Development and initial validation of a brief mental health outcome measure

Using a combination of classical test theory and Rasch item analysis, we developed a short scale designed to measure the effectiveness of mental health treatment across a wide range of mental health services and populations. Item development for the scale was guided by literature review and interviews with senior clinicians and with patients. Using 3 different samples consisting of inpatients, outpatients, and nonpatients, we reduced our initial item pool from 81 to 10 items. The 10-item scale had an alpha of .96 and showed strong correlations with commonly used measures of psychological well-being and distress. Our results suggest that the scale appears to measure a broad domain of psychological health. The scale appeared to lack ceiling and floor effects, and it discriminated between inpatients, outpatients, and nonpatients, suggesting the scale has excellent potential to be broadly responsive to a variety of treatment effects. In addition, the new scale proved to be sensitive to treatment changes in a sample of 20 psychiatric inpatients. Overall, the initial data suggest that we have developed a brief, sensitive outcome measure designed to have wide application across psychiatric and psychological treatments and populations.     

Development and initial validation of an indirect measure of transformational leadership integrity

An indirect measure of transformational leadership integrity was developed across three studies. In Study 1, the transformational leadership integrity implicit association test (TLI-IAT) was developed and tested with 65 leaders across heterogeneous organizational contexts. Study 2 involved 51 coaches from 18 sports. Results from Studies 1 and 2 supported the construct validity of the instrument, providing evidence of the instrument's convergent and discriminant validity. Study 3 involved 32 coaches and 133 players from six sports. Findings supported the criterion validity of the measure, providing evidence for the instrument's predictive validity. In sum, evidence is presented that supports the TLI-IATs construct and criterion validity. As such, the present research has made significant advancements to the transformational leadership integrity literature and provides researchers with an indirect measure of automatic transformational leadership integrity self-attitudes.     

The support appraisal for work stressors inventory: Construction and initial validation

In order to better understand the role of perceived available support in buffering the negative effects of workplace stressors, a new multidimensional measure of perceived available support, the SAWS, was developed. Initial item development and content validation were conducted, followed by scale evaluation and validation. Two samples of 190 and 170 nursing staff supported the hypothesized structure of the scale, and provided evidence for discriminant validity amongst the sub-constructs of source of support (e.g., support from supervisor) and supportive function (e.g., emotional support). Criterion-related validity of the SAWS constructs were supported by measures of network orientation and relationship closeness. Evidence for predictive validity was provided by examining the moderating effects of the SAWS constructs on the relationship between work-family conflict and adjustment outcomes. The final SAWS inventory assesses three sources of support, and within each source, assesses four distinct supportive functions.     

Development and initial validation of an implicit measure of humility relative to arrogance

Data from two studies describe the development of an implicit measure of humility and support the idea that dispositional humility is a positive quality with possible benefits. In Study 1, 135 college students completed Humility and Self-Esteem Implicit Association Tests (IATs) and several self-report measures of personality self-concept. Fifty-four participants also completed the Humility IAT again approximately 2 weeks later and their humility was rated by close acquaintances. The Humility IAT was found to be internally and temporally consistent. Implicit humility correlated with self-reported humility relative to arrogance, implicit self-esteem, and narcissism (inversely). Humility was not associated with self-reported low self-esteem, pessimism, or depression. In fact, self-reported humility relative to arrogance correlated positively with self-reported self-esteem, gratitude, forgiveness, spirituality, and general health. In addition, self-reported humility and acquaintance-rated humility correlated positively; however, implicit humility and acquaintance-rated humility were not strongly associated. In Study 2, to examine the idea that humility might be associated with increased academic performance, we examined actual course grades of 55 college students who completed Humility and Self-Esteem IATs. Implicit humility correlated positively with higher actual course grades when narcissism, conscientiousness, and implicit self-esteem were simultaneously controlled. Implications and future research directions are discussed.     

The relationship power inventory: Development and validation

Power is a central concept in relationships, yet existing self‐report measures of relationship power are not well validated and do not assess all aspects of power. To address this, we developed the Relationship Power Inventory (RPI), a self‐report measure of power for romantic partners. In Study 1, we identified the most important decision‐making domains in romantic relationships. In Study 2, we generated an item pool assessing relationship power, selected the best performing items for inclusion, and tested the convergent and divergent validity properties of the RPI. Study 3 revealed RPI scores predict observer ratings of power during decision‐making discussions and showed the RPI has good test–retest reliability. We discuss how the RPI can advance research on power in close relationships     

The work-related flow inventory: Construction and initial validation of the WOLF

The WOrk-reLated Flow inventory (WOLF) measures flow at work, defined as a short-term peak experience characterized by absorption, work enjoyment, and intrinsic work motivation. Results of Study 1 among 7 samples of employees (total N = 1346) from different occupational groups offer support for the factorial validity and reliability of the WOLF. Study 2 examined the validity of the WOLF in more detail among some of the samples. Positive correlations between a general flow index and the three flow dimensions confirm the convergent validity of the WOLF. In addition, the findings of Study 2 provide evidence for the construct and predictive validity of the WOLF using five job characteristics as predictors of flow, and other-ratings of performance as outcomes.     

