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Background: International research has established that children and adolescents are at high risk for being exposed to violence. A systematic review published in 2023 recommended six child and adolescent self-report violence against children (VAC) measures, based on their psychometric properties, in a systematic COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) review. However, the degree of overlap and heterogeneity was not part of the analysis.Objective: To compare the six measures with respect to item overlap and differences concerning specification of exposure dimensions.Method: A content analysis of the original 174 items resulted in a reduction to 38 unique items. These items were organized visually in a co-occurrence circle using an adapted version of Fried’s R code. Furthermore, a pairwise comparison of event lists was performed using the Jaccard index.Results: There was a modest overlap among the six measures. Only one item was present in all six measures, only two items were present in four measures, and 78% of the items were present in just one or two measures. The overall overlap between the six measures was 25%.Conclusions: The lack of overlap among measures reflects a heterogeneity of definitions and purposes. It also impedes progress in research, as comparisons between various studies are difficult to make in a valid and reliable way. The lack of consensus also delays efficient political initiatives, because solid, consensual knowledge about the prevalence of VAC does not exist.

(1) Background: This study explores how threat perception mediates the relationship between binding moral foundations and prejudice toward migrants. We hypothesized that the relationship between binding moral foundations and prejudice against migrants, which is already established in the literature, is mediated through realistic and symbolic threat perception. (2) Methods: Two separate samples were gathered, in Malta (N = 191) and Italy (N = 189). The participants responded to an anonymous questionnaire containing several scales: the Moral Foundation Questionnaire, perceived threat from migrants, prejudice toward migrants, and social distance from several macro-categories of migrants. (3) Results: We confirmed a significant relationship between binding moral foundations and explicit prejudice toward migrants, and also found that this relationship was mediated by perceived realistic and symbolic threats in both countries. However, when the indices of social distance were considered as criterion variables, the direct relationship between binding moral foundations and social distance was not confirmed for all the migrant macro-groups. In addition, in some migrant groups, we found that this relationship was mediated by perceived realistic and symbolic threats. (4) Conclusions: This study indicates that the perception of realistic threats may have a significant role in determining the effect of binding moral foundations; this may have theoretical and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to examine Turkish teacher candidates' competency levels in writing different types of test items by utilizing Rasch analysis. In addition, the effect of the expertise of the raters scoring the items written by the teacher candidates was examined within the scope of the study. 84 Turkish teacher candidates participated in the present study, which was conducted using the relational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods. Three experts participated in the rating process: an expert in Turkish education, an expert in measurement and evaluation, and an expert in both Turkish education and measurement and evaluation. The teacher candidates wrote true-false, short response, multiple choice and open-ended types of items in accordance with the Test Item Development Form, and the raters scored each item type by designating a score between 1 and 5 based on the item evaluation scoring rubric prepared for each item type. The study revealed that Turkish teacher candidates had the highest level of competency in writing true-false items, while they had the lowest competency in writing multiple-choice items. Moreover, it was revealed that raters' expertise had an effect on teacher candidates' competencies in writing different types of items. Finally, it was found that the rater who was an expert in both Turkish education and measurement and evaluation had the highest level of scoring reliability, while the rater who solely had expertise in measurement and evaluation had the relatively lowest level of scoring reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: International research has established that children and adolescents are at high risk for being exposed to violence. A systematic review published in 2023 recommended six child and adolescent self-report violence against children (VAC) measures, based on their psychometric properties, in a systematic COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) review. However, the degree of overlap and heterogeneity was not part of the analysis. Objective: To compare the six measures with respect to item overlap and differences concerning specification of exposure dimensions. Method: A content analysis of the original 174 items resulted in a reduction to 38 unique items. These items were organized visually in a co-occurrence circle using an adapted version of Fried's R code. Furthermore, a pairwise comparison of event lists was performed using the Jaccard index. Results: There was a modest overlap among the six measures. Only one item was present in all six measures, only two items were present in four measures, and 78% of the items were present in just one or two measures. The overall overlap between the six measures was 25%. Conclusions: The lack of overlap among measures reflects a heterogeneity of definitions and purposes. It also impedes progress in research, as comparisons between various studies are difficult to make in a valid and reliable way. The lack of consensus also delays efficient political initiatives, because solid, consensual knowledge about the prevalence of VAC does not exist.

