Simulation techniques were used to generate conventional test responses and track the proportion of alternatives examinees could classify independently before and after taking the test. Finite-state scores were compared with these actual values and with number-correct and formula scores. Finite-state scores proved useful. (TJH)

Examines practices that encourage false negatives and false positives on licensing and certification tests designed to protect the public. Recommends increasing the amount of testing or raising the required passing score for repeat test takers. (FMW)

Administered Peabody Mathematics Readiness Test to 325 students in kindergarten through second grade to investigate selected psychometric characteristics of the test. Found low item-to-item correlations; results did not support factor structure suggested by test's authors or proposed hierarchical structure. (Author/NB)

Examined discriminant validity of Family-of-Origin Scale (FOS) with 60 self-defined adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) and 64 college students. ACOAs obtained significantly lower scores on 10 FOS subscales, 2 larger dimensions of Autonomy and Intimacy, and global score. Discriminant function correctly classified nearly 88% of sample. Findings…

This paper reviews the psychometric properties, treatment utility, and conceptual basis of instruments used to identify the functions of aberrant behaviors in people with developmental disabilities. Instruments include the Motivational Assessment Scale, Motivation Analysis Rating Scale, Functional Analysis Interview Form, and Functional Analysis…

Evidence is presented in support of psychometric "g," arguing that it accounts for most of the prediction of educational and vocational criteria that is possible from a battery of tests of cognitive tasks. Providing the best measure of "g" is explored. (SLD)

Psychophysiological measures are generally those in which electrodes measure central or autonomous nervous system or skeletomotor activity with the goals of establishing linkages between the measurement and specific psychological processes. Psychophysiological methods and the difficulties inherent in their use are discussed. Guidelines are…

Compared to children with high-average and low-average intelligence quotients, 26 intermediate grade gifted children used fewer moves to solve a combinatorial problem-solving task and exhibited higher metacognitive knowledge on person and strategy variables. Qualitatively different intercorrelational patterns among problem-solving, metacognition,…

To determine whether or not there are systematic differences in the psychometric properties of items in the vocabulary test of the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test, data from test administrations from 1984 through 1988 (over 50,000 students) were analyzed. The systematic relationships between word characteristics and psychometric properties are…

The Swedish version of the Communication Strategies scale of the Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired was evaluated in terms of descriptive statistics, corrected item-total correlations, principal component analysis, and internal consistency reliability. The study concludes that the scale is an adequately reliable and clinically useful…

A method of comparing one-step M-estimates of location for heavy tailed distributions is proposed and investigated. Simulations indicate that the new procedure provides good control over Type I errors and has more power than do some other methods for dealing with heavy tailed distributions. (SLD)

This paper summarizes empirical findings of research on a theory of general mental ability, based on laboratory studies of the relationship between measurements of individual differences on conventional psychometric tests and in speed and efficiency of information processes. The paper covers characteristics of "g" (general mental ability),…

The Milestone Reinforcer Survey was developed to assess reinforcer preferences of adults with mild to profound retardation living in community settings. Psychometric properties of the survey were established with 120 adults. The total reinforcer scores were found to be internally consistent, consistent across raters, and stable over time.…

Thirty-five gifted elementary children were tested with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III (WISC-III) and results were compared to a previous administration of the WISC (Revised). Scores were significantly higher on all three WISC-R global scales and most subtest scaled scores. Correlation coefficients between the tests were…

This paper urges a deeper consideration of the role of psychometrically defined intelligence in the operationalization of aptitude/achievement discrepancies inherent in most definitions of learning disability. It proposes a new disability, dysrationalia, the inability to think and behave rationally despite adequate intelligence. (DB)