Body-image thought processes: The development and initial validation of the Assessment of Body-Image Cognitive Distortions

No measures exist that specifically assess cognitive distortions related to body image per se, despite their theoretical and clinical significance. Most cognitive-distortion scales pertain to depression, anxiety, or eating disorders. Accordingly, the 37-item Assessment of Body-Image Cognitive Distortions (ABCD) was developed and validated in this study with a sample of 263 college women. The ABCD samples eight types of distorted thinking related to how persons process information about their physical appearance. Two 18-item parallel forms of the unidimensional measure were also constructed. All forms were highly internally consistent and relatively free from socially desirable responding. Convergent validity for all ABCD forms was established using several standardized measures of body image and eating attitudes. Multiple regression analysis showed that the ABCD was predictable from body-image evaluation, investment, and overweight preoccupation. The ABCD uniquely predicted body-image quality of life and disturbed eating attitudes above and beyond other body-image predictors. Heavier women and White women were more prone to body-image cognitive distortions than were thinner women and Black women. Finally, limitations of this preliminary study, directions for future research, and clinical implications are discussed.     

Intervention for aggressive victims of school bullying in Hong Kong: a longitudinal mixed-methods study

The distinction between aggressive and passive victims of school bullying is well documented. Aggressive victims exhibit restlessness and hot-temperedness, are easily provoked, and take revenge when irritated, whereas passive victims are quiet and timid when attacked or insulted and withdraw rather than retaliate. To date, there has been no evidence-based evaluative study examining interventions designed specifically to reduce aggressive victimization, and neither has there been an inclusive assessment screening of high-risk aggressive victims prior to intervention. This study addressed these research gaps by employing multi-stage assessment procedures and a mixed-mode methodology in a one-year longitudinal design. Data were collected from student self-reports, parent and teacher rating scales, and individual structured interviews with students, parents and teachers. A total of 269 potential high-risk aggressive victims were identified from among 5,089 schoolchildren, 68 of whom were screened out and randomly assigned to 10 treatment groups, with 39 completing a one-year follow-up study. Multivariate analysis of variance identified significant improvements in physical and verbal victimization (F(2,47, 93.99) = 10.73, p < 0.01), verbal victimization (F(2.74, 104.14) = 12.80, p < 0.01) and social exclusion scores at the three follow-up assessments compared to the pre-treatment scores, and the qualitative results were consistent, showing participants' cognition, emotion, and behavior to have been positively reconstructed by the group intervention. The consistent quantitative and qualitative results confirm that the cognitive-behavioral group therapy program reported herein is effective in reducing aggressive victims' anxious and depressed emotions and reactive cognition.     

Psychometric validation of the obsessive belief questionnaire and interpretation of intrusions inventory--Part 2: Factor analyses and testing of a brief version

The Obsessive Belief Questionnaire (OBQ) and the Interpretation of Intrusions Inventory (III) were designed to assess beliefs and appraisals considered critical to the pathogenesis of obsessions. In previous reports we have described the construction and psychometric properties of these measures. In this study a battery of questionnaires assessing anxiety, depression, and obsessive compulsive symptoms was completed by 410 outpatients diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, 105 non-obsessional anxious patients, 87 non-clinical adults from the community, and 291 undergraduate students. Items from 6 theoretically derived subscales of the OBQ were submitted to factor analysis. Three factors emerged reflecting (1) Responsibility and threat estimation, (2) Perfectionism and intolerance for uncertainty, and (3) Importance and control of thoughts. A 44-item version (OBQ-44) composed of high-loading items from the 3 factors showed good internal consistency and criterion-related validity in clinical and non-clinical samples. Subscales showed less overlap than original scales. Factor analysis of the III yielded a single factor, suggesting the total score be used in lieu of the 3 rationally derived subscales. The scales performed well on tests of convergent validity. Discriminant validity was promising; hierarchical regression analyses indicated that the OBQ subscales and III generally predicted OC symptoms after controlling for general distress. A revision of the OBQ, the OBQ-44, is included in the appendix.     

