Developed and evaluated an assessment of orthographic knowledge designed to help teachers interpret children's spellings for instruction and to advance understanding of how children acquire knowledge of words. Reliability and validity studies with 1,016 urban and rural elementary school students support the use of the Developmental Spelling…

Maintains that van Hoof misrepresents views of theorists and researchers working with identity status constructs. Examines the paradigm's theoretical underpinnings and the construct validity of ego identity. Provides empirical evidence for six propositions within the theory of identity status development. Examines literature reviewed by van Hoof…

This paper describes the development of the Behaviour Function Inventory (BFI), an instrument designed to assess particular disorders of psychological development and functioning in children with developmental disorders including autism. A study of the reliability and validity of the scale indicated that the BFI provides precise information on the…

Presents findings from a survey that assessed 922 undergraduates' perceptions of undergraduate science classes. Correlational analyses and evidence from distinct groups supported the survey's construct validity. Students reported room for improvement of the science faculty's pedagogical practices. Results indicate that how information is taught is…

This article introduces this special issue on functional assessment methods and their application to children and youth with autism. It traces the 30-year history of functional assessment and briefly summarizes each of the following articles, noting the common emphasis on social validity and using the science and technology of functional…

Studied the convergent and discriminant validity of multiple measures of perceived competence and obtained 12 separate multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) data sets for 1,228 children in grades 3 through 8. Examined the bias inherent in appraisals of children's competence and estimated manifest and latent variable mean differences between boys and girls…

Developed and evaluated a mail survey measuring population attitudes toward substance use and potential receptivity of communities to different prevention efforts. Developed through a literature review, consultation with practitioners and experts, and focus groups, the survey was administered to about 3,000 adults from 30 participating…

Reports on a series of exploratory studies dealing with learning in total enterprise simulations among undergraduates. Examined the validity of simulations as learning tools; measured relationships between learning about the simulation and economic performance in the game; and explored whether some players learn more than others from the same…

The present study investigated the validity of LibQUAL+[TM] scores, and specifically how total and subscale LibQUAL+[TM] scores are associated with self-reported, library-related satisfaction and outcomes scores. Participants included 88,664 students and faculty who completed the American English (n[AE] = 69,494) or the British English (n[BE] =…

The reliability and validity of a Dutch version of the Ego Identity Process Questionnaire (EIPQ) were evaluated. In Study 1, the instrument was found to exhibit a clear factor structure and acceptable reliability. Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis, both a model with two process factors (Commitment, Exploration) and a model with four content…

Students, faculty and administrators at a major Canadian university were surveyed to investigate the utility or "consequential validity" of student ratings of instructors. Of the 1,229 (approximately equal number of males and females) students and alumni, about half (52%) indicated that they had never used the ratings, but of those who…

Over nearly 40 years, several scales have been developed to measure therapist theoretical orientation (Poznanski & McLennan, 1995). This study, unlike previous efforts, focuses on "community clinicians"--social workers and other mental health professionals (such as psychologists, counselors, psychiatrists, and psychiatric nurses) who…

A general model for motivational design of instruction is described and reviewed in terms of its application to E-learning contexts. Following a description of what is meant by E-learning environments and an overview of the four category model and design process known as the ARCS model, a variety of studies are summarized. The ARCS model is based…

The Pediatric Volitional Questionnaire (PVQ) was used along with the Test of Playfulness (TOP) to assess 16 children with cerebral palsy who took part in a study of virtual reality play intervention. Both observational measures are designed to assess children as they are engaged in occupations in one or more environments. Virtual reality offers an…

This study compared factor structures of the Occupational Work Ethic Inventory (OWEI) for self-perceived work attitudes of manufacturing employees and their supervisors' ratings of those same employees. The purpose of the study was to evaluate construct validity through comparative factor analysis. Four factors were generated through principal…