Concurrent and predictive validity of career development inventory

After an overview of the situation in vocational guidance for Quebec young people, we present the results of a study of the predictive validity of the Career Development Inventory adapted for French schools in Quebec. This study demonstrates that the instrument could be used to predict student perseverance and satisfaction in their professional choices. We then present the results of a second study which verified the concurrent validity of the Career Development Inventory by comparing the results obtained using this instrument with those obtained using the Career Education Questionnaire with the same students.     

Chinese Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (trial) (CECERS): A validity study

The Chinese Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (trial) (CECERS) is a new instrument for measuring early childhood program quality in the Chinese socio-cultural contexts, based on substantial adaptation from the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised Edition (ECERS-R). This paper describes the development and validation process of CECERS. Empirical data were collected from a stratified random sample 178 classrooms, from which a random sample of 1012 children was measured for child development outcomes. Guided by the framework of broad conceptualization of validity and validation as advocated by Messick (1989), evidence in a variety of forms is presented and discussed, including content validity considerations (e.g., measuring socially and culturally relevant domains), measurement reliability considerations (e.g., internal consistency reliability, inter-rater reliability), and measurement validity considerations (concurrent validity, criterion-related validity, internal structure based on exploratory factor analysis). The empirical findings for CECERS compare very favorably with the validation outcomes of ECERS-R. The body of evidence accumulated in the validation process supports the use and interpretation of CECERS scores as quality indicators of early childhood education program in the Chinese social and cultural contexts. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.     

Development and Validation of the Chinese Preschool Readiness Scale

Research Findings. A growing number of young children encounter group learning environment for the first time when entering preschool at age 3, yet their parents and teachers have no means to discern whether they are ready for this challenge. To address this uncertainty, this study developed and validated the Chinese Preschool Readiness Scale (CPRS), which assesses children’s readiness for successful adjustment to preschool. The scale was validated through EFA in Study 1, with 29 teachers who rated 288 children. The scale was further validated by ESEM and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in Study 2, with 46 teachers who rated 765 children. A five-factor CPRS was determined: self-care abilities and emotional maturity, cognitive and communications skills, social competence, learning dispositions, and classroom rules. The construct validity and internal reliability were satisfactory. Its concurrent validity was also established: (1) the CPRS scores were positively correlated with parent-rated self-regulation and (2) the social competence domain of CPRS was positively correlated with sensitive-cooperative behaviors and negatively correlated with anxious-withdrawn behaviors.Practice or Policy. The results supported further development and use of the CPRS to monitor children’s development upon entry at preschool. The findings also highlighted the need for more research on preschool readiness.     

Evaluating existing and new validity evidence for the Academic Motivation Scale

The current study evaluates existing and new validity evidence for the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS; Vallerand et al., 1992). We first provide a narrative review synthesizing past research, and then conduct a validity investigation of the scores from the measure. Data analysis using a sample of 1406 American college students provided construct validity evidence in the form of a well-fitting seven-factor model and adequate internal consistency of the item responses. Convergent and discriminant validity evidence provided insight into the distinctiveness of the seven subscales. However, support for the scale’s simplex structure, which would represent the self-determination theory continuum, was not fully substantiated. Implications for theory and the scale’s use in the current form are discussed.     

Development and validation of the sources of parental anxiety in children’s education scale

Parental anxiety in children’s education is closely related to children’s developmental and educational outcomes. The current study reported the development and validation of a self-report instrument to evaluate the Sources of Parental Anxiety in Children’s Education (SPACEs). Qualitative analyses suggested that the construct of parental anxiety in children’s education was multidimensional, representing learning performance anxiety, educational environment anxiety, educational input anxiety, and educational outcome anxiety as four primary sources. The results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported this four-factor structure comprising 17 items to capture this multidimensional construct. The scale also demonstrated adequate internal consistencies, convergent validity, discriminant validity, criterion-related validity, and test-retest reliability. A series of multi-group tests across age, locality, and children’s grades provided evidence of measurement invariance. Overall, the SPACE scale appear to be a reliable and valid tool to measure educational anxiety in parents in the Chinese context.     

Investigating the Validity of the Australian Early Development Index

This article aims to contribute to the ongoing evaluation of the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) by investigating its construct and concurrent validity with a subsample of 642 children aged 4 to 5 years drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). Construct validity was examined by considering the theoretical consistency of the network of correlations between the AEDI subconstructs and the independently reported multimethod measures of early learning skills and development collected contemporaneously by the LSAC. Concurrent validity was examined by assessing the extent to which children who were “developmentally vulnerable” on the AEDI domains corresponded with the LSAC outcome indices classification of children as “developmentally at risk.” Moderate to large correlations were observed between each of the AEDI domains and subconstructs when compared to analogous teacher-rated LSAC measures, with lower levels of association observed for parent-rated LSAC measures. Concurrent validity was explored; however, with no criterion measure with which to assess the AEDI, findings are inconclusive prior to predictive validity assessment. Future waves of the LSAC will collect information on the children's abilities at school and developmental outcomes, enabling further interpretation of these concurrent and construct validity findings by triangulation and predictive validity analyses.     