The systematic and structured use of student feedback to inform teaching and learning is a relatively recent development in secondary schools. Once exclusively the preserve of administrators, academics, and teachers in both universities and schools, this is now being adopted at the classroom level to inform the efficacy of the educational experience from the standpoint of students. This study modified a recently developed instrument--the Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT)--incorporating four of the original scales: Learning, Participation, Management, and Assessment, and, introducing one new scale: Teaching. In total, 6,392 individual questionnaires were completed by students in 515 classes from Grades 7 to 11, which enabled accurate feedback to be provided to 256 teachers about the educational experience from the student perspective. Factor analysis of the instrument demonstrated support for the a priori five-factor structure, and Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was used with each scale reporting strong reliability. The instrument registered high statistical validity and coherence. SELT data revealed that there were significant differences between classes and across faculties and that discussions between Heads of Faculty and teaching staff have the potential to improve the learning experience and outcomes through measured intervention. This was confirmed through longitudinal analysis. The scales and scale items in the SELT questionnaire, and the use of SELT data extracted from the application of the survey, have relevance for secondary classrooms in multiple learning contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing the number of items in a scale may increase reliability and reduce measurement error while revealing finer distinctions between respondents and stronger relationships between constructs. However, longer scales take more effort to complete, which may reduce response rates and data quality or limit the number of constructs that can be measured in a survey. To address this conundrum, many researchers have begun to reduce the number of items collected for individual scales. This paper reviews the trade-offs associated with short-form scales, both pro and con, along with strategies for employing or developing shortened scales. Empirical examples illustrate multiple approaches to the analysis of split surveys, which use multiple forms to include more total items while limiting the burden on respondents in each group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Churchill (1979) proposed a detailed procedure for the development of better multi-item measures that has become popular. Recently, however, many scholars have challenged this dominant paradigm. They argue that, in many marketing contexts where the target construct has a precise and concrete definition, long multi-item measures can be substituted by shorter measures with fewer items, or even single-item measures. This has resulted in the controversy around the relative superiority of single- versus multi-item scales. We review the extant literature to summarise various arguments in favour of (or against) multi-item and single-item measures, respectively. Moreover, we propose an integrated framework for developing a new scale, reducing long multi-item scales to shorter multi-item measures or to single-item measures, or to expand an existing short (single-item) scale. The significant contributions of this paper to the literature are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficiency of NitrAdine (MSI Laboratories) tablets in the reduction of oral Candida levels, biofilm formation, and appliance odor in maxillary removable orthodontic appliance wearers. Method and Materials: Seventy children between 11 and 15 years of age undergoing maxillary removable appliance treatment were assigned via a double-blind randomized method to the experimental or placebo arm of the study. One milliliter of unstimulated saliva was collected at the beginning of the experiment and 6 weeks later after treatment of the maxillary removable appliance with NitrAdine tablets. Samples were cultured on chromogenic Candida agar, and the number of colony-forming units per mL of saliva (CFU mL-1) was determined. Results: There was no significant difference in salivary Candida levels before or after treatment with NitrAdine tablets. There was a significant drop in plaque accumulation on the appliance and a significant amelioration in appliance odor. There was a small, nonsignificant drop in individuals exhibiting counts of 400 CFU mL-1 or more in the experimental group and a nonsignificant increase in the number of new species in the placebo group. Conclusions: NitrAdine tablets are effective in reducing plaque accumulation and appliance odor during maxillary removable appliance treatment. Further in vivo studies are required to determine the efficacy and exact protocol for NitrAdine tablets in appliance disinfection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the optical integration and fluorescence of three contemporary restorative materials used for incisoproximal restorations. Method and Materials: A microfilled hybrid composite (Amaris, VOCO; MHC), a nanofilled hybrid composite (Grandio, VOCO; NHC), and an experimental ormocer (VOCO; ORM) were used to consecutively restore 10 extracted incisors with incisoproximal restorations using the natural layering concept, mimicking the natural anatomy of the tooth. Before and after placement of each restoration, the teeth were photographed under standardized conditions (direct, indirect, and fluorescent light), and spectrophotometric measurements (SpectroShade, Handy Dental Type 713000, MHT) were made using a black-and-white background. Between measurements, the teeth were allowed to rehydrate for 2 weeks. Ten independent evaluators scored each light condition using an optical integration score on a scale from 0 to 10 (0 = worst optical integration, restoration can be easily distinguished from remaining tissue; 10 = optimal optical integration). Differences in L*a*b and ΔE values and optical integration scores were statistically analyzed using ANOVA. Results: MHC obtained the highest optical integration and fluorescence scores (P < .01), followed by NHC, although there were no statistically significant differences found among ΔE of the restorative materials. ORM achieved the worst optical integration and fluorescence. Conclusion: The microfilled hybrid composite obtained the highest optical integration scores (P < .01), followed by the nanofilled hybrid composite. The experimental ormocer showed the least favorable optical behavior. Spectrophotometric measurements showed no statistically significant differences among all three restorative materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of whey-protein and leucine supplementation to enhance physical and cognitive performance and body composition. Thirty moderately fit participants completed a modified Air Force fitness test, a computer-based cognition test, and a dual-energy X-ray-absorptiometry scan for body composition before and after supplementing their daily diet for 8 wk with either 19.7 g of whey protein and 6.2 g leucine (WPL) or a calorie-equivalent placebo (P). Bench-press performance increased significantly from Week 1 to Week 8 in the WPL group, whereas the increase in the P group was not significant. Push-up performance increased significantly for WPL, and P showed a nonsignificant increase. Total mass, fat-free mass, and lean body mass all increased significantly in the WPL group but showed no change in the P group. No differences were observed within or between groups for crunches, chin-ups, 3-mile-run time, or cognition. The authors conclude that supplementing with whey protein and leucine may provide an advantage