Measurement and training of AVC discrimination skills: Independent confirmation and extension.

Describes the AVC test of discrimination skills developed by N. Kerr et al (see record 1981-23872-001) and presents 2 validation studies of the test. In Study 1, 135 mentally handicapped Ss (aged 17–60 yrs) were assessed on all 6 levels of the AVC and 42 Ss were retested at 3-mo follow-up. Results are consistent with the findings of Kerr et al and support the AVC's reliability and resistance of AVC behaviors to change without systematic training. Study 2 examined the potential of the AVC for predicting performance of 6 severely retarded Ss (aged 21–50; Stanford-Binet IQs 30–36) who were learning a vocational assembly task. Findings reveal that brief training sessions were as effective as extended ones in teaching the tasks and that the AVC was an accurate predictor of Ss' performance. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)