01722nas a2200169   4500008004100000245016600041210006900207300001000276490000600286520105700292653001501349100001501364700001601379700001701395700001601412856012401428       2007                        eng d00aRelative precision, efficiency and construct validity of different starting and stopping rules for a computerized adaptive test: The GAIN Substance Problem Scale0 aRelative precision efficiency and construct validity of differen  a48-650 v83 aSubstance abuse treatment programs are being pressed to measure and make clinical decisions more efficiently about an increasing array of problems. This computerized adaptive testing (CAT) simulation examined the relative efficiency, precision and construct validity of different starting and stopping rules used to shorten the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs’ (GAIN) Substance Problem Scale (SPS) and facilitate diagnosis based on it. Data came from 1,048 adolescents and adults referred to substance abuse treatment centers in 5 sites. CAT performance was evaluated using: (1) average standard errors, (2) average number of items, (3) bias in personmeasures, (4) root mean squared error of person measures, (5) Cohen’s kappa to evaluate CAT classification compared to clinical classification, (6) correlation between CAT and full-scale measures, and (7) construct validity of CAT classification vs. clinical classification using correlations with five theoretically associated instruments. Results supported both CAT efficiency and validity.10aMy article1 aRiley, B B1 aConrad, K J1 aBezruczko, N1 aDennis, M L  uhttp://www.iacat.org/content/relative-precision-efficiency-and-construct-validity-different-starting-and-stopping-rules01772nas a2200265   4500008004100000245004900041210004800090300001000138490000600148520092600154653002501080653005701105653001501162653001201177653001001189653002101199653006401220653001101284653002201295653001101317653000901328653007801337100001701415856007401432       1999                        eng d00aCompetency gradient for child-parent centers0 aCompetency gradient for childparent centers  a35-520 v33 aThis report describes an implementation of the Rasch model during the longitudinal evaluation of a federally-funded early childhood preschool intervention program. An item bank is described for operationally defining a psychosocial construct called community life-skills competency, an expected teenage outcome of the preschool intervention. This analysis examined the position of teenage students on this scale structure, and investigated a pattern of cognitive operations necessary for students to pass community life-skills test items. Then this scale structure was correlated with nationally standardized reading and math achievement scores, teacher ratings, and school records to assess its validity as a measure of the community-related outcome goal for this intervention. The results show a functional relationship between years of early intervention and magnitude of effect on the life-skills competency variable.10a*Models, Statistical10aActivities of Daily Living/classification/psychology10aAdolescent10aChicago10aChild10aChild, Preschool10aEarly Intervention (Education)/*statistics & numerical data10aFemale10aFollow-Up Studies10aHumans10aMale10aOutcome and Process Assessment (Health Care)/*statistics & numerical data1 aBezruczko, N  uhttp://www.iacat.org/content/competency-gradient-child-parent-centers