to people whose performance benefits from increased upper body strength and/or lean body mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This investigation examined the safety and efficacy of a silica-based mineral antioxidant complex (MAC) that has been suggested to influence body water and buffer lactate. Methods: In a double-blind, randomized crossover design, male participants completed testing for 3 conditions: water only (baseline), rice flour (placebo), and MAC supplementation. Participants visited the laboratory on 5 occasions: familiarization, baseline, Testing Day 1, washout, and Testing Day 2. Baseline and Testing Days 1 and 2 consisted of fasting blood, pre- to postexercise body-water assessment and determination of VO2peak on a cycle ergometer. The supplementation protocols were separated by 1 wk and balanced to minimize an order effect. Results: No differences between conditions were found for heart rate, blood pressure, or serum-safety markers (p > .05). Before exercise there were no differences between conditions for total body water (TBW), intracellular water (ICW), or extracellular water (ECW). No significant interactive effects for supplementation and exercise were found for TBW, ICW, or ECW (p > .05). A time effect for TBW (p < .01) and ICW (p < .001) was present. Within-group changes in TBW occurred in the MAC condition, and within-group changes for ICW occurred in the MAC and placebo conditions. Ratings of perceived exertion and blood lactate increased (p < .05) with exercise. No significant effects were found for performance variables. Conclusions: MAC supplementation had no impact on aerobic exercise performance and lactate response. Increases in TBW and ICW occurred after MAC consumption, but these changes appeared to have minimal physiological impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of postexercise ingestion of different-molecular-weight glucose polymer solutions on subsequent high-intensity interval-running capacity. In a repeated-measures design, 6 men ran for 60 min in the morning at 70% VO2max. Immediately post- and at 1 and 2 hr postexercise, participants consumed a 15% low-molecular-weight (LMW) or high-molecular-weight (HMW) carbohydrate solution, at a rate of 1.2 g of carbohydrate/kg body mass, or an equivalent volume of flavored water (WAT). After recovery, participants performed repeated 1-min intervals at 90% VO2max interspersed with 1 min active recovery (walking) until volitional exhaustion. Throughout the 3-hr recovery period, plasma glucose concentrations were higher (p = .002) during the HMW and LMW conditions than with WAT (M 7.0 ± 0.8, 7.5 ± 1.0, and 5.6 ± 0.2 mmol/L, respectively), although there was no difference (p = .723) between HMW and LMW conditions. Exercise capacity was 13 (43 ± 10 min; 95% CI for differences: 8-18; p = .001) and 11 min (41 ± 9 min; 95% CI for differences; 2-18: p = .016) longer with HMW and LMW solutions, respectively, than with WAT (30 ± 9 min). There was no substantial difference (2 min; 95% CI for differences: -5 to 10; p = .709) in exercise capacity between LMW and HMW solutions. Although this magnitude of difference is most likely trivial in nature, the uncertainty allows for a possible small substantial enhancement of physiological significance, and further research is required to clarify the true nature of the effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current paper reports the initial development of a theoretically derived measure to assess the psychological responses of injured athletes. Design: The paper comprises two studies. The first examines the factorial validity of the Psychological Responses to Sport Injury Inventory (PRSII) originally reported by Evans, Hardy, and Mullen. The second reexamines the factorial validity of the PRSII following scale refinement. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed in both studies. Setting: Sport injury clinics. Participants: Study 1 comprised repeated observations (n = 486) on 56 injured athletes. Study 2 comprised single observations on 418 injured athletes. Measure: Psychological Responses to Sport Injury Inventory (PRSII). Results: The five factor model from the first study demonstrated variable model fit. The six factor model that emerged from the second study showed improved model fit. Conclusions: The study provides some support for the PRSII as a measure of athletes' psychological responses to injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Clinicians often rely on the self-report symptoms of patients in making clinical decisions; hence it is important that these scales be reliable. Objective: To determine the test-retest reliability of healthy youth in completing a graded symptom scale (GSS), modified from the Head Injury Scale Self-Report Concussion Symptoms Scale (HIS). Design: Repeated-measures. Setting: Middle school classroom. Patients or Other Participants: 126 middle school students. Intervention: A survey consisting of a demographic and life events questionnaire and a GSS asking about symptom severity and duration. Main Outcomes Measures: Score for each symptom on the severity and duration scale and a total symptom score (TSS) and the total number of symptoms endorsed (TSE) from the severity scale. Responses on a life events questionnaire were also recorded. Results: We found excellent reliability for TSS (ICC = .93) and TSE (ICC = .88) for the severity scale. We found moderate to excellent reliability on the individual symptoms of both the severity (ICC = .65-.89) and duration (ICC =.56-.96) scales. Conclusions: Healthy youth can reliably self-report symptoms using a GSS. This patient-oriented outcome measure should be incorporated into more investigations in this age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript provides information on the test items and standards used to assess flexibility and range of motion in the Brockport Physical Fitness Test. Validity, attainability, and reliability of the back saver sit and reach, the shoulder stretch, the modified Apley test, the modified Thomas test, and the Target Stretch Test are discussed. Particular attention is paid to the utility of these tests for youngsters with mental retardation and mild limitations in fitness, visual impairments (blindness), cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, or congenital anomalies or amputations. Suggestions for future research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food literacy has been advocated by many recent researchers as an individual or society’s ability to better interact with their food and nutritional needs. These researchers maintain that current illnesses resulting from our lost ability to maintain good health by interacting sensibly with our food intake, can be ‘reclaimed’ if individuals and society developed improved food literacy levels. In this research a South African definition for food literacy as a construct, with its inherent sub-components and related domains, were developed using the Delphi methodology. Delphi is viewed as an excellent method to seek consensus or agreement from a sample of experts in a particular field. This Delphi application consisted of two primary rounds where a stable consensus definition for food literacy in South Africa was achieved. Between 76 and 71 eminent food experts from five occupation groupings (five experts fell out between round one and round two) participated in the Delphi process. This group identified six sub-components and agreed that they adequately supported the content of what food literacy entails. An additional third round was later used to ascertain the food experts’ opinions regarding the inclusion (or uncertainty or exclusion) of 204 specific food literacy scale items, as part of the larger research to develop a food literacy measurement instrument.

