The psychometric properties of the Motivation Assessment Scale were examined using 90 ratings of different problem behaviors among 86 individuals with mental retardation. Although reliability and internal consistency were generally poor, the results depended upon topographies of problem behavior and methods of calculation. The construct validity…

Data from the experimental functional analysis of challenging behaviors of 27 individuals with mental retardation were analyzed to assess agreement among three forms of interpretation. Results found that the methods of interpreting function from experimental assessment can give different results and that test-retest reliability of the experimental…

The reliability and validity of state and trait forms of the Multiple Affective Adjective Checklist-R6 are investigated in a sample of seventh-grade public school students. High internal consistency and adequate validity are found for both forms. Test-retest reliability is higher for trait than for state. Appropriateness for use in research is…

Presents data on the High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire, a 27-item checklist for completion by lay informants when assessing symptoms characteristic of Asperger syndrome and other high-functioning autism spectrum disorders in children and adolescents with normal intelligence or mild mental retardation. Reliability and…

The validity of the Child Abuse Potential (CAP) Inventory was tested with a sample of 40 child physical abusers and 40 nonabusers in Argentina. More than 97% of subjects were correctly classified as abusing or nonabusing individuals. The article is in Spanish. (CR)

Discusses statistical procedures for increasing test unreliability due to guessing in multiple choice and true/false tests. Proposes two new measures of test unreliability: one concerned with resolution of defined levels of knowledge and the other with the probability of examinees being incorrectly ranked. Both models are based on the binomial…

This article describes the Gifted Education Knowledge Scale, a rating scale for assessing educators' knowledge about gifted education. Information about item selection, content validity, reliability, and internal consistence is provided. (DB)

The conceptual basis and development of The Suinn Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale (SL-ASIA) are reviewed. This study of psychometric strengths and limitations includes 16 published empirical studies concerning reliability and validity of SL-ASIA. Measures of reliability and methods of establishing construct validity are discussed, and…

The effect of removing nonfunctioning items from multiple-choice tests was studied by examining change in difficulty, discrimination, and dimensionality. Results provide additional support for the benefits of eliminating nonfunctioning options, such as enhanced score reliability, reduced testing time, potential for broader domain sampling, and…

Describes the development of the Georgia Autonomy Scales, an instrument used by student affairs professionals to assess the level of autonomy development of students. Estimates of the instrument's reliability and validity were judged sufficiently high to permit use with groups of students. (MKA)

Discusses issues in conceptualizing and measuring counselors' theoretical orientations to practice. Evaluates 15 instruments previously proposed as measures of counselors' and therapists' theoretical orientations, and examines psychometric properties and the utility of each instrument. Few instruments show evidence of reliability and even fewer…

Provides a thorough psychometric evaluation of the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale. Provides a summary of the initial construction and development of the scale, followed by a comprehensive review of the results from various investigations on its reliability and validity. Concludes with ideas for additional research. (JPS)

Data on 11 samples of 1,012 toddlers used to construct and validate the Toddler Behavior Assessment Questionnaire (TBAQ) revealed that the component of negative affectivity (anger proneness and fearfulness) were independent, and item analysis suggested that shyness and other fears were independent as well. (MDM)

Reviews the results of four studies included in this issue of "School Psychology Quarterly" which found all four cognitive profile reports lacking reliability, validity, or diagnostic utility. Argues that ipsative methods are inferior to normative methods in cognitive assessment. Recommends that psychologists eschew the application of…

Discusses the development of the Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs-Preliminary 2 (MCSA-P2) Scale, an assessment tool to measure multicultural competence in a higher education context. Reports the results of two studies that investigated the validity and reliability of the MCSA-P2. Explores future research needs as well as applications…