An interview to measure vital exhaustion. II. reliability and validity of the interview and correlations of vital exhaustion with personality characteristics

Abstract

In the previous paper (Meesters and Appels, this issue) we described the development of an interview to measure feelings of vital exhaustion (VE). The current paper presents data on the reliability and the validity of the interview, which is labeled the Maastricht Interview for Vital Exhaustion (MIVE). Correlations with the Type A behavior pattern (TABP) and hostility are also discussed in this paper. The data were collected in a case-control study of 81 males with first MI and 168 healthy neighborhood controls. The interview was found to have a good reliability, Cronbach's alpha being .90 in the case group and .86 in the control group. The kappa coefficient was .95 in the case group and .91 in the control group. The validity was tested by computing the estimated relative risk of VE, controlling for angina pectoris and the classic risk factors. The odds ratio was found to be 8.11 (p<.001). This indicates that the interview makes a valid assessment of the mental precursors of MI. The interview correlated significantly with TABP (structured interview) and two self-report measures of hostility (Cook-Medley Hostility Scale and Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory). Although the absolute magnitude of the observed odds ratios may be affected to some extent because the interviews were not scored blind, these results clearly suggest that the MIVE is a reliable and valid method to assess VE.     

A Spanish translation of Mehrabian and Russell's emotionality scales for environmental consumer psychology

The development of a translation of Mehrabian and Russell's scales for the measurement of pleasure, arousal and dominance from the original English to a Spanish version for use in Venezuela is described. The translated scales were administered to two samples of middle‐class Venezuelan consumers (n = 127,n = 127) between the ages of 20 and 50, among whom males and females were represented approximately equally. Internal reliability (measured by Cronbach's alpha) and scale validity (measured by factor analysis) indicate that the translated scales are suitable for consumer and other social psychological research in Spanish. Copyright © 2002 Henry Stewart Publications Ltd.     

Psychological Risk Factors of Sudden Cardiac Arrest

This study tested the hypotheses that Vital Exhaustion (VE) increases the risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and that non-expression of emotions modifies the risk of VE. Data came from 99 victims of SCA and 103 healthy controls matched for gender and age. Victims of SCA were more often assessed as exhausted and as being closed by their family members than controls, the estimated relative risks being 2.81 (95% CI 1.1-7.3) and 2.28 (95% CI 1.1-4.6), respectively. No significant interaction between exhaustion and being closed on the risk of SCA was observed. These findings indicate that a state of exhaustion and being closed belong to the risk indicators of SCA.     

Construct validation of the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire in Spanish-speaking countries: Assessment of the reliability,structural and external validity and cross-cultural equivalence

A recent re-operationalisation of grandiose narcissism has resulted in the distinction of two narcissistic strategies based on the cognitive, affective-motivational and behavioural dynamics: admiration (assertive self-enhancement) and rivalry (antagonistic self-protection). The Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire (NARQ) was developed to assess this model with two higher-order dimensions. However, cross-validations of the NARQ have not been extensively conducted across diverse population groups and languages. This study aimed to test the internal and external validity (through the relation with envy and self-esteem), reliability and cross-cultural equivalence of the Spanish version of the NARQ. The psychometric properties were evaluated in a Spanish sample (N = 310), and cross-cultural equivalence was tested in participants from Chile (N = 234) and Colombia (N = 256). The results supported the reliability and validity of the Spanish NARQ, as well as the cross-cultural equivalence across Spanish-speaking countries. In addition, we discuss obtained differences across Spanish, Chilean and Colombian sample within two narcissistic strategies.     

A Study of the Questions of Young Children Concerning Sex: A Phase of an Experimental Approach to Parent Education

Summary

Ninety-six male and female Ss were exposed to a Spanish E speaking Spanish, a Spanish E speaking English, or an Anglo E speaking English, who requested change for a dime. Sex and clothing (well dressed or sloppy) of E were also varied, creating a 3 × 2 × 2 × 2 design. Both helpfulness and language of S served as dependent measures. Spanish Es speaking Spanish were helped the most, and Anglo Es helped the least. Es were helped more when well dressed than when sloppily dressed. A strong modeling effect for language was found—viz., Ss were likely to respond in the language in which they were addressed; however the altruism and language of Ss were not related.     

