The My Emotions Questionnaire: A self-report of mothers’ emotional responses to infant crying

The purpose of this article was to examine the psychometrics of the My Emotions Questionnaire, a self-report designed to assess mothers’ emotional reactions when their infants cry. Participants were 240 first-time mothers. When infants were 6 months and 1 year old, mothers completed the new questionnaire and measures assessing beliefs and behavioral responses to infant crying, and interview-based measures of mothers’ emotional reactions and causal attributions about crying were administered. Maternal sensitivity and negative behaviors were observed when infants were 6 months and 1 and 2 years old. Mothers reported on their discipline practices when children were 2 years old. Five emotion factors emerged based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the 6-month data: Amusement, Anxiety, Frustration, Sympathy, and Protective. The five-factor structure was supported via a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the 1-year data. All scales demonstrated adequate internal consistency reliability and significant stability from 6 months to 1 year. Amusement, Frustration, and Protectiveness demonstrated the best convergent validity with cry cognitions and predictive validity to parenting measures, followed by Anxiety, although effects tended to be small to moderate. Evidence for the validity of Sympathy was less compelling. The potential utility of the questionnaire for basic and applied research is discussed.     

The Stability of Temperament from Early Childhood to Early Adolescence:A Multi‐method,Multi‐informant Examination

Temperament is a core aspect of children's psychological functioning and is assumed to be at least somewhat stable across childhood. However, little research has assessed the stability of temperament from early childhood to early adolescence. Moreover, few studies have examined the influence of measurement and analytic methods on the stability of early temperament over periods of more than a few years. We obtained laboratory observations and mother and father reports of temperamental negative and positive emotionality and effortful control from 559 three‐year‐olds. Approximately nine years later, children and both parents completed questionnaire measures of similar temperament constructs. Zero‐order correlations revealed greater within‐informant than cross‐informant stability. In addition, compared with parent reports, early childhood laboratory measures showed greater convergent and divergent validity with child, mother, and father reports at age 12. Finally, latent temperament variables at age 3 composed of laboratory and parent‐report measures and latent variables at age 12 composed of parent and child reports showed moderate stability. There was also a weak but significant association of early effortful control with later negative and positive emotionality. Results have implications for assessing temperament and knowledge of the stability of temperament across childhood. Copyright © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology     

The Self‐Ambivalence Measure: A psychometric investigation

The purpose of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Self‐Ambivalence Measure and its subscales developed by Bhar and Kyrios. The factor structure, reliability, and validity of the measure were examined utilising a non‐clinical sample of 415 participants who completed self‐report measures of aspects of the self. Results indicated that the Self‐Ambivalence Measure exhibited levels of internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity, warranting its use in further research. In contrast to earlier research finding a two‐factor structure, a three‐factor structure was found to best fit the current sample and the factors were labelled Self‐Worth Ambivalence, Moral Ambivalence, and Public Self‐consciousness. This solution separated internal aspects of self‐ambivalence from social aspects which were conceptualised as an aspect of lovability. A discussion of implications is provided.     

Psychometric Properties of the Beck Depression Inventory-II in a Clinically-Identified Sample of Mexican American Adolescents

We examined the internal consistency reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and factor structure of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) in a sample of 131 Mexican American youth. The BDI-II demonstrated excellent internal consistency reliability (α=.90) and solid convergent and divergent validity with various clinical scales of the Adolescent Psychopathology Scale. Two factors, Cognitive-Somatic and Affective, emerged from an exploratory factor analysis and suggested that depressive symptomology may manifest somewhat differently in Mexican American youth. In sum, results provide tentative support for the use of the BDI-II as a measure of depression for this sample.     

Two promising shame and guilt scales: a construct validity comparison

This study compared the validity of two promising measures of shame and guilt proneness: revisions of the Harder Personal Feelings Questionnaire (PFQ2; Harder & Lewis, 1987) and the Hoblitzelle Adapted Shame and Guilt Scale (ASGS; Hoblitzelle, 1982). Internal consistency, test-retest stability, factor structure, and construct validity with convergent and discriminant personality dimensions were examined for both scales. In addition to the shame and guilt measures, 63 (37 male, 26 female) mostly freshman college students completed a randomly ordered battery of personality scales theoretically relevant to shame and guilt proneness. Results support the reliability and shame/guilt factor structure of each scale. ASGS Shame correlations appeared marginally more valid with 11 external construct variables than PFQ2 Shame, whereas PFQ2 Guilt was clearly more valid than its corresponding ASGS subscale. New, potentially improved scales were constructed from the factor analyses and from item analyses. However, the resulting scales did not show improved validity.     