On the categorization of aphasic typologies: the SOAP (a test of syntactic complexity)

This paper presents a new measure of syntactic comprehension abilities in brain-damaged populations known as the SOAP (Subject-relative, Object-relative, Active, and Passive), along with data supporting its sensitivity and specificity. This assessment tool examines comprehension of sentences (matched for length) of four syntactic construction types: active, passive, subject-relative, and object-relative. Data are presented that indicate that the SOAP provides a sensitive and reliable differentiation of aphasia subgroups. The SOAP's sensitivity in differentiating broad behavioral (anterior/posterior-lesioned) groups is compared to the auditory comprehension component of the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE), supporting its sensitivity differentiating between anterior- and posterior-lesioned groups. It is argued that this tool can be an important accompaniment to standard aphasia assessment batteries in more sensitively defining syntactic comprehension deficits.     

The role of social axioms in predicting life satisfaction: a longitudinal study in Hong Kong

Data from a 1-year, longitudinal study were utilized to explore the role of five pan-cultural beliefs about the world (social axioms) in predicting life satisfaction. It was hypothesized that higher levels of social cynicism would predict lower satisfaction with life because cynical persons set in motion a self-fulfilling prophecy of unrewarding social outcomes. The negative social feedback thus engendered results in lower levels of self-esteem, which mediates the effect of socially cynical beliefs on life satisfaction. These findings were confirmed in a longitudinal study of Chinese undergraduates in Hong Kong. Their implications were explored by considering the role of beliefs about␣the world upon additional mediators of life satisfaction in different cultural settings and for engaging in therapeutic interventions with distressed clients.     

Assessment of Major Life Events for Hong Kong Adolescents: The Chinese Adolescent Life Event Scale

Previous Chinese research on adolescent life stress adopted life event scales that were directly translated from Western measures. To address the methodological and cultural issues overlooked by the import approach, the present research aimed at constructing a life event scale for Hong Kong adolescents. Study 1 was conducted to congregate items for the Chinese Adolescent Life Event Scale (CALES). The CALES contains 44 items derived from 618 Hong Kong adolescents. Study 2 revealed adequate test–retest reliability and criterion-related validity for the CALES. Moreover, the CALES yielded stronger relationships with depression than did the translated life event measures. Results suggest that the CALES is appropriate for assessing life events for Hong Kong adolescents. Both unique features of the CALES and life events found only in the translated measures are examined. Implications for Chinese research on life stress are discussed.     

Cognitive Error Questionnaire (CEQ): Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure of the German Translation

A central component of Beck et al.’s (1979) cognitive theory of depression is faulty information processing reflected by so-called cognitive errors. These cognitive errors are the reason why depressed individuals systematically misinterpret the significance of events in a negative way. They are usually assessed with the application of the Cognitive Error Questionnaire (CEQ). This study examines the psychometric properties and factor structure of the German version of the CEQ in a sample of 796 volunteers at a German university. Results confirmed that the German CEQ has satisfactory to very good psychometric properties, like the American original. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that a hierarchical four-factor model with four subscales and 1 s order factor fits the data best. Therefore, besides using the German CEQ in studies with German-speaking samples, the similarities in psychometric properties of the American and German CEQ allow for cross-cultural studies.     

Differentiating anxious,aggressive, and socially competent preschool children: validation of the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation-30 (parent version)

