Steps are outlined in the construction of two self-report assessment scales designed to measure general life satisfaction and leisure activity levels of developmentally disabled adults. The potential usefulness of a reliable, valid self-report instrument as a measurement tool in client programming is noted in the context of a review of similar…

The general purpose of this year-long study was to evaluate the effects of the Edmonton Hospital Workers' Child Care Society programs in three Canadian hospitals on the employers, the employees, and the children served. Specifically, this study investigated the effects of employer-supported child care on (1) employee absenteeism; (2) tardiness;…

A more familiar and efficient method for estimating the parameters of Cason and Cason's model was examined. Using a two-step analysis based on linear regression, rather than the direct search interative procedure, gave about equally good results while providing a 33 to 1 computer processing time advantage, across 14 cohorts of junior medical…

To test the usefulness of single subject statistical designs for biofeedback, three experiments were conducted comparing biofeedback to meditation, and to a compound stimulus recognition task. In a statistical sense, this experimental design is best described as one experiment with two replications. The apparatus for each of the three experiments…

The Brand Emotions Scale for Writers (BSEW) is a 20-item scale designed to measure the emotions of writers; (1) immediately before writing (state-before), (2) immediately after writing (state-after), and (3) when writing in general (trait). This paper describes the development of BSEW and the factor structure of these three different forms. Common…

A study explored (1) whether children demonstrated growth in writing ability through the experience of writing two or three times a week without direct teacher instruction; (2) what changes could be observed over time in the writing samples of second and fourth graders; (3) whether written language growth was a continuous progression of upward…

Measures of adults' attitudes toward nuclear war are briefly discussed, and Mayton's Modified World Affairs Questionnaire (MWAQ) is described. The 23-item MWAQ was developed from Novak and Lerner's World Affairs Questionnaire, a nuclear war attitude measure by Mayton and Delamater, and related interview items by Jeffries. When the MWAQ was…

Drawing on information and references in the ERIC system, this literature review describes research related to a child's developmental placement. The issues examined include school entrance age; predictive validity, reliability, and features of Gesell School Readiness Assessment; retention; and the effectiveness of developmental placement. A…

The two most commonly used language proficiency tests offered in the United States by foreign countries' chambers of commerce are those of Spain and France. The Spanish test has been introduced recently and has no rigorous and uniform set of rules governing its administration at all centers. Issues arising from the administration of this exam…

A study was undertaken (1) to examine the theoretical relationship between communicating and understanding, (2) to test this relationship in the Korean National Assembly's communicative context, and (3) to evaluate how well the assembly's activities were communicated to the public. Twenty respondents from each of three groups surveyed--reporters,…

The study evaluated the reliability and validity of SCAN, a measurement technique for assessing class involvement in the learning process (classroom climate for learning). Concurrent validity was investigated by comparing SCAN ratings to a point-sampling of on-task performance behaviors. The Engaged Time Observation Instrument (ETOI) was used to…

Information necessary for informed use by practitioners of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) tests is presented. Assessment instruments that (1) have as a basic assumption that thinking skills can be taught; (2) provide information that can be useful for instructional planning related to complex thought processes; and (3) have content that is…

Factors that affect the utility of financial data collected through the Higher Education General Information Surveys (HEGIS) are examined. Attention is also directed to the process associated with the collection and use of that data; roles and responsibilities of various parties to that process, with a focus on researchers' roles; and possible…

The chi-square procedure has been suggested as a viable index of test bias because it provides the best agreement with the three parameter item characteristic curve without the large sample requirement, computer complexity, and cost. This study examines the effect of using different numbers of ability intervals on the reliability of chi-square…

While diagnosis is generally considered a vital element in reading clinicians' expertise, research has revealed that even degreed, experienced reading clinicians display little personal consistency or agreement with one another when diagnosing simulated cases of reading difficulty. Three studies were conducted to determine if systematizing the…