The aim of this simulation study, determine the relationship between true latent scores and estimated latent scores by including various control variables and different statistical models. The study also aimed to compare the statistical models and determine the effects of different distribution types, response formats and sample sizes on latent…

Consumers spend an increasing amount of time and money online finding information, completing tasks, or making purchases. The quality of the website experience has become a key differentiator for organizations--affecting whether they purchase and their likelihood to return and recommend a website to friends. Two instruments were created to more…

Although literacy achievement has improved in Chile, adolescents' underperformance in reading comprehension is still a serious concern. In English, core academic-language skills (CALS) have been found to significantly predict reading comprehension, even controlling for academic vocabulary knowledge. CALS are high-utility language skills that…

We report results of an exploratory validation study of the "Student Risk Screening Scale-Internalizing and Externalizing" (SRSS-IE) applied with the first sample of middle and high school students from nine middle and three high schools from three states. The "Student Risk Screening Scale" (SRSS) was modified to broaden the…

The validity of cognitive ability tests is often interpreted solely as a function of the cognitive abilities that these tests are supposed to measure, but other factors may be at play. The effects of test anxiety on the criterion related validity (CRV) of tests was the topic of a recent study by Reeve, Heggestad, and Lievens (2009) (Reeve, C. L.,…

This article evaluated criticisms by Stevens and Aleamoni (1986) of an article by Gardner and Erdle (1984) on aggregation using either raw or standard scores. It was demonstrated that their criticisms were unfounded. (Author)

Prior standardization of scores when an aggregate score is formed has been criticized. This article presents a demonstration of the effects of differential weighting of aggregate components that clarifies the need for prior standardization. The role of standardization in statistics and the use of aggregate scores in research are discussed.…

A program for obtaining ability estimates and their standard errors under a variety of psychometric models is documented. The general models considered are (1) classical test theory; (2) item factor analysis for continuous censored responses; and (3) unidimensional and multidimensional item response theory graded response models. (SLD)

Attitude measures frequently produce distributions of item scores that attenuate interitem correlations and thus also distort findings regarding the factor structure underlying the items. An actual data set involving 260 adult subjects' responses to 55 items on the Love Relationships Scale is employed to illustrate empirical methods for…

This partially annotated bibliography of journal articles, dissertations, convention papers, research reports, and a few books and unpublished manuscripts provides a comprehensive coverage of work on latent trait theory and practice. Documents are arranged alphabetically by author. The period covered ranges from the early 1950's to the present.…