Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18) in cancer patients

Background/Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess psychometric properties of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), evaluate the measurement invariance with respect to sex, age, and tumor location, and to analyze associations between social support and sociodemographic and clinical variables among individuals with resected, non-advanced cancer. Method: A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to explore the dimensionality of the scale and test invariance across sex, age, and tumor localization in a prospective, multicenter cohort of 877 patients who completed the BSI-18 and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Results: The results show that 3-factor and 1-factor measurement models provided a good fit to the data; however, a three-factor, second-order model was deemed more appropriate and parsimonious in this population. Alpha coefficients ranged between .75 and .88. Test of measurement invariance showed strong invariance results for sex, age, and tumor location; strong invariance over time was likewise assumed. Less perceived social support appears to correlate with all BSI factors. Conclusions: The study confirmed the tridimensional structure of the BSI-18 and invariance across age, sex, and tumor localization. We recommend using this instrument to measure anxiety, depression, and somatization in epidemiological research and clinical practice.     

Factor structure of the Bulimia Test--Revised in college women from four ethnic groups

The factor structure of the Bulimia Test--Revised (BULIT-R) was investigated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The sample consisted of 2,671 female college students (African American, Asian American, Caucasian American, and Latino American). Reliability coefficients were excellent across groups. African Americans scored significantly lower on the BULIT-R than Caucasian Americans. Across groups, CFA and EFA results suggest a six-factor solution is most appropriate. Consistent across groups were factors representing bingeing, body image, purging, and extreme weight loss behaviors, while few differences were observed across groups. These findings suggest that the measure is reliable and valid for use with diverse ethnic groups. Future research should focus on culturally salient psychological correlates of disordered eating in diverse ethnic groups.     

The Italian version of the Empathy Questionnaire for 18- to 36-months-old children: psychometric properties and measurement invariance across gender of the EmQue-I13

Empathy is the basic ability to respond affectively to the emotions of others and is observed early in human development. This study (N = 304) tested the Italian version of the Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue), which is a parent scale assessing empathy-related behaviors in toddlers. For this study, it was completed by participants’ mothers only. The EmQue measurement model and its factorial invariance across children’s gender were tested via confirmatory factor analysis. Highly satisfactory goodness-of-fit indexes were found for a three factor-structure (contagion, attention to the feelings of others and prosocial actions) with 13 loading items. Furthermore, the data supported invariance of measurement across gender groups. These results suggest that the EmQue-I13 is a reliable instrument for investigating empathy and prosocial behavior in 18- to 36-month-old children in the Italian context.     

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the multidimensional driving style inventory across gender and age: An ESEM approach

The Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI) is the most comprehensive measure of typical driving behavior to date and has been frequently used to compare driving styles across different groups of drivers, particularly between gender- and age-related groups. However, the factor structure of MDSI has not been clearly established and its measurement invariance has not been demonstrated. The goal of the present study was to examine the internal structure and measurement invariance of the MDSI across gender and age. A sample of 1277 drivers from Argentina responded to the Argentinian version of the MDSI. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) was used to test the factor structure and measurement invariance across females (n = 602) and males (n = 675), and across young (18–29, n = 558), adult (30–49, n = 395) and older (50 and older, n = 317) drivers. The results showed that a 36-item six-factor ESEM model represented by risky, angry, dissociative, anxious, distress-reduction and careful and patient driving styles was the best model based on fit indices and interpretability. Configural, weak and strong invariance of the six-factor ESEM model across gender and age was also supported. The MDSI in its Argentinian version is equivalent across gender and age, supporting the validity of previous research findings examining gender and age differences in driving styles. Future studies should examine the measurement invariance of the MDSI across other relevant driving-related variables.     

