Clinimetrics vs. psychometrics: an unnecessary distinction

The term "clinimetrics" was introduced by Feinstein to describe an approach to scale development that ostensibly is different from the more traditional "psychometrics." I argue that, for a number of reasons, it is time for this term to retire from the scene. I show that the clinimetric approach is neither new nor unique, but is rather a subset of psychometrics. Further, because the majority of new developments in scale construction (e.g., new …