Research on self-monitoring in the classroom setting has shown decreases in problem behavior and increases in academic engagement in students. Behavior rating scales can be used by teachers to monitor student progress or by students as a self-monitoring tool. The current study examined the impact of using the Individualized Behavior Rating Scale Tool (IBRST) as a self-monitoring tool on problem and on-task behavior in students in a high-need public elementary school. The results indicated that the self-monitoring with the IBRST successfully decreased disruptive behavior and increased on-task behavior in all 3 participating students during targeted academic time periods, evidenced by both direct observations and teacher- collected IBRST data. Improved levels of behaviors were maintained during fading with all 3 students and at 1-week follow-up with 2 students. The results also showed that both teachers and students had high levels of satisfaction with the self-monitoring procedures using the IBRST.

INTRODUCTION AND STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The American nation has maintained its ideal for democracy through recognition of the fact that intelligence, together with moral integrity, functions in the maintenance of the democratic state. There are at the present time, certain indications which show that large numbers of our citizens are unable to meet successfully the increasing demands of our industrial, social and political life. We have no reason to doubt the intelligence of our citizenship, and yet we must insistently ask, What has brought about this condition which amounts almost to an impasse in citizenship? [TRUNCATED]

Rasch is a mathematical model that allows researchers to compare data that measure a unidimensional trait or ability (Bond & Fox, 2007). When data fit the Rasch model, it is mathematically proven that the item difficulty estimates are independent of the sample of respondents. The purpose of this study was to test the robustness of the Rasch model with regards to its ability to maintain invariant item difficulty estimates when real (data that does not perfectly fit the Rasch model), polytomous scored data is used. The data used in this study comes from a university alumni questionnaire that was collected over a period of five years. The analysis tests for significant variation between (a) small samples taken from a larger sample, (b) a base sample and subsequent (longitudinal) samples and (c) variation over time with confounding variables. The confounding variables studied include (a) the gender of the respondent and (b) the respondent's type of major at the time of graduation. The study used three methods to assess variation: (a) the between-fit statistic, (b) confidence intervals around the mean of the estimates and (c) a general linear model. The general linear model used the person residual statistic from the Winsteps' person output file as a dependent variable with year, gender and type of major as independent variables. Results of the study support the invariant nature of the item difficulty estimates when polytomous data from the alumni questionnaire is used. The analysis found comparable results (within sampling error) for the between-fit statistics and the general linear model. The confidence interval method was limited in its usefulness due to small confidence bands and the limitation of the plots. The linear model offered the most valuable data in that it provides methods to not only detect the existence of variation but to assess the relative magnitude of the variation from different sources. Recommendations for future research include studies regarding the impact of sample size on the between-fit statistic and confidence intervals as well as the impact of large amounts of systematic missing data on the item parameter estimates.

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Bakgrund: Smärtintensitet är en viktig del i smärtbedömningen som utförs av hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal. Om smärtintensitet inte bedöms på ett bra sätt riskerar det att leda till en otillräcklig smärtbehandling. Ett av de mest validerade instrumenten för att ta reda på patientens självskattade smärtintensitet är Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Dagens forskning visar att det finns brister i arbetet med smärtskattningsskalor och behandlingen av smärta inom vården. Syfte: Att beskriva betydelsen av ett värde på Numeric Rating Scale och hur en förändring av värdet ska tolkas, ur ett patientperspektiv. Metod: En litteraturstudie baserad på 8 studier med kvantitativ ansats. Resultat: Resultatet presenterades under tre huvudkategorier och två underkategorier, dessa tre huvudkategorierna var: Vad det numeriska värdet har för innebörd i patientens NRS-skattning, Vad en förändring i patientens NRS skattning innebär samt vad NRS-värdet säger om patientens önskan av smärtlindring. Konklusion: Ett värde på NRS ger inte hela bilden av hur en patient upplever sin smärta. Ett värde på NRS kan vara en god indikator på smärtnärvaro hos patienten. När ett värde på NRS förändras säger det mest om patientens upplevelse när förändringen tolkas procentuellt. Det kan vara problematiskt för sjuksköterskan att bedöma en patients behov av åtgärd på endast ett NRS värde då dess betydelse kan variera stort mellan patienter. Utifrån detta bör hälso-och sjukvårdspersonal alltid föra en dialog om vad ett värde och en förändring på NRS betyder för patienten.

It is now known that autism is a lifelong handicapping condition. While some of the characteristic behaviors of autistic children remain unchanged in adolescence and adulthood, there is evidence that other behaviors change as a function of development. Assessment instruments for identifying autism are generally intended for use with. young children and may not accurately assess autism in adolescents. Two studies compared autistic adolescents with matched autistic children and nonautistic adolescents on two autism rating scales. The validity of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale for use with adolescents was supported while the validity of the Prescreening Checklist was questioned. The findings were discussed in relation to the age-related changes which occur in autistic adolescents.

Le Health-Sickness Rating Scale (HSRS; Luborsky, 1962) permet d’évaluer empiriquement la santé mentale. Plusieurs recherches ont permit d’établir ses qualités psychométriques (Armelius, Gerin, Luborsky & Alexander, 1991; Luborsky, 1962, 1975;Luborsky & Bachrach, 1974; Harty, Cerney, Colson, Coyne, Frieswyk, Johnson &Mortimer, 1981). Cette recherche se divise en deux parties. Dans la première, elle vise une traduction du HSRS, une évaluation de sa validité et de sa fidélité interjuges auprès d’intervenants québécois en santé mentale ainsi qu’une nouvelle validation internationale de l’instrument. Trente et un professionnels ont participé à cette partie de l’étude. Les résultats montrent une fidélité interjuges forte (ICC de 0.78) entre l’ensemble des intervenants québécois, une validité concurrente très forte (ICC de 0.97). Le nouvel indice de validité internationale calculé auprès des professionnels de quatre pays (Etats-Unis, France, Québec et Suisse) est également très fort (ICC de 0.98). La deuxième partie de cette recherche vise l’élaboration et la validation la forme auto-révélée du HSRS. Trente-cinq sujets ont participé à l’étude. Les résultats indiquent une corrélation forte (ICC de 0.79) entre la forme auto-révélée du HSRS et la version originale. La fidélité interjuges est également élevée (ICC de 0.83).

This study was designed to assess the reliability of the "Psychological Rating Scale for Diagnostic classification as an instrument for determining diagnoses consistent with DSM-III criteria and nomenclature. Pairs of raters jointly interviewed a total of 50 hospital patients and then independently completed the 70-item rating scale to arrive at Axis I and Axis II diagnoses which were subsequently correlated with diagnoses obtained by standard psychometric methods, interrater agreement was 88 per cent for Axis I and 62 per cent for Axis II, with correlations of .94 and .79 respectively.

The poor reliability of the DSM diagnostic system has been a major issue of concern for many researchers and clinicians. Standardized interview techniques and rating scales have been shown to be effective in increasing interrater reliability in diagnosis and classification. This study hypothesized that the utilization of the Psychological Rating Scale for Diagnostic Classification for assessing the problematic behaviors, symptoms, or other characteristics of an individual would increase interrater reliability, subsequently leading to higher diagnostic agreement between raters and with DSM-III classification. This hypothesis was strongly supported by high overall profile reliability and individual profile reliability. Therefore utilization of this rating scale would enhance the accuracy of diagnosis and add to the educational efforts of technical personnel and those professionals in related disciplines.