Psychometric properties of the Brief Symptoms Inventory-18 (Bsi-18) in a Spanish sample of outpatients with psychiatric disorders

This study analyzes the psychometric and structural properties of the BSI-18 in a sample of Spanish outpatients with psychiatric disorders (N = 200), with three basic objectives: (a) to study the structural validity of the instrument; (b) to analyse reliability (internal consistency and test-retest stability) and validity (convergent and discriminant) of the instrument, and (c) to evaluate sensitivity to change in a therapeutic context. Using confirmatory factor analysis, two models were tested: the three-dimensional theoretical model proposed by its authors, and the empirical four-factor model obtained by the same authors through exploratory factor analysis. Our results showed that the best structure was a four-dimensional model, with the General Distress index and Somatization, Depression, General Anxiety and Panic scores. These four scales showed good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, validity and sensitivity to therapeutic change. The BSI-18 has been shown to be a reliable and useful tool for psychiatric assessment of patients, with the added advantage provided by its simplicity and ease of application.     

Factorial invariance of the theory of planned behavior applied to physical activity across gender,age, and ethnic groups

Objectives:The present study assessed the generalizability of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) applied to physical activity and to examine if the TPB operates equivalently across gender, age, and ethnic sub-groups.Design/Methods:Measurement equivalence was evaluated for gender (male/female), age (19–34/35–54/55+) and ethnicity (Japanese/Hawaiian or part Hawaiian/Filipino/White) in a random sample (n = 3533) using Multisample Structural Equation Modeling.Results:Measurement equivalence was found for all variables and for their intercorrelations. Of the 100 possible TPB variable relationships between groups, only 6 were significant. The differences were found in explained variances of physical activity.Conclusions:The findings indicate that TPB measures apply over a range of population sub-groups, and should be considered comprehensively when designing interventions.     

An abbreviated tool for assessing feminine norm conformity: psychometric properties of the Conformity to Feminine Norms Inventory-45

The Conformity to Feminine Norms Inventory-45 (CFNI-45; Parent & Moradi, 2010) is an important tool for assessing level of conformity to feminine gender norms and for investigating the implications of such norms for women's functioning. The authors of the present study assessed the factor structure, measurement invariance, reliability, and validity of the CFNI-45 with data from 520 college women (55% White). Confirmatory factor analyses with data from this sample suggested acceptable fit for the posited 9-factor structure. Furthermore, analyses of measurement invariance indicated similar structural properties with members of socioculturally dominant (i.e., White) and nondominant (i.e., women of color) racial/ethnic status groups. Also, subscales of the CFNI-45 demonstrated acceptable internal consistency reliability coefficients, and correlations with convergent and discriminant validity indicators supported the validity of subscales scores. Overall, results offered support for the CFNI-45 as a multidimensional measure of women's conformity to feminine norms. The CFNI-45 can be used in research to facilitate evaluation of the theorized roles of conformity to feminine norms in women's mental health, vocational behavior, interpersonal relationships, and other domains. The CFNI-45 can be used in clinical practice to assess and attend to clients' conformity to feminine norms as is called for in the American Psychological Association's (2007) Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Girls and Women.     

Validating the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale: testing factor structure and measurement invariance across child gender and age in a Dutch sample

The Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) is widely used to examine teachers' relationships with young students in terms of closeness, conflict, and dependency. This study aimed to verify the dimensional structure of the STRS with confirmatory factor analysis, test its measurement invariance across child gender and age, improve its measurement of the dependency construct, and extend its age range. Teachers completed a slightly adapted STRS for a Dutch sample of 2335 children aged 3 to 12. Overall, the 3-factor model showed an acceptable fit. Results indicated metric invariance across gender and age up to 8years. Scalar invariance generally did not hold. Lack of metric invariance at ages 8 to 12 primarily involved Conflict items, whereas scale differences across gender and age primarily involved Closeness items. The adapted Dependency scale showed strong invariance and higher internal consistencies than the original scale for this Dutch sample. Importantly, the revealed non-invariance for gender and age did not influence mean group comparisons.     

Investigating invariance in the factorial structure of the anxiety sensitivity index across adult men and women

The Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI; Peterson & Reiss, 1992) is one of the most widely used measures of the fear of anxiety-related sensations. Important gender differences also seem to exist in that women report higher levels of anxiety sensitivity than men. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether an equivalent factorial structure exists for the ASI among nonclinical adult men and women. In Study 1 (568 women; 251 men), the 2-factor (Fear of Cardiopulmonary Sensations and Fear of Mental Catastrophe), 10-item version of the ASI reported by Schmidt and Joiner (2002) provided the best fit to the data for both men and women. Using this model, Study 2 (503 women, 255 men) examined whether the factorial structure of the 10-item ASI was invariant for men and women. Noninvariance was found for one item on the Fear of Mental Catastrophe subscale (Item 15="When I am nervous, I worry that I might be mentally ill"). The implications of this are that this item should be dropped if an equivalent factor structure is to be assumed between men and women.     

Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index in a sample of Croatian adults

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) refers to a person's tendency to fear anxiety-related symptoms due to the belief that these symptoms may have harmful consequences. The most widely used operationalization of AS in adults is the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI). The factor structure, gender stability, and psychometric properties of the ASI in a sample of Croatian adults (N = 984) were evaluated. Results confirm the multidimensional and hierarchical structure of the ASI, which consisted of three lower-order factors (Physical Concerns, Psychological Concerns, and Social Concerns) and a single higher-order factor, AS. Furthermore, the achievement of normative scores for the ASI in a Croatian adult sample demonstrates the cross-national stability of the ASI. Reliability coefficients for the ASI, Physical Concerns, and Psychological Concerns are high and satisfactory in the total sample and for both genders. Overall, the results confirmed the cross-national stability, gender stability, reliability, and validity of the ASI in a sample of Croatian adults.     

Psychiatric Distress and Suicidal Tendencies in Adult Cancer Survivors: Verifying the Validity of the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 for Identifying Suicidal Ideation in the Hospitalized Population of Mainland China

The Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) is widely used to assess psychiatric distress but has not been verified in the Chinese population. From March to April 2019, 293 hospitalized cancer patients, aged 20–87, completed the cross-sectional survey with demographics questionnaire, BSI-18, and PHQ-9. We analyzed the single suicide-related item of PHQ-9 with the full score clinical outpoint for BSI-18 and PHQ-9 using SPSS 22.0 and R 2.15, including Pearson's χ² test and ROC curve analyses. A Pearson's χ² test was carried out to compare the three different methods with the gold screening criteria. The p-value was correspondingly to .006, .066, .838. When the PHQ-9?≥?10 criteria for the BSI-18, receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that AUC values were 0.839, optimal cut-off points for both BSI-18?≥?50, the sensitivity of 85.8%, and 62.5%, respectively. The BSI-18 is suitable for a screening tool for psychological distress and could also be used in clinical settings for preliminary screening of hospitalized cancer patients.

     

The relation of child sexual abuse and depression in young women: comparisons across four ethnic groups

To investigate the relation of child sexual abuse to depression and whether this relation differed by ethnicity (African Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans, and non-Hispanic whites), we surveyed 2,003 women between 18 and 22 years of age about family histories, sexual abuse, and depression. Reported rates of child sexual abuse were similar across ethnic groups; approximately one-third of each group reported some form of sexual abuse and about one-fifth of each ethnic group reported experiencing rape. After controlling for background characteristics identified as risk factors for both child sexual abuse and depression, severity of child sexual abuse was significantly related to depressive symptoms only for non-Hispanic whites and Mexican Americans. Child sexual abuse variables accounted for more variance in depression than background variables only for Mexican American women. Child physical abuse was the strongest predictor of adult depression and the only significant predictor for each ethnic group.     

Brief Trust/Mistrust in God Scale: psychometric properties of the Farsi version in Muslims

In Iran, a Middle Eastern Islamic country, far too little attention has been paid to the validation and cultural adaptation of measures of religion/spirituality. This has limited the potential for research in this area. The objective of the paper is to assess the psychometric properties of the Farsi version of the Brief Trust/Mistrust in God Scale (BTMGS). After translation of the original English version of the measure into Farsi using a standard forward–backward method, the BTMGS along with the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL) and Hoge Intrinsic Religiosity (Hoge IR) Scale was administered to 720 medical students, physicians, and nurses at Tehran University of Medical Sciences and affiliated hospitals. Internal consistency (α), test–retest reliability, concurrent validity, and construct validity were determined for the BTMGS. The Farsi version of the BTMGS had high internal consistency (α = 0.90 and 0.92 for trust and mistrust subscales, respectively) and test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.89 and 0.95 for trust and mistrust subscales, respectively), and was adequately correlated with other established measures of religiosity (i.e., the DUREL [r = 0.64, p < 0.001] and Hoge IR [r = 0.54, p < 0.001]) indicating support for the concurrent validity of the measure. A confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the Farsi version has two factors (i.e., Trust in God and Mistrust in God) consistent with the original scale. These findings suggest that the Farsi version of BTMGS is a valid and reliable measure in Farsi-speaking populations that may be used to assess relationships with health and well-being.     

