The rigorous construction of items constitutes a field of great current interest for psychometric researchers and practitioners. In previous studies we have reviewed and analyzed the existing guidelines for the construction of multiple-choice items. From this review emerged a new proposal for guidelines that is now, in the present work, subjected to empirical assessment. This assessment was carried out by users of the guidelines and by experts in item construction. The results endorse the proposal for the new guidelines presented, confirming the advantages in relation to their simplicity and efficiency, as well as permitting identification of the difficulties involved in drawing up and organizing some of the guidelines. Taking into account these results, we propose a new, refined set of guidelines that constitutes a useful, simple, and structured instrument for the construction of multiple-choice items.

Many different guidelines have been presented for the construction of multiple choice items. Those guidelines have been based on the observation of errors when constructing items but not on any clear scientific criterion. Our main objective was to draw up guidelines for the development of multiple choice items based on validity criteria. We used the properties of adjustment, precision, and differentiation, applying them to three basic phases of instrument construction: the definition of the objective and its context; their expression in the instrument and item stem; and the elaboration of response options. We have combined these properties and phases to give nine general guidelines with a firm theoretical footing. Finally, we have written a checklist with twenty-four points to check how far the measurement instruments comply with the proposed guidelines.

To examine the relation of mathematical background and initial attitudes toward statistics of Spanish “college students in social sciences the Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics was given to 827 students. Multivariate analyses tested the effects of two indicators of mathematical background (amount of exposure and achievement in previous courses) on the four subscales. Analysis suggested grades in previous courses are more related to initial attitudes toward statistics than the number of mathematics courses taken. Mathematical background was related with students' affective responses to statistics but not with their valuing of statistics. Implications of possible research are discussed.

Dysmorphic concern refers to excessive preoccupation with a slight or imagined defect in physical appearance with social avoidance and behavior directed at controlling the defect in appearance. This study attempted to adapt the factor structure of two instruments that cover the dysmorphic concern construct, the Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire (DCQ) and the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Examination Self-Report (BDDE-SR), to Spanish and establish their psychometric properties. 920 subjects (62.7% women, Mage=32.44 yrs) participated. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of both scales found adequate goodness of fit indices. A one-dimensional structure was found for the DCQ and two first-order factors (Dissatisfaction /preoccupation with body image and body-image avoidance behavior) were identified for the BDDE-SR within a higher-order factor (dysmorphic concern). The psychometric test-retest reliability and validity properties (content, convergent, discriminant and predictive) were satisfactory. It is suggested that the dysmorphic concern construct includes both cognitive and behavioral aspects and may represent a continuum of severity with Body Dysmorphic Disorder at the end.

Psychological and educational researchers are experiencing many practical difficulties in following the guidelines of the American Psychological Association (APA) for their statistical analyses: one such difficulty is the reporting of an effect-size measure along with each test of statistical significance (APA, 2010). The problem is exacerbated when researchers focus on contrast analysis instead of omnibus tests and when the Type-I error rate per comparison has to be adjusted. Several reasons for this problem are discussed, with emphasis on the facts that researchers may be presented with too many optional effect-size measures with varying degrees of adequacy in several designs, and common statistical packages fail to provide appropriate effect-size measures for contrast analysis. This study proposes specific procedures (also implemented in spreadsheets) to compute generalized eta squared for various kinds of hypotheses, either general or specific, for one-factor and factorial between-group designs, and with manipulated and/or measured factors. Finally, conclusions are drawn concerning the need to take into account the kind of design and the kind of hypothesis in order to calculate comparable effect-size indexes across different types of studies and to prevent an overestimation of effect size.

Different studies around the world indicate that the percentages of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence are high. In this context, it would be useful to have a common, valid, and reliable instrument to assess health behaviors of families that allows comparisons of data from different countries. The objective is the adaptation of a Spanish version of the Family Health Behavior Scale (FHBS). The questionnaire originally developed by Moreno group was translated and adapted following the International Test Commission protocol. Its psychometric properties were evaluated through analysis of internal consistency, factor analysis and other evidences of validity. The Spanish version of the FHBS demonstrated adequate reliability coefficients, and its factor structure sufficiently replicated that obtained by the original measurement. The results suggested that the adapted version of the questionnaire was an adequate and valid measure for the evaluation of family health behaviors related to the prevention of overweight and obesity.