Re-conceptualizing the Factor Structure of the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality

Rationale This study attempted to differentiate statistically the spiritual and religious factors of the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS), which was developed based on theoretical conceptualizations that have yet to be adequately empirically validated in a population with significant health disorders. Participants One hundred sixty-four individuals with heterogeneous medical conditions [i.e., brain injury, spinal cord injury (SCI), cancer, stroke, primary care conditions]. Methods Participants completed the BMMRS as part of a pilot study on spirituality, religion, and physical and mental health. Results A principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation and Kaiser normalization identified a six-factor solution (opposed to the expected 8-factor solution) accounting for 60% of the variance in scores, labeled as: (1) Positive Spiritual Experience; (2) Negative Spiritual Experience; (3) Forgiveness; (4) Religious Practices; (5) Positive Congregational Support; and (6) Negative Congregational Support. Conclusions The results suggest the BMMRS assesses distinct positive and negative aspects of religiousness and spirituality that may be best conceptualized in a psychoneuroimmunological context as measuring: (a) Spiritual Experiences (i.e., emotional experience of feeling connected with a higher power/the universe); (b) Religious Practices (i.e., prayer, rituals, service attendance); (c) Congregational Support; and (d) Forgiveness (i.e., a specific coping strategy that can be conceptualized as religious or non-religious in context).     

Psychometric Examination of the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality Among College Students

Resurgent interest in the relations between religiousness/spirituality (R/S) and health is evident in the scientific literature but much of the research fails to capture the proposed multidimensional nature of R/S. This problematic situation is compounded by the existence of a plethora of measures mostly lacking substantial empirical or even theoretical support. The Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS) was developed to address measurement confusion by providing a standard instrument for researchers investigating the dimensions of R/S relevant to health. Psychometric properties and factor structure of the BMMRS were investigated in a sample of 374 college students. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested a seven-factor structure for the BMMRS. Preliminary construct validity for the instrument was demonstrated. These findings generally support those of previous studies and suggest that the modified BMMRS is a viable multifactor measure of R/S for use with young adults.     

Relationships Among Religiousness,Spirituality, and Health for Individuals with Stroke

The current study evaluated the relationships among spiritual beliefs, religious practices, physical health, and mental health for individuals with stroke. A cross-sectional analysis of 63 individuals evaluated in outpatient settings, including 32 individuals with stroke and 31 healthy controls was conducted through administration of the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS) and the Medical Outcomes Scale-Short Form 36 (SF-36). For individuals with stroke, the SF-36 General Mental Health scale was significantly correlated with only the BMMRS Religious and Spiritual Coping scale (r = .43; p < .05). No other BMMRS factors were significantly correlated with SF-36 mental or physical health scales. Non-significant trends indicated spiritual factors were primarily related to mental versus physical health. This study suggests spiritual belief that a higher power will assist in coping with illness/disability is associated with better mental health following stroke, but neither religious nor spiritual factors are associated with physical health outcomes. The results are consistent with research that suggests that spiritual beliefs may protect individuals with stroke from experiencing emotional distress.     

大学生自我怜悯问卷的修订及信效度研究

目的:对Neff编制的自我怜悯量表进行修订和信效度检验。方法:总共对440名大学生进行了问卷预测与正式测验,使用SPSS13.0和LISREL8.70软件对数据进行分析。结果:①修订后的量表包含6个维度、26个条目。②各维度和量表的同质信度在0.64-0.87之间;探索性因素分析表明各条目对所属因子有中度以上的负荷,抽取的6个因子解释了总方差的55.09%。验证性因素分析的拟合优度指数、相对拟合优度指数、非标准化拟合优度指数为0.85-0.94,近似误差均方根为0.059。结论:大学生自我怜悯量表的信效度符合心理测量学要求。     

一般自我效能感量表的信度和效度研究

由Schwarzer等人编制的一般自我效能感量表(GSES)目前在国际上广泛使用,本研究拟对中文版GSES的信度和效度进行研究.412名大学生接受了GSES的测试.结果表明①和其他文字版本的GSES一样,中文版GSES也具有较高的信度;②中文版GSES的单维度性得到了证实,印证了Schwarzer等人的有关发现;③中文版GSES具有很好的预测效度.     