Development and initial validation of the inventory of Microaggressions Against Black Individuals

The present article describes the development and initial validation of the Inventory of Microaggressions Against Black Individuals (IMABI) using a sample of 385 undergraduates who self-identified as Black or African American. The IMABI is a 14-item, unidimensional measure of racial microaggressions that captures both microinsults and microinvalidations. The present findings support the IMABI as a reliable and valid measure of microaggressions that was associated with general distress and perceived stress. Importantly, the association between the IMABI and psychological adjustment persisted even when social desirability and another measure of race-related stress were included in the analyses. Discussion focuses on the potential implications of the IMABI for understanding the daily experiences and psychological adjustment of Black individuals.     

Development and initial validation of the anti-racism behavioral inventory (ARBI)

This investigation reports on the development and initial validation of the anti-racism behavioral inventory, a measure designed to assess anti-racism awareness and behavior among students in counseling and counseling psychology programs within the United States (US). Data from 513 participants were collected over three related studies. Factor analyses suggested that the 21-item scale was best represented as a bifactor model with one general anti-racism behavior factor and three domain-specific factors, namely individual advocacy, awareness of racism, and institutional advocacy. Additional validity was supported through inverse associations with measures of symbolic racism and color-blind racial attitudes, as well as positive associations with scores on the Quick Discrimination Index. Potential utility of the measure and future directions for ongoing development is discussed.     

A multi-dimensional measure of worry: Development and preliminary validation of the anxious thoughts inventory

This paper reports the development of a dispositional self-report measure of multiple dimensions of generalised worry. Factor analyses demonstrated a replicable three factor structure indicating that this measure of worry comprises three basic dimensions: social worry, health worry, and meta-worry. The first two factors reflect different content dimensions whereas the meta-worry factor consists of both content and process dimensions of worry. Individual differences in subscale scores show moderate stability over time, and the subscales possess good psychometric properties. Significant correlations were found between worry subscales and personality dimensions of self-consciousness and EPI scores. The role of multi-dimensional measurement in the exploration of worry is discussed.     

Development and validation of a measure of display rule knowledge: the display rule assessment inventory

As one component of emotion regulation, display rules, which reflect the regulation of expressive behavior, have been the topic of many studies. Despite their theoretical and empirical importance, however, to date there is no measure of display rules that assesses a full range of behavioral responses that are theoretically possible when emotion is elicited. This article reports the development of a new measure of display rules that surveys 5 expressive modes: expression, deamplification, amplification, qualification, and masking. Two studies provide evidence for its internal and temporal reliability and for its content, convergent, discriminant, external, and concurrent predictive validity. Additionally, Study 1, involving American, Russian, and Japanese participants, demonstrated predictable cultural differences on each of the expressive modes.     

Development and validation of an inventory to measure satisfaction of users of family medicine clinics in Mexico.

The object of this study was to construct and validate an inventory to measure the satisfaction of users of Family Medicine Clinics. The satisfaction construct was theoretically developed, then the semantic network technique was applied to write 45 items with a dichotomized response. The scale was validated for 4,134 users. Cronbach coefficient alpha was .78. In a factor analysis, 8 factors were obtained, which explained 43.3% of the variance. The content of the first factor referred to the Family Physician dimension, Factors 3, 4, and 5 to the Family Medicine Clinic, and Factors 2, 6, 7, and 8 to Other Services of the Clinic. The questionnaire is being integrated to the Quality of Care Evaluation System to assess satisfaction of users. It may be useful in other venues to assess cultural and organizational aspects of satisfaction with health care.     

Development and initial validation of a measure of supportive and unsupportive managerial behaviors

Studies documenting the positive consequences of managerial support have continued unabated, despite considerable ambiguity surrounding the conceptualization of this construct and the adoption of measures that lack specificity. Moreover, research on the positive effects of managerial support has overshadowed our understanding of the ways in which managers contribute to job strain. In order to address these gaps, we took an inductive approach, documenting supportive, and unsupportive managerial behaviors reported by a sample of 25 employees working in a variety of occupations. We subsequently developed a new measure of supportive and unsupportive managerial behaviors and validated it with two separate samples (N = 100; N = 247). The measure demonstrated strong internal reliability and convergent validity. Factor analysis of the measure yielded a two-factor model of support and a one-factor structure of unsupportive behaviors. Theoretical and organizational implications of the findings are discussed.     

