Measurement Characteristics of Client Assessment

HPR 451Chapter 2

Measurement???

Error and confidence are at the heart of assessment

They underlie the concepts of› Validity› Reliability› Fairness› Usability

All measurements have error. Object is to reduce the error….

Error

Scores should change roughly the same amount as the client’s attitude or skill. If not, there is variance caused by unintentional or random error.

Lots of things can cause variance – any condition irrelevant to the purpose of the assessment

CTRS should make every effort to reduce error to obtain true score – Be confident in tool and follow protocol

Measurement Terminology

Assessment instruments are measurement tools› Measures attitudes, skills, abilities, knowledge, interests

Norm-referenced - Compared with scores in a group

Criterion-referenced–Compared with preset standard

Validity – The extent to which it meets its intended purpose› Content validity – How well does it measure subject

matter? (i.e. Knowledge of leisure resources)› Criterion-related validity – the extent to which test

performance relates to another valued measure of performance (i.e. ACT, SAT)

Measurement Terminology cont’d› Construct validity – measuring unobservable

traits (i.e. self-esteem, anxiety, locus of control, depression, extroversion, intelligence) Most TR assessments measure behaviors and not

constructs Reliability – Estimate of the consistency of

measurement› Stability - How stable is the instrument over time?› Equivalency - How closely related are two or more

forms of the same assessment?› Internal consistency - How closely are items on

the assessment related?

Practicality and Usability

Practicality – › Is it doable? (time, expertise, cost)› Does it serve the purpose for which it was

intended better than other assessments?

Determine the Purpose

Client info (baseline, formative, summative)

Research Communication Administrative

Define the Domain Leisure Ability Model – Functional Intervention,

Leisure Education, Recreation Participation – See Social Skills General Outcome example on pg 60