A single factor underlies the metabolic syndrome: a confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

Pladevall, Manel; Singal, Bonita; Williams, L Keoki; Brotons, Carlos; Guyer, Heidi; Sadurni, Josep; Falces, Carles; Serrano-Rios, Manuel; Gabriel, Rafael; Shaw, Jonathan E; Zimmet, Paul Z; Haffner, Steven

2006-01-01

Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the hypothesis that the components of the metabolic syndrome are manifestations of a single common factor. Three different datasets were used to test and validate the model. The Spanish and Mauritian studies included 207 men and 203 women and 1,411 men and 1,650 women, respectively. A third analytical dataset including 847 men was obtained from a previously published CFA of a U.S. population. The one-factor model included the metabolic syndrome core components (central obesity, insulin resistance, blood pressure, and lipid measurements). We also tested an expanded one-factor model that included uric acid and leptin levels. Finally, we used CFA to compare the goodness of fit of one-factor models with the fit of two previously published four-factor models. The simplest one-factor model showed the best goodness-of-fit indexes (comparative fit index 1, root mean-square error of approximation 0.00). Comparisons of one-factor with four-factor models in the three datasets favored the one-factor model structure. The selection of variables to represent the different metabolic syndrome components and model specification explained why previous exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, respectively, failed to identify a single factor for the metabolic syndrome. These analyses support the current clinical definition of the metabolic syndrome, as well as the existence of a single factor that links all of the core components.

The Factor Structure of the English Language Development Assessment: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuriakose, Anju

2011-01-01

This study investigated the internal factor structure of the English language development Assessment (ELDA) using confirmatory factor analysis. ELDA is an English language proficiency test developed by a consortium of multiple states and is used to identify and reclassify English language learners in kindergarten to grade 12. Scores on item…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Cancer Locus of Control Scale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Jessica W.; Donatelle, Rebecca J.; Acock, Alan C.

2002-01-01

Conducted a confirmatory factor analysis of the Cancer Locus of Control scale (M. Watson and others, 1990), administered to 543 women with a history of breast cancer. Results support a three-factor model of the scale and support use of the scale to assess control dimensions. (SLD)

Determinants of Standard Errors of MLEs in Confirmatory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuan, Ke-Hai; Cheng, Ying; Zhang, Wei

2010-01-01

This paper studies changes of standard errors (SE) of the normal-distribution-based maximum likelihood estimates (MLE) for confirmatory factor models as model parameters vary. Using logical analysis, simplified formulas and numerical verification, monotonic relationships between SEs and factor loadings as well as unique variances are found.…

Validation of the Spanish version of the Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) among males: Confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

Sepulveda, Ana R; Parks, Melissa; de Pellegrin, Yolanda; Anastasiadou, Dimitra; Blanco, Miriam

2016-04-01

Drive for Muscularity (DM) has been shown to be a relevant construct for measuring and understanding male body image. For this reason, it is important to have reliable and valid instruments with which to measure DM, and to date no such instruments exist in Spain. This study analyzes the psychometric and structural properties of the Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) in a sample of Spanish adolescent males (N=212), with the aim of studying the structural validity of the scale by using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), as well as analyzing the internal consistency and construct (convergent and discriminant) and concurrent validity of the instrument. After testing three models, results indicated that the best structure was a two-dimensional model, with the factors of muscularity-oriented body image (MBI) and muscularity behavior (MB). The scale showed good internal consistency (α=.90) and adequate construct validity. Furthermore, significant associations were found between DM and increased difficulties in emotional regulation (rho=.37) and low self-esteem (rho=-.19). Findings suggest that the two-factor structure may be used when assessing drive for muscularity among adolescent males in Spain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factor Structure Invariance of the Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test across Male and Female Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Immekus, Jason C.; Maller, Susan J.

2010-01-01

Multisample confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA) and latent mean structures analysis (LMS) were used to test measurement invariance and latent mean differences on the Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Scale[TM] (KAIT) across males and females in the standardization sample. MCFA found that the parameters of the KAIT two-factor model were…

Confirmatory factor analysis using Microsoft Excel.

PubMed

Miles, Jeremy N V

2005-11-01

This article presents a method for using Microsoft (MS) Excel for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). CFA is often seen as an impenetrable technique, and thus, when it is taught, there is frequently little explanation of the mechanisms or underlying calculations. The aim of this article is to demonstrate that this is not the case; it is relatively straightforward to produce a spreadsheet in MS Excel that can carry out simple CFA. It is possible, with few or no programming skills, to effectively program a CFA analysis and, thus, to gain insight into the workings of the procedure.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the WISC-III with Child Psychiatric Inpatients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tupa, David J.; Wright, Margaret O'Dougherty; Fristad, Mary A.

1997-01-01

Factor models of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) for one, two, three, and four factors were tested using confirmatory factor analysis with a sample of 177 child psychiatric inpatients. The four-factor model proposed in the WISC-III manual provided the best fit to the data. (SLD)

Examining the Factor Structure of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) in a Multiethnic Sample of Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villodas, Feion; Villodas, Miguel T.; Roesch, Scott

2011-01-01

The psychometric properties of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule were examined in a multiethnic sample of adolescents. Results from confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the original two-factor model did not adequately fit the data. Exploratory factor analyses revealed that four items were not pure markers of the factors. (Contains 1…

Caregiving and 5-HTTLPR Genotype Predict Adolescent Physiological Stress Reactivity: Confirmatory Tests of Gene × Environment Interactions.

PubMed

Sumner, Jennifer A; McLaughlin, Katie A; Walsh, Kate; Sheridan, Margaret A; Koenen, Karestan C

2015-03-03

A theory-driven confirmatory approach comparing diathesis-stress and differential susceptibility models of Gene × Environment (G × E) interactions was applied to examine whether 5-HTTLPR genotype moderated the effect of early maternal caregiving on autonomic nervous system (ANS) stress reactivity in 113 adolescents aged 13-17 years. Findings supported a differential susceptibility, rather than diathesis-stress, framework. Carriers of one or more 5-HTTLPR short alleles (SS/SL carriers) reporting higher quality caregiving exhibited approach ANS responses to a speech task, whereas those reporting lower quality caregiving exhibited withdrawal ANS responses. Carriers of two 5-HTTLPR long alleles (LL carriers) were unaffected by caregiving. Findings suggest that 5-HTTLPR genotype and early caregiving in interaction are associated with ANS stress reactivity in adolescents in a "for better and for worse" fashion, and they demonstrate the promise of confirmatory methods for testing G × E interactions. © 2015 The Authors. Child Development © 2015 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Power and Precision in Confirmatory Factor Analytic Tests of Measurement Invariance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meade, Adam W.; Bauer, Daniel J.

2007-01-01

This study investigates the effects of sample size, factor overdetermination, and communality on the precision of factor loading estimates and the power of the likelihood ratio test of factorial invariance in multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. Although sample sizes are typically thought to be the primary determinant of precision and power,…

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Professional Opinion Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greeno, Elizabeth J.; Hughes, Anne K.; Hayward, R. Anna; Parker, Karen L.

2007-01-01

The Professional Opinion Scale (POS) was developed to measure social work values orientation. Objective: A confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the POS. Method: This cross-sectional study used a mailed survey design with a national random (simple) sample of members of the National Association of Social Workers. Results: The study…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Delirium Rating Scale Revised-98 (DRS-R98).

PubMed

Thurber, Steven; Kishi, Yasuhiro; Trzepacz, Paula T; Franco, Jose G; Meagher, David J; Lee, Yanghyun; Kim, Jeong-Lan; Furlanetto, Leticia M; Negreiros, Daniel; Huang, Ming-Chyi; Chen, Chun-Hsin; Kean, Jacob; Leonard, Maeve

2015-01-01

Principal components analysis applied to the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 contributes to understanding the delirium construct. Using a multisite pooled international delirium database, the authors applied confirmatory factor analysis to Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 scores from 859 adult patients evaluated by delirium experts (delirium, N=516; nondelirium, N=343). Confirmatory factor analysis found all diagnostic features and core symptoms (cognitive, language, thought process, sleep-wake cycle, motor retardation), except motor agitation, loaded onto factor 1. Motor agitation loaded onto factor 2 with noncore symptoms (delusions, affective lability, and perceptual disturbances). Factor 1 loading supports delirium as a single construct, but when accompanied by psychosis, motor agitation's role may not be solely as a circadian activity indicator.

The Pedestrian Behaviour of Spanish Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullman, M. J. M.; Gras, M. E.; Font-Mayolas, S.; Masferrer, L.; Cunill, M.; Planes, M.

2011-01-01

Adolescent pedestrians are a particularly vulnerable group of road users. This research tested the applicability of the recently developed Adolescent Road user Behaviour Questionnaire (ARBQ) amongst a sample of 2006 Spanish adolescents. Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the full scale found that the original three factors did not adequately fit the…

Reporting Practices in Confirmatory Factor Analysis: An Overview and Some Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Dennis L.; Gillaspy, J. Arthur, Jr.; Purc-Stephenson, Rebecca

2009-01-01

Reporting practices in 194 confirmatory factor analysis studies (1,409 factor models) published in American Psychological Association journals from 1998 to 2006 were reviewed and compared with established reporting guidelines. Three research questions were addressed: (a) how do actual reporting practices compare with published guidelines? (b) how…

Metropolis-Hastings Robbins-Monro Algorithm for Confirmatory Item Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cai, Li

2010-01-01

Item factor analysis (IFA), already well established in educational measurement, is increasingly applied to psychological measurement in research settings. However, high-dimensional confirmatory IFA remains a numerical challenge. The current research extends the Metropolis-Hastings Robbins-Monro (MH-RM) algorithm, initially proposed for…

Confirmatory factor analysis for two questionnaires of caregiving in eating disorders

PubMed Central

Hibbs, Rebecca; Rhind, Charlotte; Sallis, Hannah; Goddard, Elizabeth; Raenker, Simone; Ayton, Agnes; Bamford, Bryony; Arcelus, Jon; Boughton, Nicky; Connan, Frances; Goss, Ken; Lazlo, Bert; Morgan, John; Moore, Kim; Robertson, David; Schreiber-Kounine, Christa; Sharma, Sonu; Whitehead, Linette; Lacey, Hubert; Schmidt, Ulrike; Treasure, Janet

2014-01-01

Objective: Caring for someone diagnosed with an eating disorder (ED) is associated with a high level of burden and psychological distress which can inadvertently contribute to the maintenance of the illness. The Eating Disorders Symptom Impact Scale (EDSIS) and Accommodation and Enabling Scale for Eating Disorders (AESED) are self-report scales to assess elements of caregiving theorised to contribute to the maintenance of an ED. Further validation and confirmation of the factor structures for these scales are necessary for rigorous evaluation of complex interventions which target these modifiable elements of caregiving. Method: EDSIS and AESED data from 268 carers of people with anorexia nervosa (AN), recruited from consecutive admissions to 15 UK inpatient or day patient hospital units, were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis to test model fit by applying the existing factor structures: (a) four-factor structure for the EDSIS and (b) five-factor structure for the AESED. Results: Confirmatory factor analytic results support the existing four-factor and five-factor structures for the EDSIS and the AESED, respectively. Discussion: The present findings provide further validation of the EDSIS and the AESED as tools to assess modifiable elements of caregiving for someone with an ED. PMID:25750785

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Reilly's Role Overload Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiagarajan, Palaniappan; Chakrabarty, Subhra; Taylor, Ronald D.

2006-01-01

In 1982, Reilly developed a 13-item scale to measure role overload. This scale has been widely used, but most studies did not assess the unidimensionality of the scale. Given the significance of unidimensionality in scale development, the current study reports a confirmatory factor analysis of the 13-item scale in two samples. Based on the…

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Structure of Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale

PubMed Central

Farrokhi, Farahman

2011-01-01

Objective The aim of this study is to explore the confirmatory factor analysis results of the Persian adaptation of Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS), proposed by Hopko, Mahadevan, Bare & Hunt. Method The validity and reliability assessments of the scale were performed on 298 college students chosen randomly from Tabriz University in Iran. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out to determine the factor structures of the Persian version of AMAS. Results As expected, the two-factor solution provided a better fit to the data than a single factor. Moreover, multi-group analyses showed that this two-factor structure was invariant across sex. Hence, AMAS provides an equally valid measure for use among college students. Conclusions Brief AMAS demonstrates adequate reliability and validity. The AMAS scores can be used to compare symptoms of math anxiety between male and female students. The study both expands and adds support to the existing body of math anxiety literature. PMID:22952521

Teacher Reporting Attitudes Scale (TRAS): confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses with a Malaysian sample.

PubMed

Choo, Wan Yuen; Walsh, Kerryann; Chinna, Karuthan; Tey, Nai Peng

2013-01-01

The Teacher Reporting Attitude Scale (TRAS) is a newly developed tool to assess teachers' attitudes toward reporting child abuse and neglect. This article reports on an investigation of the factor structure and psychometric properties of the short form Malay version of the TRAS. A self-report cross-sectional survey was conducted with 667 teachers in 14 randomly selected schools in Selangor state, Malaysia. Analyses were conducted in a 3-stage process using both confirmatory (stages 1 and 3) and exploratory factor analyses (stage 2) to test, modify, and confirm the underlying factor structure of the TRAS in a non-Western teacher sample. Confirmatory factor analysis did not support a 3-factor model previously reported in the original TRAS study. Exploratory factor analysis revealed an 8-item, 4-factor structure. Further confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated appropriateness of the 4-factor structure. Reliability estimates for the four factors-commitment, value, concern, and confidence-were moderate. The modified short form TRAS (Malay version) has potential to be used as a simple tool for relatively quick assessment of teachers' attitudes toward reporting child abuse and neglect. Cross-cultural differences in attitudes toward reporting may exist and the transferability of newly developed instruments to other populations should be evaluated.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children: A Reevaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strommen, Erik

1988-01-01

Performed confirmatory factor analyses of Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) using subtest correlations for standardization samples provided in manuals to test hypothesis that factors underlying K-ABC are substantially intercorrelated at all age levels for two- and three-factor models. Findings suggest K-ABC cannot distinguish between…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Elementary School Success Profile for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webber, Kristina C.; Rizo, Cynthia F.; Bowen, Natasha K.

2012-01-01

Objectives: This study examines the factor structure and scale quality of data collected with the online Elementary School Success Profile (ESSP) for Teachers from a sample of teachers of 1,145 third through fifth graders. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using Mplus and weighted least squares means and variances adjusted (WLSMV)…

A Markov Chain Monte Carlo Approach to Confirmatory Item Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Michael C.

2010-01-01

Item factor analysis has a rich tradition in both the structural equation modeling and item response theory frameworks. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate a novel combination of various Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation routines to estimate parameters of a wide variety of confirmatory item factor analysis models. Further, I show…

Multilevel Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Teacher My Class Inventory-Short Form

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villares, Elizabeth; Mariani, Melissa; Sink, Christopher A.; Colvin, Kimberly

2016-01-01

Researchers analyzed data from elementary teachers (N = 233) to further establish the psychometric soundness of the Teacher My Class Inventory-Short Form. Supporting previous psychometric research, confirmatory factor analyses findings supported the factorial validity of the hypothesized five-factor solution. Internal reliability estimates were…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the KABC-II in Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Kimberly E.; Rothlisberg, Barbara A.; McIntosh, David E.; Hunt, Madeline S.

2009-01-01

The present study assessed the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition (KABC-II) in relation to the synthesized Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of intelligence with a preschool sample. Participants were 200 preschool children between four and five years of age. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted, and different…

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses of the WISC-IV with Gifted Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, Ellen W.; Dandridge, Jessica; Pawlush, Alexandra; Thompson, Dawna F.; Ferrier, David E.

2014-01-01

These 2 studies investigated the factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-4th edition (WISC-IV; Wechsler, 2003a) with exploratory factor analysis (EFA; Study 1) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; Study 2) among 2 independent samples of gifted students. The EFA sample consisted of 225 children who were referred for a…

A confirmatory factor analytic validation of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory.

PubMed

Kleinstäuber, Maria; Frank, Ina; Weise, Cornelia

2015-03-01

Because the postulated three-factor structure of the internationally widely used Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) has not been confirmed yet by a confirmatory factor analytic approach this was the central aim of the current study. From a clinical setting, N=373 patients with chronic tinnitus completed the THI and further questionnaires assessing tinnitus-related and psychological variables. In order to analyze the psychometric properties of the THI, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and correlational analyses were conducted. CFA provided a statistically significant support for a better fit of the data to the hypothesized three-factor structure (RMSEA=.049, WRMR=1.062, CFI=.965, TLI=.961) than to a general factor model (RMSEA=.062, WRMR=1.258, CFI=.942, TLI=.937). The calculation of Cronbach's alpha as indicator of internal consistency revealed satisfactory values (.80-.91) with the exception of the catastrophic subscale (.65). High positive correlations of the THI and its subscales with other measures of tinnitus distress, anxiety, and depression, high negative correlations with tinnitus acceptance, moderate positive correlations with anxiety sensitivity, sleeping difficulties, tinnitus loudness, and small correlations with the Big Five personality dimensions confirmed construct validity. Results show that the THI is a highly reliable and valid measure of tinnitus-related handicap. In contrast to results of previous exploratory analyses the current findings speak for a three-factor in contrast to a unifactorial structure. Future research is needed to replicate this result in different tinnitus populations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the WISC-IV in a Hospital Referral Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devena, Sarah E.; Gay, Catherine E.; Watkins, Marley W.

2013-01-01

Confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine the factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) scores of 297 children referred to a children's hospital in the Southwestern United States. Results support previous findings that indicate the WISC-IV is best represented by a direct hierarchical…

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Academic Motivation Scale with Black College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cokley, Kevin

2015-01-01

The factor structure of the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) was examined with a sample of 578 Black college students. A confirmatory factor analysis of the AMS was conducted. Results indicated that the hypothesized seven-factor model did not fit the data. Implications for future research with the AMS are discussed.

Parenting Practices and Adolescent Sexual Behavior: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bersamin, Melina; Todd, Michael; Fisher, Deborah A.; Hill, Douglas L.; Grube, Joel W.; Walker, Samantha

2008-01-01

The effects of parental attitudes, practices, and television mediation on adolescent sexual behaviors were investigated in a study of adolescent sexuality and media (N = 887). Confirmatory factor analyses supported an eight-factor parenting model with television mediation factors as constructs distinct from general parenting practices. Logistic…

Factor structure of the CES-D and measurement invariance across gender in Mainland Chinese adolescents.

PubMed

Wang, Mengcheng; Armour, Cherie; Wu, Yan; Ren, Fen; Zhu, Xiongzhao; Yao, Shuqiao

2013-09-01

The primary aim was to examine the depressive symptom structure of Mainland China adolescents using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were simultaneously conducted to determine the structure of the CES-D in a large scale, representative adolescent samples recruited from Mainland China. Multigroup CFA (N = 5059, 48% boys, mean = 16.55±1.06) was utilized to test the factorial invariance of the depressive symptom structure, which was generated by EFA and confirmed by CFA across gender. The CES-D can be interpreted in terms of 3 symptom dimensions. Additionally, factorial invariance of the new proposed model across gender was supported at all assuming different degrees of invariance. Mainland Chinese adolescents have specific depressive symptom structure, which is consistent across gender. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Student Authorship Questionnaire: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballantine, Joan; Guo, Xin; Larres, Patricia

2015-01-01

This research provides new insights into the measurement of students' authorial identity and its potential for minimising the incidence of unintentional plagiarism by providing evidence about the psychometric properties of the Student Authorship Questionnaire (SAQ). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) are employed to…

Factor Structure of the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale for Norwegian School-Age Children Explored with Confirmatory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drugli, May Britt; Hjemdal, Odin

2013-01-01

The validity of the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) was examined in a national sample of 863 Norwegian schoolchildren in grades 1-7 (aged 6-13). The original factor structure of the STRS was tested by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The CFA results did not support the original three-factor structure of the STRS. Subsequent CFA of the…

Adolescent personality factors in self-ratings and peer nominations and their prediction of peer acceptance and peer rejection.

PubMed

Scholte, R H; van Aken, M A; van Lieshout, C F

1997-12-01

In this study, the robustness of the Big Five personality factors in adolescents' self-ratings and peer nominations was investigated. Data were obtained on 2,001 adolescents attending secondary school (885 girls; 1,116 boys; M age = 14.5 years). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on the self-ratings confirmed the Big Five personality factors. In contrast, exploratory analysis on the peer nominations revealed five different factors: Aggression-Inattentiveness, Achievement-Withdrawal, Self-Confidence, Sociability, and Emotionality-Nervousness. It is suggested that peers evaluate group members not in terms of their personality but in terms of their group reputation. Peer evaluations contributed substantially to the prediction of peer acceptance and rejection; the Big Five personality factors based on self-ratings did not.

The Short Version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21): Factor Structure in a Young Adolescent Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szabo, Marianna

2010-01-01

This study explored the factor structure of the short form of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995b) in a young adolescent sample. A group of 484 high school students ("Mean" age = 13.62 years, Min = 11.83, Max = 15.67 years, 52 % boys) completed the DASS-21. Several models were tested using Confirmatory Factor…

Factor structure of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents.

PubMed

Storch, Eric A; Masia-Warner, Carrie; Heidgerken, Amanda D; Fisher, Paige H; Pincus, Donna B; Liebowitz, Michael R

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents (LSAS-CA). The LSAS-CA was administered to 225 children and adolescents as a component of various clinical studies. In addition, other measures of psychopathology and impairment were administered to a subgroup of the sample. Confirmatory factor analyses of the social interaction and performance subscales for the anxiety and avoidance ratings yielded poor fit indices. Exploratory factor analysis supported a two-factor solution with a higher order factor for the LSAS-CA anxiety and avoidance ratings. Based on item content, factors were named Social and School Performance. The internal consistency of the factors was high and the convergent and divergent validity was supported vis-à-vis correlations with measures of depression and social anxiety, and clinician ratings of impairment and functioning. Findings suggest that the anxiety and avoidance ratings are best explained by a two-factor solution that measures social anxiety and avoidance in social and school performance interactions. This factor structure appears to be a reliable and valid framework for assessing childhood social phobia.

Confirmatory factor analysis of teaching and learning guiding principles instrument among teacher educators in higher education institutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masuwai, Azwani; Tajudin, Nor'ain Mohd; Saad, Noor Shah

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study is to develop and establish the validity and reliability of an instrument to generate teaching and learning guiding principles using Teaching and Learning Guiding Principles Instrument (TLGPI). Participants consisted of 171 Malaysian teacher educators. It is an essential instrument to reflect in generating the teaching and learning guiding principles in higher education level in Malaysia. Confirmatory Factor Analysis has validated all 19 items of TLGPI whereby all items indicated high reliability and internal consistency. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis also confirmed that a single factor model was used to generate teaching and learning guiding principles.

Multilevel Confirmatory Factor Analysis of a Scale Measuring Interagency Collaboration of Children's Mental Health Agencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dedrick, Robert F.; Greenbaum, Paul E.

2011-01-01

Multilevel confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the factor structure underlying the 12-item, three-factor "Interagency Collaboration Activities Scale" (ICAS) at the informant level and at the agency level. Results from 378 professionals (104 administrators, 201 service providers, and 73 case managers) from 32 children's mental health…

ADHD and College Students: Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Structures With Student and Parent Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glutting, Joseph J.; Youngstrom, Eric A.; Watkins, Marley W.

2005-01-01

Exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were used to investigate the structure of the Student Report Inventory (SRI) and Parent Report Inventory (PRI) of the College Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Response Evaluation. The sample was composed of 1,080 college students and their parents and was…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Persian Adaptation of Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatami, Gissou; Motamed, Niloofar; Ashrafzadeh, Mahshid

2010-01-01

Validity and reliability of Persian adaptation of MSLSS in the 12-18 years, middle and high school students (430 students in grades 6-12 in Bushehr port, Iran) using confirmatory factor analysis by means of LISREL statistical package were checked. Internal consistency reliability estimates (Cronbach's coefficient [alpha]) were all above the…

Confirmatory factor analysis of posttraumatic stress symptoms in sexually harassed women.

PubMed

Palmieri, Patrick A; Fitzgerald, Louise F

2005-12-01

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) factor analytic research to date has not provided a clear consensus on the structure of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Seven hypothesized factor structures were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, a paper-and-pencil measure of posttraumatic stress symptom severity, in a sample of 1,218 women who experienced a broad range of workplace sexual harassment. The model specifying correlated re-experiencing, effortful avoidance, emotional numbing, and hyperarousal factors provided the best fit to the data. Virtually no support was obtained for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) three-factor model of re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal factors. Different patterns of correlations with external variables were found for the avoidance and emotional numbing factors, providing further validation of the supported model.

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Structure of Statistics Anxiety Measure: An examination of four alternative models

PubMed Central

Vahedi, Shahram; Farrokhi, Farahman

2011-01-01

Objective The aim of this study is to explore the confirmatory factor analysis results of the Persian adaptation of Statistics Anxiety Measure (SAM), proposed by Earp. Method The validity and reliability assessments of the scale were performed on 298 college students chosen randomly from Tabriz University in Iran. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out to determine the factor structures of the Persian adaptation of SAM. Results As expected, the second order model provided a better fit to the data than the three alternative models. Conclusions Hence, SAM provides an equally valid measure for use among college students. The study both expands and adds support to the existing body of math anxiety literature. PMID:22952530

Anthropometric data reduction using confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

Rohani, Jafri Mohd; Olusegun, Akanbi Gabriel; Rani, Mat Rebi Abdul

2014-01-01

The unavailability of anthropometric data especially in developing countries has remained a limiting factor towards the design of learning facilities with sufficient ergonomic consideration. Attempts to use anthropometric data from developed countries have led to provision of school facilities unfit for the users. The purpose of this paper is to use factor analysis to investigate the suitability of the collected anthropometric data as a database for school design in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Anthropometric data were collected from 288 male students in a Federal Polytechnic in North-West of Nigeria. Their age is between 18-25 years. Nine vertical anthropometric dimensions related to heights were collected using the conventional traditional equipment. Exploratory factor analysis was used to categorize the variables into a model consisting of two factors. Thereafter, confirmatory factor analysis was used to investigate the fit of the data to the proposed model. A just identified model, made of two factors, each with three variables was developed. The variables within the model accounted for 81% of the total variation of the entire data. The model was found to demonstrate adequate validity and reliability. Various measuring indices were used to verify that the model fits the data properly. The final model reveals that stature height and eye height sitting were the most stable variables for designs that have to do with standing and sitting construct. The study has shown the application of factor analysis in anthropometric data analysis. The study highlighted the relevance of these statistical tools to investigate variability among anthropometric data involving diverse population, which has not been widely used for analyzing previous anthropometric data. The collected data is therefore suitable for use while designing for Nigerian students.

The Empirical Verification of an Assignment of Items to Subtests: The Oblique Multiple Group Method versus the Confirmatory Common Factor Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuive, Ilse; Kiers, Henk A. L.; Timmerman, Marieke E.; ten Berge, Jos M. F.

2008-01-01

This study compares two confirmatory factor analysis methods on their ability to verify whether correct assignments of items to subtests are supported by the data. The confirmatory common factor (CCF) method is used most often and defines nonzero loadings so that they correspond to the assignment of items to subtests. Another method is the oblique…

The Structure and Temporal Stability of the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Rory C.; Dixon, Diane; Rasmussen, Susan

2009-01-01

In this study, the authors examined the factor structure and temporal stability of the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS; G. L. Flett, P. L. Hewitt, D. J. Boucher, L. A. Davidson, & Y. Munro, 1997) in 2 samples of adolescents (15-16 years old). In Sample 1 (n = 624), confirmatory factor analysis did not support a 2-factor structure…

The Internal Structure of Positive and Negative Affect: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the PANAS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuccitto, Daniel E.; Giacobbi, Peter R., Jr.; Leite, Walter L.

2010-01-01

This study tested five confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models of the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to provide validity evidence based on its internal structure. A sample of 223 club sport athletes indicated their emotions during the past week. Results revealed that an orthogonal two-factor CFA model, specifying error…

The Latent Structure of Memory: A Confirmatory Factor-Analytic Study of Memory Distinctions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrman, Douglas J.; Schooler, Carmi; Caplan, Leslie J.; Lipman, Paula Darby; Grafman, Jordan; Schoenbach, Carrie; Schwab, Karen; Johnson, Marnie L.

2001-01-01

Used confirmatory factor analysis to study the nature of memory distinctions underlying the performance of two samples of Vietnam veterans. One sample (n=96) had received head injuries resulting in relatively small lesions; the other (n=85) had not. A four-component model with verbal-episodic, visual-episodic, semantic, and short-term memory…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the TerraNova Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills/5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Joseph J.; Zvoch, Keith

2007-01-01

Confirmatory factor analysis was used to explore the internal validity of scores on the TerraNova Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills/5 using samples from a southwestern school district and standardization samples reported by the publisher. One of the strengths claimed for battery-type achievement tests is provision of reliable and valid samples…

Assessing suicide risk among callers to crisis hotlines: a confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

Witte, Tracy K; Gould, Madelyn S; Munfakh, Jimmie Lou Harris; Kleinman, Marjorie; Joiner, Thomas E; Kalafat, John

2010-09-01

Our goal was to investigate the factor structure of a risk assessment tool utilized by suicide hotlines and to determine the predictive validity of the obtained factors in predicting subsequent suicidal behavior. We conducted an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), an EFA in a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (EFA/CFA) framework, and a CFA on independent subsamples derived from a total sample of 1,085. Similar to previous studies, we found consistent evidence for a two-factor solution, with one factor representing a more pernicious form of suicide risk (i.e., Resolved Plans and Preparations; RPP) and one factor representing milder suicidal ideation (i.e., Suicidal Desire and Ideation; SDI). The RPP factor trended toward being more predictive of suicidal ideation at follow-up than the SDI factor. (c) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ): Factor Structure and Gender Equivalence in Norwegian Adolescents.

PubMed

Bøe, Tormod; Hysing, Mari; Skogen, Jens Christoffer; Breivik, Kyrre

2016-01-01

Although frequently used with older adolescents, few studies of the factor structure, internal consistency and gender equivalence of the SDQ exists for this age group, with inconsistent findings. In the present study, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the five-factor structure of the SDQ in a population sample of 10,254 16-18 year-olds from the youth@hordaland study. Measurement invariance across gender was assessed using multigroup CFA. A modestly modified five-factor solution fitted the data acceptably, accounting for one cross loading and some local dependencies. Importantly, partial measurement non-invariance was identified, with differential item functioning in eight items, and higher correlations between emotional and conduct problems for boys compared to girls. Implications for use clinically and in research are discussed.

Validity Issues in Assessing Dispositions: The Confirmatory Factor Analysis of a Teacher Dispositions Form

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niu, Chunling; Everson, Kimberlee; Dietrich, Sylvia; Zippay, Cassie

2017-01-01

Critics against the inclusion of dispositions as part of the teacher education accreditation focus on the dearth of empirical literature on reliably and validly accessing dispositions (Borko, Liston, & Whitcomb, 2007). In this study, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to test the factorial validity of a teacher dispositions…

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Oral Health Impact Profile.

PubMed

John, M T; Feuerstahler, L; Waller, N; Baba, K; Larsson, P; Celebić, A; Kende, D; Rener-Sitar, K; Reissmann, D R

2014-09-01

Previous exploratory analyses suggest that the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) consists of four correlated dimensions and that individual differences in OHIP total scores reflect an underlying higher-order factor. The aim of this report is to corroborate these findings in the Dimensions of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (DOQ) Project, an international study of general population subjects and prosthodontic patients. Using the project's Validation Sample (n = 5022), we conducted confirmatory factor analyses in a sample of 4993 subjects with sufficiently complete data. In particular, we compared the psychometric performance of three models: a unidimensional model, a four-factor model and a bifactor model that included one general factor and four group factors. Using model-fit criteria and factor interpretability as guides, the four-factor model was deemed best in terms of strong item loadings, model fit (RMSEA = 0·05, CFI = 0·99) and interpretability. These results corroborate our previous findings that four highly correlated factors - which we have named Oral Function, Oro-facial Pain, Oro-facial Appearance and Psychosocial Impact - can be reliably extracted from the OHIP item pool. However, the good fit of the unidimensional model and the high interfactor correlations in the four-factor solution suggest that OHRQoL can also be sufficiently described with one score. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Confirmatory Factor and Rasch Analyses Support a Revised 14-Item Version of the Organizational, Policies, and Practices (OPP) Scale.

PubMed

Shi, Qiyun; MacDermid, Joy C; Tang, Kenneth; Sinden, Kathryn E; Walton, Dave; Grewal, Ruby

2017-06-01

Background The long version of the organizational, policies and practices (OPP) had a high burden and short versions were developed to solve this drawback. The 11-item version showed promise, but the ergonomic subscale was deficient. The OPP-14 was developed by adding three additional items to the ergonomics subscale. The aim of this study is to evaluate the factor structure using confirmatory factor and Rasch analyses in healthy firefighters. Methods A sample of 261 firefighters (Mean age 42 years, 95 % male) were sampled. A confirmatory factor and Rasch analyses were used to assess the internal consistency, factor structure and other psychometric characteristics of revised OPP-14. Results The OPP-14 demonstrates sound factor structure and internal consistency in firefighters. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the consistency of the original 4-domain structure (CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.96, and RMSEA = 0.053). The 5 items showing misfit initially with disordered thresholds were rescored. The four subscales satisfied Rasch expectations with well target and acceptable reliability. Conclusions The OPP-14 scale shows a promising factor structure in this sample and remediated deficits found in OPP-11. This version may be preferable for musculoskeletal concerns or work applications where ergonomic indicators are relevant.

Psychometric Properties and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Student Engagement in School Success Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brigman, Greg; Wells, Craig; Webb, Linda; Villares, Elizabeth; Carey, John C.; Harrington, Karen

2015-01-01

This article describes the confirmatory factor analysis of the Student Engagement in School Success Skills (SESSS) instrument. The results of this study confirm that the SESSS has potential to be a useful self-report measure of elementary students' use of strategies and skills associated with enhanced academic learning and achievement.

Classification of L2 Vocabulary Learning Strategies: Evidence from Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Bo; Li, Changyu

2011-01-01

This research presents a classification theory for the L2 vocabulary learning strategies. Based on the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of strategies that adult Chinese English learners used, this theory identifies six categories, four of which are related to the cognitive process in lexical acquisition and the other two are…

Independent Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS): What Does CAS Measure?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kranzler, John H.; Keith, Timothy Z.

1999-01-01

Uses confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to address unresolved issues concerning the structure of the Cognitive Assessment System, a test of intelligence based upon the planning, attention, and simultaneous-successive (PASS) processes theory of human cognition. Results reveal that the CFA of the standardization data do not support use of the CAS…

Personal Factors Underlying Resilience in Adolescence: Cross-Cultural Validity of the Prince-Embury Model.

PubMed

Villasana, Mercedes; Alonso-Tapia, Jesús; Ruiz, Miguel A

2017-09-25

Resiliency personality factors are supposed to underlie resilience. To get evidence on this supposition, the Prince-Embury scales (PES) for adolescents were adapted to the Spanish population. Then, the relationship between the resiliency variables sense of mastery, sense of relatedness and emotional reactivity -assessed with the PES- with resilience -assessed with the Subjective Resilience Questionnaire (SRQ)- were analyzed, as well as the role of social integration within this relationship. Data from 1083 adolescents were analyzed using confirmatory techniques (CFA, PALV). CFA of PES displayed a good fit to the model (CFI: .95). Path-analysis showed that sense of mastery and emotional reactivity predict resilience as expected, but also that, contrary to expectations based on Prince-Embury's theory, sense of relatedness and resilience are not related, either directly, or through social integration. Being related and socially integrated probably favors well-being, but it may not favor resilience unless associated to Sense of Mastery, at least in adolescence.

Reliability, convergent validity and factor structure of the DASS-21 in a sample of Vietnamese adolescents.

PubMed

Le, Minh Thi Hong; Tran, Thach Duc; Holton, Sara; Nguyen, Huong Thanh; Wolfe, Rory; Fisher, Jane

2017-01-01

To assess the internal consistency, latent structure and convergent validity of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) among adolescents in Vietnam. An anonymous, self-completed questionnaire was conducted among 1,745 high school students in Hanoi, Vietnam between October, 2013 and January, 2014. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess the latent structure of the DASS-21. Factorial invariance between girls and boys was examined. Cronbach alphas and correlation coefficients between DASS-21 factor scores and the domain scores of the Duke Health Profile Adolescent Vietnamese validated version (ADHP-V) were calculated to assess DASS-21 internal consistency and convergent validity. A total of 1,606/ 1,745 (92.6%) students returned the questionnaire. Of those, 1,387 students provided complete DASS-21 data. The scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency (Cronbach α: 0.761 to 0.906). A four-factor model showed the best fit to the data. Items loaded significantly on a common general distress factor, the depression, and the anxiety factors, but few on the stress factor (p<0.05). DASS-21 convergent validity was confirmed with moderate correlation coefficients (-0.47 to -0.66) between its factor scores and the ADHP-V mental health related domains. The DASS-21 is reliable and suitable for use to assess symptoms of common mental health problems, especially depression and anxiety among Vietnamese adolescents. However, its ability in detecting stress among these adolescents may be limited. Further research is warrant to explore these results.

Latent Factor Structure of the Das-Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis in a Chinese Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deng, Ci-ping; Liu, Ming; Wei, Wei; Chan, Raymond C. K.; Das, J. P.

2011-01-01

This study aims to measure the psychometric properties of the Das-Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System (D-N CAS) and to determine its clinical utility in a Chinese context. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the construct validity of the Chinese version of the D-N CAS among a group of 567, normally developed children.…

The Construct Validity of Scores on the Ways of Coping Questionnaire: Confirmatory Analysis of Alternative Factor Structures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Jeffrey R.; O'Neill, Regina M.

1998-01-01

Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate alternative factor structures, based on previous exploratory factor analyses and coping dimensions derived from the theory of R. Lazarus, for the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (S. Folkman and R. Lazarus, 1988). Results from responses of 654 college graduates provide little support for the factor…

Examining Differential Item Functioning: IRT-Based Detection in the Framework of Confirmatory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dimitrov, Dimiter M.

2017-01-01

This article offers an approach to examining differential item functioning (DIF) under its item response theory (IRT) treatment in the framework of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The approach is based on integrating IRT- and CFA-based testing of DIF and using bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals with a syntax code in Mplus.

The Chinese Family Assessment Instrument (C-FAI): Hierarchical Confirmatory Factor Analyses and Factorial Invariance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shek, Daniel T. L.; Ma, Cecilia M. S.

2010-01-01

Objective: This paper examines the dimensionality and factorial invariance of the Chinese Family Assessment Instrument (C-FAI) using multigroup confirmatory factor analyses (MCFAs). Method: A total of 3,649 students responded to the C-FAI in a community survey. Results: Results showed that there are five dimensions of the C-FAI (communication,…

Emotional Intelligence and Nurse Recruitment: Rasch and confirmatory factor analysis of the trait emotional intelligence questionnaire short form.

PubMed

Snowden, Austyn; Watson, Roger; Stenhouse, Rosie; Hale, Claire

2015-12-01

To examine the construct validity of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short form. Emotional intelligence involves the identification and regulation of our own emotions and the emotions of others. It is therefore a potentially useful construct in the investigation of recruitment and retention in nursing and many questionnaires have been constructed to measure it. Secondary analysis of existing dataset of responses to Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short form using concurrent application of Rasch analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. First year undergraduate nursing and computing students completed Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form in September 2013. Responses were analysed by synthesising results of Rasch analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Participants (N = 938) completed Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short form. Rasch analysis showed the majority of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form items made a unique contribution to the latent trait of emotional intelligence. Five items did not fit the model and differential item functioning (gender) accounted for this misfit. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a four-factor structure consisting of: self-confidence, empathy, uncertainty and social connection. All five misfitting items from the Rasch analysis belonged to the 'social connection' factor. The concurrent use of Rasch and factor analysis allowed for novel interpretation of Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short form. Much of the response variation in Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short form can be accounted for by the social connection factor. Implications for practice are discussed. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the female sexual function index.

PubMed

Opperman, Emily A; Benson, Lindsay E; Milhausen, Robin R

2013-01-01

The Female Sexual Functioning Index (Rosen et al., 2000 ) was designed to assess the key dimensions of female sexual functioning using six domains: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. A full-scale score was proposed to represent women's overall sexual function. The fifth revision to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) is currently underway and includes a proposal to combine desire and arousal problems. The objective of this article was to evaluate and compare four models of the Female Sexual Functioning Index: (a) single-factor model, (b) six-factor model, (c) second-order factor model, and (4) five-factor model combining the desire and arousal subscales. Cross-sectional and observational data from 85 women were used to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis on the Female Sexual Functioning Index. Local and global goodness-of-fit measures, the chi-square test of differences, squared multiple correlations, and regression weights were used. The single-factor model fit was not acceptable. The original six-factor model was confirmed, and good model fit was found for the second-order and five-factor models. Delta chi-square tests of differences supported best fit for the six-factor model validating usage of the six domains. However, when revisions are made to the DSM-5, the Female Sexual Functioning Index can adapt to reflect these changes and remain a valid assessment tool for women's sexual functioning, as the five-factor structure was also supported.

The Nurturant Fathering Scale: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis with an African American Sample of College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doyle, Otima; Pecukonis, Edward; Harrington, Donna

2011-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to test the factor structure of the "Nurturant Fathering Scale" (NFS) among an African American sample in the mid-Atlantic region that have neither Caribbean heritage nor immigration experiences but who do have diverse family structures (N = 212). Method: A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis Alternative: Free, Accessible CBID Software.

PubMed

Bott, Marjorie; Karanevich, Alex G; Garrard, Lili; Price, Larry R; Mudaranthakam, Dinesh Pal; Gajewski, Byron

2018-02-01

New software that performs Classical and Bayesian Instrument Development (CBID) is reported that seamlessly integrates expert (content validity) and participant data (construct validity) to produce entire reliability estimates with smaller sample requirements. The free CBID software can be accessed through a website and used by clinical investigators in new instrument development. Demonstrations are presented of the three approaches using the CBID software: (a) traditional confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), (b) Bayesian CFA using flat uninformative prior, and (c) Bayesian CFA using content expert data (informative prior). Outcomes of usability testing demonstrate the need to make the user-friendly, free CBID software available to interdisciplinary researchers. CBID has the potential to be a new and expeditious method for instrument development, adding to our current measurement toolbox. This allows for the development of new instruments for measuring determinants of health in smaller diverse populations or populations of rare diseases.

Confirmatory factor analysis applied to the Force Concept Inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eaton, Philip; Willoughby, Shannon D.

2018-06-01

In 1995, Huffman and Heller used exploratory factor analysis to draw into question the factors of the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). Since then several papers have been published examining the factors of the FCI on larger sets of student responses and understandable factors were extracted as a result. However, none of these proposed factor models have been verified to not be unique to their original sample through the use of independent sets of data. This paper seeks to confirm the factor models proposed by Scott et al. in 2012, and Hestenes et al. in 1992, as well as another expert model proposed within this study through the use of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and a sample of 20 822 postinstruction student responses to the FCI. Upon application of CFA using the full sample, all three models were found to fit the data with acceptable global fit statistics. However, when CFA was performed using these models on smaller sample sizes the models proposed by Scott et al. and Eaton and Willoughby were found to be far more stable than the model proposed by Hestenes et al. The goodness of fit of these models to the data suggests that the FCI can be scored on factors that are not unique to a single class. These scores could then be used to comment on how instruction methods effect the performance of students along a single factor and more in-depth analyses of curriculum changes may be possible as a result.

Home care nurses' attitudes toward computers. A confirmatory factor analysis of the Stronge and Brodt instrument.

PubMed

Stricklin, Mary Lou; Bierer, S Beth; Struk, Cynthia

2003-01-01

Point-of-care technology for home care use will be the final step in enterprise-wide healthcare electronic communications. Successful implementation of home care point-of-care technology hinges upon nurses' attitudes toward point-of-care technology and its use in clinical practice. This study addresses the factors associated with home care nurses' attitudes using Stronge and Brodt's Nurse Attitudes Toward Computers instrument. In this study, the Nurses Attitudes Toward Computers instrument was administered to a convenience sample of 138 nurses employed by a large midwestern home care agency, with an 88% response rate. Confirmatory factor analysis corroborated the Nurses Attitudes Toward Computers' 3-dimensional factor structure for practicing nurses, which was labeled as nurses' work, security issues, and perceived barriers. Results from the confirmatory factor analysis also suggest that these 3 factors are internally correlated and represent multiple dimensions of a higher order construct labeled as nurses' attitudes toward computers. Additionally, two of these factors, nurses' work and perceived barriers, each appears to explain more variance in nurses' attitudes toward computers than security issues. Instrument reliability was high for the sample (.90), with subscale reliabilities ranging from 86 to 70.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ): Factor Structure and Gender Equivalence in Norwegian Adolescents

PubMed Central

Hysing, Mari; Skogen, Jens Christoffer; Breivik, Kyrre

2016-01-01

Although frequently used with older adolescents, few studies of the factor structure, internal consistency and gender equivalence of the SDQ exists for this age group, with inconsistent findings. In the present study, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the five-factor structure of the SDQ in a population sample of 10,254 16–18 year-olds from the youth@hordaland study. Measurement invariance across gender was assessed using multigroup CFA. A modestly modified five-factor solution fitted the data acceptably, accounting for one cross loading and some local dependencies. Importantly, partial measurement non-invariance was identified, with differential item functioning in eight items, and higher correlations between emotional and conduct problems for boys compared to girls. Implications for use clinically and in research are discussed. PMID:27138259

Latent structure of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test: a confirmatory factor analytic study.

PubMed

Greve, Kevin W; Stickle, Timothy R; Love, Jeffrey M; Bianchini, Kevin J; Stanford, Matthew S

2005-05-01

The present study represents the first large scale confirmatory factor analysis of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). The results generally support the three factor solutions reported in the exploratory factor analysis literature. However, only the first factor, which reflects general executive functioning, is statistically sound. The secondary factors, while likely reflecting meaningful cognitive abilities, are less stable except when all subjects complete all 128 cards. It is likely that having two discontinuation rules for the WCST has contributed to the varied factor analytic solutions reported in the literature and early discontinuation may result in some loss of useful information. Continued multivariate research will be necessary to better clarify the processes underlying WCST performance and their relationships to one another.

