Validating a brief pupil evaluation inventory

A shortened version of the Pupil Evaluation Inventory (PEI) was evaluated. The shortened version consists of nine items and was administered to 381 third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders in Chicago area Catholic schools. A factor analysis revealed the same factor structure as the original measure. Correlations with other sociometric ratings and the Achenbach Teacher Report Form were moderate to strong. A series of ANOVAs was used to compare the factors of the PEI to the five social status groups calculated from a peer nominations measure, and significant differences were found. Rejected children received higher scores on Aggression and Withdrawal than any other group, and popular children scored significantly higher on Likability.Special thanks to Loisa Bennetto for reading the many drafts of this paper and to Jay Johnson, who helped with some of the initial analyses. Thanks also to the generous financial suppport from the National Institute of Mental Health (grant 40851).     

A psychometric study of positive and negative nominations and the pupil evaluation inventory

Two peer evaluation measures, the Pupil Evaluation Inventory (PEI) and positive and negative nominations were compared in a sample of 260 children in grades 1 to 5. Stabilities of the measures were assessed over a 4-month period. In the total sample, PEI factors and negative nominations were more stable than positive nominations, and PEI Aggression and Withdrawal scores were more stable than negative nominations. PEI Aggression and Withdrawal scores were more stable in grades 3 and 5 than in grade 1, and the Likability factor was more stable in grades 2 to 5 than in grade 1. Negative nominations were most strongly correlated with the PEI Aggression factor, and positive nominations were more strongly correlated with Likability than with Aggression. Implications for the use of these nomination measures are discussed.During the writing of this report Charlotte Johnston was supported by a doctoral fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. The authors wish to express appreciation to Dr. Edward Vertuno and to all the staff, teachers, and children of the Developmental Research School, Florida State University, whose cooperation made this research possible.     

Development of a modified treatment evaluation inventory

Kazdin's (1980a) Treatment Evaluation Inventory (TEI) is the major instrument used to assess parents' acceptance of procedures for behavior problem children. The length of the TEI, however, as well as problems with its scaling and wording limits its value as a clinical research instrument. In the present study, three experiments were conducted to develop a modified TEI. In Experiment 1, 153 parents completed the TEI to evaluate a behavioral treatment for noncompliant and oppositional children. A factor analysis of the data was used to obtain a reliable factor structure for the TEI and to construct a 9-item TEI-Short Form (TEI-SF) with a 5-point scale, consistent anchors on the scale, and simplified text and instructions. Experiment 2 evaluated the psychometric characteristics of the TEI and the TEI-SF. These data indicated the TEI-SF is a sound alternative to the original TEI. Experiment 3 compared the readability and completion time of the two instruments.     

The risk-taking and self-harm inventory for adolescents: development and psychometric evaluation

In this study, we report on the development and psychometric evaluation of the Risk-Taking (RT) and Self-Harm (SH) Inventory for Adolescents (RTSHIA), a self-report measure designed to assess adolescent RT and SH in community and clinical settings. 651 young people from secondary schools in England ranging in age from 11.6 years to 18.7 years and 71 young people referred to mental health services for SH behavior in London between the ages of 11.9 years and 17.5 years completed the RTSHIA along with standardized measures of adolescent psychopathology. Two factors emerged from the principal axis factoring, and RT and SH were further validated by a confirmatory factor analysis as related, but different, constructs, rather than elements of a single continuum. Inter-item and test-retest reliabilities were high for both components (Cronbach's α = .85, ru = .90; Cronbach's α .93, ru = .87), and considerable evidence emerged in support of the measure's convergent, concurrent, and divergent validity. The findings are discussed with regard to potential usefulness of the RTSHIA for research and clinical purposes with adolescents.     

Psychometric evaluation of the depressive personality disorder inventory

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Depressive Personality Disorder Inventory (DPDI; Huprich, Margrett, Barthelemy, & Fine, 1996). The DPDI was found to have strong internal consistency in both an undergraduate and a veteran, psychiatric outpatient population. The DPDI had significant, positive correlations with other measures of depressive personality, supporting its convergent validity. These relationships remained even after controlling for state-like depression, suggesting that the DPDI has incremental validity. The DPDI also significantly predicted scores on measures of interpersonal loss, even after controlling for state-like depression, suggesting that the DPDI has good construct validity. In support of discriminant validity, the DPDI was more correlated with another measure of depressive personality than it was with measures of other personality disorders. Finally, the DPDI had strong diagnostic efficiency statistics: (a) Sensitivity = .82, (b) Specificity = .80, (c) Positive Predictive Power = .75, (d) Negative Predictive Power = .86, and (e) Overall Diagnostic Power = .81. It appears that the DPDI has good psychometric properties.     

