Introduction
The tables below summarise the measures used in the In Home study. Each measure is identified by the section heading in the relevant score sheets (note that the pages are not numbered), and by informal or formal names and descriptions. The number of items in each measure is shown, but note that some of these items have two or more parts, giving two or more item variables.
The final column of each table shows dataset scales that are related to each measure; each variable name here is a link that will take you to the relevant item in the In Home derived variables page.
Measures in the Child Tests
Refer to the annotated child test score sheet (pdf) for the sections/headings referred to in this table, and for dataset variable names and their coding.
| Section/heading in the score sheets | No. of items | Description of measure | References | Related scales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front page | 7 | (1) Tester's name. (2) Twin's name, ID and birth date. (3) Test date. (4) General comments. (5) Hearing test result. |
Items required for administrative purposes. | Twin age at visit: etestage |
| McCarthy Scales | 18 tests | Taken directly from the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. | McCarthy, D. (1972): McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities; New York: The Psychological Corporation. | Test scores standardised to the control distribution: ezmcblo1/2, ezmccgr1/2, ezmcchi1/2, ezmccso1/2, ezmcdes1/2, ezmcimi1/2, ezmcnum1/2, ezmcopp1/2, ezmcpic1/2, ezmcpuz1/2, ezmctap1/2, ezmcvfl1/2, ezmcvst1/2, ezmcvws1/2, ezmcwov1/2, ezmcwpv1/2 Total scores, combining McCarthy tests: ecmcnmt1/2, ecmcvmt1/2, ecmcwkt1/2 (standardised versions: ezmcnmt1/2, ezmcvmt1/2, ezmcwkt1/2) McCarthy index scores: ecmcgci1/2, ecmcmmi1/2, ecmcmti1/2, ecmcppi1/2, ecmcqni1/2, ecmcvbi1/2 (standardised versions: ezmcgci1/2, ezmcmmi1/2, ezmcmti1/2, ezmcppi1/2, ezmcqni1/2, ezmcvbi1/2 Non-verbal composite scores: ezlnv1/2, ezsnv1/2 Language composite scores (derived from tests below as well as McCarthy): ezllan1/2, ezslan1/2 |
| Phonological Awareness | 12 items | Phonological Awareness test. (Includes handedness measurements.) |
Bird, J., Bishop, D.V.M., Freeman, N.H. (1995): Phonological Awareness and Literacy Development in Children with Expressive Phonological Impairments; Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 38, 446-462 | Total score:
ecpht1/2 (standardised version ezpht1/2) |
| British Ability Scales | 27 | BAS (British Ability Scales). | Elliot, C.D., Smith, P., McCulloch, K. (1996): Verbal Comprehension Scale from British Ability Scales (2nd ed); Windsor: NFER-Nelson | Total scores:
ecbasgt1/2, ecbaslt1/2, ecbast1/2 (standardised versions ezbasgt1/2, ezbaslt1/2, ezbast1/2) |
| Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation | 35 | Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation. | Goldman, R., Fristoe, M. (1986): Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation; Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service Inc. | Total score:
ecgft1/2 Transformed total score: ectgft1/2 (standardised version eztgft1/2) |
| Nonword Repetition | 20 | Children's test of nonword repetition. | Gathercole, S.E., Willis, C.S., Baddeley, A.D., Emslie, H. (1994): The children’s test of nonword repetition: A test of phonological working memory; Memory, 2, 103-127. | Total score:
ecnont1/2 (standardised version eznont1/2) Articulation composite (also uses Goldman Fristoe above): ezartic1/2 |
| Bus Story | 4 | Bus Story Test | Renfrew, C. E. (1997): Bus Story Test – a test of narrative speech. (4th ed.); Bicester: Winslow Press Ltd. | Standardised scores: ezbusa51/2, ezbusin1/2, ezbussc1/2, ezbussl1/2 |
| Action Pictures | 2 | Action Picture Test | Renfrew, C. E. (1988): Action Picture Test. (4th ed.); Bicester: Winslow Press Ltd. | Standardised scores: ezactgr1/2, ezactin1/2 |
| Bayley Behaviour Ratings | 33 | (1) BSID-II (Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 2nd ed.) behaviour ratings: 26 items (labelled A-Z) (2) Separation Anxiety: 7 items Refer to the Bayley guidance (pdf) for a description of the content of this test. |
Bayley, N. (1993): Behaviour Rating Scale from Bayley Scales of Infant Development (2nd ed.); San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation. | - |
Measures in the Parent Questionnaire
Refer to the annotated parent questionnaire (pdf) for the sections/headings referred to in this table and for dataset variable names and their coding.
| Questionnaire section / heading | No. of items | Description of measure | References | Related scales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consent form | 14 | (1) Confirmation of parent's name, relationship to twins, address
and phone number (2) Confirmation of twin names and birth dates. (3) Signature and date for consent. |
Included for admin reasons, to confirm contact details and as proof of consent. | - |
| Play and Toys: Places to Play (Indoors and Outdoors) | 11 | - | - | - |
| Play and Toys: Toys and Games | 17 | - | - | - |
| The Home Environment | 50 | Parent vocabulary test, adapted from the PMA (Primary Mental Abilities) battery, as used in the Colorado Adoption Project. | - | Total score: eprvoct |
The Post-Visit Ratings Measure
Refer to the annotated post visit ratings sheet (pdf) for the list of questions with associated dataset variable names and their coding. The questionnaire was completed by each tester independently (two per family) at the end of the visit.
This questionnaire was adapted from the following references:
(1) Deater-Deckard, Kirby (2000): Parenting and child behavioral adjustment in
early childhood: A quantitative genetic approach to studying family processes.
[Journal Article] Child Development. Vol 71(2) Mar-Apr 2000, 468-484.
(2) Dodge, K. A., Bates, J. E., & Pettit, G. S. (1986): Development of
aggressive behavior. Research grant proposal submitted to National Institutes of
Mental Health.