Measurement Structure of the Trait Hope Scale in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smedema, Susan Miller; Pfaller, Joseph; Moser, Erin; Tu, Wei-Mo; Chan, Fong

2013-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the measurement structure of the Trait Hope Scale (THS) among individuals with spinal cord injury. Design: Confirmatory factor analysis and reliability and validity analyses were performed. Participants: 242 individuals with spinal cord injury. Results: Results support the two-factor measurement model for the THS with agency…

A Comparison of Measurement Equivalence Methods Based on Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Item Response Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flowers, Claudia P.; Raju, Nambury S.; Oshima, T. C.

Current interest in the assessment of measurement equivalence emphasizes two methods of analysis, linear, and nonlinear procedures. This study simulated data using the graded response model to examine the performance of linear (confirmatory factor analysis or CFA) and nonlinear (item-response-theory-based differential item function or IRT-Based…

An Assessment of Character and Leadership Development Latent Factor Structures through Confirmatory Factor, Item Response Theory, and Latent Class Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higginbotham, David L.

2013-01-01

This study leveraged the complementary nature of confirmatory factor (CFA), item response theory (IRT), and latent class (LCA) analyses to strengthen the rigor and sophistication of evaluation of two new measures of the Air Force Academy's "leader of character" definition--the Character Mosaic Virtues (CMV) and the Leadership Mosaic…

Parenting practices and adolescent sexual behavior: A longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Bersamin, Melina; Todd, Michael; Fisher, Deborah A.; Hill, Douglas L.; Grube, Joel W.; Walker, Samantha

2009-01-01

The effects of parental attitudes, practices, and television mediation on adolescent sexual behaviors were investigated in a study of adolescent sexuality and media (N=887). Confirmatory factor analyses supported an eight-factor parenting model with television mediation factors as constructs distinct from general parenting practices. Logistic regressions indicated that adolescents reporting greater parental disapproval and limits on viewing at Wave 1 were less likely to initiate oral sex between Waves 1 and 2. Adolescents who reported more sexual communication with parents were more likely to initiate oral sex. Results for vaginal intercourse were similar to those for oral sex. Co-viewing was a significant negative predictor of initiation of sexual behavior. Parental attitudes and television mediation can delay potentially risky adolescent sexual behaviors. PMID:19750131

Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 among adolescents and young adults in Danish, Portuguese, and Swedish.

PubMed

Lemoine, J E; Konradsen, H; Lunde Jensen, A; Roland-Lévy, C; Ny, P; Khalaf, A; Torres, S

2018-05-14

In recent years, the study of body image shifted from focusing on the negative aspects to a more extensive view of body image. The present study seeks to validate a measure of positive body image, the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2; Tylka & Wood-Barcalow, 2015a) in Denmark, Portugal, and Sweden. Participants (N = 1012) were adolescents and young adults aged from 12 to 19. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the one-dimensional factor structure of the scale. Multi-group confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the scale was invariant across sex and country. Further results showed that BAS-2 was positively correlated with self-esteem, psychological well-being, and intuitive eating. It was negatively correlated with BMI among boys and girls in Portugal but not in Denmark and Sweden. Additionally, boys had higher body appreciation than girls. Results indicated that the BAS-2 has good psychometric properties in the three languages. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability, convergent validity and factor structure of the DASS-21 in a sample of Vietnamese adolescents

PubMed Central

Tran, Thach Duc; Holton, Sara; Nguyen, Huong Thanh; Wolfe, Rory; Fisher, Jane

2017-01-01

Objectives To assess the internal consistency, latent structure and convergent validity of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) among adolescents in Vietnam. Method An anonymous, self-completed questionnaire was conducted among 1,745 high school students in Hanoi, Vietnam between October, 2013 and January, 2014. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess the latent structure of the DASS-21. Factorial invariance between girls and boys was examined. Cronbach alphas and correlation coefficients between DASS-21 factor scores and the domain scores of the Duke Health Profile Adolescent Vietnamese validated version (ADHP-V) were calculated to assess DASS-21 internal consistency and convergent validity. Results A total of 1,606/ 1,745 (92.6%) students returned the questionnaire. Of those, 1,387 students provided complete DASS-21 data. The scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency (Cronbach α: 0.761 to 0.906). A four-factor model showed the best fit to the data. Items loaded significantly on a common general distress factor, the depression, and the anxiety factors, but few on the stress factor (p<0.05). DASS-21 convergent validity was confirmed with moderate correlation coefficients (-0.47 to -0.66) between its factor scores and the ADHP-V mental health related domains. Conclusions The DASS-21 is reliable and suitable for use to assess symptoms of common mental health problems, especially depression and anxiety among Vietnamese adolescents. However, its ability in detecting stress among these adolescents may be limited. Further research is warrant to explore these results. PMID:28723909

The factor structure of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents: development of a brief version.

PubMed

Shachar, Iris; Aderka, Idan M; Gilboa-Schechtman, Eva

2014-06-01

The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents (LSAS-CA-SR) is a validated instrument for the assessment of social anxiety in youth. The three main objectives of the present study were to (a) examine the factor structure of the LSAS-CA-SR; (b) to validate the factors against relevant personality measures, and (c) to create a brief and reliable version of the questionnaire. A total of 1,362 adolescents completed self-report measures of social anxiety, temperament, character and personality traits. The factor structure was examined using a combination of confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. The analysis was conducted on both the anxiety and avoidance sub-scales, and identical items for both sub-scales were maintained. Two factors emerged: social interaction and school performance. These factors demonstrated high internal consistency and a significant correlation with relevant self-report measures. A brief version comprised of 14 items was highly correlated (0.96) with the full version. The new factor structure represents advancement over the previous efforts, and holds promise for efficient utilization of the LSAS-CA.

The psychometric properties of the 5-item gratitude questionnaire in Chinese adolescents.

PubMed

Zeng, Y; Ling, Y; Huebner, E S; He, Y; Lei, X

2017-05-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: The GQ-6 is one of the most widely used self-report questionnaires to evaluate the level of gratitude among adults. The GQ-5 appears suitable for adolescents. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: We developed a Chinese version of the GQ-5 and examined evidence for its reliability and validity. Results demonstrated adequate reliability and validity, indicating that it is appropriate for the assessment of gratitude in Chinese adolescents. In addition, Chinese early adolescent females reported higher gratitude than adolescent males. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Screening adolescents who have lower levels of gratitude through the GQ-5 could help identify students who may benefit from empirically validated interventions to promote higher levels of gratitude in an effort to promote positive psychosocial and academic outcomes. Background This study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the 5-item Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-5). Method The sample consisted of 2093 middle school students (46.8% males) in mainland China. Confirmatory factor analysis and multigroup confirmatory factor analysis were performed to examine the factor structure and the measurement equivalence across gender. The convergent validity, Cronbach's α and mean interitem correlations of the GQ-5 were also evaluated. Results The results provided evidence of internal consistency reliability through a Cronbach's α of 0.812 and a mean interitem correlation of 0.463 for the total sample. The results also supported a one-dimensional factor structure. In addition, convergent validity was assessed by statistically significant positive correlations between the GQ-5 and the two subscales of the Children's Hope Scale (CHS) and the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS) total score. Finally, multigroup confirmatory factor analysis also demonstrated measurement equivalence across gender. Subsequent

Modelling the factor structure of the Child Depression Inventory in a population of apparently healthy adolescents in Nigeria.

PubMed

Olorunju, Samson Bamidele; Akpa, Onoja Matthew; Afolabi, Rotimi Felix

2018-01-01

Childhood and adolescent depression is common and often persists into adulthood with negative implications for school performances, peer relationship and behavioural functioning. The Child Depression Inventory (CDI) has been used to assess depression among adolescents in many countries including Nigeria but it is uncertain if the theoretical structure of CDI appropriately fits the experiences of adolescents in Nigeria. This study assessed varying theoretical modelling structure of the CDI in a population of apparently healthy adolescents in Benue state, Nigeria. Data was extracted on CDI scale and demographic information from a total of 1, 963 adolescents (aged 10-19 years), who participated in a state wide study assessing adolescent psychosocial functioning. In addition to descriptive statistics and reliability tests, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor analysis (CFA) were used to model the underlying factor structure and its adequacy. The suggested new model was compared with existing CDI models as well as the CDI's original theoretical model. A model is considered better, if it has minimum Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA<0.05), Minimum value of Discrepancy (CMIN/DF<3.0) and Akaike information criteria. All analyses were performed at 95% confidence level, using the version 21 of AMOS and the R software. Participants were 14.7±2.1 years and mostly male (54.3%), from Monogamous homes (67.9%) and lived in urban areas (52.2%). The measure of the overall internal consistency of the 2-factor CDI was α = 0.84. The 2-factor model had the minimum RMSEA (0.044), CMIN/DF (2.87) and least AIC (1037.996) compared to the other five CDI models. The child depression inventory has a 2-factor structure in a non-clinical general population of adolescents in Nigeria. Future use of the CDI in related setting may consider the 2-factor model.

Assessing Suicide Risk Among Callers to Crisis Hotlines: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

Witte, Tracy K.; Gould, Madelyn S.; Munfakh, Jimmie Lou Harris; Kleinman, Marjorie; Joiner, Thomas E.; Kalafat, John

2012-01-01

Our goal was to investigate the factor structure of a risk assessment tool utilized by suicide hotlines and to determine the predictive validity of the obtained factors in predicting subsequent suicidal behavior. 1,085 suicidal callers to crisis hotlines were divided into three sub-samples, which allowed us to conduct an independent Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), EFA in a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (EFA/CFA) framework, and CFA. Similar to previous factor analytic studies (Beck et al., 1997; Holden & DeLisle, 2005; Joiner, Rudd, & Rajab, 1997; Witte et al., 2006), we found consistent evidence for a two-factor solution, with one factor representing a more pernicious form of suicide risk (i.e., Resolved Plans and Preparations) and one factor representing more mild suicidal ideation (i.e., Suicidal Desire and Ideation). Using structural equation modeling techniques, we found preliminary evidence that the Resolved Plans and Preparations factor trended toward being more predictive of suicidal ideation than the Suicidal Desire and Ideation factor. This factor analytic study is the first longitudinal study of the obtained factors. PMID:20578186

Confirmatory Factor Analytic Structure and Measurement Invariance of Quantitative Autistic Traits Measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale-2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frazier, Thomas W.; Ratliff, Kristin R.; Gruber, Chris; Zhang, Yi; Law, Paul A.; Constantino, John N.

2014-01-01

Understanding the factor structure of autistic symptomatology is critical to the discovery and interpretation of causal mechanisms in autism spectrum disorder. We applied confirmatory factor analysis and assessment of measurement invariance to a large ("N" = 9635) accumulated collection of reports on quantitative autistic traits using…

Assessing Model Fit: Caveats and Recommendations for Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, John L.; Nicholls, Adam R.; Clough, Peter J.; Crust, Lee

2015-01-01

Despite the limitations of overgeneralizing cutoff values for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; e.g., Marsh, Hau, & Wen, 2004), they are still often employed as golden rules for assessing factorial validity in sport and exercise psychology. The purpose of this study was to investigate the appropriateness of using the CFA approach with these…

Recovery of Weak Factor Loadings When Adding the Mean Structure in Confirmatory Factor Analysis: A Simulation Study

PubMed Central

Ximénez, Carmen

2016-01-01

This article extends previous research on the recovery of weak factor loadings in confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) by exploring the effects of adding the mean structure. This issue has not been examined in previous research. This study is based on the framework of Yung and Bentler (1999) and aims to examine the conditions that affect the recovery of weak factor loadings when the model includes the mean structure, compared to analyzing the covariance structure alone. A simulation study was conducted in which several constraints were defined for one-, two-, and three-factor models. Results show that adding the mean structure improves the recovery of weak factor loadings and reduces the asymptotic variances for the factor loadings, particularly for the models with a smaller number of factors and a small sample size. Therefore, under certain circumstances, modeling the means should be seriously considered for covariance models containing weak factor loadings. PMID:26779071

Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Xinyue; Xu, Qian; Ingles, Candido J.; Hidalgo, Maria D.; La Greca, Annette M.

2008-01-01

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) in a sample of 296 adolescents (49% boys) in Grades 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 with a mean age of 15.52 years. Confirmatory factor analysis replicated the three-factor structure of the SAS-A in the Chinese sample: Fear of Negative…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version in Offenders With Axis I Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Christie D.; Neumann, Craig S.; Rogers, Richard

2004-01-01

One hundred forty-nine inpatients within a maximum security psychiatric facility were assessed with the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV; S. D. Hart, D. N. Cox, & R. D. Hare, 1995). Within the total sample, 68% had a psychotic disorder and 30% met criteria for psychopathy. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the authors tested the…

Physics Metacognition Inventory Part II: Confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taasoobshirazi, Gita; Bailey, MarLynn; Farley, John

2015-11-01

The Physics Metacognition Inventory was developed to measure physics students' metacognition for problem solving. In one of our earlier studies, an exploratory factor analysis provided evidence of preliminary construct validity, revealing six components of students' metacognition when solving physics problems including knowledge of cognition, planning, monitoring, evaluation, debugging, and information management. The college students' scores on the inventory were found to be reliable and related to students' physics motivation and physics grade. However, the results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated that the questionnaire could be revised to improve its construct validity. The goal of this study was to revise the questionnaire and establish its construct validity through a confirmatory factor analysis. In addition, a Rasch analysis was applied to the data to better understand the psychometric properties of the inventory and to further evaluate the construct validity. Results indicated that the final, revised inventory is a valid, reliable, and efficient tool for assessing student metacognition for physics problem solving.

The Psychometric Properties of the School Engagement Measure in Adolescents in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yusof, Noradlin; Ang, Rebecca P.; Oei, Tian Po S.

2017-01-01

This study examined the psychometric properties of the school engagement measure (SEM) in Singapore. The sample consisted of 1,027 students from a multi-ethnic Singapore adolescent community. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed that the two-factor solution, namely, (a) Emotional and (b) Cognitive…

Callous-Unemotional Traits in a Community Sample of Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Essau, Cecilia A.; Sasagawa, Satoko; Frick, Paul J.

2006-01-01

This study examined the structure, distribution, and correlates of a new measure of self-reported callous-unemotional (CU) traits in 1,443 adolescents (774 boys, 669 girls) between the ages of 13 to 18 years. The Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits was subjected to exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Exploratory…

A Confirmatory Factor Analytic Study of the Goal Orientation Theory of Motivation in Educational Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCollum, Daniel L.; Kajs, Lawrence T.

2009-01-01

The goal orientation theory of motivation posits sets of beliefs people hold regarding their goals. The 2 x 2 model of goal orientations has received almost no attention in the domain of educational leadership. The present researchers used a confirmatory factor analysis to test a measure based on the hypothesized 2 x 2 model in educational…

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Farrokhi, Farahman; Mahdavi, Ali; Moradi, Samad

2012-01-01

Objective The present study aimed at validating the structure of Career Decision-making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ). Methods Five hundred and eleven undergraduate students took part in this research; from these participants, 63 males and 200 females took part in the first study, and 63 males and 185 females completed the survey for the second study. Results The results of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) indicated strong support for the three-factor structure, consisting of lack of information about the self, inconsistent information, lack of information and lack of readiness factors. A confirmatory factor analysis was run with the second sample using structural equation modeling. As expected, the three-factor solution provided a better fit to the data than the alternative models. Conclusion CDDQ was recommended to be used for college students in this study due to the fact that this instrument measures all three aspects of the model. Future research is needed to learn whether this model would fit other different samples. PMID:22952549

Collinear Latent Variables in Multilevel Confirmatory Factor Analysis: A Comparison of Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Estimations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Can, Seda; van de Schoot, Rens; Hox, Joop

2015-01-01

Because variables may be correlated in the social and behavioral sciences, multicollinearity might be problematic. This study investigates the effect of collinearity manipulated in within and between levels of a two-level confirmatory factor analysis by Monte Carlo simulation. Furthermore, the influence of the size of the intraclass correlation…

Confirmatory factor analysis reveals a latent cognitive structure common to bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and normal controls.

PubMed

Schretlen, David J; Peña, Javier; Aretouli, Eleni; Orue, Izaskun; Cascella, Nicola G; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Ojeda, Natalia

2013-06-01

We sought to determine whether a single hypothesized latent factor structure would characterize cognitive functioning in three distinct groups. We assessed 576 adults (340 community controls, 126 adults with bipolar disorder, and 110 adults with schizophrenia) using 15 measures derived from nine cognitive tests. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the fit of a hypothesized six-factor model. The hypothesized factors included attention, psychomotor speed, verbal memory, visual memory, ideational fluency, and executive functioning. The six-factor model provided an excellent fit for all three groups [for community controls, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) <0.048 and comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.99; for adults with bipolar disorder, RMSEA = 0.071 and CFI = 0.99; and for adults with schizophrenia, RMSEA = 0.06 and CFI = 0.98]. Alternate models that combined fluency with processing speed or verbal and visual memory reduced the goodness of fit. Multi-group CFA results supported factor invariance across the three groups. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a single six-factor structure of cognitive functioning among patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and community controls. While the three groups clearly differ in level of performance, they share a common underlying architecture of information processing abilities. These cognitive factors could provide useful targets for clinical trials of treatments that aim to enhance information processing in persons with neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Confirmatory factor analysis and recommendations for improvement of the Autonomy-Preference-Index (API).

PubMed

Simon, Daniela; Kriston, Levente; Loh, Andreas; Spies, Claudia; Scheibler, Fueloep; Wills, Celia; Härter, Martin

2010-09-01

Validation of the German version of the Autonomy-Preference-Index (API), a measure of patients' preferences for decision making and information seeking. Stepwise confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on a sample of patients (n = 1592) treated in primary care for depression (n = 186), surgical and internal medicine inpatients (n = 811) and patients with minor trauma treated in an emergency department (n = 595). An initial test of the model was done on calculation and validation halves of the sample. Both local and global indexes-of-fit suggested modifications to the scale. The scale was modified and re-tested in the calculation sample and confirmed in the validation sample. Subgroup analyses for age, gender and type of treatment setting were also performed. The confirmatory analysis led to a modified version of the API with better local and global indexes-of-fit for samples of German-speaking patients. Two items of the sub-scale, 'preference for decision-making', and one item of the sub-scale, 'preference for information seeking', showed very low reliability scores and were deleted. Thus, several global indexes-of-fit clearly improved significantly. The modified scale was confirmed on the validation sample with acceptable to good indices of fit. Results of subgroup analyses indicated that no adaptations were necessary. This first confirmatory analysis for a German-speaking population showed that the API was improved by the removal of several items. There were theoretically plausible explanations for this improvement suggesting that the modifications might also be appropriate in English and other language versions.

Evaluation of a modified 16-item Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS): Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

PubMed

Yu, Tzu-Chieh; Jowsey, Tanisha; Henning, Marcus

2018-04-18

The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was developed to assess undergraduate readiness for engaging in interprofessional education (IPE). It has become an accepted and commonly used instrument. To determine utility of a modified 16-item RIPLS instrument, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Data used were collected from a pre- and post-intervention study involving 360 New Zealand undergraduate students from one university. Just over half of the participants were enrolled in medicine (51%) while the remainder were in pharmacy (27%) and nursing (22%). The intervention was a two-day simulation-based IPE course focused on managing unplanned acute medical problems in hospital wards ("ward calls"). Immediately prior to the course, 288 RIPLS were collected and immediately afterwards, 322 (response rates 80% and 89%, respectively). Exploratory factor analysis involving principal axis factoring with an oblique rotation method was conducted using pre-course data. The scree plot suggested a three-factor solution over two- and four-factor solutions. Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis performed using post-course data demonstrated partial goodness-of-fit for this suggested three-factor model. Based on these findings, further robust psychometric testing of the RIPLS or modified versions of it is recommended before embarking on its use in evaluative research in various healthcare education settings.

Risk and protective factors for heavy binge alcohol use among American Indian adolescents utilizing emergency health services.

PubMed

Tingey, Lauren; Cwik, Mary F; Rosenstock, Summer; Goklish, Novalene; Larzelere-Hinton, Francene; Lee, Angelita; Suttle, Rosemarie; Alchesay, Melanie; Massey, Kirk; Barlow, Allison

2016-11-01

American Indian (AI) adolescents are disproportionately burdened by alcohol abuse and heavy binge use, often leading to problematic drinking in adulthood. However, many AI communities also have large proportions of adults who abstain from alcohol. To understand these concurrent and divergent patterns, we explored the relationship between risk and protective factors for heavy binge alcohol use among a reservation-based sample of AI adolescents. Factors at individual, peer, family, and cultural/community levels were examined using a cross-sectional case-control study design. Cases were adolescents with recent heavy binge alcohol use that resulted in necessary medical care. Controls had no lifetime history of heavy binge alcohol use. 68 cases and 55 controls were recruited from emergency health services visits. Participants were 50% male; average age 15.4 years old, range 10 to 19. Independent variables were explored using logistic regression; those statistically significant were combined into a larger multivariate model. Exploratory analyses showed adolescents who were aggressive, impulsive, had deviant peers, poor family functioning or more people living at home were at greater risk for heavy binge alcohol use. Protective factors included attending school, family closeness, residential stability, social problem-solving skills, having traditional AI values and practices, and strong ethnic identity. Confirmatory analysis concluded that school attendance and residential stability reduce the probability of heavy binge alcohol use, even among those already at low risk. Findings deepen the understanding of AI adolescent heavy binge alcohol use and inform adolescent intervention development fostering trajectories to low-risk drinking and abstinence.

Reliability and Validity Evidence of Scores on the Slovene Version of the Questionnaire about Interpersonal Difficulties for Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zupancic, Maja; Ingles, Candido S.; Bajec, Bostjan; Levpuscek, Melita Puklek

2011-01-01

This study analyzed the psychometric properties of scores on the Slovene version of the "Questionnaire about Interpersonal Difficulties for Adolescents" (QIDA) in a sample of 1,334 adolescents (44% boys), ranging in age from 12 to 18 years (M = 15.61). Confirmatory factor analyses replicated the correlated five-factor structure of the QIDA:…

Confirmatory factor analysis of burnout dimensions : correlations with job stressors and aspects of social support and job satisfaction.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1992-02-01

This study examined the dimensionality and construct validity of Golembiewski, Munzenrider, and Stevenson (1986) revision of the Maslach and Jackson (1981) Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Results of confirmatory factor analyses conducted on data col...

Collinear Latent Variables in Multilevel Confirmatory Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

van de Schoot, Rens; Hox, Joop

2014-01-01

Because variables may be correlated in the social and behavioral sciences, multicollinearity might be problematic. This study investigates the effect of collinearity manipulated in within and between levels of a two-level confirmatory factor analysis by Monte Carlo simulation. Furthermore, the influence of the size of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and estimation method; maximum likelihood estimation with robust chi-squares and standard errors and Bayesian estimation, on the convergence rate are investigated. The other variables of interest were rate of inadmissible solutions and the relative parameter and standard error bias on the between level. The results showed that inadmissible solutions were obtained when there was between level collinearity and the estimation method was maximum likelihood. In the within level multicollinearity condition, all of the solutions were admissible but the bias values were higher compared with the between level collinearity condition. Bayesian estimation appeared to be robust in obtaining admissible parameters but the relative bias was higher than for maximum likelihood estimation. Finally, as expected, high ICC produced less biased results compared to medium ICC conditions. PMID:29795827

The Factorial Invariance of the CES-D during Adolescence: Are Symptom Profiles for Depression Stable across Gender and Time?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verhoeven, Marjolein; Sawyer, Michael G.; Spence, Susan H.

2013-01-01

This study examined the factorial invariance of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression Scale (CES-D) across gender and time during adolescence. The factor structure of the CES-D was compared at four annual measurement waves in a community sample of 2650 Australian adolescents. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the factor…

Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) Short Form.

PubMed

Nelemans, Stefanie A; Meeus, Wim H J; Branje, Susan J T; Van Leeuwen, Karla; Colpin, Hilde; Verschueren, Karine; Goossens, Luc

2017-01-01

In this study, we examined the longitudinal measurement invariance of a 12-item short version of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) in two 4-year longitudinal community samples ( N sample 1 = 815, M age T 1 = 13.38 years; N sample 2 = 551, M age T 1 = 14.82 years). Using confirmatory factor analyses, we found strict longitudinal measurement invariance for the three-factor structure of the SAS-A across adolescence, across samples, and across gender. Some developmental changes in social anxiety were found from early to mid-adolescence, as well as gender differences across adolescence. These findings suggest that the short version of the SAS-A is a developmentally appropriate instrument that can be used effectively to examine adolescent social anxiety development.

Item Parameter Estimation for the MIRT Model: Bias and Precision of Confirmatory Factor Analysis-Based Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finch, Holmes

2010-01-01

The accuracy of item parameter estimates in the multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) model context is one that has not been researched in great detail. This study examines the ability of two confirmatory factor analysis models specifically for dichotomous data to properly estimate item parameters using common formulae for converting factor…

The Effect of Missing Data Handling Methods on Goodness of Fit Indices in Confirmatory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Köse, Alper

2014-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to examine the effect of missing data on goodness of fit statistics in confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). For this aim, four missing data handling methods; listwise deletion, full information maximum likelihood, regression imputation and expectation maximization (EM) imputation were examined in terms of…

Using Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis to Evaluate Cross-Cultural Research: Identifying and Understanding Non-Invariance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Gavin T. L.; Harris, Lois R.; O'Quin, Chrissie; Lane, Kenneth E.

2017-01-01

Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) allows researchers to determine whether a research inventory elicits similar response patterns across samples. If statistical equivalence in responding is found, then scale score comparisons become possible and samples can be said to be from the same population. This paper illustrates the use of…

The Development and Validation of a Mental Toughness Scale for Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGeown, Sarah; St. Clair-Thompson, Helen; Putwain, David W.

2018-01-01

The present study examined the validity of a newly developed instrument, the Mental Toughness Scale for Adolescents, which examines the attributes of challenge, commitment, confidence (abilities and interpersonal), and control (life and emotion). The six-factor model was supported using exploratory factor analysis (n = 373) and confirmatory factor…

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Chinese version of the Pediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory Cancer Module.

PubMed

Li, Ho Cheung William; Williams, Phoebe D; Williams, Arthur R; Chung, Joyce O K; Chiu, Sau Ying; Lopez, Violeta

2013-01-01

Before the Chinese version of the Pediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory Cancer Module can be used to assess the multidimensional construct of quality of life among Hong Kong Chinese pediatric patients with cancer, its psychometric properties need to be further empirically tested. The objectives of the study were to establish the construct validity, including hypothesis testing and a confirmatory factor analysis of factor structure, of the Chinese version of the Pediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory Cancer Module. A cross-sectional study was used; 200 children hospitalized with cancer (9- to 16-year-olds) were recruited. Participants were asked to respond to the Chinese version of the Cancer Module, Therapy-Related Symptom Checklist, and Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale. The results showed that there was a strong positive correlation between children's self-esteem and quality of life (r = 0.50) and a strong negative correlation between children's therapy-related symptoms and quality of life (r = -0.65). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that there were 7 factors underlying the Chinese version of the Cancer Module. The study added further evidence of the construct validity of the Chinese version of the Cancer Module, patient version. The Cancer Module can be used to assess and evaluate psychological interventions directed toward promoting the quality of life of children hospitalized with cancer.

The Shame and Guilt Scales of the Test of Self-Conscious Affect-Adolescent (TOSCA-A): Factor Structure, Concurrent and Discriminant Validity, and Measurement and Structural Invariance Across Ratings of Males and Females.

PubMed

Watson, Shaun; Gomez, Rapson; Gullone, Eleonora

2017-06-01

This study examined various psychometric properties of the items comprising the shame and guilt scales of the Test of Self-Conscious Affect-Adolescent. A total of 563 adolescents (321 females and 242 males) completed these scales, and also measures of depression and empathy. Confirmatory factor analysis provided support for an oblique two-factor model, with the originally proposed shame and guilt items comprising shame and guilt factors, respectively. Also, shame correlated with depression positively and had no relation with empathy. Guilt correlated with depression negatively and with empathy positively. Thus, there was support for the convergent and discriminant validity of the shame and guilt factors. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis comparing females and males, based on the chi-square difference test, supported full metric invariance, the intercept invariance of 26 of the 30 shame and guilt items, and higher latent mean scores among females for both shame and guilt. Comparisons based on the difference in root mean squared error of approximation values supported full measurement invariance and no gender difference for latent mean scores. The psychometric and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Factor structure of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms in trauma-exposed adolescents: Examining stability across time.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Cao, Xing; Cao, Chengqi; Fang, Ruojiao; Yang, Haibo; Elhai, Jon D

2017-12-01

This study investigated the latent structure of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms using two-wave longitudinal data collected from a sample of adolescents exposed to an explosion accident. Two waves of surveys were conducted approximately 3 and 8 months after the accident, respectively. A total of 836 students completed the baseline survey, and 762 students completed the follow-up survey. The results of confirmatory factor analyses(CFA) indicated that a seven-factor hybrid model composed of intrusion, avoidance, negative affect, anhedonia, externalizing behaviors, anxious arousal and dysphoric arousal factors yielded significantly better data fit at both waves than the other models including the DSM-5 four-factor model, the six-factor anhedonia and externalizing behaviors models. Furthermore, the results of CFA invariance tests supported the longitudinal invariance of the model. Implications and limitations in terms of these results are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Trinity Inventory of Precursors to Suicide (TIPS) and Its Relationship to Hopelessness and Depression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smyth, Caroline L.; MacLachlan, Malcolm

2005-01-01

Numerous existing measures assess attitudes toward suicide yet fail to account for contextual factors. The Trinity Inventory of Precursors to Suicide (TIPS) is presented as an alternative, with implications for the development of prevention programs. Having previously reported exploratory analysis of the TIPS; confirmatory factor analysis and…

Factor structure and factorial invariance of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Chinese children and adolescents.

PubMed

Cao, Yang; Liu, Zhengkui

2015-06-01

As previous research utilizing Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y; STAI-Y) has mostly involved adults or clinical groups, there have been relatively few reports assessing adolescents. This study is the first using data for children and adolescents in mainland China, from a large-scale cross-sectional survey in Beijing (Sample 1) and a longitudinal survey from the Wenchuan 512 earthquake (Sample 2), to clarify the factor structure and factorial invariance of the STAI-Y, Mandarin Chinese version. As a result, only in Sample 1 did a comparison of 11 confirmatory factor analysis models indicate the best goodness-of-fit indices shown by a two-factor structure for both state and trait anxiety, with both models reaching the selected cutoff criteria. These two optimal models were used in a subsequent simultaneous confirmatory factor analysis to test four conditions of factorial invariance, using eight participant groups divided on the basis of sex and school grade (fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh to ninth). The two-factor structure state and trait anxiety models achieved the cutoff criteria for factorial invariance, with the exception of male fourth graders. Further, it was clearly shown that in comparison with the early stage of puberty, as puberty advanced the absence of state and trait anxiety gradually decreased, while scores for the presence of anxiety gradually increased. At the same time, in the case of Sample 2, which had experienced a traumatic event, as the goodness-of-fit indices for none of the 11 models reached the cutoff criteria, the factor scores showed arbitrariness and a lack of objectivity. The authors conclude that cognitive structure with regard to the STAI-Y may change with traumatic experience or the development of secondary sex characteristics at the onset of or in the stage of puberty. Also, computing the scores according to the STAI-Y manual is problematic. © 2014 The Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and

Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents and School Anxiety Inventory: Psychometric properties in French adolescents.

PubMed

Delgado, Beatriz; García-Fernández, José M; Martínez-Monteagudo, María C; Inglés, Cándido J; Marzo, Juan C; La Greca, Annette M; Hugon, Mandarine

2018-06-02

School and social anxiety are common problems and have a significant impact on youths' development. Nevertheless, the questionnaires to assess these anxious symptoms in French adolescents have limitations. The aim of this study is to provide a French version of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) and the School Anxiety Inventory (SAI), analysing their psychometric properties by the factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent validity. The SAS-A and the SAI were collectively administered in a sample of 1011 French adolescents (48.5% boys) ranging in age from 11 to 18 years. Confirmatory factor analyses replicated the previously identified correlated three-factor structure of the SAS-A and the correlated four-factor structure of the SAI. Acceptable internal consistency indexes were found for SAS-A and SAI scores. Correlations supported the convergent validity of the questionnaires' subscales. Overall, results supported the internal consistency and validity of the French versions of the SAS-A and SAI.

Dyadic confirmatory factor analysis of the inflammatory bowel disease family responsibility questionnaire.

PubMed

Greenley, Rachel Neff; Reed-Knight, Bonney; Blount, Ronald L; Wilson, Helen W

2013-09-01

Evaluate the factor structure of youth and maternal involvement ratings on the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Family Responsibility Questionnaire, a measure of family allocation of condition management responsibilities in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. Participants included 251 youth aged 11-18 years with inflammatory bowel disease and their mothers. Item-level descriptive analyses, subscale internal consistency estimates, and confirmatory factor analyses of youth and maternal involvement were conducted using a dyadic data-analytic approach. Results supported the validity of 4 conceptually derived subscales including general health maintenance, social aspects, condition management tasks, and nutrition domains. Additionally, results indicated adequate support for the factor structure of a 21-item youth involvement measure and strong support for a 16-item maternal involvement measure. Additional empirical support for the validity of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Family Responsibility Questionnaire was provided. Future research to replicate current findings and to examine the measure's clinical utility is warranted.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (Korean version).

PubMed

Cho, Young Il; Lee, Soonmook; Patton, Lauren L; Kim, Hae-Young

2016-04-01

Empirical support for the factor structure of the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) has not been fully established. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the factor structure of the Korean version of the COHIP (COHIP-K) empirically using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) based on the theoretical framework and then to assess whether any of the factors in the structure could be grouped into a simpler single second-order factor. Data were collected through self-reported COHIP-K responses from a representative community sample of 2,236 Korean children, 8-15 yr of age. Because a large inter-factor correlation of 0.92 was estimated in the original five-factor structure, the two strongly correlated factors were combined into one factor, resulting in a four-factor structure. The revised four-factor model showed a reasonable fit with appropriate inter-factor correlations. Additionally, the second-order model with four sub-factors was reasonable with sufficient fit and showed equal fit to the revised four-factor model. A cross-validation procedure confirmed the appropriateness of the findings. Our analysis empirically supported a four-factor structure of COHIP-K, a summarized second-order model, and the use of an integrated summary COHIP score. © 2016 Eur J Oral Sci.

Adolescent Time Attitude Scale: Adaptation into Turkish

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çelik, Eyüp; Sahranç, Ümit; Kaya, Mehmet; Turan, Mehmet Emin

2017-01-01

This research is aimed at examining the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Time Attitude Scale. Data was collected from 433 adolescents; 206 males and 227 females participated in the study. Confirmatory factor analysis performed to discover the structural validity of the scale. The internal consistency method was used for…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Bases of Leader Power: First-Order Factor Model and Its Invariance Across Groups.

PubMed

Rahim, M A; Magner, N R

1996-10-01

Confirmatory factor analyses of data (from five samples: N = 308 accountants and finance professionals, N = 578 management and non-management employees, and N = 588 employed management students in the U.S.; N = 728 management and non-management employees in S. Korea, N = 250 management and non-management bank employees in Bangladesh) on the 29 items of the Rahim Leader Power Inventory were performed with LISREL 7. The results provided support for the convergent and discriminant validities of the subscales measuring the five bases of leader power (coercive, reward, legitimate, expert, and referent), and the invariance of factor pattern and factor loadings across organizational levels and the three American samples. Additional analysis indicated that leader power profiles differed across the three national cultures represented in the study.

The Development of the Global Citizenship Inventory for Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Gent, Marije; Carabain, Christine; De Goede, Irene; Boonstoppel, Evelien; Hogeling, Lette

2013-01-01

In this paper we report on the development of an inventory that measures global citizenship among adolescents. The methodology used consists of cognitive interviews for questionnaire design and explorative and confirmatory factor analyses among several datasets. The resulting Global Citizenship Inventory (GCI) includes a global citizenship…

A Dimensional Model of Psychopathology among Homeless Adolescents: Suicidality, Internalizing, and Externalizing Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoder, Kevin A.; Longley, Susan L.; Whitbeck, Les B.; Hoyt, Dan R.

2008-01-01

The present study examined associations among dimensions of suicidality and psychopathology in a sample of 428 homeless adolescents (56.3% female). Confirmatory factor analysis results provided support for a three-factor model in which suicidality (measured with lifetime suicidal ideation and suicide attempts), internalizing disorders (assessed…

Exploratory Two-Level Analysis of Individual- and School-Level Factors on Truant Youth Emotional/Psychological Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dembo, Richard; Wareham, Jennifer; Schmeidler, James; Winters, Ken C.

2016-01-01

Research on samples of truant adolescents is limited, with little known about mental health problems among truant youths. This study provided an exploratory, multilevel examination of mental health problems for a sample of 300 truant adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a single factor of multiple mental health problems at the…

Factorial invariance of pediatric patient self-reported fatigue across age and gender: a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis approach utilizing the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale.

PubMed

Varni, James W; Beaujean, A Alexander; Limbers, Christine A

2013-11-01

In order to compare multidimensional fatigue research findings across age and gender subpopulations, it is important to demonstrate measurement invariance, that is, that the items from an instrument have equivalent meaning across the groups studied. This study examined the factorial invariance of the 18-item PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale items across age and gender and tested a bifactor model. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) was performed specifying a three-factor model across three age groups (5-7, 8-12, and 13-18 years) and gender. MG-CFA models were proposed in order to compare the factor structure, metric, scalar, and error variance across age groups and gender. The analyses were based on 837 children and adolescents recruited from general pediatric clinics, subspecialty clinics, and hospitals in which children were being seen for well-child checks, mild acute illness, or chronic illness care. A bifactor model of the items with one general factor influencing all the items and three domain-specific factors representing the General, Sleep/Rest, and Cognitive Fatigue domains fit the data better than oblique factor models. Based on the multiple measures of model fit, configural, metric, and scalar invariance were found for almost all items across the age and gender groups, as was invariance in the factor covariances. The PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale demonstrated strict factorial invariance for child and adolescent self-report across gender and strong factorial invariance across age subpopulations. The findings support an equivalent three-factor structure across the age and gender groups studied. Based on these data, it can be concluded that pediatric patients across the groups interpreted the items in a similar manner regardless of their age or gender, supporting the multidimensional factor structure interpretation of the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale.

A New, More Powerful Approach to Multitrait-Multimethod Analyses: An Application of Second-Order Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Herbert W.; Hocevar, Dennis

The advantages of applying confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) data are widely recognized. However, because CFA as traditionally applied to MTMM data incorporates single indicators of each scale (i.e., each trait/method combination), important weaknesses are the failure to: (1) correct appropriately for measurement…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition in an Australian Clinical Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cockshott, Felicity C.; Marsh, Nigel V.; Hine, Donald W.

2006-01-01

A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III; D. Wechsler, 1991) with a sample of 579 Australian children referred for assessment because of academic difficulties in the classroom. The children were administered the WISC-III as part of the initial eligibility determination…

Multiple-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis in R--A Tutorial in Measurement Invariance with Continuous and Ordinal Indicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirschfeld, Gerrit; von Brachel, Ruth

2014-01-01

Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) is among the most productive extensions of structural equation modeling. Many researchers conducting cross-cultural or longitudinal studies are interested in testing for measurement and structural invariance. The aim of the present paper is to provide a tutorial in MG-CFA using the freely…

Analyzing the Validity of the Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory for Low-Income Populations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Michael A.; Alameda-Lawson, Tania; Byrnes, Edward

2017-01-01

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the construct and predictive validity of the Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI-2). Methods: The validity of the AAPI-2 was evaluated using multiple statistical methods, including exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and latent class analysis. These analyses were…

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Student Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (S-EBPQ) in an Australian sample.

PubMed

Beccaria, Lisa; Beccaria, Gavin; McCosker, Catherine

2018-03-01

It is crucial that nursing students develop skills and confidence in using Evidence-Based Practice principles early in their education. This should be assessed with valid tools however, to date, few measures have been developed and applied to the student population. To examine the structural validity of the Student Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (S-EBPQ), with an Australian online nursing student cohort. A cross-sectional study for constructing validity. Three hundred and forty-five undergraduate nursing students from an Australian regional university were recruited across two semesters. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to examine the structural validity. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was applied which resulted in a good fitting model, based on a revised 20-item tool. The S-EBPQ tool remains a psychometrically robust measure of evidence-based practice use, attitudes, and knowledge and skills and can be applied in an online Australian student context. The findings of this study provided further evidence of the reliability and four factor structure of the S-EBPQ. Opportunities for further refinement of the tool may result in improvements in structural validity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Early Arithmetic, Reading, and Learning Indicators (EARLI)☆

PubMed Central

Norwalk, Kate E.; DiPerna, James Clyde; Lei, Pui-Wa

2015-01-01

Despite growing interest in early intervention, there are few measures available to monitor the progress of early academic skills in preschoolers. The Early Arithmetic, Reading, and Learning Indicators (EARLI; DiPerna, Morgan, & Lei, 2007) were developed as brief assessments of critical early literacy and numeracy skills. The purpose of the current study was to examine the factor structure of the EARLI probes via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in a sample of Head Start preschoolers (N = 289). A two-factor model with correlated error terms and a bifactor model provided comparable fit to the data, although there were some structural problems with the latter model. The utility of the bifactor model for explaining the structure of early academic skills as well as the utility of the EARLI probes as measures of literacy and numeracy skills in preschool are discussed. PMID:24495496

Validation of the Resilience Scale for Adolescents in Norwegian adolescents 13-18 years.

PubMed

Moksnes, Unni K; Haugan, Gørill

2018-03-01

Resilience is seen as a vital resource for coping and mental health in adolescents. However, there is no universally accepted theory or definition of resilience, leading to considerable challenges regarding how to operationalise and measure this construct. The study aimed at providing further knowledge of the psychometric properties (dimensionality, construct validity and internal consistency) of the 28-item version of the Resilience Scale for Adolescents (READ) in N = 1183 Norwegian adolescents, 13-18 years old. Dimensionality of READ was tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Convergent validity and reliability were tested using Pearson's correlation analysis, Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability. The CFA supported a modified, 20-item, five-factor structure with high reliability, supporting the dimensionality and internal consistency of the instrument. Convergent validity was confirmed where all factors correlated in expected directions with measures of sense of coherence, self-esteem, stress and depression. The psychometric properties of the READ need to be further evaluated in adolescents; however, the results indicate that a modified 20-item version of READ is adequate for assessing resilience in the present sample of Norwegian adolescents. © 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents: factorial invariance across gender and age in Hispanic American adolescents.

PubMed

La Greca, Annette M; Ingles, Candido J; Lai, Betty S; Marzo, Juan C

2015-04-01

Social anxiety is a common psychological disorder that often emerges during adolescence and is associated with significant impairment. Efforts to prevent social anxiety disorder require sound assessment measures for identifying anxious youth, especially those from minority backgrounds. We examined the factorial invariance and latent mean differences of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) across gender and age groups in Hispanic American adolescents (N = 1,191; 56% girls; 15-18 years) using multigroup confirmatory factor analyses. Results indicated that the factorial configuration of the correlated three-factor model of the SAS-A was invariant across gender and age. Analyses of latent mean differences revealed that boys exhibited higher structured means than girls on the Social Avoidance and Distress-General (SAD-General) subscale. On all SAS-A subscales, Fear of Negative Evaluation, Social Avoidance and Distress-New, and SAD-General, estimates of the structured means decreased with adolescent age. Implications for further research and clinical practice are discussed. © The Author(s) 2014.

Coping and Responses to Stress in Navajo Adolescents: Psychometric Properties of the Responses to Stress Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wadsworth, Martha E.; Rieckmann, Traci; Benson, Molly A.; Compas, Bruce E.

2004-01-01

This study tested the factor structure of coping and stress responses in Navajo adolescents and examined the reliability and validity of the Responses to Stress Questionnaire (RSQ; Connor-Smith, Compas, Wadsworth, Thomsen, & Saltzman, 2000) with this population. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that a correlated five-factor model of…

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Infant Feeding Styles Questionnaire in Latino families.

PubMed

Wood, Charles T; Perreira, Krista M; Perrin, Eliana M; Yin, H Shonna; Rothman, Russell L; Sanders, Lee M; Delamater, Alan M; Bentley, Margaret E; Bronaugh, Andrea B; Thompson, Amanda L

2016-05-01

Parent feeding practices affect risk of obesity in children. Latino children are at higher risk of obesity than the general population, yet valid measure of feeding practices, one of which is the Infant Feeding Styles Questionnaire (IFSQ), have not been formally validated in Spanish. To validate the IFSQ among Latino families, we conducted confirmatory factor analysis of pressuring, restrictive, and responsive feeding constructs from the IFSQ. The IFSQ was administered at the 12-month visit in the Greenlight study, a multi-center cluster randomized trial to prevent obesity. Parents were included if they were of Latino origin (n = 303) and completed an English or Spanish language modified IFSQ (without the indulgence construct). Scores from nine sub-constructs of the IFSQ were compared between English and Spanish language versions. We tested reliability with Cronbach's alpha coefficients and performed confirmatory factor analysis to examine factor loadings and goodness of fit characteristics, modifying constructs to achieve best fit. Of 303 parents completing the IFSQ, 84% were born outside the US, and 74% completed the IFSQ in Spanish. Reliability coefficients ranged from 0.28 to 0.61 for the laissez-faire sub-constructs and from 0.58 to 0.83 for the pressuring, restrictive, and responsive sub-constructs. Results for all coefficients were similar between participants responding to an English and Spanish version of the IFSQ. Goodness of fit indices ranged from CFI 0.82-1 and RMSEA 0.00-0.31, and the model performed best in pressuring-soothing (CFI 1.0, RMSEA 0.00) and restrictive-amount (CFI 0.98, RMSEA 0.1) sub-constructs. In a sample of Latino families, pressuring, restrictive, and responsive constructs performed well. The modified IFSQ in both English and Spanish-speaking Latino families may be used to assess parenting behaviors related to early obesity risk in this at-risk population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Infant Feeding Styles Questionnaire in Latino Families

PubMed Central

Wood, Charles T.; Perreira, Krista M.; Perrin, Eliana M.; Yin, H. Shonna; Rothman, Russell L.; Sanders, Lee M.; Delamater, Alan M.; Bentley, Margaret E.; Bronaugh, Andrea B.; Thompson, Amanda L.

