Purpose: To determine the clinical performance characteristics of the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (MASA) for predicting aspiration (determined by videofluoroscopic swallowing study [VFSS]) in a mixed population. Method: We selected 133 cases clinically evaluated using MASA and VFSS from January through June 2007. Ordinal risk rating…

Effectively and efficiently diagnosing African Americans' mental health has been a chronically unresolved challenge. To meet this challenge we developed a tool to better understand African Americans' mental health: the Multiculturally Sensitive Mental Health Scale (MSMHS). Three studies reporting the development and initial validation of the MSMHS…

On February 14, leading scholars and private foundation presidents shared the stage at a Capitol Hill briefing, "Payoffs of Long-Term Investment in Education Research." Speakers emphasized that education research based on long-term funding has led to important payoffs for education policy and practice in areas such as early intervention,…

The concept of "Ethnolinguistic Vitality" (EV) has received variable acceptance and support since its introduction by Giles, Bourhis, and Taylor. It has especially proven to be a valuable heuristic in studies of language maintenance and shift. However, the reliability and validity of the instruments used to investigate EV, especially…

The development of standardized, valid, and reliable methods for assessment of students' practice competence continues to be a challenge for social work educators. In this study, the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), originally used in medicine to assess performance through simulated interviews, was adapted for social work to…

The Strength of Motivation for Medical School (SMMS) questionnaire is designed to determine the strength of motivation of students particularly for medical study. This research was performed to establish the validity evidence for measuring strength of motivation for medical school. Internal structure and relations to other variables were used as…

The number of life events reported by study participants is sensitive to the method of data collection and time intervals under consideration. Individual characteristics also influence reporting; respondents with poor mental health report more life events. Much current research on life events is cross-sectional. Data from a longitudinal study of…

The purpose of this article is to report the results of a study that examined young readers' metacognitive processes and strategies while reading. An interview procedure was conducted while 109 children (high, average, and low readers) in kindergarten (three classrooms) and first grade (four classrooms) read familiar and unfamiliar text.…

Background: Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States, yet a comprehensive and evidence-based heart disease knowledge assessment is currently not available. Purpose: This paper describes the two-phase development of a novel heart disease knowledge questionnaire. Methods: After review and critique of the…

Over many decades, science education researchers have developed, validated, and used a wide range of attitudinal instruments. Data from such instruments have been analyzed, results have been published, and public policies have been influenced. Unfortunately, most science education instruments are not developed using a guiding theoretical…

This paper presents the perspectives of some administrators whose school sites hosted demonstration classrooms that were implemented as part of a board-wide professional development initiative. Administrators highlighted the challenges of balancing the competing needs of their school system with those of their individual school communities and…

The use of student evaluation of instruction (SEI) is common place in American higher education. However, there is an open and continuing debate regarding SEI, its reliability and its validity. It is important for developmental educators to be aware of the concerns that exist regarding SEI in order for them to make wise decisions regarding the use…

This report examines the consequences of differential item functioning (DIF) using simulated data. Its impact on total score, item response theory (IRT) ability estimate, and test reliability was evaluated in various testing scenarios created by manipulating the following four factors: test length, percentage of DIF items per form, sample sizes of…

Research pertaining to the distortion of the squared canonical correlation coefficient has traditionally been limited to the effects of sampling error and associated correction formulas. The purpose of this study was to compare the degree of attenuation of the squared canonical correlation coefficient under varying conditions of score reliability.…

Background: This study explores the psychometric qualities of the Scenario Test, a new test to assess daily-life communication in severe aphasia. The test is innovative in that it: (1) examines the effectiveness of verbal and non-verbal communication; and (2) assesses patients' communication in an interactive setting, with a supportive…