Chapter 9

Flashcards

measurement method that uses uniform procedures to collect, score, interpret, and report numerical results; usually has norms and empirical evidence of reliability and validity; typically includes multiple items aggregated into one or more composite scores; and frequently used to measure constructs

Standardized scale

use of identical procedures to collect, score, interpret, and report results of a measure in order to assure that differences over time or among different people are due to the variable being measured and not to different measurement procedures, and process used to establish norms or uniform procedures for a measure

Standardization

complex concept (e.g., intelligence, well-being, depression) that is inferred or derived from a set of interrelated attributes (e.g., behaviors, experiences, subjective states, attitudes) of people, objects, or events; typically embedded in a theory; and oftentimes not directly observable but measured using multiple indicators

Construct

statement, question, problem, task, or other individual element of a measure used to elicit a response

Item

quality or property of a person, object, or event (e.g., attributes of people include abilities, attitudes, and behaviors)

Attribute

population of people for which a measure is intended and from which a normative group is sampled and norms are created

Reference population

representative sample of a reference population used to estimate norms for that population and, more generally, used to develop and test standardized measures. Also known as a standardization group or standardization sample

Normative group

subset of observations (e.g., people, situations, times) that has characteristics similar to or typical of observations of the population from which the sample was selected

Representative sample

selection of a subset of a population for the purpose of drawing conclusions about the entire population; implies selection procedures (e.g., random selection) designed to result in a subset with characteristics that are equal to those of the population, within a specified level of probability

Sampling

distinctive values, customs, beliefs, knowledge, art, history, institutions, and language shared by a particular social group at a particular time and place

Culture

generic term for a number derived from a measure that represents the quantity or amount of an attribute or observation (e.g., number of times a behavior is observed, percentage correct on a test, value obtained from a standardized scale)

Score

procedure by which data from a measure are used to produce a score (e.g., number of times a behavior occurs or value on a standardized scale) or category (e.g., diagnostic category)

Scoring

a mathematical rule by which data from a measure are used to produce a score (e.g., sum or average of responses to items on a multi-item standardized scale)

Scoring formula

score that combines results from two or more related items or other measures using a specified formula (e.g., percentage of items answered correctly on a statistics test)

Composite score

score in its original, untransformed, observed units of measurement (e.g., number of correct items on a test before being converted to a percentage correct, grade, percentile rank, or standard score)

Raw score

item for which smaller numbers indicate a higher score on the measured variable because the item is worded to mean the opposite of the measured variable (e.g., If a standardized scale is used to measure depression, and a higher score on the measure indicates greater depression, an example of a reverse-worded item would be “I am happy”; 0, rarely or none of the time; 1, some or little of the time; 2, occasionally or a moderate amount of the time; 3, most or all of the time)

Reverse-worded item

scale that measures a single attribute or construct (e.g., depression). (Contrast with Multidimensional scale.)

Unidimensional scale

scale that measures two or more distinct but related attributes or constructs, and measures of the different attributes or constructs are referred to as subscales. (Contrast with Unidimensional scale.) Also known as multifactorial scales

Multidimensional scale

estimate of the degree of random measurement error (i.e., unreliability) in scores derived from a measure that can be used to determine the range of values within which an individual’s true score is likely to fall

Standard error of measurement (SEM)

single value or distribution of values that represent the performance of a normative group and serve as the basis of comparison and interpretation for scores derived from a measure (e.g., an individual’s percentile rank on the ACT, SAT, GRE, or similar measure based on the distribution of scores in a normative group). See also Normative group and Reference population

Norm

specific predetermined numerical values along a continuum of scores that are used to separate people into categories with distinct substantive interpretations (e.g., clinically depressed or not) and to make decisions (provide treatment for depression or not). Also known as cutting scores, cutoff scores, and clinical cutting scores

Cut scores

change that occurs when a client’s measured functioning on a standardized scale is in the dysfunctional range before intervention (e.g., greater than 5 on the QIDS-SR) and in the functional range after intervention (e.g., 5 or below on the QIDS-SR), and that the change is reliable

Clinically significant improvement

change in a score from one time to another that is more than expected just from random measurement error

Reliable change

deterioration in a score from one time to another that is more than expected just from random measurement error

Reliable deterioration

improvement in a score from one time to another that is more than expected just from random measurement error

Reliable improvement

single rating based on a rater’s integration of information about numerous factors (e.g., global rating of change, improvement, or social functioning)

Global rating