2016-01-01

Background Parent feeding practices affect risk of obesity in children. Latino children are at higher risk of obesity than the general population, yet valid measure of feeding practices, one of which is the Infant Feeding Styles Questionnaire (IFSQ), have not been formally validated in Spanish. Objective To validate the IFSQ among Latino families, we conducted confirmatory factor analysis of pressuring, restrictive, and responsive feeding constructs from the IFSQ. Design/Methods The IFSQ was administered at the 12-month visit in the Greenlight study, a multi-center cluster randomized trial to prevent obesity. Parents were included if they were of Latino origin (n=303) and completed an English or Spanish language modified IFSQ (without the indulgence construct). Scores from nine sub-constructs of the IFSQ were compared between English and Spanish language versions. We tested reliability with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients and performed confirmatory factor analysis to examine factor loadings and goodness of fit characteristics, modifying constructs to achieve best fit. Results Of 303 parents completing the IFSQ, 84% were born outside the US, and 74% completed the IFSQ in Spanish. Reliability coefficients ranged from 0.28–0.61 for the laissez-faire sub-constructs and from 0.58–0.83 for the pressuring, restrictive, and responsive sub-constructs. Results for all coefficients were similar between participants responding to an English and Spanish version of the IFSQ. Goodness of fit indices ranged from CFI 0.82–1 and RMSEA 0.00–0.31, and the model performed best in pressuring-soothing (CFI 1.0, RMSEA 0.00) and restrictive-amount (CFI 0.98, RMSEA 0.1) sub-constructs. Conclusions In a sample of Latino families, pressuring, restrictive, and responsive constructs performed well. The modified IFSQ in both English and Spanish-speaking Latino families may be used to assess parenting behaviors related to early obesity risk in this at-risk population. PMID:26876910

Factorial Structure of the Anxiety Control Questionnaire in Chinese Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shujuan, Wang; Meihua, Qian; Jianxin, Zhang

2009-01-01

This article examines the psychometric structure of the Anxiety Control Questionnaire (ACQ) in Chinese adolescents. With the data collected from 212 senior high school students (94 females, 110 males, 8 unknown), seven models are tested using confirmatory factor analyses in the framework of the multitrait-multimethod strategy. Results indicate…

Reasons for Living and Their Moderating Effects on Korean Adolescents' Suicidal Ideation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Seung-yeon

2011-01-01

The present study validated the use of the Korean version of the Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents (KRFL-A) in a group of 406 South Korean high school students. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the original 5-factor structure, and other psychometric properties demonstrated the usefulness of the KRFL-A as a measure of cognitive…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Malay Version Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire Tested among Mothers of Primary School Children in Malaysia

PubMed Central

Shohaimi, Shamarina; Yoke Wei, Wong; Mohd Shariff, Zalilah

2014-01-01

Comprehensive feeding practices questionnaire (CFPQ) is an instrument specifically developed to evaluate parental feeding practices. It has been confirmed among children in America and applied to populations in France, Norway, and New Zealand. In order to extend the application of CFPQ, we conducted a factor structure validation of the translated version of CFPQ (CFPQ-M) using confirmatory factor analysis among mothers of primary school children (N = 397) in Malaysia. Several items were modified for cultural adaptation. Of 49 items, 39 items with loading factors >0.40 were retained in the final model. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the final model (twelve-factor model with 39 items and 2 error covariances) displayed the best fit for our sample (Chi-square = 1147; df = 634; P < 0.05; CFI = 0.900; RMSEA = 0.045; SRMR = 0.0058). The instrument with some modifications was confirmed among mothers of school children in Malaysia. The present study extends the usability of the CFPQ and enables researchers and parents to better understand the relationships between parental feeding practices and related problems such as childhood obesity. PMID:25538958

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Malay version comprehensive feeding practices questionnaire tested among mothers of primary school children in Malaysia.

PubMed

Shohaimi, Shamarina; Wei, Wong Yoke; Shariff, Zalilah Mohd

2014-01-01

Comprehensive feeding practices questionnaire (CFPQ) is an instrument specifically developed to evaluate parental feeding practices. It has been confirmed among children in America and applied to populations in France, Norway, and New Zealand. In order to extend the application of CFPQ, we conducted a factor structure validation of the translated version of CFPQ (CFPQ-M) using confirmatory factor analysis among mothers of primary school children (N = 397) in Malaysia. Several items were modified for cultural adaptation. Of 49 items, 39 items with loading factors >0.40 were retained in the final model. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the final model (twelve-factor model with 39 items and 2 error covariances) displayed the best fit for our sample (Chi-square = 1147; df = 634; P < 0.05; CFI = 0.900; RMSEA = 0.045; SRMR = 0.0058). The instrument with some modifications was confirmed among mothers of school children in Malaysia. The present study extends the usability of the CFPQ and enables researchers and parents to better understand the relationships between parental feeding practices and related problems such as childhood obesity.

Sixteen-Item Anxiety Sensitivity Index: Confirmatory Factor Analytic Evidence, Internal Consistency, and Construct Validity in a Young Adult Sample from the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vujanovic, Anka A.; Arrindell, Willem A.; Bernstein, Amit; Norton, Peter J.; Zvolensky, Michael J.

2007-01-01

The present investigation examined the factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity of the 16-item Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI; Reiss Peterson, Gursky, & McNally 1986) in a young adult sample (n = 420) from the Netherlands. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to comparatively evaluate two-factor, three-factor, and…

The Utility of the Child and Adolescent Psychopathy Construct in Hong Kong, China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fung, Annis Lai-Chu; Gao, Yu; Raine, Adrian

2010-01-01

This cross-sectional study examined the nature of child and adolescent psychopathy using the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD) in 3,675 schoolchildren (ages 11-16) in Hong Kong, China. A confirmatory factor analysis observed a good fit for the three-factor model (callous-unemotional, impulsivity, narcissism) of APSD, with boys scoring…

Examination of the Double-Deficit Hypothesis with Adolescents and Young Adults with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Jason M.

2015-01-01

The double-deficit hypothesis (DDH) of the developmental dyslexias (Wolf and Bowers, "Journal of Educational Psychology", 91, 415-438, 1999) was investigated with 149 adolescents and young adults (age range?=?16 to 24 years) with dyslexia. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a two-factor model with separate naming speed (NS) and…

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II) in the Standardization Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donders, Jacobus

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the latent structure of the California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II; Delis, Kramer, Kaplan, & Ober, 2000) at three different age levels, using the standardization sample. Maximum likelihood confirmatory factor analyses are performed to test four competing hypothetical models for fit and…

Validation of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale among Korean Adolescents.

PubMed

Heo, Eun-Hye; Choi, Kyeong-Sook; Yu, Je-Chun; Nam, Ji-Ae

2018-02-01

The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is designed to measure the current level of depressive symptomatology in the general population. However, no review has examined whether the scale is reliable and valid among children and adolescents in Korea. The purpose of this study was to test whether the Korean form of the CES-D is valid in adolescents. Data were obtained from 1,884 adolescents attending grades 1-3 in Korean middle schools. Reliability was evaluated by internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha). Concurrent validity was evaluated by a correlation analysis between the CES-D and other scales. Construct validity was evaluated by exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analyses. The internal consistency coefficient for the entire group was 0.88. The CES-D was positively correlated with scales that measure negative psychological constructs, such as the State Anxiety Inventory for Children, the Korean Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents, and the Reynold Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire, but it was negatively correlated with scales that measure positive psychological constructs, such as the Korean version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-2. The CES-D was examined by three-dimensional exploratory factor analysis, and the three-factor structure of the scale explained 53.165% of the total variance. The variance explained by factor I was 24.836%, that explained by factor II was 15.988%, and that explained by factor III was 12.341%. The construct validity of the CES-D was tested by confirmatory factor analysis, and we applied the entire group's data using a three-factor hierarchical model. The fit index showed a level similar to those of other countries' adolescent samples. The CES-D has high internal consistency and addresses psychological constructs similar to those addressed by other scales. The CES-D showed a three-factor structure in an exploratory factor analysis. The present

Depressed affect and historical loss among North American Indigenous adolescents.

PubMed

Whitbeck, Les B; Walls, Melissa L; Johnson, Kurt D; Morrisseau, Allan D; McDougall, Cindy M

2009-01-01

This study reports on the prevalence and correlates of perceived historical loss among 459 North American Indigenous adolescents aged 11-13 years from the northern Midwest of the United States and central Canada. The adolescents reported daily or more thoughts of historical loss at rates similar to their female caretakers. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that our measure of perceived historical loss and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale were separate but related constructs. Regression analysis indicated that, even when controlling for family factors, perceived discrimination, and proximal negative life events, perceived historical loss had independent effects on adolescents' depressive symptoms. The construct of historical loss is discussed in terms of Indigenous ethnic cleansing and life course theory.

The Anxiety Sensitivity Index--Revised: Confirmatory Factor Analyses, Structural Invariance in Caucasian and African American Samples, and Score Reliability and Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnau, Randolph C.; Broman-Fulks, Joshua J.; Green, Bradley A.; Berman, Mitchell E.

2009-01-01

The most commonly used measure of anxiety sensitivity is the 36-item Anxiety Sensitivity Index--Revised (ASI-R). Exploratory factor analyses have produced several different factors structures for the ASI-R, but an acceptable fit using confirmatory factor analytic approaches has only been found for a 21-item version of the instrument. We evaluated…

Adolescents' perceptions of parental behavior: psychometric properties of the short Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran-Adolescent version (S-EMBU-A) in a clinical sample.

PubMed

Penelo, Eva; Viladrich, Carme; Domènech, Josep M

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the short Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran-Adolescent version (S-EMBU-A) in a clinical context. The S-EMBU-A is a 22-item self-report questionnaire, based on the original 64-item EMBU-A, that assesses perceived parental rearing style in adolescents, comprising 3 subscales (Rejection, Emotional Warmth, and Overprotection). The questionnaire was administered to a clinical sample of 281 Spanish psychiatric outpatients aged 13 to 18 years. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed, analyzing the adolescents' reports about their parents' rearing style. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded an acceptable fit to data of the 3-factor model (comparative fit index = 0.90; root mean squared error of approximation = 0.054) and parameters were equivalent for the ratings assigned to fathers and mothers. Satisfactory internal consistency reliability was obtained for the 3 scales (Cronbach α ≥ .74). The influence of gender (of adolescents and parents) and age on scale scores was inappreciable. High scores for Rejection and low scores for Emotional Warmth were related to bad relationships with parents, absence of family support, presence of rejection, harsh discipline, and lack of parental supervision. The Spanish version of S-EMBU-A can be used with psychometric guarantees to identify rearing style in psychiatric outpatients, because evidence of quality in clinical setting matches that obtained in community samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

School Anxiety Inventory: Reliability and Validity Evidence in a Sample of Slovenian Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levpušcek, Melita Puklek; Inglés, Candido J.; Marzo, Juan C.; García-Fernández, Jose M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the School Anxiety Inventory (SAI) using a sample of 646 Slovenian adolescents (48% boys), ranging in age from 12 to 19 years. Single confirmatory factor analyses replicated the correlated four-factor structure of scores on the SAI for anxiety-provoking school situations…

Familial Correlates of Overt and Relational Aggression between Young Adolescent Siblings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Jeong Jin; Gamble, Wendy C.

2008-01-01

Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group structural equation modeling were used to test correlates of overt and relational aggression between young adolescent siblings across four groups (i.e., male/male, male/female, female/male, and female/female sibling pairs), using 433 predominately European American families. Similar patterns…

Parenting practices and adolescent depressive symptoms in Chinese American families.

PubMed

Kim, S Y; Ge, X

2000-09-01

This study examined parenting practices and adolescent depressive symptoms among Chinese Americans. First, confirmatory factor analyses revealed that self-reported parenting practices by mothers and fathers and adolescent perception of parenting practices loaded adequately on three subscales: Inductive Reasoning, Monitoring, and Harsh Discipline. Second, parents' depressive symptoms were related to disrupted parenting practices, which, in turn, were significantly related to the negative evaluation of these behaviors by the adolescents. Adolescents' perceptions of such parenting practices were significantly associated with their depressive symptoms. Third, the relationships were robust even after parental income, education, and generation status were statistically controlled. Overall, the relationships between parenting practices and adolescent depressive symptoms among Chinese Americans seemed to echo those found among European Americans.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Test-Retest Reliability of the Alcohol and Drug Confrontation Scale (ADCS)

PubMed Central

Polcin, Douglas L.; Galloway, Gantt P.; Bond, Jason; Korcha, Rachael; Greenfield, Thomas K.

2008-01-01

The addiction field lacks an accepted definition and reliable measure of confrontation. The Alcohol and Drug Confrontation Scale (ADCS) defines confrontation as warnings about the potential consequences of substance use. To assess psychometric properties, 323 individual entering recovery houses in U.S. urban and suburban areas were interviewed between 2003 and 2005 (20% women, 68% white). Analyses included test-retest reliability, confirmatory factor analysis, and measures of internal consistency. Findings support the ADCS as a reliable way of assessing two factors: Internal Support and External intensity. Confrontation was experienced as supportive, accurate and helpful. Additional studies should assess confrontation in different contexts. PMID:20686635

Confirmatory factor analytic structure and measurement invariance of quantitative autistic traits measured by the social responsiveness scale-2.

PubMed

Frazier, Thomas W; Ratliff, Kristin R; Gruber, Chris; Zhang, Yi; Law, Paul A; Constantino, John N

2014-01-01

Understanding the factor structure of autistic symptomatology is critical to the discovery and interpretation of causal mechanisms in autism spectrum disorder. We applied confirmatory factor analysis and assessment of measurement invariance to a large (N = 9635) accumulated collection of reports on quantitative autistic traits using the Social Responsiveness Scale, representing a broad diversity of age, severity, and reporter type. A two-factor structure (corresponding to social communication impairment and restricted, repetitive behavior) as elaborated in the updated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) criteria for autism spectrum disorder exhibited acceptable model fit in confirmatory factor analysis. Measurement invariance was appreciable across age, sex, and reporter (self vs other), but somewhat less apparent between clinical and nonclinical populations in this sample comprised of both familial and sporadic autism spectrum disorders. The statistical power afforded by this large sample allowed relative differentiation of three factors among items encompassing social communication impairment (emotion recognition, social avoidance, and interpersonal relatedness) and two factors among items encompassing restricted, repetitive behavior (insistence on sameness and repetitive mannerisms). Cross-trait correlations remained extremely high, that is, on the order of 0.66-0.92. These data clarify domains of statistically significant factoral separation that may relate to partially-but not completely-overlapping biological mechanisms, contributing to variation in human social competency. Given such robust intercorrelations among symptom domains, understanding their co-emergence remains a high priority in conceptualizing common neural mechanisms underlying autistic syndromes.

Exploring the Latent Structure of the Luria Model for the KABC-II at School Age: Further Insights from Confirmatory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGill, Ryan J.

2017-01-01

The present study examined the factor structure of the Luria interpretive model for the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (KABC-II) with normative sample participants aged 7-18 (N = 2,025) using confirmatory factor analysis with maximum-likelihood estimation. For the eight subtest Luria configuration, an alternative…

Reliability, factor structure, and validity of the German version of the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children in a sample of adolescents

PubMed Central

Matulis, Simone; Loos, Laura; Langguth, Nadine; Schreiber, Franziska; Gutermann, Jana; Gawrilow, Caterina; Steil, Regina

2015-01-01

Background The Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSC-C) is the most widely used self-report scale to assess trauma-related symptoms in children and adolescents on six clinical scales. The purpose of the present study was to develop a German version of the TSC-C and to investigate its psychometric properties, such as factor structure, reliability, and validity, in a sample of German adolescents. Method A normative sample of N=583 and a clinical sample of N=41 adolescents with a history of physical or sexual abuse aged between 13 and 21 years participated in the study. Results The Confirmatory Factor Analysis on the six-factor model (anger, anxiety, depression, dissociation, posttraumatic stress, and sexual concerns with the subdimensions preoccupation and distress) revealed acceptable to good fit statistics in the normative sample. One item had to be excluded from the German version of the TSC-C because the factor loading was too low. All clinical scales presented acceptable to good reliability, with Cronbach's α's ranging from .80 to .86 in the normative sample and from .72 to .87 in the clinical sample. Concurrent validity was also demonstrated by the high correlations between the TSC-C scales and instruments measuring similar psychopathology. TSC-C scores reliably differentiated between adolescents with trauma history and those without trauma history, indicating discriminative validity. Conclusions In conclusion, the German version of the TSC-C is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing trauma-related symptoms on six different scales in adolescents aged between 13 and 21 years. PMID:26498182

Reliability, factor structure, and validity of the German version of the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children in a sample of adolescents.

PubMed

Matulis, Simone; Loos, Laura; Langguth, Nadine; Schreiber, Franziska; Gutermann, Jana; Gawrilow, Caterina; Steil, Regina

2015-01-01

The Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSC-C) is the most widely used self-report scale to assess trauma-related symptoms in children and adolescents on six clinical scales. The purpose of the present study was to develop a German version of the TSC-C and to investigate its psychometric properties, such as factor structure, reliability, and validity, in a sample of German adolescents. A normative sample of N=583 and a clinical sample of N=41 adolescents with a history of physical or sexual abuse aged between 13 and 21 years participated in the study. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis on the six-factor model (anger, anxiety, depression, dissociation, posttraumatic stress, and sexual concerns with the subdimensions preoccupation and distress) revealed acceptable to good fit statistics in the normative sample. One item had to be excluded from the German version of the TSC-C because the factor loading was too low. All clinical scales presented acceptable to good reliability, with Cronbach's α's ranging from .80 to .86 in the normative sample and from .72 to .87 in the clinical sample. Concurrent validity was also demonstrated by the high correlations between the TSC-C scales and instruments measuring similar psychopathology. TSC-C scores reliably differentiated between adolescents with trauma history and those without trauma history, indicating discriminative validity. In conclusion, the German version of the TSC-C is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing trauma-related symptoms on six different scales in adolescents aged between 13 and 21 years.

Early Adolescents' Unique Perspectives of Maternal and Paternal Rejection: Examining Their Across-Dyad Generalizability and Relations with Adjustment 1 Year Later.

PubMed

Jager, Justin; Mahler, Alissa; An, Danming; Putnick, Diane L; Bornstein, Marc H; Lansford, Jennifer E; Dodge, Kenneth A; Skinner, Ann T; Deater-Deckard, Kirby

2016-10-01

Parental rejection is linked to deep and enduring adjustment problems during adolescence. This study aims to further clarify this relation by demonstrating what has long been posited by parental acceptance/rejection theory but never validated empirically-namely that adolescents' unique or subjective experience of parental rejection independently informs their future adjustment. Among a longitudinal, multi-informant sample of 161 families (early adolescents were 47 % female and 40 % European American) this study utilized a multitrait-multimethod confirmatory factor analysis to isolate for each early adolescent-parent dyad, the adolescent's distinct view of parental rejection (i.e., the adolescent unique perspective) from the portion of his or her view that overlaps with his or her parent's view. The findings indicated that adolescents' unique perspectives of maternal rejection were not differentiated from their unique perspectives of paternal rejection. Also, consistent with parental acceptance-rejection theory, early adolescents' unique perspectives of parental rejection were associated with worse adjustment (internalizing and externalizing) 1 year later. This study further demonstrates the utility and validity of the multitrait-multimethod confirmatory factor analysis approach for identifying and examining adolescent unique perspectives. Both conceptually and analytically, this study also integrates research focused on unique perspectives with a distinct but related line of research focused on discrepancies in perspectives.

Psychopathic Traits of Dutch Adolescents in Residential Care: Identifying Subgroups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nijhof, Karin S.; Vermulst, Ad; Scholte, Ron H. J.; van Dam, Coleta; Veerman, Jan Willem; Engels, Rutger C. M. E.

2011-01-01

The present study examined whether a sample of 214 (52.8% male, M age = 15.76, SD = 1.29) institutionalized adolescents could be classified into subgroups based on psychopathic traits. Confirmatory Factor Analyses revealed a relationship between the subscales of the Youth Psychopathic traits Inventory (YPI) and the three latent constructs of the…

A Confirmatory Approach to Examining the Factor Structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ): A Large Scale Cohort Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niclasen, Janni; Skovgaard, Anne Mette; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Somhovd, Mikael Julius; Obel, Carsten

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) using a Structural Confirmatory Factor Analytic approach. The Danish translation of the SDQ was distributed to 71,840 parents and teachers of 5-7 and 10-12-year-old boys and girls from four large scale cohorts. Three theoretical models…

Adolescents' perception of parental feeding practices: Adaptation and validation of the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire for Brazilian adolescents—The CFPQ-Teen

PubMed Central

Piccoli, Ângela Bein; Neiva-Silva, Lucas; Mosmann, Clarisse Pereira; Musher-Eizenman, Dara; Pellanda, Lucia C.

2017-01-01

Background Parental feeding practices may play a key role in dietary habits and nutritional status of adolescents, but research from adolescents’ point of view on this topic is scarce. Objective To adapt and validate an instrument of parental feeding practices as perceived by adolescents in a Brazilian setting. Methods The Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire was translated into Portuguese and adapted to be answered by adolescents (ages 12 to 18). Content analysis and FACE validity to assess cultural equivalence was undertaken by experts in the adolescent nutritional and psychological fields. Pilot study was evaluated in 23 adolescents. The final version was administered to 41 students to assess instrument reproducibility (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient). Internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha) and construct validity (Confirmatory Factor Analysis) were assessed in a third sample of 307 adolescents. Results Experts and adolescents considered content validity as appropriate. In reproducibility analysis (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient), 10 of the 12 factors were above 0.7. The factors “teaching about nutrition” and “food as reward” obtained values of 0.60 and 0.68, respectively. The Cronbach's Alpha of the whole scale was 0.83 and alphas for subscales ranged from 0.52 to 0.85; the factors “teaching about nutrition” and “food as a reward” had the lowest values (0.52). After removing these two factors, the Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated that the structural model was appropriate. The final scale was made up of 10 factors with 43 questions. Conclusions The Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire-Teen demonstrates validity and reliability, and is a suitable tool to evaluate the perceptions of adolescents regarding parental feeding practices. PMID:29145485

Factor analysis of the adolescent version of the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q): results from Swedish general population and clinical samples.

PubMed

Forsén Mantilla, Emma; Birgegård, Andreas; Clinton, David

2017-01-01

Although the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) is perhaps the single most widely used self-report measure of eating disorder (ED) symptoms, important questions remain about its validity and applicability in relation to particular groups of individuals, especially adolescents of both genders. The present study investigated the factor structure of the adolescent version of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) in samples of Swedish girls and boys from the general population and girls with a diagnosed eating disorder. Girls ( N  = 239) and boys ( N  = 248) aged between 13 and 15 years who were attending school, and girls ( N  = 570) aged between 12 and 14 years who were in treatment for an eating disorder at a specialist eating disorder clinic were assessed on the adolescent version of the EDE-Q. The adolescent version of the EDE-Q demonstrated satisfactory levels of internal consistency. However, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) failed to support the four-factor model of the EDE-Q. Parallel analysis (PA) and subsequent exploratory factor analysis (EFA) suggested that the adolescent version of the EDE-Q comprises one underlying factor in young adolescent girls (both clinical and general population), centred on Dissatisfaction with Shape and Weight. In boys three factors were found: Weight-related Concerns, Body Discomfort and Restraint. The EDE-Q appears to measure different underlying aspects of eating disorder psychopathology in young teenagers compared to adults. The dimensions underlying disordered eating in young girls may become increasingly differentiated with time. There appear to be important gender-based differences in the dimensions underlying the EDE-Q in young teenagers. Therapists should be alert to beliefs that girls have about the importance of shape and weight, while in boys it may be more important to be attentive to how they feel about their bodies in relation to weight.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis on the Big 5 Personality Test Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamarulzaman, Wirawani; Nordin, Mohamad Sahari

2012-01-01

This paper is intended to examine the validity of Big 5 Personality test inventory of 44 questions with 5-Likert Scale measurement. Confirmatory factory analysis (CFA) was conducted to determine the good fit indices of the 5 personality types. Those types are 1) extraversion, 2) agreeableness, 3) conscientiousness, 4) openness and 5) neuroticism.…

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Appraisal of Self-Care Agency Scale - Revised 1

PubMed Central

Stacciarini, Thaís Santos Guerra; Pace, Ana Emilia

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the factor structure of the Appraisal of Self-Care Agency Scale-Revised (ASAS-R), adapted for Brazil. Method: methodological study conducted with 150 individuals with diabetes mellitus cared for by the Family Health Strategy, most of whom are elderly with low educational levels. The test of the hypothesis concerning the confirmatory factor composition of the ASAS-R was performed using latent variables structural equations. Results: the model’s goodness-of-fit indexes were satisfactory (χ2 = 259.19; χ2/g.l = 2.97, p < 0.001; GFI = 0.85; RMR = 0.07; RMSEA = 0.09); the factor loads were greater than 0.40; and most item-to-factor-correlations presented moderate to strong magnitude (0.34 to 0.58); total alpha value was 0.74, while the alpha of the three factors were 0.69, 0.38 and 0.69, respectively. Conclusion: the scale’s factor structure presented satisfactory validity and reliability results, with the exception of one factor. Application of this scale to samples of the general population is desirable in order to strengthen analyses of internal consistency and the dimensionality of the factor structure. This study is expected to contribute to further studies addressing the self-care agency construct and the development of the ASAS-R. PMID:28146182

Development and Validation of the Pediatric Diabetes Routines Questionnaire for Adolescents.

PubMed

Pierce, Jessica S; Jordan, Sara S; Arnau, Randolph C

2018-04-06

This study describes the development and psychometric evaluation of an adolescent self-report version of the Pediatric Diabetes Routines Questionnaire (PDRQ:A), a measure of diabetes-specific routines for youth with type 1 diabetes, and further validation of the parent-version (PDRQ:P) in an adolescent sample. Participants included 120 parent-adolescent dyads (ages 12-17) and an additional 24 parents who completed measures of diabetes-specific adolescent routines, general adolescent routines, diabetes self-care, and family support of youth diabetes care. The PDRQ:P/A demonstrated good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and parent-child agreement, and adequate validity coefficients. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a one-factor model. Promising results were obtained. The PDRQ:P/A is a clinically feasible parent- and self-report measure that can provide valuable information regarding how frequently adolescents engage in their diabetes management tasks in a consistent manner. Addition of an adolescent report format will enhance the utility of the measure for clinical and research use.

External validity of a hierarchical dimensional model of child and adolescent psychopathology: Tests using confirmatory factor analyses and multivariate behavior genetic analyses.

PubMed

Waldman, Irwin D; Poore, Holly E; van Hulle, Carol; Rathouz, Paul J; Lahey, Benjamin B

2016-11-01

Several recent studies of the hierarchical phenotypic structure of psychopathology have identified a General psychopathology factor in addition to the more expected specific Externalizing and Internalizing dimensions in both youth and adult samples and some have found relevant unique external correlates of this General factor. We used data from 1,568 twin pairs (599 MZ & 969 DZ) age 9 to 17 to test hypotheses for the underlying structure of youth psychopathology and the external validity of the higher-order factors. Psychopathology symptoms were assessed via structured interviews of caretakers and youth. We conducted phenotypic analyses of competing structural models using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and used Structural Equation Modeling and multivariate behavior genetic analyses to understand the etiology of the higher-order factors and their external validity. We found that both a General factor and specific Externalizing and Internalizing dimensions are necessary for characterizing youth psychopathology at both the phenotypic and etiologic levels, and that the 3 higher-order factors differed substantially in the magnitudes of their underlying genetic and environmental influences. Phenotypically, the specific Externalizing and Internalizing dimensions were slightly negatively correlated when a General factor was included, which reflected a significant inverse correlation between the nonshared environmental (but not genetic) influences on Internalizing and Externalizing. We estimated heritability of the general factor of psychopathology for the first time. Its moderate heritability suggests that it is not merely an artifact of measurement error but a valid construct. The General, Externalizing, and Internalizing factors differed in their relations with 3 external validity criteria: mother's smoking during pregnancy, parent's harsh discipline, and the youth's association with delinquent peers. Multivariate behavior genetic analyses supported the external validity

Psychometric properties of the Dresden Body Image Questionnaire: A multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis across sex and age in a Dutch non-clinical sample

PubMed Central

Scheffers, Mia; van Duijn, Marijtje A. J.; Bosscher, Ruud J.; Wiersma, Durk; Schoevers, Robert A.; van Busschbach, Jooske T.

2017-01-01

Background Body image has implications for psychosocial functioning and quality of life and its disturbance is reported in a broad range of psychiatric disorders. In view of the lack of instruments in Dutch measuring body image as a broad concept, we set out to make an instrument available that reflects the multidimensional character of this construct by including more dimensions than physical appearance. The Dresden Körperbildfragebogen (DBIQ, Dresden Body Image Questionnaire) particularly served this purpose. The DBIQ consists of 35 items and five subscales: body acceptance, sexual fulfillment, physical contact, vitality, and self-aggrandizement. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Dutch translation of the Dresden Body Image Questionnaire (DBIQ-NL) in a non-clinical sample. Methods The psychometric properties of the DBIQ-NL were examined in a non-clinical sample of 988 respondents aged between 18 and 65. We investigated the subscales' internal consistency and test-retest reliability. In order to establish construct validity we evaluated the association with a related construct, body cathexis, and with indices of self-esteem and psychological wellbeing. The factor structure of the DBIQ-NL was examined via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The equivalence of the measurement model across sex and age was evaluated by multiplegroup confirmatory factor analyses. Results Confirmatory factor analyses showed a structure in accordance with the original scale, where model fit was improved significantly by moving one item to another subscale. Multiple group confirmatory factor analysis across sex and age demonstrated partial strong invariance. Internal consistency was good with little overlap between the subscales. Temporal reliability and construct validity were satisfactory. Conclusion Results indicate that the DBIQ-NL is a reliable and valid instrument for non-clinical subjects. This provides a sound basis for

Scenes for Social Information Processing in Adolescence: Item and factor analytic procedures for psychometric appraisal.

PubMed

Vagos, Paula; Rijo, Daniel; Santos, Isabel M

2016-04-01

Relatively little is known about measures used to investigate the validity and applications of social information processing theory. The Scenes for Social Information Processing in Adolescence includes items built using a participatory approach to evaluate the attribution of intent, emotion intensity, response evaluation, and response decision steps of social information processing. We evaluated a sample of 802 Portuguese adolescents (61.5% female; mean age = 16.44 years old) using this instrument. Item analysis and exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic procedures were used for psychometric examination. Two measures for attribution of intent were produced, including hostile and neutral; along with 3 emotion measures, focused on negative emotional states; 8 response evaluation measures; and 4 response decision measures, including prosocial and impaired social behavior. All of these measures achieved good internal consistency values and fit indicators. Boys seemed to favor and choose overt and relational aggression behaviors more often; girls conveyed higher levels of neutral attribution, sadness, and assertiveness and passiveness. The Scenes for Social Information Processing in Adolescence achieved adequate psychometric results and seems a valuable alternative for evaluating social information processing, even if it is essential to continue investigation into its internal and external validity. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved.

Contextual Factors in Adolescent Substance Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hochhauser, Mark; And Others

Research on adolescent substance use has focused on prevalence and incidence; however, contextual factors have been largely ignored. A survey of 155 adolescents from a Minneapolis suburb was conducted to assess contextual factors affecting adolescent substance use. Subjects reported their use of alcohol, cigarettes, and marihuana with respect to…

The Nursing Performance Instrument: Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses in Registered Nurses.

PubMed

Sagherian, Knar; Steege, Linsey M; Geiger-Brown, Jeanne; Harrington, Donna

2018-04-01

The optimal performance of nurses in healthcare settings plays a critical role in care quality and patient safety. Despite this importance, few measures are provided in the literature that evaluate nursing performance as an independent construct from competencies. The nine-item Nursing Performance Instrument (NPI) was developed to fill this gap. The aim of this study was to examine and confirm the underlying factor structure of the NPI in registered nurses. The design was cross-sectional, using secondary data collected between February 2008 and April 2009 for the "Fatigue in Nursing Survey" (N = 797). The sample was predominantly dayshift female nurses working in acute care settings. Using Mplus software, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to the NPI data, which were divided into two equal subsamples. Multiple fit indices were used to evaluate the fit of the alternative models. The three-factor model was determined to fit the data adequately. The factors that were labeled as "physical/mental decrements," "consistent practice," and "behavioral change" were moderately to strongly intercorrelated, indicating good convergent validity. The reliability coefficients for the subscales were acceptable. The NPI consists of three latent constructs. This instrument has the potentialto be used as a self-monitoring instrument that addressesnurses' perceptions of performance while providing patient care.

Disorganized Behavior in Adolescent-Parent Interaction: Relations to Attachment State of Mind, Partner Abuse, and Psychopathology

PubMed Central

Obsuth, Ingrid; Hennighausen, Katherine; Brumariu, Laura E.; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen

2013-01-01

Disoriented, punitive, and caregiving/role-reversed attachment behaviors are associated with psychopathology in childhood but have not been assessed in adolescence. One hundred twenty low-income late adolescents (aged 18 – 23) and parents were assessed in a conflict-resolution paradigm. Their interactions were coded with the Goal-Corrected Partnership in Adolescence Coding Scales. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the three disorganized constructs (punitive, care-giving, and disoriented interaction) were best represented as distinct factors and were separable from a fourth factor for collaboration. The four factors were then assessed in relation to measures of attachment disorganization, partner abuse, and psychopathology. Results indicate that forms of disorganized behavior first described in early childhood can also be reliably assessed in adolescence and are associated with maladaptive outcomes across multiple domains. PMID:23621826

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Burnout Dimensions: Correlations with Job Stressors and Aspects of Social Support and Job Satisfaction

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-02-01

1986) revision of the Maslach and Jackson (1981) Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Results of confirmatory factor analyses conducted on data... Maslach organizational issues: depersonalization was and Jackson (1981) Maslach Burnout Inventory related to decision-making policies, personal (MBI). The...manage- (1989). The dimensionality of a modified ment interventions to respond to different mani- form of the Maslach Burnout Inventory for festations

Testing the dimensional structure of DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in a nonclinical trauma-exposed adolescent sample.

PubMed

Liu, Liyong; Wang, Li; Cao, Chengqi; Qing, Yulan; Armour, Cherie

2016-02-01

The current study investigated the underlying dimensionality of DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a trauma-exposed Chinese adolescent sample using a confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) alternative model approach. The sample consisted of 559 students (242 females and 314 males) ranging in age from 12 to 18 years (M = 15.8, SD = 1.3). Participants completed the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, the Major Depression Disorder and Panic Disorder subscales of the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Aggressive Behavior subscale of the Youth Self-Report. Confirmatory factor analytic results indicated that a seven-factor model comprised of intrusion, avoidance, negative affect, anhedonia, externalizing behavior, anxious arousal, and dysphoric arousal factors emerged as the best-fitting model. Further analyses showed that the external measures of psychopathological variables including major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and aggressive behavior were differentially associated with the resultant factors. These findings support and extend previous findings for the newly refined seven-factor hybrid model, and carry clinical and research implications for trauma-related psychopathology. © 2015 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Common Genetic Influences on Negative Emotionality and a General Psychopathology Factor in Childhood and Adolescence

PubMed Central

Tackett, Jennifer L.; Lahey, Benjamin B.; Hulle, Carol Van; Waldman, Irwin; Krueger, Robert F.; Rathouz, Paul J.

2014-01-01

Previous research using confirmatory factor analysis to model psychopathology comorbidity supported the hypothesis of a broad general factor (i.e., a “bifactor”; Holzinger & Swineford, 1937) of psychopathology in children, adolescents, and adults, with more specific higher-order internalizing and externalizing factors reflecting additional shared variance in symptoms (Lahey et al., 2012; Lahey, Van Hulle, Singh, Waldman, & Rathouz, 2011). The psychological nature of this general factor has not been explored, however. The current study tests a prediction derived from the spectrum hypothesis of personality and psychopathology, that variance in a general psychopathology bifactor overlaps substantially—at both phenotypic and genetic levels—with the dispositional trait of negative emotionality. Data on psychopathology symptoms and dispositional traits were collected from both parents and youth in a representative sample of 1,569 twin pairs (ages 9–17) from Tennessee. Predictions based on the spectrum hypothesis were supported, with variance in negative emotionality and the general factor overlapping substantially at both phenotypic and etiologic levels. Furthermore, stronger correlations were found between negative emotionality and the general psychopathology factor than among other dispositions and other psychopathology factors. PMID:24364617

Common genetic influences on negative emotionality and a general psychopathology factor in childhood and adolescence.

PubMed

Tackett, Jennifer L; Lahey, Benjamin B; van Hulle, Carol; Waldman, Irwin; Krueger, Robert F; Rathouz, Paul J

2013-11-01

Previous research using confirmatory factor analysis to model psychopathology comorbidity has supported the hypothesis of a broad general factor (i.e., a "bifactor"; Holzinger & Swineford, 1937) of psychopathology in children, adolescents, and adults, with more specific higher order internalizing and externalizing factors reflecting additional shared variance in symptoms (Lahey et al., 2012; Lahey, van Hulle, Singh, Waldman, & Rathouz, 2011). The psychological nature of this general factor has not been explored, however. The current study tested a prediction, derived from the spectrum hypothesis of personality and psychopathology, that variance in a general psychopathology bifactor overlaps substantially-at both phenotypic and genetic levels-with the dispositional trait of negative emotionality. Data on psychopathology symptoms and dispositional traits were collected from both parents and youth in a representative sample of 1,569 twin pairs (ages 9-17 years) from Tennessee. Predictions based on the spectrum hypothesis were supported, with variance in negative emotionality and the general factor overlapping substantially at both phenotypic and etiologic levels. Furthermore, stronger correlations were found between negative emotionality and the general psychopathology factor than among other dispositions and other psychopathology factors. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Psychometric validation of the Columbia-Suicide Severity rating scale in Spanish-speaking adolescents.

PubMed

Serrani Azcurra, Daniel

2017-12-30

Adolescent suicide is a major public health issue, and early and accurate detection is of great concern. There are many reliable instruments for this purpose, such as the Columbia-Suicide severity rating scale (C-SSRS), but no validation exists for Spanish speaking Latin American adolescents. To assess psychometric properties and cut-off scores of the C-SSRS in Spanish speaking adolescents. Exploratory assessment with principal component analysis (PCA) and Varimax rotation, and confirmatory analysis (CFA) were performed on two groups with 782 and 834 participants respectively (N=1616). Mean age was 24.8 years. A Receiver operator analysis was applied to distinguish between control and suicide-risk subgroups adolescents. Promax rotation yielded two 10-items factors, for suicide ideation and behavior respectively. C-SSRS was positively correlated with other suicide risk scales, such as Beck Depression Inventory-II, Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, or PHQ-9. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded a two-factor solution as the best goodness of fit model. C-SSRS showed adequate ability to detect suicide risk group with positive predictive value of 68.3%. ROC analyses showed cutoff scores of ≥ 6 and ≥ 4 for suicide ideation and behavior scales respectively. This research offers data supporting psychometric validity and reliability of C-SSRS in nonclinical Spanish-speaking students. Added benefits are flexible scoring and management easiness. This questionnaire yields data on distinct aspects of suicidality, being more parsimonious than separate administration of a bunch of questionnaires.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the "World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire--Brief Version" for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Susan M.; Chan, Fong; Ferrin, James M.; Lin, Chen-Ping; Chan, Jacob Y. C.

2008-01-01

This study examined the factorial structure of the "World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire--Brief Version" in a community sample of Canadians with spinal cord injuries. A confirmatory factor analysis provides evidence that the instrument is a multidimensional measure of quality of life. Additionally, the questionnaire is…

Adolescent mental health as a risk factor for adolescent smoking onset

PubMed Central

Hockenberry, Jason M; Timmons, Edward J; Weg, Mark W Vander

2011-01-01

Smoking continues to be a leading cause of preventable deaths and rates of trying cigarettes and progression to daily smoking among adolescents continues to remain high. A plethora of risk factors for smoking among adolescents has been addressed in the research literature. One that is gaining particular interest is the relationship between adolescent mental health and smoking (both initiation and progression). This paper reviews the evidence for adolescent mental health as a risk factor for cigarette smoking. We focus on the specific mental health conditions that have been more thoroughly addressed as possible risk factors in community-dwelling adolescents. We discuss the multiple hypotheses that have been posited as to the nature of the relationship between adolescent mental health and smoking, as well as detailing so called third factors that may account for the observed relationship. We highlight the contribution of the existing studies to the body of knowledge on this topic, as well as the limitations and open questions that remain as a result. We conclude with discussion of a broad research agenda going forward. PMID:24600273

Activities and Accomplishments in Various Domains: Relationships with Creative Personality and Creative Motivation in Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Eunsook; Peng, Yun; O'Neil, Harold F., Jr.

2014-01-01

This study examined relationships between five personal traits and adolescents' creative activities and accomplishments in five domains--music, visual arts, creative writing, science, and technology. Participants were 439 tenth graders (220 males and 219 females) in China. The relationships were examined using confirmatory factor analysis.…

Decision-Making Style among Adolescents: Relationship with Sensation Seeking and Locus of Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baiocco, Roberto; Laghi, Fiorenzo; D'Alessio, Maria

2009-01-01

The principal aim of the study was to examine the psychometric properties and construct validity of the General Decision-Making Scale (GDMS) in a sample of 700 adolescents (aged 15-19 years). Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses provide evidence for a solid five-dimension structure reflecting the theorized construct: rational, intuitive,…

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Structure in Chinese Adolescents Exposed to a Deadly Earthquake

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Li; Long, Di; Li, Zhongquan; Armour, Cherie

2011-01-01

This present study examined the structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a large sample of Chinese adolescents exposed to a deadly earthquake. A total of 2,800 middle school students aged 12 to 18 years participated in the study 6 months after the "Wenchuan Earthquake". Results of confirmatory factor analysis…

Confirmatory Analysis of Simultaneous, Sequential, and Achievement Factors on the K-ABC at 11 Age Levels Ranging from 2 1/2 to 12 1/2 years.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willson, Victor L.; And Others

1985-01-01

Presents results of confirmatory factor analysis of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for children which is based on the underlying theoretical model of sequential, simultaneous, and achievement factors. Found support for the two-factor, simultaneous and sequential processing model. (MCF)

Autonomy and Relatedness in Inner-City Families of Substance Abusing Adolescents.

PubMed

Samuolis, Jessica; Hogue, Aaron; Dauber, Sarah; Liddle, Howard A

2006-01-01

This study examined parent-adolescent autonomous-relatedness functioning in inner-city, ethnic minority families of adolescents exhibiting drug abuse and related problem behaviors. Seventy-four parent-adolescent dyads completed a structured interaction task prior to the start of treatment that was coded using an established autonomous-relatedness measure. Adolescent drug use, externalizing, and internalizing behaviors were assessed. Parents and adolescents completed assessment instruments measuring parenting style and family conflict. Confirmatory factor analysis found significant differences in the underlying dimensions of parent and adolescent autonomous-relatedness in this sample versus previous samples. It was also found that autonomous-relatedness was associated with worse adolescent symptomatology and family impairment. Results based on both self-report and observational measures contribute to the understanding of key family constructs in this population and provide insight for both researchers and the treatment community.

Autonomy and Relatedness in Inner-City Families of Substance Abusing Adolescents

PubMed Central

Samuolis, Jessica; Hogue, Aaron; Dauber, Sarah; Liddle, Howard A.

2010-01-01

This study examined parent-adolescent autonomous-relatedness functioning in inner-city, ethnic minority families of adolescents exhibiting drug abuse and related problem behaviors. Seventy-four parent-adolescent dyads completed a structured interaction task prior to the start of treatment that was coded using an established autonomous-relatedness measure. Adolescent drug use, externalizing, and internalizing behaviors were assessed. Parents and adolescents completed assessment instruments measuring parenting style and family conflict. Confirmatory factor analysis found significant differences in the underlying dimensions of parent and adolescent autonomous-relatedness in this sample versus previous samples. It was also found that autonomous-relatedness was associated with worse adolescent symptomatology and family impairment. Results based on both self-report and observational measures contribute to the understanding of key family constructs in this population and provide insight for both researchers and the treatment community. PMID:20376203

[Psychometric properties of the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2) in adolescents].

PubMed

Salbach-Andrae, Harriet; Schneider, Nora; Bürger, Arne; Pfeiffer, Ernst; Lehmkuhl, Ulrike; Holzhausen, Martin

2010-05-01

The present study examines the psychometric properties of the German version of the Eating Disorder Inventory EDI-2 (1997) in 371 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years. Internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity were examined and a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. Internal consistency was high for the group of patients and satisfactory for both control groups. Associations with other clinical instruments point in the expected direction and support the external validity of the EDI-2. The EDI-2 differentiated very well between the group of eating disorder patients (n=71) and the female (n=150) and male control groups (n=150). A discriminant analysis demonstrated that 86.0% of the cases were correctly classified, and a confirmatory factor analysis largely supported the six-factor structure generated by the German version of the EDI-2 (Thiel et al., 1997).

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale in black and white dementia caregivers.

PubMed

Flynn Longmire, Crystal V; Knight, Bob G

2010-11-01

In order to better understand if measurement problems underlie the inconsistent findings that exist regarding differences in depression levels between Black and White caregivers, this study examined the factor structure and invariance of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) Scale. A confirmatory factor analysis of the 20-item CES-D was performed on a sample of 167 Black and 214 White family caregivers of older adults with dementia from Los Angeles County. The relationships between the 20 items and the four factors, as well as the relationships among each of the factors, were equivalent across both caregiver groups, indicating that the four-factor model fit the data for both the racial groups. These findings offer further evidence that the standard four-factor model is the best fitting model for the CES-D and is invariant across racial groups.

Development and psychometric properties of the Suicidality of Adolescent Screening Scale (SASS) using Multidimensional Item Response Theory.