Our study is on developing mathematics items for Computer-Based Testing (CBT) using Tablet PC. These items subject-based items using interactive dynamic objects. purpose of this study is to obtain some suggestions for further tasks drawing onfield test results for developed items. First, we clarified the role o f the interactive dynamic objects on each item, according to the problem-solving process. Then, conducted the field tests with Japanese high school students. As a result, we identified possible improvements in design. For example, we had some questions that cannot asked in Paper-Based Testing (PBT), there is a possibility evaluate the mathematical competencies more in detail according to the process, and so on. Here we shall show a examples. Finally, we hope to make a contribution that might inform assessments and examinations to support progression between secondary school and tertiary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusion validity assessments employ structural equation models to investigate whether an existing scale functions in accordance with theory. Fusion validity parallels criterion validity by depending on correlations with non-scale variables but differs from criterion validity because it requires at least one theorized effect of the scale, and because both the scale and scaled-items are included in the model. Fusion validity, like construct validity, will be most informative if the scale is embedded in as full a substantive context as theory permits. Appropriate scale functioning in a comprehensive theoretical context greatly enhances a scale's validity. Inappropriate scale functioning questions the scale but the scale's theoretical embedding encourages detailed diagnostic investigations potentially challenging specific items, the procedure used to calculate scale values, or aspects of the theory, but also possibly recommends incorporating additional items into the scale. The scaled items should have survived prior content and methodological assessments but the items may or may not reflect a common factor because items having diverse causal backgrounds can sometimes fuse to form a unidimensional entity. Though items reflecting a common cause can be assessed for fusion validity, we illustrate fusion validity in the more challenging context of a scale comprised of diverse items and embedded in a complicated theory. Specifically we consider the Leadership scale from the Alberta Context Tool with care aides working in Canadian long-term care homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is aimed; (a) to give a description about Arabic final semester test questions arrangements procedure at the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training in UIN Imam Bonjol Padang. (b) to give a description about the quality of the test as seen from its validity, reliability, difficulty, and differentiation capacity. (c) to give a description that the lecturers never did an exam questions analysis of Arabic exam subject at Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training in UIN Imam Bonjol Padang. This research uses the descriptive method with quantitative and qualitative data. The population within this research is the college students of Tadris major in faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training who follows the final semester exam of 2017-2018 tenet years, especially in Arabic test subject. The sample taken during this research is the college students from the Tadris major, who followed the final semester exam on Arabic subject, by using the purpose sampling technique. The data collecting technique used was documentation, interview, and questionnaires. The results of this research are (1) the types of this tests are achievement test from the teaching objectives aspect, teacher-made test from the arrangement aspect, summative test from the time of implementation aspect, written test from the method of performing aspects, and subjective test from the answer scoring aspect, (2) the quality of Arabic test year 2017/2018: (a) validity sufficient, (b) test reliability is high which is 0,74, (c) the difficulty is easy earning it a „bad‟ category, which is 45 numbers of questions or 11,11%, (d) the differentiation capacity is bad, which is 45 numbers of questions, or 22,22%, (3) the reason why the lecturers and question maker team did not held a question analysis are as follows: (a) some of the Arabic lecturers in faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training in UIN Imam Bonjol Padang are not scholars of Arabic education major or not lenient with S-1 and S-2 academic degree, (b) they have zero experience in doing test analysis, (c) there is no order from the authorities which motivates the lecturers in doing test analysis, (d) the lack of understanding about analysis, and (e) there are lecturers who have never received training or seminar about evaluation and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Remote Associates Test (RAT) has been used to measure creativity, however few repositories or standardizations of test items exist, like the normative data on 144 items provided by Bowden and Jung-Beeman. comRAT is a computational solver which has been used to solve the compound RAT in linguistic and visual forms, showing correlation to human performance over the normative data provided by Bowden and Jung-Beeman. This paper describes using a variant of comRAT, comRAT-G, to generate and construct a repository of compound RAT items for use in the cognitive psychology and cognitive modeling community. Around 17 million compound Remote Associates Test items are created from nouns alone, aiming to provide control over (i) frequency of occurrence of query items, (ii) answer items, (iii) the probability of coming up with an answer, (iv) keeping one or more query items constant and (v) keeping the answer constant. Queries produced by comRAT-G are evaluated in a study in comparison with queries from the normative dataset of Bowden and Jung-Beeman, showing that comRAT-G queries are similar to the established query set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factor analytic analyses of the Index of Organizational Reactions strongly confirm the a priori satisfaction scales. In addition, the scales are shown to have good convergent and discriminant validity and reliability when compared with three other job satisfaction measures. Validity differences as a function of sex and job are studied for all four methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigators have questioned the utility of survey methodology for assessing organizational change. A theory of change types is examined and its operationalization clarified. Psychometric principles and a contrived data set are used to explore these issues. Evidence is presented to demonstrate that the theory's implications have been substantially overstated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commentary is presented for the article "The Multivariate Revolution in Marketing Research," by Jagdish N. Sheth, published in the January 1971 issue. The author presents a supplement to a proposed system designed to specify the circumstances under which certain multivariate techniques are called for. According to the author, Sheth's system can be improved by taking into consideration, for dependence methods, whether or not the independent variables are metic. Other suggestions include the consideration of the scale level of dependent and independent variables.

