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The development of an instrument that measures social problem solving of Chinese adolescents is reported. The Social Problem-Solving Inventory Revised (SPSI-R) was translated to Chinese, and content validity, cultural relevance, and reading level of the translated measure were reviewed by panels of experts. The Chinese version of the scale (C-SPSI-R) was then administered to a sample of 352 junior secondary-school students. Exploratory factor analyses revealed a 5-factor structure that was largely consistent with the structure of the original English-language SPSI-R. The C-SPSI-R and its subscales were found to be internally consistent and temporally stable over time. The scores of the subscales were also correlated with depression scores, a correlation that supported the convergent validity of the subscales. Adolescents with high and low Chinese Beck Depression Inventory scores had significant differences in four out of five subscales of the C-SPSI-R (except Rational Problem-Solving). On the whole, the results supported that the C-SPSI-R is a reliable and valid instrument in the assessment of social problem solving in Chinese adolescents. Keywords: social problem-solving; Chinese; validation; measurement

Although cocaine craving can persist for weeks after the last use and is thought to play a role in future relapses, few short, reliable, and valid instruments exist to measure craving. Therefore, we wished to examine the validity of the 4-item Voris Cocaine Craving Scale (VCCS), which was previously found reliable. A consecutive series of 41 recently withdrawn cocaine-dependent patients completed the 4-item VCCS and the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire (CCQ), which was used as the criterion measure. The VCCS items 1 'craving,' 2 'mood,' and 3 'health' were significant and highly correlated with the CCQ total craving score. The VCCS may prove to be useful in future outcome studies involving cocaine craving and in routine clinical treatment.

We compared the efficacy of the state form of the MAACL-R (Zuckerman & Lubin, 1985) in predicting success in Air Force basic training. Results of discriminant functions analyses showed that the Anxiety, Depression, Hostility, Positive Affect, and Sensation Seeking scales of the state MAACL-R efficiently predicted success in basic training. The need to incorporate state measures into studies of prediction is discussed.

The Profile of Mood States (POMS; McNair, Lorr, & Droppleman) is widely used to assess mood states. However, the utility of the POMS has been restricted by the lack of normative data from the general population. We report on our adult (N = 400) and geriatric (N = 170) POMS standardization samples. Both groups were age-, gender-, and race-stratified according to 1990 census data. We also report on convergent and discriminant validity of POMS scales, using a multitrait, multimethod paradigm.

This study examined the relationships between codependency and age, gender, self-confidence, autonomy, and succorance, which is the quality of soliciting emotional support from others. The study also tested the validity of the Spann-Fischer Codependency Scale (Fischer, Spann, & Crawford, 1991). Ninety-five undergraduates completed a demographic sheet. the Adjective Check List (Gough & Heilbrun, 1983), the Spann-Fischer Codependency Scale, the Co-Dependents Anonymous Checklist (Whitfield, 1991), and a questionnaire developed for this study based on the work of Hemfelt, Minirth, and Meier (1989). As predicted, codependency was negatively related to self-confidence and positively related to succorance. However, contrary to expectation, a negative relationship between codependency and autonomy was not found. in addition, low self-confidence was the strongest predictor of codependency. Finally, all three measures of codependency were strongly related, attesting to the convergent validity of the Spann-Fischer Codependency Scale. Future studies should further investigate the role of emotional autonomy and codependency and should begin to utilize an experimental approach, making predictions regarding the behavior of codependent and noncodependent persons in experimental situations.

The stability of the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST) has been called into question by several authors (Hart, 1989; Maxwell, 1985; Schinke, 1989; Stacey, 1985). In a bid to verify these reservations, 376 college students were each evaluated twice by means of the CAST. Results confirm the high reliability and validity of this instrument in identifying grown-up children raised in homes with at least one alcoholic parent. Reliability was demonstrated by good internal consistency, high item-total scale correlations, and near perfect test-retest agreement (k = .83). Furthermore, concordance between high CAST scores and satisfaction of recognized criteria for alcohol dependence, as measured with the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-III-R (SCID), attests to the CAST's external validity (k = .78). Moreover, factor analysis shows the instrument to have a unidimensional structure. Finally, with a cutoff score of 6 or more, the CAST demonstrates excellent sensitivity and specificity.