The present study examined the factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity of the parent version of the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation-30 for preschoolers (SCBE-30; LaFreniere, P. J. (1990). Social competence and behavior evaluation-30. Unpublished measure.), an adaptation of the validated teacher version of the same measure (LaFreniere & Dumas, Psychol. Asses. 8 (1996) 369). The parent version of the SCBE-30 is a 30-item Likert rating scale questionnaire designed to assess patterns of anxiety/withdrawal, anger/aggression, and social competence. Principal components analysis was used to identify the factor structure of the parent version of the SCBE-30 (N = 218 preschool children). To assess construct validity, a compliance task was utilized to determine whether children identified as high on anxiety/withdrawal, anger/aggression, or social competence with the parent version of the SCBE-30 (n = 20 for each group) could be distinguished behaviorally on several observational variables. Principal components analysis identified three factors accounting for 44% of the variance. Ten items positively loaded onto each factor and matched conceptual expectations. A between-subjects MANOVA demonstrated significant group differences in observed child behaviors including compliance, noncompliance, subtypes of noncompliance, and aversive behavior. Results of the current study suggested that the parent version of the SCBE-30 demonstrated both internal consistency and construct validity, and findings paralleled many of the results from LaFreniere and Dumas' validation of the teacher version of the SCBE-30.     

The Portuguese version of the Basic Empathy Scale (BES): Dimensionality and measurement invariance in a community adolescent sample

Empathy is the heightened ability to cognitively perceive and/or affectively share the emotions of others, which has been consistently associated with desirable social interactions. This paper aimed to test the bi-factorial structure of a Portuguese version of the Basic Empathy Scale and examine its variation by gender and age using a large community sample (n = 1029) of adolescents. The two-factor model, originally developed and supported by other cross-cultural validations, presented good fit indicators which was similar across genders and adolescent age groups. Girls were more empathic than boys and younger adolescents were more empathic than the older ones. Further support for the validity of the new scale comes from its relations to measures of social skills and aggression which were similar to theoretical predictions. In conclusion, the Portuguese version of the BES is a consistent and valid instrument for the assessment of empathy in samples of adolescents aged 12–18 years old in Portugal, which can now be used in cross-cultural studies of this important psychological construct.     

Das-Naglieri认知评估系统（中文版）在学前儿童样本中的结构验证

本研究以246名5-6岁幼儿园儿童（男101名,女145名）为研究对象,考察基于智力PASS理论开发的Das-Naglieri 认知评估系统（5-7岁版）在中国学前儿童中的适用性,对评估系统中的12个任务进行了内在一致性信度评估,以幼儿早期数学能力测试作为参考评估其校标效度,并采用验证性因素分析对评估系统的结构效度进行评估。结果发现,该版本评估系统具有较好的信度和校标效度,并且很好地拟合了PASS模型。     

The Efficacy of a Group Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) for Chinese Parents with a Child Diagnosed with ADHD in Hong Kong: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Study

The present pilot study evaluated the efficacy of the Level 4 Group Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) with Hong Kong Chinese parents who had a child with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), using a randomised controlled trial design. It was a mixed research method involving quantitative measurement and semi‐structured focus group. Participants were randomly assigned to Triple P (n = 8) or control group (n = 9) and completed measures on child disruptive behaviours, sense of parenting efficacy and satisfaction, family stress and service needs. Outcomes were assessed at pre‐, post‐, and 3‐month follow‐up. A focus group was also conducted with the participants in the intervention group upon the programme completion. Compared with the control group, the intervention group reported a significant reduction in intensity of child behaviour problems and a significant increase in parenting efficacy at post‐intervention. The gain in reducing intensity of child disruptive behaviours maintained to 3 months after the completion of programme. Qualitative data suggested the three key elements to help both parents and children get positive changes: understanding and empathy, emotional control, and persistence in applying positive parenting strategies. The results partially provided preliminary evidence supporting the efficacy of Triple P in reducing child behaviour problems for ADHD in Chinese society.     

