Preliminary psychometric data assessing the reliability and validity of a method used to measure the diagnostic reasoning and problem-solving skills of predoctoral students in orthodontia are described. The measurement approach consisted of sets of patient demographic data and dental photos and x-rays, accompanied by a set of 33 multiple-choice…

This practicum sought to reduce the delays in referral to otologists for medical care to alleviate hearing losses and reduce risk of delays in language and academic performance. The practicum conducted inservice training programs to improve the identification of conductive pathologies in preschool and school-age children by 34 speech pathologists.…

The paper summarizes preliminary results from a study of practices with language minority (Hispanic) students referred for special education in large urban districts. A data collection instrument was developed to record information on such topics as student characteristics, family background, referral, assessment, individualized education program…

Presented is the 1975 - 76 annual report of the Meyer Children's Rehabilitation Institute, a diagnostic, evaluation, and treatment center for children with complex handicaps in the state of Nebraska and Western Iowa. Priority goals of the institute are noted to be providing an interdisciplinary education and training program for personnel needed…

In addition to the prominent characteristics of high activity level, three other criteria are often used in identifying and understanding the hyperactive child. These criteria are impulsivity and cognitive tempo, cognitive immaturity and verbal mediation, and self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that third, fourth and fifth…

This paper discusses the outcomes of a survey of 39 special education practitioners (including 24 school psychologists) and 280 elementary classroom teachers on the identification of students with reading disabilities. Practitioners were asked to rate five empirically valid and five clinical-traditional non-valid student traits for their…

The agreement between the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI- R) and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was investigated in the diagnostic assessment of 54 children (ages 22-114 months) referred for possible autism. The observed agreement between the two systems was 66.7%. The CARS identified more cases of autism than the ADI-R.…

Investigated the relative importance of multicultural counselors' experience or training in their choice of intercultural, interpersonal, or psychopathological attributions when interpreting 20 brief multicultural critical incidents. An inverse correlation was found between experience or training and emphasis on intercultural, as opposed to…

A study involving 453 pairs of Israeli parents and teachers used an item response theory measurement model(IRT) to examine the 28-item Conners Teacher's Rating Scale (CTRS) for diagnosing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. IRT analyses revealed structural inadequacies involving the inappropriateness of the 4-point Likert-type scale used by…

A study investigated the effect of different diagnostic criteria on the identification of emotional or behavioral disorders in 3694 second-grade children. Results indicated the 13 different diagnostic combinations identified from 1.1% to 27.5% of the sample. Four of these combinations resulted in significant ethnic or gender bias. (Author/CR)

This article describes the programs for medical diagnosis of child abuse and neglect in three states and efforts to establish state-wide programs in two states. Findings indicate state funding was vital for initiation of programs, alliances with other groups were successfully used to garner support, and professional training was crucial. (Contains…

The Minnesota Child Development Inventory-Spanish Version, a parental report assessment, was completed for 1,043 Hispanic migrant worker children (ages 12-71 months). This assessment is widely used for screening and assessment within migrant early intervention programs. Overall, the assessment was a reliable instrument for children in the 24-…

Objective: To examine the predictive validity of symptom severity, cognitive and language measures taken at ages 2 and 3 years to outcome at age 7 in a sample of children diagnosed with autism at age 2. Method: Twenty-six children diagnosed with autism at age 2 were re-assessed at ages 3 and 7 years. At each age symptom severity, cognitive and…

Background: Hans Asperger drew attention to individuals who show the core symptoms of autism in the presence of high verbal intelligence. Methods: A review of the literature explores current issues concerning the diagnosis and nature of Asperger syndrome. Results: The behavioural and neurophysiological evidence to date suggests that Asperger…

Background: For many years, researchers and clinicians have described parent reports of an unusual developmental phenomenon in a substantial minority of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD), the acquisition and then loss of communication skills during the second year of life. Methods: As part of a longitudinal study of 110 children…