ABSTRACT
Measurement is central to the scientific endeavour. Whilst, perhaps mistakenly, measurement has not routinely been considered problematic in clinical laboratory sciences, the measurement of subjectivity is often viewed in a quite different light. A central theme of the Handbook of Psychology and Diabetes is the measurement of subjective responses to diabetes mellitus. The Handbook presents a series of measures specifically designed for use with people with diabetes. Most of these measures are of use under specific circumstances, but not necessarily under all. Rather than being aimed solely at psychologists with an interest in psychometrics, it is hoped that this volume will prove a resource for clinicians and researchers from a variety of disciplines with little or no expertise in the use of psychological measures. Such clinicians and researchers who have had no training in psycho-metrics may find it difficult to assess the quality of the measurement instruments available. The present chapter aims to lay out the ground rules for developing psychological measures and identify criteria which should be met when choosing between tests for use in practice.
