The Readability of Child Personality Assessment Instruments

Abstract

Rating scales, checklists, and self-report inventories have become favorite methods for screening children with emotional disabilities and behavior problems. Despite their widespread use, there may be some basic flaws in the most widely used objective child behavior inventories. Some of these inventories may be too difficult for individual respondents to read. The purpose of this study was to analyze the readability of some of the most frequently used child personality scales using a computerized reading analysis. Four different readability indices are presented for 18 tests analyzed. Results are discussed in reference to the validity of child personality assessment, and suggestions are given for test developers to improve the readability of instrumentation. Strategies that examiners can use to quickly test the readability of a personality assessment are also proposed.