Factor Structure,Validity, and Reliability of the Japanese Version of the Balanced Index of Psychological Mindedness (BIPM)

This study examined the measurement properties of the Balanced Index of Psychological Mindedness (BIPM) among the Japanese population. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to examine the factor structure of the BIPM (Study 1) among 464 university students, and confirmatory factor analysis examined the validity and reliability of the BIPM (Study 2) among 321 university students. Additionally, the mitigation effect of psychological mindedness (PM) for depressive symptoms was examined. The results showed a two-factor structure (Interest and Insight) similar to the original BIPM. The BIPM was negatively correlated with the alexithymia score and positively correlated with the Psychological Mindedness Scale and Openness. It was also significantly correlated with future depressive symptoms. The BIPM is useful for measuring PM in the Japanese population. Additionally, this study suggests clinical applications of PM in psychotherapy and the treatment effect mechanism of cognitive behavioral therapy.     

Examining the factor structure of the Psychological Mindedness Scale in the Japanese population through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses

Psychological mindedness (PM) is a psychological construct that represents the tendency and ability to understand the relationships between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. This study examined the statistical properties, particularly the factor structure, of the Psychological Mindedness Scale (PMS) in a non‐clinical Japanese sample through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The relationship between PMS and depression was also examined for predictive validity. The results suggested that the PMS tested on a Japanese sample contains the following four factors: (a) belief in the benefits of discussing one's problems; (b) access to feelings; (c) openness to new ideas and capacity to change; and (d) interest in the meaning and motivation of own and others' behavior. Whereas the total PM score and Factors 2 and 3 had negative correlations with depression, there was a positive correlation between Factor 4 and depression. The 4‐factor structure of the scale is deemed to be applicable to the Japanese population.     

Measuring interrogative suggestibility with the Italian version of the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales (GSS): Factor structure and discriminant validity

The current paper provides an examination of the factor structure and discriminant validity of the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (GSS 1) and of its parallel form (GSS 2), as measures of interrogative suggestibility. In Study 1, we administered the two instruments to large Italian normative samples and we run Confirmatory Factor Analyses to evaluate the factorial structure of the subscales of GSS (Yield 1, Yield 2, and Shift). In Study 2, the GSS were administered together with cognitive, personality and affect measures. A three-factor solution was proposed to account for the factorial structure of both GSS 1 and GSS 2. This solution is consistent with the theory according to which the suggestive items of Yield 1, Yield 2 and Shift subscales correspond to separate aspects of the general construct of interrogative suggestibility. Furthermore, the results of the present research confirm that GSS 1 and GSS 2 satisfactorily discriminate interrogative suggestibility from cognitive, personality and affect constructs.     

Self-Rating of religiosity (SRR) in Iran: validity,reliability, and associations with the Big Five

ABSTRACT

The present research aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Self-Rating of Religiosity (SRR) in Iran. In addition, the associations between the Persian version of this single-item measure of religiosity and the Big Five personality dimensions were investigated. Study 1 (n?=?51) suggested that the Persian translation of the SRR had adequate test-retest reliability over a three-week period. Study 2 (n?=?228) provided evidence for good convergent validity of the SRR, indexed by strong positive associations with scores on the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL). The Big Five dimensions of personality were measured using the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI). Moreover, the scores on the SRR were positively associated with Agreeableness (r?=?.23, p?<?.01) and Conscientiousness (r?=?.16, p?<?.05), while negatively associated with Openness to Experience (r?=??.25, p?<?.01). These findings are in line with cross-cultural findings on personality correlates of intrinsic religiosity. Limitations and future directions are discussed.     

Examination of the reliability and validity of the personality assessment inventory

The reliability, discriminant validity, and construct validity of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) — a multidimensional self-report measure of abnormal personality traits — were examined within the Australian context. Subjects included 151 normals, 30 alcoholics, and 30 schizophrenic patients. A subsample of 70 nonpsychiatric adults responded to the PAI items twice over a test-retest interval of 28 days. The resulting median retest coefficient was 0.7, indicating less than optimal stability. The median alpha (KR₂₁) coefficient was 0.8, suggesting somewhat narrow measurement scales. A significant multivariate main effect was obtained across groups after the effects of age and gender were removed. Multiple comparisons for each of the PAI scales revealed significant differences between the respective groups, as discussed. A higher-order scale factoring did not strongly support the purported PAI structure. In reanalyses of the correlation matrices included in the Professional Manual, the purported PAI factor structure was unable to be replicated for the standardization clinical sample (N=1246), and a confirmatory factor analysis using the normative (validation) correlational data (N=1000) revealed poor fit indices, raising further concerns about construct validity.     

