Download or read book Factor Analysis and Predictive Ability of a Teacher completed Autism Rating Scale in an Urban School Setting written by Dana Milakovic and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale Second Edition with a Sample of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders written by Elissa H. Dua and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Gilliam Autism Rating Scale - Second Edition (GARS-2; Gilliam, 2006) is a widely used screening tool that assists in the identification and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Although this assessment measure is commonly used during autism assessments, there has been little research on its psychometric properties. The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure, internal consistency and screening sensitivity of GARS-2 ratings completed by special education teaching staff for a sample of students (N = 216) with autism spectrum disorders. The exploratory factor analysis supported the retention of three factors labeled Stereotyped and Repetitive Behaviors, Social Avoidance and Withdrawal, and Atypical Language and Communication. These three factors were very similar to those found in prior research by Lecavalier (2005) on the original GARS and Volker et al. (under review) using the GARS-2 with a more mixed developmental disabilities sample.^In the present study, internal consistency estimates met or exceeded standards for screening and were generally higher than those in previous studies. Using an Autism Index cut score of 85 yielded a screening sensitivity of . 5879, while a cut score of 90 yielded a sensitivity of . 4537. These sensitivity results were generally similar to those of prior studies involving the GARS or GARS-2. It is noteworthy that the three-factor solution retained in the present study matches very closely with those from two prior studies with different samples (i.e. , Lecavalier, 2005; Volker et al. [under review])--suggesting the presence of a robust three-factor structure. However, this factor structure was different from the four-factor structure found by Pandolfi, Magyar and Dill (2010) using the GARS-2 standardization sample. Although this study provides some psychometric support for the use of the GARS-2 as a screening tool, the sensitivity estimates for the Autism Index suggest that the instrument results in a high percentage of false negative results for ASD. This significantly limits the GARS-2's utility and, along with the factor analytic results, suggests the need to substantially revise the instrument. Implications for instrument revision and future research are provided.
Download or read book Factor Analyses and Clinical Discriminant Validity of the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale 3rd Edition gars 3 Using Special Education Staff Ratings in Samples with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Developmental Disabilities written by Nicole Bergamo Isbell and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveillance reports, the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to increase (Maenner et al., 2021). As such, assessment tools that are efficient, cost-effective, and psychometrically sound are key to effective screening, accurate diagnosis, and clarification of intervention needs (Kuriakose & Shalev, 2016; Zwaigenbaum & Penner, 2018). The Gilliam Autism Rating Scale - Third Edition (GARS-3; Gilliam, 2013), a substantial revision from earlier editions, is a rating scale used to gather information from parents, caregivers, or teachers for screening or as part of a more comprehensive ASD assessment. Across editions, the GARS is considered a popular assessment tool among school psychologists (e.g., Aiello et al., 2017; Benson et al., 2019). However, despite the strong psychometric characteristics reported in the test manuals with standardization samples, prior editions were criticized for their screening performance in independent research samples, and factor analyses suggested problems with the test author's proposed subscales (e.g., Lecavalier, 2005; Pandolfi et al., 2010; South et al., 2002; Volker et al., 2016; Volker et al., 2022). To date, there has been little to no research focused on the psychometric properties of the current version of the GARS beyond what is reported in the test manual. Of critical importance, there have been no published independent factor analyses conducted in ASD or broader developmental disability samples and no independent estimates of screening effectiveness or clinical discriminant validity of the GARS-3. Therefore, the present project seeks to add to the limited research regarding the GARS-3 using program evaluation data from a large special education agency in Western New York state. The project consisted of three different studies that addressed aspects of GARS-3 internal structure validity and clinical discriminant validity. Study one involved an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the GARS-3 items with an ASD sample (n = 204) rated by special education teaching staff. Study two, confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) using a second ASD and non-ASD developmental disabilities (DDs) sample (n = 200), were used to examine the model fit of the published GARS-3 model and the factor model derived from the study one EFA, and assess which of the two models better fit the sample covariance matrix. Finally, aspects of the GARS-3's clinical discriminant validity were assessed using unique ASD cases from studies one and two (ASD sample n = 226) and an additional non-ASD developmental disabilities sample (non-ASD DDs sample n = 64) from the same special education agency. Clinical discriminant validity was examined via between-group comparisons, classification accuracy of a predetermined cut score, and exploration of other possible cut scores using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. The EFA resulted in a six-factor solution that was very similar in structure to the GARS-3 published six-factor model - differing only in the placement of one item. The CFAs indicated that the GARS-3 published model and the EFA-derived model both fit the data well and did not substantively differ. However, when cross-loadings were added, based on EFA results, CFA model fit significantly improved. ROC curve analyses indicated that, when using the suggested cut score of 70, sensitivity and specificity were lower than predicted. Lower cut scores yielded good sensitivity but poorer specificity, while higher cut scores showed the opposite pattern. Discussion and recommendations pertained to examining items and subscales based on cross-loadings and inter-factor correlations in addition to clinical implications of sensitivity and specificity findings.
