Assessment, Ahead of Print.
The Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS) is a multidimensional measure of executive functioning (EF). Yet, no work has validated the 20-item BDEFS short form (BDEFS-SF) among individuals at risk of EF deficits, including college students who consume alcohol. The current study evaluated the factor structure and measurement invariance of the BDEFS-SF in 867 undergraduates from 12 colleges/universities who endorsed past-month alcohol use. The bifactor model best fit the data, supporting the use of the general factor over the five subscales for measurement models, and measurement invariance was partially supported across sex assigned at birth. Four subscales were uniquely associated with alcohol use, consequences, and alcohol protective behavioral strategies. The BDEFS-SF total score appears to be a valid measure of EF among undergraduates who use alcohol; however, more research is needed to increase the clinical utility of the measure given the lack of support for the use of the subscales in measurement models.

Assessment, Ahead of Print.
Psychometric and normative information is provided for the Child and Adolescent Behavior Inventory (CABI) cognitive disengagement syndrome, anxiety, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-inattention, ADHD-hyperactivity/impulsivity, oppositional defiant disorder, social impairment, peer rejection, withdrawal from peer interactions, and academic impairment scales with a nationally representative sample of Spanish youth. Parents of 5,525 Spanish youth (ages 5–16, 56.1% males) completed the CABI scales on their sons and daughters. Scores on the 10 CABI scales demonstrated excellent reliability, invariance, and validity for males and females within early childhood (ages 5–8), middle childhood (ages 9–12), and adolescence (ages 13–16). Normative information (T-scores) is provided for females and males within each age group for the 10 CABI scales. The new psychometric and normative information increase the usefulness of the CABI scale scores for research and clinical activities. Copies of the CABI and the norms are available at no cost to professionals.

Assessment, Ahead of Print.
The Learning, Executive, and Attention Functioning (LEAF) scale is a resource-friendly means of assessing executive functions (EFs) and related constructs (e.g., academic abilities) in children and adolescents that has been adapted for use with adults. However, no study in any population has investigated the factor structure of all LEAF EF items to determine whether items factor in a manner consistent with the originally proposed scale structure. Therefore, we examined LEAF scale responses of 546 young adults (Mage = 20.05, SD = 2.17). Upon removing academic items following a preliminary factor analysis, we performed principal axis factoring on the remaining 39 EF items. The final model accounted for 61.75% of the total variance in LEAF EF items and suggested that these items assess six moderately correlated EF constructs in young adults. We constructed six updated subscales to help researchers measure these EFs in young adults using the LEAF scale, each of which uniquely and differentially predicted measures of self-reported impulsivity, academic difficulties, and learning-related disorder history. Overall, the LEAF promises to be an accessible means of assessing a range of EF constructs in young adults, particularly when updated subscale structures based on factor analysis are used.

Assessment, Ahead of Print.
Assessing cognition and language using standardized tests is challenging when the individual has severe speech and motor impairments. Tests with a multiple-choice format may be adapted without compromising standardization using alternative response modes like partner assisted scanning (PAS) and eye-pointing (EP). Standardization of such assessment is little researched. The study investigates the (a) reliability of, (b) transparency of, and (c) adherence to assessment protocols using PAS and EP. The participants were students from special needs education and speech and language therapy, who worked in dyads (n = 39). Two observers recorded a number of errors made in protocol delivery, independently of each other. The dyads made between 0 and 81.5 errors. Number of errors was not related to response mode, t(38) = –0.21, p = .839. The observers were in high agreement, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of .97, p < .001. The study suggests that assessing language involving alternative modes of responding can be successfully taught to novice practitioners.

Assessment, Volume 32, Issue 2, Page 167-169, March 2025.
The goal of this special section was to encourage discussion about replication in assessment science, as well as the use and development of registered replication and open science more broadly. The contributions span a range of topics, from the replicability and generalizability of measurement models, to challenges in the replicability of results from intensively longitudinal designs, to a discussion of how preregistration should be used in assessment science. Collectively, the papers in this special section provide a view of replication as part of the process by which scientific theories are evaluated and evolve.

