Development and validation of a test on Anasakti (non-attachment): an Indian model of well-being

Deriving our theoretical model from the Hindu religious text Srimad Bhagvad Gita, gaps in the existing frameworks on the concept of Anasakti (non-attachment) were found. The purpose of the study was to develop and test psychometric properties of a scale based on this Indian concept. We pooled 46 items which included items from existing scales as well as new items. The data were collected from 366 students (236 females and 130 males; mean age?=?23.55 years, SD?=?8.30 years). The final scale consists of 22 items comprising six subscales: Outcome Vulnerability, Faith in God, Empathy, Frustration Tolerance, Effort Orientation and Emotional Equipoise. The scale is psychometrically robust, explaining 50.79 per cent of variance and also acceptable levels of reliability (α?=?.70). We tested for convergent validity by correlating the new scale with the Scale of Positive and Negative Experiences (SPANE), the Mental Health Continuum (MHC) and the Flourishing Scale (FS). The new scale demonstrated acceptable convergent validity showing significant positive correlation with SPANE-P, SPANE-B, FS and MHC (.23?<?r?<?.38, p?<?.01) and a significant negative correlation with SPANE-N (r?=??.29, p?<?.01).     

Construction of new scales for the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List

Factor analyses were used to develop new scales for the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (MAACL) measuring anxiety, depression, hostility, positive, and sensation-seeking affects. Anxiety, depression, and hostility scales were moderately intercorrelated and a combined score called “dysphoria” was formed from their addition. Positive and sensation-seeking affects were also correlated and combined in a summary score (PASS). The dysphoric and PASS scores were not highly correlated. The number of items checked correlated highly with the positive affect scale, moderately with sensation seeking, and relatively low with the negative affect scales. Internal reliabilities were high and retest reliabilities were low, in conformance with the model for state scales. The anxiety score increased and the positive affect score and number of items checked decreased just prior to a classroom examination. Further plans for scale development are discussed.     

Bell object relations inventory for adolescents and children: reliability,validity, and factorial invariance

The Bell Object Relations Inventory (BORI; Bell,1995) is a self-report instrument that measures deficits in object relations ego functioning. It has demonstrated clinical and research utility in adult populations. This article reports the development of a version of the BORI for children ages 11 to 17, including studies of reliability, validity, and factorial invariance. Data of 705 children from public schools and 110 children from clinics and residential treatments were used. Of the 45 original BORI true/false items, 3 were dropped as inappropriate and most others were rewritten for easier reading. An additional 16 items were created to capture unique features of adolescent experiences in relationships. Items were tested in focus groups and revised accordingly. Eight items were dropped because of low communalities, so that 50 items were included in the final factor analysis. Assessments using self-report items from Behavioral Assessment Scale for Children (BASC; Reynolds & Camphaus, 1992) and the Personality Inventory for Youth (PIY) were also obtained to test concurrent validity. Oblique rotation yielded 5 factors. Four were very similar to the 4 from the adult version and were named accordingly: Alienation, Insecure Attachment, Egocentricity, and Social Incompetence. The fifth scale was comprised mostly of new items and was called Positive Attachment. Scales showed excellent factorial invariance and good internal consistency. Scales generally had very low intercorrelations reflecting their relative independence. Although differences were found for gender and race, the effect sizes were small. Support for construct validity came from moderate correlations with concurrent BASC and PIA scores, analyses of variance showing greater deficits in object relations in pathological subgroups compared with normals, and a trend analysis showed that Alienation scores followed a lawful relationship with increasing severity of psychopathology. These initial findings support the psychometric integrity of the instrument and its construct validity. Results indicate continuity of constructs between the adult and adolescent versions. The Positive Attachment subscale may prove a valuable addition for clinical and research applications.     

Development and validation of the verbal commentary on physical appearance scale: Considering both positive and negative commentary

Two studies describe the development and validation of the Verbal Commentary on Physical Appearance Scale (VCOPAS). In Study 1, 320 undergraduate female students completed the scale and factor analyses were conducted. Study 2 included 246 undergraduate female students and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) replicated the initial factor structure. The final VCOPAS consists of 21 items and contains three subscales (Negative Weight and Shape, Positive Weight and Shape, and Positive General Appearance). The total scale and subscales demonstrated good internal consistency and test–retest reliability (all >.70). Significant correlations were found between VCOPAS subscales and measures of physical appearance-related feedback, body image disturbance, and self-esteem. Regression analyses indicated the utility of the Negative Weight and Shape, Positive Weight and Shape, and Positive General Appearance subscales in explaining significant variance associated with body image disturbance and self-esteem. The VCOPAS is likely to be useful in future research examining the role of appearance-related commentary in the development and maintenance of body image dissatisfaction and eating disturbance.     