Download or read book Predictive Validity of the Factor Structure of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale written by Jennifer Lynn Stella and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Factor Analysis of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale written by Jennifer Lynn Stella and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Handbook of Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder written by Johnny L. Matson and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-02-04 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This handbook details best practices and discusses ongoing challenges in assessment and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Chapters address assessment and diagnostic protocols, developmental considerations in ASD assessment, and issues concerning comorbid psychological and medical conditions. Various aspects of the disorder are emphasized throughout the handbook - from assessment in adolescent and adult populations to the latest findings in neuropsychology. The book concludes with future directions for research and clinical applications, focusing on universal screening, improved assessment methods, and earlier and more accurate diagnosis. Topics featured in this handbook include: Types of ASD assessment. Report writing for ASD evaluations. Stress and satisfaction in the diagnostic process. Clinical and neuropsychological perspectives from comorbid diagnosis of ASD and ADHD. Executive functions in ASD. The Handbook of Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder is an essential reference for researchers, clinicians, professionals, and graduate students in clinical child and school psychology, child and adolescent psychiatry, and social work as well as rehabilitation medicine/therapy, behavioral therapy, pediatrics, and educational psychology.
Download or read book Dissertation Abstracts International written by and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 700 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Ratings of Everyday Academic and Cognitive Skills in Evaluation of School Learning and Learning Problems written by Gordon Dale Lamb and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although research supports the use of measures of typical performance for assessing academic and cognitive skills, there are currently few such measures in existence. Other measures have been used for research purposes, but they are not normed on a large, nationally-representative sample. The Ratings of Everyday Academic and Cognitive Skills (REACS) was created to address the need for a measure of typical academic and cognitive skills. The goal of the REACS is to provide a timely, easy to administer, and comprehensive assessment of a child's typical functioning in various academic and cognitive domains. The purpose for this dissertation was to develop the initial scale and conduct analyses to provide evidence of its reliability and validity. In an attempt to provide preliminary evidence of the validity of scores from this measure, Parent (n = 142) and Teacher (n = 109) REACS forms were collected for data analysis. A subsample of parents and teachers completed forms to examine interrater and test-retest reliability. A group of children (n = 32) were assessed with measures of academic achievement, cognitive ability, and memory for comparison to the REACS. Results generally showed high internal consistency, yet less reliable test-retest and interrater reliability. While the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the parent scale supported a factor structure that approximated the intended structure of the REACS, a better fit was found with a simpler model for the teacher scale. Finally, both the Parent and Teacher REACS forms were found to predict academic achievement better than cognitive ability. The predictive ability of the REACS was enhanced when used in conjunction with a measure of cognitive ability.
Download or read book Resources in Education written by and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 1032 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Impact of Classroom Implementation Climate on Autism Intervention Fidelity and Outcomes written by Hilary E. Dingfelder and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 143 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist community in an Autism Spectrum Disorder Sample with Ratings Completed by Special Education Staff written by Richard Birnbaum and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Multilevel Factor Analysis and Student Ratings of Instructional Practice written by Jonathan David Schweig and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Student surveys of classroom climate can provide teachers and researchers with valuable information about instruction. These surveys are becoming a critical component in policy efforts to assess and improve teaching. Advocates note that students are natural observers of their classroom environments, have extensive and rich knowledge of their teachers, and that student ratings of teacher practice can be predictive of important outcomes, such as student academic and socio-emotional development. Inferences about a teacher's instructional practice are often based on aggregated student survey responses, and a key step in assessing the appropriate uses of the information collected from student surveys is to understand the dimensions of classroom climate or instructional practice that are discernible when looking at student responses aggregated by classroom. This dissertation proposes a new approach for exploring the dimensionality of aggregated student ratings. This approach also has the potential to provide validity evidence supporting the use of student surveys as measures of instructional practice in both formative and summative evaluation. Specifically, this dissertation applies a non-parametric cluster bootstrap technique to a multilevel covariance structure analysis framework that allows researchers to evaluate and investigate psychometric models when data is collected from students and teachers are the objects of measurement. This approach is extended to applications where teachers are clustered within schools. The cluster bootstrap technique is demonstrated on a realistic dataset to illustrate how the methods may be used to investigate the dimensions of teacher professional practice that are discernible on a state-wide student survey of instructional practice. The results of this dissertation demonstrate that the proposed cluster bootstrap technique can be used in conjunction with maximum likelihood estimation to yield accurate parameter estimates, and that for sufficiently large sample sizes, test statistics and standard errors based on the cluster bootstrap technique will yield valid inferences about the psychometric properties of aggregated survey responses.