The utility of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) as a surrogate for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Test-Revised (WAIS-R) was investigated in 61 brain-injured adult participants in a postacute rehabilitation setting. Idiographic comparison revealed substantial disagreement in clinical classification between the two instruments, and it is concluded that the PPVT-R is not a good surrogate for the WAIS-R for this purpose. In contrast, the PPVT-R was judged an adequate surrogate for the WAIS-R for the purpose of group comparison, as is common in biomedical research. Finally, contrary to prior report, the PPVT-R was demonstrated to measure more than simply Vocabulary. As such, in the absence of independent validation research, perhaps the most parsimonious conclusion regarding what the PPVT-R is measuring is that like each of the various subtests of the WAIS-R, the PPVT-R shares some of the variance of the construct termed intelligence, as well as demonstrates some unique variance that is likely comprised of error and, perhaps, a unique or different facet of intelligence.

Family of origin history information is often gathered for research and clinical purposes in psychology, but there has been relatively little examination of the validity of the data obtained. This report describes several tests of the validity of the recently developed Family Background Questionnaire, a relatively behaviorally specific instrument designed to comprehensively assess characteristics of one's family of origin. Using a sample of 678 nonclinical and clinical participants, it was found that a history of incest, parental chemical dependency, clinical status, socioeconomic status, and birth order all predicted Family Background Questionnaire scores as hypothesized and that 38% of the variance in Total Scale scores was accounted for by these variables.

The Structured Interview for Competency and Incompetency Assessment Testing and Ranking Inventory (SICIATRI) is a structured interview guide to assess the competency for giving informed consent to treatment among psychiatric and medical patients. The competency levels of 48 psychiatric and medical inpatients were assessed by SICIATRI. A relatively high inter-rater reliability of the SICIATRI items (over half of the items had kappa [greater than or equal to] .60) and concurrent validity (sensitivity = .83, specificity = .67 as measured against the global judgement of competency rating by the attending physician) were obtained. In addition to its brevity (it takes about 20 minutes to complete), these findings may warrant application of this instrument in a clinical setting.

The study examines the factor structure and provides test of the discriminative properties of the 38-item Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS). The MDRS was designed a priori to measure five broad domains of cognitive abilities: attention, initiation/perseveration, conceptualization, construction, and memory. Complete item level data were collected at the USC Alzheimer Disease Research Center from 19 probable Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients, 17 cases with dementia of various etiologies (e.g., multiple infarct), and 49 contrast subjects. Factor analyses, with rotation to equamax criterion, were performed on education partialled data. Five and six factor solutions accounted for most of the reliable variance and permitted simple structure theoretical description for separate subscales. These factors, similar to Mattis' design, can be characterized as Memory (Recall)/Verbal Fluency, Construction, Memory (short-term), Initiation/Perseveration, and Simple Commands. Cross-validated discriminant analyses performed on five unit-weighted composite variables derived from factor analysis provided better classification (72% vs 62%) than the 38 Mattis items alone. [C] 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The possibility that alexithymia may be a culture-bound construct was evaluated by developing a Hindi version of the Twenty-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale and assessing its psychometric properties in a sample of 285 normal young adults in India. The Hindi version of the scale (TAS-20-H) showed excellent cross-language equivalence with the English verison. In addition, the TAS-20-H demonstrated adequate internal consistency, good test-retest reliability, and a three-factor structure consistent with the three-factor model of the original scale.

The Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) has been proposed as a psychopathology assessment tool for substance abusers, but the validity of the SCL-90-R for this purpose remains to be verified. The results of a test validation study involving the administration of the SCL-90-R to 402 men and 227 women with substance abuse and concurrent psychiatric disorders are presented. The dimensional characteristics of the SCL-90-R are emphasized. The SCL-90-R dimensional structure is found to vary across genders.

The self-control schedule (SCS) scales were administered to 333 Japanese undergraduates to study the validity of a Japanese translation of SCS. The results show that the SCS and its subscales, Constructive Self-Control and Ineffective Self-Control, are valid in the Japanese translation. The Japanese SCS can therefore play a role in the assessment of depression and psychosomatic symptoms.

