The Peer Interaction in Primary School Questionnaire: testing for measurement equivalence and latent mean differences in bullying between gender in Egypt,Saudi Arabia and the USA

The Peer Interaction in Primary School Questionnaire (PIPSQ) was developed to assess individuals’ levels of bullying and victimization. This study used the approach of latent means analysis (LMA) within the framework of structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the factor structure and gender differences associated with the PIPSQ in a sample of Egyptian (N = 361), Saudi Arabian (N = 350) and USA (270) children. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis are consistent with previous work and support the cross-cultural validity of the PIPSQ factor structure. The PIPSQ factor loadings were invariant across Egyptian and Saudi samples, whereas only partial invariance was met between Egyptian or Saudi samples and the USA sample. Full measurement invariance was met between gender within the three cultures, that is the PIPSQ was useful to compare bullying and victims between gender within the three cultures, but it is only valid to compare those two constructs between Egyptian and Saudi boys and girls. The results indicated that Egyptian and Saudi boys/girls had a higher level of bullying than American boys/girls, whereas no differences were displayed among the three cultures on the victimization subscale. Boys had a higher level of bullying than girls in the three cultures, and boys and girls had a similar level of victimization in three cultures.     

应激源感知的文化和性别差异:对留学中国的非洲学生和西方学生的跨文化研究

本研究对留学中国的非洲和西方留学生进行了留学应激的调查研究(study abroad stress survey,SASS),旨在确定应激源感知是否存在文化差异,同时为留学生的应激感知研究创建一个基础。结果表明,最常感知到的应激源来自学术和人际交往两个方面。文化差异和性别差异仅表现在部分具体的应激源感知上,总体上的应激源感知并未发现任何组间差异。男女留学生都曾经体验到日常压力所引起的较高的应激,面在对学业成绩不佳、课程不足等应激源的感知上性别差异较小。结果显示出对跨文化适应研究的必要性。     

The Factor Structure of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale in Veterans Experienced Chemical Weapon Exposure

This study aimed to determine the factor structure of the spiritual well-being among a sample of the Iranian veterans. In this methodological research, 211 male veterans of Iran–Iraq warfare completed the Paloutzian and Ellison spiritual well-being scale. Maximum likelihood (ML) with oblique rotation was used to assess domain structure of the spiritual well-being. The construct validity of the scale was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Reliability was evaluated with Cronbach’s alpha, Theta (θ), and McDonald Omega (Ω) coefficients, intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and construct reliability (CR). Results of ML and CFA suggested three factors which were labeled “relationship with God,” “belief in fate and destiny,” and “life optimism.” The ICC, coefficients of the internal consistency, and CR were >.7 for the factors of the scale. Convergent validity and discriminant validity did not fulfill the requirements. The Persian version of spiritual well-being scale demonstrated suitable validity and reliability among the veterans of Iran–Iraq warfare.     

Psychosocial profile of people with AIDS and their caregivers in Egypt

Caring for individuals with AIDS in developing countries represents a major crisis to families and natural caregivers. This study presents the psychosocial profiles of people with AIDS and their caregivers in Egypt to assess the effects of HIV/AIDS on patients, their caregivers, and the factors that influence caregiving and support. Various stressors and challenges for patients as well as hardships the caregiver faces were explored. The literature documents difficulties such as inadequate health care services, lack of resources, and stigma that patients experience in developing countries. Findings indicate an association between the psychosocial effects of AIDS on patients and their caregivers.     

Sex differences in symptoms of depression among American children and adolescents

The Arabic Children's Depression Inventory in its English version was administered to a sample of 535 U.S. school students (11 to 18 years old). By sex, differences on total score and on 19 of 27 items (70.4%) were not statistically significant. Nevertheless, differences were significant for 8 (29.6%) items on which girls had higher mean scores. Half of the items were positive indicators of depression (I am sad, I feel lonely, I feel miserable, and I hate myself), while the other half were negative (I feel happy, Life is rosy, A lot of people like me, and I am optimistic).     

An Empirically Keyed Scale for Measuring Managerial Attitudes Toward Women Executives

A scale (MATWES) is presented providing reliability and some validity measures regarding managerial attitudes toward women executives. Methodology used demonstrates an empirical approach to scale development through the employment of a projective test for item generation and the use of a panel of women executives who served as Q-sorters to select the items. The use of the Scale as a research instrument and its value in minimizing researcher bias in its construction are discussed.     

DYNAMICS OF CULTURAL IN-BETWEENITY: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY*

The Dialectical Theory of Cultural In-Betweenity proposes three main identification patterns among the black intelligentsia: Capitulation to the dominant culture, Revitalization of the indigenous culture, and Radicalization of both so as to arrive at a new and higher synthesis. Three scales corresponding to the identification patterns were constructed and a comparative study was conducted on two college samples. One group consisted of 45 Somali students being trained in the United States. The other group consisted of 57 Somali students being trained in Somalia. Specific hypotheses comparing the two groups were tested and mostly confirmed by means of various psychological instruments. Investigation into the component features of each identification pattern led to further refinement of the theory. Factor analytic explorations suggested the prevalence of distinct ethos, group reference, and self-image within each orientation. Capitalist ethos, elitism, and inferiority complex seem to be characteristic of Capitulation. Traditional ethos, race consciousness, and identity-rumination were delineated for Revitalization. Socialist ethos, class consciousness, and co-optation fears emerged as distinct components of Radicalization. The Dialectical Theory of Cultural In-Betweenity and the empirical findings are then discussed within the broad historical framework of colonialism and racism.     

The importance of children's illness beliefs: the Children's Illness Perception Questionnaire (CIPQ) as a reliable assessment tool for eczema and asthma

A lack of information about disease in children can lead to erroneous views such as children believing that hospital admittance or the presence of a disease is a punishment for a perceived wrong. There has thus far been no standard tool available to measure children's illness conceptualizations from a Leventhalian framework. Three groups of children with eczema, asthma and eczema and asthma between the ages of 7 and 12 years of age were recruited. Children were given the Children's Illness Perception Questionnaire (CIPQ), a 26-item instrument adapted from the Illness Perception Questionnaire for adults. A Kuder - Richardson 20 test of reliability for dichotomous data was performed allowing an estimate of the internal consistency of the measurement scales. It can be seen that, for all three illness groups, internal consistency is acceptable for the timeline and consequences scale. The cure/control scale, however, was not internally consistent for any illness group. As health professionals, we need to develop the means to further understand how paediatric illness beliefs relate to specific disease types, age and psychosocial factors and the utility of this instrument is discussed within this context.