| Abstract: | Forced-choice (FC) rating scales came about because of dissatisfaction with conventional scales. Reliabilities and validities of FC methods compare favorably with other methods. Studies on the FC method show this scale is more resistant than other scales to effects of bias. Formats using 4 favorable items, from which the rater chooses the items most characteristic of the person rated, prove superior to other formats. This superiority appears in validities, reliabilities, and preferences of raters using the form. Conditions under which statement indices are obtained should be as similar as possible to conditions under which the final scale will be administered. Combining FC scores with other scale scores yields better results than using either instrument alone. Ample evidence exists that more research can fruitfully be done in the area. (54 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
