Reaching for the Brass Ring of Psychometric Test Standards: Commenting on Slaney, Storey, and Barnes

摘要

Slaney, Storey, and Barnes (201138. Slaney , K. L. , Storey , J. E. and Barnes , J. 2011 . Is my test valid? Guidelines for the practicing psychologist for evaluating the psychometric properties of measures . International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, , 10 261-283 View all references), in delineating guidelines for data-driven psychometric test evaluation, advocate modern test theory for extending a prescriptive framework proposed in Slaney and Maraun (200837. Slaney , K. L. and Maraun , M. D. 2008 . A proposed framework for conducting data-based test analysis . Psychological Methods, , 13 : 376 - 390 . [CrossRef], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®]View all references). Here, with an emphasis on noncognitive tests, we begin with a historical review of psychological testing and the developments of testing theory up to current standards and practices. We argue that although the efforts of Slaney et al. are commendable and may be superior in a field in which classical test theory still dominates, they may fall upon deaf ears for two reasons. First, present psychology training is negligent in keeping up with recent developments in statistics and measurement. Second, the practical advantages of modern test theory over classical approaches have not yet been sufficiently demonstrated to test users. This is not to say modern theory cannot produce better tests, rather, when we consider that the ultimate criterion has been and will be predictive validity, old, unsophisticated, classically developed tests still seem to perform satisfactorily. The prescriptive guidelines put forth in Slaney et al. are therefore better understood as aspirational targets, as recommendations, as challenges for tomorrow's generations of test users and developers, and less like psychometric law.View full textDownload full textKeywordspsychometrics, modern test theory, test development and evaluation, statistical training, graduate trainingRelated var addthis_config = { ui_cobrand: "Taylor & Francis Online", services_compact: "citeulike,netvibes,twitter,technorati,delicious,linkedin,facebook,stumbleupon,digg,google,more", pubid: "ra-4dff56cd6bb1830b" }; Add to shortlist Link Permalink http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14999013.2011.627087