Development and initial validation of the obsessive beliefs questionnaire and the interpretation of intrusions inventory

In 1995 the Obsessive Compulsive Cognitions Working Group initiated a collective process to develop two measures of cognition relevant to current cognitive-behavioural models of OCD. An earlier report (Behav. Res. Therapy, 35 (1997) 667) describes the original process of defining relevant domains. This article describes the subsequent steps of the development and validation process: item generation, scale reduction, and initial examination of reliability and validity. Two scales were developed. The Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire consists of 87 items representing dysfunctional assumptions covering six domains: overestimation of threat, tolerance of uncertainty, importance of thoughts, control of thoughts, responsibility, and perfectionism. The Interpretation of Intrusions Inventory consists of 31 items that refer to interpretations of intrusions that have occurred recently. Three of the above domains are represented: importance of thoughts, control of thoughts, and responsibility. The item reduction and validation analyses were conducted on clinical and non-clinical samples from multiple sites. Initial examination of reliability and validity indicates excellent internal consistency and stability and encouraging evidence of validity. However, high correlations indicating overlap between some of the scales, particularly importance of thoughts, control of thoughts, and responsibility will need to be addressed in subsequent empirical and theoretical investigations.     

Development and validation of the solution-focused inventory

Solution-focused coaching and solution-focused therapy are strengths-based approaches which emphasize people's resources and resilience and how these can be used in the pursuit of purposeful, positive change. The Solution-focused Inventory (SFI) is a 12-item scale with three subscales: Problem Disengagement, Goal Orientation and Resource Activation. Three studies in this article provide support for the validity of the SFI as a measure of solution-focused thinking. The SFI negatively correlated with psychopathology and positively correlated with measures of well-being, resilience and perspective taking. Test–retest reliability over 16 weeks was 0.84. Cronbach's α for the 12-item scale was 0.84. It also demonstrates sensitivity to purposeful change in that participation in a leadership development coaching intervention was associated with significantly increased scores on the SFI, whilst scores for the control group did not change.     

Development and psychometric properties of the perceptions of parenting inventory

In the present article, the author discusses the development and validation of a new instrument, the Perceptions of Parenting Inventory (POPI), designed to measure the multidimensional construct of perceptions of parenting. The psychometric properties and construct validity of the POPI, a self-administered questionnaire, were examined with two samples: young childless university students (N = 282) and adults from the general community, the majority of whom were parents (N = 252). Within both samples, the POPI subscales evidenced sound factor structure and adequate internal reliabilities and construct validity as determined by its ability to distinguish between individuals with differing attitudes and intentions toward parenting. The POPI appears to be a reliable and valid tool for measuring the perceptions of parenting, regardless of whether these perceptions are based on expectations or experience.     

Development and preliminary validation of the mindfulness inventory for sport

ObjectivesDespite the increasing prevalence of mindfulness-based interventions in sport, no context-specific instrument currently exists to measure mindfulness in sport. The Mindfulness Inventory for Sport (MIS) was devised using a three-stage approach, to measure one's ability to: (1) be aware of disruptive stimuli and their associated internal reactions; (2) adopt a non-judgmental attitude towards these stimuli and reactions; and (3) quickly refocus attention on goal-related cues.MethodIn stage 1, a pool of items was developed and assessed by six experts in the areas of mindfulness and instrument validation. In stage 2, exploratory factor analyses with data collected from undergraduate student-athletes (N = 370) resulted in a three-factor, 19-item version of the instrument. In stage 3, confirmatory analyses using structural equation modelling were conducted with a sample of elite athletes (N = 343).Results and conclusionA final 15-item three-factor version displayed an acceptable model fit, with little evidence of invariance demonstrated across sport type and partial invariance across gender. In addition, the subscales of the MIS displayed significant correlations with conceptually-related variables such as flow, worry, concentration disruption, and perfectionism.     

The marital status inventory: Development of a measure of dissolution potential

Abstract

The development of a 14-item intensity scale measuring likelihood of marriage dissolution is described. The Marital Status Inventory (MSI) forms a Guttman-like scale. Preliminary discriminant validity data are presented for the self-report scale indicating that couples presenting with marital problems score significantly higher than couples seeking parent-child related therapy. The predictive validity of the scale remains to be demonstrated, but the MSI is reported for use by researchers and clinicians.