01723nas a2200145   4500008003900000245015500039210006900194300001000263490000700273520118100280100001701461700002701478700002001505856005201525       2016                          d00aStochastic Curtailment of Questionnaires for Three-Level Classification: Shortening the CES-D for Assessing Low, Moderate, and High Risk of Depression0 aStochastic Curtailment of Questionnaires for ThreeLevel Classifi  a22-360 v403 aIn clinical assessment, efficient screeners are needed to ensure low respondent burden. In this article, Stochastic Curtailment (SC), a method for efficient computerized testing for classification into two classes for observable outcomes, was extended to three classes. In a post hoc simulation study using the item scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale (CES-D) of a large sample, three versions of SC, SC via Empirical Proportions (SC-EP), SC via Simple Ordinal Regression (SC-SOR), and SC via Multiple Ordinal Regression (SC-MOR) were compared at both respondent burden and classification accuracy. All methods were applied under the regular item order of the CES-D and under an ordering that was optimal in terms of the predictive power of the items. Under the regular item ordering, the three methods were equally accurate, but SC-SOR and SC-MOR needed less items. Under the optimal ordering, additional gains in efficiency were found, but SC-MOR suffered from capitalization on chance substantially. It was concluded that SC-SOR is an efficient and accurate method for clinical screening. Strengths and weaknesses of the methods are discussed.1 aSmits, Niels1 aFinkelman, Matthew, D.1 aKelderman, Henk  uhttp://apm.sagepub.com/content/40/1/22.abstract01379nas a2200157   4500008003900000245012700039210006900166300001200235490000700247520082800254100001701082700002701099700001801126700002401144856005301168       2015                          d00aStochastic Curtailment in Adaptive Mastery Testing: Improving the Efficiency of Confidence Interval–Based Stopping Rules0 aStochastic Curtailment in Adaptive Mastery Testing Improving the  a278-2920 v393 aA well-known stopping rule in adaptive mastery testing is to terminate the assessment once the examinee’s ability confidence interval lies entirely above or below the cut-off score. This article proposes new procedures that seek to improve such a variable-length stopping rule by coupling it with curtailment and stochastic curtailment. Under the new procedures, test termination can occur earlier if the probability is high enough that the current classification decision remains the same should the test continue. Computation of this probability utilizes normality of an asymptotically equivalent version of the maximum likelihood ability estimate. In two simulation sets, the new procedures showed a substantial reduction in average test length while maintaining similar classification accuracy to the original method.1 aSie, Haskell1 aFinkelman, Matthew, D.1 aBartroff, Jay1 aThompson, Nathan, A  uhttp://apm.sagepub.com/content/39/4/278.abstract