PubMed

Sukhawaha, Supattra; Arunpongpaisal, Suwanna; Hurst, Cameron

2016-09-30

Suicide prevention in adolescents by early detection using screening tools to identify high suicidal risk is a priority. Our objective was to build a multidimensional scale namely "Suicidality of Adolescent Screening Scale (SASS)" to identify adolescents at risk of suicide. An initial pool of items was developed by using in-depth interview, focus groups and a literature review. Initially, 77 items were administered to 307 adolescents and analyzed using the exploratory Multidimensional Item Response Theory (MIRT) to remove unnecessary items. A subsequent exploratory factor analysis revealed 35 items that collected into 4 factors: Stressors, Pessimism, Suicidality and Depression. To confirm this structure, a new sample of 450 adolescents were collected and confirmatory MIRT factor analysis was performed. The resulting scale was shown to be both construct valid and able to discriminate well between adolescents that had, and hadn't previous attempted suicide. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confirmation of the Three-Factor Model of Problematic Internet Use on Off-Line Adolescent and Adult Samples

PubMed Central

Koronczai, Beatrix; Urbán, Róbert; Kökönyei, Gyöngyi; Paksi, Borbála; Papp, Krisztina; Kun, Bernadette; Arnold, Petra; Kállai, János

2011-01-01

Abstract As the Internet became widely used, problems associated with its excessive use became increasingly apparent. Although for the assessment of these problems several models and related questionnaires have been elaborated, there has been little effort made to confirm them. The aim of the present study was to test the three-factor model of the previously created Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ) by data collection methods formerly not applied (off-line group and face-to-face settings), on the one hand, and by testing on different age groups (adolescent and adult representative samples), on the other hand. Data were collected from 438 high-school students (44.5 percent boys; mean age: 16.0 years; standard deviation=0.7 years) and also from 963 adults (49.9 percent males; mean age: 33.6 years; standard deviation=11.8 years). We applied confirmatory factor analysis to confirm the measurement model of problematic Internet use. The results of the analyses carried out inevitably support the original three-factor model over the possible one-factor solution. Using latent profile analysis, we identified 11 percent of adults and 18 percent of adolescent users characterized by problematic use. Based on exploratory factor analysis, we also suggest a short form of the PIUQ consisting of nine items. Both the original 18-item version of PIUQ and its short 9-item form have satisfactory reliability and validity characteristics, and thus, they are suitable for the assessment of problematic Internet use in future studies. PMID:21711129

Confirmation of the three-factor model of problematic internet use on off-line adolescent and adult samples.

PubMed

Koronczai, Beatrix; Urbán, Róbert; Kökönyei, Gyöngyi; Paksi, Borbála; Papp, Krisztina; Kun, Bernadette; Arnold, Petra; Kállai, János; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2011-11-01

As the Internet became widely used, problems associated with its excessive use became increasingly apparent. Although for the assessment of these problems several models and related questionnaires have been elaborated, there has been little effort made to confirm them. The aim of the present study was to test the three-factor model of the previously created Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ) by data collection methods formerly not applied (off-line group and face-to-face settings), on the one hand, and by testing on different age groups (adolescent and adult representative samples), on the other hand. Data were collected from 438 high-school students (44.5 percent boys; mean age: 16.0 years; standard deviation=0.7 years) and also from 963 adults (49.9 percent males; mean age: 33.6 years; standard deviation=11.8 years). We applied confirmatory factor analysis to confirm the measurement model of problematic Internet use. The results of the analyses carried out inevitably support the original three-factor model over the possible one-factor solution. Using latent profile analysis, we identified 11 percent of adults and 18 percent of adolescent users characterized by problematic use. Based on exploratory factor analysis, we also suggest a short form of the PIUQ consisting of nine items. Both the original 18-item version of PIUQ and its short 9-item form have satisfactory reliability and validity characteristics, and thus, they are suitable for the assessment of problematic Internet use in future studies.

Alternative Factor Models and Heritability of the Short Leyton Obsessional Inventory--Children's Version

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Janette; Smith, Gillian W.; Shevlin, Mark; O'Neill, Francis A.

2010-01-01

An alternative models framework was used to test three confirmatory factor analytic models for the Short Leyton Obsessional Inventory-Children's Version (Short LOI-CV) in a general population sample of 517 young adolescent twins (11-16 years). A one-factor model as implicit in current classification systems of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD),…

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Chinese Breast Cancer Screening Beliefs Questionnaire.

PubMed

Kwok, Cannas; Fethney, Judith; White, Kate

2012-01-01

Chinese women have been consistently reported as having low breast cancer screening practices. The Chinese Breast Cancer Screening Beliefs Questionnaire (CBCSB) was designed to assess Chinese Australian women's beliefs, knowledge, and attitudes toward breast cancer and screening practices. The objectives of the study were to confirm the factor structure of the CBCSB with a new, larger sample of immigrant Chinese Australian women and to report its clinical validity. A convenience sample of 785 Chinese Australian women was recruited from Chinese community organizations and shopping malls. Cronbach α was used to assess internal consistency reliability, and Amos v18 was used for confirmatory factor analysis. Clinical validity was assessed through linear regression using SPSS v18. The 3-factor structure of the CBCSB was confirmed, although the model required respecification to arrive at a suitable model fit as measured by the goodness-of-fit index (0.98), adjusted goodness-of-fit index (0.97), normed fit index (0.95), and root mean square error of approximation (0.031). Internal consistency reliability coefficients were satisfactory (>.6). Women who engaged in all 3 types of screening had more proactive attitudes to health checkups and perceived less barriers to mammographic screening. The CBCSB is a valid and reliable tool for assessing Chinese women's beliefs, knowledge, and attitudes about breast cancer and breast cancer screening practices. The CBCSB can be used for providing practicing nurses with insights into the provision of culturally sensitive breast health education.

Adolescent Risk Factors for Child Maltreatment

PubMed Central

Matsuda, Mauri; Greenman, Sarah J.; Augustyn, Megan Bears; Henry, Kimberly L.; Smith, Carolyn A.; Ireland, Timothy O.

2014-01-01

We investigate adolescent risk factors, measured at both early and late adolescence, for involvement in child maltreatment during adulthood. Comprehensive assessments of risk factors for maltreatment that use representative samples with longitudinal data are scarce and can inform multilevel prevention. We use data from the Rochester Youth Development Study, a longitudinal study begun in 1988 with a sample of 1,000 seventh and eighth graders. Participants have been interviewed 14 times and, at the last assessment (age 31), 80% were retained. Risk factors represent 10 developmental domains: area characteristics, family background/structure, parent stressors, exposure to family violence, parent-child relationships, education, peer relationships, adolescent stressors, antisocial behaviors, and precocious transitions to adulthood. Maltreatment is measured by substantiated reports from Child Protective Services records. Many individual risk factors (20 at early adolescence and 14 at later adolescence) are significantly, albeit moderately, predictive of maltreatment. Several developmental domains stand out, including family background/structure, education, antisocial behaviors, and precocious transitions. In addition, there is a pronounced impact of cumulative risk on the likelihood of maltreatment. For example, only 3% of the youth with no risk domains in their background at early adolescence were involved in later maltreatment, but for those with risk in 9 developmental domains the rate was 45%. Prevention programs targeting youth at high risk for engaging in maltreatment should begin during early adolescence when risk factors are already at play. These programs need to be comprehensive, capable of addressing the multiple and interwoven nature of risk that is associated with maltreatment. PMID:24075569

Assessing organizational implementation context in the education sector: confirmatory factor analysis of measures of implementation leadership, climate, and citizenship.

PubMed

Lyon, Aaron R; Cook, Clayton R; Brown, Eric C; Locke, Jill; Davis, Chayna; Ehrhart, Mark; Aarons, Gregory A

2018-01-08

A substantial literature has established the role of the inner organizational setting on the implementation of evidence-based practices in community contexts, but very little of this research has been extended to the education sector, one of the most common settings for the delivery of mental and behavioral health services to children and adolescents. The current study examined the factor structure, psychometric properties, and interrelations of an adapted set of pragmatic organizational instruments measuring key aspects of the organizational implementation context in schools: (1) strategic implementation leadership, (2) strategic implementation climate, and (3) implementation citizenship behavior. The Implementation Leadership Scale (ILS), Implementation Climate Scale (ICS), and Implementation Citizenship Behavior Scale (ICBS) were adapted by a research team that included the original scale authors and experts in the implementation of evidence-based practices in schools. These instruments were then administered to a geographically representative sample (n = 196) of school-based mental/behavioral health consultants to assess the reliability and structural validity via a series of confirmatory factor analyses. Overall, the original factor structures for the ILS, ICS, and ICBS were confirmed in the current sample. The one exception was poor functioning of the Rewards subscale of the ICS, which was removed in the final ICS model. Correlations among the revised measures, evaluated as part of an overarching model of the organizational implementation context, indicated both unique and shared variance. The current analyses suggest strong applicability of the revised instruments to implementation of evidence-based mental and behavioral practices in the education sector. The one poorly functioning subscale (Rewards on the ICS) was attributed to typical educational policies that do not allow for individual financial incentives to personnel. Potential directions for

Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A): measuring social anxiety among Finnish adolescents.

PubMed

Ranta, Klaus; Junttila, Niina; Laakkonen, Eero; Uhmavaara, Anni; La Greca, Annette M; Niemi, Päivi M

2012-08-01

The aim of this study was to investigate symptoms of social anxiety and the psychometric properties of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) among Finnish adolescents, 13-16 years of age. Study 1 (n = 867) examined the distribution of SAS-A scores according to gender and age, and the internal consistency and factor structure of the SAS-A. In a subsample (n = 563; Study 2) concurrent and discriminant validity of the SAS-A were examined relative to the Social Phobia Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory. Test-retest stability was examined over a 30-month period by repeated measures every 6 months in another subsample (n = 377; Study 3). Results mostly revealed no gender differences in social anxiety, except that boys reported more general social avoidance and distress than girls. Older adolescents (14-16-year-olds) reported higher social anxiety than younger adolescents (12-13-year-olds). Internal consistency for the SAS-A was acceptable for both genders and for all three SAS-A subscales. Confirmatory factor analysis replicated the original 18-item three-factor structure of the SAS-A, accounting for 61% of the variance between items. Evidence for concurrent and discriminant validity was found. Test-retest stability over 6 months was satisfactory. Results support the reliability and validity of the Finnish adaptation of the SAS-A, and further indicate that gender differences in adolescents' social anxiety may vary across Western countries.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of a Questionnaire Measure of Managerial Stigma Towards Employee Depression.

PubMed

Martin, Angela J; Giallo, Rebecca

2016-12-01

Managers' attitudes play a key role in how organizations respond to employees with depression. We examine the measurement properties of a questionnaire designed to assess managerial stigma towards employees with depression. Using data from a sample of 469 Australian managers representing a wide range of industries and work settings, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to assess three proposed subscales representing affective, cognitive and behavioural forms of stigma. Results were equivocal indicating acceptable fit for two-factor (affective and cognitive + behavioural), three-factor (affective, cognitive and behavioural) and higher order models. Failure to demonstrate the discriminant validity of the cognitive and behavioural dimensions, even though they are theoretically distinct, suggests that further work on the scale is warranted. These results provide an extension to the psychometric profile of this measure (exploratory factor analysis; Martin, ). Development of strategies to operationalize this construct will benefit occupational health research and practice, particularly in interventions that aim to reduce the stigma of mental health issues in the workplace or where managers' attitudes are a key mechanism in intervention efficacy. We encourage future research on this measure pertaining in particular to further enhancing all aspects of its construct validity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Adolescent self-harm and risk factors.

PubMed

Zhang, Jixiang; Song, Jianwei; Wang, Jing

2016-12-01

This study aims to define the characteristics of adolescents who have engaged in self-harm behavior and ascertain the risk factors. From January 2013 to January 2014, 4,176 adolescents from senior middle schools in Linyi, China, were administered four questionnaire surveys to ascertain the following: incidence of self-harm behavior regarding the frequency of different self-harm behaviors by group (never/one to five times/greater than five times in the last 6 months) and then comparing the self-harm behavior of the different subgroups; symptom self-check, comparing the differences between the adolescents with self-harm behavior and without in nine subscales (somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, fear, paranoid, and psychosis); Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check List scores; and Egna Minnenav Barndoms Uppfostran (EMBU) scores. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors of self-harm in adolescents. The incidence of adolescent self-harm was 27.60%; the occurrence of adolescent self-harm was closely related to their mental health status, stressful life events, and EMBU. Being female, an urban student, or an only child; having poor school performance or experiences of stressful life events, harsh parenting styles, or excessive interference; and poor mental health were the risk factors for adolescent self-harm. The incidence of adolescent self-harm was high, and their mental health status, stressful life events, and EMBU affected the occurrence of adolescent self-harm, which is an issue that needs greater attention. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Testing Structural Models of DSM-IV Symptoms of Common Forms of Child and Adolescent Psychopathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lahey, Benjamin B.; Rathouz, Paul J.; Van Hulle, Carol; Urbano, Richard C.; Krueger, Robert F.; Applegate, Brooks; Garriock, Holly A.; Chapman, Derek A.; Waldman, Irwin D.

2008-01-01

Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted of "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders", Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) symptoms of common mental disorders derived from structured interviews of a representative sample of 4,049 twin children and adolescents and their adult caretakers. A dimensional model based on the assignment of symptoms…

An Evaluation on Factors Influencing Decision making for Malaysia Disaster Management: The Confirmatory Factor Analysis Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubir, S. N. A.; Thiruchelvam, S.; Mustapha, K. N. M.; Che Muda, Z.; Ghazali, A.; Hakimie, H.

2017-12-01

For the past few years, natural disaster has been the subject of debate in disaster management especially in flood disaster. Each year, natural disaster results in significant loss of life, destruction of homes and public infrastructure, and economic hardship. Hence, an effective and efficient flood disaster management would assure non-futile efforts for life saving. The aim of this article is to examine the relationship between approach, decision maker, influence factor, result, and ethic to decision making for flood disaster management in Malaysia. The key elements of decision making in the disaster management were studied based on the literature. Questionnaire surveys were administered among lead agencies at East Coast of Malaysia in the state of Kelantan and Pahang. A total of 307 valid responses had been obtained for further analysis. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were carried out to analyse the measurement model involved in the study. The CFA for second-order reflective and first-order reflective measurement model indicates that approach, decision maker, influence factor, result, and ethic have a significant and direct effect on decision making during disaster. The results from this study showed that decision- making during disaster is an important element for disaster management to necessitate a successful collaborative decision making. The measurement model is accepted to proceed with further analysis known as Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and can be assessed for the future research.

Male Role Norms Inventory--Short Form (MRNI-SF): Development, Confirmatory Factor Analytic Investigation of Structure, and Measurement Invariance across Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levant, Ronald F.; Hall, Rosalie J.; Rankin, Thomas J.

2013-01-01

The current study reports the development from the Male Role Norms Inventory-Revised (MRNI-R; Levant, Rankin, Williams, Hasan, & Smalley, 2010) of the 21-item MRNI-Short Form (MRNI-SF). Confirmatory factor analysis of MRNI-SF responses from a sample of 1,017 undergraduate participants (549 men, 468 women) indicated that the best fitting "bifactor"…

Factor Structure of the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale in Turkish Early Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Ertugrul; Topkaya, Nursel

2015-01-01

Although the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS) is most often validated with the use of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on undergraduate students, exploratory factor analysis and multiple factor retention decision criteria necessitate the analysis of underlying factor structure to prevent over and under factoring as well as to reveal…

Psychometric validation of the Columbia-Suicide Severity rating scale in Spanish-speaking adolescents

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Adolescent suicide is a major public health issue, and early and accurate detection is of great concern. There are many reliable instruments for this purpose, such as the Columbia-Suicide severity rating scale (C-SSRS), but no validation exists for Spanish speaking Latin American adolescents. Objetive: To assess psychometric properties and cut-off scores of the C-SSRS in Spanish speaking adolescents. Methods: Exploratory assessment with principal component analysis (PCA) and Varimax rotation, and confirmatory analysis (CFA) were performed on two groups with 782 and 834 participants respectively (N=1616). Mean age was 24.8 years. A Receiver operator analysis was applied to distinguish between control and suicide-risk subgroups adolescents. Results: Promax rotation yielded two 10-items factors, for suicide ideation and behavior respectively. C-SSRS was positively correlated with other suicide risk scales, such as Beck Depression Inventory-II, Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, or PHQ-9. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded a two-factor solution as the best goodness of fit model. C-SSRS showed adequate ability to detect suicide risk group with positive predictive value of 68.3%. ROC analyses showed cutoff scores of ≥ 6 and ≥ 4 for suicide ideation and behavior scales respectively Conclusion: This research offers data supporting psychometric validity and reliability of C-SSRS in nonclinical Spanish-speaking students. Added benefits are flexible scoring and management easiness. This questionnaire yields data on distinct aspects of suicidality, being more parsimonious than separate administration of a bunch of questionnaires. PMID:29662259

Assessing an organizational culture instrument based on the Competing Values Framework: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses

PubMed Central

Helfrich, Christian D; Li, Yu-Fang; Mohr, David C; Meterko, Mark; Sales, Anne E

2007-01-01

Background The Competing Values Framework (CVF) has been widely used in health services research to assess organizational culture as a predictor of quality improvement implementation, employee and patient satisfaction, and team functioning, among other outcomes. CVF instruments generally are presented as well-validated with reliable aggregated subscales. However, only one study in the health sector has been conducted for the express purpose of validation, and that study population was limited to hospital managers from a single geographic locale. Methods We used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to examine the underlying structure of data from a CVF instrument. We analyzed cross-sectional data from a work environment survey conducted in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The study population comprised all staff in non-supervisory positions. The survey included 14 items adapted from a popular CVF instrument, which measures organizational culture according to four subscales: hierarchical, entrepreneurial, team, and rational. Results Data from 71,776 non-supervisory employees (approximate response rate 51%) from 168 VHA facilities were used in this analysis. Internal consistency of the subscales was moderate to strong (α = 0.68 to 0.85). However, the entrepreneurial, team, and rational subscales had higher correlations across subscales than within, indicating poor divergent properties. Exploratory factor analysis revealed two factors, comprising the ten items from the entrepreneurial, team, and rational subscales loading on the first factor, and two items from the hierarchical subscale loading on the second factor, along with one item from the rational subscale that cross-loaded on both factors. Results from confirmatory factor analysis suggested that the two-subscale solution provides a more parsimonious fit to the data as compared to the original four-subscale model. Conclusion This study suggests that there may be problems applying conventional

Confirmatory factors analysis of science teacher leadership in the Thailand world-class standard schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thawinkarn, Dawruwan

2018-01-01

This research aims to analyze factors of science teacher leadership in the Thailand World-Class Standard Schools. The research instrument was a five scale rating questionnaire with reliability 0.986. The sample group included 500 science teachers from World-Class Standard Schools who had been selected by using the stratified random sampling technique. Factor analysis of science teacher leadership in the Thailand World-Class Standard Schools was conducted by using M plus for Windows. The results are as follows: The results of confirmatory factor analysis on science teacher leadership in the Thailand World-Class Standard Schools revealed that the model significantly correlated with the empirical data. The consistency index value was x2 = 105.655, df = 88, P-Value = 0.086, TLI = 0.997, CFI = 0.999, RMSEA = 0.022, and SRMR = 0.019. The value of factor loading of science teacher leadership was positive, with statistical significance at the level of 0.01. The value of six factors was between 0.880-0.996. The highest factor loading was the professional learning community, followed by child-centered instruction, participation in development, the role model in teaching, transformational leaders, and self-development with factor loading at 0.996, 0.928, 0.911, 0.907, 0.901, and 0.871, respectively. The reliability of each factor was 99.1%, 86.0%, 83.0%, 82.2%, 81.0%, and 75.8%, respectively.

Development and Validation of the Adolescent Psychological Need Support in Exercise Questionnaire.

PubMed

Emm-Collison, Lydia G; Standage, Martyn; Gillison, Fiona B

2016-10-01

Grounded within self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2000; Ryan & Deci, in press), three studies were conducted to develop and psychometrically test a measure of adolescents' perceptions of psychological need support for exercise (viz., for autonomy, competence, and relatedness): the Adolescent Psychological Need Support in Exercise Questionnaire (APNSEQ). In Study 1, 34 items were developed in collaboration with an expert panel. Through categorical confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory, responses from 433 adolescents were used to identify the best fitting and performing items in Study 2. Here, a three-factor nine-item measure showed good fit to the data. In Study 3, responses from an independent sample of 373 adolescents provided further evidence for the nine-item solution as well as for internal consistency, criterion validity, and invariance across gender and social agent (friends, family, and physical education teacher). The APNSEQ was supported as a measure of adolescents' perceptions of psychological need support within the context of exercise.

Factors associated with depressive symptoms in Nigerian adolescents.

PubMed

Adewuya, Abiodun O; Ologun, Yemisi A

2006-07-01

To evaluate the factors associated with depressive symptoms in a sample of Nigerian 13-18-year-olds attending senior secondary schools. Adolescents aged 13 to 18 years (n = 1095) attending senior secondary schools completed the Beck Depressive Inventory (BDI) as a measure of their depressive symptoms. The adolescents and their parents also completed various questionnaires regarding related demographic, psychosocial and family factors. There were 99 (9.0%) adolescents with clinically significant depressive symptoms. The factors significantly associated with adolescents' depressive symptoms include parental depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] 5.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.48-7.81), adolescents' perception of family functioning as poor (OR 6.79, 95% CI 3.46-12.23), adolescents' problems with peers (OR 4.69, 95% CI 3.06-7.19), adolescents' low self-esteem (OR 6.63, 95% CI 2.59-16.96), adolescents' drinking (OR 3.98, 95% CI 2.37-6.69), female gender (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.11-2.72), and large family size (OR 2.83, 95% CI 1.15-7.74). Child and adolescent health policy-makers should consider these factors when planning healthcare services or formulating a predictive model for adolescents' depression in low-income countries. Clinical assessment should focus on identification of these variables and nonpharmacological interventions may be of relevance in addressing some of the associated factors.

Examining the Distinctiveness and the Socio-Emotional Correlates of Anxious-Withdrawal and Unsociability during Early Adolescence in Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ojanen, Tiina; Findley-Van Nostrand, Danielle; Bowker, Julie C.; Markovic, Andrea

2017-01-01

This study examined the distinctiveness of and the correlates associated with anxious-withdrawal and unsociability during early adolescence in Finland (N = 384; 12-14 years; 53% girls). As expected, confirmatory factor analyses revealed that anxious-withdrawal and unsociability were distinct and moderately positively correlated constructs. Only…

Introducing English and German versions of the Adolescent Time Attitude Scale.

PubMed

Worrell, Frank C; Mello, Zena R; Buhl, Monika

2013-08-01

In this study, the authors report on the development of English and German versions of the Adolescent Time Attitude Scale (ATAS). The ATAS consists of six subscales assessing Past Positive, Past Negative, Present Positive, Present Negative, Future Positive, and Future Negative time attitudes. The authors describe the development of the scales and present data on the reliability and structural validity of ATAS scores in samples of American (N = 300) and German (N = 316) adolescents. Internal consistency estimates for scores on the English and German versions of the ATAS were in the .70 to .80 range. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a six-factor structure yielded the best fit for scores and that the scores were invariant across samples.

Psychometric properties of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory in a competitive sport setting: a confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

McAuley, E; Duncan, T; Tammen, V V

1989-03-01

The present study was designed to assess selected psychometric properties of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) (Ryan, 1982), a multidimensional measure of subjects' experience with regard to experimental tasks. Subjects (N = 116) competed in a basketball free-throw shooting game, following which they completed the IMI. The LISREL VI computer program was employed to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis to assess the tenability of a five factor hierarchical model representing four first-order factors or dimensions and a second-order general factor representing intrinsic motivation. Indices of model acceptability tentatively suggest that the sport data adequately fit the hypothesized five factor hierarchical model. Alternative models were tested but did not result in significant improvements in the goodness-of-fit indices, suggesting the proposed model to be the most accurate of the models tested. Coefficient alphas for the four dimensions and the overall scale indicated adequate reliability. The results are discussed with regard to the importance of accurate assessment of psychological constructs and the use of linear structural equations in confirming the factor structures of measures.

Factors contributing to adolescent obesity.

PubMed

Al-Kloub, Manal I; Froelicher, Erika S

2009-06-01

Obesity in children is a significant public health concern. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Jordanian children, and adolescents has increased in the last decade. The consequences of obesity to health in childhood and adulthood have both medical, and economic cost to individuals and society. This paper reviews the factors that contribute to adolescent obesity and emphasizes behavioral and environmental factors. An individual's behaviors such as increased consumption of high caloric foods, increased sedentary activity while decreasing physical activity has been identified as key issues in the development of obesity. Additionally, the current environment in homes, schools, and neighborhoods tend to discourage a healthy lifestyle. A comprehensive approach that involves the whole community is the best strategy for preventing adolescent obesity. Nurses are in a unique position to provide leadership in developing programs for healthier lifestyle choices for adolescents' and adoption of these goals into their daily lives.

Development and Validation of the Personal Strengths Inventory Using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liau, Albert Kienfie; Chow, Daryl; Tan, Teck Kiang; Senf, Konrad

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to establish the reliability and validity of the scores on a brief strengths-based assessment, the 22-item Personal Strengths Inventory (PSI). In Study 1, findings from exploratory factor analysis of 410 adolescents provided evidence for a five-factor solution--social competence (four items), emotional awareness (five…

Preliminary Finnish measures of eating competence suggest association with health-promoting eating patterns and related psychobehavioral factors in 10-17 year old adolescents.

PubMed

Tanja, Tilles-Tirkkonen; Outi, Nuutinen; Sakari, Suominen; Jarmo, Liukkonen; Kaisa, Poutanen; Leila, Karhunen

2015-05-21

Eating competence is an attitudinal and behavioral concept, based on The Satter Eating Competence Model. In adults, it has been shown to be associated with a higher quality of diet. Eating competence or its association with the quality of diet has not been studied in adolescents. The aim of the current study was to explore the utility of using a preliminary Finnish translation of the ecSI 2.0 for evaluating presumed eating competence and its association with food selection, meal patterns and related psychobehavioral factors in 10-17 year old adolescents. Altogether 976 10-17 years old Finnish adolescents filled in the study questionnaire. When exploring the construct validity of ecSI 2.0, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated acceptable model fit and all four components of the ecSI 2.0 (eating attitudes, food acceptance, internal regulation of food intake, management of eating context) correlated with each other and were internally consistent. Over half (58%) of the adolescents scored 32 or higher and were thus classified as presumably eating competent (pEC). Eating competence was associated with greater meal frequency, more frequent consumption of vegetables and fruits, and more health-promoting family eating patterns. In addition the pEC, adolescents more often perceived their body size as appropriate, had less often tried to lose weight and had a higher self-esteem and a stronger sense of coherence than the not pEC ones. Family eating patterns and self-esteem were the main underlying factors of eating competence. In conclusion, this preliminary study suggests eating competence could be a useful concept to characterize eating patterns and related behaviors and attitudes in adolescents. However, these preliminary findings need to be confirmed in further studies with an instrument fully validated for this age group.

DEPRESSED AFFECT AND HISTORICAL LOSS AMONG NORTH AMERICAN INDIGENOUS ADOLESCENTS

PubMed Central

Whitbeck, Les B.; Walls, Melissa L.; Johnson, Kurt D.; Morrisseau, Allan D.; McDougall, Cindy M.

2011-01-01

This study reports on the prevalence and correlates of perceived historical loss among 459 North American Indigenous adolescents aged 11–13 years from the northern Midwest of the United States and central Canada. The adolescents reported daily or more thoughts of historical loss at rates similar to their female caretakers. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that our measure of perceived historical loss and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale were separate but related constructs. Regression analysis indicated that, even when controlling for family factors, perceived discrimination, and proximal negative life events, perceived historical loss had independent effects on adolescent’s depressive symptoms. The construct of historical loss is discussed in terms of Indigenous ethnic cleansing and life course theory. PMID:20052631

A confirmatory factor analysis of the Beck Depression Inventory-II in end-stage renal disease patients.

PubMed

Chilcot, Joseph; Norton, Sam; Wellsted, David; Almond, Mike; Davenport, Andrew; Farrington, Ken

2011-09-01

We sought to examine several competing factor structures of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI) in a sample of patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), in which setting the factor structure is poorly defined, though depression symptoms are common. In addition, demographic and clinical correlates of the identified factors were examined. The BDI was administered to clinical sample of 460 ESRD patients attending 4 UK renal centres. Competing models of the factor structure of the BDI were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. The best fitting model consisted of general depression factor that accounted for 81% of the common variance between all items along with orthogonal cognitive and somatic factors (G-S-C model, CFI=.983, TLI=.979, RMSEA=.037), which explained 8% and 9% of the common variance, respectively. Age, diabetes, and ethnicity were significantly related to the cognitive factor, whereas albumin, dialysis adequacy, and ethnicity were related to the somatic factor. No demographic or clinical variable was associated with the general factor. The general-factor model provides the best fitting and conceptually most acceptable interpretation of the BDI. Furthermore, the cognitive and somatic factors appear to be related to specific demographic and clinical factors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Construct Validity of Higher Order Structure-of-Intellect Abilities in a Battery of Tests Emphasizing the Product of Transformations: A Confirmatory Maximum Likelihood Factor Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khattab, Ali-Maher; And Others

1982-01-01

A causal modeling system, using confirmatory maximum likelihood factor analysis with the LISREL IV computer program, evaluated the construct validity underlying the higher order factor structure of a given correlation matrix of 46 structure-of-intellect tests emphasizing the product of transformations. (Author/PN)

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies – Depression Scale in Black and White dementia caregivers

PubMed Central

Flynn Longmire, Crystal V.; Knight, Bob G.

2012-01-01

Objectives In order to better understand if measurement problems underlie the inconsistent findings that exist regarding differences in depression levels between Black and White caregivers, this study examined the factor structure and invariance of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale (CES-D). Method A confirmatory factor analysis of the 20-item CES-D was performed on a sample of 167 Black and 214 White family caregivers of older adults with dementia from Los Angeles County. Results The relationships between the 20 items and the four factors, as well as the relationships among each of the factors, were equivalent across both caregiver groups, indicating that the four-factor model fit the data for both racial groups. Conclusion These findings offer further evidence that the standard four-factor model is the best fitting model for the CES-D and is invariant across racial groups. PMID:21069602

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Adult Domain Framework Using Item Response Theory Scores.

PubMed

Carle, Adam C; Riley, William; Hays, Ron D; Cella, David

2015-10-01

To guide measure development, National Institutes of Health-supported Patient reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) investigators developed a hierarchical domain framework. The framework specifies health domains at multiple levels. The initial PROMIS domain framework specified that physical function and symptoms such as Pain and Fatigue indicate Physical Health (PH); Depression, Anxiety, and Anger indicate Mental Health (MH); and Social Role Performance and Social Satisfaction indicate Social Health (SH). We used confirmatory factor analyses to evaluate the fit of the hypothesized framework to data collected from a large sample. We used data (n=14,098) from PROMIS's wave 1 field test and estimated domain scores using the PROMIS item response theory parameters. We then used confirmatory factor analyses to test whether the domains corresponded to the PROMIS domain framework as expected. A model corresponding to the domain framework did not provide ideal fit [root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA)=0.13; comparative fit index (CFI)=0.92; Tucker Lewis Index (TLI)=0.88; standardized root mean square residual (SRMR)=0.09]. On the basis of modification indices and exploratory factor analyses, we allowed Fatigue to load on both PH and MH. This model fit the data acceptably (RMSEA=0.08; CFI=0.97; TLI=0.96; SRMR=0.03). Our findings generally support the PROMIS domain framework. Allowing Fatigue to load on both PH and MH improved fit considerably.

Adolescence: A "Risk Factor" for Physical Inactivity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowland, Thomas W.

1999-01-01

This publication examines influences on the present and future physical activity levels of adolescents, noting that the adolescents' physical activity habits, as well as other risk factors, are likely to track into the adult years. Section 1 discusses physical activity in adolescence, noting that adolescence is a time when physical activity tends…

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire: A comparison of five factor solutions across vegan and omnivore participants.

PubMed

Heiss, Sydney; Boswell, James F; Hormes, Julia M

2018-05-01

The Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) is a valid and reliable measure of eating-related pathology, but its factor structure has proven difficult to replicate. Given differences in dietary patterns in vegans compared to omnivores, proper measurement of eating disorder symptoms is especially important in studies of animal product avoiders. This study compared goodness-of-fit of five alternative models of the EDE-Q in vegans (i.e., individuals refraining from all animal products, n = 318) and omnivores (i.e., individuals not restricting intake of animal products, n = 200). Confirmatory factor analyses were used to compare fit indices of the original four-factor model of the EDE-Q, along with alternative three-, two-, full one-, and brief one-factor models. No model provided adequate fit of the data in either sample of respondents. The fit of the brief one-factor model was the closest to acceptable in omnivores, but did not perform as well in vegans. Indicators of fit were comparable in vegans and omnivores across all other models. Our data confirm difficulties in replicating the proposed factor structure of the EDE-Q, including in vegans. More research is needed to determine the suitability of the EDE-Q for quantifying eating behaviors, including in those abstaining from animal products. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Preliminary Finnish Measures of Eating Competence Suggest Association with Health-Promoting Eating Patterns and Related Psychobehavioral Factors in 10–17 Year Old Adolescents

PubMed Central

Tanja, Tilles-Tirkkonen; Outi, Nuutinen; Sakari, Suominen; Jarmo, Liukkonen; Kaisa, Poutanen; Leila, Karhunen

2015-01-01

Eating competence is an attitudinal and behavioral concept, based on The Satter Eating Competence Model. In adults, it has been shown to be associated with a higher quality of diet. Eating competence or its association with the quality of diet has not been studied in adolescents. The aim of the current study was to explore the utility of using a preliminary Finnish translation of the ecSI 2.0 for evaluating presumed eating competence and its association with food selection, meal patterns and related psychobehavioral factors in 10–17 year old adolescents. Altogether 976 10–17 years old Finnish adolescents filled in the study questionnaire. When exploring the construct validity of ecSI 2.0, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated acceptable model fit and all four components of the ecSI 2.0 (eating attitudes, food acceptance, internal regulation of food intake, management of eating context) correlated with each other and were internally consistent. Over half (58%) of the adolescents scored 32 or higher and were thus classified as presumably eating competent (pEC). Eating competence was associated with greater meal frequency, more frequent consumption of vegetables and fruits, and more health-promoting family eating patterns. In addition the pEC, adolescents more often perceived their body size as appropriate, had less often tried to lose weight and had a higher self-esteem and a stronger sense of coherence than the not pEC ones. Family eating patterns and self-esteem were the main underlying factors of eating competence. In conclusion, this preliminary study suggests eating competence could be a useful concept to characterize eating patterns and related behaviors and attitudes in adolescents. However, these preliminary findings need to be confirmed in further studies with an instrument fully validated for this age group. PMID:26007335

Validating the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire in people with type 2 diabetes: Latent trait analyses applying multidimensional Rasch modelling and confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

Finbråten, Hanne Søberg; Pettersen, Kjell Sverre; Wilde-Larsson, Bodil; Nordström, Gun; Trollvik, Anne; Guttersrud, Øystein

2017-11-01

To validate the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47) in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The HLS-EU-Q47 latent variable is outlined in a framework with four cognitive domains integrated in three health domains, implying 12 theoretically defined subscales. Valid and reliable health literacy measurers are crucial to effectively adapt health communication and education to individuals and groups of patients. Cross-sectional study applying confirmatory latent trait analyses. Using a paper-and-pencil self-administered approach, 388 adults responded in March 2015. The data were analysed using the Rasch methodology and confirmatory factor analysis. Response violation (response dependency) and trait violation (multidimensionality) of local independence were identified. Fitting the "multidimensional random coefficients multinomial logit" model, 1-, 3- and 12-dimensional Rasch models were applied and compared. Poor model fit and differential item functioning were present in some items, and several subscales suffered from poor targeting and low reliability. Despite multidimensional data, we did not observe any unordered response categories. Interpreting the domains as distinct but related latent dimensions, the data fit a 12-dimensional Rasch model and a 12-factor confirmatory factor model best. Therefore, the analyses did not support the estimation of one overall "health literacy score." To support the plausibility of claims based on the HLS-EU score(s), we suggest: removing the health care aspect to reduce the magnitude of multidimensionality; rejecting redundant items to avoid response dependency; adding "harder" items and applying a six-point rating scale to improve subscale targeting and reliability; and revising items to improve model fit and avoid bias owing to person factors. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Eating behaviour among multi-ethnic adolescents in a middle-income country as measured by the self-reported Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire.

PubMed

Loh, Debbie Ann; Moy, Foong Ming; Zaharan, Nur Lisa; Mohamed, Zahurin

2013-01-01

Escalating weight gain among the Malaysian paediatric population necessitates identifying modifiable behaviours in the obesity pathway. This study describes the adaptation and validation of the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ) as a self-report for adolescents, investigates gender and ethnic differences in eating behaviour and examines associations between eating behaviour and body mass index (BMI) z-scores among multi-ethnic Malaysian adolescents. This two-phase study involved validation of the Malay self-reported CEBQ in Phase 1 (n = 362). Principal Axis Factoring with Promax rotation, confirmatory factor analysis and reliability tests were performed. In Phase 2, adolescents completed the questionnaire (n = 646). Weight and height were measured. Gender and ethnic differences in eating behaviour were investigated. Associations between eating behaviour and BMI z-scores were examined with complex samples general linear model (GLM) analyses, adjusted for gender, ethnicity and maternal educational level. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 35-item, 9-factor structure with 'food fussiness' scale split into two. In confirmatory factor analysis, a 30-item, 8-factor structure yielded an improved model fit. Reliability estimates of the eight factors were acceptable. Eating behaviours did not differ between genders. Malay adolescents reported higher Food Responsiveness, Enjoyment of Food, Emotional Overeating, Slowness in Eating, Emotional Undereating and Food Fussiness 1 scores (p<0.05) compared to Chinese and Indians. A significant negative association was observed between BMI z-scores and Food Fussiness 1 ('dislike towards food') when adjusted for confounders. Although CEBQ is a valuable psychometric instrument, adjustments were required due to age and cultural differences in our sample. With the self-report, our findings present that gender, ethnic and weight status influenced eating behaviours. Obese adolescents were found to display a lack of dislike

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 in a predominantly minority sample.

PubMed

Hepner, Kimberly A; Sechrest, Lee

2002-12-01

The Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 (CHQ-PF50; Landgraf JM et al., The CHQ User's Manual. Boston, MA: The Health Institute, New England Medical Centre, 1996) appears to be a useful method of assessing children's health. The CHQ-PF50 is designed to measure general functional status and well-being and is available in several versions to suit the needs of the health researcher. Several publications have reported favorably on the psychometric properties of the CHQ. Landgraf et al. reported the results of an exploratory factor analysis at the scale level that provided evidence for a two-factor structure representing physical and psychosocial dimensions of health. In order to cross-validate and extend these results, a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted with an independent sample of generally healthy, predominantly minority children. Results of the analysis indicate that a two-factor model provides a good fit to the data, confirming previous exploratory analyses with this questionnaire. One additional method factor seems likely because of the substantial similarity of three of the scales, but that does not affect the substantive two-factor interpretation overall.

40 CFR 80.167 - Confirmatory testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) REGULATION OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Detergent Gasoline § 80.167 Confirmatory testing. EPA may test a... national, PADD, or fuel-specific options will generally entail a single vehicle test using the procedures detailed in § 80.165. The test fuel(s) used in conducting confirmatory certification testing will contain...

40 CFR 80.167 - Confirmatory testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) REGULATION OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Detergent Gasoline § 80.167 Confirmatory testing. EPA may test a... national, PADD, or fuel-specific options will generally entail a single vehicle test using the procedures detailed in § 80.165. The test fuel(s) used in conducting confirmatory certification testing will contain...

40 CFR 80.167 - Confirmatory testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) REGULATION OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Detergent Gasoline § 80.167 Confirmatory testing. EPA may test a... national, PADD, or fuel-specific options will generally entail a single vehicle test using the procedures detailed in § 80.165. The test fuel(s) used in conducting confirmatory certification testing will contain...

40 CFR 80.167 - Confirmatory testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) REGULATION OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Detergent Gasoline § 80.167 Confirmatory testing. EPA may test a... national, PADD, or fuel-specific options will generally entail a single vehicle test using the procedures detailed in § 80.165. The test fuel(s) used in conducting confirmatory certification testing will contain...

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the System for Evaluation of Teaching Qualities (SETQ) in Graduate Medical Training.

PubMed

Boerebach, Benjamin C M; Lombarts, Kiki M J M H; Arah, Onyebuchi A

2016-03-01

The System for Evaluation of Teaching Qualities (SETQ) was developed as a formative system for the continuous evaluation and development of physicians' teaching performance in graduate medical training. It has been seven years since the introduction and initial exploratory psychometric analysis of the SETQ questionnaires. This study investigates the validity and reliability of the SETQ questionnaires across hospitals and medical specialties using confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), reliability analysis, and generalizability analysis. The SETQ questionnaires were tested in a sample of 3,025 physicians and 2,848 trainees in 46 hospitals. The CFA revealed acceptable fit of the data to the previously identified five-factor model. The high internal consistency estimates suggest satisfactory reliability of the subscales. These results provide robust evidence for the validity and reliability of the SETQ questionnaires for evaluating physicians' teaching performance. © The Author(s) 2014.

Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance (ASAD): A confirmatory factor analysis with 1442 psychiatric inpatients.

PubMed

Stanley, Ian H; Rufino, Katrina A; Rogers, Megan L; Ellis, Thomas E; Joiner, Thomas E

2016-09-01

Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance (ASAD) is a newly proposed diagnostic entity that characterizes rapid onset suicidal intent. This study aims to confirm the factor structure of ASAD among psychiatric inpatients, and to determine the clinical utility of ASAD in predicting suicide attempt status. Overall, 1442 psychiatric inpatients completed a battery of self-report questionnaires assessing symptoms theorized to comprise the ASAD construct. Utilizing these data, a confirmatory factor analysis with a one-factor solution was performed. Regression analyses were employed to determine if the ASAD construct predicted past suicide attempts, and analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were employed to determine if ASAD symptoms differed by the presence and number of past suicide attempts. The one-factor solution indicated good fit: χ(2)(77) = 309.1, p < 0.001, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.96, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.97, root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.05. Controlling for depressive disorders and current symptoms, the ASAD construct significantly predicted the presence of a past suicide attempt. Moreover, ASAD differentiated in the expected directions between individuals with a history of multiple suicide attempts, individuals with a single suicide attempt, and individuals with no history of a suicide attempt. Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance (ASAD) appears to be a unified construct that predicts suicidal behavior and is distinct from an already-defined mood disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A cross-validation study of the TGMD-2: The case of an adolescent population.

PubMed

Issartel, Johann; McGrane, Bronagh; Fletcher, Richard; O'Brien, Wesley; Powell, Danielle; Belton, Sarahjane

2017-05-01

This study proposes an extension of a widely used test evaluating fundamental movement skills proficiency to an adolescent population, with a specific emphasis on validity and reliability for this older age group. Cross-sectional observational study. A total of 844 participants (n=456 male, 12.03±0.49) participated in this study. The 12 fundamental movement skills of the TGMD-2 were assessed. Inter-rater reliability was examined to ensure a minimum of 95% consistency between coders. Confirmatory factor analysis was undertaken with a one-factor model (all 12 skills) and two-factor model (6 locomotor skills and 6 object-control skills) as proposed by Ulrich et al. (2000). The model fit was examined using χ 2 , TLI, CFI and RMSEA. Test-retest reliability was carried out with a subsample of 35 participants. The test-retest reliability reached Intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.78 (locomotor), 0.76 (object related) and 0.91 (gross motor skill proficiency). The confirmatory factor analysis did not display a good fit for either the one-factor or two-factor model due to a really low contribution of several skills. A reduction in the number of skills to just seven (run, gallop, hop, horizontal jump, bounce, kick and roll) revealed an overall good fit by TLI, CFI and RMSEA measures. The proposed new model offers the possibility of longitudinal studies to track the maturation of fundamental movement skills across the child and adolescent spectrum, while also giving researchers a valid assessment to tool to evaluate adolescent fundamental movement skills proficiency level. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. All rights reserved.

What parents don't know: Disclosure and secrecy in a sample of urban adolescents.

PubMed

Jäggi, Lena; Drazdowski, Tess K; Kliewer, Wendy

2016-12-01

Research with two-parent European households has suggested that secrecy, and not disclosure of information per se, predicts adolescent adjustment difficulties. The present study attempted to replicate this finding using data from a 4-wave study of 358 poor, urban adolescents (47% male; M age = 12 yrs) in the United States, most of whom (>92%) were African American. Adolescents self-reported secrecy, disclosure, depressive symptoms, and delinquency at each wave. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that a two-factor model with secrecy and disclosure as separate, but correlated, factors was a better fit than a one-factor model. However, predictive models differed from previous research. Secrecy did not predict depressive symptoms, rather depressive symptoms predicted secrecy. For delinquency, there were significant paths from both secrecy to delinquency and delinquency to secrecy, as well as from delinquency to disclosure. These results did not differ by age or sex. Comparisons with previous findings are discussed. Copyright © 2016 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing For Measurement Invariance of Attachment Across Chinese and American Adolescent Samples.

PubMed

Ren, Ling; Zhao, Jihong Solomon; He, Ni Phil; Marshall, Ineke Haen; Zhang, Hongwei; Zhao, Ruohui; Jin, Cheng

2016-06-01

Adolescent attachment to formal and informal institutions has emerged as a major focus of criminological theories since the publication of Hirschi's work in 1969. This study attempts to examine the psychometric equivalence of the factorial structure of attachment measures across nations reflecting Western and Eastern cultures. Twelve manifest variables are used tapping the concepts of adolescent attachment to parents, school, and neighborhood. Confirmatory factor analysis is used to conduct invariance test across approximately 3,000 Chinese and U.S. adolescents. Results provide strong support for a three-factor model; the multigroup invariance tests reveal mixed results. While the family attachment measure appears invariant between the two samples, significant differences in the coefficients of the factor loadings are detected in the school attachment and neighborhood attachment measures. The results of regression analyses lend support to the predictive validity of three types of attachment. Finally, the limitations of the study are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

Psychometric Properties of the Children's Automatic Thoughts Scale (CATS) in Chinese Adolescents.

PubMed

Sun, Ling; Rapee, Ronald M; Tao, Xuan; Yan, Yulei; Wang, Shanshan; Xu, Wei; Wang, Jianping

2015-08-01

The Children's Automatic Thoughts Scale (CATS) is a 40-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure children's negative thoughts. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese translation of the CATS. Participants included 1,993 students (average age = 14.73) from three schools in Mainland China. A subsample of the participants was retested after 4 weeks. Confirmatory factor analysis replicated the original structure with four first-order factors loading on a single higher-order factor. The convergent and divergent validity of the CATS were good. The CATS demonstrated high internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Boys scored higher on the CATS-hostility subscale, but there were no other gender differences. Older adolescents (15-18 years) reported higher scores than younger adolescents (12-14 years) on the total score and on the physical threat, social threat, and hostility subscales. The CATS proved to be a reliable and valid measure of automatic thoughts in Chinese adolescents.

