Describes development and testing of maze-like semantic maps for assessing reading comprehension of content-area information. Results involving 144 students (38 with learning disabilities) showed that maps could be produced and scored with high reliability. Criterion-related validity based on a standardized test was weak, but moderate-to-strong…

A French study of 136 children (ages 20-139 months) with developmental disabilities investigated the reliability and validity of the Revised Behavior Summarized Evaluation Scale (BSE-R) in evaluating autistic behavior in children with developmental delays. The BSE-R was found to be useful for progressive recording of the evolution of patients…

Argues that a study which assessed a white racial identity measure failed to account for other possible variables, such as failing to correct appropriately for artifacts in the data sets. Discusses tentative theory-relevant implications of the study for the construct validity of the racial identity measure. (RJM)

Argues that an earlier assessment of a racial identity scale was appropriate. Claims that "possible failures" of the analysis were addressed in the study and confirms that the complex patterns expected from the racial identity measure do not exist in the data. Other results, along with implications for counseling research, are discussed.…

Used the Child Behavior Checklists to develop a classification system to categorize behavior problems of foster children and initiated its validation with 91 foster children in The Netherlands. Identified four groups: normal, aggressive- delinquent-social problems, attention-social problems, and withdrawn-social problems. Found that these taxa…

Validated a parent-based assessment of cognitive abilities of 3-year-olds, the Parent Report of Children's Abilities for 3s (PARCA3), against a standard tester-administered measure, the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, and a vocabulary checklist. Found that PARCA3 parent report and parent-administered components significantly related to…

Developed and tested the psychometric properties of the 38-item Self Description Questionnaire for Preschoolers. Found that the scale was reliable for young children, first-order and higher order confirmatory factor analysis models fit the data, and factor correlations were mostly moderate. Achievement test scores correlated moderately with…

The Behavior Summarized Evaluation (BSE) measures changes in behavioral parameters in autistic children over time and treatments. Tests of reliability and validity suggest that the BSE is an acceptable tool for the assessment of autistic behaviors, is easy to handle, and is accessible to both professional and paraprofessional medicoeducative…

The paper presents an overview of 11 major models of individual learning styles comparing their elements, the populations for which they are appropriate, the reliability and validity of their instrumentation, and where they overlap and differ. (Author/DB)

Describes Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP), new measure designed to identify the types of interpersonal problems that people experience and the level of distress associated with them before, during, and after psychotherapy. Presents psychometric data from two studies which demonstrated high internal consistency of IIP, high test-retest…

Summarizes a reanalysis of the data from an investigation of a test designed to measure a learning sequence in geometry based on the work of van Hiele (1986). Discusses the test based on the Rasch model. (YP)

Three studies explored the effects of grouping versus randomized items in questionnaires on internal consistency and test-retest reliability with samples of 80, 80, and 100, respectively, university students and undergraduates. The 2 correlational and 1 experimental studies were reasonably consistent in demonstrating that neither format was…

The usefulness and validity of the 3 versions (Infant-Toddler, Early Childhood, and Middle Childhood) of the HOME Inventory were studied with 261 children with cognitive, hearing, vision, or orthopedic handicaps. The Inventory in its original form and a modified form was subjected to analysis of reliability, construct validity, and criterion…

Describes a paper-and-pencil test for high school biology students measuring science process skills, such as developing hypotheses; making predictions; identifying assumptions; analyzing data; and formulating conclusions. Reports some data on reliability and validity of the test. Provides all 35 items of the test. (YP)

Sources of current misuse of standardized tests in assessing the quality of home-based educational programs are identified. Development of new instruments and cooperation of concerned groups are suggested as a means of increasing educational alternatives, excellence, and accountability. (Author/TJH)