积极情感消极情感量表（PANAS）的修订

以情感二维结构理论为基础,对Watson等（1988）编制的积极情感消极情感量表（PANAS）进行了修订。收集了几种主要的情感环丛模型中积极情感和消极情感项目后,用专家评定法剔除了不属于情绪描述词的项目,并用问卷法考察了这些情感体验的典型性,试测后确定了积极情感和消极情感项目各9项构成最终量表。最后用自评、同伴评价和认知测量法对量表的心理测量学属性进行了较为全面的分析。结果表明,修订后的PANAS中各项目具有良好的区分度,是情感幸福感有效和可靠的测量工具。     

Unidimensionality and bandwidth in the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale

In this study, we compared classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT) approaches in analyzing the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale (Radloff, 1977). Standard item analyses, as well as Rasch (1960) analyses, both revealed item departures from unidimensionality in a sample of 2,455 older persons responding to the CES-D. Positive affect items in the scale performed poorly overall, their removal reducing the scale's bandwidth only slightly. Modeling depression scores derived from Rasch measures and raw totals showed subtle but important differences for statistical inference. The assessment of depressive risk was slightly enhanced by using 16-item scale measures obtained from the results of the Rasch analysis as the dependent variable. Confirmatory factor analysis and parallel analysis verified the advantages of removing positively worded items. IRT and CTT techniques proved to be complementary in this study and can be usefully combined to improve measuring depression.     

Relationships between proenvironmental attitudes and concepts of nature

The author investigated relationships between proenvironmental attitudes and concepts of nature. Proenvironmental attitudes were measured on a 5-point scale containing 27 items. The author developed a 5-point scale containing 20 items to assess concepts of nature. The author administered those 2 scales to 140 young adults and adolescents at 2 Japanese institutions of higher education. An investigation of 6 proenvironmental attitudes and 20 concepts of nature showed some significant relationships. Factor analysis of the 20 concepts of nature produced 2 factors: Positive Evaluation of Nature and Rejection of Manipulation of Human Life. Most relationships were significant between the scores for the 6 proenvironmental attitudes and those for the 2 factors of concepts of nature.     

The validity and reliability of the Violence Risk Scale-Sexual Offender version: assessing sex offender risk and evaluating therapeutic change

The Violence Risk Scale-Sexual Offender version (VRS-SO) is a rating scale designed to assess risk and predict sexual recidivism, to measure and link treatment changes to sexual recidivism, and to inform the delivery of sexual offender treatment. The VRS-SO comprises 7 static and 17 dynamic items empirically or conceptually linked to sexual recidivism. Dynamic items with higher ratings identify treatment targets linked to sexual offending. A modified stages of change model assesses the offender's treatment readiness and change. File-based VRS-SO ratings were completed on 321 sex offenders followed up an average of 10 years post-release. VRS-SO scores predicted sexual and nonsexual violent recidivism post-release and demonstrated acceptable interrater reliability and concurrent validity. A factor analysis of the dynamic items generated 3 factors labeled Sexual Deviance, Criminality, and Treatment Responsivity, all of which predicted sexual recidivism and were differentially associated with different sex offender types. The dynamic items together made incremental contributions to sexual recidivism prediction after static risk was controlled for. Positive changes in the dynamic items, measured at pre- and posttreatment, were significantly related to reductions in sexual recidivism after risk and follow-up time were controlled for, suggesting that dynamic items are indeed dynamic or changeable in nature.     

Attitude Toward Own Aging: Age Invariance and Construct Validity Across Middle-Aged,Young-Old,and Old-Old Adults

The Attitude Toward Own Aging (ATOA) Scale assesses an individual’s evaluation of their own aging, and has been widely used in the field of subjective aging literature. The present study examined whether the ATOA scale measures the same construct across middle-aged (40–60), young-old (61–74), and old-old adults (ages 75 or older) and also evaluated the construct validity of the ATOA construct in relation to measures of subjective well-being. Data drawn from the 2008 wave of the German Aging Survey (DEAS; n?=?6091) were used. ATOA was assessed by the ATOA subscale of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS), and subjective well-being was assessed with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the model fit of the one-factor model consisting of four items fits the data well. Multi-group invariance analyses provide evidence for configural and metric invariance of the ATOA scale across the age groups, but not for scalar invariance. Additional analysis assessing construct validity indicated that the ATOA items exhibited convergent validity. The findings support the utility of the 4-item scale when examining age group differences of ATOA across a wide age range and that ATOA is distinct from measures of subjective well-being.     

