Psychometric principles in the selection, interpretation, and evaluation of communication self-assessment inventories

A variety of self-assessment inventories have been introduced in recent years for use with hearing-impaired patients. These instruments differ considerably, both conceptually and operationally. Audiologists, therefore, are faced with the task of selecting a test instrument that is appropriate to their patient population and testing purpose. This paper outlines the psychometric principles that guide the selection, interpretation, and evaluation of self-assessment inventories. The application of these principles to a specific clinical population is illustrated by three studies of the Hearing Performance Inventory (Giolas, Owens, Lamb, & Schubert, 1979) conducted at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC).