The purpose of this study was to describe a sample of incarcerated juveniles with severe delinquency histories using variables selected from the MMPI-A, WISC-III, DVMI, WRAT-III, WJ-R, CPT, and WCST. The subjects were classified into subgroups using cluster analysis. The membership and profiles of the subgroups that were derived using MMPI variables were compared to the subgroups formed using variables from all domains and to previous school based diagnoses. Group membership did not correspond to school based diagnoses or with clusters formed with different sets of variables. The MMPI-A profiles were more interpretable if the clusters were formed with only MMPI-A variables.For the entire sample, these subjects were found to be about one standard deviation below the mean in Full Scale IQ, verbal expression, visual-motor integration, and academic achievement. They were near the mean of normative samples for receptive verbal language and ability to inhibit perseverative responses. Phonological processing was better than sight word reading, but not as good as reading comprehension. Executive functioning data supported the underactive cortex theory of psychopathy and favored Eysenck's (1977) hypothesis that this interferes with conditioning, but not Hare's (1970) inference of perseverative response patterns.Whether formed from variables from all domains or from MMPI-A domains only, the derived clusters resulted in a strong levels of performance effect with the best and worst performing groups in one domain functioning at a very similar level in the other domains. Groups in the moderate range were differentiated by a less well defined patternsof scores effect. / Department of Educational Psychology

The current study examined the scale-level factor structure of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MVIPI-A) in a sample of 428 gifted and talented adolescents to validate use of this approach with a gifted population. The MMPIA structural summary was developed to help simplify interpretation of the 69 scales and subscales that are produced with a full administration of this assessment. A principal component analysis was conducted in an attempt to replicate the eight-factor structure identified by Archer, Belevich, and Elkins (1994) in the MMPI-A normative sample and by Archer and Krishnamurthy (1997) in a clinical sample. Results yielded eight factors which accounted for 69.57% of the total variance. Six of these eight factors appeared highly congruent with the original eight structural summary factors identified by Archer, Belevich, and Elkins in the MMPI-A normative sample. The results of this factor analysis supported use of the structural summary approach with gifted and talented high school students. This investigation then used MMPI-A structural summary profiles to describe the psychological characteristics of gifted adolescents. The main finding was that the gifted and talented sample presented with scores within the normal range, and the percentage of gifted students with elevations on any one factor did not exceed the percentage expected in a normal distribution. The highest number of elevations was on the Naivete factor followed by Social Discomfort and then General Maladjustment. These results suggested that this sample of gifted and talented adolescents presented with no more psychological maladjustment than would be expected from any other group of adolescents. Implications of these results for future research and practice with gifted and talented youth were discussed. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the construct validity of the Differential Ability Scales (DAS) with a mentally handicapped population. The DAS is an individually administered, standardized test of intelligence. The stated purposes of the DAS are to provide a composite measure of conceptual reasoning abilities for classification and placement decisions and to provide a reliable profile of relative strengths and weaknesses for diagnostic purposes. With these goals in mind, it follows that this cognitive measure would be used often with mentally handicapped students. The DAS was developed using an hierarchical model based upon exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The model assumes that ability measures or subtests will load on a general factor g and will form subfactors at a lower level. The model also assumes that as children get older, the number of subfactors will increase because of development and differentiation of abilities. How mentally handicapped children would fit into this model was the subject of the current research.Using a sample of 100 mildly and moderately handicapped children ages 8 years, 0 months to 17 years, 5 months, confirmatory factor analysis was used to explore the factor structure of the DAS with this population. Three separate models were investigated: Model I, in which a one factor solution was proposed, Model II, in which two factors, Verbal Ability and Nonverbal Ability, were proposed, and Model III, in which three factors, Verbal Ability, Nonverbal Reasoning Ability, and Spatial Ability, as proposed by the test's authors, were investigated. Results of the analyses support the use of a one factor interpretation when using the DAS with mentally handicapped students. In practice, only the broadest score, the General Conceptual Ability Score (GCA), can be interpreted with confidence. Further, case study investigation illustrates the inconsistencies encountered in scoring at the lower end of the norms, as well as in using the outof-level procedure proposed by the test's authors. / Department of Educational Psychology

