Mastering Modern Psychological Testing Theory & Methods

by Reynolds, Cecil R.; Livingston, Ronald B.

• ISBN13: 9780205483501
• ISBN10: 020548350X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-07-22
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

Testing, Measurement, Assessment   Mastering Modern Psychological Testing: Theory & Methodspresents quality written research in a thorough and comprehensive manner that allows students to master the material.   This text provides a comprehensive introduction to psychological assessment and covers areas not typically addressed in existing test and measurements texts such as neuropsychological assessment and the use of tests in forensics settings.   ;Mastering Modern Psychological Testing ; addresses special topics in psychological testing and includes special material on test development written by a leading test developer as well as relevant examples. The book is designed for undergraduate courses in Psychological Testing / Assessment / Testing Theory & Methods.   Learning Goals Upon completing this book, readers should be able to: Understand what constitutes a psychological test, how tests are developed, how they are best used, and how to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses Recognize the development process and how the psychometric properties of tests are constructed so they have the generalized knowledge to always learn about any test Engage in areas of testing that represent different approaches to measuring different psychological constructs Understand the difficult and demanding area of how tests are applied and interpreted across cultures within the United States Note:MySearchLab does not come automatically packaged with this text. To purchase MySearchLab, please visit:www.mysearchlab.comor you can purchase a valuepack of the text + MySearchLab (at no additional cost). VP: 0205030947 / 9780205030941

Author Biography

Cecil R. Reynolds, PhD, is currently an Emeritus Professor of Educational Psychology, Professor of Neuroscience, and Distinguished Research Scholar at Texas A & M University. His primary research interests are in all aspects of psychological assessment with particular emphasis on assessment of memory, emotion and affect, and issues of cultural bias in testing. He is the author of more than 300 scholarly publications, author or editor of over 55 books, and the author of numerous widely used psychological tests including the Behavior Assessment System for Children, the most frequently individually administered test of its type in the English speaking world. Dr. Reynolds is past president of the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), APA Divisions 5, 16, and 40 (Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics, Clinical Neuropsychology, and School Psychology). He was Editor in Chief of Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology (1990-2002), the official journal of NAN, Editor of Applied Neuropsychology (2004-2009), Associate Editor of School Psychology Quarterly, and serves on the editorial boards of 11 other journals. He is currently editor-in-chief of the APA’s premier journal in the field, Psychological Assessment. Dr. Reynolds has received multiple awards recognizing him for excellence in research including, among others, the Lightner Witmer Award, the Senior Scientist Award from APA Division of School Psychology, and NAN’s Distinguished Neuropsychologist Award, the Academy’s highest award for research accomplishments. His service to the profession and to society has been recognized through the President's Gold Medal for Service to NAN as well as the Academy’s Distinguished Service Award, the APA’s Jack Bardon Award for a Lifetime of Distinguished Service and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington 50th Anniversary Razor Walker Award for Service to the Youth of America.

 

Ronald B. Livingston, PhD, earned his Doctoral Degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 1993. He has clinical experience in correctional, school, and community settings. He is currently a Professor of Psychology & Counseling at The University of Texas at Tyler. He is the author of a number of scholarly publications including books, research articles, and invited chapters. His primary professional interests are psychometrics, neuropsychology, ethics, and assessment and interventions with children and adolescents.

Table of Contents

IN THIS SECTION:
1.) BRIEF
2.) COMPREHENSIVE

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BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS:

 

Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychological Testing: Why We Do It and What It Is
Chapter 2: The Basics Statistics of Measurement
Chapter 3: The Meaning of Test Scores
Chapter 4: Reliability
Chapter 5: Validity
Chapter 6: Item Development
Chapter 7: Item Analysis: Methods for Fitting the Right Items to the Right Test
Chapter 8: Achievement Tests in the Era of High-Stakes Assessment
Chapter 9: Assessment of Intelligence
Chapter 10: Assessment of Personality
Chapter 11: Behavioral Assessment
Chapter 12: Employment and Vocational Testing
Chapter 13: Neuropsychological Testing
Chapter 14: Forensic Applications of Psychological Assessment
Chapter 15: The Problem of Bias in Psychological Assessment
Chapter 16: Assessment Accommodations
Chapter 17: Best Practices: Legal and Ethical Issues
Chapter 18: How to Develop a Psychological Test: A Practical Approach

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COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS:

 

Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychological Testing: Why We Do It and What It Is

I. Introduction
II. Brief History of Testing
III The Language of Assessment
IV. Assumptions of Psychological Assessment
V. Why Use Tests?
VI. Common Application of Psychological Assessments
VII. Participants in the Assessment Process
VIII. Psychological Assessment in the 21st Century
IX. Chapter Summary
 
Chapter 2: The Basics Statistics of Measurement
I. The Role of Mathematics in Measurement
II. Scales of Measurement
III. The Description of Test Scores
IV. Correlation Coefficients
V. Linear Regression & Standard Error of Estimate
VI. Chapter Summary
 
Chapter 3: The Meaning of Test Scores
I. Introduction
II. Norm-Referenced & Criterion-Referenced Score Interpretations
III. Scores based on Item Response Theory
IV. So What Scores Should You Use?
V. Qualitative Descriptions of Scores
VI. Reporting Information on Normative Samples and Test Scores
VII. Chapter Summary
 