Assessing clergy work-related psychological health: reliability and validity of the Francis Burnout Inventory

ABSTRACT

Drawing on the classic model of balanced affect, the Francis Burnout Inventory (FBI) conceptualised good work-related psychological health among clergy in terms of negative affect being balanced by positive affect. In the FBI negative affect is assessed by the Scale of Emotional Exhaustion in Ministry (SEEM) and positive affect is assessed by the Satisfaction in Ministry Scale (SIMS). In support of the idea of balanced affect, previous work had shown a significant interaction between the effects of SEEM and SIMS scores, showing that the mitigating effects of positive affect on burnout increased with increasing levels of negative affect. In this paper a convenience sample of 155 priests serving with the Roman Catholic Church in Italy have been assessed on the Purpose in Life Scale (PILS) as an independent measure of well-being and concurrently on the two scales, SEEM and SIMS. Crucially for confirming the idea of balanced affect, there was a significant interaction between the effects of SEEM and SIMS scores on scores recorded on the PILS, confirming that the mitigating effects of satisfaction in ministry on purpose increased with increasing levels of emotional exhaustion.     

The reliability and validity of the Swedish version of the Body Shape Questionnaire

Psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) were examined using data from three samples: (1) a sample from the general population (n= 1157), (2) a student sample (n= 124) and (3) a clinical sample (n= 90). Analyses showed that a single factor solution might be a reasonable solution as 32 of the 34 items loaded heavily on the first factor. The derived short 14-item version of the BSQ also showed a coherent structure with all the items loading on one single factor. The BSQ showed high test-retest reliability, very high internal consistency, ranging from 0.94 to 0.97, and high split-half reliability (above 0.93). Furthermore, it showed high validity by correlating highly with the body dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorders Inventory (r= 0.72 and higher), and high discriminant validity. Thus, the Swedish version of the BSQ showed good concurrent and discriminant validity as well as high reliability.     

The Purpose-in-Life Scale (PILS): internal consistency reliability,concurrent validity and construct validity among Catholic priests in Italy

ABSTRACT

The Purpose in Life Scale was designed to provide a 12-item unidimensional measure of purpose in life employing a five-point Likert rating for each item. The present study supports the psychometric properties of the Italian translation of this instrument among 155 Catholic priests (mean age?=?46 years, SD?=?12.16). Internal consistency reliability generated an alpha coefficient of .90. The first factor generated by principal component analysis accounted for 49.5% of variance. Concurrent validity against the Purpose in Life Test was supported by a correlation of .63. Construct validity was supported by a correlation of .54 with the Satisfaction in Ministry Scale and by a correlation of ?.51 with the Scale of Emotional Exhaustion in Ministry. These properties commend the scale for future use among Catholic priests.     

A Norwegian adaptation of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire: factor structure, reliability, validity and norms

A Norwegian version of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) was administered to 304 undergraduate students together with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (MOCI). The PSWQ was also administered to a community sample comprising 879 subjects, together with the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI II) and the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI). Structural equation modeling showed that a three-factor solution of the PSWQ gave the best goodness of fit. The Norwegian version of the PSWQ demonstrated adequate psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity in both samples. Females scored higher than males on PSWQ.     

Factor structure,validity, and reliability of the fear questionnaire in a Hong Kong Chinese population

This study examined the factor structure, validity, and reliability of the Fear Questionnaire in Hong Kong. The sample consisted of 226 college students who were ethnic Chinese and they came from different parts of Hong Kong. Exploratory factor analysis produced three meaningful factors. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the three-factor model of Marks and Mathews (1979) in the present sample of subjects. Findings also showed that the Fear Questionnaire was both reliable and valid. Limitations of the study and implications for future research in this area were discussed. In particular, the need to assess the cross-cultural application of the Fear Questionnaire was stressed.This research project was supported by the Research and Conference Grants of the University of Hong Kong.     