A pilot study of a family‐focused intervention for children and families affected by maternal depression

A non‐experimental pilot study examined child, mother and family outcomes of a 10‐session multi‐family group intervention designed to reduce risk and promote resilience for mothers with depression and their families. Positive changes following the Keeping Families Strong intervention included mother‐reported decreases in child behaviour and emotional problems, improvements in the quality of family interactions and routines and improvements in their own well‐being and support from others. Children (9–16 years) reported decreased internalizing symptoms, improved coping, increased maternal warmth and acceptance and decreased stressful family events. Attendance and mother‐reported satisfaction were high, indicating the perceived value of the intervention.     

Psychometric properties of the OCI-R in a college sample

Two studies examined the psychometric properties of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R; Psychol. Assessment 14 (2002) 485) in a nonclinical student sample. In Study 1, we investigated the factor structure and internal consistency of the OCI-R using a sample of 395 undergraduate students. At a second testing session 1 month later, 178 students completed the OCI-R. Test-retest reliability was examined using data from 94 students who completed the OCI-R in both sessions. Convergent validity was also assessed with the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI). In Study 2, we further investigated the convergent and divergent validity of the OCI-R using a new sample of 221 students who completed a battery of measures of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, worry, and depression. There was a significant order effect for both the OCI-R and the MOCI: means of each measure were significantly lower when presented second. Despite the order effect, statistical analyses indicated that the OCI-R has adequate test-retest reliability for the full scale and subscale scores, solid factor structure, and high internal consistency. Convergent validity with other measures of obsessive-compulsive symptoms was moderate to excellent, and divergent validity was good. The results indicate that the OCI-R is a short, psychometrically sound self-report measure of obsessive-compulsive symptoms.     

The reliability and validity of the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised

The reliability and validity of the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised was examined in a sample of 6-month-old infants and their parents. One hundred and fifteen mothers and 79 fathers completed the IBQ-R and a measure of depression and 98 infants participated in a laboratory assessment of temperament. Internal consistency reliability was adequate for all 14 IBQ-R subscales for both mothers and fathers and inter-rater reliability of mother and father reports was demonstrated for 11 of 14 subscales. Convergent validity was established between observed fear and mother reported fear and father reported approach. Parent depression and infant gender were examined as moderators of the concordance between parent reported and observed temperament. As predicted, concordance was higher when parents reported low versus high symptoms of depression. Infant gender did not alter concordance.     

French translation and validation of the Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale

IntroductionPerceived parental self-efficacy (PSE) is thought to play a crucial role in parental well-being, the parent-infant relationship, and other aspects of infant development, particularly in the early postnatal period. The Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale (KPCS) is a 15-item self-report questionnaire designed for parents with infants aged 0–12 months.ObjectiveTo explore the factor structure of a French translation of the KPCS and assess its psychometric qualities.MethodUsing a French-language translation of the KPCS (KPCS-F), 257 parents of children aged 0–12 months were recruited via childcare structures (e.g. nurseries, community centers, mother and child protection centers). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to examine 2- and 3-factor solutions for the KPCS-F scale. Internal reliability and convergent validity were evaluated.ResultsThe best model was a two-factor solution (PSE “infant care” and PSE “parental role”) restricted to 12 items. Sound internal consistency was indicated, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.80 and a McDonald's omega coefficient of 0.80. Test-retest reliability was good. KPCS-F score was correlated with social support and psychological well-being scores.ConclusionThe KPCS-F showed substantial validity and reliability for this sample. The translated scale should therefore improve assessment and intervention processes for professionals working with parents of young children.     

The Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale: Reliability and Validity for Use Among 5 to 8 Year Olds with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) is the instrument of choice for assessing symptom severity in older children (i.e., 8–18 years) diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The reliability and validity of this measure for use among younger children (i.e., 5–8 years of age), however, has never been examined. The primary aim of this study was to examine this scale’s use among those presenting with early childhood OCD. Forty-two children with OCD between the ages of 4 and 8 years of age were recruited as part of a larger treatment outcome study, and the reliability and validity of the CY-BOCS was examined. Results revealed questionable reliability for the measure’s 5-item Obsessions subscale but good reliability (i.e., internal consistency, temporal stability) for the 5-item Compulsions subscale and 10-item total scale. Results also revealed that the CY-BOCS total scale demonstrated mixed discriminant validity but strong convergent validity and sensitive to change. Collectively, the 10-item, CY-BOCS total score yields a reliable and valid scale for the assessment of symptom severity in early childhood OCD. However, we urge caution in use of the Obsessions subscale in isolation for either clinical or research purposes. Limitations and future areas of research are discussed including the potential benefit of developing a measure of OCD-related symptom severity specifically for younger children with greater attention to developmental differences among children within this population.     