This study compared 119 personal injury claimants' scores on MMPI-2 and MCMI-II malingering scales. Data from 55 pseudo-PTSD patients and 64 controls confirm the utility of the scales examined. The following cut-offs were most effective for identifying spurious PTSD: F > 62, F-K = > -4, Es = > 30, FBS = > 24 (men), FBS = > 26 (women), total obvious minus subtle = > 90, DIS = > 60, and DEB = > 60. Pseudo-PTSD patients were those who (1) claimed to be suffering a psychological injury (2) that was so severe that it was disabling (3) due to an experience that was entirely implausible as a candidate for PTSD criterion A in DSM-III-R and (4) scored T = 65 or higher on both PK and PS, the post-traumatic stress disorder subscales of the MMPI-2.

Data from Exner's 1985 and 1989 normative samples on nonpatient adults and comparison samples of patients with schizophrenia, depression, and character problems were reanalyzed using a standard of clinical significance appropriate for N = 1. The 1989 norms, which exclude Rorschach protocols with less than 14 responses, alter not only the number of significant variables, but also alter the ability of most variables that relate to form quality to differentiate among the patient comparison groups. The Exner Rorschach is judged to be a valid test for schizophrenia, but to have demonstrated little differential utility for depression and character disorders. It is recommended that the scoring of nonsignificant variables be abandoned.

Reliability and validity of MSSE were explored in a sample of 122 healthy, community-residing elderly volunteers between the ages of 57 and 85, who were tested with a battery of neuropsychological tests over three annual probes. Test-retest reliability ranged between .45 and .50 over a 1-year interval and was .38 over a 2-year period. Change on the MMSE of more than 5 points over a 2-year period was associated with a neurological disorder. Significant correlations were found with many neuropsychological measures, especially with a measure of verbal learning.

The Florida Sexual History Questionnaire (FSHQ) is a brief 20-item questionnaire designed to assess male sexual dysfunction. The validity and reliability of the scale were examined in 33 diabetic impotent males and 58 nondiabetic, age-equivalent nonimpotent males. The FSHQ was found to have high internal consistency and split-half reliability and significantly discriminated between nonimpotent and impotent subjects. Among diabetic impotent subjects, some of the test items were correlated significantly with physiological measures of sexual functioning. However, the FSHQ failed to discriminate between diabetics diagnosed as having organic or psychogenic impotence. This latter finding is discussed within the context of recent suggestions that it may not be possible to draw a clear dichotomy between organic and psychogenic impotence.

stressors of graduate psychology training remain relatively unexplored. The Pschology Student Stress Questionnaire (PSSQ) was developed to assess the impact of emotional, financial, and academic stressors of graduate psychology training on students. The PSSQ was administered, along with the Symptom Check List-90-R and the Health and Daily Living Form, to 133 graduate psychology students. Significant though limited correlations were obtained between the PSSQ and the two stress measures. Factor analysis of the PSSQ yielded seven underlying factors; time constraints accounted for the greatest variance in stress ratings. Female students had higher stress scores than males. These results suggest that the PSSQ could be useful in exploring student stress in graduate psychology training.

The group difference MMPI literature relevant to African-Americans was reexamined for major methodological issues including the criteria used for ethnic/racial group membership and socioeconomic status. These issues are of sufficient magnitude to question the traditional scientific methods used in MMPI research and the current interpretations of African-American MMPI profiles. This cultural variance can be identified in item content and consistent scale elevations for African-American samples. The magnitude of cultural variance has been found to vary across samples. Recent empirical data indicate that such variance may be appreciable and significant for African-Americans who are in process of realizing a distinct cultural identity as evidenced by racial consciousness and moderator variables.

The study examined the construct-related validity of a 13-item short form of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale advanced by Reynolds (1982), using the validity scales of the MMPI. With a sample of 481 Basic Military Trainees, the short form of the Marlowe-Crowne replicated the correlations between the standard Marlowe-Crowne and the MMPI validity scales initially reported by Crowne and Marlowe (1960). The results further support the short form of the Marlow-Crowne Social Desirability Scale as an economical measure of social desirability.

In order to determine the suitability of the trait form of the Depression Adjective Check Lists (DACL) for use with the elderly, Forms E, F, and G and a question that required a self-rating of health were administered as part of a larger questionnaire to two groups of nonhospitalized Canadian elderly: (1) 259 subjects (120 males and 139 females) between 60 and 74 years of age; and (2) 136 subjects (50 males and 96 females) 75 to 93 years of age. The reliability of each list (overall mean alpha = .84; overall mean alternate form reliability = /.84; and overall mean split-half reliability = .76) seemed to be at an adequate level. Also, the magnitued of these correlations was very similar to those found on the same instrument for a sample of college students.

