When 197 disadvantaged older medical patients completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the instrument demonstrated high internal consistency and no significant differences by sex or race, suggesting that it is appropriate for use with diverse populations. Total instrument scores correlated negatively with age. (SLD)

Components identified with social and academic integration in high school were studied with 506 students using a scale developed by E. T. Pascarella and P. T. Terenzini (1980). Principal components analysis with orthogonal rotation identified seven meaningful dimensions and supported the usefulness of the scale. (SLD)

The psychometric characteristics of the Henderson Environmental Learning Process Scale (HELPS) were studied with 385 parents of school-aged children. Factor analysis provided a conceptually meaningful six-factor solution, but internal consistency reliabilities of scores on three factors were unacceptably low. With some modifications, the HELPS…

Examined the validity and generalizability of the use of Teacher Work Samples to assess the ability of preservice teachers and inservice teachers to meet national and state teaching standards and to make an impact on the learning of their students. Results of the study, which involved 132 work samples, show initial support for teacher work sample…

Studied classroom assessment events in high school social studies classes using data from 12 assessment events in classes of a teacher researcher. Results for the 96 students involved support the conclusion that student perceptions of the task and self-efficacy, reported mental effort invested, goal orientation, and learning strategy use differed…

Examines the effects of high-stakes testing in Chicago, the first large urban school district to introduce a comprehensive accountability system. Concludes that high-stakes testing has the potential to improve student learning, but policymakers must look beyond aggregate measures of student performance to assess the nature of observed performance…

Compared area scores from short-form version of Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test (Fourth) with those from long form for 33 gifted children. Found three of five mean difference contrasts were significantly different and correlation coefficients between corresponding area scores and Test Composite were statistically significant. Suggests that…

Deals with the methodology and practices for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Describes the EIA process, prediction process, alternative assessment methods, training needs, major activities, training provision and material, main deficiencies and the precautions, and real world training examples. (Author/YP)

Determines the concurrent and predictive validity of a cloze-based scoring procedure which is sensitive to semantic and syntactic language performance, as well as to the traditional responses to deletion. Finds the scoring procedure possesses acceptable concurrent and predictive validity for a variety of passages and grade levels. (RS)

The aim of this article is to provide teachers with interesting and intelligible ways of interpreting fitness test results to students. Also shown are ways that fitness testing can be used to diagnose fitness needs, provide a basis for exercise prescription, help monitor progress, and individualize fitness education concepts. (IAH)

Findings from 83 school psychologists revealed that a typical battery for assessing severely emotionally disturbed students consisted on Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, Wide-Range Achievement Test, Bender-Gestalt, an incomplete sentence test, a behavior-rating scale, classroom observation, and informal interviews. Psychologists…

Seventeen bilingual speech and language pathologists submitted assessment reports on 51 limited-English-proficiency students and 44 Anglo students with suspected language disorders. Analysis indicated that a heavy diagnostic emphasis continues to be placed on results of discrete-point tests. A protocol to assess limited-English-speaking students…

Examined utility of My Vocational Situation (MVS) in identifying career decision difficulties within population of adult psychiatric patients (N=300). Found that MVS could successfully identify those patients in need of vocational training and counseling. (Author/NB)

Recommends pretesting intermediate grade students' basal skills to eliminate unnecessary basal skill instruction. Provides guidelines for pretesting reading comprehension skills. (MM)

Thirty-eight elderly control subjects performed better than did 18 patients with moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), 33 with severe AD, and 12 with Parkinson's dementia on all measures of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. Results indicate that the test is useful in distinguishing AD from Parkinson's dementia. (SLD)