Psychometric adequacy and comparability of the short and full forms of the Personality Assessment Inventory.

The 160-item short form of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) was developed for situations in which respondents complete only the 1st half of the test. The present study evaluates the adequacy and comparability of the full and short forms of the PAI in terms of a wide range of psychometric characteristics. In all, 421 participants completed the full form as part of a neuropsychological evaluation. Results indicated slightly lower internal consistency reliability of the short compared with the full form. Group-level agreement of short and full form scales ranged from adequate to excellent. However, within-subject agreement was somewhat more variable. Low levels of within-subject agreement were strongly associated with elevated validity scale scores. The factor structures of the full and short forms showed high congruence for a 3-factor solution. These findings suggest that many scales of the short form have adequate comparability with their respective full form scales. However, low levels of reliability across less impaired ranges of the latent trait, diminished content coverage, and altered validity detection may limit the utility of some of the short form scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A manifest structure analysis of the Otis S-A Test of mental ability, higher examination: Form B.

This new scale theoretic approach to item analysis is shown to be useful in shortening a standardized test. A short test of 20 Otis items was developed. Testing time was 8 minutes. "Cross-validation resulted in a correlation of .82 between the scores obtained on the long and short forms." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A follow-up study influence of individual opinion on the construction of an attitude scale.

The present study was done in order to more or less replicate an earlier study by Hinckley (see 7: 1179) on the relationship between individual opinion and the construction of an attitude scale. Using Thurstone's technique of attitude scale construction, 2 sets of scale values for 114 statements were obtained from the sorting of 2 groups of Ss. The 2 groups were separated on the basis of their attitudes toward Negroes and the problem was to compare the sortings and scale values of Group I with the sortings and scale values of Group II. The results of this study were as follows: (a) the correlation coefficient between the scale values of Group I and the scale values of Group II was .9437. (b) This correlation of .94 can be compared with the correlation coefficient computed in the earlier study of .98. (c) There was no tendency for the statements to be placed in more extreme positions by either group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Surgical injury to ureter

The "reduzierte Wechsler-Intelligenztest für psychiatrische Kranke (WIP)" by Dahl, a short form of the German version (HAWIE) of the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale, comprising the subtests Information, Similarities, Picture Completion and Block Design was applied in a replication study to a heterogeneous group of 420 mental patients. Results show a sufficiently high level of agreement (multiple correlation) between the present test and the HAWIE-IQ. With this result and a sample independence of the correlation, two of the requirements of board clinical application of the WIP are met. On the other hand Dahl's assumption that the WIP represents the optimal (quadruple)combination of subtests of the full scale was not confirmed. Criticisms of the WIP in the literature are discussed. On the basis of previous studies and the present investigations it is held that the WIP is a useful contribution to measurement of general ability in a clinical setting.     

Relationship between probability of endorsement and social desirability scale value for a set of 2,824 personality statements.

A group of 47 male and 48 female judges rated 2824 personality statements for social desirability using a 9-point rating scale. Another group of 110 male and 111 female Ss described themselves in terms of the same set of 2824 statements by answering each "true" or "false." The correlation between probability of a "true" response and social desirability scale value for the combined sex groups was .892. The distribution of the social desirability scale values of the 2824 statements was distinctly bimodal. These results are in accord with another large-scale study in which 1647 personality statements were investigated. In view of the large number of personality statements involved in these 2 studies, it is suggested that a correlation of .90 between probability of endorsement and social desirability scale value and a bimodal distribution of the scale values of personality statements may be characteristic of the population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A scale for measuring attitudes of social responsibility in children.

"A scale of social attitudes was designed to discriminate children who have, with their peers, a reputation for responsibility as contrasted with children who have little reputation for responsibility. The resulting scale yields a measure which is substantially correlated with other measures of personal and social adjustment." The scale shows a positive trend in mean score with age. Development of the scale is discussed and the items retained after criterion group analysis are presented in a table. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A short form of Witkin's embedded-figures test.