What Parents Don’t Know: Disclosure and Secrecy in a Sample of Urban Adolescents

PubMed Central

Jäggi, Lena; Drazdowski, Tess K.; Kliewer, Wendy

2016-01-01

Research with two-parent European households has suggested that secrecy, and not disclosure of information per se, predicts adolescent adjustment difficulties. The present study attempted to replicate this finding using data from a 4-wave study of 358 poor, urban adolescents (47% male; M age = 12 yrs) in the United States, most of whom (> 92%) were African American. Adolescents self-reported secrecy, disclosure, depressive symptoms, and delinquency at each wave. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that a two-factor model with secrecy and disclosure as separate, but correlated, factors was a better fit than a one-factor model. However, predictive models differed from previous research. Secrecy did not predict depressive symptoms, rather depressive symptoms predicted secrecy. For delinquency, there were significant paths from both secrecy to delinquency and delinquency to secrecy, as well as from delinquency to disclosure. These results did not differ by age or sex. Comparisons with previous findings are discussed. PMID:27639590

Family Factors Related to Adolescent Autonomy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pardeck, Jean A.; Pardeck, John T.

1990-01-01

Analyzes role that the family plays in the development of adolescent autonomy. Three family factors are analyzed in relation to the development of adolescent autonomy: parenting styles, family interaction, and transitions related to the family life cycle. (Author/NB)

Assessing the latent structure of DSM-5 PTSD among Chinese adolescents after the Ya'an earthquake.

PubMed

Zhou, Xiao; Wu, Xinchun; Zhen, Rui

2017-08-01

To examine the underlying substructure of DSM-5 PTSD in an adolescent sample, this study used a confirmatory factor analysis alternative model approach to assess 813 adolescents two and a half years after the Ya'an earthquake. Participants completed the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children, and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders. The results found that the seven-factor hybrid PTSD model entailing intrusion, avoidance, negative affect, anhedonia, externalizing behaviors, anxious arousal, and dysphoric arousal had significantly better fit indices than other alternative models. Depression and anxiety displayed high correlations with the seven-factor model. The findings suggested that the seven-factor model was more applicable to adolescents following the earthquake, and may carry important implications for further clinical practice and research on posttraumatic stress symptomatology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confirmatory factor analysis and psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scales in early adolescents.

PubMed

Marco, José H; Perpiñá, Conxa; Roncero, María; Botella, Cristina

2017-06-01

The main aim of this study was to confirm the factorial structure of the Spanish version of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scales in early adolescents from 12 to 14 years. The sample included 355 participants, 189 girls and 166 boys, with ages ranging from 12 to 14 years old. The original MBSRQ-AS 5-factor structure was confirmed, and the model showed a good fit to the data: Appearance Evaluation, Appearance Orientation, Body Areas Satisfaction, Overweight Preoccupation, and Self-Classified Weight. The internal consistency of the test scores was adequate. Girls had higher score s than boys on Appearance Orientation, Overweight Preoccupation, and Self-Classified Weight, and lower scores on Appearance Evaluation and Body Areas Satisfaction. This study confirms the factor structure of the MBSRQ-AS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Substance use and delinquency during adolescence: a prospective look at an at-risk sample.

PubMed

Paradise, Matthew J; Cauce, Ana Mari

2003-01-01

This paper focuses on the relationship between adolescent substance use and delinquent behavior in a sample of homeless young people. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that delinquency and substance use are best described as discrete factors, and competing theoretical models of the longitudinal association between these two factors were examined using structural equations modeling techniques. The results suggest that delinquent behavior is associated with changes in alcohol, marijuana, and drug use across time. This effect was statistically significant over relatively brief lags in time of six months or less. Combined with previous results, these findings challenge the utility of single-factor explanations of adolescent deviance for at-risk populations and suggest that the relationship between substance use and externalizing across time may be more dynamic than previously thought. Implications for intervention are also discussed.

Factor structure and criterion validity across the full scale and ten short forms of the CES-D among Chinese adolescents.

PubMed

Yang, Wenhui; Xiong, Ge; Garrido, Luis Eduardo; Zhang, John X; Wang, Meng-Cheng; Wang, Chong

2018-04-16

We systematically examined the factor structure and criterion validity across the full scale and 10 short forms of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) with Chinese youth. Participants were 5,434 Chinese adolescents in Grades 7 to 12 who completed the full CES-D; 612 of them further completed a structured diagnostic interview with the major depressive disorder (MDD) module of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia for School-age Children. Using a split-sample approach, a series of 4-, 3-, 2-, and 1-factor models were tested using exploratory structural equation modeling and cross-validated using confirmatory factor analysis; the dimensionality was also evaluated by parallel analysis in conjunction with the scree test and aided by factor mixture analysis. The results indicated that a single-factor model of depression with a wording method factor fitted the data well, and was the optimal structure underlying the scores of the full and shortened CES-D. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic curve analyses for MDD case detection showed that the CES-D full-scale scores accurately detected MDD youth (area under the curve [AUC] = .84). Furthermore, the short-form scores produced comparable AUCs with the full scale (.82 to .85), as well as similar levels of sensitivity and specificity when using optimal cutoffs. These findings suggest that depression among Chinese adolescents can be adequately measured and screened for by a single-factor structure underlying the CES-D scores, and that the short forms provide a viable alternative to the full instrument. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The risk-taking and self-harm inventory for adolescents: development and psychometric evaluation.

PubMed

Vrouva, Ioanna; Fonagy, Peter; Fearon, Pasco R M; Roussow, Trudie

2010-12-01

In this study, we report on the development and psychometric evaluation of the Risk-Taking (RT) and Self-Harm (SH) Inventory for Adolescents (RTSHIA), a self-report measure designed to assess adolescent RT and SH in community and clinical settings. 651 young people from secondary schools in England ranging in age from 11.6 years to 18.7 years and 71 young people referred to mental health services for SH behavior in London between the ages of 11.9 years and 17.5 years completed the RTSHIA along with standardized measures of adolescent psychopathology. Two factors emerged from the principal axis factoring, and RT and SH were further validated by a confirmatory factor analysis as related, but different, constructs, rather than elements of a single continuum. Inter-item and test-retest reliabilities were high for both components (Cronbach's α = .85, ru = .90; Cronbach's α .93, ru = .87), and considerable evidence emerged in support of the measure's convergent, concurrent, and divergent validity. The findings are discussed with regard to potential usefulness of the RTSHIA for research and clinical purposes with adolescents.

Social Reward Questionnaire—Adolescent Version and its association with callous–unemotional traits

PubMed Central

Neumann, Craig S.; Roberts, Ruth; McCrory, Eamon; Viding, Essi

2017-01-01

During adolescence, social interactions are a potent source of reward. However, no measure of social reward value exists for this age group. In this study, we adapted the adult Social Reward Questionnaire, which we had previously developed and validated, for use with adolescents. Participants aged 11–16 (n = 568; 50% male) completed the Social Reward Questionnaire—Adolescent Version (SRQ-A), alongside measures of personality traits—five-factor model (FFM) and callous–unemotional (CU) traits—for construct validity purposes. A confirmatory factor analysis of the SRQ-A supported a five-factor structure (Comparative Fit Index = 0.90; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = 0.07), equating to five questionnaire subscales: enjoyment of Admiration, Negative Social Potency, Passivity, Prosocial Interactions and Sociability. Associations with FFM and CU traits were in line with what is seen for adult samples, providing support for the meaning of SRQ-A subscales in adolescents. In particular, adolescents with high levels of CU traits showed an ‘inverted’ pattern of social reward, in which being cruel is enjoyable and being kind is not. Gender invariance was also assessed and was partially supported. The SRQ-A is a valid, reliable measure of individual differences in social reward in adolescents. PMID:28484617

Medical University admission test: a confirmatory factor analysis of the results.

PubMed

Luschin-Ebengreuth, Marion; Dimai, Hans P; Ithaler, Daniel; Neges, Heide M; Reibnegger, Gilbert

2016-05-01

The Graz Admission Test has been applied since the academic year 2006/2007. The validity of the Test was demonstrated by a significant improvement of study success and a significant reduction of dropout rate. The purpose of this study was a detailed analysis of the internal correlation structure of the various components of the Graz Admission Test. In particular, the question investigated was whether or not the various test parts constitute a suitable construct which might be designated as "Basic Knowledge in Natural Science." This study is an observational investigation, analyzing the results of the Graz Admission Test for the study of human medicine and dentistry. A total of 4741 applicants were included in the analysis. Principal component factor analysis (PCFA) as well as techniques from structural equation modeling, specifically confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), were employed to detect potential underlying latent variables governing the behavior of the measured variables. PCFA showed good clustering of the science test parts, including also text comprehension. A putative latent variable "Basic Knowledge in Natural Science," investigated by CFA, was indeed shown to govern the response behavior of the applicants in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics as well as text comprehension. The analysis of the correlation structure of the various test parts confirmed that the science test parts together with text comprehension constitute a satisfactory instrument for measuring a latent construct variable "Basic Knowledge in Natural Science." The present results suggest the fundamental importance of basic science knowledge for results obtained in the framework of the admission process for medical universities.

Behavioral Risk Factors for AIDS among Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Millstein, Susan G.

This document examines the incidence of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among adolescents in the United States and identifies several risk factors for AIDS among this population. It classifies adolescents' risk for contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection by the degree to which adolescents engage in behaviors that are…

Reciprocal relations between body satisfaction and self-esteem: A large 13-year prospective study of adolescents.

PubMed

Wichstrøm, Lars; von Soest, Tilmann

2016-02-01

Previous research has demonstrated that body satisfaction and self-esteem are highly correlated in adolescence, but reasons are poorly understood. We tested three explanations: (i) the two constructs are actually one; (ii) the correlation is explained by a third factor; (iii) there are prospective relationships between body satisfaction and self-esteem. A population based sample of Norwegian adolescents (n = 3251) was examined four times over a 13-year period. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that body satisfaction and self-esteem were separate constructs and the correlation between them was not attenuated when adjusting for 3rd variables. Autoregressive cross-lagged analysis showed reciprocal relations between body satisfaction and self-esteem. The prospective relationship between body satisfaction during adolescence and self-esteem in late adolescence and emerging adulthood was stronger than at later stages. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychometric properties and clinical cut-off scores of the Spanish version of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents.

PubMed

Garcia-Lopez, Luis J; Inglés, Cándido J; García-Fernández, José M; Hidalgo, María D; Bermejo, Rosa; Puklek Levpušček, Melita

2011-01-01

This study examined the reliability and validity evidence drawn from the scores of the Spanish version of the Slovenian-developed Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SASA; Puklek, 1997; Puklek & Vidmar, 2000) using a community sample (Study 1) and a clinical sample (Study 2). Confirmatory factor analysis in Study 1 replicated the 2-factor structure found by the original authors in a sample of Slovenian adolescents. Test-retest reliability was adequate. Furthermore, the SASA correlated significantly with other social anxiety scales, supporting concurrent validity evidence in Spanish adolescents. The results of Study 2 confirmed the correlations between the SASA and other social anxiety measures in a clinical sample. In addition, findings revealed that the SASA can effectively discriminate between adolescents with a clinical diagnosis of social anxiety disorder (SAD) and those without this disorder. Finally, cut-off scores for the SASA are provided for Spanish adolescents.

Reliability and validity evidence of scores on the Slovene version of the questionnaire about interpersonal difficulties for adolescents.

PubMed

Zupančič, Maja; Inglés, Candido S; Bajec, Boštjan; Puklek Levpušček, Melita

2011-06-01

This study analyzed the psychometric properties of scores on the Slovene version of the Questionnaire about Interpersonal Difficulties for Adolescents (QIDA) in a sample of 1,334 adolescents (44% boys), ranging in age from 12 to 18 years (M = 15.61). Confirmatory factor analyses replicated the correlated five-factor structure of the QIDA: Assertiveness, Heterosexual Relationships, Public Speaking, Family Relationships, and Close Friendships. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were reasonable. Correlations of scores on the QIDA with scores of neuroticism, low extraversion, and low openness, as measured by the Inventory of Child/Adolescent Individual Differences, and scores of fear of negative evaluation, and tension and inhibition in social contacts, as measured by the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents were found, revealing differential links with QIDA subscale scores. Girls reported more difficulties than boys. Age differences showed a small but significant decrease in QIDA total score over adolescence.

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Decision Regret Scale in Recipients of Internal Cardioverter Defibrillators

PubMed Central

Hickman, Ronald L.; Pinto, Melissa D.; Lee, Eunsuk; Daly, Barbara J.

2015-01-01

The Decision Regret Scale (DRS) is a five-item instrument that captures an individual’s regret associated with a healthcare decision. Cross-sectional data were collected from 109 cardiac patients who decided to receive an internal cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, assessments of the internal reliability consistency (α = .86), and discriminant validity established the DRS as a reliable and valid measure of decision regret in ICD recipients. The DRS, a psychometrically sound instrument, has relevance for clinicians and researchers vested in optimizing the decisional outcomes of ICD recipients. Future research is needed to examine the reliability and validity of the DRS in a larger and more diverse sample of ICD recipients. PMID:22679707

Using confirmatory factor analysis to explore associated factors of intimate partner violence in a sample of Chinese rural women: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Cerulli, Catherine; Wittink, Marsha N,; Caine, Eric D.; Qiu, Peiyuan

2018-01-01

Objectives To estimate the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among a sample of rural Chinese women and to explore associated factors. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Rural areas of Guangyuan City, Sichuan, China. Participants We recruited 1501 women, aged 16 years and older, who had been living locally for at least 2 years and reported being married or in a relationship during the past 12 months. They were among a sample of 1898 potential participants from our larger parent study on the prevalence of depressive-distress symptoms. Methods Participants completed demographic and social economic measures, the Short Form of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale and the Duke Social Support Index. We applied χ2 test, analysis of variance and confirmatory factor analysis for analysis. Results The overall prevalence of IPV in the past 12 months was 29.05%; the prevalence of physical, psychological and sexual violence was 7.66%, 26.58% and 3.20%, respectively. The overall prevalence was highest among women aged 16–29 years, and was more common among those without a high school diploma and who saw their family’s financial status as very poor or stagnant. Women who were not victims of IPV had higher levels of social support. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the total effects of social support on physical, psychological and sexual violence were −0.12, –0.35 and −0.12, respectively. The indirect effects of objective economic status on physical, psychological and sexual violence were −0.047, –0.014 and −0.047, respectively, but the total effect was not significant. The indirect effect of education on psychological violence was −0.056. Conclusion IPV is common in rural Guangyuan. Our data are comparable with the findings from north-west of China. Social support is an important protective factor. Future work is needed to develop, test and later disseminate potential IPV interventions, with a focus on building actual and perceived supportive

Examination of Measurement Invariance across Culture and Gender on the RCMAS-2 Short Form among Singapore and U.S. Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Patricia A.; Ang, Rebecca P.

2016-01-01

Tests of measurement invariance were conducted across culture and gender on the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale-Second Edition (RCMAS-2) Short Form in a sample of 1,003 Singapore and U.S. adolescents. The results of multi-group confirmatory factor analyses across culture and gender supported at least partial measurement invariance. ANOVA…

A multitrait-multisource confirmatory factor analytic approach to the construct validity of ADHD and ODD rating scales with Malaysian children.

PubMed

Gomez, Rapson; Burns, G Leonard; Walsh, James A; Hafetz, Nina

2005-04-01

Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to model a multitrait by multisource matrix to determine the convergent and discriminant validity of measures of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-inattention (IN), ADHD-hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI), and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in 917 Malaysian elementary school children. The three trait factors were ADHD-IN, ADHDHI, and ODD. The two source factors were parents and teachers. Similar to earlier studies with Australian and Brazilian children, the parent and teacher measures failed to show convergent and discriminant validity with Malaysian children. The study outlines the implications of such strong source effects in ADHD-IN, ADHD-HI, and ODD measures for the use of such parent and teacher scales to study the symptom dimensions.

University student depression inventory (USDI): confirmatory factor analysis and review of psychometric properties.

PubMed

Romaniuk, Madeline; Khawaja, Nigar G

2013-09-25

The 30-item USDI is a self-report measure that assesses depressive symptoms among university students. It consists of three correlated three factors: lethargy, cognitive-emotional and academic motivation. The current research used confirmatory factor analysis to asses construct validity and determine whether the original factor structure would be replicated in a different sample. Psychometric properties were also examined. Participants were 1148 students (mean age 22.84 years, SD=6.85) across all faculties from a large Australian metropolitan university. Students completed a questionnaire comprising of the USDI, the depression anxiety stress scale (DASS) and Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS). The three correlated factor model was shown to be an acceptable fit to the data, indicating sound construct validity. Internal consistency of the scale was also demonstrated to be sound, with high Cronbach alpha values. Temporal stability of the scale was also shown to be strong through test-retest analysis. Finally, concurrent and discriminant validity was examined with correlations between the USDI and DASS subscales as well as the LSS, with sound results further supporting the construct validity of the scale. Cut-off points were also developed to aid total score interpretation. Response rates are unclear. In addition, the representativeness of the sample could be improved potentially through targeted recruitment (i.e. reviewing the online sample statistics during data collection, examining the representativeness trends and addressing particular faculties within the university that were underrepresented). The USDI provides a valid and reliable method of assessing depressive symptoms found among university students. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conceptualizing and Measuring Weekend versus Weekday Alcohol Use: Item Response Theory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

Handren, Lindsay; Crano, William D.

2018-01-01

Culturally, people tend to abstain from alcohol intake during the weekdays and wait to consume in greater frequency and quantity during the weekends. The current research sought to empirically justify the days representing weekday versus weekend alcohol consumption. In study 1 (N = 419), item response theory was applied to a two-parameter (difficulty and discrimination) model that evaluated the days of drinking (frequency) during the typical 7-day week. Item characteristic curves were most similar for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (prototypical weekday) and for Friday and Saturday (prototypical weekend). Thursday and Sunday, however, exhibited item characteristics that bordered the properties of weekday and weekend consumption. In study 2 (N = 403), confirmatory factor analysis was applied to test six hypothesized measurement structures representing drinks per day (quantity) during the typical week. The measurement model producing the strongest fit indices was a correlated two-factor structure involving separate weekday and weekend factors that permitted Thursday and Sunday to double load on both dimensions. The proper conceptualization and accurate measurement of the days demarcating the normative boundaries of “dry” weekdays and “wet” weekends are imperative to inform research and prevention efforts targeting temporal alcohol intake patterns. PMID:27488456

Conceptualizing and Measuring Weekend versus Weekday Alcohol Use: Item Response Theory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

PubMed

Lac, Andrew; Handren, Lindsay; Crano, William D

2016-10-01

Culturally, people tend to abstain from alcohol intake during the weekdays and wait to consume in greater frequency and quantity during the weekends. The current research sought to empirically justify the days representing weekday versus weekend alcohol consumption. In study 1 (N = 419), item response theory was applied to a two-parameter (difficulty and discrimination) model that evaluated the days of drinking (frequency) during the typical 7-day week. Item characteristic curves were most similar for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (prototypical weekday) and for Friday and Saturday (prototypical weekend). Thursday and Sunday, however, exhibited item characteristics that bordered the properties of weekday and weekend consumption. In study 2 (N = 403), confirmatory factor analysis was applied to test six hypothesized measurement structures representing drinks per day (quantity) during the typical week. The measurement model producing the strongest fit indices was a correlated two-factor structure involving separate weekday and weekend factors that permitted Thursday and Sunday to double load on both dimensions. The proper conceptualization and accurate measurement of the days demarcating the normative boundaries of "dry" weekdays and "wet" weekends are imperative to inform research and prevention efforts targeting temporal alcohol intake patterns.

Health promoting behaviors in adolescence: validation of the Portuguese version of the Adolescent Lifestyle Profile.

PubMed

Sousa, Pedro; Gaspar, Pedro; Fonseca, Helena; Hendricks, Constance; Murdaugh, Carolyn

2015-01-01

Reliable and valid instruments are essential for understanding health-promoting behaviors in adolescents. This study analyzed the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Adolescent Lifestyle Profile (ALP). A linguistic and cultural translation of the ALP was conducted with 236 adolescents from two different settings: a community (n=141) and a clinical setting (n=95). Internal consistency reliability and confirmatory factor analysis were performed. Results showed an adequate fit to data, yielding a 36-item, seven-factor structure (CMIN/DF=1.667, CFI=0.807, GFI=0.822, RMR=0.051, RMSEA=0.053, PNFI=0.575, PCFI=0.731). The ALP presented a high internal consistency (α=0.866), with the subscales presenting moderate reliability values (from 0.492 to 0.747). The highest values were in Interpersonal Relations (3.059±0.523) and Positive Life Perspective (2.985±0.588). Some gender differences were found. Findings showed that adolescents from the clinic reported an overall healthier lifestyle than those from the community setting (2.598±0.379 vs. 2.504±0.346; t=1.976, p=0.049). The ALP Portuguese version is a psychometrically reliable, valid, and useful measurement instrument for assessing health-promoting lifestyles in adolescence. The ALP is cross-culturally validated and can decisively contribute to a better understanding of adolescent health promotion needs. Additional research is needed to evaluate the instrument's predictive validity, as well as its clinical relevance for practice and research. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Following family or friends. Social norms in adolescent healthy eating.

PubMed

Pedersen, Susanne; Grønhøj, Alice; Thøgersen, John

2015-03-01

It is commonly believed that during adolescence children become increasingly influenced by peers at the expense of parents. To test the strength of this tendency with regards to healthy eating (fruit and vegetable intake), a survey was completed by 757 adolescent-parent dyads. Our theoretical framework builds on social cognitive theory and the focus theory of normative conduct, and data are analysed by means of confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. The study reveals that when it comes to adolescents' fruit and vegetable intake, parents remain the main influencer, with what they do (descriptive norms) being more important than what they say (injunctive norms). The study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of what influences adolescent healthy eating, including the social influence of parents and friends, while also taking adolescent self-efficacy and outcome expectations into account. No previous studies have included all these factors in the same analysis. The study has a number of important implications: (1) healthy eating interventions should aim at strengthening self-efficacy and positive outcome expectations among adolescents, (2) the family context should be included when implementing healthy eating interventions and (3) parents' awareness of their influence on their children's healthy eating should be reinforced. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk Factors for Suicide Attempts among Korean Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hun Soo; Kim, Hyun Sil

2008-01-01

This study examined the rate of suicide attempts and relevant variables and identified risk factors for suicide attempts among Korean adolescents. A cross-sectional study was performed using an anonymous, self-report questionnaire. A total of 2,100 Korean adolescents, including 1,321 student adolescents and 779 delinquent adolescents, were…

Confirmatory factor analysis of different versions of the Body Shape Questionnaire applied to Brazilian university students.

PubMed

da Silva, Wanderson Roberto; Dias, Juliana Chioda Ribeiro; Maroco, João; Campos, Juliana Alvares Duarte Bonini

2014-09-01

This study aimed at evaluating the validity, reliability, and factorial invariance of the complete (34-item) and shortened (8-item and 16-item) versions of the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) when applied to Brazilian university students. A total of 739 female students with a mean age of 20.44 (standard deviation=2.45) years participated. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to verify the degree to which the one-factor structure satisfies the proposal for the BSQ's expected structure. Two items of the 34-item version were excluded because they had factor weights (λ)<40. All models had adequate convergent validity (average variance extracted=.43-.58; composite reliability=.85-.97) and internal consistency (α=.85-.97). The 8-item B version was considered the best shortened BSQ version (Akaike information criterion=84.07, Bayes information criterion=157.75, Browne-Cudeck criterion=84.46), with strong invariance for independent samples (Δχ(2)λ(7)=5.06, Δχ(2)Cov(8)=5.11, Δχ(2)Res(16)=19.30). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Factors associated with maintenance of contraception among adolescents].

PubMed

González, Electra; Molina B, Temístocles; Montero, Adela; Martínez, Vania; Molina, Ramiro

2009-09-01

Factors such as personal issues, family, sexuality and sexual partner characteristics are strongly associated with contraceptive continuation among single, nulliparous female adolescents. To determine factors associated to contraceptive maintenance among female nulliparous adolescents. A cohort of 2,811 adolescents, who confidentially requested contraception in a sexual and reproductive health university center from 1990 to 2006 was analyzed. Two years after the request, their clinical records were reviewed to determine the time and length of contraception. Using life table analysis, the variables related to continuation or discontinuation of contraception were identified. Factors associated with a longer contraceptive use were a lower age at the moment of initiating the method, a better academic achievement and aspirations, higher schooling of the partner, higher age of the mother, having an adolescent mother, supervision of permissions by people different than parents and not attending to religious services. Variables associated with a higher risk for abandonment were a higher age of the adolescent, greater number of sexual partners, lack of communication with parents, non-catholic religious affiliation, use of oral hormonal contraceptive, greater number of siblings, commenting sexual issues with relatives or friends, having a partner without academic activity or working and to live without parents. Several personal, familial and environmental factors influence contraceptive use continuity among adolescents.

Prevalence and functions of non-suicidal self-injury in Spanish adolescents.

PubMed

Calvete, Esther; Orue, Izaskun; Aizpuru, Leire; Brotherton, Hardin

2015-01-01

This study examined the prevalence, characteristics and functions of Non-suicidal Self-injury (NSSI) among Spanish adolescents. The sample consisted of 1,864 adolescents aged between 12 and 19 years (Mean Age = 15.32, SD = 1.97, 51.45% girls). The participants completed a modified version of the self-report scale Functional Assessment of Self-Mutilation (FASM; Lloyd, Kelley, & Hope, 1997) to assess rates and methods of NSSI used during the last 12 months. They also indicated the functions of NSSI. NSSI behaviors are common among Spanish adolescents. More than half of the sample showed such behavior in the past year, and 32.2% had carried out severe NSSI behaviors. The functions of NSSI were examined by using confirmatory factor analyses. Results supported a hierarchical model consisting of two second-order factors: automatic reinforcement, which explained both positive and negative automatic reinforcement, and social reinforcement, which explained both positive and negative social reinforcement. These dimensions are critical to understand the factors that maintain NSSI behavior and have implications for treatments.

The Structure of Self-Serving Cognitive Distortions: A Validation of the "How I Think" Questionnaire in a Sample of Italian Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bacchini, Dario; De Angelis, Grazia; Affuso, Gaetana; Brugman, Daniel

2016-01-01

This study aims to investigate the structure of self-serving cognitive distortions (CD), evaluating the psychometric properties of the How I Think Questionnaire in a sample of Italian adolescents. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the distinction between four categories of CD and the use of a single second-order dimension of CD. Reliability…

Risk Factors in Adolescent Hypertension

PubMed Central

Ewald, D. Rose; Haldeman, Lauren A.

2016-01-01

Hypertension is a complex and multifaceted disease, with many contributing factors. While diet and nutrition are important influences, the confounding effects of overweight and obesity, metabolic and genetic factors, racial and ethnic predispositions, socioeconomic status, cultural influences, growth rate, and pubertal stage have even more influence and make diagnosis quite challenging. The prevalence of hypertension in adolescents far exceeds the numbers who have been diagnosed; studies have found that 75% or more go undiagnosed. This literature review summarizes the challenges of blood pressure classification in adolescents, discusses the impact of these confounding influences, and identifies actions that will improve diagnosis and treatment outcomes. PMID:27335997

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Combined Social Phobia Scale and Social Interaction Anxiety Scale: Support for a Bifactor Model.

PubMed

Gomez, Rapson; Watson, Shaun D

2017-01-01

For the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) together, this study examined support for a bifactor model, and also the internal consistency reliability and external validity of the factors in this model. Participants ( N = 526) were adults from the general community who completed the SPS and SIAS. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of their ratings indicated good support for the bifactor model. For this model, the loadings for all but six items were higher on the general factor than the specific factors. The three positively worded items had negligible loadings on the general factor. The general factor explained most of the common variance in the SPS and SIAS, and demonstrated good model-based internal consistency reliability (omega hierarchical) and a strong association with fear of negative evaluation and extraversion. The practical implications of the findings for the utilization of the SPS and SIAS, and the theoretical and clinical implications for social anxiety are discussed.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Combined Social Phobia Scale and Social Interaction Anxiety Scale: Support for a Bifactor Model

PubMed Central

Gomez, Rapson; Watson, Shaun D.

2017-01-01

For the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) together, this study examined support for a bifactor model, and also the internal consistency reliability and external validity of the factors in this model. Participants (N = 526) were adults from the general community who completed the SPS and SIAS. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of their ratings indicated good support for the bifactor model. For this model, the loadings for all but six items were higher on the general factor than the specific factors. The three positively worded items had negligible loadings on the general factor. The general factor explained most of the common variance in the SPS and SIAS, and demonstrated good model-based internal consistency reliability (omega hierarchical) and a strong association with fear of negative evaluation and extraversion. The practical implications of the findings for the utilization of the SPS and SIAS, and the theoretical and clinical implications for social anxiety are discussed. PMID:28210232

Social and Psychological Factors Associated With Adolescent Physical Activity

PubMed Central

Garcia, Jeanette M.; Sirard, John R.; Larsen, Ross; Bruening, Meg; Wall, Melanie; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2017-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine, using structural equation modeling, the associations between nominated friend physical activity (PA), friend social support with individual psychological factors, and adolescent PA. Methods Data were obtained from EAT 2010 (Eating and Activity Among Teens), a large cross-sectional study conducted in 20 middle and high schools. The sample consisted of 1951 adolescents (mean age: 14.25 ± 1.96, 54% female, 68% ethnic minorities). PA, parent and friend socia l support (perceived social support for PA from parents and friends), and psychological measures (PA enjoyment, PA self-efficacy, and PA barriers) were assessed by self-report questionnaires. The SEM analysis consisted of 1 observed variable: friend PA, and 2 latent constructs: psychological factors, perceived social support. Results The model was a good fit, indicating that there were significant direct effects of both friend PA (P < .01) and psychological factors (P < .0001) on adolescent PA. In addition, psychological factors mediated the association between friend PA and adolescent PA. Conclusion The results of this model suggest that psychological factors and friend PA are associated with adolescent PA, and that psychological factors may play an important role. Future studies should further examine the association of both friend PA and psychological variables with adolescent PA. PMID:27172613

Social and Psychological Factors Associated With Adolescent Physical Activity.

PubMed

Garcia, Jeanette M; Sirard, John R; Larsen, Ross; Bruening, Meg; Wall, Melanie; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2016-09-01

The purpose of this study was to examine, using structural equation modeling, the associations between nominated friend physical activity (PA), friend social support with individual PA-related psychological factors, and adolescent PA. Data were obtained from EAT 2010 (Eating and Activity Among Teens), a large cross-sectional study conducted in 20 middle and high schools. The sample consisted of 1951 adolescents (mean age: 14.25 ± 1.96, 54% female, 68% ethnic minorities). PA, parent and friend social support (perceived social support for PA from parents and friends), and psychological measures (PA enjoyment, PA self-efficacy, and PA barriers) were assessed by self-report questionnaires. The SEM analysis consisted of 1 observed variable: friend PA, and 2 latent constructs: psychological factors, perceived social support. The model was a good fit, indicating that there were significant direct effects of both friend PA (P < .01) and psychological factors (P < .0001) on adolescent PA. In addition, psychological factors mediated the association between friend PA and adolescent PA. The results of this model suggest that psychological factors and friend PA are associated with adolescent PA, and that psychological factors may play an important role. Future studies should further examine the association of both friend PA and psychological variables with adolescent PA.

Psychometric properties of the revised Malay version Medical Outcome Study Social Support Survey using confirmatory factor analysis among postpartum mothers.

PubMed

Norhayati, Mohd Noor; Aniza, Abd Aziz; Nik Hazlina, Nik Hussain; Azman, Mohd Yacob

2015-12-01

Social support is an essential component for the physical and emotional well-being of postpartum mothers. The objective of this study is to determine the psychometric properties of the revised Malay version Medical Outcome Study (MOS) Social Support Survey using a confirmatory validity approach. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 144 postpartum mothers attending Obstetric and Gynecology Clinic, Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital. Construct validity and internal consistency assessment was performed after the translation, content validity and face validity process. The data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) and AMOS 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The original questionnaire consists of four domains (emotional/informational support, tangible support, affectionate support and positive social interaction) and 19 items. Affectionate support domain with three items only was treated as a separate construct and was not included in the factor analysis. The final confirmatory model with three constructs and 13 items demonstrated acceptable factor loadings, domain to domain correlation and best fit; (χ2[df]=1.665 [61]; P-value=0.001; Tucker-Lewis Index=0.944; comparative fit index=0.956; root mean square error of approximation=0.068). Composite reliability, average variance extracted and Cronbach's α of the domains ranged from 0.649 to 0.903; 0.390 to 0.699; 0.616 to 0.902, respectively. The study suggested that the four-factor model with 16 items (including one separate factor of affectionate) of the revised Malay version MOS Social Support Survey was acceptable to be used to measure social support after childbirth because it is valid, reliable and simple. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Assessing Empathy across Childhood and Adolescence: Validation of the Empathy Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (EmQue-CA)

PubMed Central

Overgaauw, Sandy; Rieffe, Carolien; Broekhof, Evelien; Crone, Eveline A.; Güroğlu, Berna

2017-01-01

Empathy plays a crucial role in healthy social functioning and in maintaining positive social relationships. In this study, 1250 children and adolescents (10–15 year olds) completed the newly developed Empathy Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (EmQue-CA) that was tested on reliability, construct validity, convergent validity, and concurrent validity. The EmQue-CA aims to assess empathy using the following scales: affective empathy, cognitive empathy, and intention to comfort. A Principal Components Analysis, which was directly tested with a Confirmatory Factor Analysis, confirmed the proposed three-factor model resulting in 14 final items. Reliability analyses demonstrated high internal consistency of the scales. Furthermore, the scales showed high convergent validity, as they were positively correlated with related scales of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (Davis, 1983). With regard to concurrent validity, higher empathy was related to more attention to others’ emotions, higher friendship quality, less focus on own affective state, and lower levels of bullying behavior. Taken together, we show that the EmQue-CA is a reliable and valid instrument to measure empathy in typically developing children and adolescents aged 10 and older. PMID:28611713

Measurement Invariance of the Internet Addiction Test Among Hong Kong, Japanese, and Malaysian Adolescents.

PubMed

Lai, Ching-Man; Mak, Kwok-Kei; Cheng, Cecilia; Watanabe, Hiroko; Nomachi, Shinobu; Bahar, Norharlina; Young, Kimberly S; Ko, Huei-Chen; Kim, Dongil; Griffiths, Mark D

2015-10-01

There has been increased research examining the psychometric properties on the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) in different populations. This population-based study examined the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the IAT in adolescents from three Asian countries. In the Asian Adolescent Risk Behavior Survey (AARBS), 2,535 secondary school students (55.9% girls) aged 12-18 years from Hong Kong (n=844), Japan (n=744), and Malaysia (n=947) completed a survey in 2012-2013 school year. A nested hierarchy of hypotheses concerning the IAT cross-country invariance was tested using multigroup confirmatory factor analyses. Replicating past findings in Hong Kong adolescents, the construct of the IAT is best represented by a second-order three-factor structure in Malaysian and Japanese adolescents. Configural, metric, scalar, and partial strict factorial invariance was established across the three samples. No cross-country differences on Internet addiction were detected at the latent mean level. This study provided empirical support for the IAT as a reliable and factorially stable instrument, and valid to be used across Asian adolescent populations.

Constructing the Japanese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey: Confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

Tsubakita, Takashi; Shimazaki, Kazuyo

2016-01-01

To examine the factorial validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey, using a sample of 2061 Japanese university students majoring in the medical and natural sciences (67.9% male, 31.8% female; Mage  = 19.6 years, standard deviation = 1.5). The back-translated scale used unreversed items to assess inefficacy. The inventory's descriptive properties and Cronbach's alphas were calculated using SPSS software. The present authors compared fit indices of the null, one factor, and default three factor models via confirmatory factor analysis with maximum-likelihood estimation using AMOS software, version 21.0. Intercorrelations between exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy were relatively higher than in prior studies. Cronbach's alphas were 0.76, 0.85, and 0.78, respectively. Although fit indices of the hypothesized three factor model did not meet the respective criteria, the model demonstrated better fit than did the null and one factor models. The present authors added four paths between error variables within items, but the modified model did not show satisfactory fit. Subsequent analysis revealed that a bi-factor model fit the data better than did the hypothesized or modified three factor models. The Japanese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey needs minor changes to improve the fit of its three factor model, but the scale as a whole can be used to adequately assess overall academic burnout in Japanese university students. Although the scale was back-translated, two items measuring exhaustion whose expressions overlapped should be modified, and all items measuring inefficacy should be reversed in order to statistically clarify the factorial difference between the scale's three factors. © 2015 The Authors. Japan Journal of Nursing Science © 2015 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

Abuse and neglect in adolescents of Jammu, India: the role of gender, family structure, and parental education.

PubMed

Charak, Ruby; Koot, Hans M

2014-08-01

The present study aimed to assess the factor structure of the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ; Bernstein & Fink, 1998), and use it to describe the prevalence of abuse and neglect in Indian adolescents, and its associations with gender, family structure (nuclear vs. joint), and level of parental education. Participants were 702 adolescents from Jammu in the age range of 13-17 years (41.5% female). We found acceptance for a four-factor intercorrelated model for the CTQ with emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect (5 emotional neglect and 2 physical neglect items) factors following a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Forty-one to sixty-one percent of adolescents reported maltreatment which is higher in comparison with CTQ based studies from the West. Analysis of CFA with covariates (MIMIC model) indicated that males, and adolescents of less educated mothers' and from joint families reported higher abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse, respectively, while fathers' education level was not associated with abuse or neglect. Implications of these findings are highlighted. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Contributing factors of obesity among stressed adolescents.

PubMed

Tajik, Esra; Zulkefli, Nor Afiah Mohd; Baharom, Anisah; Minhat, Halimatus Sakdiah; Latiff, Latiffah Abd

2014-01-01

Many adolescents suffer from common mental disorders such as stress, which affects health through the psychosocial process, eating behavior, food choices and physical activity. During adolescence, dietary patterns are formed and can affect the occurrence of diseases in later life. This is a review of the results in the pertinent literature, from 1989 until November 2013, concerning stress and the contributing factors that lead to obesity among adolescents. The aim of this review is to identify obesity among stressed adolescents as well as the contributing factors. A descriptive design was used for both quantitative and qualitative studies while, in addition, psychological theories were used for the qualitative studies. The articles were screened to ensure their quality and included in this review accordingly. Ten articles were included in the review comprising cross-sectional, cohort, review and meta-analysis. Interviews and questionnaires were used for data collection. The literature provided obvious information focusing on emotional stress and obesity for both boys and girls. This review revealed that stress results in overweight and obesity among adolescents through changes in lifestyle including decreased physical activity and increased food intake. Gender and economic status are the main components that affect obesity in stressed adolescents. Obesity is a consequence of stress among adolescents and is exacerbated by the wrong eating attitude. Developing proper food choices among adolescents can help prevent obesity and other complications in adulthood.

Factors affecting scholastic performances of adolescents.

PubMed

Shashidhar, Saraswati; Rao, Chandrika; Hegde, Radhakrishna

2009-05-01

The present study aims at recognizing the social influence, study habits and health factors affecting scholastic performances of adolescents and to compare these factors among the adolescents between two categories of school. A total of 1230 adolescents (13-18 yrs) were screened. Data was collected by personal interview, using the teenage screening questionnaire, Trivandrum, between May 2004 and November 2005. A total 615 students from corporation and private schools were studied. 39.76% (489) were high achievers, 13.5% (166) were low achievers with p < 0.001. In the low achievers, 12.03% were from the corporation schools and 1.46% from private schools. The incidence of poor study habits and social factors were increased in low achievers of corporation schools. On multivariate analysis, the predictor variables for poor scholastic performance were adolescent having refractory error, not having help for study at home, not doing home work regularly, not solving question bank papers and reading only before examinations. It is feasible and worthwhile to identify the determinants of scholastic performance and plan intervention strategies at each school. The results of this study highlight the importance of implementing newer strategies, focusing on strict study patterns and creating the conducive school and home environment for study, so as to achieve better scholastic performances.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Finnish Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) in 590 Professional Musicians.

PubMed

Vastamäki, Heidi; Vastamäki, Martti; Laimi, Katri; Saltychev, Michail

2017-07-01

Poorly functioning work environments may lead to dissatisfaction for the employees and financial loss for the employers. The Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) was designed to measure social and psychological characteristics of work environments. To investigate the factor construct of the Finnish 14-item version of JCQ when applied to professional orchestra musicians. In a cross-sectional survey, the questionnaire was sent by mail to 1550 orchestra musicians and students. 630 responses were received. Full data were available for 590 respondents (response rate 38%).The questionnaire also contained questions on demographics, job satisfaction, health status, health behaviors, and intensity of playing music. Confirmatory factor analysis of the 2-factor model of JCQ was conducted. Of the 5 estimates, JCQ items in the "job demand" construct, the "conflicting demands" (question 5) explained most of the total variance in this construct (79%) demonstrating almost perfect correlation of 0.63. In the construct of "job control," "opinions influential" (question 10) demonstrated a perfect correlation index of 0.84 and the items "little decision freedom" (question 14) and "allows own decisions" (question 6) showed substantial correlations of 0.77 and 0.65. The 2-factor model of the Finnish 14-item version of JCQ proposed in this study fitted well into the observed data. The "conflicting demands," "opinions influential," "little decision freedom," and "allows own decisions" items demonstrated the strongest correlations with latent factors suggesting that in a population similar to the studied one, especially these items should be taken into account when observed in the response of a population.

Confirmatory factor analysis of 2 versions of the Brief Pain Inventory in an ambulatory population indicates that sleep interference should be interpreted separately.

PubMed

Walton, David M; Putos, Joseph; Beattie, Tyler; MacDermid, Joy C

2016-07-01

The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-SF) is a widely-used generic pain interference scale, however its factor structure remains unclear. An expanded 10-item version of the Interference subscale has been proposed, but the additional value of the 3 extra items has not been rigorously evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and contrast the factorial and concurrent validity of the original 7-item and 10-item versions of the BPI-SF in a large heterogeneous sample of patients with chronic pain. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on independent subsets of the sample, and concurrent correlations with scales capturing similar constructs were evaluated. Two independent exploratory factor analyses (n=500 each) supported a single interference factor in both the 7- and 10-item versions, while confirmatory factor analysis (N=1000) suggested that a 2-factor structure (Physical and Affective) provided better fit. A 3-factor model, where sleep interference was the third factor, improved in model fit further. There was no significant difference in model fit between the 7- and 10-item versions. Concurrent associations with measures of general health, pain intensity and pain-related cognitions were all in the anticipated direction and magnitude and were not different by version of the BPI-SF. The addition of 3 extra items to the original 7-item Interference subscale of the BPI-SF did not improve psychometric properties. The combined results lead us to endorse a 3-factor structure (Physical, Affective, and Sleep Interference) as the more statistically and conceptually sound option. Copyright © 2016 Scandinavian Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Second-Order Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Moral Distress Scale-Revised for Nurses.

PubMed

Sharif Nia, Hamid; Shafipour, Vida; Allen, Kelly-Ann; Heidari, Mohammad Reza; Yazdani-Charati, Jamshid; Zareiyan, Armin

2017-01-01

Moral distress is a growing problem for healthcare professionals that may lead to dissatisfaction, resignation, or occupational burnout if left unattended, and nurses experience different levels of this phenomenon. This study aims to investigate the factor structure of the Persian version of the Moral Distress Scale-Revised in intensive care and general nurses. This methodological research was conducted with 771 nurses from eight hospitals in the Mazandaran Province of Iran in 2017. Participants completed the Moral Distress Scale-Revised, data collected, and factor structure assessed using the construct, convergent, and divergent validity methods. The reliability of the scale was assessed using internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha, Theta, and McDonald's omega coefficients) and construct reliability. Ethical considerations: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. The exploratory factor analysis ( N = 380) showed that the Moral Distress Scale-Revised has five factors: lack of professional competence at work, ignoring ethical issues and patient conditions, futile care, carrying out the physician's orders without question and unsafe care, and providing care under personal and organizational pressures, which explained 56.62% of the overall variance. The confirmatory factor analysis ( N = 391) supported the five-factor solution and the second-order latent factor model. The first-order model did not show a favorable convergent and divergent validity. Ultimately, the Moral Distress Scale-Revised was found to have a favorable internal consistency and construct reliability. The Moral Distress Scale-Revised was found to be a multidimensional construct. The data obtained confirmed the hypothesis of the factor structure model with a latent second-order variable. Since the convergent and divergent validity of the scale were not confirmed in this study, further assessment is necessary in future studies.

Confirmatory factor analysis and psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scales.

PubMed

Roncero, María; Perpiñá, Conxa; Marco, Jose H; Sánchez-Reales, Sergio

2015-06-01

The Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) is the most comprehensive instrument to assess body image. The MBSRQ-Appearance Scales (MBSRQ-AS) is a reduced version that has been validated in other languages. The main aim of the present study was to confirm the factor structure of the Spanish version of the MBSRQ-AS and analyze its psychometric properties in 1041 nonclinical individuals. Confirmatory factor analysis showed excellent goodness of fit indices for the five-factor structure (Appearance Evaluation, Appearance Orientation, Body Areas Satisfaction, Overweight Preoccupation, and Self-Classified Weight). Factors possessed adequate scale score reliability indices. Some of the factors showed significant associations with the Eating Attitudes Test. Significant differences were found between boys/men and girls/women, and among age groups. The Spanish version of the MBSRQ-AS is a valid instrument for use in nonclinical population settings in people from 15 to 46 years old. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural Equivalence of Involvement in Problem Behavior by Adolescents across Racial Groups Using Multiple Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, James H.; And Others

1996-01-01

Problem behavior theory predicts that adolescent problem behaviors are manifestations of a single behavioral syndrome. This study tested the validity of the theory across racial groups. Results indicate that multiple pathways are necessary to account for the problem behaviors and they support previous research indicating system response bias in…

Screening for Adolescent Problematic Internet Use: Validation of the Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale (PRIUSS).