This paper reports the results of an initial investigation of the psychometric properties of a new clinical marital communication assessment instrument, the Clinician Rating of Adult Communication (CRAC). The sample consisted of 36 marital communication samples from both maritally satisfied and distressed couples. Reliability results indicated that the CRAC demonstrated high levels of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and interrater agreement. Support for the validity of the CRAC was found in its correspondence with a marital interaction coding system, its relationship to ratings of marital satisfaction, and its concordance with couples' perceptions of their conflict management behavior. Overall, these findings support the conclusion that the CRAC may provide a useful addition to the measurement armamentarium of the marital clinician and researcher.

This study examined four issues related to the Hansburg (1980a, 1980b) Adolescent Separation Anxiety Test: (1) How closely is Hansburg's original matrix of theoretical factor intercorrelations replicated in the present samples? (2) How closely do factors derived from empirical analyses of SAT data obtained twice over a 2-year period resemble the composition of Hansburg's theoretically based factors? (3) How reliable are SAT scales over this 2-year time interval as assessed by test-retest coefficients? (4) How stable are factors derived from the empirical analysis over time? A total of 74 late adolescents were given Hansburg's SAT in 1984 and 1986. Results indicate moderate correlations for SAT scales over time. There is little comparability between empirically and theoretically derived factors, nor is ther stability of empirical factors over time. Research with larger samples is necessary to clarify the empirical factor structure of the SAT.

The MCMI-II profiles of 40 psychiatric inpatients admitted for suicidal ideation and 40 patients admitted for a suicide attempt were compared. Subjects in each group were matched on sex, history of previous attempts, and other demographic variables. While the results indicate very few differences between the MCMI-II profiles of these two groups of patients, suicide attemptors scored significantly higher on Scale Y (Desirability), which suggests greater tendencies toward denial of problem areas. Patients with suicidal ideation yielded a mean profile with elevations on Scale 2 (Avoidant), 8A (Passive-Aggressive), 8B (Self-Defeating), C (Borderline), D (Dysthymia), and Z (Debasement). These results are discussed in terms of a stress-vulnerability model of suicidal behavior with suggestions made for expanding on the findings in future studies.

The purpose of this study was to investigate preliminary internal consistency and split-half reliability estimates of the trait form of the Depression Adjective Check List-Form E (DACL-E), as well as to validate three specific adjectives. The sample consisted of 294 residents of 17 inner-city neighborhoods of a large midwestern city, selected through a modified cluster sampling procedure. The Cronbach's alpha and split-half reliability estimates were similar in magnitude for both genders (.88 for males and .85 for females) and were at a level generally found to be reliable. Analyses of the three DACL-E adjectives - 'distressed,' 'safe,' and 'active' - were ralated, respectively, to fear of crime (p < .01), perception of one's safety (p < .01), and active participation in crime prevention activities (p < .001).

Information is provided on the reliability of random short forms of Wechsler's intelligence scales and on the reliability of short forms that reduce the number of items within subtests rather than the number of subtests. The results demonstrate how much better than random the most reliable short forms of the scales are. They also show that reducing the number of items within subtests rather than the number of subtests exacts a steep price in reliability.

To assess the psychometric properties of the Italian translation of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), the scale was administered to 763 college undergraduates, Based on analyses using item-total correlations and t-tests for differences between the top and the bottom total score quartiles, all items from the English version of the BIS-11 were retained in the Italian version. Cronbach's [Alpha] for internal consistency was .79 and two-month test-retest reliability was .89. An exploratory principal-components analysis replicated the six first-order factors and three oblique second-order factors, consistent with the number identified in the English version. However, subfactor item loadings differed between the English and Italian versions. The overall item pool was consistent in being a homogeneous measure of impulsiveness, The BIS-11 total score was correlated significantly with aggression and ADHD measures. The BIS-11 also significantly differentiated between high and low levels of binge eating, alcohol consumption, and cigarette smoking. [C] 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 57: 815-828, 2001. Keywords: impulsiveness; personality; assessment; reliability; validity

