Improving Predictions of Condom Behavioral Intentions With Partner-Specific Measures of Risk Perception

Inconsistent findings regarding the predictive validity of perceptions of risk for a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and HIV may be related to the use of nonspecific measures. The objective of this study was to determine whether more specific measures of perceptions of risk for SI Ds and HIV are associated with intentions to use a condom. We interviewed 490 male and female adolescents, 14 to 19 years old, from a free municipal STD clinic. Controlling for whether a condom was used at last sex, the association between perceptions of risk for an STD and HIV with a casual sex partner and intentions to use a condom with a casual sex partner was significant (β_HIV= 14, p < .01, and β_STD=.20, p < .01), as was the association between perceptions of risk for an STD and HIV with a main sex partner and intentions to use a condom with a main sex partner (β_HIV= .31, p <.001, and β_STD= .32, p < .001). This supports the continued inclusion of this construct in models of sexual and other health-related behaviors.     

Translation and Validation of the Chinese Form of the Strong Interest Inventory

A Chinese form of the 1994 Strong Interest Inventory (SII) was developed through a three‐step translation process. The translated version was judged to show linguistic or inferential equivalence to the SII in English. Field‐testing data based on two Chinese samples ( N ₁ = 124, N ₂ = 40) and one American sample ( N ₃ = 52) provided additional support on metric equivalence between the SII and the SII‐Chinese. Correlational analysis, paired t ‐test, and profile analysis consistently demonstrated that the SII and SII‐Chinese yielded highly comparable results at all three levels of measurement—General Occupational Themes (GOT), Basic Interest Scales (BIS), and Occupational Scales (OS). Statistically significant difference between the SII and SII‐Chinese was found only on one basic scale and two occupational scales in selected male and female subsamples. Factor analysis, using maximum likelihood extraction and oblique rotation, identified six broad occupational interest dimensions on the SII‐Chinese: Enterprising (E), Investigative (I), Artistic (A), Public (P), Realistic (R), and Social (S). Implications for further adapting the SII‐Chinese to better fit the Chinese culture and to be used as an assessment tool in China are discussed.     

Revised questionnaire on the sense of humor

Abstract.— A Sense-of-Humor Questionnaire (SHQ), based on the proposed 3–dimensional theory of sense of humor, was given to male and female students in social and physical sciences to test its construct validity. There were positive and significant correlations between the laughter-activating dimension (M_p) and each of the two laughter-inhibiting dimensions (L_p, and E_p), the latter being zero correlated with each other. In a two-way analysis of variance (sex X science), the main effects were a sex difference on the L_p- as well as E_p-dimension, while no main effect was found on the M_p-dimension. The L_p-scores discriminated between men and women in the social sciences, and the E_p-scores in the physical sciences. All results are in agreement with theory.     

Measuring Sexual Relationship Power in HIV/STD Research

This article introduces a theoretically based and validated measure of relationship power dynamics: the Sexual Relationship Power Scale (SRPS). Focus groups were conducted to generate items for Spanish- and English-language scales. The SRPS was administered to a census of women (N = 388) at a community health clinic. All respondents had a primary male partner; they were mostly Latina (89%), with mean age 27 years. The 23-item SRPS possesses good internal reliability (coefficient alpha = .84 for English version, .88 for Spanish version) and predictive and construct validity. Factor analyses support two subscales: Relationship Control and Decision-Making Dominance. As hypothesized, the SRPS was inversely associated with physical violence and directly associated with education and consistent condom use (p < .05).     

The Assessment and Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adult Forensic Psychiatric Outpatients

The primary purpose of the present study was to examine the validity of commonly utilized ADHD rating scales within an adult forensic population. Participants were 120 patients assessed for dysfunctional anger and impulsive aggression at a hospital-based clinic. Two psychiatrists made independent diagnoses about the presence or absence of ADHD among individuals presenting with symptoms consistent with this disorder. Following the diagnoses, participants were assessed with multiple ADHD measures, including measures based on self-report, observer-report, or a computerized neuropsychological measure (IVA + Plus). With the exception of the IVA + Plus, the ADHD measures significantly differentiated individuals diagnosed with ADHD from individuals who were not so diagnosed. These measures also demonstrated good diagnostic utility via test specific parameters (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive power, and negative predictive power). A sub-set of measures demonstrated particularly good classification accuracy, with high sensitivity (91 %) and good specificity (81 %). Implications of these findings for the effective assessment and diagnosis of ADHD in adult outpatient psychiatric settings are discussed.     