Assessment, Ahead of Print.
Rapport in the context of neuropsychological assessment refers to the interpersonal interaction between the examinee and examiner. The purpose of this study was to improve upon the original Barnett Rapport Questionnaire. Participants consisted of college students (n = 55), middle-aged adults (n = 30), and older adults (n = 99) at a university-affiliated neuropsychology clinic, who were administered a brief test battery. After testing, both examinees (n = 184) and examiners (n = 12) completed items regarding the nature of the interpersonal interaction. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated a two-factor model consisting of nine items found on both the examinee and examiner versions. No age cohort differences were found on the total Barnett Rapport Questionnaire – 2 (BRQ-2) scores for the examiner or examinee version; however, older adults endorsed the positively worded items more than young adults, and examiners endorsed the negatively worded items more for young adult examinees than for older adult examinees. No differences were found by gender or by race/ethnicity. The BRQ-2 promises better usability and improved psychometric qualities for the measurement of rapport in the context of neuropsychological assessment.

Assessment, Ahead of Print.
The assessment of multilingual participants is challenging, as, for example, proficiency in the test language may interfere with test performance. We examined whether different language aspects (i.e., receptive and expressive language abilities, bi/multilingualism) contribute independently to the variance in scores on cognitive and developmental functions of the Intelligence and Development Scales–2 (IDS-2). The sample comprised 826 children aged 5 to 10 years living in German-speaking regions. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that receptive language ability was significantly associated with almost all IDS-2 scores. Expressive language ability explained little additional variance, except for the intelligence composites, Verbal Reasoning (including subtests), and the basic skills subtests. Bi/multilingualism explained variance above language abilities only in subtests of Verbal Reasoning and verbal Long-Term Memory. Findings highlight the importance of considering language proficiency, particularly in tasks with high verbal demands, when assessing cognitive and developmental functions with the IDS-2 in participants at risk for linguistic disadvantages.

Assessment, Ahead of Print.
Research on the construct of flourishing spans many fields of study. This study extends previous work by VanderWeele by investigating the measurement of flourishing, focusing on the structure and convergent validity of the Flourish Index (FI) and the Secure Flourish Index (SFI) within a national, multi-site sample of resident physicians. Through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFAs and CFAs), we assessed whether the FI and the SFI aligned with the theoretical flourishing models that VanderWeele suggested. We examined the convergent validity of both indices by testing whether they exhibited expected correlations with six different scales. The results of factor analyses and scale validation showed that data collected by the FI and the SFI fit the structural model of flourishing proposed by VanderWeele. Although prior studies reliably indicate that CFA results align with VanderWeele’s model, this is a rare study where the EFA results also demonstrated a structure that aligns with his framework. Both scales exhibited strong convergent validity, producing data correlated with all six measures in the predicted directions. Although convergent validity has been previously shown, this study replicated and expanded evidence of the construct validity of data provided by the FI and the SFI.

Assessment, Ahead of Print.
The five-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) is among the most frequently used brief standard measures to assess hedonic well-being. Numerous studies have investigated different facets of its psychometric properties in adult populations. However, whether these results apply to adolescents is uncertain, and only few psychometric studies employed adolescent populations. Thus, the current study aimed to conduct an in-depth psychometric item response theory analysis of the WHO-5 among adolescents from 43 countries using the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2022 data set and investigated its (a) dimensionality and measurement structure, (b) test information values and marginal reliability, (c) cross-country measurement invariance and differential item/test functioning, and (d) convergent validity with other measures related to mental health and well-being across countries. The WHO-5 showed a unidimensional measurement structure and overall high test information values and marginal reliability. Furthermore, although a large proportion of parameters were flagged as non-invariant, differential test functioning of the WHO-5 was only modest. Moreover, the WHO-5 mainly showed a concurring nomological network with the other measures related to mental health and well-being across countries, although with some differences in effect sizes. The WHO-5 Well-Being Index is a psychometrically sound measure that has shown promise for cross-cultural research among adolescents in the included European, Central Asia, and North American countries. The translated versions of the WHO-5 are available at https://osf.io/pbexq.

Assessment, Ahead of Print.
The Self-Control Scale (SCS) is one of the most widely used measures in the clinical, personality, and social psychology fields. It is often treated as unidimensional, even though no research supports such a unidimensional factor structure. We tested the factor structure in an undergraduate sample as well as a community sample used for additional confirmatory analyses. Factors from the best-fitting confirmatory models were correlated with putatively related and distinct constructs to assess their (dis)similarities. Consistent with hypotheses, the best-fitting factor structure consisted of multiple, correlated factors; however, none of the factor solutions met pre-specified fit criteria. Several additional analyses were conducted beyond the preregistered analyses to find a reasonably fitting factor solution. Ultimately, study findings support a two-factor solution using the items of the Brief Self-Control Scale. Results are discussed for the full 36-item scale as well as the brief, 13-item scale. We conclude with lessons learned from a Registered Report focused on factor analysis.

