Validity of the Differential Aptitude Test for the Assessment of Immigrant Children

Abstract

This paper addresses the construct as well as the criterion validity of the Differential Aptitude Test (DAT) for the assessment of secondary school minority group students ( N = 111) as compared to majority group students ( N = 318) in The Netherlands. Comparison of the test dimensions with the structural equation modelling program EQS showed that construct validity was good for both groups. With one exception, the subtests of the DAT measured the cognitive abilities of minority and majority group students equally well. The estimate of g as computed with the DAT showed strong predictive validity with little bias for various school subjects and achievement tests for mathematics and Dutch. Although some criteria revealed prediction bias to the disadvantage of the minority group, these differences concerned very small changes in R 2 . Conversely, the predictive value decreased substantially when an estimate of g was used excluding subtests that measure aspects of crystallised intelligence. Spearman's hypothesis tested with DAT subtest scores and criterion scores showed that g explained most of the group differences. Professional test users can safely draw conclusions from the DAT regardless of the students' ethnicity.