DOI

https://doi.org/10.25772/C1W5-VK48

Defense Date

2010

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Arnold Stolberg

Abstract

Validity scales for child-report measures are necessary tools in clinical and forensic settings in which major decisions affecting the child and family are in question. Currently there is no standard model for the development and testing of such validity scales. The present study focused on 1) creating the General Validity Scale (GVS) Model to serve as a guide in validity scale development and 2) applying this model in the development of validity scales for the Co-parenting Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ), a child-report measure of parenting and co-parenting behaviors for children whose parents are divorced. Study 1 used the newly developed GVS Model to identify threats to CBQ validity and to develop procedures for detecting such threats. Four different validity scales were created to detect inaccurate responding due to 1) presenting mothering, fathering, and/or co-parenting in an overly negative light, 2) rating mothering and fathering in a highly discrepant manner, 3) inconsistent item responses, and 4) low reading level. Study 2 followed the GVS Model to test the newly developed scales by comparing CBQ responses produced under a standard instruction set to responses from contrived or randomly generated data. Support for the ability of each validity scale to accurately detect threats to validity was found.

Rights

© The Author

Is Part Of

VCU University Archives

Is Part Of

VCU Theses and Dissertations

Date of Submission

December 2010

Included in

Psychology Commons

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