The assessment of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and amotivation: Validity and reliability of the Greek version of the Academic Motivation Scale

Self‐determination theory provides an integrated conception of school‐ and academic motivation. The theory proposes a continuum comprising three types of motivation: intrinsic motivation (IM), extrinsic motivation (EM), and amotivation (AM), characterised by seven dimensions (IM = to know, to accomplish and to experience stimulation, EM = external regulation, introjection and identification, and Amotivation). The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) with Greek high school students. Two studies were conducted to examine the factorial, construct, concurrent and predictive validity of the scale along with its reliability properties. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the proposed seven‐factor structure. The scale showed satisfactory levels of internal consistency and temporal stability. Additionally, indices of the scale’s construct, concurrent, and predictive validity were in the desired direction. These findings support the use of the Greek version of the AMS for the assessment of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation.     

An evaluation of racial bias in a life satisfaction scale

This study investigated the possibility of racial bias in one of the few extant life satisfaction measures appropriate for children and adolescents, the Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (Huebner, 1991a). Participants were 115 Black and 106 White adolescents in Grades 8 through 12. There was no evidence of bias with respect to reliability, factorial validity, or concurrent validity.     

Construct validity of the Kaufman assessment battery for children with learning disabled and mentally retarded

This study investigated the construct validity of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) via correlational procedures with the WISC-R. Thirty-two special population children selected from kindergarten through grade five participated in the study; 19 children were diagnosed as learning disabled, 13 as educable mentally retarded. A high relationship between the WISC-R FSIQ and the K-ABC Mental Processing composite revealed evidence of construct validity in the measurement of intelligence. The K-ABC diagnosed the learning disabled but failed to diagnose the mentally retarded children. The K-ABC Sequential Processing Scale appeared to offer a unique construct (analytic, temporal sequencing) not measured by the WISC-R. Implications for the usefulness of the K-ABC are discussed.     

Identifying High-Quality Preschool Programs: New Evidence on the Validity of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale–Revised (ECERS-R) in Relation to School Readiness Goals

Research Findings: The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale–Revised (ECERS-R) is widely used, often to evaluate whether preschool programs are of sufficient quality to improve children’s school readiness. We examined the validity of the measure for this purpose. Item response theory (IRT) analyses revealed that many items did not fit together to measure single dimensions, particularly when rated by consultants as indicating aspects of quality relevant for multiple domains of child development. IRT results also conflicted with the scale developers’ expectations in terms of whether markers that they attached to higher response categories represented higher quality empirically. When reanalyzed based on experts’ ratings, IRT results also showed that relatively few indicators captured the moderate to high range of quality. Practice or Policy: Our results suggest that policymakers should carefully consider whether measures designed for specific purposes are appropriate for other high-stakes uses. We encourage continued refinement of existing quality measures, development of new measures, and the accumulation of evidence for their various uses.     

A comparison of the Vane Kindergarten Test with the WPPSI and a measure of Self-Control

This study assessed the concurrent validity of the Vane Kindergarten Test (VKT), using scores on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) as the criterion measure. In addition, VKT scores were correlated with kindergarten grades and the Self-Control Rating Scale (SCRS). The results indicated that the VKT could be used as a valid screening measure for kindergarten children, but that it tended to overestimate ability and was not a test independent of a child's ability for self-contorl.     

Contextually-relevant validation of peer play constructs with African American head start children: Penn interactive peer play scale

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the construct and concurrent validity of a modified version of the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale (PIPPS), a teacher-rating instrument of interactive play behaviors of preschool children. PIPPS were collected on 523 urban African American Head Start children. The PIPPS scales were confirmed, supporting the following constructs of peer play: Play Interaction, Play Disruption, and Play Disconnection. The 32-item PIPPS represented a significant improvement over the 36-item version. Scale validity was established using conceptually related indicators of social competence including teacher report, peer report, and direct play observation data. Children who evidenced high interactive play ratings received high social skill ratings from teachers, and were well liked by peers and engaged during play sessions. Children who were disruptive in play received ratings of low self-control and were more likely to be engaged in solitary play. Disconnection in play was associated with low acceptability by peers and lack of involvement in play sessions. Practical use of the PIPPS and further study of developmentally appropriate social competencies for African American Head Start children are discussed.     

Valid and Reliable Science Content Assessments for Science Teachers

Science teachers’ content knowledge is an important influence on student learning, highlighting an ongoing need for programs, and assessments of those programs, designed to support teacher learning of science. Valid and reliable assessments of teacher science knowledge are needed for direct measurement of this crucial variable. This paper describes multiple sources of validity and reliability (Cronbach’s alpha greater than 0.8) evidence for physical, life, and earth/space science assessments—part of the Diagnostic Teacher Assessments of Mathematics and Science (DTAMS) project. Validity was strengthened by systematic synthesis of relevant documents, extensive use of external reviewers, and field tests with 900 teachers during assessment development process. Subsequent results from 4,400 teachers, analyzed with Rasch IRT modeling techniques, offer construct and concurrent validity evidence.     

