Describes efforts and difficulties encountered by health care professionals who attempted to develop a Spanish-language word recognition test as a quick screening for patients' literacy levels, an effort which was ultimately unsuccessful. Notes that the close phoneme-grapheme correspondence of the spelling system means oral reading may not reflect…

This paper reviews studies of the link between parental substance abuse and child maltreatment and then explores standardized methods developed for screening for substance abuse among various populations and suggests ways of adapting these screening devices for families reported for child maltreatment. Assessment and treatment considerations in…

Reports on the use of a screening instrument for dissociative behaviors in two separate but related studies. Results of a concurrent validity study between the Child Dissociative Checklist (CDC) and the Child Behavior Checklist indicate significant, positive correlations. A second study found that parent-completed CDC scores differentiate between…

This paper reviewed the psychometric properties of the DSM-III-R (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual III, Revised) criteria for autism. Results indicated that the criteria had, on average, very good sensitivity but much lower specificity. It is concluded that the DSM-III-R criteria act more like screening criteria than diagnostic criteria.…

Administered Quick Neurological Screening Test-Revised (QNST-R) to 122 elementary-aged children diagnosed with learning disabilities. QNST-R appeared to measure primarily lower order sensory perception/processing and fine and gross motoric skills, which are thought presumably to serve as basis for later higher order cognitive functions. Age, but…

This investigation compared five parameters of phonatory function in an examination of the use of acoustic measures in differential diagnosis in 39 subjects in 3 neuropathological groups (Parkinson, Huntington, cerebellar ataxia) and a normal control group. Results indicated higher variability in perturbation in all the neuropathological groups.…

Two educational resources for use with gifted students are evaluated. Positively rated are "The Gifted Evaluation Scale" (Stephen B. Carney) and "The Psychology of Achievement" (audiotape series by Brian Tracy). (DB)

This study evaluated the voiced/voiceless phonation time for /s/ and /z/ for 11 children (ages 5-10) with vocal pathology and 11 normal speaking children. Results showed no difference in /s/ durations between groups, but /z/ durations and s/z ratios were significantly different. Results are discussed in relation to task construction, instructional…

Describes sensory integration dysfunction, a condition in which a child's inefficient neurological system has a negative effect on his or her ability to perform effectively in a school setting. Discusses the role of occupational therapy intervention for preschoolers with sensory integration dysfunction and methods of screening for the dysfunction.…

This article describes the Scale for the Evaluation of Gifted Identification Instruments, developed for use by school decision makers. Development of the scale is reviewed in terms of five areas of assessment: validity, reliability, propriety, respondent appropriateness, and utility. Specific guidelines and cautions in using the scale are also…

Analyses of the internal consistency of three autism scales--the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), the Real Life Rating Scale (RLRS), and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS)--were conducted with 34 children with pervasive developmental disabilities. Good internal consistency was found for the CARS. Adequate full-scale consistency was found for…

A study investigated optimal length of screening tests used to sort out medical students needing to take a full-length performance-based standardized-patient test from those not needing it. Receiver operating characteristic analysis determined a good length is one-third the full test, with cutoff just above the mean case pass level. (Author/MSE)

Ophthalmological screening was conducted on 113 clients in a work activity center for adults with mental retardation. Abnormalities that were neither refractive nor strabismic were found in 32 percent of clients. Findings suggest the value of conducting screenings in settings familiar to such clients. (Author/DB)

Examined usefulness of CAGE in screening for alcohol use disorders in university students (n=110) attending campus psychiatric health service. Fourteen students were identified as having current alcohol use disorder by means of Computerized Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Results suggest that CAGE is able in this population to detect usually mild…

Evaluated the utility of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist for youth when completed by adolescents at a school-based health center (SBHC), noting how identification of psychosocial dysfunction and referral to mental health services improved academic functioning. Results support the utility of psychosocial screening and referral in SBHCs in…