The assessment of depression among older adults is difficult because depression rating scales can contain items that are related to cognitive deficits, physical illnesses, and other normal age changes. This study attempted to identify those items on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Revised (MMPI-2) depression scale which strongly correlated with age as a basis for dividing the depression scale into two subscales: one measuring aging and the other measuring depression. These subscales were then evaluated by comparing two groups of older adults, one depressed and the other healthy, to determine if there would be no difference on the aging.subscale and a significant difference on the depression subscale.This research was conducted in two stages. The first stage entailed giving the extracted MMPI-2 depression scale (MMPI-2 D) to healthy older adults (n=114, aged 60 and above) and to healthy younger college students (n=142, aged 18 to 29) in order to assess which of the 57 MMPI-2 depression items were correlated with age.Using a cutoff score of 20% endorsement difference (Butcher & Pancheri, 1976) between the two groups (p<.001), it was determined that fifteen items of the MMPI-2 D scale differentiated the healthy older adult and the healthy younger adult groups and were therefore related to aging and not depression. Twelve of these items were in the depressive direction for older adults. Those items which strongly correlated with age were used to create an aging subscale of the MMPI-2 depression scale (MMPI-2 Da). The remaining items were assumed to measure depression and were considered a depression subscale (MMPI-2 Dd).The second stage of this research addressed the utility of the subscales. It was hypothesized that the MMPI-2 Da (aging subscale) would not discriminate between depressed and healthy older adults since both groups were the same with respect to age. It was further hypothesized that the MMPI-2 Dd (depression subscale) would discriminate between these groups because the groups were different with respect to depression.When the two subscales were used with a new healthy older adult group (n=54) and a depressed older adult group (n=36), both hypotheses were supported. There was no significant difference between the healthy and depressed older adults on the aging subscale (MMPI-2 Da) and there was a significant difference on the depression subscale (MMPI-2 Dd). Implications and limitations of these findings were discussed. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

There is no abstract available for this dissertation. / Department of Special Education

Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 193-208). / Electronic reproduction. / Also available by subscription via World Wide Web / xiii, 208 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Thesis (MEcon)--Stellenbosch University, 1990. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie ondersoek is om 'n psigometriese toets= battery te ontwikkel wat gebruik kan word in die keuringsproses van advertensieverteenwoordigers. Uit literatuur het geblyk dat daar 'n teoretiese raamwerk bestaan naamlik 'n samevallende geldigheidsmodel waarvolgens die navorsings= projek uitgevoer kan word. Eienskappe word ook geldentifiseer wat kerunerkend van suksesvolle verteenwoordigers is. Genoegsame bewyse is gevind dat persoonlikheid, belangstelling en aanleg belangrike eienskappe van suksesvolle verteenwoordigers is. Die navorsings= probleem wat ontstaan is "of die sukses van advertensie= verteenwoordigers in die koerantsektor voorspel word deur middel van 'n keuringsbattery bestaande uit psigometriese toetse?\I Psigometriese toetse wat psigometriese eienskappe meet gebaseer op belangstelling, aanleg en persoonlikheidsmetings wat Nasionale Pers se suksesvolle en onsuksesvolle advertensieverteenwoordigers van mekaar onderskei, wat sodoende in die toekoms tydens die keuringsproses gebruik kan word om beter advertensieverteenwoordigers te keur. Om'n antwoord op die navorsingsprobleem te kry was dit nodig om die advertensieverteen= woordigers by die verskillende dagblaaie wat onderskeidelik as die suksesvolle en onsuksesvolle presteerders bestempel kan word aan die hand van die volgende kriteria te identifiseer: kornrnissieverdien, prestasiebeoordeling en 'n kornbinasie van die kriteria. Dit was ook nodig om die nie-kognitiewe eienskappe naamlik: persoonlikheid, belangstelling en aanleg te identifiseer wat die suksesvolle presteerders beskryf. Hierdie eienskappe word gemeet deur die volgende toetse: Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za die Sest.ienpersoonlikheids~faktorvraelys, Gestruktureerde Objektiewe Rorschachtoets, 19-Veld-Belangstellingsvraelys en die Senior Aanlegtoets. Hierdie meetinstrumente is geselekteer op grond van die waarskynlikheid dat hulle die eienskappe meet wat kenmerkend van suksesvolle presteerders is gebaseer op grond van inligting voortspruitend uit 'n posontleding en literatuurstudie. Die respondente was 77 advertensieverteenwoordigers wat binne die koerante-sektor van Nasionale Pers werksaarn is. Vervolgens is van kontrasgroepe gebruik gemaak om die eienskappe wat kenmerkend van die suksesvolle advertensieverteenwoordigers is mee te bepaal asook 'n sarnevallende geldigheidsmodel waardeur die korrelasies tussen advertensieverteenwoordigers se metings op die psigometriese toetse en aanslae op die prestasiebeoordelingsinstrument bereken is. Op grond van die kontrasgroepe se resultate is daar nie genoegsarne be\vyse gevind dat daar 'n beduidende onderskeid tussen suksesvolle en onsuksesvolle advertensieverteenwoordigers op grond van hul persoonlikheid-, belangstelling- en aanlegtellings gemaak kan word nie. Dit was egter moontlik om op grond van die resultate van 'n meervoudige regressie-ontleding 'n psigometriese toetsbattery saarn te stel vir die keuring van advertensieverteenwoordigers. Deur stapsgewyse regressie is 'n regressie-vergelyking wat 6 veranderlikes insluit verkry met 'n meervoudige korrelasie van 0,62 tussen die betrokke voorspellers en die prestasiebeoordelingmetings. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za Deur die samestelling van 'n voorspellingsmodel is gevind dat die huidige keuringsmetode wat gebruik word met 19,34% verbeter kan word indien 'n psigometriese toetsbattery as een van die fases in die keuringsbattery ingesluit word. Sodoende slaag hierdie ondersoek in sy doel om 'n psigometriese toetsbattery daar te stel wat in die / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The pu.t"poseof .this investigation is to develop a pscyhometric test battery which can be used in the selection process of advertising representatives. Literature showed that a theoretical framework exist namely a concurrent validation model upon which such a research project can be based. Typical characteristics of the successful representatives are also identified. Sufficient proof was found that personality, interest and ability are important characteristics of successful representatives. The research problem which excist is whether "the success of advertising representatives in the newspaper industry can be predicted by means of a test battery consisting of psychometric tests?" Psychometric tests which measures characteristics that differentiate between the successful and unsuccessful advertising representatives of Nasionale Pers based on their personality, interest and ability measures which in future can be used in the selection process to select successful advertising representatives. To answer the research problem it was necessary to identify the successful and unsuccessful achievers at the various newspapers based on the following criteria: commission earned, preformance evaluation and a combination of the named criteria. It was also necessary to identify the non-cognitive characteristics of the good achievers namely: personality, interest and ability. Four psychometric tests were used in the research project namely: the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire, Structured Objective Rorschachtest, 19-Field Interest Questionnaire and the Senior Aptitude Test. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za The measuring instruments were selected on the basis that they sufficiently measure the characteristics which are typical of successful representatives based on the job analysis and a study of the relevant literature. The respondents were 77 newspaper advertising representatives employed at Nasionale Pers. Contrast groups were used to determine the typical characteristics of a successful advertisement representative and a congruent validity model where by the correlations between the pscychometric tests and the scores of advertising representatives on the preformance appraisal instrument are determined. Based on the findings of the contrast groups no sufficient evidence could be found that a distinction can be drawn between the successful and unsuccessful advertising representatives based on their personality, interest and ability scores. By using a multiple regression analysis it was possible to construct a psychometric test battery that can be used in the selection of advertising representatives. By means of stepwise regression, a multipile equation including six variables were determined. A multipile correlation of 0,62 were found between the relevant predictors and the preformance appraisal scores. By making use of a prediction model it was found that the current selection procedure could be improved by 19,34% if the psychometric test battery is included as one of the phases in the selection battery. This study therefor succeeds in its purpose to develop a psychometric test battery which can be included in the selection process of advertising representatives.