A longitudinal study of the predictive validity of the Bayley-III scales and subtests

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the predictive validity of all scales and subtests from the Bayley-III. The sample consisted of 55 normal children who were assessed at six time points between 4 and 36 months. Significant correlations ranging from .28 to .79 were found for all ages and scales/subtests, but the three main scales differed with respect to predictive validity. The Cognitive Scale was predictive from 7–10, 7–13 and 10–13 months but not from 13 months and onwards. The Language Scale was predictive from 10 months and onwards and the Motor Scale was predictive at all ages, but only with respect to adjacent and not distant assessment points.     

THE EFFECT OF CORRELATED ARTIFACTS AND TRUE VALIDITY ON THE ACCURACY OF PARAMETER ESTIMATION IN VALIDITY GENERALIZATION

The effect of non-zero intercorrelations among the three artifacts (criterion reliability, predictor reliability, and range restriction on the predictor) and true validity on the accuracy of estimation in two validity generalization models (Model 1and Model 2) was investigated. Only the Thylor Series Approximation 1(TSA1) procedure from Model 1 and the procedure with complete sample-based artifact data from Model 2 were included in this study. Six intercorrelation conditions (zero, low positive, medium positive, low negative, low negative and positive, and medium negative and positive) and two distributions of artifacts were used in this investigation. The two major conclusions from this study are: (a) Both models yielded reasonably accurate estimates of the mean of true validities (M_ρ) and (b) only Model 2 produced accurate estimates of the variance of true validities (V_ρ). The need for additional research for accurately estimating V_ρ when the three artifacts and true validity are correlated is recommended.     

PREDICTING TRAINING SUCCESS: NOT MUCH MORE THAN g

The roles of general ability ( g ) and specific abilities ( s₁ … s_g ) were investigated in prediction of job-training-school grades. Subjects were 78,041 Air Force enlistees in 82 jobs. General ability and specific abilities were defined by scores on the first and subsequent unrotated principal components of the enlistment selection and classification test, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Linear models analyses revealed that s₁ … s ₉ added little to the prediction afforded by g. It was also determined that a common prediction equation for all jobs was almost as predictive as an equation for each job.     

Psychometric characteristics of Carver and White's BIS/BAS scales in Dutch adolescents and their mothers

The psychometric characteristics of Carver and White's (1994) BIS/BAS scales were examined in 2 groups of Dutch adolescents (497 early adolescents and 237 middle adolescents, M (Age) = 13.0 years and 16.4 years, respectively) and their middle-aged mothers (M (Age) = 45.2 years; N = 734). Confirmatory factor analyses revealed an acceptably fitting 2-factor model for adapted BIS /BAS scales in all 3 groups, reflecting separate BIS and BAS factors. Reliabilities of the 2 scales were satisfactory. The results supported the convergent validity of BIS and BAS scales. BIS was positively correlated with internalizing problem behaviors and neuroticism. BAS was positively correlated with externalizing problem behaviors and extraversion. The discriminant validity of the BIS/BAS scales received mixed support in our data. BIS was negatively correlated with extraversion, and BAS was not correlated with depression. However, BIS was also found to be correlated with externalizing problem behaviors, and BAS was positively correlated with neuroticism. In sum, the scales are suitable for use in research settings, but caution is advocated in application for clinical practice.     

An openness scale for the California Psychological Inventory

We developed a 36-item scale to measure Openness, using items on the California Psychological Inventory (CPI; Gough, 1957, 1987, 1996), Form 434. Items were initially chosen on the basis of content validity. Five samples (N = 2,375) were used to establish reliability, validity, and norms; 4 samples consisted of university undergraduate students, and 1 comprised applicants for nonmanagement call centerjobs. Internal consistency estimates obtained in each sample averaged approximately .75, and test-retest stability, assessed in 1 sample, was estimated at .84. Cross-correlations with related scales, for example, the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised Openness scale (Costa & McCrae, 1992) and other CPI-based scales, provided evidence of construct validity. Statistically significant predictive validities were obtained in 2 call centerjob-incumbent samples, with range-corrected true validities of .20 to .36 for a number of job performance criteria. Construct and predictive validity were found to be higher than for other scales consisting of CPI items designed to measure Openness or a related construct. Finally, norms were prepared for university undergraduate students (n = 1,847) and nonmanagement service-sector job applicants (n = 528).     

