The Psychometric Properties of the Italian Translation of the Francis Scale of Attitude toward Christianity: A Study among Catholic Adolescents

The Italian translation of the Francis Scale of Attitude toward Christianity was developed and tested among a sample of 575 young people between 16 and 17?years of age attending secular secondary schools in Rome, Italy. The data supported the unidimensionality, internal consistency reliability and construct validity of this instrument and commend it for further use in contributing to comparative empirical research within the psychology of religion.     

Adaptation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support for Arab American Adolescents

The multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS) was revised for Arab American adolescents (MSPSS-AA). Items measuring social support from significant others were omitted and items measuring support from school personnel were added based on advice from cultural experts. The sample consisted of 635 Arab American young adolescents in metropolitan Detroit. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the proposed three-factor solution (family, friends, and school personnel). Internal consistency coefficients for the three subscales of family (α = 0.63), friends (α = 0.75), school personnel (α = 0.72) were good. As predicted, perceived support from family, friends, and school personnel were inversely related to self reports of daily hassles and internalizing behavior and positively related to assistance seeking coping, which provides evidence for construct validity. Support for discriminant validity was also demonstrated with significantly larger correlations between the MSPSS-AA Family subscale and daily hassles specific to parents and the MSPSS-AA Friend subscale and daily hassles specific to peers. These finding suggest that the MSPSS-AA is reliable and valid for use with Arab-American adolescents.     

青少年心理韧性量表的编制和效度验证

心理韧性（resilience）是积极心理学的热点课题。虽然国外已有很多测量工具,但在中国群体中的适用性未得到支持。基于心理韧性的过程模型,通过访谈法开发适合我国青少年群体的心理韧性测量工具。通过访谈25名经历过较大负性生活事件而又适应良好的中学生,编制出100个题目,在283名青少年中初测,通过项目鉴别度分析和探索性因素分析,保留了27个题目,包含目标专注、情绪控制、积极认知、家庭支持和人际协助五个因子,α均大于0.7。复测样本包含420名青少年,验证性因素分析支持了量表的结构效度,二阶因素分析发现前3个因子属于个人力,后2个因子属于支持力。以其他心理韧性量表（RS）和中学生生存质量为关联效标,皮尔逊相关分别为0.53和0.49,支持了量表的外部效度。文章最后讨论了我国青少年心理韧性结构的文化意义及量表的应用范围     

Psychometric Properties of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support in Urban Adolescents

The psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were investigated in 222 urban, largely African-American adolescents (68%). High internal consistency was demonstrated, and factor analysis confirmed the three subscale structures of the MSPSS: family, friends, and significant other. Correlations with a family caring scale supported the discriminant validity of the Family subscale. These results confirm the reliability, validity, and utility of the MSPSS with an urban, largely African-American adolescent sample. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

The Gender Identity Reflection and Rumination Scale: Development and Psychometric Evaluation

The authors describe the development of the Gender Identity Reflection and Rumination Scale (GRRS), which measures rumination in the context of gender identity among transgender persons. GRRS items were formulated taking into account previous research on rumination, stigma stress, and identity processing. Two national U.S. samples were collected to investigate the psychometric properties of the GRRS, resulting in 3 factors of gender identity rumination: Reflection, Rumination, and Preoccupation With Others’ Perceptions.     

General Attitudes Towards Marriage Scale: Psychometric Properties in Malaysian Adolescents of Divorced Families

Attitudes towards marriage in adolescence may influence the relationship quality in later years. There exist many measures of attitudes towards marriage which were validated among adolescents from two-parent family in the Western context. There is a need to validate measure of attitudes towards marriage in different countries. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Malay version of general attitudes towards marriage scale in a sample of 480 adolescents from divorced families in Malaysia. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a two-factor structure of general attitudes towards marriage scale, which explained for 60% of the variance. Additionally, the two-factor structure of general attitudes towards marriage scale demonstrated good fit to data in the confirmatory factor analysis (non-normed fit index?=?.941, comparative fit index?=?.958, root mean square error of estimation?=?.087, and χ ²/df?=?4.615). Overall, the general attitudes towards marriage scale exhibited good internal consistency (α?=?.901), which supports the reliability of the instrument. The significant relationships between general attitudes towards marriage scale and other constructs also provided evidences to the convergent validity (r?=?.761, p?<?.001 with intent to marry, r?=??.170, p?<?.001 with overt inter-parental conflict, and r?=?.523, p?<?.001 with mother–adolescent relationship). Significant gender difference was found in the report of general attitudes towards marriage scale (t?=??2.265, p?<?.05). Thus, the translated general attitudes towards marriage scale is a reliable, valid, and practical instrument to measure attitudes towards marriage among Malaysian adolescents in divorced family setting.     

