, had multiple correlations with reading…

Tested whether scores on the Self Directed Search relate to career development needs in a study of 138 college students. Findings showed the scores related differentially in ways predicted by Holland (1973) and supported probing whether college students earning low investigative scores were behind in their career development. (JAC)

Explores the effectiveness of a resource exchange framework in predicting marital satisfaction among 224 couples. Self-administered questionnaires provided information concerning resources received from spouse, shared time, and marital quality. Multiple regression analyses suggested the resource exchange theory was effective in explaining the…

Presents the Relationship Events Scale, a measure of courtship progress, which consists of 19 items marking the occurrence of specific events in dating relationships, grouped in six levels to form a Guttman scale. The reliability and validity of the scale was demonstrated by concordance of scores of 55 couples. (JAC)

Presents a test of the Fishbein model of behavior prediction applied to predict the pregnancy risk-taking behavior of adolescent females (N=244). Analyses of data showed that the Fishbein model of attitude-behavior consistency seems to be applicable to the fertility-related behavior of adolescent females. (LLL)

Analyzes the implicit requirements for achieving reliable results from holistic ratings of writing samples and argues that these conditions bring the validity of the ratings into doubt. (HOD)

This study examined how cognitive and motivational factors jointly contributed to science achievement, engagement, and choice of science-related majors and careers in a sample of 491 high school students. Students completed cognitive and motivational measures in three different sessions: (1) a survey of motivational processes, including competence…

SAT I: Reasoning Test scores, combined with high school grades, result in more accurate predictions of college success than either measure alone or any other combination of two measures. Overall, there is a strong positive relationship between high school grades and SAT. In 1990, ETS conducted a study of the characteristics of different students…

Attempts to determine whether the changes which have occurred in language teaching were foreseeable in 1946, and to test the reliability of forecasts for the year 2000. (DD)

Author reviews both the major short-range and long-range predictive validity studies of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking and reports the main findings of a 12-year follow-up of a predictive validity study with high school students initiated in 1959. (Author/CB)