The development and validation of the Beliefs About Losing Control Inventory (BALCI)

ABSTRACT

Cognitive theory of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) proposes that maladaptive beliefs play a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of symptoms. Clinical reports as well as recent psychometric and experimental investigations suggest that control-related beliefs in OCD may benefit from expansion to include aspects of losing control. However, currently available measures either focus on other facets of control (e.g., sense of control) or do not put emphasis on beliefs about losing control (e.g., beliefs about control over thoughts). The current study aimed to develop and validate the Beliefs About Losing Control Inventory (BALCI), a self-report measure of negative beliefs about losing control, in a sample of undergraduate participants (N= 488). An exploratory factor analysis revealed that the BALCI’s 21 items capture negative beliefs about losing control over one’s thoughts, behaviour, and emotions (Factor 1), beliefs about the importance of staying in control (Factor 2), and beliefs about losing control over one’s body/bodily functions (Factor 3). The BALCI was also found to have good convergent and divergent validity and to be associated with elevated OCD symptoms above and beyond previously identified obsessive beliefs. Theoretical implications and recommendations for the field of cognitive-behaviour therapy are discussed.     

Development and validation of the Eating Disorders Screen for Athletes (EDSA): A brief screening tool for male and female athletes

ObjectivesTo develop and validate the Eating Disorders Screen for Athletes (EDSA), a brief eating disorders screening tool for use in both male and female athletes. Methods: Data from Division I athletes at a Midwestern university (N = 434) were used to conduct exploratory factor analysis (EFA) by gender. Data from athletes competing at various levels at universities across the United States (N = 862) were then used to conduct confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis by gender. Athletes from a range of lean and non-lean sports were included. Gender-specific empirically derived cut-offs on the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire were used to classify high eating disorder risk for ROC curve analysis. Measurement invariance by gender, level of competition, and sport type was also examined. Results: A six-item, one-factor structure for the EDSA was supported by EFA and CFA in both genders, and internal consistency was good for both male (α = 0.80) and female athletes (α = 0.86). ROC curve analyses indicated that the EDSA was highly accurate in predicting eating disorder risk status and identified a score of 3.33 as the optimal cut-off for both male (sensitivity = 0.96, specificity = .80) and female athletes (sensitivity = 0.96, specificity = .64). Results also supported strong measurement invariance for the EDSA by gender, level of competition (Division I versus club), and sport type (lean versus non-lean). Conclusions: The EDSA shows promise as a brief screening tool to identify male and female athletes at risk for eating disorders.     

Development of the Greek version of the Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory-24 (KAPN): factor structure and validation

ABSTRACT

The Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory 24 (SISRI-24) is widely used to assess spiritual intelligence (SI) in general population samples. The current study explored the Greek version SISRI-24 factor structure in a convenience sample of 1777 adults. A translation of the original scale was performed in different stages, so as to obtain a fully comprehensible and accurate equivalent. Psychometric properties were analyzed at the level of item. The four-factor solution proposed in the original SISRI-24 was not confirmed. Instead, an alternative model, in which the SISRI-24 structure was revised and trimmed to a final three-factor, 17-item short-form version (KAPN), produced an instrument of sound construct validity [fit indices: CFI?=?.92, TLI?=?.91, RMSEA?=?.06, SRMR?=?.06] and robust internal consistency. The results are sufficient for endorsing the suitability of KAPN in Greek speaking populations, and extend cross-cultural support for the SI model. Implications and recommendations for future directions of research are discussed.     

The Brief Cognitive Impairment Scale (BCIS): preliminary investigation of a severe-stage dementia test emphasizing cognitive processing and interpersonal tolerance

We describe the development and validation of The Brief Cognitive Impairment Scale (BCIS), a cognitive screening instrument designed for persons with severe-stage dementia. Psychometric analyses were performed on neuropsychological data from long-term care residents (N = 247) who completed a brief battery of tests, including the BCIS. A principle component analysis yielded three factors that provide insight into how persons with severe dementia cognitively process information and may tolerate specific aspects of social stimulation, such as during personal care. A BCIS cut score can be used to identify severe dementia with a sensitivity of .82, a specificity of .84, and an area under the curve of .89. It may be used by clinicians or caregivers when advanced dementia is suspected, as an alternative to measures with suspected floor effects, when residents cannot tolerate more demanding assessment tools, and as part of non-pharmacologic treatment plans for behavior disturbances associated with dementia.     