Cognitive Distortions of Child Molesters on Probation or Parole in Japan

The present study examined cognitive distortions of child molesters on probation or parole in Japan utilizing an 18‐item questionnaire administered in a treatment program conducted by the probation officers. This study analyzed the responses of child molesters (n = 51), non‐child‐molesting sexual offenders (n = 65), and non‐offenders (n = 64). Factor analysis of the responses showed three types of cognitive distortions: Rationalization of Offending Behavior, Minimization of Responsibility for Offending, and Minimization of Victim Harm. Welch's analysis of variance followed by Games‐Howell post hoc tests revealed that the child molesters scored significantly higher than the non‐offender group on the Rationalization of Offending Behavior subscale and the Minimization of Responsibility for Offending subscale, and significantly higher than the non‐child‐molesting sexual offender group on the Minimization of Responsibility for Offending subscale. The authors discuss the meanings of these three types of cognitive distortions and future research issues.     

Reduced approach motivation following nonreward: Extension of the BIS/BAS scales

The current study describes the development and validation of a new subscale to be used with the BIS/BAS scales (Carver & White, 1994). This subscale measures lowered approach motivation following nonreward. Factor analysis of the new subscale was carried out within a sample of 308 University students, test–retest reliability was established within a sample of 62 individuals, and construct validity was explored in a sample of 86 individuals by comparing scores on the new subscale with those on an existing self-report measure of apathy and on a behavioural measure of persistence. Reliability and validity of the new frustrative nonreward responsiveness subscale was found to be adequate within the populations studied. The findings are discussed in relation to theoretical accounts of BAS and BIS sensitivity.     

Assessment of Tripartite Factors of Emotion in Children and Adolescents II: Concurrent Validity of the Affect and Arousal Scales for Children

The authors assessed the reliability and validity of the Affect and Arousal Scale for Children (AFARS; Chorpita, Daleiden, Moffitt, Yim, & Umemoto, 2000). The AFARS is a new measure of children's positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA), and physiological hyperarousal (PH). In the first study, 176 school children, 7 to 17 years of age, were administered measures of childhood worry, anxiety sensitivity, and autonomic arousal and their parents completed a child behavior problem checklist. In a second study, two groups of 100 and 114 school children, 8 to 18 years of age, were administered measures of childhood depression and anxiety, respectively, Also, 120 of these children took part in a 1-week retest administration of the AFARS. These studies provided preliminary evidence of acceptable 1-week test–retest reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity for the AFARS PA, NA, and PH scales. However, the predicted pattern of convergent and discriminant relations with parent-reported criterion only emerged for children over 11 years of age. Further, a consistent positive relation emerged between NA and PH, yet each of these scales accounted for unique variance in the prediction of criterion measures.     

Psychometric properties of eating disorder instruments in Black and White young women: internal consistency, temporal stability, and validity

Most of the major instruments in the eating disorder field have documented psychometric support only in predominantly White samples. The current study examined the internal consistency, temporal stability, and convergent and discriminant validity of a variety of eating disorder measures in Black (n = 97) and White (n = 179) female undergraduates. Internal consistency coefficients were good (>.76) for all measures for both groups. Temporal stability across 5 months was also adequate in both groups, but with evidence for dietary restraint and subjective binge eating being less stable in Black women (e.g., for the Restraint subscale of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire [TFEQ], r = .63 for Black women and r = .82 for White women). Scores on the bulimic symptoms and dietary restraint instruments converged and diverged in a theoretically consistent pattern. Findings suggest these eating disorder measures are reliable (internally consistent; temporally stable over 5 months) and that the bulimic symptom measures of the Bulimia Test-Revised, the Bulimia subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory, and the dietary restraint measures from the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire and TFEQ demonstrate convergent and discriminant validity in Black college women.     

Consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence in Mainland China

To validate the consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (SUSCEP) scale in China, questionnaires were administered to 1114 adult employees and 350 university students. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence scale had a stable three‐factor structure (i.e. the utilitarian, value‐expressive, and informational dimensions) in both samples, while the original two‐factor structure could not be retrieved. Using Chinese samples, the consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence scale and its three sub‐scales demonstrated acceptable internal reliability, as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Positive correlations between the consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence scale (as well as its sub‐scales) and attention to social comparison information also indicated good convergent validity. The distinction between utilitarian dimension and value‐expression dimension in Chinese samples as well as the non‐significant correlations of the utilitarian dimension with self‐esteem and the informational dimension with self‐esteem revealed cultural differences between the East and the West.     