PubMed

Jelenchick, Lauren A; Eickhoff, Jens; Zhang, Chong; Kraninger, Kristina; Christakis, Dimitri A; Moreno, Megan A

2015-01-01

Problematic Internet use (PIU) is an emerging health concern that lacks screening measures validated for use with adolescents and young adults. This study aimed to validate the Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale (PRIUSS) for use with older adolescents and to increase its clinical utility by determining scoring guidelines and assessing the relationship between PIU and other mental health conditions. This cross-sectional survey study took place at a large, public Midwestern university among 330 older adolescents aged 18 to 25 years. Confirmatory factor analysis and Spearman's correlations were used to assess the PRIUSS' structural and construct validity, respectively. A risk-based scoring cutoff was estimated using a Bayesian latent class modeling approach to computing a receiver operating characteristic curve. The confirmatory factor analysis indices for the 3-factor model indicated an acceptable fit (goodness-of-fit index 0.89, root mean square error of approximation 0.07). A cutoff of 25 (sensitivity 0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.47-0.99; specificity 0.79, 95% CI 0.73-0.84) is proposed for identifying those at risk for PIU. Participants at risk for PIU were at significantly greater odds of also reporting symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (odds ratio [OR] 2.36 95% CI 1.21-4.62, P = .009), depression (OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.65-6.42, P = .008), and social anxiety (OR 3.77, 95% CI 2.06-6.89, P < .000). The PRIUSS demonstrated validity as a PIU screening instrument for adolescents and young adults. Screening for PIU may also help to identify those at high reciprocal risk for other mental health conditions. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Psychometric properties of the Children’s Revised Impact of Events Scale (CRIES) with Bangladeshi children and adolescents

PubMed Central

Deeba, Farah; Prvan, Tania

2014-01-01

Identification of possible cases suffering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is important, especially in developing countries where traumatic events are typically prevalent. The Children’s Revised Impact of Events Scale is a reliable and valid measure that has two brief versions (13 items and 8 items) to assess reactions to traumatic events among young people. The current study evaluated the psychometric properties of both versions of the CRIES in a sample of 1,342 children and adolescents aged 9–17 years (M = 12.3 years, SD = 2.12) recruited from six districts of Bangladesh. A sub-group of 120 children from four schools was re-tested on the measures within 3.5 weeks. Confirmatory factor analysis supported factor structures similar to those found in other studies for both versions of the CRIES. Multiple group confirmatory factor analysis showed gender and age-group differences within the sample, supporting established age and gender differences in prevalence of PTSD symptoms. Analyses also indicated moderate to excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability and clear discriminant and convergent validity. These data support use of both the CRIES-13 and CRIES-8 to provide quick and psychometrically sound assessment of symptoms of PTSD among children and adolescents from Bangla-speaking communities. PMID:25237597

Factors influencing food choices of adolescents: findings from focus-group discussions with adolescents.

PubMed

Neumark-Sztainer, D; Story, M; Perry, C; Casey, M A

1999-08-01

To assess adolescents' perceptions about factors influencing their food choices and eating behaviors. Data were collected in focus-group discussions. The study population included 141 adolescents in 7th and 10th grade from 2 urban schools in St Paul, Minn, who participated in 21 focus groups. Data were analyzed using qualitative research methodology, specifically, the constant comparative method. Factors perceived as influencing food choices included hunger and food cravings, appeal of food, time considerations of adolescents and parents, convenience of food, food availability, parental influence on eating behaviors (including the culture or religion of the family), benefits of foods (including health), situation-specific factors, mood, body image, habit, cost, media, and vegetarian beliefs. Major barriers to eating more fruits, vegetables, and dairy products and eating fewer high-fat foods included a lack of sense of urgency about personal health in relation to other concerns, and taste preferences for other foods. Suggestions for helping adolescents eat a more healthful diet include making healthful food taste and look better, limiting the availability of unhealthful options, making healthful food more available and convenient, teaching children good eating habits at an early age, and changing social norms to make it "cool" to eat healthfully. The findings suggest that if programs to improve adolescent nutrition are to be effective, they need to address a broad range of factors, in particular environmental factors (e.g., the increased availability and promotion of appealing, convenient foods within homes schools, and restaurants).

Confirmatory factor analysis of the School Refusal Assessment Scale – Revised in an African American community sample

PubMed Central

Lyon, Aaron R.

2010-01-01

The current study used confirmatory factor analysis techniques to investigate the construct validity of the child version of the School Refusal Assessment Scale – Revised (SRAS-R) in a community sample of low socioeconomic status, urban, African American fifth and sixth graders (n = 174). The SRAS-R is the best-researched measure of school refusal behavior in youth and typically yields four functional dimensions. Results of the investigation suggested that a modified version of the four-factor model, in which three items from the tangible reinforcement dimension are removed, may have construct validity in the current sample of youth. In addition, youth endorsement of the dimension measuring avoidance of social and/or evaluative situations was positively associated with unexcused absences. Implications for further psychometric research and early identification and prevention of problematic absenteeism in low-SES, ethnic minority community samples are highlighted. PMID:20567603

Risk factors for adolescent primigravida in Kaohsiung county, Taiwan.

PubMed

Wang, C S; Chou, P

1999-07-01

To study the risk factors for adolescent primigravida in Kaohsiung county, Taiwan. This is a population survey on primigravida based on household registry to study risk factors affecting pregnancy of 215 women aged < 18; 341 women aged 18-19; and 590 women aged 20-34. The mean age of menarche, first intercourse, and first pregnancy, as well as the duration of menarche to the first intercourse increased significantly with the increased age of primigravida (P < 0.001). Adolescent primigravida, when compared to adult primigravida, were less likely to communicate well with their parents or be in a dual parent family (P < 0.05). They were also more likely to have alcoholic fathers, have drinking alcohol and smoking health behavior problems, exhibit poor school performance, have relatives or friends who became pregnant as adolescents, have been raped, and exhibit poorer knowledge of contraception before pregnancy (P < 0.05). Dose-response relationship in the odds ratio was found. Non-dual family, adolescent pregnancy in relatives or friends, smoking before pregnancy, and age of menarche were independent factors in multiple logistic regression on adolescent primigravida. The main risk factors for adolescent primigravida in Kaohsiung county. Taiwan, were family influence, health behavior problems, adolescent pregnancy in relatives or friends, and earlier onset of menarche. The age at which intercourse and smoking start appear to be two crucial factors that can be addressed through education as a means of intervention before pregnancy occurs.

Contributing factors of obesity among stressed adolescents

PubMed Central

Tajik, Esra; Zulkefli, Nor Afiah Mohd; Baharom, Anisah; Minhat, Halimatus Sakdiah; Latiff, Latiffah Abd

2014-01-01

Background: Many adolescents suffer from common mental disorders such as stress, which affects health through the psychosocial process, eating behavior, food choices and physical activity. During adolescence, dietary patterns are formed and can affect the occurrence of diseases in later life. This is a review of the results in the pertinent literature, from 1989 until November 2013, concerning stress and the contributing factors that lead to obesity among adolescents. The aim of this review is to identify obesity among stressed adolescents as well as the contributing factors. Methods: A descriptive design was used for both quantitative and qualitative studies while, in addition, psychological theories were used for the qualitative studies. The articles were screened to ensure their quality and included in this review accordingly. Ten articles were included in the review comprising cross-sectional, cohort, review and meta-analysis. Interviews and questionnaires were used for data collection. Results: The literature provided obvious information focusing on emotional stress and obesity for both boys and girls. This review revealed that stress results in overweight and obesity among adolescents through changes in lifestyle including decreased physical activity and increased food intake. Gender and economic status are the main components that affect obesity in stressed adolescents. Conclusion: Obesity is a consequence of stress among adolescents and is exacerbated by the wrong eating attitude. Developing proper food choices among adolescents can help prevent obesity and other complications in adulthood. PMID:25763144

A confirmatory factor analysis of the Impact of Event Scale using a sample of World War II and Korean War veterans.

PubMed

Shevlin, M; Hunt, N; Robbins, I

2000-12-01

This study assessed the factor structure of the Impact of Event Scale (IES), a measure of intrusion and avoidance, using a sample of World War II and Korean War veterans who had experienced combat 40-50 years earlier. A series of 3 confirmatory factor analytic models were specified and estimated using LISREL 8.3. Model 1 specified a 1-factor model. Model 2 specified a correlated 2-factor model. Model 3 specified a 2-factor model with additional cross-factor loadings for Items 2 and 12. Model 3 was found to fit the data. In addition, this model was found to be a better explanation of the data than the other models. Also in addition, the correlations between the Intrusion and Avoidance factors and the 4 subscales of the 28-item General Health Questionnaire were examined to determine the distinctiveness of the two IES factors.

Predisposing factors differentiating adolescent dieters and nondieters.

PubMed

Emmons, L

1994-07-01

To examine whether certain biological, sociocultural, and psychological factors differentiate dieters from nondieters in male and female, black and white adolescents. In each race-sex group adolescents were divided into nondieters and dieters (those who had lost at least 5 lb through dieting) and compared using factors associated with overweight and dieting. Participants were 1,269 high school seniors, with a mean (+/- standard deviation) age of 17.5 +/- 0.6 years, from 10 schools in a large metropolitan area (72% of enrolled students). Each student completed a self-administered questionnaire designed for this research, the Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory, and the Eating Disorder Inventory. Comparisons were made of dieters and nondieters using their previous and current weights, parental weights, birth order, socioeconomic status, religious affiliation, self-esteem scores, and other psychological factors. Statistical analyses performed were chi 2 and t tests. Factors thought to be associated with overweight in adolescents, such as parental weights, birth order, and socioeconomic status, were not found to be significantly different in dieters and nondieters in any of the four race-sex groups. In fact, the majority of dieters in this study were not overweight (ie, above the 85th percentile of body mass index). Instead, what most clearly distinguished dieters from nondieters was their perception of being overweight before kindergarten, after kindergarten, and at the time of the study, and the feelings of body dissatisfaction and wanting to be thinner that being overweight engenders. Because most adolescents diet because they perceive themselves to be overweight when they are not, adolescent dieters are not easy to identify. Instead, dietitians can offer educational programs that help all adolescents accept more realistic weights and adopt patterns of eating and exercise that remove or reduce the need to diet.

Portuguese version of the PTSD Checklist-Military Version (PCL-M)-I: Confirmatory Factor Analysis and reliability.

PubMed

Carvalho, Teresa; Cunha, Marina; Pinto-Gouveia, José; Duarte, Joana

2015-03-30

The PTSD Checklist-Military Version (PCL-M) is a brief self-report instrument widely used to assess Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomatology in war Veterans, according to DSM-IV. This study sought out to explore the factor structure and reliability of the Portuguese version of the PCL-M. A sample of 660 Portuguese Colonial War Veterans completed the PCL-M. Several Confirmatory Factor Analyses were conducted to test different structures for PCL-M PTSD symptoms. Although the respecified first-order four-factor model based on King et al.'s model showed the best fit to the data, the respecified first and second-order models based on the DSM-IV symptom clusters also presented an acceptable fit. In addition, the PCL-M showed adequate reliability. The Portuguese version of the PCL-M is thus a valid and reliable measure to assess the severity of PTSD symptoms as described in DSM-IV. Its use with Portuguese Colonial War Veterans may ease screening of possible PTSD cases, promote more suitable treatment planning, and enable monitoring of therapeutic outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Suicidal and Nonsuicidal Adolescents: Different Factors Contribute to Self-Esteem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groholt, Berit; Ekeberg, Oivind; Wichstrom, Lars; Haldorsen, Tor

2005-01-01

Some risk and protective factors differ in their importance to suicidal and nonsuicidal people. In this research we explore the cross-sectional differences between risk factors among suicidal adolescents and nonsuicidal adolescents by focusing on self-esteem. Sixty-five suicidal and 390 nonsuicidal adolescents were compared on Harter's…

Development of a coping with stress scale for a non-western population of children and adolescents.

PubMed

Gökler DanIşman, Ilgın; Yıldız, Nejla; Yiğit, İbrahim

2017-11-01

In the related literature numerous instruments have been developed to measure children and adolescents' coping with stress. Considering the cultural differences in individuals' choice for coping strategies, along with the limitations of the existing measures of coping for children and adolescents (e.g., being derived from coping measures developed for adults; unrepresentative samples with limited age range, etc.), the current study aimed to construct a self-report coping scale for a non-western population of children and adolescents. The study design included both qualitative and quantitative methodology. Three consecutive studies were conducted for the development and validation of the Children and Adolescents' Coping with Stress Scale (CACSS), a self-report measure assessing coping strategies of children and adolescents aged from 9 to 18 in response to self-identified stressors. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses resulted in a 61-item CACSS with 10 factors. The scale appears to have a clear factor structure; sufficient temporal stability; and good convergent, discriminant, and construct validity. By addressing limitations of existing coping scales, CACSS is believed to contribute to the literature as a developmentally appropriate and multidimensional tool.

Eating Behaviour among Multi-Ethnic Adolescents in a Middle-Income Country as Measured by the Self-Reported Children’s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Loh, Debbie Ann; Moy, Foong Ming; Zaharan, Nur Lisa; Mohamed, Zahurin

2013-01-01

Background Escalating weight gain among the Malaysian paediatric population necessitates identifying modifiable behaviours in the obesity pathway. Objectives This study describes the adaptation and validation of the Children’s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ) as a self-report for adolescents, investigates gender and ethnic differences in eating behaviour and examines associations between eating behaviour and body mass index (BMI) z-scores among multi-ethnic Malaysian adolescents. Methodology This two-phase study involved validation of the Malay self-reported CEBQ in Phase 1 (n = 362). Principal Axis Factoring with Promax rotation, confirmatory factor analysis and reliability tests were performed. In Phase 2, adolescents completed the questionnaire (n = 646). Weight and height were measured. Gender and ethnic differences in eating behaviour were investigated. Associations between eating behaviour and BMI z-scores were examined with complex samples general linear model (GLM) analyses, adjusted for gender, ethnicity and maternal educational level. Results Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 35-item, 9-factor structure with ‘food fussiness’ scale split into two. In confirmatory factor analysis, a 30-item, 8-factor structure yielded an improved model fit. Reliability estimates of the eight factors were acceptable. Eating behaviours did not differ between genders. Malay adolescents reported higher Food Responsiveness, Enjoyment of Food, Emotional Overeating, Slowness in Eating, Emotional Undereating and Food Fussiness 1 scores (p<0.05) compared to Chinese and Indians. A significant negative association was observed between BMI z-scores and Food Fussiness 1 (‘dislike towards food’) when adjusted for confounders. Conclusion Although CEBQ is a valuable psychometric instrument, adjustments were required due to age and cultural differences in our sample. With the self-report, our findings present that gender, ethnic and weight status influenced eating

Comparing Factor Structures of Adolescent Psychopathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verona, Edelyn; Javdani, Shabnam; Sprague, Jenessa

2011-01-01

Research on the structure of adolescent psychopathology can provide information on broad factors that underlie different forms of maladjustment in youths. Multiple studies from the literature on adult populations suggest that 2 factors, Internalizing and Externalizing, meaningfully comprise the factor structure of adult psychopathology (e.g.,…

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Behaviour of Young Novice Drivers Scale (BYNDS).

PubMed

Scott-Parker, B; Watson, B; King, M J; Hyde, M K

2012-11-01

The greatly increased risk of being killed or injured in a car crash for the young novice driver has been recognised in the road safety and injury prevention literature for decades. Risky driving behaviour has consistently been found to contribute to traffic crashes. Researchers have devised a number of instruments to measure this risky driving behaviour. One tool developed specifically to measure the risky behaviour of young novice drivers is the Behaviour of Young Novice Drivers Scale (BYNDS) (Scott-Parker et al., 2010). The BYNDS consists of 44 items comprising five subscales for transient violations, fixed violations, misjudgement, risky driving exposure, and driving in response to their mood. The factor structure of the BYNDS has not been examined since its development in a matched sample of 476 novice drivers aged 17-25 years. The current research attempted to refine the BYNDS and explore its relationship with the self-reported crash and offence involvement and driving intentions of 390 drivers aged 17-25 years (M=18.23, SD=1.58) in Queensland, Australia, during their first 6 months of independent driving with a Provisional (intermediate) driver's licence. A confirmatory factor analysis was undertaken examining the fit of the originally proposed BYNDS measurement model. The model was not a good fit to the data. A number of iterations removed items with low factor loadings, resulting in a 36-item revised BYNDS which was a good fit to the data. The revised BYNDS was highly internally consistent. Crashes were associated with fixed violations, risky driving exposure, and misjudgement; offences were moderately associated with risky driving exposure and transient violations; and road-rule compliance intentions were highly associated with transient violations. Applications of the BYNDS in other young novice driver populations will further explore the factor structure of both the original and revised BYNDS. The relationships between BYNDS subscales and self

Depressed Affect and Historical Loss among North American Indigenous Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitbeck, Les B.; Walls, Melissa L.; Johnson, Kurt D.; Morrisseau, Allan D.; McDougall, Cindy M.

2009-01-01

This study reports on the prevalence and correlates of perceived historical loss among 459 North American Indigenous adolescents aged 11-13 years from the northern Midwest of the United States and central Canada. The adolescents reported daily or more thoughts of historical loss at rates similar to their female caretakers. Confirmatory factor…

Sex, Temperament, and Family Context: How the Interaction of Early Factors Differentially Predict Adolescent Alcohol Use and Are Mediated by Proximal Adolescent Factors

PubMed Central

Burk, Linnea R.; Armstrong, Jeffrey M.; Goldsmith, H. Hill; Klein, Marjorie H.; Strauman, Timothy J.; Costanzo, Phillip; Essex, Marilyn J.

2011-01-01

Adolescent alcohol use is common and has serious immediate and long-term ramifications. While concurrent individual and context factors are robustly associated with adolescent alcohol use, the influence of early childhood factors, particularly in interaction with child sex, are less clear. Using a prospective community sample of 362 (190 girls), this study investigated sex differences in the joint influence of distal childhood and proximal adolescent factors on Grade 10 alcohol use. All risk factors and 2-way early individual-by-context interactions, and interactions of each of these with child sex, were entered into the initial regression. Significant sex interactions prompted the use of separate models for girls and boys. In addition to the identification of early (family socioeconomic status, authoritative parenting style) and proximal adolescent (mental health symptoms, deviant friends) risk factors for both girls and boys, results highlighted important sex differences. In particular, girls with higher alcohol consumption at Grade 10 were distinguished by the interaction of early temperamental disinhibition and exposure to parental stress; boys with higher alcohol consumption at Grade 10 were distinguished primarily by early temperamental negative affect. Results have implications for the timing and type of interventions offered to adolescents. PMID:21443307

Sex, temperament, and family context: how the interaction of early factors differentially predict adolescent alcohol use and are mediated by proximal adolescent factors.

PubMed

Burk, Linnea R; Armstrong, Jeffrey M; Goldsmith, H Hill; Klein, Marjorie H; Strauman, Timothy J; Costanzo, Phillip; Essex, Marilyn J

2011-03-01

Adolescent alcohol use is common and has serious immediate and long-term ramifications. While concurrent individual and context factors are robustly associated with adolescent alcohol use, the influence of early childhood factors, particularly in interaction with child sex, are less clear. Using a prospective community sample of 362 (190 girls), this study investigated sex differences in the joint influence of distal childhood and proximal adolescent factors on Grade 10 alcohol use. All risk factors and two-way early individual-by-context interactions, and interactions of each of these with child sex, were entered into the initial regression. Significant sex interactions prompted the use of separate models for girls and boys. In addition to the identification of early (family socioeconomic status, authoritative parenting style) and proximal adolescent (mental health symptoms, deviant friends) risk factors for both girls and boys, results highlighted important sex differences. In particular, girls with higher alcohol consumption at Grade 10 were distinguished by the interaction of early temperamental disinhibition and exposure to parental stress; boys with higher alcohol consumption at Grade 10 were distinguished primarily by early temperamental negative affect. Results have implications for the timing and type of interventions offered to adolescents.

10 CFR 26.101 - Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol. 26.101 Section 26.101 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS Collecting Specimens for Testing § 26.101 Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol. (a) The confirmatory test must begin as soon...

10 CFR 26.101 - Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol. 26.101 Section 26.101 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS Collecting Specimens for Testing § 26.101 Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol. (a) The confirmatory test must begin as soon...

10 CFR 26.101 - Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol. 26.101 Section 26.101 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS Collecting Specimens for Testing § 26.101 Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol. (a) The confirmatory test must begin as soon...

10 CFR 26.101 - Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol. 26.101 Section 26.101 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS Collecting Specimens for Testing § 26.101 Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol. (a) The confirmatory test must begin as soon...

10 CFR 26.101 - Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol. 26.101 Section 26.101 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS Collecting Specimens for Testing § 26.101 Conducting a confirmatory test for alcohol. (a) The confirmatory test must begin as soon...

Adolescents' multiple versus single primary attachment figures, reorganization of attachment hierarchy, and adjustments: the important people interview approach.

PubMed

Umemura, Tomotaka; Lacinová, Lenka; Kraus, Jakub; Horská, Eliška; Pivodová, Lenka

2018-04-20

Using 212 adolescents from a central-European country (mean age = 14.02, SD = 2.05, ranged from 11 to 18 years; females = 54%) and a multi-informant method to measure adolescents' behavioral and emotional adjustments, the present study explored three aspects regarding the attachment hierarchy. (1) The three types of behavioral systems of Rosenthal and Kobak's important people interview (IPI) were initially validated using an exploratory factor analysis with a US sample. Using a confirmatory factor analysis with a Czech sample, we replicated these three behavioral systems: attachment bond, support seeking, and affiliation. (2) We found that adolescents who developed attachment bond to multiple primary attachment figures were likely to score lower on both teacher-rated and parent-rated internalizing problems compared to those who had a single primary attachment figure. These multiple primary attachment figures tended to be family members (not peers). (3) Early adolescents who placed parents low in their attachment hierarchy scored higher on self-reported negative affect and lower on self-reported positive affect compared to early adolescents who placed parents high. The present study highlights multiple (vs. single) primary attachment figures as a protective factor and the premature reorganization of attachment hierarchy as a risk factor for adolescents' emotional and affective adjustments.

[Family environment risk factors of depression in adolescence].

PubMed

Greszta, Elzbieta

2006-01-01

General psychosocial theories of developmental psychopathology assert that family environment plays a significant role in forming both adaptive and maladaptive functioning of children. Also virtually all theories of depression assert that faulty parent-child relationships play a major role in the aetiology of this disorder. According these theoretical formulations familial risk factors have been the focus of most research on depression in adolescence. Several studies have shown that insecure attachment and parenting characterized by coldness, rejection, harsh discipline and unsupportive behaviour is positively related to adolescent depressive symptoms. Some research indicates that authoritative parenting, conceptualized as a composite of warmth, accept-involvement, firm control, and democratic discipline, is associated with the least depressive symptoms among adolescents. Pathogenetic factors within the family environment, such as parental depression, changes of family structure, violence or neglect, can also contribute to depression in adolescence. A causal relationship between anomalous parenting and depression is probably the interplay among genetic, cognitive, emotional, interpersonal and family environmental factors.

Measuring child maltreatment using multi-informant survey data: a higher-order confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

Salum, Giovanni A; DeSousa, Diogo Araújo; Manfro, Gisele Gus; Pan, Pedro Mario; Gadelha, Ary; Brietzke, Elisa; Miguel, Eurípedes Constantino; Mari, Jair J; do Rosário, Maria Conceição; Grassi-Oliveira, Rodrigo

2016-01-01

To investigate the validity and reliability of a multi-informant approach to measuring child maltreatment (CM) comprising seven questions assessing CM administered to children and their parents in a large community sample. Our sample comprised 2,512 children aged 6 to 12 years and their parents. Child maltreatment (CM) was assessed with three questions answered by the children and four answered by their parents, covering physical abuse, physical neglect, emotional abuse and sexual abuse. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare the fit indices of different models. Convergent and divergent validity were tested using parent-report and teacher-report scores on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Discriminant validity was investigated using the Development and Well-Being Assessment to divide subjects into five diagnostic groups: typically developing controls (n = 1,880), fear disorders (n = 108), distress disorders (n = 76), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (n = 143) and oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder (n = 56). A higher-order model with one higher-order factor (child maltreatment) encompassing two lower-order factors (child report and parent report) exhibited the best fit to the data and this model's reliability results were acceptable. As expected, child maltreatment was positively associated with measures of psychopathology and negatively associated with prosocial measures. All diagnostic category groups had higher levels of overall child maltreatment than typically developing children. We found evidence for the validity and reliability of this brief measure of child maltreatment using data from a large survey combining information from parents and their children.

Measurement invariance of the strength of motivation for medical school: a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

An, M; Kusurkar, R A; Li, L; Xiao, Y; Zheng, C; Hu, J; Chen, M

2017-07-11

The Strength of Motivation for Medical School-Revised (SMMS-R) questionnaire measures students' motivation for studying medicine. It includes three subscales: 'willingness to sacrifice', 'readiness to start', and 'persistence'. Measurement invariance is a prerequisite for group comparisons. The objectives of this study were to verify the factorial structure of the SMMS-R questionnaire and to investigate it's measurement invariance. A total of 989 medical students were approached, 930 cases were kept for data analysis. Factorial structure of and measurement invariance of the SMMS-R were tested using single and multiple group confirmatory factor analyses with Mplus. Trational Cronbach's α along with McDonald's ω and glb were used to measure internal consistency for each subscale. Internal consistency for subscales and the full instrument were within the acceptable range. A 3-factor structure of the Chinese version of the SMMS-R was supported. Full configural, metric and partial scalar invariance were obtained. The SMMS-R showed measurement invariance across gender and two independent samples. So it can be used for group and cross-cultural comparisons.

[Adolescence, sexual behavior and risk factors to health].

PubMed

Assis, Simone Gonçalves de; Gomes, Romeu; Pires, Thiago de Oliveira

2014-02-01

To analyze the relationships between sexual behavior and risk factors to physical and mental health in adolescents. Study of 3,195 pupils aged 15 to 19 in secondary education, in public and private schools in 10 state capitals in Brazil between 2007 and 2008. Multi-stage (schools and pupils) cluster sampling was used in each city and public and private educational network. All of the students selected completed a questionnaire on the following items: socioeconomic and demographic data; sexual behavior; having sex with those of the same sex, the opposite sex, or both; alcohol and cannabis use; using condoms; traumatic sexual experiences as a child or adolescent; suicidal thoughts. The analysis included describing frequencies, Chi-square test, analysis of multiple and cluster correspondence. Responses to an open ended question in which the adolescent expressed general comments about themselves and their lives were qualitatively analyzed using content analysis. Around 3.0% of adolescents reported homosexual or bisexual behavior, with no difference according to sex, age, skin color, social status family structure or educational network. Adolescents with homosexual/bisexual sexual behavior, compared to their heterosexual peers, reported: (p < 0.05): getting drunk (18.7% and 10.5%, respectively), frequent cannabis use (6.1% and 2.1%, respectively), suicidal thoughts (42.5% and 18.7%, respectively), and having been the victim of sexual violence (11.7% and 1.5%; respectively). Adolescents with homosexual/bisexual sexual behavior reported that they used condoms less frequently (74.2%) than their heterosexual peers (48.6%, p < 0.001). In the correspondence analysis, three groups were found, one composed of adolescents with homosexual/bisexual behavior and experiencing risk factors; suffering sexual violence, never using a condom, suicidal thoughts, frequent cannabis use; another composed of occasional cannabis and condom users, who got drunk frequently, and adolescents with

Adolescence, sexual behavior and risk factors to health

PubMed Central

de Assis, Simone Gonçalves; Gomes, Romeu; Pires, Thiago de Oliveira

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE To analyze the relationships between sexual behavior and risk factors to physical and mental health in adolescents. METHODS Study of 3,195 pupils aged 15 to 19 in secondary education, in public and private schools in 10 state capitals in Brazil between 2007 and 2008. Multi-stage (schools and pupils) cluster sampling was used in each city and public and private educational network. All of the students selected completed a questionnaire on the following items: socioeconomic and demographic data; sexual behavior; having sex with those of the same sex, the opposite sex, or both; alcohol and cannabis use; using condoms; traumatic sexual experiences as a child or adolescent; suicidal thoughts. The analysis included describing frequencies, Chi-square test, analysis of multiple and cluster correspondence. Responses to an open ended question in which the adolescent expressed general comments about themselves and their lives were qualitatively analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS Around 3.0% of adolescents reported homosexual or bisexual behavior, with no difference according to sex, age, skin color, social status family structure or educational network. Adolescents with homosexual/bisexual sexual behavior, compared to their heterosexual peers, reported: (p < 0.05): getting drunk (18.7% and 10.5%, respectively), frequent cannabis use (6.1% and 2.1%, respectively), suicidal thoughts (42.5% and 18.7%, respectively), and having been the victim of sexual violence (11.7% and 1.5%; respectively). Adolescents with homosexual/bisexual sexual behavior reported that they used condoms less frequently (74.2%) than their heterosexual peers (48.6%, p < 0.001). In the correspondence analysis, three groups were found, one composed of adolescents with homosexual/bisexual behavior and experiencing risk factors; suffering sexual violence, never using a condom, suicidal thoughts, frequent cannabis use; another composed of occasional cannabis and condom users, who got drunk

Psychometric properties of the Revised Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R) in Chinese adolescents.

PubMed

Mak, Kwok-Kei; Lai, Ching-Man; Ko, Chih-Hung; Chou, Chien; Kim, Dong-Il; Watanabe, Hiroko; Ho, Roger C M

2014-10-01

The Revised Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R) was developed to assess Internet addiction in Chinese populations, but its psychometric properties in adolescents have not been examined. This study aimed to evaluate the factor structure and psychometric properties of CIAS-R in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. 860 Grade 7 to 13 students (38 % boys) completed the CIAS-R, the Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA) in a survey. The prevalence of Internet addiction as assessed by CIAS-R was 18 %. High internal consistency and inter-item correlations were reported for the CIAS-R. Results from the confirmatory factor analysis suggested a four-factor structure of Compulsive Use and Withdrawal, Tolerance, Interpersonal and Health-related Problems, and Time Management Problems. Moreover, results of hierarchical multiple regression supported the incremental validity of the CIAS-R to predict mental health outcomes beyond the effects of demographic differences and self-reported time spent online. The CIAS is a reliable and valid measure of internet addiction problems in Hong Kong adolescents. Future study is warranted to validate the cutoffs of the CIAS-R for identification of adolescents with Internet use problems who may have mental health needs.

Psychometric data of a questionnaire to measure cyberbullying bystander behavior and its behavioral determinants among adolescents.

PubMed

DeSmet, A; Bastiaensens, S; Van Cleemput, K; Poels, K; Vandebosch, H; Deboutte, G; Herrewijn, L; Malliet, S; Pabian, S; Van Broeckhoven, F; De Troyer, O; Deglorie, G; Van Hoecke, S; Samyn, K; De Bourdeaudhuij, I

2018-06-01

.This paper describes the items, scale validity and scale reliability of a self-report questionnaire that measures bystander behavior in cyberbullying incidents among adolescents, and its behavioral determinants. Determinants included behavioral intention, behavioral attitudes, moral disengagement attitudes, outcome expectations, self-efficacy, subjective norm and social skills. Questions also assessed (cyber-)bullying involvement. Validity and reliability information is based on a sample of 238 adolescents (M age=13.52 years, SD=0.57). Construct validity was assessed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) or Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) in Mplus7 software. Reliability (Cronbach Alpha, α) was assessed in SPSS, version 22. Data and questionnaire are included in this article. Further information can be found in DeSmet et al. (2018) [1].

The Two- and Three-Dimensional Models of the HK-WISC: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, David W.; Lin, Wen-Ying

1996-01-01

Confirmatory analyses on the Hong Kong Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (HK-WISC) provided support for composite score interpretation based on the two- and three-dimensional models across age levels. Test sample was comprised of 1,100 children, ranging in age from 5 to 15 years at all 11 age levels specified by the HK-WISC. (KW)

Old and New Ideas for Data Screening and Assumption Testing for Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

Flora, David B.; LaBrish, Cathy; Chalmers, R. Philip

2011-01-01

We provide a basic review of the data screening and assumption testing issues relevant to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis along with practical advice for conducting analyses that are sensitive to these concerns. Historically, factor analysis was developed for explaining the relationships among many continuous test scores, which led to the expression of the common factor model as a multivariate linear regression model with observed, continuous variables serving as dependent variables, and unobserved factors as the independent, explanatory variables. Thus, we begin our paper with a review of the assumptions for the common factor model and data screening issues as they pertain to the factor analysis of continuous observed variables. In particular, we describe how principles from regression diagnostics also apply to factor analysis. Next, because modern applications of factor analysis frequently involve the analysis of the individual items from a single test or questionnaire, an important focus of this paper is the factor analysis of items. Although the traditional linear factor model is well-suited to the analysis of continuously distributed variables, commonly used item types, including Likert-type items, almost always produce dichotomous or ordered categorical variables. We describe how relationships among such items are often not well described by product-moment correlations, which has clear ramifications for the traditional linear factor analysis. An alternative, non-linear factor analysis using polychoric correlations has become more readily available to applied researchers and thus more popular. Consequently, we also review the assumptions and data-screening issues involved in this method. Throughout the paper, we demonstrate these procedures using an historic data set of nine cognitive ability variables. PMID:22403561

Validation of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief Form in adolescents.

PubMed

Fonseca-Pedrero, Eduardo; Paíno-Piñeiro, Mercedes; Lemos-Giráldez, Serafín; Villazón-García, Ursula; Muñiz, José

2009-06-01

The main objective of the study was to validate the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief (SPQ-B) in a sample of non-clinical adolescents. In addition, the schizotypal personality structure and differences in the dimensions of schizotypy according to gender and age are analyzed. The sample comprises 1683 students, 818 males (48.6%), with a mean age of 15.9 years (SD=1.2). The results showed that the SPQ-B had adequate psychometric properties. Internal consistency of the subscales and total score ranged from 0.61 to 0.81. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the three-factor model (positive, negative, and disorganized) and the four-factor model (positive, paranoid, negative, and disorganized) fit reasonably well in comparison to the remaining models. With regard to gender and age, statistically significant differences were found due to age but not to gender. In line with previous literature, the results confirmed the multi-factor structure of the schizotypal personality in non-clinical adolescent populations. Future studies could use the SPQ-B as a screening self-report of rapid and efficient application for the detection of adolescents vulnerable to the development of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in the general population, in genetically high-risk samples and in clinical studies.

Social Isolation, Psychological Health, and Protective Factors in Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall-Lande, Jennifer A.; Eisenberg, Marla E.; Christenson, Sandra L.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2007-01-01

This study investigates the relationships among social isolation, psychological health, and protective factors in adolescents. Feelings of social isolation may influence psychological health in adolescents, but protective factors such as family connectedness, school connectedness, and academic achievement may also play a key role. The sample…

Complementary exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the French WISC-V: Analyses based on the standardization sample.

PubMed

Lecerf, Thierry; Canivez, Gary L

2018-06-01

Interpretation of the French Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (French WISC-V; Wechsler, 2016a) is based on a 5-factor model including Verbal Comprehension (VC), Visual Spatial (VS), Fluid Reasoning (FR), Working Memory (WM), and Processing Speed (PS). Evidence for the French WISC-V factorial structure was established exclusively through confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs). However, as recommended by Carroll (1995); Reise (2012), and Brown (2015), factorial structure should derive from both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and CFA. The first goal of this study was to examine the factorial structure of the French WISC-V using EFA. The 15 French WISC-V primary and secondary subtest scaled scores intercorrelation matrix was used and factor extraction criteria suggested from 1 to 4 factors. To disentangle the contribution of first- and second-order factors, the Schmid and Leiman (1957) orthogonalization transformation (SLT) was applied. Overall, no EFA evidence for 5 factors was found. Results indicated that the g factor accounted for about 67% of the common variance and that the contributions of the first-order factors were weak (3.6 to 11.9%). CFA was used to test numerous alternative models. Results indicated that bifactor models produced better fit to these data than higher-order models. Consistent with previous studies, findings suggested dominance of the general intelligence factor and that users should thus emphasize the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) when interpreting the French WISC-V. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Orthogonal higher order structure and confirmatory factor analysis of the French Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III).

PubMed

Golay, Philippe; Lecerf, Thierry

2011-03-01

According to the most widely accepted Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) model of intelligence measurement, each subtest score of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults (3rd ed.; WAIS-III) should reflect both 1st- and 2nd-order factors (i.e., 4 or 5 broad abilities and 1 general factor). To disentangle the contribution of each factor, we applied a Schmid-Leiman orthogonalization transformation (SLT) to the standardization data published in the French technical manual for the WAIS-III. Results showed that the general factor accounted for 63% of the common variance and that the specific contributions of the 1st-order factors were weak (4.7%-15.9%). We also addressed this issue by using confirmatory factor analysis. Results indicated that the bifactor model (with 1st-order group and general factors) better fit the data than did the traditional higher order structure. Models based on the CHC framework were also tested. Results indicated that a higher order CHC model showed a better fit than did the classical 4-factor model; however, the WAIS bifactor structure was the most adequate. We recommend that users do not discount the Full Scale IQ when interpreting the index scores of the WAIS-III because the general factor accounts for the bulk of the common variance in the French WAIS-III. The 4 index scores cannot be considered to reflect only broad ability because they include a strong contribution of the general factor.

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of short-form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents.

PubMed

Chang, Li-Chun; Hsieh, Pei-Lin; Liu, Chieh-Hsing

2012-09-01

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of short-form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents. Assessing health literacy is vital to design health education programme; however, there are no measurement tools exist for use specifically in Chinese adolescents. A non-experimental design was used to test the psychometric properties of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents. The short-form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents was translated and back translated into a Chinese language version. Thirty high school students were recruited to validate the scenario of Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents. Based on the multiple-stage stratified random sampling method, 300 high school students from four counties in Taiwan were invited to participate in this study to evaluate the psychometric properties of Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents. The Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents had good internal consistency reliability and excellent test-retest reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a one-factor solution. Contrary to the original version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents, the findings revealed that the 36-item, one-factor model for the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adolescents is the best-fit model. This is a suitable instrument to assess health literacy levels in Chinese adolescents before health education programmes can be appropriately planned, implemented and evaluated. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Students' motivation to study dentistry in Malaysia: an analysis using confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

Musa, Muhd Firdaus Che; Bernabé, Eduardo; Gallagher, Jennifer E

2015-06-12

Malaysia has experienced a significant expansion of dental schools over the past decade. Research into students' motivation may inform recruitment and retention of the future dental workforce. The objectives of this study were to explore students' motivation to study dentistry and whether that motivation varied by students' and school characteristics. All 530 final-year students in 11 dental schools (6 public and 5 private) in Malaysia were invited to participate at the end of 2013. The self-administered questionnaire, developed at King's College London, collected information on students' motivation to study dentistry and demographic background. Responses on students' motivation were collected using five-point ordinal scales. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the underlying structure of students' motivation to study dentistry. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to compare factor scores for overall motivation and sub-domains by students' and school characteristics. Three hundred and fifty-six final-year students in eight schools (all public and two private) participated in the survey, representing an 83% response rate for these schools and 67% of all final-year students nationally. The majority of participants were 24 years old (47%), female (70%), Malay (56%) and from middle-income families (41%) and public schools (78%). CFA supported a model with five first-order factors (professional job, healthcare and people, academic, careers advising and family and friends) which were linked to a single second-order factor representing overall students' motivation. Academic factors and healthcare and people had the highest standardized factor loadings (0.90 and 0.71, respectively), suggesting they were the main motivation to study dentistry. MANOVA showed that students from private schools had higher scores for healthcare and people than those in public schools whereas Malay students had lower scores for family and friends than those

Motivations for adolescent participation in leisure-time physical activity: international differences.

PubMed

Iannotti, Ronald J; Chen, Rusan; Kololo, Hania; Petronyte, Gintare; Haug, Ellen; Roberts, Chris

2013-01-01

Although there are substantial international differences in adolescent physical activity (PA), cross-country motivational differences have received limited attention, perhaps due to the lack of measures applicable internationally. Identical self-report measures assessing PA and motivations for PA were used to survey students ages 11, 13, and 15 from 7 countries participating in the 2005-2006 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study representing 3 regions: Eastern Europe, Western Europe and North America. Multigroup comparisons with Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling examined the stability of factors across regions and regional differences in relations between PA and motives for PA. Three PA motivation factors were identified as suitable for assessing international populations. There were significant regional, gender, and age differences in relations between PA and each of the 3 PA motives. Social and achievement motives were positively related to PA. However, the association of PA with health motivations varied significantly by region and gender. The patterns suggest the importance of social motives for PA and the possibility that health may not be a reliable motivator for adolescent PA. Programs to increase PA in adolescence need to determine which motives are effective for the particular population being targeted.

Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the situational self-efficacy scale for fruit and vegetable consumption in adolescents.

PubMed

Kadioglu, Hasibe; Erol, Saime; Ergun, Ayse

2015-01-01

The purpose of this research was to examine the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the situational self-efficacy scale for vegetable and fruit consumption in adolescents. This was a methodological study. The study was conducted in four public secondary schools in Istanbul, Turkey. Subjects were 1586 adolescents. Content and construct validity were assessed to test the validity of the scale. The reliability was assessed in terms of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. For confirmatory factor analysis, χ(2) statistics plus other fit indices were used, including the goodness-of-fit index, the adjusted goodness-of-fit index, the nonnormed fit index, the comparative fit index, the standardized root mean residual, and the root mean square error of approximation. Pearson's correlation was used for test-retest reliability and item total correlation. The internal consistency was assessed by using Cronbach α. Confirmatory factor analysis strongly supported the three-component structure representing positive social situations (α = .81), negative effect situations (α = .93), and difficult situations (α = .78). Psychometric analyses of the Turkish version of the situational self-efficacy scale indicate high reliability and good content and construct validity. Researchers and health professionals will find it useful to employ the Turkish situational self-efficacy scale in evaluating situational self-efficacy for fruit and vegetable consumption in Turkish adolescents.

Adaptation and validation of the Spanish version of the Dieting Peer Competitiveness Scale to adolescents of both genders.

PubMed

Pamies-Aubalat, Lidia; Quiles-Marcos, Yolanda; Núñez-Núñez, Rosa M

2013-12-01

This study examined the Dieting Peer Competitiveness Scale; it is an instrument for evaluating this social comparison in young people. This instrumental study has two aims: The objective of the first aim was to present preliminary psychometric data from the Spanish version of the Dieting Peer Competitiveness Scale, including statistical item analysis, research about this instrument's internal structure, and a reliability analysis, from a sample of 1067 secondary school adolescents. The second objective of the study corresponds to confirmatory factor analysis of the scale's internal structure, as well as analysis for evidence of validity from a sample of 1075 adolescents.

Does the Factor Structure of Military Sexual Stressors in Men Correspond to Women's? A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Using the Sexual Harassment Inventory.

PubMed

Reddy, Madhavi K; Murdoch, Maureen

2016-02-01

Unwanted sexual stressors experienced by military men and women are associated with a host of negative physical and mental health problems. Government officials are making it a priority to put a stop to these unwanted sexual experiences. However, the measure typically used measures sexual stressors much better for women than for men. The purpose of the present study was to test the factor structure of an alternative measure, the Sexual Harassment Inventory (SHI), to examine whether sexual stressors experienced by men correspond to women's experiences. We used three preexisting datasets in which the SHI was used to assess active and former military members' sexual stressor experiences. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis to identify women's response patterns and a confirmatory factor analysis to determine whether men's response patterns corresponded to women's. Findings showed that the SHI has evidence of factorial validity in female service members and adequate, but not exceptional, factorial fit for male service members. It is imperative that more work be done to better understand how men experience and perceive potential military sexual stressors and how those perceptions and experiences compare to women's. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

The Development of an Empirical Model of Mental Health Stigma in Adolescents.

PubMed

Silke, Charlotte; Swords, Lorraine; Heary, Caroline

2016-08-30

Research on mental health stigma in adolescents is hampered by a lack of empirical investigation into the theoretical conceptualisation of stigma, as well as by the lack of validated stigma measures. This research aims to develop a model of public stigma toward depression in adolescents and to use this model to empirically examine whether stigma is composed of three separate dimensions (Stereotypes, Prejudice and Discrimination), as is theoretically proposed. Adolescents completed self-report measures assessing their stigmatising responses toward a fictional peer with depression. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA; N=332) was carried out on 58-items, which proposed to measure aspects of stigma. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; N=236) was then carried out to evaluate the validity of the observed stigma model. Finally, higher-order CFAs were conducted in order to assess whether the observed model supported the tripartite conceptualisation of stigma. The EFA returned a seven-factor model of stigma. These factors were designated as Dangerousness, Warmth & Competency, Responsibility, Negative Attributes, Prejudice, Classroom Discrimination and Friendship Discrimination. The CFA supported the goodness-of-fit of this seven-factor model. The higher-order CFAs indicated that these seven factors represented the latent constructs of, Stereotypes, Prejudice and Discrimination, which in turn represented Stigma. Overall, results support the tripartite conceptualisation of stigma and suggest that measurements of mental health stigma in adolescents should include assessments of all three dimensions. These results also highlight the importance of establishing valid and reliable measures for assessing stigma in adolescents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting low back pain in adolescents.

PubMed

Korovessis, Panagiotis; Repantis, Thomas; Baikousis, Andreas

2010-12-01

Prospective multifactorial study on low back pain (LBP) in adolescents. Most studies on LBP have focused on adults although many investigations have shown that the roots of LBP lie in adolescence. Several mechanical, physical, and behavioral factors have been associated with nonspecific LBP in adolescents. To investigate the effect of all previously reported parameters together with psychological and psychosocial factors using advanced statistics, on LBP in adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. Six hundred and eighty-eight students aged 16±1 years from 5 randomly selected high schools participated in this study and completed a questionnaire containing questions on daily activity, backpack carrying, psychological and psychosocial behavior. Anthropometric data as well as biplane spinal curvatures together with questionnaire results were included in the analysis using advanced statistics. LBP reported 41% of the participants. Generally, statistically significant correlations were found between LBP (0.002), physical activity (P<0.001), physician consultation (P=0.024), and depression (P<0.001). Sex-related differences were shown regarding LBP intensity (P=0.005) and frequency (P=0.013), stress (P<0.03), depression (P=0.005), and nervous mood (P=0.036) in favor of male students. Male adolescents had continuous energy (P=0.0258) and were calm (P=0.029) in contrast with female counterparts. LBP was sex-related and was less common in adolescents with frequent activity. Adolescent girls with stress, depressive mood, and low energy have more LBP than boys, which makes physician consultation for LBP more common in female adolescents. Systematic physical activity and control of psychological profile should decrease LBP frequency and intensity.

Factors Associated with Unwanted Pregnancy among Adolescents in Russia.