美国早期儿童学习标准体系建设的新趋势——基于宾夕法尼亚州最新《早期儿童学习标准》的个案分析

美国宾夕法尼亚州的《早期儿童学习标准》内容具体、丰富,其体系建设主要表现出如下新趋势:结构成分增多、关键领域延展、面向更广大的儿童、丰富学习的内涵、凸显真实性评价。美国《早期儿童学习标准》体系建设的新趋势对我国即将出台的《3-6岁儿童学习与发展指南》的推行与完善具有一定的启示意义。     

Reliability and concurrent validity of light's retention scale

Light's Retention Scale was completed for 123 candidates to repeat the first grade. These same first-grade children were tested with a number of measures of maturity, including achievement tests, measures of intellectual functioning, visual-motor integration, self-concept, and physical maturity. Results indicated that Light's total score is not sufficiently reliable and has little concurrent validity for making retention decisions. The total score should never be used.     

The validity of the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment for culturally and linguistically diverse Head Start children

The Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) is a social-emotional assessment widely used by early childhood educational programs to inform early identification and intervention efforts. However, its construct validity is not well-established in independent samples of children from low-income backgrounds. We examined the construct validity of the teacher report of the DECA using a series of confirmatory factor analyses, exploratory factor analyses, and the Rasch partial credit model in a large sample of culturally and linguistically diverse Head Start children (N = 5,197). Findings provided some evidence for consistency in the factor structure of the three Protective Factors subscales (Initiative, Self-Control, and Attachment); however, the factor structure of the Behavioral Concerns subscale was not replicated in our sample and demonstrated poor fit to these data. Findings suggested that the 10 items of the published Behavioral Concerns subscale did not comprise a unidimensional construct, but rather, were better represented by two factors (externalizing and internalizing behavior). The use of the total Behavioral Concerns score as a screening tool to identify emotional and behavioral problems in diverse samples of preschool children from low-income backgrounds was not supported, especially for internalizing behavior. Implications for the consequential validity of the DECA for use as a screening tool in early childhood programs serving diverse populations of children and directions for future research are discussed.     

Measuring characteristics of teacher professional development

The primary purpose of the study was to create and psychometrically test an instrument which measured teachers’ perceptions of characteristics of professional development. The sample consisted of elementary teachers from five school districts in Washington State participating in a district improvement initiative. Results of exploratory factor analysis resulted in a five-component solution which provided evidence of construct validity. All components/subscales had moderate to strong internal consistency as measured by Cronbach’s alpha. The secondary purpose was to determine if characteristics of professional development predicted teachers’ use of new knowledge and skills, and student learning outcomes, thus contributing to the predictive validity of the instrument. There was a slight, but significant, correlation between Active Learning in Classroom and teachers’ use of new knowledge and skills, as measured by classroom observation scores. A small negative correlation emerged between Collective Participation and student learning, as measured by student scores on the state’s mathematics assessment. Potential uses of the instrument, called Characteristics of Teacher Professional Development (CTPD), are discussed.     

Mayes Motor-Free Compilation (MMFC) for Assessing Mental Ability in Children with Physical Impairments

Currently, no standardised, nonmotor test is available to assess mental ability in children with physical impairments and mental ages below 2 years. Instead, these children are often administered traditional developmental tests that may underestimate mental ability because the tests are heavily loaded with motor items. Underestimation of ability may result in misdiagnoses and inappropriate educational goals. The Mayes Motor-Free Compilation (MMFC) was developed to provide an unbiased assessment of mental ability in young children with motor disabilities. During field testing with over 200 children who had physical impairments, MMFC items were adapted to allow for nonmotor responses. In the present study, the MMFC and Bayley Scales of Infant Development Mental Scale were both administered to normal children under 2 years of age to determine the concurrent validity of the MMFC. Using the BSID-II as the criterion, the findings suggest that the MMFC can provide a valid estimate of mental age, even though items requiring motor skills are not included.     

Concurrent Validity of the Mayes Motor-Free Compilation (MMFC) for Assessing Mental Ability in Children with Physical Impairments

This study investigated the concurrent validity of the Mayes Motor-Free Compilation (MMFC) using the Mental Scale of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition (BSID-II) as the criterion variable with 50 typically-developing preschool-aged children. The MMFC is an individually-administered instrument designed to assess the mental ability of young children with motor disabilities. The results indicated that the MMFC and BSID-II Mental Scale scores were significantly and positively correlated. In addition, 94% of the children's MMFC mental age scores fell within the confidence bands constructed around their BSID-II developmental age scores. These results lend preliminary support to the validity of the MMFC. The paper concludes with a discussion of interpretation issues as well as areas for future research.