A short form of Witkin's Embedded-figures Test is presented as a good alterative to the longer form which sometimes may require more than an hour and a half for its administration. The short form correlates .99 with the entire scale, based upon a sample of 50 college students. "It thus appears that the 12-item short form with a 3-minute limit gives a very good approximation of results obtained from the entire Witkin embedded-figures test while requiring only half as much administration time." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Antro-pyloric canal values from early prematurity to full-term gestational age: an ultrasound study

PURPOSE: To evaluate antro-pyloric canal dimensions from early prematurity to full-term gestational age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety infants with no signs of regurgitation or vomiting were studied 3-5 days after birth. Their gestational ages ranged from 26 to 41 weeks (mean 33.7 weeks) and the body weight from 670 to 4150 g (mean 2067 g). Antro-pyloric muscle thickness, canal length and canal width were measured. RESULTS: A positive correlation between gestational age, muscle thickness (R = 0.71, P < 0.001), length (R = 0.63, P < 0.001) and width (R = 0.42, P < 0.001) was found. Furthermore, a positive correlation between body weight, muscle thickness (R = 0.82, P < 0.001) length, (R = 0.67, P < 0.001) and width (R = 0.55, P < 0.001) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that antro-pyloric canal dimensions increase with gestational age. Moreover, it provides normal values for muscle thickness, canal length and canal width from the early gestation to full term.     

Magnitude of experimental effect and a table for its rapid estimation.

Sample size and probability values must be involved in the interpretation of experimental data. A correlation between group membership and the dependent variable explicitly describes the effectiveness of the independent variable. A table is provided which gives values of this measure directly from the sample size and t, z, F, or X2 values. Equivalents of this measure are provided both in terms of the difference between means and a measure of misclassification. The table is suitable as a power table and for dealing with several problems of experimental procedure and tactics. Decisions concerning acceptance of null or alternative hypotheses may be aided by the use of this measure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The use of a sentence completion test in measuring attitudes toward superiors and subordinates.

"A sentence-completion test designed to measure attitudes toward superiors and subordinates was administered to 312 Air Force cadets in advanced training. The test was scored with acceptable reliability, and showed a correlation of .32 with a direct attitude measure of the same dimension, and of .27 with an indirect measure based on an information test. Interpretation of these values is restricted due to a correlation of -.45 with a direct scale of alienation, and the absence of significant correlations with reputational criterion measures." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A "contingent-item" method for constructing a short personality questionnaire.

A brief, face-valid personality test was devised to be used as a limited range screening mode to locate general problem areas and the degree to which an individual is operating under "stress" in his daily life. The test uses a novel double-question method in which the 2nd question elaborates the answer to the 1st and is contingent upon it. This format is intended to encourage candidness on the part of the respondent and to enhance the power of the individual item. Criterion analyses and reliability indicate that the test and/or item form may prove useful in personality assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A reply to McNemar.

Corrections made by the present author (see record 1970-05886-001) for suggested spuriousness in Q. McNemar's (see record 1951-05872-001) formula for determining the validity of a short form of the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale were rejected by McNemar (see record 1974-24264-001) as being based on fallacious reasoning. The present author replies that correlated errors responsible for the spurious correlation given by McNemar's formula affect only the covariance, not the variances, of the full scale and the short form. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and Validation of a Rasch-Derived CES-D Short Form.

The current study presents a Rasch-derived short form of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale (CES-D) for use as a depression screening tool in the general population. In contrast to short forms developed with reliance on classical measurement techniques, those developed using techniques based on item response theory produce a measure that offers true interval scaling, provide enhanced information about responders with extreme scores, and expand understanding of the underlying latent structure. Cross-validation of the Rasch-derived CES-D short form supported its utility and structural validity across samples. Tests of structural validity using latent variable modeling methodology indicated that a hierarchical, single-factor model of depression had the best fit for the original full form and the Rasch-derived short form of the CES-D. This finding challenges depression researchers and theorists to reconsider the interfactor relationships in the study and assessment of depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Investigation of the Attitudes toward Women Scale in western Canada.