This study was designed to assess the ability of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale (MAC-R) to differentiate between outpatients with personality disorders with Substance-Related Disorders (SRDs) and without SRDs. MMPI-2 validity, clinical, and MAC-R scale scores were compared in an SRD Cluster B group (comprised of Narcissistic, Antisocial, Borderline, and Histrionic; n = 15), a non-SRD Cluster B group (n = 33), and a non-SRD group with personality disorders from Clusters A and C (n = 18). Results revealed that the substance-abusing Cluster B group scored significantly higher on the MAC-R (p [is less than] .0001) as well as the Psychopathic Deviate scale (p [is less than] .01). Dimensional analyses illustrated that MAC-R scores were related to the presence of an SRD diagnosis (rpb = .70, p [is less than] .0001) and diagnostic criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder (r = .60, p [is less than] .0001). Stepwise regression revealed that (in order of magnitude) the presence of a substance-abuse diagnosis followed by diagnostic criteria for Antisocial and Histrionic Personality Disorders were most related to MAC-R scores (R = .78, [R.sup.2] = .60). This indicates that the MAC-R may be more related to the presence of an SRD than has been suggested, and when used in outpatient settings as MacAndrew (1965) intended, the MAC-R may be useful as a screening device for assessing SRD among outpatients with Axis II psychopathology. [C] 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 57: 801-813, 2001. Keywords: MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale; personality disorders; MMPI-2

Brief, reliable, and valid assessment instruments are very important for clinical psychology research and practice. The possible equivalency of a short form and the long form of the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List--Revised (MAACL-R; Zuckerman & Lubin, 1985) was studied by correlating both forms of the MAACL-R with the State Trait Personality Inventory (Spielberger, 1995); the Affect Balance Scale (Bradburn, 1969); and the Sensation Seeking Scale (Zuckerman, 1978). Reliability and validity of the two forms were equivalent. [C] 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 57:411-416, 2001. Keywords: MAACL-R; negative affect; positive affect; short form; long form

This study examined the relationship between the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test--Third Edition (PPVT-III) and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Third Edition (WAIS-III) using 40 adults who ranged in age from 18 to 41 (mean age of 22 years). Participants were administered the PPVT-III and WAIS-III in counterbalanced fashion to control for order effects. Results revealed that the PPVT-III score was related to the WAIS-III Verbal IQ (VIQ) and Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) scores but unrelated to the Performance IQ (PIQ) score. In addition, analyses indicated that, while there were no significant differences between the PPVT-III score and WAIS-III mean FSIQ and PIQ scores, the PPVT-III mean score was significantly lower than the WAIS-III VIQ. Further analysis indicated that the PPVT-III adequately estimated WAIS-III FSIQ and VIQ scores for participants who were classified as Average or High Average on the WAIS-III. However, for participants in the Superior range, the PPVT-III tended to underestimate FSIQ and VIQ scores by approximately 10 points. [C] 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 57: 417-422, 2001. Keywords: Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test: test validity; cognitive ability; Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

The reliability of the Italian version of the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) was assessed in a group of 26 schizophrenic patients and their parents. In both groups, internal consistency indices were satisfactory and mean PBI scores at test and retest were stable. The test-retest reliability coefficients for the PBI scales of parents ranged from .65 to .67, those of the patients from .32 (paternal-protection score) to .67 (maternal-care score). The less satisfactory test-retest reliability of patients' paternal protection score was due to minor intra-category rather than inter-category variations in their ratings. This suggests difficulties with a four-point rating scale, which might depend partly on the generally poor schooling of the sample, but it may also reflect uncertainty of schizophrenic patients concerning fathers controlling behavior. Further studies should pay attention to this factor. Patients' PBI mean scores are compatible with an affection-less control rearing style, while those of their parents, characterized by similar poor care but less control, are consistent with a pattern of weak parental bonding. [C] 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 57: 119-129, 2001. Keywords: schizophrenic patients; parental bonding; reliability; parents of schizophrenic patients

Schutz's FIRO model contains three main elements: inclusion, control, and affection. It is used widely in mental health research and practice, but has received little empirical validation. The present study is based on factor analysis of the responses to a FIRO questionnaire of 120 normal couples and 191 couples who were attending a clinic for marital/psychiatric problems. Results confirmed the validity of the FIRO model for women only. The differences between the sexes reflected a considerable degree of sex-role stereotyping, the clinical implications of which are discussed.

