Presents an analysis of existing norm-referenced measures of social and emotional competence and disability for young children birth-to-5 to determine whether these indices satisfy technical and conceptual requirements. It concludes that informal clinical opinion should be used to supplement norm-referenced measures in this area. (DB)

The factor structures of the 10 Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III core subtests were studied with 161 black students receiving special education services. Results provide evidence of a large first principal factor as well as the expected verbal and performance factors. Implications for psychologists are discussed. (SLD)

The ability of the "fake good" indicators on the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4 (PDQ-4) (S. Hyler, 1994) for "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" Axis II disorders was studied with 99 college students. Overall classification rates of the validity scales of the PDQ-4 were too low for clinical use. (SLD)

Four experiments were performed to validate the newly developed Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM). Results with 475 community-dwelling adults and young adults and 161 neurologically impaired people in three experiments and a fourth experiment involving 41 college students show the promise of the TOMM for detecting exaggerated or faked memory…

Three studies evaluating the validity of the descriptors and exemplars of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) as characterizations of the actual mathematics performance of students at achievement levels are reported. Serious inconsistencies were found between actual performance and descriptors and exemplars. Recommendations for…

Examined user reaction to computer-administered and paper-and-pencil-administered forms of the Strong Interest Inventory. Results indicate that user reactions to the two administration modes were reasonably similar in most areas. However, the computer group indicated more often that their version was easier to use and follow. (RJM)

A study involving 221 individuals with mild intellectual disabilities examined the psychometric properties of the Lifestress Inventory (LI). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that three underlying factors corresponding to General Worry, Negative Interpersonal Relations, and Coping were sufficient to account for the correlations among the…

While Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and American College Testing Program (ACT) scores are viewed as reliable, and colleges and universities continue to use them, they are often misunderstood and misused. They are reliable for predicting freshman grades only when comparisons are made within one racial group. They also do not account for student…

Six dimensions of curriculum profiles are identified: (1) function-purpose; (2) curriculum coverage; (3) criterion referencing; (4) validity-reliability; (5) manageability; and (6) interpretability. Each dimension in Australian National Profiles, the Victoria (Australia) Profiles, and the National Curriculum Assessment in England and Wales is…

Explains the use of the construct representation and inference functions of indicators used in construct measurements of self-concept. Illustrates validity and reliability issues with data from 2,114 12th-grade vocational-technical students. (SK)

To analyze smoking behavior among students, used cross-sectional data from a multiethnic cohort of 5th-, 8th-, and 12th-grade students (N=368) so as to examine the psychometric properties of two Transtheoretical Model of Change scales. Findings support the concurrent validity of the scales. (RJM)

Describes factors that can affect the referral rate for otoacoustic emission-based newborn hearing screening and discusses the screening results of 1,328 newborns screened with transient evoked otoaoustic emissions prior to hospital discharge. The youngest infants were as likely to pass as infants who were 24-27 hours old. (Author/CR)

This study used a sample (n=967) of academically gifted adolescent students attending summer enrichment programs and participating in urban school districts' gifted programs to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Adolescent Coping Scale. Results suggest the instrument is sufficiently reliable for group administration and research purposes…

The Observation Procedure for Technology Education Mental Processes, a computerized assessment tool, was based on duration and frequency of mental processes needed for problem solving. Videotapes of students completing problem-solving activities were used to identify the processes. Interrater reliability tests validated the program. (SK)

Considers an approach to validating the selection of education indicators by incorporating them into a multilevel structural model and using the estimates from that model in policy-relevant simulations. The potential of this approach is demonstrated with data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988. (SLD)