Administered the full version of the Attitudes Toward Women Scale (AWS) to 69 male and 81 female undergraduates to (a) compare the attitudes of male and females in terms of factor pattern and individual test items and (b) to further examine the strength of the relationship between scores on the full and short versions of the AWS. Factor structures revealed 1st-order factors which had considerable overlapping of items between the sexes, although the female Factor I had the additional elements of freedom and independence, dating, courtship, and etiquette. Both 2nd-order factors were sex-related; the female Factor II is described as a profeminist factor and the male Factor II as a male chivalry factor. Sexual behavior items had small factor loadings, indicating that sexual behavior was not considered important. This latter finding is at variance with that of the American samples, as reported by J. T. Spence and R. Helmreich. The high correlation between the full and short versions for both sexes and the retention of a significant sex difference on the short version support its use when only a summary scale is required and administration time is restricted. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A note on "ethnocentrism" and acquiescent response sets.

93 high school students were given the 9-item E scale, the reversed F scale, and the Gough intolerance scale. Even though the Gough intolerance scale correlated positively with the E scale it also correlated positively with agreement to reversed F scale items. The results emphasize the "necessity of controlling item form in studying certain attitude contents, such as 'ethnocentrism' or 'authoritarianism.' " (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Empirical test of the "levels" hypothesis with five projective techniques.

Tested the "levels" hypothesis that there is an inverse relationship between the degree of stimulus structure in a test and the level of personality impulse-control system being tapped by the test, for 20 normal and 20 psychiatric Ss. As predicted, an inverse relationship between pathology and stimulus structure over 5 tests (from low-high structure Draw-a-Person, Rorschach, TAT, Rotter Incomplete Sentence Blank, and Bender-Gestalt) was found for normals. Contrary to hypothesis, no such relationship appeared for psychiatric Ss. Other hypotheses that psychiatric Ss manifest more projection and more pathology than normals, and that there is a significant correlation between pathology and projection for every test for each group were confirmed. A new theory of projection of pathology as a function of the stimulus structure of tests is proposed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"The Nature and Nurture of Creative Talent": Erratum.

Reports an error in the original article by D. W. Mackinnon (American Psychologist, 1962, Vol 17[7], 484-495. The last sentence of the fourth paragraph, page 487, should read as follows: "The mean rating of creativity for each of the three groups-the ratings having been made on a seven-point scale..." (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1963-04959-001): "Creativity... is a process extended in time and characterized by originality, adaptiveness, and realization." Except for mathematicians "where there is a low positive correlation between intelligence and the level of creativeness, we have found within our creative samples essentially zero relationship between the two variables." A research study of the characteristics and background of creative architects is extensively discussed. Implications of the nature of creative talent for the nurturing of it in school and college through the processes of education are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A technique for increasing the reproducibility of cumulative attitude scales.

From a set of 40 statements for which Thurstone Scale values had previously been determined, a set of 9 statements were presented in paired-comparison form (36 pairs) to 370 psychology students. "… using the method of paired comparisons in conjunction with a set of opinion statements with known scale values… has promise for the construction of attitude scales with a relatively high degree of reproducibility and satisfactory reliability." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An abbreviated form of the WISC for use with emotionally disturbed children.

Many clinicians faced with the demands of research and limited clinic time have employed a short form of the standard intelligence tests. These abbreviated versions typically recommend administering 3-5 subtests in full and completely omitting the rest. The present study explored the possibilities of developing an abbreviated form of the WISC for use with emotionally disturbed children which would permit the usual scatter analysis performed with the full scale and also afford a genuine saving in time. The WISC records of 40 females and 107 males ranging in age from 6.0-15.11 and in Full Scale IQ from 70-148 were rescored according to an abbreviated schedule. Correlations between this abbreviated form and the full administration ranged from .76 on Picture Completion to .94 for Block Design. The correlations for the Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs were .96, .93, and .97, respectively. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)