Objective: In this qualitative study, the authors examined how students attempt to minimize harm to themselves and others when drinking. Participants: The authors recruited freshmen at a large, mid-Atlantic US public university during the fall semester of 2005 to participate in 8 focus groups. Methods: The moderator's guide was developed through…

This study investigated the use of adapted bicycles on the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of conventional cycling by seven children with mild mental retardation. Feedback was used in addition to the adapted bicycles and consisted of pedal rate, head position, and steering participation. A multiple probe design was used. Participants…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility and reliability of a home hazard checklist published in Health Canada, "The Safe Living Guide: A Guide to Home Safety for Seniors" (2003). Methods: 76 community-dwelling seniors evaluated the guide, and inter-rater reliability was determined through comparison of ratings of…

A renewed focus on foreign language (FL) learning and speech for communication has resulted in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) software developed with Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR). ASR features for FL pronunciation (Lafford, 2004) are functional components of CALL designs used for FL teaching and learning. The ASR features…

Background: Every physician in Ontario needs to know how to fill out a Form 1 in order to legally hold a person against their will for a psychiatric assessment. These forms are frequently inaccurately filled out, which could constitute wrongful confinement and, in extreme circumstances, could lead to fines as large as $25,000. Training people to…

This study was designed to determine whether teacher portfolios can be validly and reliably assessed, to investigate the effect of an instructional tool on increasing the level of reflective thinking in elementary preservice teachers' portfolios, and to find whether electronic portfolios designed and assessed in optimal conditions represent…

This investigation examined the effects of currently available word prediction software programs that support phonetic/inventive spelling on the quality of journal writing by six students with severe writing and/or spelling difficulties in grades three through six during a month-long summer writing program. A changing conditions single-subject…

Coding systems have become popular methods of cataloging the verbal and nonverbal interaction occurring during marital and family therapy. One such system, Pinsof's (1981) Family Therapist Coding System (FTCS), was the first designed explicitly to identify and differentiate specific verbal behaviors of family therapists independent of their…

Drew from the occupational prestige literature in describing the development of prestige estimates for occupations contained in the Minnesota Occupational Classification System III (MOCS III). Results provided estimates for 60 occupations and a comparison of prestige scores for eight benchmark occupations. Devised equation for estimating…

Two alternatives to the problems of conducting planned and post hoc comparisons in tests of concordance and discordance for G groups of judges are examined. The two models are illustrated using existing data. (Author/JKS)

Showed that reliabilities in the .50 range can be obtained when raters rule out only 15-20% of the items on the Position Analysis Questionnaire as "Does Not Apply" and respond randomly to the remainder. (Author/ABB)

Examined the comparability of three techniques that are used to assess the dependability of family observational measures: analyses of observer agreement, reliability, and generalizability. Results indicated no single evaluative technique will always be most conservative in estimating the quality of observations. Suggests that multiple assessments…

Explores the reliability of the categories used to describe family structure in structural family therapy. Five clinicians independently rated three initial conjoint family interviews. Results are discussed in terms of their demonstration of the utility of the structural nonmenclature, some conceptual problems in the structural nomenclature, and…

Examines the feasibility of making multidimensional functional assessments among 22 older persons by using a questionnaire. Analysis of ratings and objective scores suggests that among relatively independent, well elderly individuals, self-administered assessment should be the mode of choice. Clinical and survey research applications are…

The views of prominant qualitative methodologists on the appropriateness of validity and reliability estimation for the measurement strategies employed in qualitative evaluations are summarized. A case is made for the relevance of validity and reliability estimation. Definitions of validity and reliability for qualitative measurement are presented…