Balance of blood pressure equivalents as a new quantitative scale for identifying cardiac versus vascular reactor: Comparisons with Gregg, Matyas and James' (2002) hemodynamic profile scale

Abstract:  A quantitative scale for identifying cardiac versus vascular reactor, balance of blood pressure equivalents ( BE ), was newly advocated and compared with a very recently advocated one, hemodynamic profile ( HP ), by Gregg, Matyas and James (2002). BE was defined as " (Δ Q/Q ₀) P ₀'  − ( Δ R/R ₀ )P ₀." Here, P ₀ , Q ₀, and R ₀ were mean blood pressure ( P ), cardiac output ( Q ), and total peripheral resistance ( R ) during baseline, and Δ Q and Δ R were the difference scores of Q and R from baseline to stress, respectively. This was named as BE because the two terms in the formula indicated changes in Q and R in their blood pressure equivalents. Comparisons of the BE and HP scales were carried out, theoretically, in a newly introduced pressor space, on orthogonality with the extent of elevation of P (Δ P ); and then, practically, by using hypothetical data. In summary, it was shown that data points in the neighborhood in the pressor space can be judged as having not so different hemodynamic balance whether the BE or HP scale was used. As a merit, the BE scale seemed helpful to an intuitive understanding of the hemodynamics during stress. As a demerit, it cannot maintain the quasi-orthogonal relationship with Δ P when Q or R changes profoundly in the face of stress.     

A COMPARISON OF LEARNING IN RATS AND MICE IN A HEBB-WILLIAMS PROBLEM BOX

A learning experiment was performed with rats and mice in a Hebb-Williams problem box, using Problem No. 12. A measure of the habit strength ( _n ) was calculated, using the same criterion for both groups. In addition, the habit strength was calculated for another criterion for the rats. With the common criterion the function of learning was _n = 2.49 (1–0.88 ⁿ ) and _n = 1.71 (1–0.94 ⁿ ) for rats and mice respectively. According to the other criterion for the rat experiments, the function of learning was _n = 2.35 (1–0.84 ⁿ ). The measure and learning function is chosen and discussed with reference to Björkman's model for the measurement of associative strength and theory of verbal rote learning.     

STUDIES IN PREDICTIVE BEHAVIOR: Explorations into predictive judgments based on functional learning and defined by estimation, categorization, and choice

A model for functional learning with a subjective regression which intervenes between stimuli and predictive responses was used. The subject had to predict motion time of a ball rolling down a chute. The estimation experiments showed that (1) the relation between predicted and objective time, is biased in the direction of t _pred= t ², (2) training does not increase the veridicality. In the categorization experiments (1) learning occurred more rapidly with homogeneous categories, (2) transfer was facilitated after training on heterogeneous categories, (3) learning occurred without reinforcement by observation. In a choice experiment two simultaneous processes were studied, functional and probability learning.     

Examination of the Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Affect at Varying Levels of Aerobic Exercise Intensity

Although proposed as an explanation for increases in positive and decreases in negative affect, little evidence supports the notion of a stronger efficacy-affect relationship as acute aerobic exercise intensity increases. Relationships between self-efficacy (SE), positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) were examined with respect to 3 randomly assigned conditions: (a) no exercise (control), (b) cycling at 55% VO_2max, and (c) cycling at 70% VO_2max. Twenty subjects (age = 22.6 years; M VO_2max= 47.8 ml · kg⁻¹· min⁻¹) participated in each. Preexercise SE predicted in-task NA and postexercise PA in the 55% condition and postexercise PA in the 70% condition ( ps < .05). Although SE significantly increased from pre- to postexercise, in-task affect failed to predict these increases in SE. These data suggest that in a fit college-aged population, a stronger reciprocal relationship between preexercise SE, in-task affect, and postexercise SE does not exist with increasing levels of exercise intensity. Contrary to self-efficacy theory, no evidence was found for a reciprocal relationship. However, the relationship between efficacy and affect was such that when collapsed across conditions and time, subjects with higher SE scores reported lower NA ( p < .05).     

The validity of the Carlson Psychological Survey with adolescents

The present study examined the factorial and predictive validity of the Carlson Psychological Survey with male adolescent offenders (n = 350). Factor analysis revealed that, in general, the Carlson is well represented by five scales. Of the four content scales, Antisocial Tendencies proved to be the best of a variety of predictors of institutional adjustment. Thought Disturbance and Self-Depreciation were unrelated to staff ratings on the Behavior Problem Checklist 'Personality Problem' Scale; however, they were positively correlated with the Social Anxiety and Withdrawal scales of the Jesness Inventory. The pattern of these correlations, as well as those between Antisocial Tendencies and the behavioral data, suggest that the Carlson Psychological Survey may be a good indicator of internalizing versus externalizing behavioral and attitudinal styles.     

