The Composition of Normative Groups and Diagnostic Decision Making: Shooting Ourselves in the Foot

Autor/inn/en	Pena, Elizabeth D.; Spaulding, Tammie J.; Plante, Elena
Titel	The Composition of Normative Groups and Diagnostic Decision Making: Shooting Ourselves in the Foot
Quelle	In: American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 15 (2006) 3, S.247-254 (8 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1058-0360
DOI	10.1044/1058-0360(2006/023)
Schlagwörter	Guides; Simulation; Language Impairments; Child Language; Language Tests; Norm Referenced Tests; Test Reviews; Classification; Norms; Language Skills; Decision Making; Scores; Sample Size; Children + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Handbuch; Leitfaden; Simulation program; Simulationsprogramm; Speech disorder; Speech disorders; Speech disabilities; Speech disability; Speech handicap; Speech handicaps; Speech impairment; Speech impairments; Language handicaps; Sprachbehinderung; 'Children''s language'; Kindersprache; Language test; Sprachtest; Classification system; Klassifikation; Klassifikationssystem; Normwert; Language skill; Sprachkompetenz; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Child; Kind; Kinder
Abstract	Purpose: The normative group of a norm-referenced test is intended to provide a basis for interpreting test scores. However, the composition of the normative group may facilitate or impede different types of diagnostic interpretations. This article considers who should be included in a normative sample and how this decision must be made relative to the purpose for which a test is intended. Method: The way in which the composition of the normative sample affects classification accuracy is demonstrated through a test review followed by a simulation study. The test review examined the descriptions of the normative group in a sample of 32 child language tests. The mean performance reported in the test manual for the sample of language impaired children was compared with the sample's norms, which either included or excluded children with language impairment. For the simulation, 2 contrasting normative procedures were modeled. The first procedure included a mixed group of representative cases (language impaired and normal cases). The second procedure excluded the language impaired cases from the norm. Results: Both the data obtained from test manuals and the data simulation based on population characteristics supported our claim that use of mixed normative groups decreases the ability to accurately identify language impairment. Tests that used mixed norms had smaller differences between the normative and language impaired groups in comparison with tests that excluded children with impairment within the normative sample. The simulation demonstrated mixed norms that lowered the group mean and increased the standard deviation, resulting in decreased classification accuracy. Conclusions: When the purpose of testing is to identify children with impaired language skills, including children with language impairment in the normative sample can reduce identification accuracy. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10