A Chinese Adaptation of the Distress Tolerance Scale among Adolescents: Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties

This study examined the psychometric properties of a Chinese adaptation of the Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS; Simons & Gaher. Motivation and Emotion, 29, 83–102, 2005) among 5,423 (2,857 boys) Chinese adolescents. Results of the confirmatory factor analyses supported a hierarchical model encompassing four first-order factors: Tolerance, Absorption, Appraisal and Regulation, and one second-order factor, General Distress Intolerance, which was comprised of the first three first-order factors. Acceptable levels of internal consistency and 6-month test-retest reliability were demonstrated in the second-order and all first-order factors. The Chinese DTS also displayed good convergent and discriminant validity with negative emotion, emotion reactivity and maladaptive impulsive coping behaviors. Chinese adolescent girls possessed lower distress tolerance ability than their boy counterparts. Additionally, the strength of associations between distress tolerance and negative affectivity was larger in girls than in boys. This study suggests that the Chinese DTS appears to be a psychometrically sound measure of distress (in)tolerance among adolescents.     

Psychometric Parameters of the Cyberbullying Attitude Scale in Brazil

This study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Cyberbullying Attitude Scale (CBAS) in the Brazilian context. Three empirical studies were conducted for this purpose. Study 1 (N = 202) sought to ascertain the psychometric properties of the CBAS using exploratory factor analysis. Study 2 (N = 211) sought to gather additional evidence regarding the validity and reliability of the CBAS using confirmatory factor analysis. Study 3 (N = 279) aimed to verify the CBAS’s convergent validity. The results revealed that the two-factor structure was the most pertinent. In addition, the CBAS demonstrated convergent validity with other cyberbullying measures, good internal consistency for the Negative Cyberbullying Attitudes factor, and reasonable internal consistency for the General Cyberbullying Characteristics factor. In general, the CBAS appears to be a valid and reliable measure for evaluating attitudes toward cyberbullying.

     

Psychometric Properties of the Power of Food Scale in a Community Sample of Preadolescents and Adolescents

The Power of Food Scale (PFS) was developed to assess hedonic hunger, or how individuals think and feel about food and eating in the absence of metabolic need. The measure was originally developed and validated in two adult samples, and recent preliminary support has been provided for the validity in a sample of preadolescents. The aim of the current study was to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the PFS in a community sample of preadolescents and adolescents to examine the psychometric properties in youth. Participants were 148 youth ages 11–18 (M = 12.85) from two Midwestern communities in the United States. Participants completed the PFS to assess for hedonic hunger. Structural equation modeling was used to conduct multiple CFAs to test varying factor structures of the PFS in preadolescents and adolescents. Results suggested that the scale was best represented by the previously established 15-item version of the measure with an aggregate domain and three subscales based on food proximity (i.e., food available, food present, and food tasted). Results from the CFA revealed that the measurement model had a close fit (RMSEA = 0.033, CFI = 0.985). Cronbach’s α for the total scale and the three subscales ranged from 0.86 to 0.95. Findings suggest that the previously established factor structure of the 15-item PFS best represents the factor structure of the measure in a community sample of preadolescents and adolescents.     

Health Anxiety in Children: Development and Psychometric Properties of the Childhood Illness Attitude Scales

The course of severe anxiety surrounding health issues is unknown. The available literature suggests that adults who are overly anxious about health issues often interpret or misinterpret their bodily signs and symptoms to be indicative of a serious illness. The construct of health anxiety has not been examined in children and, to date, there has not been an instrument developed for this purpose. The Illness Attitude Scales is one of the most commonly used instruments for evaluating fears, beliefs, and attitudes that are associated with hypochondriasis and abnormal illness behaviour in adults. We sought to adapt the Illness Attitude Scales for use with children ages 8–15 years. The adapted Illness Attitude Scales was renamed the Childhood Illness Attitude Scales. Revisions to the adult version consisted of simplification of language, revision of Likert scale (i.e. 5-point to 3-point scale), and the addition of 7 questions to evaluate the role parents/guardians play in facilitating medical attention or treatment. Correlations between Childhood Illness Attitude Scales total scores and other self-report measures were supportive of the construct-related validity of the Childhood Illness Attitude Scales and suggested that it is a useful measure of health anxiety in school-age children. Practical and theoretical implications of the present results are discussed.     

Psychometric Properties of the Revised Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R) in Chinese Adolescents

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 Properties and Factorial Structure of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) in Spanish Adolescents

The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale is an instrument widely applied in the assessment of the most common anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. This study examines its psychometric properties and the factorial structure in a large community sample of Spanish-speaking adolescents (N = 1,374) aged 13 to 17 years. The scale demonstrated strong internal consistency and good convergent and discriminant validity. Factor analysis confirmed the 6-factor original model, providing a good fit of the data for the Spanish sample. The good psychometric properties support its use by clinicians and researchers, adding evidence to the international empirical support for this measure.     