Psychometric Properties of Various Scales Measuring Psychological Well-Being in a South African Context: The FORT 1 Project

The aim of this study was to do a first phase screening of psychometric properties of various scales measuring facets of psychological well-being so as to address further questions in the FORT 1 project (FORT 1 = Clarifying the nature of psychological strengths). All scales (except one) were developed in a Western context, and measure facets of cognitive, affective, conative, social, and spiritual psychological well-being. As it could not be assumed that scales are valid in South African contexts, a broad screening of their psychometric properties was necessary before specific questions could be adressed. A convenience sample (N=514) including white (n=384) and black (n=130) students and adults from the North West Province and Gauteng areas completed all questionnaires. Psychometric properties of scales varied from acceptable to unacceptable for use in a specific subgroup.     

The Skin Picking Impact Scale: Factor structure,validity and development of a short version

In the present study, we examined the psychometric properties of the Skin Picking Impact Scale (SPIS; Keuthen, Deckersbach, Wilhelm et al., 2001), a 10 item self‐report questionnaire designed to assess the psychosocial impact of skin picking disorder (SPD). Participants were 650 individuals who met criteria for SPD in an online survey. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated a unitary factor structure with high internal consistency (α = 0.94). Consequently, we constructed an abbreviated 4‐item version that retained good internal consistency (α = 0.87) and a robust factor structure. Both the short and the full versions demonstrated discriminant and convergent/concurrent validity. In conclusion, the findings indicate that both versions are psychometrically sound measures of SPD related psychosocial impact; however, some potential limitations of the full scale are discussed.     

Parallel short forms of the family of origin scale: Evidence of their reliability and validity

Two parallel short forms of the Family of Origin Scale were developed from data provided by 69 women and 63 men who completed the full Family of Origin Scale along with a variety of measures of family-of-origin characteristics. Data on the reliability and validity of the short forms are provided and discussed. The results indicate that both short forms are strongly and significantly correlated with each other and with the full-scale version of the FOS and that they share its reliability and validity characteristics to a very high degree.     

Test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of the Morrow Assessment of Nausea and Emesis (MANE) for the assessment of cancer chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting

The present study evaluated the concurrent validity of two assessment approaches for the measurement of cancer chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting. The results indicated that the concurrent validity between the Morrow Assessment of Nausea and Emesis (MANE; Morrow, 1984b) and continuous self-monitoring and the reliability on the MANE were moderate. The heterotrait-monomethod and heterotrait-heteromethod matrices demonstrated moderate correlations among the frequency, severity, and duration of anticipatory nausea and vomiting as well as high correlations among the frequency, severity, and duration of posttreatment nausea and vomiting. Additionally, the heterotrait-monomethod matrices show a number of correlations above chance between anticipatory and posttreatment symptoms. The results are discussed in light of future research endeavors.This research was supported in part by Research Grant IN-150 from the American Cancer Society.     

Psychometric properties of the mobility inventory for agoraphobia: convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity

Aims of this study were (a) to summarize the psychometric literature on the Mobility Inventory for Agoraphobia (MIA), (b) to examine the convergent and discriminant validity of the MIA's Avoidance Alone and Avoidance Accompanied rating scales relative to clinical severity ratings of anxiety disorders from the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule (ADIS), and (c) to establish a cutoff score indicative of interviewers’ diagnosis of agoraphobia for the Avoidance Alone scale. A meta-analytic synthesis of 10 published studies yielded positive evidence for internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validity of the scales. Participants in the present study were 129 people with a diagnosis of panic disorder. Internal consistency was excellent for this sample, α = .95 for AAC and .96 for AAL. When the MIA scales were correlated with interviewer ratings, evidence for convergent and discriminant validity for AAL was strong (convergent r with agoraphobia severity ratings = .63 vs. discriminant rs of .10–.29 for other anxiety disorders) and more modest but still positive for AAC (.54 vs. .01–.37). Receiver operating curve analysis indicated that the optimal operating point for AAL as an indicator of ADIS agoraphobia diagnosis was 1.61, which yielded sensitivity of .87 and specificity of .73.     

