Specific aptitude clusters from the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery (WJPEB) are examined to determine their effectiveness in evaluating aptitude-achievement discrepancies. Advantages of the Scholastic Aptitude clusters over the Broad Cognitive Ability clusters are outlined. Major types of discrepancies, rationale, and research on the…

Changes in beginning medical students' preferred interview responses appear attributable to a course that emphasizes communication techniques for developing patient rapport. Results indicated significant increases in students' preferences for understanding responses and decreases in preferences for evaluative responses. Changes were in the desired…

Tested the 16-item Study of Children's Learning Styles rating scale with 1,513 kindergarten children from diverse backgrounds. Principal components factor analysis revealed three distinct styles of learning-related behavior: Avoidant, Inattentive, and Overly Independent. Each style was related to other behavioral dimensions not devoted exclusively…

Developed an occupational stress inventory for school counselors, based on a pilot study of 353 counselors and a replication study of 410 counselors. Factor analysis identified six factors of occupational stress. Age and school size were the variables that had the most influence on perceptions. (JAC)

Collected data on the Michill Adjective Rating Scale (MARS) from 413 American students and 353 students in Pakistan, who rated self and several significant others. Comparison of the coefficients of congruence for the various pairings indicated a reasonable degree of generality in most cases. (JAC)

Provides a system for evaluating both the quality and the appropriateness of the placement and instructional tests that accompany basal reading series. (FL)

Discusses the strengths and weaknesses of Reading Yardsticks, a criterion referenced test. Concludes that there are significant problems associated with its effective use. (FL)

The effects of violating four item construction principles were examined to assess the validity of the principles and the importance of students' test wiseness. While flawed items were significantly less difficult than sound items, differences in item discrimination, test reliability, and concurrent validity were not observed. (Author/BW)

The concurrent validity and reliability of Kaufman's short-form version of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities were examined for a sample of 342 Mexican-American preschool and kindergarten age children. The results showed that generally the positive psychometric properties of the Kaufman short form were also noted for the children in this…

In a confidence weighting situation, the examinee is asked to indicate the correct answer, and how certain he or she is of the correctness of that answer. This paper reviews the bases for confidence marking, its validity and accuracy in evaluating students, and it's use in research. (BW)

Administered two measures of general self-concept and two measures of academic self-concept to 1,018 high school students in October and May of the same school year to determine reliability and validity. Results indicated the need for more research investigating the psychometric properties of measures of academic self-concept. (JAC)

A decision upholding the constitutionality of Florida's competency exam is reviewed and school boards advised of measures for ensuring fairness and legality in competency testing: a curriculum that teaches the skills tested, adequate remedial instruction, and several chances to take the test. (MJL)

The review examines five measures designed to assess autistic symptomatology: Rimland's Diagnostic Checklist for Behavior-Disturbed Children, the Behavior Rating Instrument for Autistic and Atypical Children, the Behavior Observation Scale for Autism, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, and the Autism Behavior Checklist. Available studies of…

Compares men's and women's performance on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), and suggests that the math section may have penalized women, since they scored equally to men on other sections. Questions the validity of mathematics performance as a predictor of success in law school and as a lawyer. (GC)

Questions the credibility of the Diagnostic Spelling Potential Test. (FL)