PubMed

Panova, O V; Kulikov, A M; Berchtold, A; Suris, J C

2016-10-01

To identify social and behavioral factors associated with unintended pregnancy among adolescents in Russia. Cross-sectional. The investigation group consisted of 145 adolescents aged 15-19 years admitted to a youth-friendly clinic for induced abortion. The control group consisted of 77 sexually active never pregnant adolescent girls of similar age admitted for other reasons. Both groups completed a self-administered questionnaire about their occupation, educational level of their mother, family structure and socioeconomic status, relationship with their mother, sexual behavior, and substance use. Factors associated with unintended pregnancy. In the bivariate analysis pregnant adolescents tended to have a lower educational level, to live in a nonintact family, to prefer stronger alcohol drinks, and to have a younger age at sexual debut and more frequent sexual intercourse. In the log-linear model six factors appeared to be directly linked to pregnancy: mother's lower education, alcohol consumption, nonintact family structure, low academic grades, higher frequency of sexual intercourse, and lower age at sexual debut. Although the issue of unwanted pregnancy and possible ways to prevent it should be kept in mind in the psychosocial assessment of any adolescent, the results of our study suggest that some adolescents are at increased risk of unwanted pregnancy. This group includes adolescent girls with low educational attainment, living in a disrupted family, and reporting other risk behaviors. These adolescents might specially benefit from specific preventive programs to reduce the number of adverse outcomes. Copyright © 2016 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Joint Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities, Third Edition, and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition, with a Preschool Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Mei; Paulson, Sharon E.; Finch, W. Holmes; Mcintosh, David E.; Rothlisberg, Barbara A.

2014-01-01

This study examined the underlying constructs measured by the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities, Third Edition (WJ-III COG) and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition (SB5), based on the Cattell-Horn-Carrol (CHC) theory of cognitive abilities. This study reports the results of the first joint confirmatory factor analysis…

Validation of the factor structure of the adolescent dissociative experiences scale in a sample of trauma-exposed detained youth.

PubMed

Kerig, Patricia K; Charak, Ruby; Chaplo, Shannon D; Bennett, Diana C; Armour, Cherie; Modrowski, Crosby A; McGee, Andrew B

2016-09-01

The inclusion of a dissociative subtype in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM–5 ) criteria for the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has highlighted the need for valid and reliable measures of dissociative symptoms across developmental periods. The Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale (A-DES) is 1 of the few measures validated for young persons, but previous studies have yielded inconsistent results regarding its factor structure. Further, research to date on the A-DES has been based upon nonclinical samples of youth or those without a known history of trauma. To address these gaps in the literature, the present study investigated the factor structure and construct validity of the A-DES in a sample of highly trauma-exposed youth involved in the juvenile justice system. A sample of 784 youth (73.7% boys) recruited from a detention center completed self-report measures of trauma exposure and the A-DES, a subset of whom (n = 212) also completed a measure of PTSD symptoms. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed a best fitting 3-factor structure comprised of depersonalization or derealization, amnesia, and loss of conscious control, with configural and metric invariance across gender. Logistic regression analyses indicated that the depersonalization or derealization factor effectively distinguished between those youth who did and did not likely meet criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD as well as those with PTSD who did and did not likely meet criteria for the dissociative subtype. These results provide support for the multidimensionality of the construct of posttraumatic dissociation and contribute to the understanding of the dissociative subtype of PTSD among adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved

Protective Factors in American Indian Communities and Adolescent Violence

PubMed Central

Pu, Jia; Chewning, Betty; St. Clair, Iyekiyapiwin Darlene; Kokotailo, Patricia K; Lacourt, Jeanne; Wilson, Dale

2014-01-01

Purpose With their distinct cultural heritage and rural boundaries, American Indian reservation communities offer a unique opportunity to explore protective factors that help buffer adolescents from potential risk behaviors such as violence. Prior published research on Indian communities has not explored three potential protective factors for violence - parental monitoring of adolescents and friends, adolescents’ self-efficacy to avoid fighting, and adolescents’ interest in learning more about their traditional culture. This paper explores the relationship between these factors and reduced risk of reported violence. Methods In 1998, 630 American Indian students in grades 6–12 were surveyed in five Midwestern, rural Indian reservation schools. Path analysis was used to identify the direct and indirect association of the three potential protective factors with reduced violence behavior. Results There were significant gender differences both in perceived parental monitoring and in adolescents’ self-efficacy. For female adolescents, parental monitoring had the strongest inverse relationship with female adolescents’ involvement in violence. Female adolescents’ self-efficacy and their interest in learning more about their culture were also inversely associated with violence and therefore potentially important protectors. Male adolescents who reported more interest in learning the tribe’s culture had better self-efficacy to avoid violence. However, self-efficacy did not successfully predict their reported involvement in peer violence. Conclusions These findings support exploring gender differences, parental monitoring, self-efficacy training as well as cultural elements in future violence intervention studies. Further investigation is needed to identify protective factors for risk behaviors among male adolescents and test the generalizability to non-reservation based adolescents. PMID:22926269

Examining Overgeneral Autobiographical Memory as a Risk Factor for Adolescent Depression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rawal, Adhip; Rice, Frances

2012-01-01

Objective: Identifying risk factors for adolescent depression is an important research aim. Overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) is a feature of adolescent depression and a candidate cognitive risk factor for future depression. However, no study has ascertained whether OGM predicts the onset of adolescent depressive disorder. OGM was…

Self-Control Constructs Related to Measures of Dietary Intake and Physical Activity in Adolescents

PubMed Central

Wills, Thomas A.; Isasi, Carmen R.; Mendoza, Don; Ainette, Michael G.

2007-01-01

Purpose To test self-regulation concepts in relation to dietary intake and physical activity patterns in adolescence, which we predicted to be influenced by components of a self-control model. Methods A survey was conducted with a multiethnic sample of 9th grade public school students in a metropolitan area (N = 539). Confirmatory analysis tested the measurement structure of self-control. Structural equation modeling tested the association of self-control constructs with measures of fruit and vegetable intake, saturated-fat intake, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. Results Confirmatory analysis of 14 indicators of self-control showed best fit for a two-factor structure, with latent constructs of good self-control (planfulness) and poor self-control (impulsiveness). Good self-control was related to more fruit and vegetable intake, more participation in sports, and less sedentary behavior. Poor self-control was related to more saturated-fat intake and less vigorous exercise. These effects were independent of gender, ethnicity, and parental education, which themselves had relations to diet and exercise measures. Multiple-group modeling indicated that effects of self-control were comparable across gender and ethnicity subgroups. Conclusions Self-control concepts are relevant for patterns of dietary intake and physical activity among adolescents. Attention to self-control processes may be warranted for prevention programs to improve health behaviors in childhood and adolescence. PMID:18023783

Risk behaviours among early adolescents: risk and protective factors.

PubMed

Wang, Ruey-Hsia; Hsu, Hsiu-Yueh; Lin, Shu-Yuan; Cheng, Chung-Ping; Lee, Shu-Li

2010-02-01

This paper is a report of a study conducted to examine the influence of risk/protective factors on risk behaviours of early adolescents and whether protective factors moderate their impact. An understanding of how risk and protective factors operate to influence risk behaviours of early adolescents will better prepare nurses to perform interventions appropriately to reduce risk behaviours of early adolescents. A cross-sectional study was carried out, based on a sample of public junior high schools (from 7th to 9th grades) in one city and one county in Taiwan. An anonymous questionnaire designed to measure five risk factors, six protective factors and risk behaviours was administered from October 2006 to March 2007. Data from 878 students were used for the present analysis. Pearson's correlations, anova with random effect models, and generalized linear models were used to analyse the statistically significant explanatory variables for risk behaviours. Gender, perceived father's risk behaviour, perceived mother's risk behaviour, health self-efficacy, interaction of health self-efficacy and perceived peers' risk behaviour, and interaction of emotional regulation and perceived peers' risk behaviour were statistically significant explanatory variables of risk behaviours. Health self-efficacy and emotional regulation moderated the negative effects of peers' perceived risk behaviour on risk behaviours. All protective factors were negative statistically correlated with risk behaviours, and all risk factors positively statistically correlated with risk behaviours. Male adolescents should be considered an at-risk group for risk behaviour intervention. Nurses could provide early adolescents with training regarding health self-efficacy improvement, self-esteem enhancement, emotional regulation skills to reduce their risk behaviours.

Adolescents' Willingness to Seek Psychological Help: Promoting and Preventing Factors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheffield, Jeanie K.; Fiorenza, Erika; Sofronoff, Kate

2004-01-01

Although a relatively high percentage of Australian adolescents experience mental health problems, many disturbed adolescents do not receive the help they require, and only a small proportion of adolescents seek professional psychological help. The present study examined adolescents' willingness to seek help and investigated factors that promote…

Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and structural invariance with age of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF)--French version.

PubMed

Fournet, Nathalie; Roulin, Jean-Luc; Monnier, Catherine; Atzeni, Thierry; Cosnefroy, Olivier; Le Gall, Didier; Roy, Arnaud

2015-01-01

The parent and teacher forms of the French version of the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) were used to evaluate executive function in everyday life in a large sample of healthy children (N = 951) aged between 5 and 18. Several psychometric methods were applied, with a view to providing clinicians with tools for score interpretation. The parent and teacher forms of the BRIEF were acceptably reliable. Demographic variables (such as age and gender) were found to influence the BRIEF scores. Confirmatory factor analysis was then used to test five competing models of the BRIEF's latent structure. Two of these models (a three-factor model and a two-factor model, both based on a nine-scale structure) had a good fit. However, structural invariance with age was only obtained with the two-factor model. The French version of the BRIEF provides a useful measure of everyday executive function and can be recommended for use in clinical research and practice.

A Longitudinal Test of the Parent-Adolescent Family Functioning Discrepancy Hypothesis: A Trend toward Increased HIV Risk Behaviors Among Immigrant Hispanic Adolescents.

PubMed

Córdova, David; Schwartz, Seth J; Unger, Jennifer B; Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes; Villamar, Juan A; Soto, Daniel W; Des Rosiers, Sabrina E; Lee, Tae Kyoung; Meca, Alan; Cano, Miguel Ángel; Lorenzo-Blanco, Elma I; Oshri, Assaf; Salas-Wright, Christopher P; Piña-Watson, Brandy; Romero, Andrea J

2016-10-01

Parent-adolescent discrepancies in family functioning play an important role in HIV risk behaviors among adolescents, yet longitudinal research with recent immigrant Hispanic families remains limited. This study tested the effects of trajectories of parent-adolescent family functioning discrepancies on HIV risk behaviors among recent-immigrant Hispanic adolescents. Additionally, we examined whether and to what extent trajectories of parent-adolescent family functioning discrepancies vary as a function of gender. We assessed family functioning of 302 Hispanic adolescents (47 % female) and their parent (70 % female) at six time points over a three-year period and computed latent discrepancy scores between parent and adolescent reports at each timepoint. Additionally, adolescents completed measures of sexual risk behaviors and alcohol use. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to determine the feasibility of collapsing parent and adolescent reported family functioning indicators onto a single latent discrepancy variable, tested model invariance over time, and conducted growth mixture modeling (GMM). GMM yielded a three-class solution for discrepancies: High-Increasing, High-Stable, and Low-Stable. Relative to the Low-Stable class, parent-adolescent dyads in the High-Increasing and High-Stable classes were at greater risk for adolescents reporting sexual debut at time 6. Additionally, the High-Stable class was at greater risk, relative to the Low-Stable class, in terms of adolescent lifetime alcohol use at 30 months post-baseline. Multiple group GMM indicated that trajectories of parent-adolescent family functioning trajectories did not vary by gender. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

A Longitudinal Test of the Parent–Adolescent Family Functioning Discrepancy Hypothesis: A Trend toward Increased HIV Risk Behaviors among Immigrant Hispanic Adolescents

PubMed Central

Cordova, David; Schwartz, Seth J.; Unger, Jennifer B.; Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes; Villamar, Juan A.; Soto, Daniel W.; Des Rosiers, Sabrina E.; Lee, Tae Kyoung; Meca, Alan; Cano, Miguel Ángel; Lorenzo-Blanco, Elma I.; Oshri, Assaf; Salas-Wright, Christopher P.; Piña-Watson, Brandy M.; Romero, Andrea J.

2016-01-01

Parent-adolescent discrepancies in family functioning play an important role in HIV risk behaviors among adolescents, yet longitudinal research with recent immigrant Hispanic families remains limited. This study tested the effects of trajectories of parent–adolescent family functioning discrepancies on HIV risk behaviors among recent-immigrant Hispanic adolescents. Additionally, we examined whether and to what extent trajectories of parent-adolescent family functioning discrepancies vary as a function of gender. We assessed family functioning of 302 Hispanic adolescents (47% female) and their parent (70% female) at six time points over a three-year period and computed latent discrepancy scores between parent and adolescent reports at each timepoint. Additionally, adolescents completed measures of sexual risk behaviors and alcohol use. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to determine the feasibility of collapsing parent and adolescent reported family functioning indicators onto a single latent discrepancy variable, tested model invariance over time, and conducted growth mixture modeling (GMM). GMM yielded a three-class solution for discrepancies: High-Increasing, High-Stable, and Low-Stable. Relative to the Low-Stable class, parent–adolescent dyads in the High-Increasing and High-Stable classes were at greater risk for adolescents reporting sexual debut at time 6. Additionally, the High-Stable class was at greater risk, relative to the Low-Stable class, in terms of adolescent lifetime alcohol use at 30 months post-baseline. Multiple group GMM indicated that trajectories of parent-adolescent family functioning trajectories did not vary by gender. Implications for future research and practice are discussed. PMID:27216199

What Does the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) Measure? Joint Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the CAS and the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability (3rd Edition).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keith, Timothy Z.; Kranzler, John H.; Flanagan, Dawn P.

2001-01-01

Reports the results of the first joint confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) and the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities-3rd Edition (WJ III). Results of these analyses do not support the construct validity of the CAS as a measure of the PASS (planning, attention, simultaneous, and sequential)…

Risk and protective factors for suicidal ideation among Taiwanese adolescents.

PubMed

Wang, Ruey-Hsia; Lai, Hsiao-Jung; Hsu, Hsiu-Yueh; Hsu, Min-Tao

2011-01-01

: Suicide is the ninth leading cause of death in adolescents aged 15-19 years in Taiwan. Suicidal ideation is an important predictor of committing suicide among adolescents. : The aim of this study was to examine the important risk factors, the protective factors, and the role of protective factors on the relationship of risk factors to suicidal ideation among Taiwanese adolescents aged 15-19 years. : By adopting a cross-sectional study, senior high school students (n = 577) aged 15-19 years in southern Taiwan were recruited for this study. An anonymous self-reported questionnaire was used to collect demographic characteristics, risk factors, protective factors, and suicidal ideation of the sample. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to identify the important risk and protective factors and the interaction between risk and protective factors on suicidal ideation. : Nearly 18% (n = 101) of the participants reported having suicidal ideation during the past 12 months. Gender (female; odds ratio [OR] = 4.23), life stress (OR = 1.03), depression (OR = 3.44), peer suicidal ideation (OR = 4.15), and bullying victimization (OR = 1.81) were important risk factors of suicidal ideation among the targeted sample. In addition, self-esteem (OR = 0.92) and emotional adaptation (OR = 0.88) were important protective factors of suicidal ideation. Self-esteem and emotional adaptation were not used to moderate the negative effects of life stress, depression, perceived peer suicidal ideation, and bullying victimization on suicidal ideation. The final model explained 40.6% of the total variance in suicidal ideation and correctly predicted 86.1% of participants with suicidal ideation. : Suicidal ideation prevention programs should be targeted to female adolescents. School-based efforts that provide adolescents with self-esteem enhancement, emotional regulation skills training, positive peer norms for life, coping skills for managing stress and depression, and antibullying programs

Risk factors for adolescent alcohol use following a natural disaster.

PubMed

Schroeder, Janine M; Polusny, Melissa A

2004-01-01

On 29 March 1998, a series of category F-3 and F-4 tornadoes caused wide-spread destruction in four rural southern Minnesota counties in the United States. Extensive research has examined the impact of disaster exposure on adults' psychological functioning, including alcohol use. However, there has been little research on potential risk factors for adolescents' alcohol use following disaster exposure. It was hypothesized that demographic variables such as age and gender, prior drinking involvement, extent of prior trauma history, level of disaster exposure, and current disaster-related, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology would predict alcohol use among adolescents. Six months following a natural disaster, survey data were collected from 256 adolescents assessing these factors. Risk factors for adolescents' alcohol use were identified using hierarchical, multiple regression and logistic regression analyses. Greater age, prior drinking involvement, and the extent of prior trauma history were significantly associated with higher levels of binge drinking. Prior trauma history and current levels of disaster-related PTSD symptomatology were significant risk factors for adolescents' report of increases in their alcohol consumption since the tornado. In general, the extent of trauma exposure was associated with greater binge drinking among adolescents. Similar to adults, post-traumatic stress symptoms experienced in the aftermath of a disaster can lead to increased alcohol consumption among adolescents.

Adolescent pregnancy and associated factors in South African youth.

PubMed

Mchunu, G; Peltzer, K; Tutshana, B; Seutlwadi, L

2012-12-01

Adolescent pregnancy, occurring in girls aged 10-19 years, remains a serious health and social problem worldwide, and has been associated with numerous risk factors evident in the young people's family, peer, school, and neighbourhood contexts. To assess the prevalence of adolescent pregnancy and associated factors in the South African context, as part of a population-based household survey that formed part of an evaluation of the impact of loveLife, South Africa's national HIV prevention campaign for young people. A cross-sectional population-based household survey was conducted using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling approach. The total sample included 3123 participants, aged 18-24, 54.6% men and 45.4% women, from four of nine provinces in South Africa (Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga). Among female youth 19.2% said that they had an adolescent pregnancy, while 5.8% of male youth indicated that they had impregnated a girl when they were an adolescent (12-19 years), 16.2% of the women indicated that they ever had an unwanted pregnancy and 6.7% had ever terminated a pregnancy. In multivariable analysis among women it was found that being employed or unemployed, greater poverty, having higher sexually permissive attitudes and scoring higher on the contraceptive or the condom use index was associated with adolescent pregnancy, and among men wanting the pregnancy and having a sense of the future were associated with adolescent pregnancy. Adolescent pregnancy was found to be high in this sample of South African youth. Multiple factors contributing to adolescent pregnancy have been identified which can be used in targeting young people on the prevention of adolescent pregnancy.

Uncovering hidden eating disorders using the SCOFF questionnaire: cross-sectional survey of adolescents and comparison with nurse assessments.

PubMed

Hautala, Lea; Junnila, Jouni; Alin, Jouni; Grönroos, Matti; Maunula, Aija-Mari; Karukivi, Max; Liuksila, Pirjo-Riitta; Räihä, Hannele; Välimäki, Maritta; Saarijärvi, Simo

2009-11-01

The majority of individuals with an eating disorder remain undetected in healthcare. To improve the situation, screening for eating disorder symptoms is suggested to be a routine part of the health examination of adolescents. Given the busy practice of school healthcare, the screening tool needs to be brief and efficient. To evaluate the feasibility of the Finnish version of the SCOFF questionnaire in screening for eating disorder symptoms among adolescents. A natural design with cross-sectional surveys. School healthcare in a major city in southwestern Finland. Students, aged 14-16 years, attending the 8th grade (n=1036, response rate=71%) and the 9th grade (n=855, response rate=62%) at Finnish-speaking secondary schools during the academic years 2003-2005, and their school nurses (n=14). Adolescents attending special classes for those with learning disabilities were excluded from the study. Students self-administered the SCOFF questionnaire as part of a health examination. Background information was obtained from the students' healthcare records. Data from school nurses were collected with semi-structured questionnaires designed for this study. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to identify the best factor model of SCOFF for girls and boys. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the efficiency of SCOFF in comparison with established health examination practice for the purpose of detecting potential eating disorder cases among adolescents. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated a good fit of both the unidimensional and a two-factor model of SCOFF and yielded support for the gender-free interpretation of the screening results in mid-adolescent populations. Altogether 81% of the students who self-reported eating disorder symptoms in SCOFF remained undetected in a health examination where no eating disorder questionnaire was used. SCOFF was found to be an appropriate instrument for screening for eating disorder symptoms in mid-adolescent populations within

[A twin study on genetic and environmental factors of adolescents violence behaviors].

PubMed

Zhu, Wenfen; Fu, Yixiao; Hu, Xiaomei; Wang, Yingcheng; Deng, Wei; Li, Tao; Ma, Xingshun

2015-11-01

To explore the influence of genetic and environmental factors on adolescents violence behaviors. The violence behaviors of 111 twin pairs from Chongqing (aged from 11 to 18 years) were investigated with risk behavior questionnaire-adolescent (RBQ-A). The Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ) and Stressful Life Event (SLE) and the General Functioning Scale of the MacMaster Family Activity Device (FAD-GFS) were applied to assess their environment factors. Structural equation modeling was performed to evaluate the effects of the additive genetic factors (A), shared environment factors (C) and individual specific environmental factors (E) on the adolescents violence behaviors. The effects of A and E on adolescents violence behaviors were 0.41 (95% CI 0.19-0.58) and 0.59 (95% CI 0.42-0.81) respectively. There were significantly negative correlation between violence behaviors and authoritative-parenting-style (r = -0.140, P < 0.05), the score of adolescents violence behaviors was positively correlated with repressive-parenting-style score (r = 0.133, P < 0.05), the score of adolescents violence behaviors were not significantly correlated with the family functions, stress life events and the parenting education level and occupation. Adolescents violence behaviors were influenced by additive genetic factors and individual specific environmental factors. Environmental plays an important role. It should not been ignored that parental rearing pattern play a role in adolescents violence behaviors.

Factors Associated With Peer Victimization Among Adolescents in Taiwan.

PubMed

Huang, Hui-Wen; Chen, Jyu-Lin; Wang, Ruey-Hsia

2018-02-01

Adolescents who have experienced peer victimization face a higher risk of negative health outcomes. However, little is known about the factors that are associated with peer victimization among adolescents in Taiwan. The aim of this study was to examine the factors related to peer victimization among Taiwanese adolescents. A cross-sectional design was employed. Three hundred seventy-seven adolescents aged 13-16 years from seven middle schools in southern Taiwan were recruited as participants. Validated, self-reported questionnaires were used to gather data on demographic characteristics, resilience, peer relationship, parental monitoring, school connectedness, social support, and peer victimization. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the factors that were related to peer victimization. About 17% (n = 64) of the participants experienced peer victimization during the previous 1-year period. Logistic regression analysis indicated that parental monitoring of daily life, school connectedness, and peer support were significant predictors of a reduced risk of peer victimization. The final model explained 23.1% of the total variance in less peer victimization and predicted 80.1% of peer victimization. School connectedness and peer support were identified as important factors facilitating the avoidance of peer victimization among adolescents in Taiwan. Healthcare providers and school personnel should consider school-based programs to improve school connectedness and to build an atmosphere of peer support to reduce peer victimization. Educating parents to monitor their adolescents' daily activities is also encouraged in concert with these school-based programs.

Factors associated with short sleep duration in adolescents

PubMed Central

Felden, Érico Pereira Gomes; Filipin, Douglas; Barbosa, Diego Grasel; Andrade, Rubian Diego; Meyer, Carolina; Louzada, Fernando Mazilli

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with short sleep duration in adolescents from Maravilha – Santa Catarina (SC), southern Brazil. Methods: The sample consisted of 516 adolescents aged 10–19 years of both genders. Issues associated with short sleep duration and difficulty falling asleep, chronotype, daytime sleepiness, physical activity, sedentary behavior and weight status were investigated. Results: The prevalence of short sleep duration (<8h on school days) was 53.6%. Adolescents aged 17–19 years showed a 2.05-fold (95%CI: 1.20–3.50) greater prevalence of short sleep duration than those aged 10–12 years. The ones studying in morning and evening shifts had a higher prevalence of short sleep duration compared to those in the afternoon shift. Older age and school shift were the main factors associated with short sleep duration. Conclusions: Adolescents from Maravilha showed high prevalence of short sleep duration, and older adolescents that studied in the morning and evening shifts showed reduced sleep. PMID:26559604

Adolescent emotionality and effortful control: Core latent constructs and links to psychopathology and functioning

PubMed Central

Snyder, Hannah R.; Gulley, Lauren D.; Bijttebier, Patricia; Hartman, Catharina A.; Oldehinkel, Albertine J.; Mezulis, Amy; Young, Jami F.; Hankin, Benjamin L.

2015-01-01

Temperament is associated with important outcomes in adolescence, including academic and interpersonal functioning and psychopathology. Rothbart’s temperament model is among the most well-studied and supported approaches to adolescent temperament, and contains three main components: positive emotionality (PE), negative emotionality (NE), and effortful control (EC). However, the latent factor structure of Rothbart’s temperament measure for adolescents, the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire Revised (EATQ-R, Ellis & Rothbart, 2001) has not been definitively established. To address this problem and investigate links between adolescent temperament and functioning, we used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the latent constructs of the EATQ-R in a large combined sample. For EC and NE, bifactor models consisting of a common factor plus specific factors for some sub-facets of each component fit best, providing a more nuanced understanding of these temperament dimensions. The nature of the PE construct in the EATQ-R is less clear. Models replicated in a hold-out dataset. The common components of high NE and low EC where broadly associated with increased psychopathology symptoms, and poor interpersonal and school functioning, while specific components of NE were further associated with corresponding specific components of psychopathology. Further questioning the construct validity of PE as measured by the EATQ-R, PE factors did not correlate with construct validity measures in a way consistent with theories of PE. Bringing consistency to the way the EATQ-R is modeled and using purer latent variables has the potential to advance the field in understanding links between dimensions of temperament and important outcomes of adolescent development. PMID:26011660

Adolescent emotionality and effortful control: Core latent constructs and links to psychopathology and functioning.

PubMed

Snyder, Hannah R; Gulley, Lauren D; Bijttebier, Patricia; Hartman, Catharina A; Oldehinkel, Albertine J; Mezulis, Amy; Young, Jami F; Hankin, Benjamin L

2015-12-01

Temperament is associated with important outcomes in adolescence, including academic and interpersonal functioning and psychopathology. Rothbart's temperament model is among the most well-studied and supported approaches to adolescent temperament, and contains 3 main components: positive emotionality (PE), negative emotionality (NE), and effortful control (EC). However, the latent factor structure of Rothbart's temperament measure for adolescents, the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire Revised (EATQ-R; Ellis & Rothbart, 2001) has not been definitively established. To address this problem and investigate links between adolescent temperament and functioning, we used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the latent constructs of the EATQ-R in a large combined sample. For EC and NE, bifactor models consisting of a common factor plus specific factors for some subfacets of each component fit best, providing a more nuanced understanding of these temperament dimensions. The nature of the PE construct in the EATQ-R is less clear. Models replicated in a hold-out dataset. The common components of high NE and low EC where broadly associated with increased psychopathology symptoms, and poor interpersonal and school functioning, while specific components of NE were further associated with corresponding specific components of psychopathology. Further questioning the construct validity of PE as measured by the EATQ-R, PE factors did not correlate with construct validity measures in a way consistent with theories of PE. Bringing consistency to the way the EATQ-R is modeled and using purer latent variables has the potential to advance the field in understanding links between dimensions of temperament and important outcomes of adolescent development. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Risk and Protective Factors for Psychological Adjustment and Grades among Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voydanoff, Patricia; Donnelly, Brenda W.

1999-01-01

Examines the ways in which two risk factors: negative peer behavior and time spent without an adult, and two protective factors: adolescent resources and parental behavior influence psychological adjustment and grades among adolescents ages 10 to 17 (N=745). Results indicate that negative peer behavior is inversely related to adolescent well…

Suicidal and nonsuicidal adolescents: different factors contribute to self-esteem.

PubMed

Grøholt, Berit; Ekeberg, Oivind; Wichstrøm, Lars; Haldorsen, Tor

2005-10-01

Some risk and protective factors differ in their importance to suicidal and nonsuicidal people. In this research we explore the cross-sectional differences between risk factors among suicidal adolescents and nonsuicidal adolescents by focusing on self-esteem. Sixty-five suicidal and 390 nonsuicidal adolescents were compared on Harter's Self-Perceived Profile for Adolescents, self-concept stability, seeking support, loneliness, and depression. Self-concept stability, loneliness, and peer support correlated differently with self-esteem. In multivariate regression analyses, variance in self-esteem was explained by depression and loneliness, and among nonsuicidal adolescents also by self-concept stability, support, and competencies. Loneliness and self-concept stability related differently to self-esteem in suicidal and nonsuicidal adolescents. When the aim is to enhance self-esteem, this difference may delineate suicidal subgroups that need special interventions.

[Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents].

PubMed

Romanzini, Marcelo; Reichert, Felipe Fossati; Lopes, Adair da Silva; Petroski, Edio Luiz; de Farias Júnior, José Cazuza

2008-11-01

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents and to verify its association with age and gender. 644 high school students from public schools in the city of Londrina, Paraná State, Brazil, participated in the study. A two-step sampling process was used. Behavioral risk factors (physical inactivity, inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables, and smoking) and biological risk factors (overweight and high blood pressure) were investigated. Nearly 90% of adolescents showed at least one risk factor. Inadequate consumption of fruits (56.7%) and vegetables (43.9%) and physical inactivity (39.2%) were the most prevalent risk factors. Prevalence rates for high blood pressure and overweight were 18.6 and 12.7%, respectively. Cardiovascular risk factors were more frequent among boys (PR = 1.20; 95%CI = 1.01-1.42). In conclusion, cardiovascular risk factors are a prevalent health issue among students in the city of Londrina.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Severely Obese Adolescents

PubMed Central

Michalsky, Marc P.; Inge, Thomas H.; Simmons, Mark; Jenkins, Todd M.; Buncher, Ralph; Helmrath, Michael; Brandt, Mary L.; Harmon, Carroll M.; Courcoulas, Anita; Chen, Michael; Horlick, Mary; Daniels, Stephen R.; Urbina, Elaine M.

2015-01-01

IMPORTANCE Severe obesity is increasingly common in the adolescent population but, as of yet, very little information exists regarding cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks in this group. OBJECTIVE To assess the baseline prevalence and predictors of CVD risks among severely obese adolescents undergoing weight-loss surgery. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A prospective cohort study was conducted from February 28, 2007, to December 30, 2011, at the following 5 adolescent weight-loss surgery centers in the United States: Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio; Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio; Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Children’s Hospital of Alabama in Birmingham. Consecutive patients aged 19 years or younger were offered enrollment in a long-term outcome study; the final analysis cohort consisted of 242 participants. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES This report examined the preoperative prevalence of CVD risk factors (ie, fasting hyperinsulinemia, elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels, impaired fasting glucose levels, dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure, and diabetes mellitus) and associations between risk factors and body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Preoperative data were collected within 30 days preceding bariatric surgery. RESULTS The mean (SD) age was 17 (1.6) years and median body mass index was 50.5. Cardiovascular disease risk factor prevalence was fasting hyperinsulinemia (74%), elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (75%), dyslipidemia (50%), elevated blood pressure (49%), impaired fasting glucose levels (26%), and diabetes mellitus (14%). The risk of impaired fasting glucose levels, elevated blood pressure, and elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels increased by 15%, 10%, and 6%, respectively, per 5-unit

Disentangling Vulnerabilities from Outcomes: Distinctions between Trait Affect and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescent and Adult Samples

PubMed Central

Harding, Kaitlin A.; Willey, Brittany; Ahles, Joshua; Mezulis, Amy

2016-01-01

Background Trait negative affect and trait positive affect are affective vulnerabilities to depressive symptoms in adolescence and adulthood. While trait affect and the state affect characteristic of depressive symptoms are proposed to be theoretically distinct, no studies have established that these constructs are statistically distinct. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to determine whether the trait affect (e.g. temperament dimensions) that predicts depressive symptoms and the state affect characteristic of depressive symptoms are statistically distinct among early adolescents and adults. We hypothesized that trait negative affect, trait positive affect, and depressive symptoms would represent largely distinct factors in both samples. Method Participants were 268 early adolescents (53.73% female) and 321 young adults (70.09% female) who completed self-report measures of demographic information, trait affect, and depressive symptoms. Results Principal axis factoring with oblique rotation for both samples indicated distinct adolescent factor loadings and overlapping adult factor loadings. Confirmatory factor analyses in both samples supported distinct but related relationships between trait NA, trait PA, and depressive symptoms. Limitations Study limitations include our cross-sectional design that prevented examination of self-reported fluctuations in trait affect and depressive symptoms and the unknown potential effects of self-report biases among adolescents and adults. Conclusions Findings support existing theoretical distinctions between adolescent constructs but highlight a need to revise or remove items to distinguish measurements of adult trait affect and depressive symptoms. Adolescent trait affect and depressive symptoms are statistically distinct, but adult trait affect and depressive symptoms statistically overlap and warrant further consideration. PMID:27085163

A Confirmatory Model for Substance Use Among Japanese American and Part-Japanese American Adolescents

PubMed Central

Williams, John Kino Yamaguchi; Else, 'Iwalani R. N.; Goebert, Deborah A.; Nishimura, Stephanie T.; Hishinuma, Earl S.; Andrade, Naleen N.

2013-01-01

Few studies have examined the effect of ethnicity and cultural identity on substance use among Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents. A cross-sequential study conducted in Hawai'i with 144 Japanese American and part-Japanese American adolescents assessed a model integrating Japanese ethnicity, cultural identity, substance use, major life events, and social support. Japanese American adolescents scored higher on the Japanese Culture Scale and on the Peers’ Social Support than the part-Japanese American adolescents. Significant associations for substance use and impairment included culturally intensified events and Japanese cultural identity- behavior subset. Models had good overall fits and suggested that conflict surrounding cultural identity may contribute to substance use. PMID:23480213

Nursing students' attitudes towards information and communication technology: an exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic approach.

PubMed

Lee, Jung Jae; Clarke, Charlotte L

2015-05-01

The aim of this study was to develop and psychometrically test a shortened version of the Information Technology Attitude Scales for Health, in the investigation of nursing students with clinical placement experiences. Nurses and nursing students need to develop high levels of competency in information and communication technology. However, they encounter statistically significant barriers in the use of the technology. Although some instruments have been developed to measure factors that influence nurses' attitudes towards technology, the validity is questionable and few studies have been developed to test the attitudes of nursing students, in particular. A cross-sectional survey design was performed. The Information Technology Attitude Scales for Health was used to collect data from October 2012-December 2012. A panel of experts reviewed the content of the instrument and a pilot study was conducted. Following this, a total of 508 nursing students, who were engaged in clinical placements, were recruited from six universities in South Korea. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed and reliability and construct validity were assessed. The resulting instrument consisted of 19 items across four factors. Reliability of the four factors was acceptable and the validity was supported. The instrument was shown to be both valid and reliable for measuring nursing students' attitudes towards technology, thus aiding in the current understandings of this aspect. Through these measurements and understandings, nursing educators and students are able to be more reflexive of their attitudes and can thus seek to develop them positively. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Properties of the DASS-21 in an Australian Community Adolescent Population.

PubMed

Shaw, T; Campbell, M A; Runions, K C; Zubrick, S R

2017-07-01

Although developed for adults, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-Short Version (DASS-21) has been used in many research studies with adolescent samples. Evidence as to the applicability of the DASS subscale scores to represent the distinct states of depression, anxiety, and stress as experienced by adolescents is mixed, and the age at which it may be possible to differentiate these 3 states using the DASS-21 has not yet been determined. This study evaluated evidence for a multifactor structure in the DASS-21 in adolescents and the specificity of the 3 subscales for adolescents in general and at different ages. Data were from a large cross-sectional survey of 2,873 school students in Grades 6-12 (aged 12-18 years) in Australia. We conducted confirmatory bifactor analyses testing a general mental health distress factor and 3 domain-specific factors for anxiety, depression, and stress for the whole sample and across gender by age groups. The internal consistency reliability of the DASS total and subscale scores was determined using omega coefficients. Analyses identified that most of the variation in the items was explained by the dominance of a single, general factor and the subscales lacked specificity across all age groups. The DASS-21 can be reliably used to measure general distress in adolescents, but the subscales fail to discriminate between the 3 states. Our results indicate that this lack of discrimination does not reduce with increasing age. These findings caution against the use of adult theoretical models and measures within adolescent populations. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Factors influencing the food choices of Irish children and adolescents: a qualitative investigation.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Amanda; Heary, Caroline; Nixon, Elizabeth; Kelly, Colette

2010-09-01

Food choices established during childhood and adolescence tend to persist into adulthood with consequences for long-term health. Yet, to date, relatively little research has examined factors that influence the food choices of children and adolescents from their perspectives. In this article, previous research is extended by examining developmental differences between children's and adolescents' perceptions of factors influencing their food choices. Focus group discussions were conducted with 29 young people from three age groups (9-10, 13-14 and 16-18 years). An inductive thematic analysis identified three key factors as influencing food choices. These factors included intra-individual factors: the link between food preferences and awareness of healthy eating; intra-familial factors: the role of the home food environment; and extra-familial factors: eating away from the home. Findings indicate that there were developmental differences between children's and adolescents' perceptions of factors influencing food choice. Among adolescents, parental control began to diminish and adolescents exercised increased autonomy over their food choices compared with children. To develop effective nutrition interventions, it is important to gather child and adolescent input regarding factors perceived as influencing their food choices.

[Comparison of the factors influencing young adolescents' aggression according to family structure].

PubMed

Yun, Eun Kyoung; Shin, Sung Hee

2013-06-01

This cross-sectional study was done to compare factors influencing young adolescents' aggression according to family structure. Participants were 680 young adolescents aged 11 to 15 years (113 in single father families, 136 in single mother families, 49 in grandparent families, and 382 in both-parent families). All measures were self-administered. Data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 program and factors affecting young adolescents' aggression were analyzed by stepwise multiple regression. Levels of young adolescents' aggression and all variables were significantly different among the four family structure groups. Factors influencing young adolescents' aggression were also different according to these 4 groups. For single father families, depression-anxiety and family hardiness significantly predicted the level of young adolescents' aggression (adjusted R square=.37, p<.001). For single mother families, depression-anxiety, gender, and friends' support significantly predicted the level of young adolescents' aggression (adjusted R square=.58, p<.001). For grandparent families, depression-anxiety and family support significantly predicted the level of young adolescents' aggression (adjusted R square=.58, p<.001). For both-parent families, depression-anxiety, family hardiness, and friends' support significantly predicted the level of young adolescents' aggression (adjusted R square=.48, p<.001). Nurses working with young adolescents should consider family structure-specific factors influencing aggression in this population.

Psychometric Properties of the Heart Disease Knowledge Scale: Evidence from Item and Confirmatory Factor Analyses

PubMed Central

Lim, Bee Chiu; Kueh, Yee Cheng; Arifin, Wan Nor; Ng, Kok Huan

2016-01-01

Background Heart disease knowledge is an important concept for health education, yet there is lack of evidence on proper validated instruments used to measure levels of heart disease knowledge in the Malaysian context. Methods A cross-sectional, survey design was conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the adapted English version of the Heart Disease Knowledge Questionnaire (HDKQ). Using proportionate cluster sampling, 788 undergraduate students at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia, were recruited and completed the HDKQ. Item analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used for the psychometric evaluation. Construct validity of the measurement model was included. Results Most of the students were Malay (48%), female (71%), and from the field of science (51%). An acceptable range was obtained with respect to both the difficulty and discrimination indices in the item analysis results. The difficulty index ranged from 0.12–0.91 and a discrimination index of ≥ 0.20 were reported for the final retained 23 items. The final CFA model showed an adequate fit to the data, yielding a 23-item, one-factor model [weighted least squares mean and variance adjusted scaled chi-square difference = 1.22, degrees of freedom = 2, P-value = 0.544, the root mean square error of approximation = 0.03 (90% confidence interval = 0.03, 0.04); close-fit P-value = > 0.950]. Conclusion Adequate psychometric values were obtained for Malaysian undergraduate university students using the 23-item, one-factor model of the adapted HDKQ. PMID:27660543

Psychometric Properties of the Heart Disease Knowledge Scale: Evidence from Item and Confirmatory Factor Analyses.

PubMed

Lim, Bee Chiu; Kueh, Yee Cheng; Arifin, Wan Nor; Ng, Kok Huan

2016-07-01

Heart disease knowledge is an important concept for health education, yet there is lack of evidence on proper validated instruments used to measure levels of heart disease knowledge in the Malaysian context. A cross-sectional, survey design was conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the adapted English version of the Heart Disease Knowledge Questionnaire (HDKQ). Using proportionate cluster sampling, 788 undergraduate students at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia, were recruited and completed the HDKQ. Item analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used for the psychometric evaluation. Construct validity of the measurement model was included. Most of the students were Malay (48%), female (71%), and from the field of science (51%). An acceptable range was obtained with respect to both the difficulty and discrimination indices in the item analysis results. The difficulty index ranged from 0.12-0.91 and a discrimination index of ≥ 0.20 were reported for the final retained 23 items. The final CFA model showed an adequate fit to the data, yielding a 23-item, one-factor model [weighted least squares mean and variance adjusted scaled chi-square difference = 1.22, degrees of freedom = 2, P-value = 0.544, the root mean square error of approximation = 0.03 (90% confidence interval = 0.03, 0.04); close-fit P-value = > 0.950]. Adequate psychometric values were obtained for Malaysian undergraduate university students using the 23-item, one-factor model of the adapted HDKQ.

Confirmatory factor analysis of a brief version of the Zarit Burden Interview in Black and White dementia caregivers.

PubMed

Flynn Longmire, Crystal V; Knight, Bob G

2011-08-01

Although the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) is one of the most extensively used measures in research for caregiver burden, few researchers have examined its factor structure. Furthermore, though the ZBI has also been used in cross-group comparisons of burden, there have not been studies of whether or not it measures burden equally across various groups. Therefore, this study considers the psychometric properties of a brief version of the ZBI with particular attention to its factor structure and metric equivalence across two racial groups. Distribution, reliability, and confirmatory factor analyses were performed with a 14-item three-factor ZBI factor model in a sample of 175 Black and 225 White caregivers of family members with dementia. The 14 ZBI items were reliable and fairly normally distributed for both groups. The three-factor model fits the data and was invariant across the Black and White caregivers for number of factors, factor loadings, and factor covariances. These findings contribute to the literature on the factor structure of the ZBI and provide new data on the invariance of the ZBI across two racial/ethnic groups of caregivers. This study provides support for the validity of findings that compare the burden scores of Black and White caregivers in studies utilizing the ZBI. The 14-item version also offers a more parsimonious way to measure burden in clinical settings, potentially increasing screening opportunities when caregiver contact time is limited.

Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale - Second Edition: initial validation of the Korean version.

PubMed

Hyun, Myung-Sun; Nam, Kyoung-A; Kang, Hee Sun; Reynolds, William M

2009-03-01

This paper is a report of a study conducted to test the validity and reliability of the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale - Second Edition in Korean culture. Depression is a significant mental health problem in adolescents. The Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale - Second Edition has been shown to be a useful tool to assess depression in adolescents, with extensive research on this measure having been conducted in western cultures. Measures developed in western cultures need to be tested and validated before being used in Asian cultures. The participants were a convenience sample of 440 Korean adolescents with a mean age of 13.78 years (sd = 0.95) from grades 7 to 9 in three public middle schools in South Korea. A cross-sectional design was used. Back-translation was used to create the Korean version, with additional testing for cultural meaning and comprehension. The data were collected at the end of 2004. Internal consistency reliability for the Korean version of the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale - Second Edition was 0.89, with subscale reliability ranging from 0.66 to 0.81. Evidence for criterion-related, convergent and discriminant validity for the Korean version of the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale - Second Edition was found. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the 4-factor structure of Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale - Second Edition. Our results support the validity and reliability for the Korean version of the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale - Second Edition as a measure of depression and suggest that it can be used to screen students and to evaluate the effectiveness of preventive interventions in school settings.

Behavioral and psychosocial factors associated with suicidal ideation among adolescents.

PubMed

Lee, GyuYoung; Ham, Ok Kyung

2018-04-10

Suicidal ideation poses a serious threat to the well-being of adolescents and is the strongest risk factor for suicide. Indeed, Korea ranks first among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries regarding the age-standardized suicide rates. In the present study, we examined multiple levels of factors associated with the suicidal ideation of adolescents in Korea by applying the Ecological Models of Health Behavior. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 860 adolescents. The instruments included the Beck Depression Inventory and the Adolescent Mental Health and Problem Behavior Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression. Sixteen percent of participants reported suicidal ideation. Intrapersonal (sleep disturbance, Internet game addiction, destructive behavior, and depressive symptoms) and interpersonal factors (family conflicts and peer victimization) were associated with suicidal ideation. Because multiple factors were associated with suicidal ideation among adolescents, both intrapersonal (sleep disturbance, Internet game addiction, and depression) and interpersonal factors (family conflicts and peer problems) should be considered in the development of suicide-prevention programs. These programs could include campaigns changing the norms (permissive attitudes toward school violence) and the development of strict and rigorous school non-violence policies. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Adolescent Physical Activity: Moderation of Individual Factors by Neighborhood Environment.

PubMed

D'Angelo, Heather; Fowler, Stephanie L; Nebeling, Linda C; Oh, April Y

2017-06-01

Less than a third of U.S. adolescents meet federal physical activity (PA) guidelines. Understanding correlates of PA at multiple levels of the Social Ecological Model could improve PA interventions among youth. This study examines (1) associations between factors across the Social Ecological Model including psychosocial factors, perceived neighborhood physical and social environment characteristics, and adolescent moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) and (2) whether perceived neighborhood characteristics moderate associations between psychosocial factors and MVPA. A national sample of adolescents (aged 12-17 years) in the 2014 Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating Study was used to examine associations between psychosocial characteristics, perceived neighborhood social and physical characteristics, and self-reported weekly minutes of MVPA. Analyses were conducted in 2015. Interaction terms between psychosocial and neighborhood variables were added to multiple linear regression models to examine moderation hypotheses. Significant two-way interactions revealed that neighborhoods with features perceived as supportive of PA strengthened several psychosocial-MVPA associations. The positive associations between MVPA and friend norms, friend support, and attitudes were strengthened for adolescents living in neighborhoods with high versus low PA resource availability (all p<0.05). Furthermore, the association between controlled and autonomous motivation and MVPA was strengthened under conditions of shops/stores near (versus distant from) adolescents' homes (p<0.05). The association between some psychosocial factors and adolescent MVPA may be environment dependent. Neighborhood physical and social environments supportive of PA are important to consider when developing targeted PA interventions and may strengthen the association between psychosocial-level factors and adolescent MVPA. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.

Factorial validation of the Attitudes toward Women Scale for Adolescents (AWSA) in assessing sexual behaviour patterns in Bolivian and Ecuadorian adolescents.