The Chinese version of the General Health Questionnaire-30 was administered to 2,150 Chinese secondary school students, along with several other scales that measure somatic and psychological symptoms. GHQ scores were found to correlate significantly with all other measures of psychopathology for the various samples. Further analyses indicated that while the GHQ correlated more strongly with scales that assess acute symptoms than with scales that measure chronic problems, GHQ correlations were higher with measures of state as well as trait anxiety relative to indices that primarily reflect non-anxiety-related symptoms. Correlations between the various factor scores of the GHQ and other indices of psychopathology also were found to be mostly significant. These findings generally suggest that the Chinese GHQ-30 is a valid instrument that assesses 'general' psychological health, and the data provide support for the validity of some of the factorial dimensions of this scale.

The Family Relationship Index (FRI) is a self-report measure that provides an overall index of the quality of the family environment, as well as subscores that reflect family cohesion, expressiveness, and conflict. The current study is based on 53 families who had approached a family service agency for counseling and who had completed an FRI measure prior to intake. The construct validity of the FRI scores was evaluated by comparing them to measures of family functioning provided by experienced family therapists as part of the intake process. Support for the construct validity of the composite index and two of the subscores, Family Cohesion and Family Conflict, was obtained.

The Seashore Rhythm Test has been reported to the sensitive to right hemisphere dysfunction and, in particular, right temporal lobe integrity. However, several reports have appeared that have failed to support these earlier findings. In the latter studies, the confounding effects of possible bilateral or extratemporal lobe dysfunction in the patient groups could not be ruled out. The present study investigated the Seashore Rhythm Test performance of 38 right-handed seizure patients with evidence of glucose hypometabolism restricted to the right (n = 23) or left (n = 15) temporal lobe on positron computed tomography. Patients were studied prior to and subsequent to unilateral anterior temporal lobectomy for control of medically intractable seizures. No significant difference was found between right and left temporal lobe dysfunctional patients, either pre- or post-lobectomy, which further corroborates that the Seashore Rhythm Test does not discriminate between patients with right vs. left temporal lobe damage.

Previous research on the use of disguise in structured tests of psychopathology is extended to a clinical population. Based on a sample of 112 adult psychiatric patients for whom clinical criterion ratings were obtained, psychopathological test item validities were calculated and related to indices of test item disguise. Data contraindicated the use of disguise and were interpreted in terms of the various philosophies of test construction that underlie the structured assessment of psychopathology. In particular, results suggested the merit of a rational test construction strategy that emphasizes the use of relevant test item content.

A self-report measure of changeable affect was developed, with a goal of identification of patterns of instability in mood. Scales measuring lability in anxiety, depression, anger, and hypomania, and labile shifts between anxiety and depression and hypomania and depression were constructed. These scales were then evaluated for internal consistency, retest reliability, scores stability across samples, and for discriminant validity through assessment of association with measures of dysphoria and intensity of affect. The final versions of the scales are short scales that yield highly stable estimates of affect liability. It was noted that these scales are highly correlated in unselected students and it is believed that ongoing research with clinical populations will better allow for determination of the independence of these scales.

The Millon Behavioral Health Inventory (MBHI) is being used more widely in pain treatment settings; however, normative data on a large sample of chronic pain patients have not been published. In the present study, norms were established for 247 chronic pain patients. The chronic pain patient norms then were compared statistically to norms for non-medical population. Overall, the results showed that the score distributions for chronic pain patients and normals were similar on most MBHI scales. The differences that were found are consistent with other research on pain patients and indicate that chronic pain patients are more likely to be depressed and anxious. Differences in scales between chronic pain patients and controls may be explained by state vs. trait factors. In evaluating chronic pain patients by personality tests, one needs to keep in mind state-trait problems and their potential influence on test results.

The present study assessed the convergent and discriminant validity of multidimensional measures of anger and hostility and validated abbreviated neurotic and reactive hostility subscales of the Buss Durkee Hostility Inventory. A sample of 120 adults were administered the abbreviated Buss Durkee Reaction (RH) and Neurotic Hostility (NH) subscales, State-Trait Anger Scale (ST), Anger Self-Report General (ASRG) subscale, Multidimensional Anger Inventory (MAI), and Framingham Anger-in (FI), Anger-out (FO), and Discuss (FD) scales. An intercorrelation matrix supported the convergent and discriminant validity of these measures except for the Angerin/Brood subscale of the MAI and the FO scale. Factor analysis of the scales resulted in three factors: anger experience/hostility, verbal/adaptive anger expression, and maladaptive/physical anger expression. Implications for future research on anger assessment, specifically the components of anger experience and anger expression or suppression, were discussed.