Inventory of college challenges for ethnic minority students: psychometric properties of a new instrument in Chinese Americans

The Inventory of College Challenges for Ethnic Minority Students (ICCEMS) is a newly developed instrument that assesses challenges faced by ethnic minority college students across a range of cultural, academic, social, and practical domains. The present study tested the ICCEMS among Chinese American students in an attempt to identify its factor structure and assess its psychometric properties. A total of 13 factor domains emerged. The Cronbach's alpha and 1-month test-retest reliability of the subscales and the overall scale supported their reliability. Both criterion and construct validities were also demonstrated. Chinese American college students faced the greatest challenges in terms of unclear career direction and academic demands.     

The color and texture of hope: some preliminary findings and implications for hope theory and counseling among diverse racial/ethnic groups

To clarify and extend Snyder's (1994, 2002) hope theory to a more diverse population, this study examined variations in agentic and pathways thinking, and their relations with social problem solving, affect, and with life satisfaction across a college student sample of 46 European Americans, 30 African Americans, 33 Latinos, and 46 Asian Americans. Although comparative results indicated variations in levels of hope components across the 4 racial/ethnic groups, correlational results indicated that the manner in which hope components related to measures of behavior and adjustment were similar across groups. Regression results indicated similarities and differences in predictors of hope components across the different racial/ethnic groups. Potential implications for promoting hope in working with diverse college students are discussed.     

Group identification and outgroup attitudes in four South African ethnic groups: a multidimensional approach

Although Sumner's ethnocentrism hypothesis, which expects stronger group identification to be associated with more negative outgroup attitudes, has been widely accepted, empirical findings have been inconsistent. This research investigates the relationship of four dimensions of ethnocultural group identification previously proposed by Phinney, that is, salience, evaluation, attachment, and involvement, with attitudes to ethnic outgroups in four South African ethnocultural groups (Africans, Afrikaans Whites, English Whites, Indians). The findings supported the factorial independence of the four identification dimensions and indicated that only one, ethnocultural evaluation (ingroup attitudes), was systematically related to outgroup attitudes, but the association could be positive, negative, or zero. Both functionalist and similarity-dissimilarity approaches to intergroup relations seemed to provide plausible explanations for the pattern of relationships obtained between ingroup and outgroup attitudes.     

Asian American acculturation and ethnic/racial identity: research innovations in the new millennium--introduction to the special issue

Research on Asian American acculturation and ethnic/racial identity, although still in development, has evolved and progressed over the past few decades. Researchers are now developing and using more complex and advanced methods of examining these issues in a culturally and ethnically heterogeneous population. Indeed, this special issue of Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology demonstrates the diverse state-of-the-art research in this area. The coeditors of the special issue highlight themes and specific contributions to the literature for each article.     

Factor structure of the Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire: relationship to oral contraceptives, neuroticism and life stress

The Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire was administered to initial and cross-validation samples of college-age women. Factor analyses performed on the data from each sample failed to support Dalton's distinction between spasmodic and congestive forms of primary dysmenorrhea. Instead, a more complicated factor structure evolved, closely resembling Webster's findings, with factors representing menstrual pain, pre-menstrual negative affect, pre-menstrual water retention, pre-menstrual pain, menstrual backache and menstrual gastrointestinal symptoms. Oral contraceptive use was negatively related to menstrual pain and backache. Neuroticism scores were positively related to all six factors, and negative life changes to four of these factors, suggesting a role for psychogenic factors in both pre-menstrual and menstrual symptomatology.