Reliability and Validity of the Gamblers Anonymous Twenty Questions

One of the earliest instruments to screen for problem gambling, the Twenty Questions (20Q), was developed within Gamblers Anonymous. This instrument has not received serious research attention, however, and its psychometric properties are generally unknown. This study reports reliability and validity data for this instrument in 3 independent samples totaling 456 participants: two samples of problem gamblers in treatment and a non-treatment sample of problem gamblers. The Twenty Questions was shown to possess high reliability as measured by Cronbach’s alpha. Concurrent, convergent and predictive validity of the 20Q supported the use of this instrument as an acceptable screening instrument. Classification analyses indicated that the 20Q is comparable to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling in specificity, sensitivity and rates of false negatives and false positives. The 20Q appears to be a reliable and valid measure of problem gambling and warrants continued research attention.     

A Prospective Study of Religiousness and Psychological Distress Among Female Survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

This prospective study examined the pathways by which religious involvement affected the post-disaster psychological functioning of women who survived Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The participants were 386 low-income, predominantly Black, single mothers. The women were enrolled in the study before the hurricane, providing a rare opportunity to document changes in mental health from before to after the storm, and to assess the protective role of religious involvement over time. Results of structural equation modeling indicated that, controlling for level of exposure to the hurricanes, pre-disaster physical health, age, and number of children, pre-disaster religiousness predicted higher levels of post-disaster (1) social resources and (2) optimism and sense of purpose. The latter, but not the former, was associated with better post-disaster psychological outcome. Mediation analysis confirmed the mediating role of optimism and sense of purpose.     

Examining Cultural,Ethnic, and Religious Differences with the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness and Spirituality in the U.S. and India

Journal of Religion and Health - The Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS) is regularly used to measure spirituality and religiosity in U.S. Christian populations,...     

Construct and Criterion Validity of the Comprehensive Trail Making Test in Children and Adolescents with Traumatic Brain Injury

The current study examined the construct and criterion validity of the Comprehensive Trail Making Test (CTMT) when used to evaluate children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants included 100 children and adolescents, 50 who had sustained TBI and 50 normal comparisons (NC). Analyses indicated that the CTMT factor scores were significantly correlated with tests of perceptual organizational ability, processing speed, and motor function and provided support for its construct validity. Additionally, correlations between the various CTMT scores suggested that a different pattern of associations was present in the TBI group compared to the NC group. Finally, the TBI group performed significantly worse (p < .001) on all of the CTMT scores, including each of the five CTMT trails as well as the factor and composite index scores. Results support the construct and criterion validity of the CTMT when used to assess children and adolescents with TBI.     

青少年多维自我控制量表的编制及信效度检验

编制与多维自我控制理论相适应的,用于测量中国青少年多维自我控制的量表并检验其信、效度。通过查阅文献、专家评估等方式形成初测问卷; 以初中生和高中生为被试,选取1424名被试进行初测,681名被试正式施测。主动性自我控制量表包含情绪调节、目标维持和自我控制策略3个维度,抑制性自我控制量表包含注意力控制、冲动控制和情绪控制3个维度。两个量表均具有良好的结构效度、效标关联效度和信度。综上所述,青少年多维自我控制量表中的主动性、抑制性自我控制量表均符合测量学标准,可用于评估中国青少年的自我控制能力。     

Effects of an 8-week meditation program on the implicit and explicit attitudes toward religious/spiritual self-representations

Explicit self-representations often conflict with implicit and intuitive self-representations, with such discrepancies being seen as a source of psychological tension. Most of previous research on the psychological effects of mindfulness-meditation has assessed people’s self-attitudes at an explicit level, leaving unknown whether mindfulness-meditation promotes changes on implicit self-representations. Here, we assessed the changes in implicit and explicit self-related religious/spiritual (RS) representations in healthy participants following an 8-week mindfulness-oriented meditation (MOM) program. Before and after meditation, participants were administered implicit (implicit association test) and explicit (self-reported questionnaires) RS measures. Relative to control condition, MOM led to increases of implicit RS in individuals whit low pre-existing implicit RS and to more widespread increases in explicit RS. On the assumption that MOM practice may enhance the clarity of one’s transcendental thoughts and feelings, we argued that MOM allows people to transform their intuitive feelings of implicit RS as well as their explicit RS attitudes.     

