The Visual Similes Test II is a research instrument designed to measure the construct of arousal. The test consists of two forms: an affective form and a cognitive form. Previous research has indicated that a strong negative relationship exists between affective arousal and behavior problems; likewise, cognitive arousal has a strong positive relationship with measured intelligence. This investigation examined the rationale behind the development of the Visual Similes Test II. In addition, the construct validity of scores produced by the Visual Similes Test II was examined with a sample of 216 children ranging in age from 10 to 12 years through confirmatory factor analysis using the AMOS program. The results of the analysis supported previous research findings and the hypothesis that the Visual Similes Test II measures the concepts of affective arousal and cognitive arousal.
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