Proposes a dynamical systems approach to parsing in which syntactic hypotheses are associated with attractors in a metric space. The experiments discussed documented various contingent frequency effects that cut across traditional linguistic grains, each of which was predicted by the dynamical systems model. (47 references) (Author/CK)

Efficiency, precision, and concurrent validity of results from adaptive and fixed-item music listening tests were studied using: (1) 2,200 simulated examinees; (2) 204 live examinees; and (3) 172 live examinees. Results support the usefulness of adaptive tests for measuring skills that require aurally produced items. (SLD)

This article presents criteria researchers should consider when seeking to establish a socially valid understanding of problem behavior. Criteria include determining if behavior change is demonstrated in typical settings and whether the intervention promotes movement in the least restrictive environment, is conducted by families and/or school and…

A study compared the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) and the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI) for assessing the maladaptive behavior of 226 adults, mostly with severe or profound mental retardation. Individuals with elevated BPI scores generally had higher ABC scores, however, the extent of covariation differed across subscales. (Contains…

Investigates reliability of two approaches for estimating text difficulty at the first-grade level: the Scale for Text Accessibility and Support and the Fountas/Pinnell system. Supports the predictive validity of the two rating scales with performance data. Suggests potential benchmarks for first-grade performance: 95% accuracy; 80 words per…

Four alternate versions of a 15-item general outcome measure (GOM) of mathematics conceptual understanding and applications were developed and administered to 117 eighth-graders. Results were correlated with scores on state multiple-choice mathematics achievement tests. Correlations ranged from .81 to .87 with no significant differences, offering…

The reliability, validity, and clinical utility of the Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale in the diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorders are reviewed. While the measure holds promise as a research tool, there appears little evidence that it can distinguish among the variety of types of pervasive developmental disorders, or diagnose Asperger…

A study evaluated the use of a "none-of-these" option on multiple-choice achievement tests in undergraduate dental education. Results indicated this option neither enhanced nor diminished examinee performance stability but did reduce the examinee's opportunity to select correct choices by means unrelated to course objectives, thereby enhancing…

The relevance of verbal reports of thinking for validating multiple-choice critical thinking tests was examined. Results from 342 senior high school students in Newfoundland (Canada) indicate that verbal reports can meet a necessary condition of validation data and collecting data does not alter thinking and performance. (SLD)

The Connecticut Teacher Assessment Center Project has, since 1986, been developing a semistructured interview in the area of mathematics to evaluate beginning teacher competence. The strategy for validation of the project's performance tests, Connecticut's reform initiatives, and implications of systematic validity for traditional psychometric…

C. Davis and M. Cowles (1989) analyzed a total trait anxiety score on the Endler Multidimensional Anxiety Scales (EMAS)--a unidimensional construct that this multidimensional measure does not assess. Data are reanalyzed using the appropriate scoring procedure for the EMAS. Subjects included 145 undergraduates in 1 of 4 testing conditions. (SLD)

A new measure of academic performance was developed through a new application of item response theory (IRT). This new criterion, an IRT-based grade point average (GPA), was used to determine the predictive validity of certain preadmissions measures for 1,564 students admitted to Stanford University in 1982. (SLD)

Introduces this issue of "The Counseling Psychologist," which considers several contemporary developments and issues in the areas of testing and assessment and their relevance for counseling psychologists. Topics examined by the papers are identified, along with five additional current issues in testing and assessment. (Author/TE)

This article investigates cognitive decline and depressive symptomatology among older adults with mental retardation. A pilot study of assessment instruments is reported. Findings reveal that decreasing cognitive ability is associated with higher rates of observed depression and reported behavioral problems. Cognitive decline was associated with…

Considers the question of how best to elicit samples of writing for assessment in an English-for-academic-purposes proficiency test and assure that every test taker has something to write about. Three types of writing tasks are defined and analyzed, and examples are given. (25 references) (GLR)