人格诊断问卷在中国大学生中应用的信度和效度

本研究在一个全国性的大学生样本中初步检验了人格诊断问卷(personality diagnostic quesationnire 4+,PDQ-4+)中文版的信度和效度.结果显示,PDQ-4+的内部一致性信度和重测信度较好.探索性因索分析得到3个因子,与DSM;M-Ⅲ-R的类群理论基本吻合.相关分析显示,PDQ-4+各分量表得分与童年期虐待问卷得分具有显著相关.有关PDQ-4+在中国大陆人群中的筛查敏感性和特异性有待进一步检验.     

中文“教师效能感量表”的信、效度研究

本研究以405名中学教师为对象,对中文版教师效能感量表(TES)的心理测量学特征进行了探讨。结果表明中文版TES具有良好的信度、结构效度和同时效度,说明中文版TES是一个可以推广的量表,但在使用过程中应注意一些问题。研究还表明教龄、职称等老师特征变量对教师效能感不存在显著影响。     

Reliability and Validity of the Current Anxiety Level Measure

Professionals interested in assessing state anxiety (in the moment) levels before and after brief activity-based treatments would find limited evidence-based assessments. The purpose of this study was to develop and test the current anxiety level measure, a free, valid, and reliable state anxiety assessment. To establish concurrent validity, the current anxiety level measure was administered (n?=?98) alongside the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results found a strong relationship (r?=?.904, p?r?=?.702, p?n?=?102). Both samples showed the current anxiety level measure to be reliable and valid.     

Rating Scales for the Assessment of Empathic Communication in Medical Interviews (REM): Scale Development,Reliability, and Validity

Empathy has been shown to affect the quality of care by enhancing the physician–patient relationship and promoting effective communication. In this study, the newly developed Rating Scales for the Assessment of Empathic Communication in Medical Interviews (REM), designed to assess empathy and confrontation in physician–patient interactions, were subjected to preliminary psychometric testing. Particular attention was paid to face validity, reliability, sensitivity, and practicality. A total of 118 volunteers were asked to assess transcribed interactions between physicians and a standardized patient using the REM. In order to assess the convergent validity of the REM, the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity Code (MITI) and the Behavior Change Counseling Index (BECCI) were used. Factor analysis identified two subscales, reflecting empathy and confrontation. Interrater reliability coefficients for items ranged from r = .82 to .97; Cronbach’s alphas for the two subscales were .89 and .88, respectively. The convergent validity was supported by substantial correlations between the REM scores and the MITI scores and by significant correlations between the REM scores and the BECCI score. The REM demonstrated good psychometric properties suggesting the rating scales might be useful in clinical practice, research endeavors, and medical education. Further research is necessary to assess the test-retest reliability as well as the predictive validity of this instrument.     

Further Evidence of the Reliability and Validity of the Multidimensional Anxiety

The psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) were examined in adolescent psychiatric inpatient samples. In Study 1 (n = 287), confirmatory factor analyses provided satisfactory fit for the four-factor (comparative fit index; CFI = 0.856) and higher-order (CFI = 0.854) solutions. Using parcels as items, the fit of the four-factor model was improved substantially (CFI = 0.935). Next, in the bifactor analyses, support was attained for a model that included a general factor and four domain specific subfactors. In Study 2 (n = 195 inpatient youths), the MASC showed good scale reliability and concurrent validity. Results of the receiver operating characteristic curve and binary logistic regression analyses provided adequate evidence for discriminative validity. In Study 3 (n = 40), test–retest reliability of scores on the MASC-10 scale over a 3-week period was adequate (r _tt = 0.83, p < 0.001) for children ages 8 to 11 years.