Evaluated new self-report measure assessing children's strategies for preserving emotional security in context of interparental conflict. Factor analyses of the Security in the Interparental Subsystem (SIS) Scale supported a 7-factor solution. The SIS demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Support for test…

Examines the association between student approaches to learning and stages of reflective thinking using questionnaires. Focuses on undergraduate students (n=402) attending a Hong Kong university. Offers support for close association between approaches to learning and stages of reflection upon practice. (CMK)

After identification of an alternative model of the School Social Behavior Scales, the invariance of the new model was tested with half of the original standardization sample (n=2,047). Both scales performed well and resulted in models very similar to those originally proposed by the author of the instrument. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Extended work in comparing item fit statistics and principal component analysis as tools for assessing the unidimensionality requirements of Rasch models and demonstrated methods to explore how violations of the unidimensionality requirement influence person measurement through 2 studies involving simulated rating scale data and responses to a…

"Test Scoring" provides insight into psychometric procedures as used by a professional testing company or in large-scale projects. The book contains an overview of standard test theory, a discussion of factor analytic theory, and an exploration of special applications and problems. (SLD)

In the current study of 361 sexually active undergraduates cited for their first time for university substance abuse violations, confirmatory factor analysis was employed to validate the Risky Sex Scale. A three factor solution appears to fit the data significantly, and three subscales demonstrate good to excellent reliability and vary…

This tutorial is intended to introduce factor and cluster analysis at a level that will afford the senior student or the practicing chemist some insights into the workings of the computer packages employing these methods, without being overwhelming with mathematical detail or process. Included are basic terms and working examples. (CW)

The United States Employment Service Interest Inventory (USES-II), a self-report instrument that measures an individual's relative strength of interests in 12 broad occupational categories, was completed by 732 adult clients at a medical and vocational rehabilitation institution. Results strongly confirmed the 12-scale factor structure of the…

Uses inexpensive equipment to demonstrate, through factorial design, an interaction between genetics and environment. Provides instructions for introducing and conducting the experiment, reporting that significant results are usually obtained. Notes the exercise is appropriate for experimental psychology, developmental psychology, behavior…

The Student Ideal form of the Adult Classroom Environment scale was administered to 449 adult students and a factor analysis performed. All but 15 of 49 items loaded clearly with a 5-factor orthogonal solution, partially supporting scale's 7 dimensions. A revised scale was administered to 287 students, and another factor analysis largely confirmed…

Situations for which the researcher should use component analysis versus common factor analysis are discussed. Topics addressed include key algebraic similarities and differences, theoretical and practical issues, the factor indeterminacy issue, latent versus manifest variables, and differences between exploratory and confirmatory analysis…

A sample of 52 occupational therapists and 4 assistants rated 21 daily living skills in terms of their importance to the functioning of chronic mentally ill persons. Factor analysis showed no relationship between therapists' characteristics and perceived value of skills. Clustering of skills may suggest different levels or categories that may…

The Achievement Anxiety Test's dimensionality was assessed using data from 378 university students. Analyses suggest the viability of a unidimensional construct, whose ability to provide extreme subject groups showing differences on other characteristics of academic achievement was assessed. Such a scale has potential for separating…

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses investigated the dimensionality of a modification of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The sample of 147 fifth-year college students in an elementary teacher training program demonstrated the multidimensional construct validity of the new instrument--the College Student Survey--within the theoretical…

Statistics suggest that the states with the highest infant mortality rates also have the worst prenatal and health care, resulting in a high proportion of children born at risk of learning disabilities that could later result in low Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) performance. (FMW)