Adaptation of a Muslim Spiritual Attachment Scale (God attachment) for Turkish Muslims: a validity and reliability study

ABSTRACT

Despite the importance of a believer’s attachment relationship with God for mental health, there are few measures relevant to Muslims, and little work on cross-cultural validation of such measures. The objective of the present study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Muslim Spiritual Attachment Scale (M-SAS) in Turkish Muslim samples. In analyzing the data, three different samples of college students (N?=?525, N?=?341, and N?=?47 respectively) were used. The validity and reliability of M-SAS were examined through exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, the internal consistency coefficient and the split-half reliability coefficient. Results supported a three-factor model of M-SAS with good reliability for the factors, and convergence with an alternative God Attachment measure. As a result, it may be concluded that M-SAS can be used as a valid and reliable measurement instrument in Turkish Muslim samples. The results are discussed in the light of the relevant literature.     

The reliability and construct validity of scores on the Japanese version of an academic self‐concept scale for a sample of college students1

Abstract: This study investigated the internal consistency, reliability, and construct validity of scores on the Japanese version of the Dimensions of Self‐Concept (DOSC) academic self‐concept scale for a sample of 177 students at a small Japanese private college. Confirmatory factor analyses showed promising support for the construct validity of scores on the six factor subscales (Level of Aspiration, Anxiety, Academic Interest and Satisfaction, Leadership and Initiative, Identification versus Alienation, and Stress), representing the six hypothesized constructs of academic self‐concept. Internal consistency reliability of scores on the six subscales ranged from 0.82 to 0.87.     

Testing the incremental validity of Trait Emotional Intelligence: Evidence from an Italian sample of adolescents

The present study was aimed at validating the Italian version of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire–Adolescent Full Form (TEIQue–AFF), as well as at exploring its incremental validity over emotional maladjustment. To this end, a sample of 351 (163 males) Italian adolescents was collected. Overall, the Italian TEIQue–AFF both replicated the original-English four-factor structure (Well-Being, Self-Control, Emotionality, Sociability), and its construct validity was confirmed. However, reliability coefficients for eight facets and two factors were low. In addition, at all levels of analysis (i.e., global, factor, facet) the TEIQue–AFF was found to be a significant incremental predictor of adolescent’s emotional maladjustment, over and above gender, IQ, and the Big Five personality dimensions. At the factor level, significant effects were related to the contribution of the factor Well-Being thus supporting perspectives arguing for a further refinement of trait EI content domain. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Development and Initial Validation of a General Psychological Well-being Scale (GPWS) in an African Context

This study aimed to develop and validate the General Psychological Well-being Scale (GPWS) in an African sample, based on the empirical overlap between hedonic and eudaimonic facets of well-being as found in previous research. The quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in three phases: secondary data analysis (n = 2005), pilot study (n = 296) and main study (n = 459). The pilot and main study included the GPWS as well as other psychological well-being measures for criterion-related validity. The pilot study yielded satisfactory psychometric properties. The main study yielded a high, reliable Cronbach alpha of.89 and evidence of construct validity. The GPWS appears to be a unidimensional scale suitable for research use with Setswana-speaking people.     

New subscales for an anchored version of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale: construction, reliability, and validity in acute psychiatric admissions

Attending psychiatrists completed an anchored version of the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS-A) based on admission and evaluation information on a total of 2,921 adult patients treated at 1 public sector acute psychiatric teaching hospital. Exploratory factor analysis was applied to a 6-month sample to construct 4 nonoverlapping subscales: Resistance, Positive Symptoms, Negative Symptoms, and Psychological Discomfort. Confirmatory factor analysis compared these new subscales to 3 other published subscale models using a second 6-month sample. Internal consistency, rater influence, and interrater agreement were estimated in separate studies. Discriminant validity was explored by comparison of diagnosis-based samples. Application of the BPRS-A as a debriefing instrument in the study of symptomatic change and the multiple challenges inherent in psychometric study of such a rating scale in realistic hospital practice are discussed.