PYC 4807 ASSIGNMENT 2

PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT MEASURES 1. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this article is to outline, define and discuss the process of developing a psychological assessment measure. The development process involves the following phases: planning, item writing, assembling and pre-testing the experimental version of the measure, item analysis, revising and standardizing the final version of the measure, publishing and ongoing refinement. Developing a psychological measure is a complex and time intensive process. Extensive planning is required, items need to be written and evaluated for their appropriateness. Furthermore, the reliability and validity of the measure must be established and ensured. Norms need to be identified and their cultural applicability must be clarified. Particularly in the South African multi-cultural context special attention should be given to the extent that norms and the standardisation sample are representative of the different language and cultural groups. Appropriate examples will be used to further illustrate certain principles. 2. STEPS IN DEVELOPING A PSYCHOLOGICAL MEASURE The steps in developing a psychological measure follow a systematic progression; however it is important to note that, in reality, there would be some degree of integration of the phases. In particular the test developer should be aware of the implications and requirements for establishing validity, reliability and norms throughout the development of the measure. 2.1 PLANNING PHASE When first embarking on the development of a measure, it is necessary to create a strong foundation that will guide the development of the measure. This is done by putting together a good plan for the measure and should include identifying the aim, content and test plan. When developing a measure for multi-cultural or multi-lingual application as in the South African context, the specific complexities of the environment that the test will be used in must be adequately addressed in order to avert any potential bias or discrimination in the use of the measure (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2009). 2.1.1 Specifying the aim of the measure Initially one should clarify the aim of the measure. This includes identifying the purpose of the test, for example, a test screening for depression. Then the construct to be measured should be clarified, for example, the construct ‘depression’ (criterion variable) and the possible predictor variables such as suicidal ideation, sleep patterns, appetite changes should also be identified. Next what the test will be used for (e.g. screening for depression or in-depth diagnostic assessment) and the conclusions that can be drawn from the results (for e.g. whether or not treatment is needed) should be described. The test developer should also outline who (the population) the test is being developed for (for e.g. teenagers) and its applicability in a multicultural context (identifying the applicable groups) must be discussed. 2 Janet Walker / PO Box 72433, Parkview, 2122 / / PSY4988 / Assignment 2 Furthermore, decisions must be made about whether it should be administered to individuals and/or groups and whether paper or computer based administration is appropriate. Lastly, whether it is a normative measure (i.e. individual’s score is compared to a norm group), ipsative measure (i.e. individual’s score is compared to his/her score on another test) or criterion referenced tes