Growing demand on the limited resources available to head-injured individuals, emphasizes the need for accurate diagnosis and proper allocation of funds. Consequently, neuropsychologists are increasingly asked to render opinions regarding the validity of cognitive deficits reported following head injury. Detection of biased responding has typically been approached through the use of symptom validity measures and/or evaluation of performance patterns on standardized neuropsychological tests. This dissertation examined patterns of malingered performance on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III), Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III), and a self-report measure of physical and psychological symptoms. In addition, attempts were made to address several methodological concerns noted in previous analogue studies (e.g., allocation of preparation time). Malingered performance was compared to that of a normal control group (NC = 34) and a group of mildly head injured individuals (MHI = 22). Results revealed that the simulating group (SIM = 32) endorsed more subjective concerns than the NC group. On the cognitive measures, simulators showed a tendency towards general suppression of performance versus specific areas of deficit (e.g., attention). Specifically, the SIM group suppressed their performance on the WAIS-III, but not typically enough to differentiate them statistically from either the NC or MHI groups. The SIM group's performance on the WMS-III was more in keeping with the overall suppressed performance pattern reported in previous research. Although simulators often performed significantly worse than the NC group, they did not generally suppress their performance excessively when compared to the MHI group. Results obtained in this study may reflect the use of more detailed instructions or the preparation time allocated to the SIM group. Overall, these findings emphasize the importance of incorporating multiple detection measures to assure the accurate assessment and diagnosis of head injury. / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to determine superintendents' and special education directors' perceptions regarding a special education minimum competency testing framework in Texas. Additionally, this study attempted to determine a relationship between school districts' demographic characteristics and superintendents'and special education directors' perceptions. Questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of seventy five superintendents, seventy-five special education directors of single districts and seventy-five special education directors of cooperatives in the State of Texas.

The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of determining the role of personality in information acquisition and utilization during the decision-making process, by replicating the Schkade-Scarborough box design and the Kernan-Mojena chip design, using an expanded battery of psychological tests. This investigation seeks to accomplish the following objectives: (1) review and summarize the present literature which relates personality and binary decision behavior; (2) review and summarize the present literature which relates personality with information transmission and utilization; (3) administer the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (NMPI), the Gordon Personal Inventory (GPI), the Gordon Personal Profile (GPP), EAS j, and LA1S0 to a group of subjects who will also participate in both the box and the chip experimental designs; (4) replicate both the box and the chip experimental designs with a different set of subjects to test for consistency of findings; (5) perform canonical analysis on the box design, endeavoring to extend and refine the analysis of the data; and (6) compare the findings from the box and chip experimental designs, and identify areas for further research. The purpose of this study is twofold. The first is to replicate and test the research findings of Schkade-Scarborough and Kernan-Mojena, which suggested that there is a statistically significant relationship between decision performance, as defined by a set of decision performance metrics, and personality, as defined by a set of psychological test scales. The second purpose is to test the hypothesis that the same psychological scales which are significantly related to decision performance, as defined by the box performance metrics, are also related to decision performance, as defined by the chip performance metric.