This study investigated the concurrent descriptive validity of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) by comparison with a widely used objective personality inventory, the California Psychological Inventory (CPI), designed to assess normal personality functioning. Due to previous findings (Repko & Cooper, 1985), it was expected that the MCMI would overestimate the prevalence of personality disorders in a nonclinical population. Subjects were 237 male and female undergraduate students enrolled in a state university. A high degree of overlap was found between many of the scales of the MCMI and the CPI, which indicates assessment of a number of similar personality dimensions. Depression as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) accounted for a significant amount of variance between the scales. Consistent with expectations, the MCMI was found to overestimate severly the frequency of personality disorders in a student population when compared to the CPI. These results are attributed to Millon's use of base rate scores that require prior knowledge of the population prevalence rate of disorders before accurate scores can be obtained for any population.

Self-acceptance is defined in Social Learning Theory (Rotter, 1954) terms as overall Freedom of Movement. This definition is essentially the same as the conception of Generalized Expectancy for Success presented by Fibel and Hale (1978), who created the Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale (GESS) in order to measure the construct. This study sought to validate the GESS as a measure of self-acceptance by using a sociometric peer nomination technique (N = 79). Results supported the validity of conceiving of self-acceptance in Social Learning Theory terms as overall Freedom of Movement and the concurrent validity of the Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale as a measure of self-acceptance. Data also suggested that the GESS may be more psychometrically sound than other similar scales in terms of internal consistency and confounding with social desirability.

We compared the reliability of the Faschingbauer Abbreviated MMPI (the FAM) to the standard MMPI with a sample of non-institutionalized, independently living elderly individuals. FAM items were extracted from the standard MMPIs of 83 middle-class men and women with a mean age of 74 years. Results indicate that the FAM is correlated highly with the MMPI. Although statistically significant differences were found between the FAM and MMPI forms on some scales, 77% of the profile pairs were judged to satisfy interpretive reliability criteria, and for the profiles that were rejected the FAM was not found to overestimate or underestimate any MMPI scale systematically. The potential value of the FAM as a screening device for elderly individuals who are living in the community is addressed.

Psychologists who report test results usually ignore the published data on the reliability of the test. When reliability is taken into account, the standard error of measurement is used to estimate the magnitude of the range around the observed score in which the true score is most likely to occur. It is assumed that the observed score is the best available estimate of the true score and that the standard error of measurement is the standard deviation of possible true scores around this observed score that could result from errors of measurement. Most textbooks of psychometrics notwithstanding, neither of these popular beliefs is correct. The correct procedure for estimating the most probable true score and the range of error associated with it is described, and the implications for psychological report writing are discussed.

This article reports on the development of a computerized, clinician-based method of assessing patient variables that contribute to differential assignment of psychotherapy models. In the current health care environment, omnibus personality tests and current state measures are both expensive and insensitive to most of the empirically defined patient characteristics that have been identified as indicators of different treatment qualities. Moreover, reliance on patient self-report introduces a variety of distortions and limits predictive studies and follow-up assessments to those who are cooperative. These factors limit the usefulness of the currently available procedures. Aptitude-Treatment-Interaction (ATI) research has revealed differential effects of manualized cognitive, interpersonal, and insight-oriented treatments as a function on a select number of relatively specific personality and symptom qualities. A cost- and time-efficient method of measuring these dimensions could increase the power of treatment by identifying in advance those that are likely to be most effective for a given patient. The STS (Systematic Treatment Selection) Clinician Rating Form is a relatively brief, clinician-based measure of a variety of patient dimensions, including subjective distress, various aspects of coping style, and resistance traits. Current data reveal good interrater reliability and adequate levels of discriminant and convergent validity.

Psychological assessment is a hybrid, both art and science. The empirical foundations of testing are indispensable in providing reliable and valid data. At the level of the integrated assessment, however, science gives way to art. Standards of reliability and validity account for the individual instrument; they do not account for the integration of data into a comprehensive assessment. This article examines the current climate of psychological assessment, selectively reviewing the literature of the past decade. Ethics, expertise, and validity are the components under discussion. Psychologists can and do take precautions to ensure that the 'art' of their work holds as much merit as the science.