The tool for the automatic analysis of lexical sophistication (TAALES): version 2.0

This study introduces the second release of the Tool for the Automatic Analysis of Lexical Sophistication (TAALES 2.0), a freely available and easy-to-use text analysis tool. TAALES 2.0 is housed on a user’s hard drive (allowing for secure data processing) and is available on most operating systems (Windows, Mac, and Linux). TAALES 2.0 adds 316 indices to the original tool. These indices are related to word frequency, word range, n-gram frequency, n-gram range, n-gram strength of association, contextual distinctiveness, word recognition norms, semantic network, and word neighbors. In this study, we validated TAALES 2.0 by investigating whether its indices could be used to model both holistic scores of lexical proficiency in free writes and word choice scores in narrative essays. The results indicated that the TAALES 2.0 indices could be used to explain 58% of the variance in lexical proficiency scores and 32% of the variance in word-choice scores. Newly added TAALES 2.0 indices, including those related to n-gram association strength, word neighborhood, and word recognition norms, featured heavily in these predictor models, suggesting that TAALES 2.0 represents a substantial upgrade.     

The application of the satir model of family therapy to the families in Hong Kong: A personal reflection

Practitioners in Hong Kong have shown an increasing interest in various family therapy approaches since the 1980s. This paper offers a critique of the major concepts and techniques of the Satir model applied to families in Hong Kong. Cultural considerations are examined in relation to the family structure and hierarchy, the Chinese self and self-esteem, communication patterns, and family rules. Implications for the application of the Satir model of family therapy in Hong Kong are discussed.     

Measuring decentering as a unidimensional construct: The development and initial validation of the Decentering Scale for Sport

Decentering, the ability to observe one's thoughts and feelings from a detached view, has gained increased attention in recent years. With this renewed interest comes a need for a reliable and valid tool to measure decentering in sport contexts. Therefore, in this multi-study paper we report the development and initial validation of a sport-specific self-report measure of decentering, the Decentering Scale for Sport (DSS). Based on an initial pool of context-specific items with acceptable content validity, a unidimensional decentering construct was confirmed in four independent athletic samples (n = 1255). Satisfactory internal consistency reliability and partial measurement invariance across gender and sport type was demonstrated. Convergent and concurrent validity of the DSS was established by showing positive and medium to large associations with mindfulness, well-being, flow, vitality, enjoyment and positive affect, and negative and medium to large associations with cognitive fusion, experiential avoidance, anxiety and negative affect. Discriminant validity of decentering with mindfulness and self-compassion was also established. Findings suggest that the DSS is a reliable and valid measure of decentering in sport contexts, and can be applied in future research and applied practice to measure decentering.     

Measuring illness representations in breast cancer survivors (BCS) prescribed tamoxifen: Modification and validation of the Revised Illness Perceptions Questionnaire (IPQ-BCS)

Objective: The Revised Illness Perceptions Questionnaire (IPQ-R), widely used to assess illness perceptions, may fail to measure unique characteristics of different illnesses. This study modified and validated the IPQ-R for breast cancer survivors to provide detailed understanding of the specific illness perceptions held by these patients.

Design: Initial modifications were made following qualitative interviews and were revised in a think-aloud study. The modified scale was tested in 753 breast cancer survivors prescribed tamoxifen. Modifications included adding a tamoxifen consequences scale and adapting the timeline scales to measure beliefs around risk of recurrence and cure. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on the modified questionnaire and an exploratory factor analysis on the causal beliefs scale. Test–retest reliability, internal consistency and construct validity were also examined.

Results: The proposed eight-factor structure showed acceptable model fit, with high loadings and good reliability for all subscales. Correlations between subscales were consistent with theory and previous research.

Conclusions: The IPQ-BCS is valid and reliable, and provides unique understanding of specific perceptions held by this population, including beliefs surrounding risk of recurrence and consequences of ongoing hormonal treatment. Identifying these perceptions will aid development of interventions targeting depression, fear of recurrence and medication non-adherence.