The effects of sound on pupil size and the pupil light reflex

The effects of auditory stimulation on pupil size and the pupil light reflex were investigated in 33 male volunteers. A 95dB tone caused pupillary dilation and a reduction in the amplitude of the light reflex. Although the light reflex amplitude was positively correlated with pupil size in the resting state the effects of noise on the two measures were independent since the pupillary dilation response showed a marked habituation after two presentations of the tone whereas the effect on the light reflex remained the same. People showing high impulsivity scores on the EPQ tended to have smaller pupils (i.e. low arousal). There was also a relationship between impulsivity and light reflex amplitude, but this was probably a secondary consequence of the relationship between the latter measure and pupil size in the resting state.     

Friendship closeness inventory: development and psychometric evaluation

This study developed a psychometrically sound measure of closeness in Australian men's (n = 59) and women's (n = 77) same-sex friendships, the Friendship Closeness Inventory. Subscales were developed to measure both masculine and feminine styles of closeness in three domains of Emotional Closeness, Behavioural Closeness, and Cognitive Closeness. The inventory was subjected to reliability checks which supported the reliability of each scale, and factor analyses which supported the 3-factor design. Correlations among ratings on subscales suggested that the affective, behavioural, and cognitive dimensions are distinguishable but related components of friendship. Group comparisons indicated that women rated themselves closer to their same-sex friends on the affective dimension than men. Researchers have suggested that sex-role socialisation may partly account for sex differences in self-ratings of emotional expressiveness in friendships. There were no significant differences between men's and women's ratings on the behavioural and cognitive aspects of friendships. The cognitive element may need further exploration in further scale development as it measures only one aspect of cognitive closeness: the perceived influence of friends. Pending further validation, the inventory appears potentially useful for research exploring affective, behavioural, and cognitive elements of young men's and women's friendships.     

The career development inventory

The Career Development Inventory is an American instrument designed to measure the vocational maturity of adolescents. Its scales assess Planning Orientation, Resources for Exploration, and Information and Decision-Making. It can be used in evaluating guidance programmes, services and activities, though there are a number of obstacles to using the instrument effectively in evaluation studies, including the limited impact to be expected of a limited programme, and the relative insensitivity of instruments such as the CDI. The other main use of the instrument is diagnostic, either with groups or in individual counselling. It is now being adapted for use in a number of other countries.     

Psychometric properties of the social phobia inventory: further evaluation

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Social Phobia Inventory [SPIN; Connor, K. M., Davidson, J. R. T., Churchill, L. E., Sherwood, A., Foa, E., Wesler, R.H., 2000. Psychometric properties of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN). British Journal of Psychiatry, 176, 379-386], a measure of severity in social phobia (social anxiety disorder). Participants included 132 participants with social phobia, 57 participants with panic disorder and agoraphobia (PDA), and 62 participants with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Confirming findings from an initial validation study, the SPIN was found to have excellent internal consistency and good test-retest reliability. It also distinguished well between those with social phobia and those with either PDA or OCD. Good convergent and discriminant validity were established by examining correlations with other conceptually related and unrelated scales. Finally, the SPIN was sensitive to changes in social phobia severity following cognitive behavioral group treatment. In conclusion, the SPIN is both reliable and valid for the measurement of social phobia severity and outcome following psychological treatment.     

The perceived support network inventory

The development and psychometric investigation of the Perceived Support Network Inventory (PSNI), a measure of perceived social support, is described. A group of 146 introductory psychology students participated in a test-retest study design that collected reliability, internal consistency, and construct, convergent, and discriminant validity data on the scale. In addition, a contrast group of 28 Counseling Center clients was administered the PSNI. Test-retest reliability of the PSNI total score and subscale scores ranged from .72 to .88. Internal consistency for the PSNI was .77. Construct validity estimates ranged from .21 to .57. Convergent validity estimates varied from -.25 to .20. Discriminant validity estimates varied from -.11 to .19. Sample differences between introductory psychology student mean PSNI total and subscale scores and Counseling Center client mean PSNI total and subscale scores proved significant. Recommendations for subsequent research and future application are offered.     

The content of personality inventory items

Four aspects of the item content of personality inventories were studied: the area of psychological functioning addressed (cognitive, preferences, feelings, behavioral), degree of reference to situational factors, degree of reference to response frequency, and the nature of reference to time. Three judges rated items of the California Psychological Inventory, Eysenck Personality Inventory, Maudsley Personality Inventory, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Jackson Personality Research Form, and Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire. Behavioral acts were found infrequently addressed in inventory items, and the other areas of functioning were approximately equally represented. More than half of the items referred to situation characteristics, 39% included the notion of frequency of behavior or experience, and most referred to the present. Rating reliabilities were also presented, and results for individual inventories were compared. Implications for controversies in the field of personality were discussed.     

The Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation (PANSI) inventory: psychometric evaluation with adolescent psychiatric inpatient samples

In this study, we evaluated the factor structure of the Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation (PANSI) Inventory (Osman, Gutierrez, Kopper, Barrios, & Chiros, 1998) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The PANSI assesses the frequency of negative risk and protective factors that are related to suicidal behavior. Participants (n = 195) were adolescent psychiatric inpatients, ages 14 to 17 years, in the CFA. Results of the CFA supported the fit for the 2-factor oblique model as the best fitting model. The internal consistency reliability estimates of the 2 subscales, the PANSI-Negative (alpha = .96) and the PANSI-Positive (alpha = .89) were high. Scores on the PANSI scales differentiated between suicide attempters and controls and those at severe risk for suicide and controls. Correlational analyses provide strong support for the concurrent validity of the scales. The results of the logistic regression analyses provide support for the use of this new inventory as a risk measure of suicide-related behaviors: Scores on the PANSI scales (n = 54) also showed satisfactory evidence for test-retest reliability over a 2-week period.     

The Millon adolescent clinical inventory and psychopathy

We investigated the ability of the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI; Millon, 1993) to assess psychopathy as measured by the Psychopathy Checklist--Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 1991). Participants were 90 adolescents in an inpatient psychiatric unit. The MACI Substance Abuse Proneness (r = .47), Unruly (r = .43), and Submissive (r = -.42) scales correlated most strongly with the PCL-R. Using a discriminant function analysis, the Substance Abuse Proneness scale correctly distinguished between high- and low-psychopathy groups in 79% of cases. Using a rational approach, we developed a psychopathy content scale using 20 MACI items. This content scale correlated with the PCL-R (r = .60) and distinguished high- and low-psychopathy groups in 83% (kappa = .66) of cases (sensitivity = 85%, specificity = 81%).     

The influence of reward/punishment and personality pupil attainment

Hypotheses (inferred from Gray, 1970) were tested that under reward conditions, Extrovert (E)+ subjects will achieve better than E− subjects and Neurotic (N)+ subjects will achieve better than N− subjects, while under punishment conditions, E− subjects will achieve better than E+ subjects and N− subjects will achieve better than N+ subjects. Three secondary school classrooms were identified in which the teacher in mathematics was predominantly rewarding, offered a balance of reward and punishment or was predominantly punishing. The pupils in these classes were 82 boys in their 14th year. The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire: Junior Version was administered. Individual scores for E and N were ascertained. All boys were administered the Profile of Mathematical Skills: Level 2 (France, 1979). After 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 school days, parallel arithmetic tests were administered. Inspection of the resulting graphs of mathematics progress indicated that the hypotheses were not confirmed, which made further statistical analysis inappropriate. However, issues arose in conducting the research that suggested improvements over an earlier study (McCord & Wakefield, 1981). Difficulties encountered in the present research are described and suggestions are made for improvements to future research in this area.     

Psychometric evaluation of the eating disorder inventory (edi) in a clinical group

Abstract

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) with a clinical sample of 79 female clients seen at an outpatient eating disorder program. The means and standard deviations for the bulimia nervosa subgroup in this study (n = 48) compared favorably with the bulimia group in the EDI Manual Supplement (1986) on all eight subscales, except Drive for Thinness. The present non-student sample had significantly lower scores on this particular subscale than did the norm group (mostly students). Another difference was that the local bulimic subgroup had significantly higher present and minimum weights (as a percentage of the expected average weight according to height). The EDI subscales also displayed respectable internal consistency reliability with this sample. In contrast to previous research, however, only five factors were found in a factor analysis rather than eight corresponding to the original subscales for the EDI. Differences between bulimic and a not-otherwise-specified (NOS) diagnostic groups were also found on both the EDI Ineffectiveness and Bulimia subscales (NOS had lower scores). The results of this study are discussed in terms of the importance of undertaking local standardization of tests in clinical settings.     

Psychometric evaluation of the Dutch version of the posttraumatic cognitions inventory (PTCI)

Trauma-related cognitions play an increasingly prominent role in research on trauma and in clinical practice. The present study investigated the psychometric characteristics of the Dutch version of the posttraumatic cognitions inventory (PTCI) and evaluated its potential as an outcome measure. Data were collected from a treatment-seeking sample of trauma victims (n=158) and a college sample (n=178). The PTCI's three-factor structure was retained in both samples. The PTCI demonstrated high internal consistency and two-week test-retest reliability. Convergent validity was evidenced by a pattern of correlations with instruments for trauma-related cognitions, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depressive symptoms that largely met a priori expectations. Reductions in self-reported and clinician-assessed posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms were positively associated with decreased PTCI scores, indicating that the PTCI could assist treatment evaluation. It is concluded that the Dutch version of the PTCI exhibits good psychometric characteristics and has the potential to contribute to trauma-related research.     

The wide-angle reflection eye camera for visual choice and pupil size

A new equipment has been devised to photograph the reflection of the stimulus scene in the eye. The resulting motion pictures show the pupil encircling the area of the scene which was being fixated by the gaze; they also show the pupil size. Both measurements are simplified by providing a calibrated edge to the scene. No bite bar is required, and the equipment is quick and easy to use, being especially suitable for young children and also for monkeys.