Chapter 4: Reliability
I. Introduction
II. Classical Test Theory and Measurement Error
III. Sources of Measurement Error
IV. Reliability Coefficients
V. The Standard Error of Measurement
VI. Modern Test Theory
VII. Reporting Reliability Information
VIII. Reliability: Practical Strategies for Educators
IX. Chapter Summary 
 
Chapter 5: Validity
I. Introduction
II. Threats to Validity
III. Reliability and Validity
IV. "Types of Validity" versus "Types of Validity Evidence"
V. Types of Validity Evidence
VI. How Test Publishers Report Validity Evidence
 
Chapter 6: Item Development
I. Introduction
II. Item Formats
III. General Item Writing Guidelines
IV. Maximum Performance Tests
V. Typical Response Tests
VI. Summary 
 
Chapter 7: Item Analysis: Methods for Fitting the Right Items to the Right Test
I. Introduction
II. Item Difficulty Index (or Item Difficulty Level)
III. Item Discrimination
IV. Distracter Analysis
V. Using Item Analysis to Improve Items
VII. Qualitative Item Analysis
VIII. Item Characteristic Curves & Item Response Theory
IX. Summary
 
Chapter 8: Achievement Tests in the Era of High-Stakes Assessment
I. Introduction
II. Group Administered Achievement Tests
III. Individual Achievement Tests
IV. Selecting an Achievement Battery
V. Teacher Made Achievement Tests & Grading
VI. Summary
 
Chapter 9: Assessment of Intelligence
I. Introduction
II. A Brief History of Intelligence Tests
III. The Use of Aptitude and Intelligence Tests in School Settings
IV. The Use of Aptitude and Intelligence Tests in Clinical Settings
V. Major Aptitude/Intelligence Tests
VI. Selecting Aptitude/Intelligence Tests
VII. Understanding the Report of an Intellectual Assessment
VIII. Summary
 
Chapter 10: Assessment of Personality
I. Introduction
II. Assessing Personality
III. Special Issues in Personality Assessment
IV. Objective Personality Tests: An Overview
V. Projective Personality Tests: An Overview
VI. Summary 
 
Chapter 11: Behavioral Assessment
I. Assessing Behavior
II. Response Sets
III. Assessment of Behavior in the Schools
IV. Behavioral Interviewing
V. Behavior Rating Scales
VI. Direct Observational Methods
VII. Psychophysiological Assessment 
 
Chapter 12: Employment and Vocational Testing
I. Introduction
II. History of I/O Psychology
III. Approaches to Personnel Selection
IV. Choosing a Personnel Selection Approach
V. Evaluating Job Performance
VI. Legal issues
VII. Career Assessment

 

Chapter 13: Neuropsychological Testing
I. Introduction
II. Components of a Neuropsychological Evaluation
III. Neuropsychological Assessment Approaches and Instruments
IV. Assessment of Memory Functions
V. The Process of Neuropsychological Assessment
VI. Measurement of Deficits & Strengths
VII. Chapter Summary 
 
Chapter 14: Forensic Applications of Psychological Assessment
I. What is Forensic Psychology?
II. Expert Witnesses and Expert Testimony
III. Clinical Therapeutic Assessment versus Forensic Assessment
IV. Applications in Criminal Proceedings
V. Applications in Civil Proceedings
VI. Third Party Observers in Forensic Psychological Testing
VII. Detection of Malingering and other forms of Dissimulation
VIII. The Admissibility of Testimony Based on Psychological Testing Results
 
Chapter 15: The Problem of Bias in Psychological Assessment
 I. What Do We Mean by Bias?
II. Past and Present Concerns: A Brief Look
III. The Controversy over Bias in Testing: Its Origin, What It Is, and What It Is Not
VI. Cultural Bias and the Nature of Psychological Testing
V. Objections to the Use of Educational and Psychological Tests with Minority Students
VI. The Problem of Definition in Test Bias Research: Differential Validity
VII. Cultural Loading, Cultural Bias, and Culture-Free Tests
IX. Inappropriate Indicators of Bias: Mean Differences and Equivalent Distributions
X. Bias in Test Content
XI. Bias in Other Internal Features of Tests
XII. Bias in Prediction and in Relation to Variables External to the Test
 
Chapter 16: Assessment Accommodations
I. Introduction
II. Accommodations versus Modifications
III. Major Legislation that Impacts the Assessment of Examinees with Disabilities
IV. The Rationale for Accommodations
V. When are accommodations not appropriate or necessary?
VI. Strategies for Accommodations
VII. Determining What Accommodations to Provide
VIII. Assessment of English Language Learners (ELL)
IX. Reporting Results of Modified Assessments
X. Summary 
 
Chapter 17: Best Practices: Legal and Ethical Issues
I. Introduction
II. Guidelines for Developing Assessments
III. Guidelines for Selecting Published Assessments
IV. Guidelines for Administering Assessments
V. Guidelines for Scoring Assessments
VI. Guidelines for Interpreting, Using, and Communicating Assessment Results
VII. Responsibilities of Test Takers
VIII. Summary
 
Chapter 18: How to Develop a Psychological Test: A Practical Approach
I. Determining the need for a new test
II. Describing the uses and interpretations of results from the test.
III. Who will use the test and why?
IV. Developing conceptual and operational definitions of constructs you intend to measure.
V. Determining whether measures of dissimulation are needed and if so, what kind.
VI. Preparing a detailed description of the test, including a content blueprint.
VII. Carrying out the development plan.