Utility of the social skills improvement system-rating scales for capturing dynamic social constructs: Evidence using the measurement model of derivatives.

Social skills are dynamic developmental constructs typically measured using assessments developed via cross-sectional methods. The measurement model of derivatives (MMOD), a factor analytic approach targeting individual growth trajectories, was used to evaluate the longitudinal factor structure of the Social Skills Improvement System-Rating Scales (SSIS-RS) teacher form with a sample of 1320 first and second grade students (51.6% female, 54.

Verbal Learning and Memory Deficits across Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Insights from an ENIGMA Mega Analysis.

Deficits in memory performance have been linked to a wide range of neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions. While many studies have assessed the memory impacts of individual conditions, this study considers a broader perspective by evaluating how memory recall is differentially associated with nine common neuropsychiatric conditions using data drawn from 55 international studies, aggregating 15,883 unique participants aged 15-90. The effects of dementia, mild cognitive impairment, Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury, stroke, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder on immediate, short-, and long-delay verbal learning and memory (VLM) scores were estimated relative to matched healthy individuals.

Using a person-centered analysis to examine second-grade outcomes of a universal SEL program.

Effective universal social skills programs are intended to facilitate the development of students' social competencies and enhance classroom learning. As such, the present study sought to provide additional insights and a more nuanced understanding of the impacts of one such universal program, the Social Skills Improvement System Classwide Intervention Program (SSIS-CIP; Elliott & Gresham, 2007). Using a person-centered data analytic approach, we evaluated SSIS-CIP's association with heterogeneity in patterns of change on social skills and problem behavior measures over time for second-grade students.

The "Haves, Have Some, and Have Nots:" a Latent Profile Analysis of Capacity, Quality, and Implementation in Community-Based Afterschool Programs.

Implementation of evidence-based practices is a critical factor in whether afterschool programs are successful in having a positive impact upon risk reduction and positive youth development. However, important prevention research reveals that contextual and organizational factors can affect implementation (Bradshaw & Pas in School Psychology Review, 40, 530-548, 2011) (Flaspohler et al., in American Journal of Community Psychology, 50(3-4), 271-281, 2012) (Gottfredson et al.

Metabolic control and academic achievement over time among adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

The relation between metabolic control (HbA1c) and achievement (grade point average [GPA]) was examined over a period of 2.5 years (every 6 months) employing a dynamical systems approach that allowed for the examination of whether HbA1c was associated with change in subsequent GPA and vice versa. Metabolic control tends to deteriorate (i.

Performance of Fit Indices in Choosing Correct Cognitive Diagnostic Models and Q-Matrices.

In applications of cognitive diagnostic models (CDMs), practitioners usually face the difficulty of choosing appropriate CDMs and building accurate Q-matrices. However, functions of model-fit indices that are supposed to inform model and Q-matrix choices are not well understood. This study examines the performance of several promising model-fit indices in selecting model and Q-matrix under different sample size conditions.

Maximizing measurement efficiency of behavior rating scales using Item Response Theory: An example with the Social Skills Improvement System - Teacher Rating Scale.

Measurement efficiency is an important consideration when developing behavior rating scales for use in research and practice. Although most published scales have been developed within a Classical Test Theory (CTT) framework, Item Response Theory (IRT) offers several advantages for developing scales that maximize measurement efficiency. The current study provides an example of using IRT to maximize rating scale efficiency with the Social Skills Improvement System - Teacher Rating Scale (SSIS - TRS), a measure of student social skills frequently used in practice and research.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Early Arithmetic, Reading, and Learning Indicators (EARLI).

Despite growing interest in early intervention, there are few measures available to monitor the progress of early academic skills in preschoolers. The Early Arithmetic, Reading, and Learning Indicators (EARLI; DiPerna, Morgan, & Lei, 2007) were developed as brief assessments of critical early literacy and numeracy skills. The purpose of the current study was to examine the factor structure of the EARLI probes via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in a sample of Head Start preschoolers (N=289).

Examining early literacy skill differences among children in Head Start via latent profile analysis.

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether there are systematic differences in literacy skills among children from less-advantaged households, using latent profile analysis. Early reading skills were measured using the Early Arithmetic, Reading, and Learning Indicators (EARLI; DiPerna, Morgan, & Lei, 2007) literacy tasks. Participants (N = 166) were 4-year-old children enrolled in Head Start.

Development of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62).

Few instruments have been designed specifically to address the needs of college counseling centers. This article reviews existing instruments and presents 4 studies that describe the development and psychometric properties of a new instrument, the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62). Study 1 describes the initial item development, factor analysis, and preliminary scale development steps.

Investigating the relationship between item exposure and test overlap: item sharing and item pooling.

To date, exposure control procedures that are designed to control item exposure and test overlap simultaneously are based on the assumption of item sharing between pairs of examinees. However, examinees may obtain test information from more than one examinee in practice. This larger scope of information sharing needs to be taken into account in refining exposure control procedures.

CTTITEM: SAS macro and SPSS syntax for classical item analysis.

This article describes the functions of a SAS macro and an SPSS syntax that produce common statistics for conventional item analysis including Cronbach's alpha, item difficulty index (p-value or item mean), and item discrimination indices (D-index, point biserial and biserial correlations for dichotomous items and item-total correlation for polytomous items). These programs represent an improvement over the existing SAS and SPSS item analysis routines in terms of completeness and user-friendliness. To promote routine evaluations of item qualities in instrument development of any scale, the programs are available at no charge for interested users.

Controlling item exposure and test overlap on the fly in computerized adaptive testing.

This paper proposes an on-line version of the Sympson and Hetter procedure with test overlap control (SHT) that can provide item exposure control at both the item and test levels on the fly without iterative simulations. The on-line procedure is similar to the SHT procedure in that exposure parameters are used for simultaneous control of item exposure rates and test overlap rate. The exposure parameters for the on-line procedure, however, are updated sequentially on the fly, rather than through iterative simulations conducted prior to operational computerized adaptive tests (CATs).

Empirical Bayes estimation of the prevalence of uninsured individuals by county in the state of Tennessee and analyses of predictive factors.

Lawmakers at the state level require good estimates of those without health insurance in the areas they serve to inform policy decisions. These estimates are often built on inadequate data from smaller geographic areas, such as counties. The Small Area Estimates Branch of the U.

A comparative evaluation of methods of adjusting GPA for differences in grade assignment practices.

Numerous methods have been proposed for constructing an adjusted grade point average (adjusted-GPA) that controls for differences in grading standards across college courses and departments. Compared to the raw GPA, adjusted-GPA measures are generally more predictable from preadmissions variables, such as standardized tests and high school achievement. Relative rankings of students on adjusted-GPA measures are also more consistent with their relative standings within courses.