Separating ability from need: clarifying the dimensional structure of the Need for Closure Scale

The validity of the Need for Closure Scale (NFCS) has recently been debated in the research literature. In the present study, it is argued that the traditional Decisiveness scale primarily taps ability content instead of the hypothesized motivational need; therefore, new items that explicitly probe the need for quick and unambiguous answers were developed. It was shown that these need items form a reliable scale (Study 1); were predictive of the seizing process over and beyond ability, whereas the old Decisiveness scale was not (Study 2); and were sensitive to experimentally manipulated levels of task motivation (Study 3). Finally, a reassembled NFCS with the new items replacing the traditional Decisiveness items showed superior fit as a unidimensional model. In the Discussion, it is argued that the specific position of Decisiveness is due to its particular operationalization, not to its theoretical status.     

Perceptions of a Sample of University Men Concerning Women

Summary

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument, the Positive Regard Scale, to measure the degree of positive regard for women as reflected by university men, and to relate Positive Regard Scale scores to selected personal and social factors. Thirty-two of the 47 items on the scale were significantly discriminating at the .05 level or beyond. A split-half reliability coefficient, computed with the Spearman Brown Correction Formula, of .97 was obtained. Only one of the personal and social factors was significantly related to the Positive Regard Scale scores: Femininity of the mother was related to positive regard for women.     

A brief assessment of concerns associated with genetic testing for cancer: the Multidimensional Impact of Cancer Risk Assessment (MICRA) questionnaire.

The Multidimensional Impact of Cancer Risk Assessment (MICRA) is a new tool to measure the specific impact of result disclosure after genetic testing. The authors compared its performance with that of questionnaires measuring general and cancer-specific distress. Participants (158 women) responded 1 month after they received genetic test results. The women were divided into 4 standard clinical test result groups: BRCA1/2 positive, BRCA1/2 negative, panel negative, and true negative. Factor analysis supported the formation of 3 subscales: Distress (6 items, alpha = .86), Uncertainty (9 items, alpha = .77), and Positive Experiences (4 items, alpha = .75). All 3 MICRA subscales differentiated participants who were BRCA1/2 positive from the other 3 groups. MICRA thus helps identify subgroups of vulnerable genetic testing participants.     

Refinement of the MMPI-2 F(p) scale is not necessary: a response to Gass and Luis

Gass and Luis (2001) reported that four MMPI-2 Lie scale items contained on the F(p) scale do not measure symptom exaggeration but measure defensiveness. They hold that elimination of the four Lie scale items improves the utility of the F(p) scale in the identification of exaggeration in VA samples. To directly address the assertion that removal of the L scale items from the F(p) scale enhances the predictive validity of F(p), data derived from a previously published study where 74 psychiatric inpatients were asked to retake the MMPI-2 and either feign psychopathology or respond in an honest manner were reanalyzed. The intact F(p) scale demonstrated a stronger correlation with group membership, increased incremental validity, and superior classification rates compared with the F(p) scale without the 4 Lie scale items. Consequently, the F(p) refinement recommended by Gass and Luis is unnecessary.     

The effect of scale modifications on the factorial dimensions and reliability of super's work values inventory

On the basis of previous research findings, 32 new items were added to Super's Work Values Inventory (WVI) and the resulting 77 item instrument was administered to 611 high school sophmores. Guttman's rank-reduction procedure and separate image analyses were employed to examine empirically the effects of additional items on hypothesized item groupings, scale intercorrelations, factorial dimensions, and scale internal consistency reliabilities. Analyses supported the addition of items to the WVI. It was found that the item groupings on the modified instrument were reasonable; the scale intercorrelations and factorial dimensions of both versions were highly comparable; the addition of items had increased the scale internal consistency reliabilities. Comments were made regarding counselors' use of the WVI.     

Psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire - Positive (ATQ - P)

The role of positive cognitions in psychopathology is increasingly recognized. Several measures of this construct have been devised. The most well-known instrument to measure positive self-referent thoughts is the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire - Positive (ATQ - P). The present study explored the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of this questionnaire. Data were derived from 257 bereaved adults. Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed that an oblique 5-factor model with items pertaining to Positive Daily Functioning, Positive Self-Evaluation, Other's Evaluation of Self, Positive Future Expectations, and Positive Social Functioning fit the data well. This model was a slight modification of the 4-factor model originally proposed by the developers of the ATQ - P, in which items pertaining to Positive Social Functioning were part of the factor Positive Daily Functioning. The internal consistency and the short-term temporal stability of the ATQ - P were found to be satisfactory. In addition, the 5 factors as well as the summed total score of the ATQ - P showed adequate discriminative, construct, divergent and convergent validity. In sum, the present study indicates that the Dutch ATQ - P is an effective measure of positive automatic cognitions.     

Cross-cultural differences in driver aggression,aberrant, and positive driver behaviors

The present study investigated differences in driver aggression for self and others within countries and cultural differences between driver aggression, aberrant, and positive driver behaviors across five countries (Estonia, Greece, Kosovo, Russia, and Turkey). It was predicted that drivers from these five countries differ significantly in terms of driver aggression for self and others, aberrant, and positive driver behaviors. In the study, 743 participants completed the questionnaire package, including the Driver Aggression Indicators Scale (DAIS), the short version of the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) with items from the Positive Driver Behavior Scale, and the Demographic Information Form. Paired samples T-tests were conducted to examine the differences in driving aggression between self and others in the five countries. The results indicated that, except for Russian drivers, drivers reported that other drivers had higher driver aggression than themselves. To examine the cross-cultural differences, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) tests were conducted for the two dimensions of the DAIS (hostile aggression and revenge, and aggressive warnings) and the three dimensions of the DBQ with items from the Positive Driver Behavior Scale (errors, violations, and positive driver behaviors). Cross-country item-based comparisons were then made for the DAIS and the DBQ. The ANCOVA results showed significant differences in both item-based and subscale comparisons. Russian drivers were significantly different from other drivers in terms of hostile aggression and the revenge subscales of the DAIS and positive driver behaviors. Turkish drivers were significantly different from other drivers in several items of the DBQ, including errors and violations. The findings suggest that culture-specific strategies might be conducted for traffic-related anger management. Furthermore, differences in errors and violations among the five countries may be due to cultural differences. Positive driver behaviors might be better promoted in countries by drawing on their distinct cultural road safety strategies.     

DEC performance in the psychology laboratory

A survey of the On-Line Psychology DEC Users’ Group was taken to evaluate DEC’s performance in the psychology research laboratory. Data were obtained for 20 rating scale items and 7 open-ended items in five categories. On a 10-point scale, DEC averaged about 6 on purchasing procedures and documentation, about 4 on delivery time and maintenance service, and about 7 on product satisfaction. The open-ended items provided users’ explanations for the ratings and new hardware and software that users would like to see from DEC in the near future.     

Modification and psychometric evaluation of the Peterson War Scale

A measure on attitudes toward war was administered to 125 student participants at a California university to assess psychometric properties for this scale for possible use in current research. A 5-point scale was substituted for the 2-point one originally. Item analysis indicated 23 of 32 items were viable. Using Cronbach reliability coefficient alpha and factor analysis, the shortened measure had an internal consistency reliability of .85. Factor analysis yielded a 4-factor structure: (1) War is Bad, (2) War is Necessary, (3) Positive Aspects of War, and (4) No Justification. These results indicate this seemingly outdated measure of war attitudes remains useful for current research purposes involving measuring attitudes toward war. However, longitudinal research is necessary.     

Development and validation of an altruism scale for adults

A new self-report scale, the Altruism Scale for Adults, of 28 items was developed. 14 items were from the Altruism subscale of Wrightsman's Philosophies of Human Nature Scale, and the other 14 items were newly constructed. The scale, anchored by 1: true or 2: false, was administered to 592 Korean men and women in eight subgroups. Cronbach alpha internal consistency was .89, and test-retest reliabilities (n = 52) over 1 and 5 wk. were .90 and .80, respectively. Campbell and Fiske's 1959 multitrait-multimethod analysis showed satisfactory convergent and discriminant validities. Overall results were promising for use of the scale in research and for practical purposes.