Performance by 38 elementary reading-disabled and above-average readers was compared on a series of 6 measures of phonological awareness, including tests of ability to segment, blend, and manipulate phonemes. Results suggest that tasks requiring blending and manipulation of phonemes, in addition to segmentation, may predict decoding ability best.…

Indicated that infants with different degrees of brain insult display different degrees of abnormalities. The grouping of infants by documented brain insult provides better differentiation of infants than grouping by birth weight. (RH)

Counselor ratings and statistical data from client files were gathered for 71 rehabilitation clients. A Markov Chain model was developed which provided viable probabilities for predicting rehabilitation outcome at three time periods, from 1 to 13 weeks after initial interview. Predictions generally followed a time progression toward stronger and…

Investigated possible bias of Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) with 76 White and 90 Mexican-American fifth- and sixth-graders. Criterion variable was Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS). Results showed considerable evidence of bias in differential predictive validity, indicating global cognitive score of K-ABC was less…

Students (N=738) from grades one-five who exhibited behavior problems were assessed for behavioral disturbance using the Teacher's Report Form of the Child Behavior Checklist. Data were analyzed to assess the form's internal consistency, accuracy in discriminating disturbed and nondisturbed students, and validity in terms of grade repetition and…

Asserts that employment tests predict job performance by measuring or being correlated with abilities causally related to productivity. Contends that American economy underrewards achievements measured by these tests and that absence of economic incentives to study in high school has contributed to low achievement in mathematics and science.…

Explored the relationship between third-grade children's (N=45) performance on the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery (WJ) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale-Revised (WISC-R) and subsequent ninth-grade reading and math achievement. Found significant correlations between third-grade WISC-R and WJ intellectual/achievement scores and…

Tested predictive validity of stress-vulnerability model of suicide ideation and behavior. Undergraduates completed measures of social/emotional alienation, adaptive resources for living, and cognitive rigidity at beginning of semester. Measures of stress and cumulative negative life stress were obtained midterm. Found that combination of…

Evaluates self-efficacy as a predictor of counseling skills performance in a graduate counseling class (n=31). Self-efficacy was measured before, midway through, and at the end of a microcounseling skills training program. Although there was a wide distribution of self-efficacy reports, none of the estimates of grade were significantly positively…

Schouten and Kirkpatrick's review of evaluations of the Miller Assessment for Preschoolers' predictive validity reveals unacceptably high error rates in target population identification. Miller's response suggests flaws in their argument, Humphry and King-Thomas suggest alternative interpretations, and Schouten and Kirkpatrick respond to their…

Graduate students (n=116), nurses (n=223), and business alumni (n=145) completed the Job Search Behavior Index. The instrument's validity was confirmed as a superior predictor of voluntary job turnover compared to attitudinal and intention measures. (SK)

Reviews recently published methods of assessment of dynamic formulations derived from psychodynamic case material, particularly those that emphasize central maladaptive interpersonal patterns. The methods are divided into those based on case studies and those with a moderate sample size. Psychometric properties are reviewed. The question of how…

Examined how coaching affects the predictive validity and fairness of scholastic aptitude tests. A coached (n=271) and uncoached (n=95) group were compared. Comparison revealed that although coaching enhanced scores on the Israeli Psychometric Entrance Test by about 25% of a standard deviation, it did not create a prediction bias or affect…

Evaluations of the risk of recurrent violence were conducted for 162 Canadian mentally disordered criminal defendants through the assembly of actuarial data, scores from special-to-purpose psychometric instruments, and scaled global predictions of dangerousness to others. Professional clinicians were not more accurate than nonclinical raters. (JPS)

This longitudinal study assessed the power of the Occupational Scales (OSs) of the Strong Interest Inventory to predict the participants' occupations 12 years after Time 1 testing, 8 years after Time 2 testing, and concurrently at Time 3. Results indicated that OS scores predicted occupational membership at a level substantially higher than chance…