Assessment, Ahead of Print.
The Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA-2) is a leading assessment of interoception. We examined the factor structure and psychometric characteristics of the MAIA-2 and its associations with psychopathology in a sample of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) adults. Participants (N = 301) were recruited via Prolific Academic. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between the MAIA-2 subscales, disordered eating, and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. The eight-factor MAIA-2 demonstrated good model fit after removing Item 2. The MAIA-2 subscales were significantly positively associated with body appreciation and body satisfaction and negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. The MAIA-2 subscales also demonstrated several significant associations with disordered eating. Only Body Trust was significantly negatively associated with participants' perceived likelihood of making a future suicide attempt. This study provided preliminary evidence that the MAIA-2 is an adequate measure of interception in TGD samples.

Assessment, Ahead of Print.
The use of parent-report screeners for early detection of autism is time- and cost-efficient in clinical settings but their utility may vary by respondent characteristics. This study aimed to examine the degree to which infants’ age and sex impacted parental reports of early behavioral signs of autism captured by the First Years Inventory Version 3.1 (FYIv3.1). The current sample included 6,454 caregivers of infants aged 6 to 16 months recruited through the North Carolina vital records. Using moderated nonlinear factor analysis for each of the seven FYIv3.1, we identified differential item functioning in small to medium effect sizes across 18 out of 69 items, with the majority of biases associated with infants’ age (e.g., object mouthing, walking, pretend, and imitation), while sex-related biases were minimal. This indicates that differential scoring algorithms by infants’ age and more closely spaced monitoring may be needed for these constructs for more accurate identification of autism in infancy.

Assessment, Ahead of Print.
Ecological Momentary Assessment using smartphone technology (smart EMA) has grown substantially over the last decade. However, little is known about the factors associated with completion rates in populations who have a higher likelihood of cognitive impairment. A systematic review of Smart EMA studies in populations who have a higher likelihood of cognitive impairment was carried out (PROSPERO; ref no CRD42022375829). Smartphone EMA studies in neurological, neurodevelopmental and neurogenetic conditions were included. Six databases were searched, and bias was assessed using Egger’s test. Completion rates and moderators were analyzed using meta-regression. Fifty-five cohorts were included with 18 cohorts reporting confirmed cognitive impairment. In the overall cohort, the completion rate was 74.4% and EMA protocol characteristics moderated completion rates. Participants with cognitive impairment had significantly lower completion rates compared with those without (p = .021). There were no significant moderators in the cognitive impairment group. Limitations included significant methodological issues in reporting of completion rates, sample characteristics, and associations with completion and dropout rates. These findings conclude that smart EMA is feasible for people with cognitive impairment. Future research should focus on the efficacy of using smart EMA within populations with cognitive impairment to develop an appropriate methodological evidence base.

Assessment, Ahead of Print.
Some recent studies have revived the approach of investigating extreme levels of self-reported depressive symptoms as indicative of gross exaggeration. While scores above 40 on the Beck Depression Inventory–Second Edition (BDI-II) were discussed as indicating exaggerated symptom claims, different cut scores for identifying noncredible responding are now being discussed. A consecutive sample of 242 patients referred for forensic psychological assessment (mean age: 46.0 years, 47.7% women) with full data sets on the BDI-II and the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS) were assessed. Of all patients, 13.2% scored above 40 and BDI-II scores correlated with SIMS total scores at .62. For different SIMS cutoffs (>14, >16, >19, >23) used as criterion standard, optimal cut scores for the BDI-II were computed. When specificity was set at a minimum of 90%, sensitivity estimates were below 50% for all four SIMS levels. Extreme scores on the BDI-II should raise concern about the credibility of self-reported depressive symptom load. Diagnosis as well as severity estimates should not be based primarily on self-report instruments. To avoid significant risks of bias, the development of reliable cut scores for BDI-II elevations should be based on more studies with samples from diverse contexts.