Download or read book Nonresponse and Factor Analysis with Applications to Rating Scale Data written by Coen A. Bernaards and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Evaluation of the ISIS Teacher Rating Form written by Brian Daniels and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 117 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The study examined the factor structure, reliability, validity, classification accuracy, and usability of a novel school-based screener for academic and disruptive behavior problems, which is directly linked to evidence-based intervention. Participants included 39 classroom teachers from two public school districts in the Northeastern United States. Teacher ratings were obtained for 390 students in grades K-6. Exploratory factor analysis supported a 2-factor structure (Oppositional/Disruptive and Academic Productivity/Disorganization). Data from the screening instrument demonstrated favorable internal consistency, temporal stability, convergent validity, and classification accuracy. In addition, teacher ratings of feasibility and acceptability supported the use of the measure for universal screening in elementary school settings. Results indicated the novel measure should facilitate classroom intervention for problem behaviors by identifying at-risk students and determining specific targets for daily behavior report card interventions.
Download or read book Self Determination written by Michael L. Wehmeyer and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2007-01-05 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "There is not available a more comprehensive book in the area of self-determination." —Melinda Pierson, Department of Special Education California State University, Fullerton "Unique because it provides direction for teaching and supporting self-determined behavior across all age groups and also within the general education classroom and curricula." —Marianne Mooney, Senior Research Associate TransCen, Inc., Post-Secondary Learning and Careers Give students with disabilities powerful tools for success in school and in life! Michael Wehmeyer and Sharon Field present research-proven instructional strategies that empower special needs students at all grade levels to make their own decisions. Self-Determination offers detailed and current practitioner-oriented approaches in combination with extensive teacher reproducibles—all within the context of inclusion, standards-based reform, and access to the general curriculum. Linked to the IDEA requirement for individualized transition plans, this user-friendly resource assists practitioners in teaching the skills necessary for making decisions about employment, job skills, further schooling, and independent living. Educators will discover how to: Encourage students to become their own advocates by practicing assertive behavior Use needs-assessment techniques to determine the level of instruction required for each student Teach effective choice making, problem solving, and goal setting Support both families and fellow educators in their efforts to teach self-determination skills Special education teachers, general educators, and administrators will find this handbook an invaluable guide for helping students establish their own goals and plan for a strong and healthy future!
Download or read book Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2015-07-23 with total page 587 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.
Download or read book Social Behavior and Skills in Children written by Johnny L. Matson and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-09-18 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: That children are capable of pathology—not only such conditions as ADHD and learning disabilities, but also such "adult" disorders as anxiety and depression—stands as a defining moment in psychology’s recent history. Within this recognition is the understanding that the social skills deficits that accompany these disorders must be targeted for assessment and treatment to ensure optimal functioning in school, with peers, and in later transitions to puberty and adulthood. Social Behavior and Skills in Children cuts across disciplinary lines to clarify the scope of assessment options and interventions for a wide range of disorders. A panel of leading scholars reviews current research, discusses social deficits unique to specific disorders, and identifies evidence-based best practices in one authoritative, approachable reference. This volume: Discusses theoretical models of social skills as they relate to assessment and treatment. Analyzes the etiology of social behavior problems in children and the relation between these problems and psychopathology. Reviews 48 norm-referenced measures of social skills in children. Examines the range of evidence-based social skills interventions. Addresses challenging behaviors, such as aggression and self-injury. Focuses on specific conditions, including developmental disabilities, conduct disorders, ADHD, chronic medical illness, depression, anxiety, and severe psychopathology. Social Behavior and Skills in Children is an essential reference for university libraries as well as a must-have volume for researchers, graduate students, and clinicians in child, and school psychology, special education, and other related fields.