PubMed

Jaruseviciene, Lina; De Meyer, Sara; Decat, Peter; Zaborskis, Apolinaras; Degomme, Olivier; Rojas, Mildrett; Arnold Hagens, Salazar; Auquilla, Nancy; Vega, Bernardo; Gorter, Anna C; Orozco, Miguel; Lazarus, Jeffrey V

2014-01-01

Adolescents' health is greatly influenced by social determinants, including gender norms. Although research has shown that there is an association between gender attitudes and adolescents' sexual behaviour, few studies have assessed this relationship carefully. The Attitudes toward Women Scale for Adolescents (AWSA) is widely used to assess gender attitudes among adolescents; however, to our knowledge it has not been applied in Latin America. To apply AWSA in Latin America for the first time, to perform a factorial validation of this scale and to assess the relationship of gender attitudes and sexual behaviour in Bolivian and Ecuadorian adolescents. This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2011 among 14-18 year olds in 20 high schools in Cochabamba (Bolivia) and six in Cuenca (Ecuador) as a part of a larger project. Schools were purposively selected. A Spanish version of the 12-item AWSA was employed for this study. The assessed aspects of adolescent sexual behaviour were: reported sexual intercourse, reported positive experience during last sexual intercourse and reported current use of contraception. The psychometric properties of AWSA were investigated, and both explanatory and confirmatory factorial analyses were performed. The number of questionnaires included in the analysis was 3,518 in Bolivia and 2,401 in Ecuador. A factorial analysis of AWSA resulted in three factors: power dimension (PD), equality dimension (ED) and behavioural dimension (BD). ED showed the highest correlates with adolescent sexual behaviour. Higher scores of this dimension were associated with a more positive experience of sexual relationships, a higher current use of modern contraception and greater sexual activity among girls. This study revealed a three-factorial structure of AWSA and demonstrated that by employing factors, the sensitivity of AWSA increases as compared to using the scale as a whole to assess sexual behaviour. This could have important implications for future

The factorial invariance of the CES-D during adolescence: are symptom profiles for depression stable across gender and time?

PubMed

Verhoeven, Marjolein; Sawyer, Michael G; Spence, Susan H

2013-02-01

This study examined the factorial invariance of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression Scale (CES-D) across gender and time during adolescence. The factor structure of the CES-D was compared at four annual measurement waves in a community sample of 2650 Australian adolescents. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the factor structure of the CES-D was generally invariant across gender and time. However, gender differences were found on three items: for all waves the item 'I had crying spells' was a stronger indicator for depressive affect in females than males. On the final three waves the item 'people were unfriendly' loaded significantly higher on the factor 'Interpersonal Relations' for males than females. On Wave 2 and 3 males interpreted the item 'everything I did was an effort' with a positive connotation, whereas females interpret it with a negative association. These gender-differences are discussed from both a theoretical and a methodological perspective. Copyright © 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA LS-R) in individuals over 65.

PubMed

Ausín, Berta; Muñoz, Manuel; Martín, Teresa; Pérez-Santos, Eloísa; Castellanos, Miguel Ángel

2018-01-08

The UCLA LS-R is the most extensively used scale to assess loneliness. However, few studies examine the scale's use on older individuals. The goal of the study is to analyse the suitability of the scale´s structure for assessing older individuals. The UCLA LS-R scale was administered to a random sample of 409 community-dwelling residents of Madrid (53% women) aged 65-84 years (obtained from the MentDis_ICF65+ study). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the factor structure of the UCLA LS-R. The internal consistency of the scale obtained a Cronbach's alpha of .85. All the analysed models of factor structure of the UCLA LS-R achieved a fairly good fit and RMSEA values over .80. The models that best fit the empirical data are those of Hojat (1982) and Borges et al. (2008). The data suggest an equivalent effectiveness of UCLA LS-R in adults under 65 and over 65, which may indicate a similar structure of the loneliness construct in both populations. This outcome is consistent with the idea that loneliness has two dimensions: emotional loneliness and social loneliness. The use of short measures that are easy to apply and interpret should help primary care professionals identify loneliness problems in older individuals sooner and more accurately.

School Satisfaction among Adolescents: Testing Different Indicators for Its Measurement and Its Relationship with Overall Life Satisfaction and Subjective Well-Being in Romania and Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casas, Ferran; Baltatescu, Sergiu; Bertran, Irma; Gonzalez, Monica; Hatos, Adrian

2013-01-01

This paper presents results from two samples of adolescents aged 13-16 from Romania and Spain (N = 930 + 1,945 = 2,875). The original 7-item version of the Personal Well-Being Index (PWI) was used, together with an item on overall life satisfaction (OLS) and a set of six items related to satisfaction with school. A confirmatory factor analysis of…

Reliability and validity of the Khmer version of the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (Kh-CD-RISC10) in Cambodian adolescents.

PubMed

Duong, Chanmettachampavieng; Hurst, Cameron P

2016-06-08

Resilience has been characterized as a defensive factor against the refinement of mental health problems. This study adapted the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (Kh-CD-RISC10) for use in Khmer adolescents and subsequently investigates its psychometric properties. Using stratified random sampling, this cross-sectional study sampled Cambodian adolescents from high schools selected randomly within three provinces (Phnom Penh, Battambang and Mondulkiri)-location (rural, urban) combinations. Parallel analysis was used to identify the number of component(s), and the structure of the single factor was subsequently explored using principal axis factoring. A confirmatory factor analysis was then performed to establish the fit of the Kh-CD-RISC10 to another sample. To assess convergent validity, the factor scores of the Khmer version of Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale were categorized into three levels, and then the general negative affectivity (GNA) and physiological hyperarousal (PH) scales (derived from the DASS 21) were compared among the three resilience groups. Of the 798 participants who responded (responded rate = 82.26 %), 440 (41.23 %) were female and the age ranged from 14 to 24 years old (mean = 17.36, SD = 1.325). The internal consistency of the Khmer 10-item CD-RISC was also shown to be high in Cambodian adolescents (Cronbach's alpha = 0. 82). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed the single factor model fit data adequately (χ(2) = 100.103, df = 35, p < 0.001, CFI = 0.9484, RMSEA = 0.0384). We found that there were significant differences in both General Negative affectivity and Physiological Hyperarousal among the three resilience groups (FGNA = 12. 84, df = 2, p < 0.001; FPH = 13. 01, df = 2, p < 0.001). The results from the present study indicate that the Khmer version of CD-RISC shows good psychometric properties in Cambodian adolescents. Our result confirms that a single dimension underlay the 10 items on the CD

Singaporean Adolescents' Perceptions of Online Social Communication: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Robert Z.; Cheok, Angeline; Khoo, Eng

2011-01-01

The current study investigated adolescents' perceptions in online social communication. Three factors were perceived by adolescents as critical to online social communication. These included self-identity, self-confidence, and self-social factors. Results showed significant differences between the factors derived from the current study and those…

Factors relating to adolescent suicidal behavior: a cross-sectional Malaysian school survey.

PubMed

Chen, Paul C Y; Lee, Lai Kah; Wong, Kam Cheong; Kaur, Jagmohni

2005-10-01

This study was undertaken to examine factors relating to adolescent suicide behavior. This was a cross-sectional school survey of 4,500 adolescent students based on a structured questionnaire. Data were collected using the supervised self-administered questionnaire (modified version of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance in the Malaysian National Language, Bahasa Malaysia). Seven percent (312 of 4,454) of the adolescent students had seriously considered attempting suicide. Among the adolescents, 4.6% had attempted suicide at least once during the 12 months preceding the survey. Female adolescents were more likely to put their suicidal thoughts into suicidal action than were male adolescents. Malay and Indian people are more likely than the Chinese to respond, "Felt sad and hopeless." However, Malay adolescents had the lowest rate of attempted suicide. Based on multiple logistic regression, factors significantly related to urban adolescents' suicide behavior are "Felt sad or hopeless," "Number of days felt unsafe to go to school," "Riding with a driver who had been drinking alcohol," "Physical fight," and "Number of days absent from school." In comparison, factors relating to rural adolescents' suicide behavior are "Felt sad or hopeless," "Physical fight," "Physical fight resulting in injury," and "Drive a vehicle after drinking alcohol." Adolescent suicide behavior should be viewed as a serious problem. Measures can be taken to prevent suicide by looking at the factors significantly linked to suicidal behavior among adolescents. Steps can then be taken to identify adolescents who have serious suicidal ideation so that intervention can be taken to reduce the suicidal rate.

Identifying a parsimonious model for predicting academic achievement in undergraduate medical education: A confirmatory factor analysis

PubMed Central

Ali, Syeda Kauser; Baig, Lubna Ansari; Violato, Claudio; Zahid, Onaiza

2017-01-01

Objectives: This study was conducted to adduce evidence of validity for admissions tests and processes and for identifying a parsimonious model that predicts students’ academic achievement in Medical College. Methods: Psychometric study done on admission data and assessment scores for five years of medical studies at Aga Khan University Medical College, Pakistan using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structured equation modeling (SEM). Sample included 276 medical students admitted in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Results: The SEM supported the existence of covariance between verbal reasoning, science and clinical knowledge for predicting achievement in medical school employing Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimations (n=112). Fit indices: χ2 (21) = 59.70, p =<.0001; CFI=.873; RMSEA = 0.129; SRMR = 0.093. Conclusions: This study shows that in addition to biology and chemistry which have been traditionally used as major criteria for admission to medical colleges in Pakistan; mathematics has proven to be a better predictor for higher achievements in medical college. PMID:29067063

Identifying a parsimonious model for predicting academic achievement in undergraduate medical education: A confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

Ali, Syeda Kauser; Baig, Lubna Ansari; Violato, Claudio; Zahid, Onaiza

2017-01-01

This study was conducted to adduce evidence of validity for admissions tests and processes and for identifying a parsimonious model that predicts students' academic achievement in Medical College. Psychometric study done on admission data and assessment scores for five years of medical studies at Aga Khan University Medical College, Pakistan using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structured equation modeling (SEM). Sample included 276 medical students admitted in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The SEM supported the existence of covariance between verbal reasoning, science and clinical knowledge for predicting achievement in medical school employing Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimations (n=112). Fit indices: χ 2 (21) = 59.70, p =<.0001; CFI=.873; RMSEA = 0.129; SRMR = 0.093. This study shows that in addition to biology and chemistry which have been traditionally used as major criteria for admission to medical colleges in Pakistan; mathematics has proven to be a better predictor for higher achievements in medical college.

Adolescent Student Burnout Inventory in Mainland China: Measurement Invariance across Gender and Educational Track

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Bi; Wu, Yan; Wen, Zhonglin; Wang, Mengcheng

2014-01-01

This article assessed the measurement in variance of the Adolescent Student Burnout Inventory (ASBI) across gender and educational track, and investigated the main and interaction effects of gender and educational track on the facets of student burnout with a sample consisting of 2,216 adolescent students from China. Multigroup confirmatory factor…

Elucidating Dimensions of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and their Functional Correlates in Disaster-Exposed Adolescents

PubMed Central

Sumner, Jennifer A.; Pietrzak, Robert H.; Danielson, Carla Kmett; Adams, Zachary W.; Ruggiero, Kenneth J.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to elucidate the dimensional structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and potential moderators and functional correlates of this structure in disaster-affected adolescents. A population-based sample of 2,000 adolescents aged 12–17 years (M=14.5 years; 51% female) completed interviews on post-tornado PTSD symptoms, substance use, and parent-adolescent conflict between 4 and 13 months (M=8.8, SD=2.6) after tornado exposure. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that all models fit well but a 5-factor dysphoric arousal model provided a statistically significantly better representation of adolescent PTSD symptoms compared to 4-factor dysphoria and emotional numbing models. There was evidence of measurement invariance of the dysphoric arousal model across gender and age, although girls and older adolescents aged 15–17 years had higher mean scores than boys and younger adolescents aged 12–14 years, respectively, on some PTSD dimensions. Differential magnitudes of association between PTSD symptom dimensions and functional correlates were observed, with emotional numbing symptoms most strongly positively associated with problematic substance use since the tornado, and dysphoric arousal symptoms most strongly positively associated with parent-adolescent conflict; both correlations were significantly larger than the corresponding correlations with anxious arousal. Taken together, these results suggest that the dimensional structure of tornado-related PTSD symptomatology in adolescents is optimally characterized by five separate clusters of re-experiencing, avoidance, numbing, dysphoric arousal, and anxious arousal symptoms, which showed unique associations with functional correlates. Findings emphasize that PTSD in disaster-exposed adolescents is not best conceptualized as a homogeneous construct and highlight potential differential targets for post-disaster assessment and intervention. PMID:25248557

Elucidating dimensions of posttraumatic stress symptoms and their functional correlates in disaster-exposed adolescents.

PubMed

Sumner, Jennifer A; Pietrzak, Robert H; Danielson, Carla Kmett; Adams, Zachary W; Ruggiero, Kenneth J

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to elucidate the dimensional structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and potential moderators and functional correlates of this structure in disaster-affected adolescents. A population-based sample of 2000 adolescents aged 12-17 years (M = 14.5 years; 51% female) completed interviews on post-tornado PTSD symptoms, substance use, and parent-adolescent conflict between 4 and 13 months (M = 8.8, SD = 2.6) after tornado exposure. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that all models fit well but a 5-factor dysphoric arousal model provided a statistically significantly better representation of adolescent PTSD symptoms compared to 4-factor dysphoria and emotional numbing models. There was evidence of measurement invariance of the dysphoric arousal model across gender and age, although girls and older adolescents aged 15-17 years had higher mean scores than boys and younger adolescents aged 12-14 years, respectively, on some PTSD dimensions. Differential magnitudes of association between PTSD symptom dimensions and functional correlates were observed, with emotional numbing symptoms most strongly positively associated with problematic substance use since the tornado, and dysphoric arousal symptoms most strongly positively associated with parent-adolescent conflict; both correlations were significantly larger than the corresponding correlations with anxious arousal. Taken together, these results suggest that the dimensional structure of tornado-related PTSD symptomatology in adolescents is optimally characterized by five separate clusters of re-experiencing, avoidance, numbing, dysphoric arousal, and anxious arousal symptoms, which showed unique associations with functional correlates. Findings emphasize that PTSD in disaster-exposed adolescents is not best conceptualized as a homogenous construct and highlight potential differential targets for post-disaster assessment and intervention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

Examining overgeneral autobiographical memory as a risk factor for adolescent depression.

PubMed

Rawal, Adhip; Rice, Frances

2012-05-01

Identifying risk factors for adolescent depression is an important research aim. Overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) is a feature of adolescent depression and a candidate cognitive risk factor for future depression. However, no study has ascertained whether OGM predicts the onset of adolescent depressive disorder. OGM was investigated as a predictor of depressive disorder and symptoms in a longitudinal study of high-risk adolescents. In addition, cross-sectional associations between OGM and current depression and OGM differences between depressed adolescents with different clinical outcomes were examined over time. A 1-year longitudinal study of adolescents at familial risk for depression (n = 277, 10-18 years old) was conducted. Autobiographical memory was assessed at baseline. Clinical interviews assessed diagnostic status at baseline and follow-up. Currently depressed adolescents showed an OGM bias compared with adolescents with no disorder and those with anxiety or externalizing disorders. OGM to negative cues predicted the onset of depressive disorder and depressive symptoms at follow-up in adolescents free from depressive disorder at baseline. This effect was independent of the contribution of age, IQ, and baseline depressive symptoms. OGM did not predict onset of anxiety or externalizing disorders. Adolescents with depressive disorder at both assessments were not more overgeneral than adolescents who recovered from depressive disorder over the follow-up period. OGM to negative cues predicted the onset of depressive disorder (but not other disorders) and depressive symptoms over time in adolescents at familial risk for depression. Results are consistent with OGM as a risk factor for depression. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of dietary restraint: psychometric properties of the revised restraint scale in Hong Kong adolescents.

PubMed

Mak, Kwok-Kei; Lai, Ching-Man

2012-06-01

The psychometric properties of the Revised Restraint Scale (RRS) have been well established in western populations but not in Chinese adolescents. This study investigated the psychometric properties of RRS and its validity in different subgroups for Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. In 2007, 909 Hong Kong students aged 12 to 18 years (55.3% boys) completed a questionnaire including demographic items, RRS, Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), and Motivation for Eating Scale (MFES)-physical. Moreover, subjects' height and weight were measured. To examine the factor structure of RRS, the whole sample was randomly split into two groups (sample 1: N=454 and sample 2: N=455) for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), respectively. Convergent and discriminant validity of RRS were investigated by correlating the RRS with EAT-26 and MFES-physical. Multigroup CFA was conducted to test the three-factor model of RRS in different sex, age, and weight status subgroups. Results of EFA for sample 1 revealed three strongly correlated factors for the RRS construct, and were supported by the CFA results in sample 2. Multigroup CFA further suggested that the three-factor model of RRS was stable across sex, age, and weight status subgroups. A new three-factor model is proposed for Hong Kong adolescents in this study. In general, RRS is a reliable and valid measure of restrained eating for adolescents, regardless of sex, age, and weight status.

Presumptive and Confirmatory Drug Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Craig

2005-01-01

The majority of drug testings are first done with some kind of qualitative presumptive tests. After the qualitative presumptive tests are performed, a confirmatory test is necessary which demonstrates to the students the rigor needed to conclusively identify a substance.

Assessment of adolescents' motivation for educational attainment.

PubMed

Cham, Heining; Hughes, Jan N; West, Stephen G; Im, Myung Hee

2014-06-01

The Adolescent Motivation for Educational Attainment Questionnaire is a 32-item questionnaire (we drew 20 items from 3 subscales of the Educational Motivation Questionnaire; Murdock, 1999) that was developed to measure multiple potential dimensions of adolescents' motivation to complete high school and enroll in post-secondary education, including competence and effort beliefs; perceived value of education; and peer, teacher, and parent support for educational attainment. We assessed a multiethnic sample (N = 569) of low-achieving students who started 1st grade together in 1 urban and 2 small city school districts. Participants were assessed over 2 consecutive years (Grades 8 and 9 given prior grade retention, or Grades 9 and 10 if not retained). Exploratory factor analyses identified 4 correlated dimensions underlying the questionnaire responses. Subsequent confirmatory factor analyses provided support for a bifactor model, which includes a general factor of students' basic educational motivation, and specific factors of (a) teacher educational expectations, (b) peer aspirations, and (c) value of education. Measurement invariance of the bifactor model was established across students' gender and ethnicity (Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic) and year of testing. Criterion-related validity of the general and specific factors with students' school belonging, student-teacher warmth and conflict, disciplinary practices, letter grade, conduct problems, and behavioral engagement was examined. Practical implications of the measure are discussed.

Risk Factors for Adolescent Pregnancy Reports among African American Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller-Johnson, Shari; C. Winn, Donna-Marie; Coie, John D.; Malone, Patrick S.; Lochman, John

2004-01-01

This study examined childhood and adolescent risk factors for males' reports of getting someone pregnant during adolescence. These questions were examined in an urban sample of 335 African American males involved in a prospective, longitudinal study. Childhood aggression significantly predicted reported pregnancies during adolescence. Boys who…

Preliminary development of the adolescent students' basic psychological needs at school scale.

PubMed

Tian, Lili; Han, Mengmeng; Huebner, E Scott

2014-04-01

The aim of the present study was to develop and provide evidence for the validity of a new measure of adolescent students' psychological need satisfaction at school, using a sample of Chinese students. We conducted four studies with four independent samples (total n = 1872). The first study aimed to develop items for the new instrument and to ascertain its factorial structure using exploratory factor analysis procedures. The second study aimed to examine the instrument's factorial structure using confirmatory factor analysis procedures as well as to assess its internal consistency reliability, convergent and divergent validity. The third study aimed to assess its measurement invariance across gender and age. The fourth study aimed to test its test-retest reliability over time and predictive validity. These preliminary results showed that the new instrument has promising psychometric properties. The potential contributions of the new instrument for future research and educational practices were discussed. Copyright © 2014 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protective factors for adolescent violence against authority.

PubMed

Ibabe, Izaskun; Jaureguizar, Joana; Bentler, Peter M

2013-01-01

Both the family and school environments influence adolescents' violence, but there is little research focusing simultaneously on the two contexts. This study analyzed the role of positive family and classroom environments as protective factors for adolescents' violence against authority (parent abuse and teacher abuse) and the relations between antisocial behavior and child-to-parent violence or student-to-teacher violence. The sample comprised 687 Spanish students aged 12-16 years, who responded to the Family Environment Scale (FES) and the Classroom Environment Scale (CES). Structural Equation Modeling was used to test our model of violent behavior towards authority based on Catalano and Hawkins' Social Developmental Model (1996). Perceived family cohesion and organization showed an inverse association with parent abuse, suggesting that a positive family environment was a protective factor for the development of violence against parents. Family and classroom environments had direct effects on adolescents' violence against authority, and antisocial behavior showed a mediating effect in this relationship. The model accounted for 81% of the variance in violence against authority. As family environment was a better predictor of violence against authority than school environment, intervention efforts to reduce rates of adolescent violence should focus on helping parents to increase family cohesion and to manage conflictive relationships with their children.

Cognitive, personality, and social factors associated with adolescents' online personal information disclosure.

PubMed

Liu, Cong; Ang, Rebecca P; Lwin, May O

2013-08-01

The current study aims to understand the factors that influence adolescents' disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) on social networking sites (SNSs). A survey was conducted among 780 adolescent participants (between 13 and 18) who were Facebook users. Structural equation modeling was used for analyzing the data and obtaining an overarching model that include cognitive, personality, and social factors that influence adolescents' PII disclosure. Results showed privacy concern as the cognitive factor reduces adolescents' PII disclosure and it serves as a potential mediator for personality and social factors. Amongst personality factors, narcissism was found to directly increase PII disclosure, and social anxiety indirectly decreases PII disclosure by increasing privacy concern. Amongst social factors, active parental mediation decreases PII disclosure directly and indirectly by increasing privacy concern. Restrictive parental mediation decreases PII disclosure only indirectly by increasing privacy concern. Implications of the findings to parents, educators, and policy makers were discussed. Copyright © 2013 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An examination of the psychometric structure of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory in temporomandibular disorder patients: a confirmatory factor analysis

PubMed Central

Andreu, Yolanda; Galdon, Maria J; Durá, Estrella; Ferrando, Maite; Pascual, Juan; Turk, Dennis C; Jiménez, Yolanda; Poveda, Rafael

2006-01-01

Background This paper seeks to analyse the psychometric and structural properties of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI) in a sample of temporomandibular disorder patients. Methods The internal consistency of the scales was obtained. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was carried out to test the MPI structure section by section in a sample of 114 temporomandibular disorder patients. Results Nearly all scales obtained good reliability indexes. The original structure could not be totally confirmed. However, with a few adjustments we obtained a satisfactory structural model of the MPI which was slightly different from the original: certain items and the Self control scale were eliminated; in two cases, two original scales were grouped in one factor, Solicitous and Distracting responses on the one hand, and Social activities and Away from home activities, on the other. Conclusion The MPI has been demonstrated to be a reliable tool for the assessment of pain in temporomandibular disorder patients. Some divergences to be taken into account have been clarified. PMID:17169143

School and Parent Factors Associated with Steroid Use among Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elkins, Rebecca L.; King, Keith; Nabors, Laura; Vidourek, Rebecca

2017-01-01

Background: Steroid use among adolescents is an increasing health concern. Literature examining factors related to steroid use is limited. Methods: We investigated steroid use among 9th through 12th grade adolescents in the Greater Cincinnati area. A total of 38,414 adolescents completed the PRIDE Questionnaire. Associations between demographics,…

A multigroup confirmatory factor analysis of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 among English- and Spanish-speaking Latinas.

PubMed

Merz, Erin L; Malcarne, Vanessa L; Roesch, Scott C; Riley, Natasha; Sadler, Georgia Robins

2011-07-01

Depression is a significant problem for ethnic minorities that remains understudied partly due to a lack of strong measures with established psychometric properties. One screening tool, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), which was developed for use in primary care has also gained popularity in research settings. The reliability and validity of the PHQ-9 has been well established among predominantly Caucasian samples, in addition to many minority groups. However, there is little evidence regarding its utility among Hispanic Americans, a large and growing cultural group in the United States. In this study, we investigated the reliability and structural validity of the PHQ-9 in Hispanic American women. A community sample of 479 Latina women from southern California completed the PHQ-9 in their preferred language of English or Spanish. Cronbach's alphas suggested that there was good internal consistency for both the English- and Spanish-language versions. Structural validity was investigated using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. Results support a similar one-factor structure with equivalent response patterns and variances among English- and Spanish-speaking Latinas. These results suggest that the PHQ-9 can be used with confidence in both English and Spanish versions to screen Latinas for depression.

Ideal, nonideal, and no-marker variables: The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) marker technique works when it matters.

PubMed

Williams, Larry J; O'Boyle, Ernest H

2015-09-01

A persistent concern in the management and applied psychology literature is the effect of common method variance on observed relations among variables. Recent work (i.e., Richardson, Simmering, & Sturman, 2009) evaluated 3 analytical approaches to controlling for common method variance, including the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) marker technique. Their findings indicated significant problems with this technique, especially with nonideal marker variables (those with theoretical relations with substantive variables). Based on their simulation results, Richardson et al. concluded that not correcting for method variance provides more accurate estimates than using the CFA marker technique. We reexamined the effects of using marker variables in a simulation study and found the degree of error in estimates of a substantive factor correlation was relatively small in most cases, and much smaller than error associated with making no correction. Further, in instances in which the error was large, the correlations between the marker and substantive scales were higher than that found in organizational research with marker variables. We conclude that in most practical settings, the CFA marker technique yields parameter estimates close to their true values, and the criticisms made by Richardson et al. are overstated. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Cross-national evidence for the clustering and psychosocial correlates of adolescent risk behaviours in 27 countries.

PubMed

de Looze, Margaretha; Ter Bogt, Tom F M; Raaijmakers, Quinten A W; Pickett, William; Kuntsche, Emmanuel; Vollebergh, Wilma A M

2015-02-01

According to Jessor's Problem Behaviour Theory (PBT) and Moffitt's theory of adolescence-limited antisocial behaviour, adolescent risk behaviours cluster and can be predicted by various psychosocial factors including parent, peer and school attachment. This study tested the potential influence of the sociocultural, or macro-level, environment on the clustering and correlates of adolescent risk behaviour across 27 European and North American countries. Analyses were based on data from the 2009-10 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Participants compromised 56,090 adolescents (M(age) = 15.5 years) who self-reported on substance use (tobacco, alcohol, cannabis) and early sexual activity as well as on psychosocial factors (parent, peer and school attachment). Multiple group confirmatory factor analyses (with country as grouping variable) showed that substance use and early sexual activity loaded on a single underlying factor across countries. In addition, multiple group path analyses (with country as grouping variable) showed that associations between this factor and parent, peer and school attachment were identical across countries. Cross-national consistencies exist in the clustering and psychosocial correlates of substance use and early sexual activity across western countries. While Jessor's PBT stresses the problematic aspects of adolescent risk behaviours, Moffitt emphasizes their normative character. Although the problematic nature of risk behaviours overall receives more attention in the literature, it is important to consider both perspectives to fully understand why they cluster and correlate with psychosocial factors. This is essential for the development and implementation of prevention programmes aimed at reducing adolescent risk behaviours across Europe and North America. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Mediation of late adolescent health-risk behaviors and gender influences.

PubMed

Christopherson, Toni Michelle; Conner, Bradley T

2012-11-01

This study explored how multiple bioecological constructs operate to explain health-risk behaviors in late adolescence and to test for moderator effects of gender. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of 437 predominately Caucasian late adolescents with an average age of 19 years who lived in Northern California. Parental Attachment, Shyness, Loneliness, Law Abidance, and Youth Risk Behaviors were measured with self-report tools and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the data fit the model well. Analysis of group differences revealed that gender moderated the relationships among the measured variables; thus, data were analyzed in independent gender-based models. Structural modeling demonstrated good model fit for each gender. Shyness and parental attachment each were associated with loneliness. Loneliness was associated with smoking. Loneliness linked the relationship between shyness, parental attachment, and smoking. Parental attachment was associated with law abidance. Law abidance was associated with sexual behaviors for female adolescents only. This study provides valuable insights for public health nurses as it pertains to late adolescent health-risk behaviors. Nurses should use screening tools and techniques to ensure appropriate referrals and interventions to meet the needs of at-risk adolescents. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Characteristics of tinnitus in adolescents and association with psychoemotional factors.

PubMed

Kim, So Young; Jeon, Yung Jin; Lee, Jun-Young; Kim, Young Ho

2017-09-01

The characteristics and underlying mechanisms of tinnitus remain more elusive in the pediatric population than in adults. We investigated the prevalence of tinnitus, its characteristics, and associated factors, with a focus on psychoemotional problems in adolescents. Cross-sectional study METHODS: In total, 962 adolescents were surveyed for tinnitus and possibly related otologic and socioeconomic factors. The participants completed a visual analog scale (VAS) pertaining to various aspects of tinnitus, as well as the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), State Anxiety Inventory for Children, Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (TAIC), Internet Addiction Test, Conners' Abbreviated Parent Rating Scale, and a learning disability score. Characteristics of tinnitus were analyzed, and psychoemotional and other factors were compared between tinnitus and nontinnitus groups. Approximately one-third of subjects reported experiencing tinnitus. A family history of tinnitus, subjective hearing loss, dizziness, and CDI and TAIC abnormalities were significantly associated with tinnitus. In the tinnitus-always group, tinnitus showed significant relationships with subjective hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and VAS, CDI, and TAIC scores. The results suggest that about one-third of adolescents experience tinnitus, which may be related to psychoemotional factors. In particular, anxiety and depression may be important factors to consider in managing tinnitus in adolescents. Further study of tinnitus in adolescents, including efforts toward diagnosis and management, is needed to determine whether there is a causal relationship with anxiety and depression, and the extent to which adverse outcomes may be associated with these psychoemotional factors. 4 Laryngoscope, 127:2113-2119, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Measuring childhood abuse and neglect in a group of female indoor sex workers in the Netherlands: a confirmatory factor analysis of the Dutch version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form.

PubMed

Daalder, Annelies L; Bogaerts, Stefan

2011-06-01

Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the responses to the Dutch version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form from a sample of 123 female indoor sex workers in The Netherlands. Results indicate the expected five-factor structure fit the data well. In line with Bernstein and others, the instrument was a valid measure of retrospective childhood abuse and neglect in this sample.

A global study on the influence of neighborhood contextual factors on adolescent health.

PubMed

Mmari, Kristin; Lantos, Hannah; Blum, Robert W; Brahmbhatt, Heena; Sangowawa, Adesola; Yu, Chunyan; Delany-Moretlwe, Sinead

2014-12-01

This study uses data collected as part of the Well-Being of Adolescents in Vulnerable Environments study to (1) compare the perceptions of neighborhood-level factors among adolescents across five different urban sites; (2) examine the associations between factors within the physical and social environments; and (3) examine the influence of neighborhood-level factors on two different health outcomes-violence victimization in the past 12 months and ever smoked. Across five urban sites (Baltimore, New Delhi, Johannesburg, Ibadan, and Shanghai), 2,320 adolescents aged 15-19 years completed a survey using audio computer-assisted self-interview technology. To recruit adolescents, each site used a respondent-driven sampling method, which consisted of selecting adolescents as "seeds" to serve as the initial contacts for recruiting the entire adolescent sample. All analyses were conducted with Stata 13.1 statistical software, using complex survey design procedures. To examine associations between neighborhood-level factors and among our two outcomes, violence victimization and ever smoked, bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Across sites, there was great variability in how adolescents perceived their neighborhoods. Overall, adolescents from Ibadan and Shanghai held the most positive perceptions about their neighborhoods, whereas adolescents from Baltimore and Johannesburg held the poorest. In New Delhi, despite females having positive perceptions about their safety and sense of social cohesion, they had the highest sense of fear and the poorest perceptions about their physical environment. The study also found that one of the most consistent neighborhood-level factors across sites and outcomes was witnessing community violence, which was significantly associated with smoking among adolescents in New Delhi and Johannesburg and with violence victimization across nearly every site except Baltimore. No other neighborhood-level factor exerted greater influence

Quality-of-life factors in adolescent inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

MacPhee, M; Hoffenberg, E J; Feranchak, A

1998-02-01

Little is known about the specific psychosocial factors that influence quality of life in adolescents with newly diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We adapted a model by Garrett and Drossman to assess adolescent adjustment to recent-onset IBD. Thirty adolescent-parent pairs completed a set of standardized questionnaires. The inclusion criteria were adolescents 12-18 years of age with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis of < 5 years' duration. Adolescents' health-related quality-of-life scores significantly correlated with satisfaction and degree of closeness with their social support members, such as parents. An unexpected finding was that the adolescents included more extended family than peers in their social support networks. Also of note was that parental coping styles rather than adolescent coping styles significantly correlated with adolescents' quality-of-life health scores. Severity of illness did not correlate with adolescent quality-of-life health scores. There was significant agreement between adolescent and parental quality-of-life health scores and stressful event ratings. Adolescents with recent-onset IBD rely more on family members than their peers for emotional support, and they depend more on their parents' coping skills than their own. These findings may indicate lags in normal adolescent development. Adolescents and parents do communicate and share concerns with each other. Support programs for adolescents with IBD should reinforce existing coping skills and parent-adolescent communication while promoting normative development.

Family factors contributing to emotional and behavioral problems in Korean adolescents with epilepsy.

PubMed

Han, Su-Hyun; Lee, Sang-Ahm; Eom, Soyong; Kim, Heung-Dong

2016-03-01

We aimed to determine whether different aspects of family functioning are associated with emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents with epilepsy and, if not, to document any indirect associations mediated by other family factors. This was a cross-sectional, multicenter study. A total of 297 adolescents with epilepsy and their parents participated. Adolescent psychopathology was measured using the Youth Self-Report. Family factors were classified into proximal (parent-child interaction), distal (parent characteristics), and contextual factors (family characteristics) in accordance to their level of proximity to the adolescent's everyday life. Regression analyses were used to analyze the unique and combined predictive power of family factors in relation to psychopathology. In total, 44 (14.8%) and 51 (17.2%) adolescents with epilepsy scored above the borderline cutoff (T-score ≥ 60) of internalizing and externalizing problems, respectively. Proximal and distal factors were independently associated with both internalizing and externalizing problems. High levels of parental depressive mood and parental overcontrol were the strongest factors contributing to internalizing and externalizing problems, respectively. Contextual factors were indirectly associated with both internalizing and externalizing problems through more proximal factors. Both proximal and distal family factors affect psychopathology in Korean adolescents with epilepsy. Parental feelings of depression and parental overcontrol are the strongest factors contributing to internalizing and externalizing problems, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychometric properties of the Brunel Mood Scale in Chinese adolescents and adults.

PubMed

Zhang, Chun-Qing; Si, Gangyan; Chung, Pak-Kwong; Du, Mengmeng; Terry, Peter C

2014-01-01

Building on the work of Terry and colleagues (Terry, P. C., Lane, A. M., Lane, H. J., & Keohane, L. (1999). Development and validation of a mood measure for adolescents. Journal of Sports Sciences, 17, 861-872; Terry, P. C., Lane, A. M., & Fogarty, G. J. (2003). Construct validity of the Profile of Mood States-Adolescents for use with adults. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 4, 125-139.), the present study examined the validity and internal consistency reliability of the Chinese version of the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS-C) among 2,548 participants, comprising adolescent athletes (n = 520), adult athletes (n = 434), adolescent students (n = 673), and adult students (n = 921). Both adolescent and adult athletes completed the BRUMS-C before, during, or after regular training and both adolescent and adult students completed the BRUMS-C in a classroom setting. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) provided support for the factorial validity of a 23-item six-factor model, with one item removed from the hypothesised measurement model. Internal consistency reliabilities were satisfactory for all subscales across each of the four samples. Criterion validity was supported with strong relationships between the BRUMS-C, abbreviated POMS, and Chinese Affect Scale consistent with theoretical predictions. Multi-sample CFAs showed the BRUMS-C to be invariant at the configural, metric, strong, and structural levels for all samples. Furthermore, latent mean difference analyses showed that athletes reported significantly higher levels of fatigue than students while maintaining almost the same levels of vigour, and adolescent students reported significantly higher levels of depressed mood than the other three samples.

Pathways from family disadvantage via abusive parenting and caregiver mental health to adolescent health risks in South Africa

PubMed Central

Meinck, Franziska; Cluver, Lucie Dale; Orkin, Frederick Mark; Kuo, Caroline; Sharma, Amogh Dhar; Hensels, Imca Sifra; Sherr, Lorraine

2016-01-01

Purpose Adolescent health is a major concern in LMIC but little is known about its predictors. Family disadvantage and abusive parenting may be important factors associated with adolescent psychological, behavioral and physical health outcomes. This study, based in South Africa, aimed to develop an empirically-based theoretical model of relationships between family factors such as deprivation, illness and parenting and adolescent health outcomes. Methods Cross-sectional data were collected in 2009–2010 from 2477 adolescents (aged 10–17) and their caregivers using stratified random sampling in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Participants reported on socio-demographics, psychological symptoms, parenting and physical health. Multivariate regressions were conducted, confirmatory factor analysis employed to identify measurement models and a structural equation model developed. Results The final model demonstrated that family disadvantage (caregiver AIDS -illness and poverty) was associated with increased abusive parenting. Abusive parenting was in turn associated with higher adolescent health risks. Additionally, family disadvantage was directly associated with caregiver mental health distress which increased adolescent health risks. There was no direct effect of family disadvantage on adolescent health risks but indirect effects through caregiver mental health distress and abusive parenting were found. Conclusions Reducing family disadvantage and abusive parenting is essential in improving adolescent health in South Africa. Combination interventions could include poverty and violence reduction, access to health care, mental health services for caregivers and adolescents, and positive parenting support. Such combination packages can improve caregiver and child outcomes by reducing disadvantage and mitigating negative pathways from disadvantage among highly vulnerable families. PMID:27793729

Influential Factors on Adolescent Males' Non-Relational Sexual Attitudes and Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drew, Cathy L.

2013-01-01

Adolescent males are influenced by various social and cultural factors. This qualitative study sought to further understanding about adolescent males' thoughts and behaviors regarding sexual decision-making. Specific exploration encompassed the influences of the identified factors of parents, peers, media, first romantic relationship breakups, and…

Risk Factors for Substance Misuse and Adolescents' Symptoms of Depression.

PubMed

Siennick, Sonja E; Widdowson, Alex O; Woessner, Mathew K; Feinberg, Mark E; Spoth, Richard L

2017-01-01

Depressive symptoms during adolescence are positively associated with peer-related beliefs, perceptions, and experiences that are known risk factors for substance misuse. These same risk factors are targeted by many universal substance misuse prevention programs. This study examined whether a multicomponent universal substance misuse intervention for middle schoolers reduced the associations between depressive symptoms, these risk factors, and substance misuse. The study used data from a place-randomized trial of the Promoting School-Community-University Partnerships to Enhance Resilience model for delivery of evidence-based substance misuse programs for middle schoolers. Three-level within-person regression models were applied to four waves of survey, and social network data from 636 adolescents followed from sixth through ninth grades. When adolescents in control school districts had more symptoms of depression, they believed more strongly that substance use had social benefits, perceived higher levels of substance misuse among their peers and friends, and had more friends who misused substances, although they were not more likely to use substances themselves. Many of the positive associations of depressive symptoms with peer-related risk factors were significantly weaker or not present among adolescents in intervention school districts. The Promoting School-Community-University Partnerships to Enhance Resilience interventions reduced the positive associations of adolescent symptoms of depression with peer-related risk factors for substance misuse. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factorial validity of the Problematic Facebook Use Scale for adolescents and young adults

PubMed Central

Marino, Claudia; Vieno, Alessio; Altoè, Gianmarco; Spada, Marcantonio M.

2017-01-01

Background and aims Recent research on problematic Facebook use has highlighted the need to develop a specific theory-driven measure to assess this potential behavioral addiction. The aim of the present study was to examine the factorial validity of the Problematic Facebook Use Scale (PFUS) adapted from Caplan’s Generalized Problematic Internet Scale model. Methods A total of 1,460 Italian adolescents and young adults (aged 14–29 years) participated in the study. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed in order to assess the factorial validity of the scale. Results Results revealed that the factor structure of the PFUS provided a good fit to the data. Furthermore, results of the multiple group analyses supported the invariance of the model across age and gender groups. Discussion and conclusions This study provides evidence supporting the factorial validity of the PFUS. This new scale provides a theory-driven tool to assess problematic use of Facebook among male and female adolescents and young adults. PMID:28198639

Factorial validity of the Problematic Facebook Use Scale for adolescents and young adults.

PubMed

Marino, Claudia; Vieno, Alessio; Altoè, Gianmarco; Spada, Marcantonio M

2017-03-01

Background and aims Recent research on problematic Facebook use has highlighted the need to develop a specific theory-driven measure to assess this potential behavioral addiction. The aim of the present study was to examine the factorial validity of the Problematic Facebook Use Scale (PFUS) adapted from Caplan's Generalized Problematic Internet Scale model. Methods A total of 1,460 Italian adolescents and young adults (aged 14-29 years) participated in the study. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed in order to assess the factorial validity of the scale. Results Results revealed that the factor structure of the PFUS provided a good fit to the data. Furthermore, results of the multiple group analyses supported the invariance of the model across age and gender groups. Discussion and conclusions This study provides evidence supporting the factorial validity of the PFUS. This new scale provides a theory-driven tool to assess problematic use of Facebook among male and female adolescents and young adults.

Factors associated with deliberate self-harm among Irish adolescents.

PubMed

McMahon, E M; Reulbach, U; Corcoran, P; Keeley, H S; Perry, I J; Arensman, E

2010-11-01

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a major public health problem, with young people most at risk. Lifetime prevalence of DSH in Irish adolescents is between 8% and 12%, and it is three times more prevalent among girls than boys. The aim of the study was to identify the psychological, life-style and life event factors associated with self-harm in Irish adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted, with 3881 adolescents in 39 schools completing an anonymous questionnaire as part of the Child and Adolescent Self-harm in Europe (CASE) study. There was an equal gender balance and 53.1% of students were 16 years old. Information was obtained on history of self-harm life events, and demographic, psychological and life-style factors. Based on multivariate analyses, important factors associated with DSH among both genders were drug use and knowing a friend who had engaged in self-harm. Among girls, poor self-esteem, forced sexual activity, self-harm of a family member, fights with parents and problems with friendships also remained in the final model. For boys, experiencing bullying, problems with schoolwork, impulsivity and anxiety remained. Distinct profiles of boys and girls who engage in self-harm were identified. Associations between DSH and some life-style and life event factors suggest that mental health factors are not the sole indicators of risk of self-harm. The importance of school-related risk factors underlines the need to develop gender-specific initiatives in schools to reduce the prevalence of self-harm.

Exploratory factor analysis of borderline personality disorder criteria in hospitalized adolescents.

PubMed

Becker, Daniel F; McGlashan, Thomas H; Grilo, Carlos M

2006-01-01

The authors examined the factor structure of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in hospitalized adolescents and also sought to add to the theoretical and clinical understanding of any homogeneous components by determining whether they may be related to specific forms of Axis I pathology. Subjects were 123 adolescent inpatients, who were reliably assessed with structured diagnostic interviews for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition Axes I and II disorders. Exploratory factor analysis identified BPD components, and logistic regression analyses tested whether these components were predictive of specific Axis I disorders. Factor analysis revealed a 4-factor solution that accounted for 67.0% of the variance. Factor 1 ("suicidal threats or gestures" and "emptiness or boredom") predicted depressive disorders and alcohol use disorders. Factor 2 ("affective instability," "uncontrolled anger," and "identity disturbance") predicted anxiety disorders and oppositional defiant disorder. Factor 3 ("unstable relationships" and "abandonment fears") predicted only anxiety disorders. Factor 4 ("impulsiveness" and "identity disturbance") predicted conduct disorder and substance use disorders. Exploratory factor analysis of BPD criteria in adolescent inpatients revealed 4 BPD factors that appear to differ from those reported for similar studies of adults. The factors represent components of self-negation, irritability, poorly modulated relationships, and impulsivity--each of which is associated with characteristic Axis I pathology. These findings shed light on the nature of BPD in adolescents and may also have implications for treatment.

Factors that predict adolescent motivation for substance abuse treatment.

PubMed

Battjes, Robert J; Gordon, Michael S; O'Grady, Kevin E; Kinlock, Timothy W; Carswell, Melissa A

2003-04-01

Many adolescent substance abusers enter treatment because of external pressures and thus lack motivation to change their behavior and engage in treatment. Because an understanding of adolescent motivation may contribute to improved treatment, an investigation of factors that predict motivation was undertaken with youth admitted to an adolescent outpatient substance abuse treatment program (N=196). At admission, these subjects received a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment. Using multiple regression analysis, factors considered to potentially predict motivation were assessed. Of the factors examined, those that involved experiencing various negative consequences of substance use emerged as important predictors of motivation, whereas severity of substance use did not. Diminished awareness of negative consequences of use was consonant with lower motivation, suggesting the importance of interventions to help youth recognize negative consequences of their substance use. Interventions to enhance motivation are likely to become more important as the juvenile justice system increasingly refers troubled youth to treatment.

Neighbourhood Factors and Depression among Adolescents in Four Caribbean Countries

PubMed Central

Gibson, Roger C.; Halliday, Sharon; Morris, Amrie; Clarke, Nelson; Wilson, Rosemarie N.

2014-01-01

Background Past research suggests that perceived neighbourhood conditions may influence adolescents' emotional health. Relatively little research has been conducted examining the association of perceived neighbourhood conditions with depressive symptoms among Caribbean adolescents. This project examines the association of perceived neighbourhood conditions with levels of depressive symptoms among adolescents in Jamaica, the Bahamas, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent. Methods Adolescents attending grade ten of the academic year 2006/2007 in Jamaica, the Bahamas, St. Vincent, and St. Kitts and Nevis were administered the Neighbourhood Characteristics Questionnaire along with the BDI-II. Social cohesion, attachment to the neighbourhood, neighbourhood quality, neighbourhood crime, and neighbourhood disorder scales were created by summing the relevant subscales of the Neighbourhood Characteristics Questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the relationships of perceived neighbourhood conditions to depressive symptoms. Results A wide cross-section of tenth grade students in each nation was sampled (n = 1955; 278 from Jamaica, 217 from the Bahamas, 737 St. Kitts and Nevis, 716 from St. Vincent; 52.1% females, 45.6% males and 2.3% no gender reported; 12 to 19 years, mean = 15.3 yrs, sd = .95 yr). Nearly half (52.1%) of all adolescents reported mild to severe symptoms of depression with 29.1% reporting moderate to severe symptoms of depression. Overall, Jamaican adolescents perceived their neighbourhoods in a more positive manner than those in the Bahamas, St. Vincent and St. Kitts and Nevis. Results of a series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses suggested that a different pattern of neighbourhood factors for each island were associated with depressive symptoms. However, neighbourhood factors were more highly associated with depressive symptoms for Jamaican students than for students in the other three islands. Conclusions