Social Calibration of the SSIT: Evaluating Social Validity

Social validation of qualitative ratings of clinical change is typically demonstrated with a subjective evaluation method. Social calibration, a method of comparing laboratory measures to community standards with respect to a particular target behavior, was proposed as a more cost-effective alternat...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behavior modification 1983-07, Vol.7 (3), p.423-445
Main Authors: Wallander, Jan L., Curran, James P., Myers, Patricia E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Social interactions. Communication. Group processes
Social psychology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Social validation of qualitative ratings of clinical change is typically demonstrated with a subjective evaluation method. Social calibration, a method of comparing laboratory measures to community standards with respect to a particular target behavior, was proposed as a more cost-effective alternative. The community standard is operationalized by the ratings of the target behavior from representatives of the community at large. This procedure was used with the Simulated Social Interaction Test (SSIT), a role-play test of social skills. The ratings of the trained criterion judges typically used with this instrument were compared separately to those of 50 community representatives and to those of 20 naive assistants. Results indicated that the SSIT was socially calibrated for measurement of psychiatric patients' overall social skills (but not anxiety) and bogus patients' situation-specific as well as overall social skills and anxiety. The general utility of the social calibration procedure was discussed.
ISSN:0145-4455
1552-4167
DOI:10.1177/01454455830073008