Psy. 525B Advanced Psychological Measurement

Introduction to Testing and Historical Perspective

Why do we test? To measure ______________________ personalbrandingblog.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/

Types of Tests Individual vs. Group Tests Single examiner gives a test to a group of people Example: academic.hws.edu/kendrick

Types of Tests Ability TestsPersonality Tests Projective Achievement Intelligence Objective

Types of Tests Norm Referenced –Individual scores can be compared to a _______ –Generate standardized scores IQ = SS 102 –Allow ranking Criterion Referenced –Measure how well individual is doing relative to a ___________________ __ level Set criterion –No standardized scores are obtained –Ranges are used to describe performance 18 to 30 months

Criterion Referenced Norm Referenced

Tests Measuring Human “Ability” Intelligence Tests Tests of Memory and Learning Achievement Tests –Evaluate what an individual has learned Reading, writing and math

Tests Measuring Personality Rating scales –Structured (Objective) Tests MMPI –Test taker is presented with a specific stimuli and asked specific questions I feel sad N S O A I feel alone N S O A I don’t have any friends True False

MMPI-2 Sample Questions I have a good appetite There seems to be a lump in my throat much of the time A person should try to understand his dreams and be guided by or take warning from them I enjoy detective or mystery stories I am sure I get a raw deal from life Evil spirits possess me at times During one period when I was a youngster I engaged in petty thievery It would be better if almost all laws were thrown away A minister can cure disease by praying and putting his hand on your head I sometimes keep on at a thing until others lose their patience with me I have often wished I were a girl. (Or if you are a girl) I have never been sorry that I am a girl I am sad in most days My life is getting worst every day

Clinical Scales 1.Hypochondriasis (Hs) Identifies concerns with somatic symptoms and physical well being. 2.Depression (D) Identifies depressive symptoms 3.Hysteria (Hy) Identifies those who display need for attention and affection from others, denial of problems 4.Psychopathic Deviant (Pd) Lack of concerns for social rules and lack of acceptance of authority and social alienation 5.Masculinity-Femininity (Mf) Confusion of gender roles

Clinical Scales 6.Paranoia (Pa) Suspiciousness, feelings of persecution and complaints about other people 7.Psychasthenia (Pt) Identifies Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder 8.Schizophrenia (Sz) Identifies schizophrenic patients and reflects a wide variety of areas including bizarre thought processes, social alienation, difficulties in concentration and impulse control, 9.Hypomania (Ma) Identifies Bipolar Patients 10.Social Introversion (Si) Assess a person’s tendency to withdraw from social contacts and responsibilities.

Tests Measuring Personality Projective Tests –Evoking a response by presenting an ambiguous stimuli Inkblots, drawings, Sentence completion

Rorschach Inkblot Test

How do we discriminate between “normal” and “abnormal” performance on tests?

13 year old got a raw score of 15 on the communication section of the Vineland. –Does she have age appropriate communication for a 13 year old?

Norm Referenced Tests The norm samples are selected randomly from a given population Tests get renormed on average every 10 years Most current US Census is used when selecting a comparison group –Example: WRMAL-2 was published in 2003, used March 2001 US Census to obtain the norm group The Norm group must match as closely as possible the major demographic characteristics of the population: –Race\Ethnicity, Geographic areas, Gender and SES

US Population of 8 year olds 400 Inferential Statistics

Population Sample for WRAML-2

NumberPercent 2001 US Census

TAPS-3

Norm Referenced Tests Sample Size –At lest 80 to100 subjects in each age group (Sattler, 2008). –The larger the number of subjects in each norm group, the more stable the norm.

TAPS-3

Interpreting Results of Normed Reference Tests

Types of Standardized Scores Standard Score (SS) (AKA Deviation IQ Scores) –M of _______ and a Standard Deviation of ____ Scaled Scores (ss) –Have Mean of ____ and a Standard Deviation of ___ T-Scores (McCall’s T) –Have Mean of ____ and a Standard Deviation of ___

Standard Scores (SS) M = 100 SD = Average Range High Av Low Av Below Av Above Av Significantly Below Av. < 70 Superior > 130

Scaled Scores (ss) M = 10 SD = Average Range High Av Low Av. 7-8 Below Av. 4-6 Above Av Significantly Below Av. < 4 Superior >

T Scores M = 50 SD = 10 Normal Limits At Risk Limits 30 – 40 At Risk Limits Clinical Limits > 30 Clinical Limits > For Adaptive ScalesFor Clinical Scales

v Scale Scores M = 15 SD = 3 Average Range Moderately Low 9-11 Moderately High Low < 9 High >

Percentile Ranks Percentile Ranks are used –To determine the individuals position relative to standardization sample –Asks “What percent of scores fall below a given score (X i )?” Example: 54 th % on a working memory test means that the 54 % of the sample had lower scores than that person 46 % of the sample had higher scores than that person

TOMAL-2

Reliability and Validity of Psychological Tests

Validity and Reliability Validity is the extent to which a test measures what it is ______________. –Is the test measuring the construct that we are trying to define and measure – Example: What is Reliability? –In psychological testing, the term reliability means ________________ or ________________ –A test is considered reliable if it gives us the same result over and over again (assuming that what we are measuring isn't changing).

Reliability

KTEA-II initial assessment KTEA-II given a month later Test-Retest

What’s a good test reliability? ______ high reliability (decision making) ___________ moderate to high reliability (could be used with caution for diagnostic purposes) <.80 low reliability (should not be used for diagnostic purposes) All reliability coefficients (test retest, split half) are reported in the tests manuals

Which Test is more reliable? Test-Retest Reliability TOMAL Indexr Verbal Memory.85 Nonverbal Memory.79 Attention/Concent..88WRMAL-2Indexr Verbal Memory.92 Visual Memory.89 Attention/Concent..91

Validity

Predictive Validity Correlation of WJ-III Cognitive and WJ-III Academic achievement tests WJ-III Academic Clusters WJ-III Cog. ClustersReading Decoding Reading Comp. Math Calculation Written expression General Intellectual Ability Verbal Ability Thinking Ability In practice, validity coefficients in the range of.30 to.60 are considered high.

Correlation of WISC-IV and WJ-III Academic achievement tests WJ-III Academic Clusters WISC-III ScalesReading Decoding Reading Comp. Math Calculation Written expression Full Scale IQ Verbal IQ Performance IQ Which WISC-III scale is a better predictor of academic achievement?

Construct Validity The extent to which the test may be said to measure a theoretical construct. Intelligence Memory Anxiety Depression Construct validity is measured by correlating the test with other measures that –Are known to measure the same construct –Measure a different construct

Construct Validity of NNAT r =.63

NNAT WISC-IV Matrix Reasoning r=.65 Construct Validity of NNAT

Construct Correlation of WRAML-2 and CMS Measure of Construct Validity CMS Indexes WRAML-2 IndexesVisual Immediate Verbal Immediate Attention/ Concent. General Memory Verbal Memory Visual Memory Attention/Concent General memory

What Norm Referenced Tests Can you use? It all depends on qualification level of the test established by the publisher and training using the test –Qualification Level: A No special qualifications are required The range of products eligible for purchase is limited. –Qualification Level: B Can purchase A and B Level products –A degree from an accredited 4-year college or university in psychology, counseling, speech-language pathology, or a closely related field –Satisfactory completion of coursework in test interpretation, psychometrics and measurement theory, statistics, or a closely related area; or –license or certification from an agency that requires appropriate training and experience in the ethical and competent use of psychological tests.

What Norm Referenced Tests Can you use? Qualification Level: C –Can purchase A, B and C product All qualifications for Level B Plus an advanced professional degree that provides appropriate training in the administration and interpretation of psychological tests, or License or certification from an agency that requires appropriate training and experience in the ethical and competent use of psychological tests.