Examined test retest stability of the Maternal Perinatal Scale in 41 mothers. Item stability found over a two-day period and intercorrelations between specific information assessed by items support the clinical and research potential of a systematic self-report format in the assessment of perinatal histories. (Author/NB)

Anonymous reports (n=155) of child physical abuse in Baltimore (MD) were compared with reports made by professionals (n=588) and nonprofessionals (n=262) in terms of substantiation rate, seriousness of substantiated incidents, and severity of allegations. While anonymous reports were more likely to be unfounded, those that were substantiated were…

Investigated psychometric properties of three methods of scoring a Mixed Standard Scale performance evaluation: a patterned procedure, simple nonpatterned scoring procedure and procedure assigning differential weights to statements on the basis of scale values provided by subject matter experts. Found no differences in the score distribution…

Reports series of studies investigating reliability and validity of the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD). Results indicated that the FAD has: (1) adequate test-retest reliability, (2) low correlations with social desirability, (3) moderate correlations with other self-report measures of family functioning, and (4) differentiates…

Presents a brief clinical test, derived from earlier neuropsychological instruments, with evidence for its reliability, interscorer agreement, and validity. The latter is based upon correlations with both CAT scan measures of cortical atrophy and ventricular enlargement, as well as correlations with seven other previously validated cognitive…

Describes paper and pencil predictions of employee theft and examines studies of validity, reliability, and adverse impact of these tests. Results showed consistently positive correlations, but identified a variety of methodological differences which make the direct comparison of test validities suspect. (LLL)

The study examined test-retest reliability of three subtests of the Goldman-Fristoe-Woodcock Auditory Skills Test Battery (Diagnostic Auditory Discrimination Test, Auditory Selective Attention Test, and Auditory Memory Tests) with 20 five-12 year olds. The only test-retest significant differences noted were on the Selective Attention subtest.…

A reliability study on the public school version of the American Association on Mental Deficiency Adaptive Behavior Scale (ABS) calculated three different reliability estimates: exact agreeement, kappa, and weighted average. Results demonstrated that while the ABS may be useful in making placement decisions, lack of exact reliability raises…

Presents a cross-validation of Reynolds' short form of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (N=233). Researchers administered 13 items as a separate entity, calculated Cronbach's Alpha for each sex, and computed test-retest correlation for one group. Concluded that the short form is a viable alternative. (Author/NRB)

Factor analysis of the Bell Reality Testing Inventory items produced three subscales interpreted as dimensions of the reality testing ego function: Reality Distortion, Uncertainty of Perception, Hallucinations and Delusions. Replication factor analysis confirmed the factor structure. Subscales appear sensitive to variations in psychopathology and…

Concludes that while the screening test consists of well-designed and carefully standardized items, its overwhelming preponderance of visual-motor tasks minimizes its usefulness in screening for possible school learning problems. Suggests that it might best be used by therapists working with children in treatment facilities that follow a medical…

Employed 479 subjects to develop and initially validate a random response scale for the Child Abuse Potential Inventory. Preliminary norm and reliability estimates are reported. Cross-validation and construct validity data are provided, indicating that the random response scale is stable across groups and can discriminate normal responders from…

Reliability and validity aspects of the Student Developmental Task Inventory-2nd Ed. (SDTI-2) are reported, including test-retest correlations, internal consistency, task-subtask correlations, social desirability effects, and sex differences in responses. (Author/ABB)

Investigated the reliability and validity of the methods used to measure primary versus secondary alcoholism and claimed childhood symptoms of hyperkinesis/minimal brain dysfunction (Hk/MBD) in three separate studies (N=45), (N=53), (N=38). Results supported the Primary/Secondary Classification Questionnaire and the Hk/MBD Childhood Symptoms…

Demonstrated the reliability of the Body Sensations Questionnaire and the Agorophobic Cognitions Questionnaire on two clinical samples (N=175). The instruments fared well on tests of discriminant and construct validity. Concluded that these self-report inventories are useful, inexpensive, and easily scored measures for clinical and research…