Spanish-English bilingual toddlers’ vocabulary skills: The role of caregiver language input and warmth

There is a well-documented link between bilingual language development and the relative amounts of exposure to each language. Less is known about the role of quality indicators of caregiver-child interactions in bilingual homes, including caregiver input diversity, warmth and sensitivity. This longitudinal study examines the relation between caregiver input (lexical diversity, amount), warmth and sensitivity and bilingual toddlers’ subsequent vocabulary outcomes. We video-recorded caregiver-child interactions in Spanish-English Latino homes when toddlers (n = 47) were 18 months of age (M = 18.32 months; SD = 1.02 months). At the 24-month follow-up, we measured children's vocabulary as total vocabulary (English, Spanish combined) as well as within language (Spanish, English). Results revealed that Spanish lexical diversity exposure at 18 months from caregivers was positively associated with children's Spanish and total vocabulary scores at 24 months, while English lexical diversity was positively associated with children's English scores; lexical diversity and amount were highly correlated. Additionally, caregivers’ warmth was positively associated with children's Spanish, English and total vocabulary scores. Together, these factors accounted for substantial variance (30–40%) in vocabulary outcomes. Notably, caregiver input accounted for more variance in single language outcomes than did caregiver warmth, whereas caregiver warmth uniquely accounted for more variance in total vocabulary scores. Our findings extend prior research findings by suggesting that children's dual language development may depend on their exposure to a diverse set of words, not only amount of language exposure, as well as warm interactions with caregivers. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://youtu.be/q1V_7fz5wog

Highlights

• Video-recorded observations of caregiver-child interactions revealed warmth and high sensitivity from Latino caregivers.
• Linguistically-detailed analyses of caregiver input revealed wide variation in the diversity of Spanish and English directed at 18-month-old bilingual toddlers.
• Bilingual toddlers’ vocabulary (single language, total) was positively associated with caregivers’ diverse input and warmth, thus extending prior findings on bilinguals’ amount of language exposure.
• Findings suggest that caregivers’ lexical diversity explains more variance in bilingual toddlers’ single language outcomes, whereas warmth explains more variance in total vocabulary scores.

     

Bilingual Performance on the Boston Naming Test: Preliminary Norms in Spanish and English

A total of 100 young educated bilingual adults were administered the Boston Naming Test (BNT) (Kaplan, Goodglass, & Weintraub, 1983) in both Spanish and English. Three group performance scores were obtained: English only, Spanish only, and a composite score indicating the total number of items correctly named independent of language. The scores for the entire group were significantly greater in English than in Spanish. An additional set of analyses explored individual differences in picture naming performance across the two languages as measured by the BNT. For a subset of the larger group (n= 25) there were significant differences in composite over single language scoring, but no significant differences between Spanish and English. Item analyses of correct responses were conducted in both languages to explore the construct validity of the standardized administration of the BNT with this population. There was much greater variability in responses over the Spanish items for this bilingual group. The results of a correlation analysis of information obtained from the initial questionnaire with the BNT scores in each language is also reported. The practical implications of this preliminary bilingual BNT normative data are discussed.     

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 missing explanation of the false‐belief advantage in bilingual children: a longitudinal study

Bilingual preschoolers often perform better than monolingual children on false‐belief understanding. It has been hypothesized that this is due to their enhanced executive function skills, although this relationship has rarely been tested or supported. The current longitudinal study tested whether metalinguistic awareness was responsible for this advantage. Further, we examined the contributions of both executive functioning and language ability to false‐belief understanding by including multiple measures of both. Seventy‐eight children (n = 40 Spanish‐English bilingual; age M = 49.29, SD = 7.38 and, n = 38 English monolingual; age M = 47.75, SD = 6.86) were tested. A year later the children were tested again (n = 22 bilingual, n = 25 monolingual). The results indicated that language and executive function (inhibitory control) at time 1 were related to false belief in monolinguals at time 2. In contrast, bilinguals' metalinguistic performance at time 1 was the sole predictor of false belief at time 2. The different linguistic and cognitive profiles of monolinguals and bilinguals may create different pathways for their development of false‐belief understanding. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/vILn2gKjFxw     

Translating the QABF to Spanish with an Eye Toward Reliability and Validity

We developed a Spanish‐language version of the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF) utilizing a forward‐adaptation and back‐adaptation translation process. Subsequently, we administered the assessment with 80 bilingual participants to assess the reliability and validity of the instrument. Results demonstrated that the Spanish version of the QABF was both reliable (i.e., was internally consistent) and valid (i.e., identified the correct function). Implications and future research are discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A time sharing cross-sectional study of monolinguals and bilinguals at different levels of second language acquisition

Several methodological factors associated with the concurrent activities (finger-tapping) paradigm were considered in a cross-sectional study investigating cerebral patterns of asymmetry in three groups of English-speaking non-Hispanic dextral males at three levels of second language (Spanish) acquisition and one control group of monolinguals. Results revealed the fluent bilinguals to be bilateral and significantly different from other groups for native language tasks in English. Moreover, a priori contrasts indicate that greater right- than left-hand disruption in concurrent tapping may be typical of monolinguals, but can be influenced by other factors. Monolingual reliability test-retest correlations were .77 and .47.     

