Thursday, July 31, 2014

WJ IV update: Correlations of WJ IV COG g-scores (GIA,Brief,Gf-Gc composite) and WISC-IV/WAIS-IV FS and GAI IQ scores

In the WJ IV technical manual (McGrew, LaForte, Schrank, 2014) concurrent validity results are presented for the WJ IV COG with the WISC-IV and WAIS-IV (click here for WJ IV COG overview and select correlation information from tech. manual).

A number of psychologists have asked about correlations between the primary WJ IV COG g-scores and the Wechsler General Ability Index (GAI).  They are not presented in the technical manual.  I have now computed those correlations, as well as a few others with the Wechsler GAI, and they are now part of the SlideShare at the link above and are also reported below.  Click on image to enlarge.


Article: Assessing Intellectual Functioning and Adaptive Behavior




Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Quotes to note: Importance of high quality psychological testing to psychologists




I just read this nice statement at the begging of the following article by Robert J. Ivnik, Ph.D., ABPP Professor of Psychology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN.

The only professional services that are uniquely psychology's are testing-based assessments. Every other service that psychology offers can be obtained from other professions. In light of testing's central importance to our profession, and considering the number of years that psychologists have been practicing, we assure that our tests are scientifically sound and have been validated for the purposes to which they are put (e.g., research proves that our tests make accurate predictions). Correct? After all, in today's health care environment would any profession knowingly expose its core service to potential attack?

Although testing-based assessments are psychology's defining feature, they may also be our profession's Achilles' heel. Unfortunately, the manner in which many tests have been developed, standardized, normed, and validated may be most kindly described as ‘‘varied'' when it comes to scientific rigor. The science behind some of psychology's older and commercially successful tests tends to be stronger when some of the profit accrued by their sale is devoted to improving the tests. Lacking similar financial resources, many other tests have simply not been developed or validated very well
.

Click on image to enlarge.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Fwd: [ABA-3D] Webinar Announcement



Suspects/Offenders' Issues Series:

Alternatives to Incarceration for Criminal Offenders with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities

 

August 28, 1:30-2:30 p.m. EST

Jessica S. Oppenheim, Esq.

Director of the Criminal Justice Advocacy Program of The Arc of New Jersey


Criminal Offenders with developmental and intellectual disabilities (I/DD) present unique challenges to the criminal justice system seeking to investigate and prosecute crime as well as to the social service system seeking to serve and assist this vulnerable population. Such individuals make up at least 9 – 10% of the prison population and some studies tell us that they may comprise as much as 50% of adult and juvenile offender populations. It is unquestioned that individuals with I/DD face distinct disadvantages in the system, resulting in convictions for more serious offenses and more prison time.

 

The Criminal Justice Advocacy Program (CJAP) of The Arc of NJ seeks to overcome these disadvantages, while still ensuring that offenders take responsibility for criminal behavior, by arranging specific interventions that provide alternatives to incarceration through offender-specific Personalized Justice Plans. The CJAP also acts as a clearinghouse of information between the criminal justice and social service system in provide training and communication between the two systems. This webinar will review the obstacles and disadvantages faced by this population and provide an overview of the CJAP.  Register here

The Arc's National Center on Criminal

Justice & Disability (NCCJD)

Webinar Series

MISSIONNCCJD will become the national focal point for the collection and dissemination of resources and serve as a bridge between justice and I/DD professionals. NCCJD will pursue and promote safety, fairness and justice for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as suspects, offenders, victims or witnesses. For more information: http://www.thearc.org/NCCJD

Contact: Kathryn Walker, Criminal Justice Fellow    Phone: 202.534.3700    Email: NCCJDInfo@thearc.org

 

 

 

 

 

    Kathryn J. Walker, J.D., M.P.H.

Criminal Justice Fellow

The Arc 

1825 K Street NW, Suite 1200, Washington, D.C. 20036

Phone:  202.600.3491 | Toll free: 800.433.5255

Fax: 202.534.3731

Email: kwalker@thearc.org

            www.thearc.org/NCCJD

Follow us online at:   

 

 

 

You can help build The Arc by making a secure, online contribution by visiting www.thearc.org/donate. Thank you for supporting the work of The Arc.

 

Saturday, July 26, 2014

More on Greenspan's model of personal competence: Relationship between IQ and social, practical, and conceptual abilities

I am pleased to see that, after a relatively long draught in published research, someone is again investigating the relations between general intelligence, and the primary domains of adaptive behavior, in models (that when examined closely) that are investigating aspects of Greenspan's' model of personal competence. The title, abstract, and key figure from this new research follow. The article can be read here. Kudos to these researchers

Click on images to enlarge





My primary criticism of this study is that it completely ignores the primary foundation research in this area that occurred between 1990 and 2000, some of which are the primary research studies cited in the AAIDD manuals to support the domains of practical, conceptual and social competence (Greenspan's model). I have provided a list of that research, and results from the most prominent article from that group of researchers, below.












Yes, my name is all over these MIA studies (in the current featured article) so some could see my comments as academic sour grapes for being overlooked. But I see their omission as a lack of scholarly rigor by the researchers and the journal who published the current article. All of the MIA studies can be found at the MindHub--scroll down until you see the list of studies shown above. Then click away and download and read. It would have been nice if the new study results would have been integrated with the extant personal competence research literature.

In the final analysis I am pleased that someone is conducting much needed research on these constructs given the pivotal role they play in the definition and assessment of MR/ID.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Friday, July 25, 2014

The new WJ IV: Introductory webinar and author video interviews

The publisher of the new WJ IV Battery just posted an on-line video of Dr. Fred Schrank's WJ IV introduction and overview webinar and brief video interviews of the three WJ IV authors. They can be found here.

[Conflict of interest disclosure: I am one of the coauthors of the WJ IV].

I am much younger looking than my video interview suggests :)






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Monday, July 7, 2014

2014 BEST IN category - Proud of my daughter Beth..the artist behind this winning photo

http://voice.clickinmoms.com/VOICE-PHOTO-CONTEST/2014-IMAGE-COMPETITION/2014-BEST-IN-CATEGORY/i-7W8pQSd


******************************************************
Kevin McGrew, PhD
Educational Psychologist
Director, Institute for Applied Psychometrics
IAP
www.themindhub.com
******************************************************