Assessment

Abstract

To represent basic information that should be considered in the selection of norm-referenced tests, McCauley and Swisher (1984) identified 10 psychometric criteria which include: description of the normative sample, adequate sample size, item analysis, the reporting of measures of central tendency and variability, concurrent validity, predictive validity, test-retest reliability, and interexaminer reliability. These psychometric properties provide the framework used to compare four preschool screening tests: CIP (Comprehensive Identification Process), DIAL-R (Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning-Revised), DDST-R (Denver Developmental Screening Test) and MAP (Miller Assessment for Preschoolers). Through a review of manuals, the extent to which the construction of the four tests fulfill the criteria is presented. Though none of the tests met all requirements, the DIAL-R and MAP met most. Qualitative considerations are also examined and include theoretical foundation, scoring system, and cost effectiveness in materials and personnel.