Development and validation of the Malingering Discriminant Function Index for the MMPI-2

The predictive capacity of the MMPI-2 (Butcher et al., 2001) "fake-bad" validity scales (F, FB, and FP) is diminished when respondents have knowledge (i.e., coached) about the operating characteristics of these scales. In this investigation, we endeavored to develop a MMPI-2 fake bad validity index that would be less vulnerable to validity-scale knowledge. Applying discriminant function procedures, we derived a set of weighted Clinical and Content scales that reliably distinguished large samples of validity-scale coached undergraduate research participants instructed to feign mental illness (n = 534) from psychiatric patient samples (n = 590). We subsequently validated this Malingering Discriminant Function Index (M-DFI) in independent samples of research participants (n = 230) and patients (n = 300) and showed relatively less attenuation in predictive capacity compared with F, FB, and FP across uncoached and validity scale coached feigning conditions.     

MMPI-2 typology of pregnant drug-dependent women in treatment

The present study examined the validity of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) typology for pregnant drug-dependent women. A 3-cluster solution based on 7 MMPI-2 clinical scales emerged as the best model and was replicated across split-half samples and different primary substance-use diagnoses and treatment modalities. The 3 subtypes identified included Type I (n = 40, 24%) with no clinical elevation, Type II (n = 72, 42%) with elevated psychopathic deviate scale, and Type III (n = 58, 34%) with elevations on all 7 scales. Analyses with interview and self-report measures showed good concurrent validity. Type II had higher retention than Type I and Type III across methadone and medication-free treatments, showing some predictive validity. An a priori method for classifying new cases on the basis of the proposed typology was developed and validated. Study findings support MMPI-2's use with pregnant drug-dependent women for assessment and possibly treatment planning.     

Reliability, diagnostic efficiency, and validity of the Millon adolescent clinical inventory: examination of selected scales in psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents

This study examined the internal consistency, diagnostic efficiency, and validity of selected scales of the Millon adolescent clinical inventory (MACI; Millon et al., Manual for the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory, National Computer Systems, Minneapolis, MN, 1993). 241 psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents were administered the MACI and a battery of established self-report measures and a multidisciplinary team independently assigned DSM-IV psychiatric diagnoses at the time of discharge. The internal consistency of MACI scales ranged from 0.71 to 0.93. Conditional probabilities (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive power, and negative predictive power) were calculated for selected disorders using independently generated clinical diagnoses as the standard. The diagnostic efficiencies for the selected scales were variable, with adequate performance for predicting classes of diagnoses but not for specific diagnoses. The MACI showed good criterion validity for most disorders, with participants with a clinical diagnosis having a significantly higher corresponding MACI scale score than participants not assigned that diagnosis. Concurrent validity, tested by correlating MACI scale scores with those of relevant, validated measures, was generally good. The MACI appears to be a psychometrically sound self-report instrument and appears valuable as a screening instrument for many problems found in adolescent psychiatric inpatients.     

Measuring post-traumatic stress: A psychometric evaluation of symptom- and coping questionnaires based on a Norwegian sample

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the Norweigian versions of the Impact of Event Scale, the Post Traumatic Stress Scale-10 item version and General Coping Questionnaire-30 item version. A group of 40 male and 56 female medical students was tested one week and four months after having started dissection of cadavers for the first time. The results showed that all scales had good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The student sample scored lower on the IES and PTSS-10 than comparable groups of traumatized subjects. A gender difference emerged, with female subjects scoring higher than male subjects. The factor analysis of the instruments indicated good construct validity for the symptom scales. The analysis of content validity related to DSM IV criteria indicated that the IES and PTSS-10 may have some limitations in their predictive validity of PTSD. Taken together, the three scales have shown good psychometric properties and could be used in future research and clinical work.     

The Brief Stress and Coping Inventory: A Useful Stress Management Instrument

The Brief Stress and Coping Inventory (BSCI) was designed to gather stress and coping information from an individual in 15 minutes, compared to a nearly 1-hour completion time required for the parent instrument. All BSCI scales are described, along with our scoring methodology. Intercorrelations between scales are presented. Reliability and validity estimates were seen to be satisfactory to highly satisfactory. A multiple regression analysis identified 3 out of 8 scales that contributed significantly and uniquely to an optimal predictive equation for illness symptoms (R = .70). Frequency distributions of group results, which greatly help work site managers to understand results from stress management programs, are illustrated.