The aims of the present study were methodological and substantive; validity and reliability of the Optimism-Pessimism Test Instrument (OPTI) were tested. Moderate, but significant, correlations were found between OPTI and attitude toward school, self-concept, delay of gratification, and locus of control. (GK)

Presents a history and analysis of the Larry P. v Wilson Riles litigation in California which prohibited the use of intelligence tests for determining eligibility of Black children for placement in educable mentally retarded programs. Argues against the court decision, and claims tests are not biased. (APM)

Relationships between mothers' ratings and teacher nominations for aggressive and withdrawn behavior were examined in a sample of 40 Cuban American male secondary school students. Results were consistent with the extensive concurrent and construct validity of the Behavior Problem Checklist. (CM)

Developed an instrument to measure the well-being of the aged. The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Multilevel Assessment Instrument (MAI) assesses behavioral competence in health, daily activities, cognition, time use, and social interaction. Performance of 590 older people determined the MAI is useful for research and assessment in service-giving…

Over 2,000 writing samples were collected from four undergraduate institutions and compared, where possible, with scores on a multiple-choice test. High correlations between ratings of the writing samples and multiple-choice test scores were obtained. Samples contributed substantially to the prediction of both college grades and writing…

Two criticisms of the System of Multicultural Pluralistic Assessment (SOMPA) are discussed: the alleged abilities of SOMPA to provide an approximate measure of a child's biological capacity to learn and to obtain an approximate measure of a child's basic potential. (See also TM 504 174.) (MH)

A study is reported that investigates the validity of written simulations designed to evaluate the problem-solving behavior of pharmacy students studying therapeutics. Results with the written simulations are correlated with test scores from the course's objective examinations and with clinical clerkship evaluations. (JMD)

The Children's Adaptive Behavior Scale is described, and statistics based on children aged 6 through 10 with IQ's 50 to 89 are presented to show the relationship of scores to chronological age, the low relationship with intelligence, and the negligible relationship with race or sex. (CTM)

Contrary to findings of the Educational Testing Service and the College Board, the authors contend that coaching can effectively help raise student scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). They argue that the SAT is not in fact a measure of "aptitude" and that high school grades and achievement tests are better predictors of…

A description is presented of the construction and use of a questionnaire for evaluating freshman science courses. It uses a forced choice technique to measure student expectations, influence on students, and faculty objectives. Field tests are used to estimate the procedure's validity and reliability. (Author/MSE)

Subtests on grammar, listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and translation were developed for screening the English as a second language abilities of students applying to universities outside the U.S. Total test scores, writing ability, and grade point average were used as criteria for evaluating each subtest's validity. (GSK)

Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory items which differentiated between males and females by more than nine percentage points were removed in an attempt to develop a unisex occupational scale for pharmacists. The remaining items formed a unisex scale nearly as reliable and valid as the original, over short term periods. (MH)

Paracognitive evaluation of medical training recognizes the linkage between training and specific maturational trends. After administering the Paracognitive Evaluation Form to assess medical students' performance in seminars and clinical teaching situations, hierarchical cluster analysis suggested that maturational trends were measured and that…

Rankings by faculty members of scholarship and profesionalism of doctoral recipients were correlated with age, undergraduate and graduate grade point average, and Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores. Results indicated age was negatively correlated, grades were positively correlated, and GRE scores were positively correlated. (JKS)

Eight ambiguous items in the 16-item Inconditionality of Regard Scale of the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory were rewritten to see if the relationship of that scale to others in the inventory would change. The hypothesis that the relationships would change was upheld. (The eight original and eight modified items are included). (JKS)