False conclusions about Vineland standard scores: Silverstein's type i errors and other artifacts
Cicchetti, D.V.; Sparrow, S.S.
American Journal of Mental Deficiency 91(1): 5-9
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9351 PMID: 3740116 Document Number: 286212
Silverstein expressed concern that Vineland means and standard deviations (SDs) vary considerably from age group to age group in the national standardization sample. He concluded that as a result the following assessments are compromised: standard errors of measurement, domain strengths and weaknesses, and domain pairwise comparisons. This reply serves to document that Silverstein's reasoning is invalid and is directly attributable to his inexplicable failure to control for Type I error in his comparing 61 sample means and 61 sample SDs to population values of 100 and 15, respectively. Vineland users are cautioned to disregard caveats that are based upon flawed reasoning and invalid biostatistical arguments.