By international comparison, Finnish pupil achievement is high and school achievement differences small. The Finnish education system is unusual also because there are no national testing programmes, and information on school quality measures is not publicly disclosed. Is school quality capitalized into house prices in this environment? Using a boundary discontinuity research design and data from Helsinki, we find that it is: 1 standard deviation increase in average test scores increases prices on average by 3%, which is comparable to findings from the UK and the USA. We argue that this surprisingly large effect is at least partly explained by the inelasticity of housing supply, as we use data from a densely populated urban area. We also show that the effect depends on local land supply conditions within the city and is highest in areas with inelastic supply. Furthermore, the price premium seems to be related to pupils' socioeconomic background rather than school effectiveness. (JEL codes: C21, H75, I20, R21) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine innovation capacity of a firm and to investigate the correlations between performance outcomes and innovation types. In this study, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted to classify firms with respect to different novelty degrees of innovation activities in developing new products and the magnitude of market impact shortly after innovations have been introduced and then appraise the association between innovation types and performance outcomes. The data obtained from the Turkish industrial clusters show that the higher firm innovativeness in product and market with a wide-spread diffusion effect of innovations, the greater is the market and production performance. To the best of our knowledge, this study is one of the few studies applying the product-market growth matrix to determine/manage innovation portfolio of firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2012, the National Health Personnel Licensing Examination Board of Korea decided to publicly disclose all test items and answers to satisfy the test takers' right to know and enhance the transparency of tests administered by the government. This study investigated the effects of item disclosure on the medical licensing examination (MLE), examining test taker performance, psychometric characteristics, and factors affecting pass rates. This paper analyzed examinee performance data (n = 20,455) from 41 medical schools who took the MLE before (2009-2011) and after (2012-2014) the item disclosure policy (5548 total items). Changes in passing rates, performance of examinee, difficulty and reliability of the test, and factors affecting pass rate of the medical licensing examination before and after item disclosure were analyzed. In order to identify changes caused by item disclosure in the effects of student and school variables on the passing rate of MLE, Binary Logistic Hierarchical Linear Model was used. There was no significant change in pass rates before and after item disclosure. There was a modest increase in the proportion of test takers in the high-scoring group, following item disclosure. Degree completion status, gender, age of applicants and school mean were significant factors affecting pass rates, regardless of item disclosure. There was no difference between passing rates before and after item disclosure with respect to student- and school-level variables. Despite potential concerns for changes in test and examinee characteristics, empirical findings indicate that there was no significant difference caused by implementing item disclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scale pretests analyze the suitability of individual scale items for further analysis, whether through judging their face validity, wording concerns, and/or other aspects. The current article reviews scale pretests, separated by qualitative and quantitative methods, in order to identify the differences, similarities, and even existence of the various pretests. This review highlights the best practices and objectives of each pretest, resulting in a guide for the ideal applications of each method. This is followed by a discussion of eight questions that can direct future research and practice regarding scale pretests. These questions highlight aspects of scale pretests that are still largely unknown, thereby posing a barrier to their successful application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), case formulation (CF) is an integral process in ensuring clinicians’ work is grounded in evidence-based practice (EBP). The objective of this study was to evaluate psychologists’ perceptions and self-reported applications of CBT-CF, and whether these differed according to clinician experience, training, and professional accreditation. Method: A scale was developed to assess CF beliefs and applications by clinicians who had been practising CBT for a minimum of 6 months. The development of scale items was based on two CBT-CF conceptual models. Seventy-nine psychologists registered in Australia took part in this online survey. Results: Psychologists’ beliefs pertaining to CBT CF supported a three-factor model. On average, psychologists perceived all activities related to CF at least moderately important, and were implemented at least some of the time. However, activities related to use of external evidence were rated as less important, and less frequently implemented. Clinical psychologists endorsed theory and EBP in structuring CF as more important, which also translated into self-reported practice of CF CBT implementation relative to generalist psychologists. Conclusions: The findings indicate some gaps in the knowledge and application of CF CBT in clinical practice and has implications in strengthening clinician training in CF CBT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper aims to examine the causal models that predict disabled tourists’ behavioral intentions to use peer-to-peer (p2p) accommodations. This study also explores the causal models through complex combinations of demographic factors, host attributes and the levels of perceived charm, convenience and other service features of the accommodations as a means of describing disabled tourists’ behavioral outcomes.Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was administrated to measure the study variables. Using the convenience sampling technique, the questionnaires were distributed among disabled individuals with orthopedic disorders who reside in North Cyprus in May 2016. The five respondents were later interviewed about their needs and expectations from p2p accommodations. A set of preliminary tests (for both reliability and validity) was conducted, and descriptive statistics were used based on the scale items. Fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was used to test the proposed research model, which revealed sufficient and consistent conditions leading to behavioral intentions of disabled tourists in their use of p2p accommodations. The predictive validity of the model was then tested. Finally, the results of the fsQCA were evaluated based on the key tenets of complexity theory.Findings The findings reveal under which conditions disabled tourists tend to use p2p accommodations. This empirical study has relied upon the use of causal models integrating combinations of demographic variables and host and accommodation place attributes (i.e. charm, convenience and service features) which were put forth as sufficient predictive configurations of the behavioral outcomes of disabled tourists within the context of a sharing economy. Ultimately, this study finds that p2p customers are