Comparison of revised beta examination first and second edition score distributions within a state prison population

Abstract

Compared first and second edition Revised BETA Examination score distributions of male prison inmates within the North Carolina correctional system. Found that inmates score significantly lower on the second edition (BETA II) than on the first edition (BETA I), regardless of the order of administration to separate samples of 285 inmates each. The greatest difference in score distributions is when the BETA II is administered first followed by the BETA I. BETA I score distributions appear unaffected by the order of administration; whereas, there is a marked difference in BETA II score distributions depending on whether the BETA II was administered first or second. The difference in score distributions of the two tests was attributable to the standardization sample for the BETA II, which apparently produced considerably higher subtest raw scores than the samples employed to develop standardization score data for the BETA I. Further research with samples drawn from different populations was encouraged, especially testretest reliability studies with the BETA II.