The Psychopathology Instrument for Mentally Retarded Adults--Sexuality Scale was developed and used to study 86 adults with mild/moderate mental retardation. Psychometric characteristics were favorable. Differences in the rate of sexually aberrant behavior are addressed as a function of living and work placement, positive history of sexual abuse,…

Studies beliefs that psychometricians have about learning through interviews with 50 school district testing directors. Disputes about legitimate test preparation and teaching to the test are explained by differing beliefs about learning and implicit learning theories. Discusses implications for testing practices. (SLD)

The relationship between speed of information processing (SIP) and psychometric intelligence was investigated by giving 60 college students (22 males and 38 females) 2 choice reaction time (RT) tests (modified Hick paradigm) and Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices. Results support an association between intelligence and SIP. (SLD)

An example of scale invariance is provided via the LISREL model that is subject only to classical normalizations and zero constraints on the parameters. Scale invariance implies that the estimated covariance matrix must satisfy certain equations, and the nature of these equations depends on the fitting function used. (TJH)

Evidence was obtained from 841 pharmacists for the convergent validity and discriminant validity of measures of career commitment, organizational commitment, career withdrawal intention, and job withdrawal intention. Results indicate the usefulness of confirmatory factor analysis as an alternative to exploratory analyses when determining the…

Describes four studies leading to development of the Perceptions of Parents (POP) measure. POP can be completed by adolescents even if they do not have contact with a parent. Psychometric properties are described. Two factors, positive affect and negative affect, emerged; scores are related to adolescents' psychological adjustment. (Author/EMK)

Discusses authentic assessment of student performance as it relates to academic improvement and educational reform. Points out that there is too much testing of basic knowledge and skills out of context, and too little teaching of complex concepts. (MMU)

On two occasions, 78 undergraduates completed the Merkler Style Preference Inventory (MSPI) and either the Strong Interest Inventory or Kuder Preference Record. Factor analyses provided preliminary support for the MSPI as an instrument for assessing vocational interests. Evidence of its predictive validity is still needed. (SK)

Commentary discusses two components of "The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life." First, evidence is presented demonstrating central role intelligence plays in American life; second is Spearman's g, the general factor underlying individual differences involving cognitive ability. Concludes that data does not…

Describes the complexities and psychometric challenges facing efforts to devise standards-based performance assessments of teaching that are appropriate for teachers in a variety of contexts. Focuses on whether a general assessment of teaching practice can recognize culturally relevant pedagogy and suggests that such an assessment is possible.…

This study evaluated the content, concurrent, and construct validity of the Leadership Skills Inventory (LSI), a measure designed to help students analyze the strength of their leadership skills. Results indicated satisfactory content, concurrent, and construct validity, although factor analysis revealed that the LSI contained only one factor, not…

Discussion of the practice in the United Kingdom of permitting disabled students to take an alternative form of assessment focuses on implications vis-a-vis assessment principles. It concludes that alternative assessments are compensatory in nature, violate the principles of assessment, and undermine the validity of assessment in higher education.…

Presents data showing that the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory's (CDI) large variability, lack of stability, and insufficient ability to predict early language delay are authentic reflections of individual differences in early language development rather than measurement deficiencies. Responds to critiques regarding sociodemographic…

This paper describes the development and empirical investigation of two new paper-and-pencil measures of elementary cognitive tasks (PP ECTs). In three empirical studies involving 333 adults, the PP ECTs proved reliable. They were substantially correlated with other measures of psychometric intelligence and they displayed convergent validity with…

This article invokes a literal image of test givers as measurement devices and explores the psychometric properties of these test administrator instruments. Concurrent and content validation and test-retest and parallel-forms validity are explored. (SLD)