not limited to travelers with low income levels.Research limitations/implications The views of people with orthopedic problems in North Cyprus were obtained for testing the configurational model, which means that the results do not necessarily represent a large range of customers’ perspectives. Although this limitation was addressed through the application of a powerful compensatory analytical approach (fsQCA), it is advised that data from tourists with various types of disabilities in other countries be collected for future studies.Practical implications The results of this study provide practical implications for hosts on how to combine accommodation place characteristics (e.g. charm, convenience and service) with their own personal attributes (e.g. knowledge and eagerness) to bolster the disabled tourists’ intentions to use p2p accommodations. It is hoped that the results of the fsQCA using the demographic variables presented here will guide businesses toward performing target marketing. This is useful for hosts who wish to attract more disabled tourists, a profitable segment of the market.Social implications This study draws social attention to the disabled tourists as potential customers in the sharing economy. Conducting an empirical study that considers the social inclusion of tourists with disabilities in the emerging version of hospitality business is helpful to both the supply and demand sides.Originality/value To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first empirical study that investigates the indicators of disabled tourists’ intentions to use p2p accommodations. This study also adds to the current literature by modeling the behavioral intentions of disabled tourists within a sharing economy using a pragmatic and set-theoretic approach (i.e. fsQCA in conjunction with complexity theory). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation in test performance among examinees from different regions or national jurisdictions is often partially attributed to differences in the degree of content correspondence between local school or training program curricula, and the test of interest. This posited relationship between test-curriculum correspondence, or “alignment,” and test performance is usually inferred from highly distal evidence, rather than directly examined. Utilizing mathematics standards content analysis data and achievement test item data from ten U.S. states, we examine the relationship between topic-specific alignment and test item performance. When a particular item’s content type is emphasized by the standards, we find evidence of a positive relationship between the alignment measure and proportion-correct test item difficulty, although this effect is not consistent across samples. Implications of the results for curricular achievement test development and score interpretation are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Test items scored as polytomous have the potential to display multidimensionality across rating scale score categories. This article uses a multidimensional nominal response model (MNRM) to examine the possibility that the proficiency dimension/dimensional composite best measured by a polytomously scored item may vary by score category, an issue not generally considered in multidimensional item response theory (MIRT). Some practical considerations in exploring rubric-related multidimensionality, including potential consequences of not attending to it, are illustrated through simulation examples. A real data application is applied in the study of item format effects using the 2007 administration of Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) among eighth graders in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates negative feedback received via exit surveys completed by students who participated in over 11,000 writing center consultations. Although the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, the researchers mined negative comments for patterns—and note the value of negative feedback in helping writing centers assess and improve our practice. A key finding in the study is the prevalence of negative comments regarding what the researchers term "non-directive non-productivity": students' perception that some consultations guided by principles of non-directivity improve neither their product nor their process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction and psychometric analysis of patient satisfaction questionnaires are discussed. The discussion is based upon the classification of multi-item questionnaires into scales or indices. Scales consist of items that describe the effects of the latent psychological variable to be measured, and indices consist of items that describe the causes of this variable. Whether patient satisfaction questionnaires should be constructed and analyzed as scales or as indices depends upon the purpose for which these questionnaires are required. If the final aim is improving care with regard to patients' preferences, then these questionnaires should be constructed and analyzed as indices. This implies two requirements: 1) items for patient satisfaction questionnaires should be selected in such a way that the universe of possible causes of patient satisfaction is covered optimally and 2) Cronbach's alpha, principal component analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and analyses with models from item response theory, such as the Rasch Model, should not be applied for psychometric analyses. Instead, multivariate regression analyses with a direct rating of patient satisfaction as the dependent variable and the individual questionnaire items as independent variables should be performed. The coefficients produced by such an analysis can be applied for selecting the best items and for weighting the selected items when a sum score is determined. The lower boundaries of the validity of the unweighted and the weighted sum scores can be estimated by their correlations with the direct satisfaction rating. While the first requirement is fulfilled in the majority of the previous patient satisfaction questionnaires, the second one deviates from previous practice. Hence, if patient satisfaction is actually measured with the final aim of improving care with regard to patients' preferences, then future practice should be changed so that the second requirement is also fulfilled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examinees' thinking processes have become an increasingly important concern in testing. The responses processes aspect is a major component of validity, and contemporary tests increasingly involve specifications about the cognitive complexity of examinees' response processes. Yet, empirical research findings on examinees' cognitive processes are not often available either to provide evidence for validity or to guide the design or selection of items. In this article, studies and developments from the author's research program are presented to illustrate how empirical studies on examinees' thinking processes can impact item and test design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To translate the patellofemoral disorder questionnaire "Kujala Score" into Spanish and to adapt it for Spanish culture .Methods: International recommendations were followed to translate the "Kujala Score" into Spanish together with a cultural adaptation and validation. We analysed the following parameters: internal consistency, agreement construct validity, test-retest reliability, ceiling and floor effects, and responsiveness. The reproducibility and responsiveness were tested in 72 patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome in a test-retest design