Effects of past language experience and present language context on the shape bias in Spanish–English bilingual children

English‐monolingual children develop a shape bias early in language acquisition, such that they more often generalize a novel label based on shape than other features. Spanish‐monolingual children, however, do not show this bias to the same extent (Hahn & Cantrell, 2012). Studying children who are simultaneously learning both Spanish and English presents a unique opportunity to further investigate how this word‐learning bias develops. Thus, we asked how Spanish–English bilingual children (M_age = 21.31 months) perform in a novel‐noun generalization (NNG) task, specifically examining how past language experience (i.e. language exposure and vocabulary size) and present language context (i.e. whether the NNG task was conducted in Spanish or English) influence the strength of the shape bias. Participants completed the NNG task either entirely in English (N = 16) or entirely in Spanish (N = 16), as well as language understanding tasks in both English and Spanish to ensure that they understood what the experimenter was asking them to do. Parents completed a language exposure survey and vocabulary checklists in Spanish and English. There was a significant interaction between condition and choice type: Bilingual children in the English condition showed a shape bias in the NNG task, but bilingual children in the Spanish condition showed no reliable biases. No measures of past language experience were related to NNG task performance. These results suggest that when learning new words, bilingual children are attuned to the regularities of the present language context, and prior language experiences may play a more secondary role.     

The psychometric properties of the Greek version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in cancer patients receiving palliative care

Objectives: To validate the Greek version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) in a sample of cancer patients. Design: The scale was administered twice, with a 3-day interval, to 99 eligible patients with cancer. Together with the Greek version of STAI scale, the patients also completed the anxiety subscale from the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD). Observations: Factor analysis yielded a three-factor solution, explaining 47.143% of the variance. Cronbach α for three scales was between 0.729 and 0.852. Inter-scale correlations were moderate-to-high and ranged from 0.282 to 0.563 (p < 0.0005, p < 0.005). The assessment of the relationships among the Greek STAI scales and HAD-Anxiety showed statistically significant correlations between them (r ranged between 0.428 and 0.596, p < 0.0005). The test/retest reliability of scale (Pearson's ‘r’), showed that the coefficient agreement ranged between 0.85 and 0.90 (p < 0.0005). Univariate analysis revealed significant correlations between female gender, metastasis, performance status, chemotherapy, mild opioids and low education level with increased anxiety. Conclusions: These results support that the Greek version of STAI is an instrument with satisfactory psychometric properties, and is a valid research tool for Greek cancer patients.     

on the clinical validity of the maslach burnout inventory and the burnout measure

Abstract

Current knowledge about burnout suffers from a healthy worker bias since only working - and thus relatively healthy - employees have been investigated. The main objective of this study is to examine - for the first time among employees who sought psychological treatment - the validity of the two most widely used burnout instruments; the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Burnout Measure (BM). Two groups were distinguished: a “burned out” group (n = 71) that suffers from work-related neurasthenia (according to ICD-10 criteria), and a “non-burned out” group (n = 68). Results show that: (1) the validity of the three-factor structure of the MBI and the BM is confirmed; (2) burnout can partly be differentiated from other mental syndromes (e.g., anxiety and depression); and (3) two MBI-scales (Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization) and one BM-scale (Exhaustion) are able to discriminate between burned out and non-burned out employees. The practical implications of these results are discussed.     

Swedish Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (SAAQ): a psychometric evaluation

Psychological inflexibility and experiential avoidance are equivalent (with somewhat different connotations) concepts and refer to an unwillingness to remain in contact with particular private events. This concept is most often measured by the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) and is strongly related to psychopathology and behavioral effectiveness. In this study, the preliminary psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the AAQ-II (Swedish Acceptance and Action Questionnaire—SAAQ) are presented. The study is done in two steps. In the first step, the 10-item version of the AAQ-II is investigated through principal component analysis (n = 147). Secondly, due to problems with the component structure, the instrument is reduced to a six-item version and its validity and internal consistency are investigated (n = 154). The six-item version shows good concurrent and convergent validity as well as satisfying internal consistency (α = .85). Furthermore, the Swedish six-item version of the AAQ-II showed one strong component. Test–retest reliability was satisfactory (r = .80; n = 228). In future research, predictive and external validity would be important to investigate in order to further ensure that the SAAQ is a useful measure for clinical research. In conclusion, the SAAQ has satisfactory psychometric properties, but more data need to be gathered to further explore the possibilities for the instruments in Swedish contexts.     

Parenting and Preschool Child Development: Examination of Three Low-Income U.S. Cultural Groups

We examined the impact of parenting behaviors on preschool children’s social development in low-income families from three cultural groups: European American (n = 286), African American (n = 399), and Hispanic American (n = 164) using Spanish as the primary language in the home. Observed parenting behaviors of stimulation, responsivity, and acceptance of the child in European American and African American families showed positive impacts on children’s social development with notable exceptions discussed. Corporal punishment had a negative impact on children’s social development. With the exception of corporal punishment, none of the parenting behaviors predicted social development outcomes for Hispanic children.     

Validation of Iranian Version of FI-QOL Scale in Patients with Fecal Incontinence

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a general public health problem with great impact on quality of life. Inability to control the passage of stool can produce embarrassment and may limit daily activities. One of the most important indicators of effectiveness of therapy in patients with fecal incontinence (FI) can be patient’s quality of life. Therefore, a well-constructed questionnaires studying quality of life is necessary. The objective of this study was to assess the Iranian version of Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale in a hospital-based study on patients with FI. Two hundred women were recruited in the study. One group included patients with FI (n = 100) and the control group (n = 100) included patients with any gastrointestinal (GI) problems except FI. The Persian version of fecal incontinence quality of life scale completed by two groups. The FI patients completed the SF-36 questionnaire too. Reliability and validity of questionnaire were evaluated by Cronbach’s alpha, test/retest using correlation analysis, Intraclass correlation coefficient, paired t-test, and analysis of variance. There was not any significant differences between two groups for age, marital status, education, and occupation. The mean age of FI patients and controls were 42.6 (±13.3) and 44.5 (±15.0) respectively. Cronbach’s-α for all domains ranged between 0.72 and 0.92. All scales showed significant correlation between the test and retest administration of questionnaire. The FI patients had lower scores than the controls for all domains adjusted for gender. All correlations between six selected domains of Sf-36 scales and FIQL scales were significant at P ≤ 0.05 levels. The Persian version of FIQL had a good validity and reliability and can be used for accurate measure of quality of life in FI patients.     

Psychometric Evaluation of the Spanish Versions of the Perceived Religious Influence on Health Behavior Scale and the Illness as Punishment for Sin Scale in a Sample of Churchgoing Latinas

The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Spanish versions of the Perceived Religious Influence on Health Behavior scale and the Illness as Punishment for Sin scale in a sample of churchgoing Latina women (N = 404). For the Perceived Religious Influence on Health Behavior scale, confirmatory factor analysis provided support for the expected one-factor model, internal consistency reliability was good, and there was evidence of convergent validity. For the Illness as Punishment for Sin scale, confirmatory factor analysis provided support for the expected one-factor model, but on a revised seven-item version of the measure. Internal consistency reliability and convergent validity for this revised version were good. It is recommended that future studies use the Perceived Religious Influence on Health Behavior scale and the revised Illness as Punishment for Sin scale when examining these constructs among Latina women.     

Psychometric properties of Spanish version of the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale

Background/ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to examine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (Mini-MAC) in a large sample of patients with non-metastatic, resected cancer.MethodsProspective, observational, multicenter study for which 914 patients were recruited from 15 Spanish hospitals. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, validity and reliability analyses were conducted.ResultsFactor-analytic results indicated a 4-factor structure of the Spanish version of the Mini-MAC. Three subscales have psychometric properties similar to those of Helplessness, Anxious preoccupation, and Cognitive avoidance of the original the Mini-MAC. The Fighting spirit and the Fatalism subscales were combined on the Positive attitude scale. The four factor-derived scale scores exhibited acceptable accuracy for individual measurement purposes, as well as stability over time in test-retest assessments at 6 months. Validity assessments found meaningful relations between the derived scale scores, and Brief Symptom Inventory depression and anxiety scores and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy spiritual well-being scores.ConclusionsThe Spanish version of the Mini-MAC provides reliable and valid measures for patients with non-metastatic, resected cancer, and results corroborate the instrument’s cross-cultural validity.