Consistency in infant sleeping arrangements and mother–infant interaction

This study examined the association between infant sleeping arrangements (i.e., habitual co‐sleeping, inconsistent co‐sleeping, and non‐co‐sleeping) and quality of mother–infant interaction during play in a sample of mothers, each with a typically developing infant (N=70). Mother–infant dyads who experienced consistency in infant sleeping arrangements in a typical week at 6 months (i.e., habitual co‐sleeping or non‐co‐sleeping) were characterized by more positive maternal and infant behavior and dyadic quality of interaction at 9 months compared with dyads who experienced inconsistency in sleeping arrangements. Additionally, a greater amount of co‐sleeping per week was associated with an increased duration of breastfeeding, mothers working fewer hours, less infant temperamental intensity, and less maternal depression. This study underscores the advantages of empirically based studies that consider consistency in infant sleep experience as a factor that is associated with more positive mother–child interaction.     

Examining the Psychometric Properties of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale in Two Spanish Multi‐occupational Samples

The aim of this study was to provide some evidence of reliability and validity of the 15‐item Spanish version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) between two multi‐occupational samples. In two different studies, 525 human services employees (study 1; males = 233; females = 292) and 409 multi‐occupational employees (study 2; males = 179; females = 230) completed the Spanish UWES. In study 1, our results revealed satisfactory levels of reliability for each subscale. In addition, the confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the three‐factor model fitted better than the one‐factor model and supported the theoretical three‐factor structure (vigor, dedication, and absorption). Furthermore, results from the multi‐sample analysis found strict factorial invariance of the Spanish UWES across gender, suggesting that the UWES factors show the same composition and interpretation in both groups. In study 2, our results once again confirmed the same three‐factor structure for the Spanish UWES. We found support for theoretically proposed two‐factor model including: (1) emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and (2) all three dimensions of engagement plus personal accomplishment. We also found evidence of convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity with respect to burnout, life satisfaction, and perceived stress. In short, our results provide empirical support for structural validity of the Spanish UWES in multi‐occupational workers.     

Development of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62)

Few instruments have been designed specifically to address the needs of college counseling centers. This article reviews existing instruments and presents 4 studies that describe the development and psychometric properties of a new instrument, the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62). Study 1 describes the initial item development, factor analysis, and preliminary scale development steps. Study 2 describes the results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using data from more than 22,000 clients pooled via a national practice-research network of counseling centers. Studies 3 and 4 provide preliminary evidence of subscales' convergent validity and retest reliability. Results from these 4 studies provide support for the instrument's factor structure, construct validity, and subscale reliabilities for both the total sample and subgroups. Clinical and methodological issues pertaining to the future development of the CCAPS are discussed in the context of a national practice-research network of college counseling centers.     

Habitual Self‐Control: A Brief Measure of Persistent Goal Pursuit

Habitual self‐control is defined as a trait‐like personal resource factor that facilitates the enactment of difficult intentions. A 14‐item Habitual Self‐Control Questionnaire (HSCQ) was developed to assess this trait. Reliability, factorial validity, and criterion validity were assessed in five undergraduate student subsamples with an overall N of 2224. Internal consistency was .81 across the entire sample, and test–retest reliability was .83 over a one‐month interval. The HSCQ showed a theoretically meaningful pattern in terms of convergent and discriminant validity and criterion validity in predicting a variety of health behaviours that relate to self‐control, including exercise, dieting behaviour, binge eating and weight loss success. Further, the HSCQ contributed uniquely to the prediction of health behaviours beyond alternative self‐control scales. In a longitudinal part of the study, the HSCQ added to the prediction of action plan completion and satisfaction beyond motivation and moderated the relationship between motivation and enactment of action plans as theoretically expected. In sum, the results provided strong evidence for the reliability and validity of the HSCQ and highlighted some theoretically meaningful differences to already existing measures of self‐control. Theoretical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development and Validation of the Parental Authority Questionnaire – Revised

Baumrind's conceptualization of parenting style has influenced research and theorizing about child-rearing for more than 30 years, yet few clinical applications of this work have been realized. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a parenting style measure, the Parental Authority Questionnaire – Revised (PAQ-R). This project furthered the development and validation of the instrument by examining the factor structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity of the PAQ-R in a large, ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample. The factor structure and reliability of the PAQ-R was modest, but generally within the acceptable range. Specifically, the Authoritarian and Permissive subscales of the PAQ-R had modest reliability and convergent validity; these PAQ-R subscales correlated with relevant subscales of the Parenting Scale and the Parent–Child Relationship Inventory. By contrast, the Authoritativeness subscale had poorer psychometric properties when used in lower SES, primarily African American populations. While African American mothers in the sample reported being more Permissive than did Caucasian mothers, these differences disappeared after controlling for income and maternal education. By contrast, African American mothers continued to report more Authoritarian attitudes even after controlling for income and maternal education.