Psychometric Properties and Clinical Cut-Off Scores of the Spanish Version of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents

Psychotic (P) and Non-Psychotic (N-P) retardates were compared on 13 Rorschach “indicators” of psychosis using a matched pairs technique. Two of the 13 signs were found to significantly differentiate between groups with the P group demonstrating a lower F% and higher C' responding than the N-P group.     

Development and Psychometric Properties of the Self-Representation Questionnaire for Adolescents (SRQA)

Given the lack of validated measures of adolescents’ self-representation, in this paper we present the development process and psychometric properties of a new self-representation questionnaire for adolescents (SRQA), aged 12–16 year old. We examined SRQA factor structure through two studies. In the first study, 32 attributes (16 positive and 16 negative), previously validated in three studies, were administered to 239 adolescents (M = 13.8; SD = 1.28). An exploratory factor analysis showed that 21 attributes (13 positive and 8 negative) were organized in five factors: instrumental, social, emotional, intelligence, and physical appearance. In the second study, these 21 attributes were administered to 232 adolescents (M = 13.8; SD = 1.23). A confirmatory factor analysis supported the SRQA five factor model (Model fit: χ ²/df ratio = 2.392; CFI = .90; RMSEA = .08). Internal consistency was acceptable, ranging between .60 and .85. Girls displayed higher scores in the instrumental and social factors, whereas boys presented higher scores on the physical appearance factor. In line with previous research, results regarding age differences were inconsistent: while in Study 1 results suggested that as, age increases, adolescents’ intelligence self-representation becomes more negative, in Study 2 no age differences were found. Concurrent validity of the SRQA was explored through correlations with the Teacher Report Form, filled out by the adolescents’ homeroom teachers. Results revealed significant negative correlations between two dimensions of self-representation (i.e., instrumental and intelligence) and several dimensions of adolescents’ internalizing and externalizing problems, providing evidence of concurrent validity for the SRQA.     

The Multidimensional Assessment of Parenting Scale (MAPS): Development and Psychometric Properties

The aim of the current study was to create a new measure of parenting practices, constituted by items from already established measures, to advance the measurement of parenting practices in clinical and research settings. Five stages were utilized to select optimal parenting items, establish a factor structure consisting of positive and negative dimensions of parenting, meaningfully consider child developmental stage, and ensure strong psychometric properties (reliability and validity) of the final measure. A total of 1790 parents (44% fathers) were recruited online through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk for three cohorts: Stages 1 (N?=?611), 2 (N?=?615), and 3 (N?=?564). Each sample was equally divided by child developmental stage: Young childhood (3 to 7 years old), middle childhood (8 to 12 years old), and adolescence (13 to 17 years old). Through the five-stage empirical approach, the Multidimensional Assessment of Parenting Scale (MAPS) was developed, successfully achieving all aims. The MAPS factor structure included both positive and negative dimensions of warmth/hostility and behavioral control that were appropriate for parents of children across the developmental span. The MAPS demonstrated strong reliability and longitudinal analyses provided initial support for the validity of MAPS subscales.     

Psychometric Properties and Norms of the Family Needs Scale

We studied 205 low-income families, using the Family Needs Scale (FNS). Factor analysis of the FNS data resulted on a 7-factor solution with high internal consistency within the various subscales. We provide normative scores based on the factor structure of the FNS. A total of 53 parents completed the FNS on two occasions with an average of four weeks between these two ratings. In general, the test-retest reliabilities were low to moderate. A total of 61 pairs of parents independently rated their families with the FNS. Again, agreement between raters was low to moderate. Several factors that may have detracted from better test-retest and interrater reliability were identified. Our data point to the need for more psychometric studies with the FNS.     

Psychometric Properties of Two Bicultural Attitude Scales: An Update

The purpose of this paper is to report evidence of psychometric properties of two Bicultural Attitude Scales (BASs) developed by the author. The paper provides evidence of the reliability and validity of the two versions of the BAS (i.e., Parents version and Children versions) based on two studies. The first study was conducted on a sample of 66 Bangladeshi immigrant parents (33 mothers and 33 fathers) living in the USA. The measuring instrument was the Parents version of the BAS. Results showed a high factorial validity structure of the scale—the values ranged from .62 to .96—and high internal consistency reliability of the scale—the alpha coefficient was .80. The second study was conducted on a 412 Bangladeshi ethnic minority young adults (40 % women and 60 % men). Children version of the BAS was used in this study. The study revealed significantly high factorial validity—factor loading values ranged from .34 to .65—and a significantly high internal consistency reliability of the scale—the alpha coefficient was .86.