with follow-up testing at 7 days. The "Kujala Score" and the VISA-P were administered to 98 patients and 30 patients, respectively, who completed the "Kujala Score" and VISA-P after physiotherapy treatment, which consisted of rest, ice, proprioceptive exercise and manual therapy.Results: The Spanish "Kujala Score" had high internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.8; if an item was deleted, Cronbach α = 0.77-0.80), excellent reliability and agreement (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.99), and good construct validity that was significantly correlated with the outcome of the Spanish VISA-P (Spearman rho = 0.7; P < 0.001). No ceiling or floor effects was detected for the Spanish "Kujala Score" or the responsiveness of the participants based on 40 patients receiving physical therapy, rest, ice and proprioceptive exercises for 1 month, demonstrating that it is a good determinant of changes in the symptomatology of patients with knee pain.Conclusions: The Spanish adaptation of the patellofemoral disorder questionnaire "Kujala Score" proved to be valid and sensitive to clinical changes and to be a reliable instrument to assess the severity of pain and disability in patients with patellofemoral disorders. This questionnaire will be useful in clinical practice and research as an appropriate tool to evaluate and record the symptomatology of patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome among Spanish population.Level Of Evidence: Diagnostic study, Level I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to lack of culturally relevant assessment tools, little is known about children's developmental profiles in low income settings such as Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to adapt and standardize the Denver II for assessing child development in Jimma Zone, South West Ethiopia.Methods: Culture-specific test items in Denver II were modified. After translation into two local languages, all test items were piloted and fine-tuned. Using 1597 healthy children 4 days to 70.6 months of age, the 25, 50, 75 and 90 % passing ages were determined for each test item as milestones. Milestones attainment on the adapted version and the Denver II were compared on the 90 % passing age. Reliability of the adapted tool was examined.Results: A total of 36 (28.8 %) test items, mostly from personal social domain, were adapted. Milestones attainment ages on the two versions differed significantly on 42 (34 %) test items. The adapted tool has an excellent inter-rater on 123 (98 %) items and substantial to excellent test-retest reliability on 119 (91 %) items.Conclusions: A Western developmental assessment tool can be adapted reliably for use in low-income settings. Age differences in attaining milestones indicate a correct estimation of child development requires a population-specific standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Item development is a time- and resource-intensive process. Automatic item generation integrates cognitive modeling with computer technology to systematically generate test items. To date, however, items generated using cognitive modeling procedures have received limited use in operational testing situations. As a result, the psychometric characteristics of generated multiple-choice test items are largely unknown and undocumented. We present item analysis results from one of the first empirical studies designed to evaluate the psychometric properties of generated multiplechoice items using the results from a high stakes national medical licensure examination. The item analysis results for the correct option revealed that the generated items measured examinees' performance across a broad range of ability levels while, at the same time, providing a consistently strong level of discrimination for each item. Results for the incorrect options revealed that the generated items consistently differentiated the low from the high performing examinees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing tests items for end-of-course tests in higher education is a recurring task for many teachers. Divergent production of test items is needed to create queries with original content, while convergent production is needed to design items that are clear and technically sound. Support for the test item design process, based on divergent and convergent production, could lead to better test items. An experiment to establish the extent to which the explicit application of diverging and converging support resulted in more and in more original test items and technically better test items was conducted in this study. The results showed an effect on the originality of the test items developed, but not on the technical quality of those items. The implications of these findings for test item design are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research reported in this article investigates differential item functioning (DIF) in a listening comprehension test. The study explores the relationship between test-taker age and the items’ language domains across multiple test forms. The data comprise test-taker responses (N = 2861) to a total of 133 unique items, 46 items of which were shared across two or more forms. Twenty-one items demonstrated DIF. However, there was no pattern by language domain. Eleven items showing DIF appeared in more than one test form but DIF for these items occurred only once. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The main objective of the study was the development of a semi-standardized test in Mathematics at grade 9 through Rasch modelling. The population of the study was 59,168 students of grade 9 admitted to 718 secondary schools of Bahawalpur Division (Pakistan) during session 2010-11. The schools were categorised gender-wise, locality-wise and ownership-wise to ensure representation of the population in the sample. Cluster sampling was used to identify the sample. For this, 3 schools were randomly opted from each category and all the students of grade 9 in these schools were included in the sample. There were 720 students. However, 642 students participated in the study due to different reasons. Two equivalent test forms, each with 43 items were developed from Mathematics of grade 9. These were ultimately transformed into a 86-items test to be semi-standardized. The content validity of the test was obtained by incorporating the opinion of teachers in Mathematics and researchers. The alternate-forms reliability of the test was 0.92. The two test forms were administered everywhere with uniformity of instructions and arrangements for two consecutive days to retain the external validity of the test. The Rasch analysis showed more accuracy thoroughly in the appraisal of test items than respondents in terms of logit values, Model error estimates and fit-statistics. The major recommendations of the study were the replication of the current study, its execution at other times during the academic session, and finding probability correct for all items and persons to see response patterns more realistically [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a structural equation model, which reduces to a multidimensional latent class item response theory model, for the analysis of binary item responses with nonignorable missingness. The missingness mechanism is driven by 2 sets of latent variables: one describing the propensity to respond and the other referred to the abilities measured by the test items. These latent variables are assumed to have a discrete distribution, so as to reduce the number of parametric assumptions regarding the latent structure of the model. Individual covariates can also be included