A series of standardized tasks was developed using the same constructs as operationalized in a state's large-scale assessment program. Student performance (n=437) was then analyzed. In reading and math, teachers (n=131) were successfully trained to administer the tasks and judge performance, providing a system with instructional and evaluative…

This article describes the development of the Preschool Taxonomy of Problem Situations (PTOPS). An examination of the PTOPS using a clinical sample of 42 maltreated children (ages 2-5) indicated the PTOPS subscales were high in internal reliability and were highly convergent with subscales of the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire. (Contains…

A study involving teachers of eight children with severe autism found they interpreted many gestures, body movements, and facial expressions as if these were forms of communication. Observation data indicate some of the communicative forms identified by the teachers were associated with the communicative functions that they specified. (Contains…

This study reports on the standardization of the Scale for Assessing Emotional Disturbance. Data collected on 2,266 typical students (ages 5- 18) and 1,371 students with emotional disturbances led to the identification of six behavioral problem factors that correspond to the federal definition of emotional disturbance and were highly internally…

Two attempts to adjust state mean Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores for differential participation rates are examined. Both attempts are rejected, and five rules for performing adjustments are outlined to foster follow-up checks on untested assumptions. National Assessment of Educational Progress state data are determined to be more accurate.…

Explores the difficulties of combining aesthetic experience and educational settings. Postulates this is due to the nature of aesthetic experience as well as the art object itself. Argues that art metaphorically discusses not what is, but what develops and implies a relativistic, adaptive, temporal concept of truth. (CH)

A model for evaluation of complex educational settings is proposed. The model covers measurement, judgment, and decision making and the related criteria of reliability, validity, and utility. A second proposed model depicts the provincial educational setting. The development of a provincial item bank illustrates the application of the models. (TJH)

Describes study that was conducted to determine the feasibility of networking home microcomputers with a university mainframe system in order to investigate a new family process research paradigm, as well as the design and function of the microcomputer/mainframe system. Test instrumentation is described and systems' reliability and validity are…

A qualitative observational study of standardized group testing in 10 kindergartens revealed variations in testing conditions, discrepancies from standardized administration procedures, and variations in children's behavior that contributed to difficulties in maintaining a uniform testing process. High-stakes group testing in kindergarten should…

Three correlation matrices (PEARSON, POLYCHORIC, and TOBIT) were used to obtain reliability estimates on ordered polytomous variable models. A Monte Carlo study with different levels of variable asymmetry and 400 sample correlation matrices demonstrated that the PEARSON matrix did not perform as well as did the other 2 matrices. (SLD)

Use of acoustic reflectometry was compared with tympanometry in middle ear screenings for 357 children, aged 5 months to 19 years. Results were analyzed according to sex, age, and sensorineural hearing status. Intratest reliability was highly significant and positive predictive accuracy and specificity rates were excellent, but sensitivity rates…

Reports on two studies designed to develop and evaluate the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Positive (ATQ-P), a measure of positive automatic thinking that is complementary to the ATQ, a measure of negative thinking in psychopathology. Describes results suggesting that ATQ-P is reliable and valid measure of positive thinking. (Author/NB)

Many medical schools are paying closer attention to the interview as a powerful recruiting tool. Interviews can be unstructured, semistructured, or structured. A major problem with interviews is the interviewers' bias. Research reports of structured, semistructured, and unstructured interviews in the psychology and the medical education literature…

Responds to Crowley's and Wilson's articles on the reliability of the van Hiele Geometry Test. Discusses the issue of the difficulty of trying to maximize content validity while minimizing measurement error. (YP)

The Client Interaction Scale is a 12-item assessment tool for measuring client integration into the client-to-client interactive milieu in community support programs for persons with chronic mental illness. Results from administration of the scale to 95 clients indicate that the scale shows excellent inter-item reliability. (TJH)