The concept of information functions developed for dichotomous item response models is adapted for the partial credit model, and the information function is used to investigate collapsing and recoding categories of polytomously scored items from the National Assessment of Educational Progress. (SLD)

Discusses most widely used measures to inquire about depression in children and adolescents, including self-reporting scales, clinician-completed rating scales, and structured diagnostic interviews. Includes information on how to obtain copies of the measures and related materials that provide information on psychometric properties. (NB)

Presents a psychodynamic framework and research methods for examining the significance of patients' internal representations of therapy with their therapists. Two instruments, the Therapist Representation Inventory and the Intersession Experience Questionnaire, are introduced, and their psychometric characteristics are described. Findings from a…

Reviews literature on curriculum-based measurement (CBM), most radical of curriculum-based assessment procedures designed to assess academic behavior directly from curriculum as basis for evaluation and remediation. Examines conceptual and psychometric problems associated with CBM as they relate to eligibility decision making and programing for…

The psychometric properties of the Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire-Revised (CASQ) (N. Kaslow and S. Nolen-Hoeksema, 1991) were studied with 1086 children, 9 to 12 years old. Results indicate the revised version to be somewhat less reliable than the original, but with equivalent criterion-related validity for self-reported depression.…

The Impact of Event Scale (IES) (M. Horowitz, N. Wilner, and W. Alvarez, 1979) and three other measures of stress were administered to 505 adults in the general population who focused on an "upsetting event." Data suggest that an "upsetting event" version of the IES may be useful as a screen for nonarousal-related posttraumatic…

Discusses new ideas on the definition of intellectual abilities and how they can be measured. Examines issues of generality of both conventional tests and new tests in the measurement of intelligence. Also addresses the teaching of intelligence and the future prospective of research and development of the technology of testing. (MMU)

This study examines selected psychometric characteristics of Bandura's Multidimensional Scales of Perceived Self-Efficacy, including reliability and factor structure. First- and second-order factor structures are presented. Interrelationships among the factors and relationship of factor solutions and subscales are discussed. Implications of the…

Summarizes conceptualizations of sound teacher certification practices espoused by the courts and psychometricians, compares these conceptualizations, and provides suggestions for teacher certification testing programs that are legally and psychometrically defensible. (SLD)

Discusses the issues surrounding the right to use psychological tests. Examines the American Psychological Association's efforts to restrict test access, the likely impact of restricting use, and the mission of the Fair Access Coalition on Testing, which is devoted to allowing all appropriately trained professionals access to such tests. (RJM)

Data from a previous adoption study using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised show that the genetic effect is reflected by psychometric "g" (general intelligence) to a greater degree than is the environmental effect. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that "g" largely reflects the genetic component…

The history of generalizability theory (G theory) is told from the perspective of one researcher's experiences, describing psychometric and scientific perspectives that influenced the development of G theory and its adoption. Work that remains to be done in the field is outlined. (SLD)

The historic origins of measurement are traced, and the basic requirements for fundamental measurement are outlined. Studying the history of social science measurement shows specific pitfalls the researcher must avoid. Applications of item response theory to social science measurement are discussed. (SLD)

Two psychometric tests measuring mental rotation (MR) and visualization (VZ) were administered to 209 male and 390 female high school seniors. Results clearly indicate that MR is a plausible mediator variable for sex differences in VZ when such differences do exist. Theoretical, methodological, and practical consequences of these results are…

The Missouri Occupational Card Sort (MOCS) and the Self-Directed Search were completed by 298 college students and 97 Upward Bound students. MOCS demonstrated adequate reliability. Holland's hexagonal model did not serve as an adequate factor structure for MOCS. Participants favored the MOCS. (SK)