through a multinomial logistic parameterization for the distribution of the latent variables. Given the discrete nature of this distribution, the proposed model is efficiently estimated by the expectation–maximization algorithm. A simulation study is performed to evaluate the finite-sample properties of the parameter estimates. Moreover, an application is illustrated with data coming from a student entry test for the admission to some university courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to investigate teacher and peer support for young adolescents' academic motivation classroom engagement, and school belonging within one large, urban, ethnically diverse middle school. In the initial quantitative phase, associations among aspects of teacher support (autonomy, structure, and involvement), peer support (academic and emotional), and adjustment (motivation, engagemenl and belonging) were examined using student surveys (N= 209, 61% females). In the follow-up qualitative phase, participants elaborated on the ways teachers and peers support young adolescents' adjustment during individual interviews (N= 18 students, 5 teachers, and 1 administrator). Results indicate teacher and peer support are academic and social in nature and have unique implications for supporting motivation, engagement, and belonging in middle school. By utilizing a mixed methods design and adopting a multidimensional perspective of classroom-based support, our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of teacher and peer support on student adjustment. An implication for educators is for them to understand the ways teacher and peer support may help meet young adolescents' needs and promote their academic motivation, classroom engagement, and school belonging. Findings may inform middle level educational research and practice, especially in urban, ethnically diverse middle level schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design. Validation study. Objective. To investigate the most valid, reliable, and comprehensible response scale for spinal trauma patients to compare their current level of function and health with their preinjury state. Summary of Background Data. In the context of a main project of the AOSpine Knowledge Forum Trauma to develop a diseasespecific outcome instrument for adult spinal trauma patients, the need to identify a response scale that uniquely reflects the degree to which a spine trauma patient has returned to his or her preinjury state is crucial. Methods. In the first phase, 3 different question formats and 3 different response formats were investigated in a questionnaire, which was administered twice. Based on the results of the first phase, in the second phase, a modified questionnaire was administered once to a second group of patients to investigate 5 different response formats: 0-10 Numeric Rating Scale-11, 0-100 Numeric Rating Scale-101, Visual Analogue Scale, Verbal Rating Scale, and Adjective Scale. All patients were interviewed in a semistructured fashion to identify their preferences. Multiple statistical analyses were performed: testretest reliability, internal consistency, and discriminant validity. Results. Twenty eligible patients were enrolled in the first phase and 59 in the second phase. The initial phase revealed the highest preference for 1 specific question format (60.0% and 86.7% after the first and second administration of the questionnaire, respectively). The second phase showed the Verbal Rating Scale as the most preferred response format (35.6%). The semistructured interviews revealed that overall, a subgroup of patients preferred a verbal response format (42.4%), and another group of patients preferred a numerical response format (49.1%). The statistical analysis showed good to excellent psychometric properties for all formats. Conclusion. The most preferred question and response formats were identified for use in a disease-specific outcome instrument for spinal trauma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of combining negative and positive items in scales in a Spanish-speaking context. Method: Three telephone surveys of 233 people each were carried out. In one survey, 15 items from the Keyes Social Well-Being Scale were worded in a positive fashion; another survey presented 8 items in a positive fashion and 7 items in terms of direct denial; and in the third survey, 7 items were worded positively, 5 were worded in negative terms using polar opposites, and 3 terms were presented in terms of direct denial. Results: The results show a greater tendency for the items in the Positive questionnaire to show results associated with the directionality of the items. However, this questionnaire shows higher values of the Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and better fit of the theoretical factor structure. Conclusions: In the survey that included only positive items, findings indicated the existence of acquiescence bias. However, a remedy to this situation only made matters worse, as the combination of positive and negative items seriously affected the internal consistency of the scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable empirical research, along with a growing body of conceptual and theoretical literature, exists on the role of culture and context in evaluation. Less scholarship has examined culturally responsive surveys in the context of international evaluation. In this article, the authors present lessons learned from the development, implementation, and analysis of surveys used to evaluate the struggle of Brazil’s quilombos, or former fugitive slave communities, for land rights and livelihood. The authors begin with a brief review of the culturally responsive evaluation literature, making the case for culturally responsive surveys. Following a brief introduction to quilombo communities, they discuss their survey work, including their efforts to be culturally responsive and the challenges they confronted. The article concludes with the lessons learned for culturally responsive survey inquirers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on an instance in which the mean grade-to-grade scale scores on a vertical scale showed evidence of common test items that do not get easier from one grade to the next. The issue was examined as part of a 2-day workshop in which participants were asked to predict the growth on all linking items used in the construction of vertical scales in math and reading. It was found that these predictions were only weakly correlated to the empirical changes overall. The participants seldom found legitimate rationales for excluding reversal items. Results indicate that a reversal will almost never be sufficient as a rationale for the exclusion of a linking item from the calibration of a vertical scale. Greater attention needs to be given to definition of the construct over which growth is to be interpreted and how this influences the selection of linking items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for test items far outstrips the current supply. This increased demand can be attributed, in part, to the transition to computerized testing, but, it is also linked to dramatic changes in how 21st century educational assessments are designed and administered. One way to address this growing demand is with automatic item generation. Automatic item generation involves the process of using models to generate items with the aid of computer technology. The purpose of this study is to describe and illustrate a methodology that permits the generation of huge number of diverse and heterogeneous test items that are closely aligned to the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]