Measuring Fear of Movement/(Re)injury in Chronic Low Back Pain Using Implicit Measures

Fear of movement/(re)injury is assumed to contribute to the development and maintenance of chronic low back pain (CLBP) in a subgroup of patients. Studying fear of movement/(re)injury with implicit attitude measures, without the awareness of the patient, might be a valuable addition to self‐report questionnaires. The aims of the current study were to investigate whether CLBP patients demonstrate more implicit fear of movement/(re)injury than healthy controls, and whether 2 implicit measures are related to each other, and to an explicit self‐report measure of fear of movement/(re)injury. A group of 66 CLBP patients and 30 healthy controls took part in this study. In addition to self‐report questionnaires, fear of movement/(re)injury was implicitly assessed by the Extrinsic Affective Simon Task (EAST) and the Go‐No‐Go‐Association Task (GNAT) that aimed to determine the association between back‐stressing movements and the evaluation “threatening”. On both implicit tasks it was found that neither CLBP patients nor healthy controls demonstrated implicit fear of movement/(re)injury, and that CLBP patients did not differ from healthy controls in their level of implicit fear of movement/(re)injury. In general, no associations were found between the EAST and the GNAT, or between implicitly measured and self‐reported fear of movement/(re)injury. One major caveat in drawing inferences from these findings is the poor reliability of these implicit measures. Research towards the psychometric properties of these measures should first be expanded before modifying, and applying, them to more complex domains such as fear of movement/(re)injury.     

Clinical effects of biofeedback treatment in migraine: The relation to achieved self-control and pretreatment predictors

Abstract

Factors contributing to the headache reduction six months after treatment of sixty-three migraine subjects were examined in three different studies. Subjects had originally been treated with either peripheral skin temperature biofeedback, biofeedback for blood-volume-pulse amplitude of the temporal artery, or applied relaxation. In Study 1 it was found that biofeedback subjects who had achieved self-control of the trained physiological parameter had significantly greater headache reductions than “nonlearners”. In Studies 2 and 3, potential predicting factors of clinical effects were studied. Age and whether subjects had achieved self-control emerged as (weak) predictors in different analyses using discriminant analysis. Using “PLS” (partial least squares projections to latent structures) a model emerged which gave a more complex picture, and which might indicate for example that there are different sets of factors which predict success and predict nonsuccess in treatment.     

Meta-analysis of CBT for Bulimia Nervosa: Investigating the Effects Using DSM-III-R and DSM-IV Criteria

This meta-analysis reports the effects of cognitive-behavioural treatment (CBT) on bulimia nervosa as defined by the DSM-III-R or DSM-IV criteria. In a previous meta-analysis, 26 studies were included using less strict diagnostic criteria for inclusion. The present meta-analysis only included randomized controlled studies fulfilling the DSM-III-R or DSM-IV criteria. Computer searches in MedLine, PsychLIT and references cited herein resulted in a large number articles, of which only seven fulfilled the criteria for inclusion. Effect sizes for binge eating and purging frequency were estimated using both between-group (treatment vs control) and within-group (pre- vs post-treatment) comparisons. The combined within-group effect size for binge eating was r = 0.55 ( d = 1.32) and for purging r = 0.61 ( d = 1.54). The corresponding combined effects for the between-group comparisons were r = 0.23 ( d = 0.47) and r = 0.28 ( d = 0.58), respectively. The combined probabilities for frequency of purging in between- and within-group comparisons were p = 0.00001 and p = 0.00000001, respectively. Although the number of studies included in the meta-analysis was limited, the obtained results are in line with the findings of the previous meta-analysis, and support the efficacy of CBT for the treatment of bulimia nervosa. This suggestion is also supported by the fact that in all the studies except one, comparison groups had received other active treatments.     

心理健康素质测评系统·中国成年人应对风格量表的编制

编制适用于我国成年人使用的应对风格量表。通过对应对风格研究的文献分析,将应对风格量表确定为注重问题的应对策略和注重情绪的应对策略两个维度,编写项目43个,通过对410和379人的大学生样本的两次预测分析,形成由33个项目的正式量表。通过对467人的成年人样本和来自大学生的三组样本的实测,考察量表的各项心理测量学指标。结果表明,应对风格量表具有较好的内部一致性信度和重测信度,也具有较好的结构效度、内容效度、聚合效度和效标效度。中国成年人应对风格量表具有可靠的心理测量学特征,可以被用于中国成年人应对风格的评估     

Assessment of a “Transgender Identity Stigma” scale among trans women in India: Findings from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses

Background: Sexual minority stigma has been shown to influence mental health and sexual risk, but limited research is available on measuring transgender-identity stigma among trans women in India. We adapted an Exposure to Transphobia scale to the Indian context and tested a 14-item Transgender Identity Stigma Questionnaire (TGISQ) among trans women in India. We aimed to assess and validate the factor structure of the TGISQ and to assess its reliability.

Methods: Data were from a cross-sectional survey among 300 trans women (including hijras/thirunangais) from six urban/semi-urban sites in India. The TGISQ consisted of self-reported ratings on 14 items. We initially conducted exploratory factor analysis, using principal axis factoring (PAF) and promax rotation, and assessed reliability (internal consistency) using Cronbach's alpha; we then conducted confirmatory factor analysis to assess construct validity (factorial validity). Construct validity of the final 13-item Transgender Identity Stigma Scale (TGISS) was also examined by computing Pearson's correlations between TGISS and relevant theoretical constructs (e.g., depression, social support).

Results: PAF identified two factors: enacted stigma (5 items) and felt normative stigma (8 items). The final 13-item TGISS had high reliability and acceptable construct validity.

Conclusions: The TGISS was found to have adequate psychometric properties, making it the first valid and reliable scale to measure stigma and discrimination faced by trans women in India. Future studies can further refine TGISS, which might help in comparing the differences in stigma experiences among diverse subgroups of trans women, and in monitoring and evaluating the success of stigma reduction programs.     

The test–retest reliability of the latent construct of executive function depends on whether tasks are represented as formative or reflective indicators

This study investigates the test–retest reliability of a battery of executive function (EF) tasks with a specific interest in testing whether the method that is used to create a battery-wide score would result in differences in the apparent test–retest reliability of children’s performance. A total of 188 4-year-olds completed a battery of computerized EF tasks twice across a period of approximately two weeks. Two different approaches were used to create a score that indexed children’s overall performance on the battery—i.e., (1) the mean score of all completed tasks and (2) a factor score estimate which used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Pearson and intra-class correlations were used to investigate the test–retest reliability of individual EF tasks, as well as an overall battery score. Consistent with previous studies, the test–retest reliability of individual tasks was modest (rs ≈ .60). The test–retest reliability of the overall battery scores differed depending on the scoring approach (r_mean = .72; r_{factor_score} = .99). It is concluded that the children’s performance on individual EF tasks exhibit modest levels of test–retest reliability. This underscores the importance of administering multiple tasks and aggregating performance across these tasks in order to improve precision of measurement. However, the specific strategy that is used has a large impact on the apparent test–retest reliability of the overall score. These results replicate our earlier findings and provide additional cautionary evidence against the routine use of factor analytic approaches for representing individual performance across a battery of EF tasks.     

情绪感染问卷的中国化修订与信效度检验

该研究旨在编制情绪感染问卷并探讨问卷的信度与效度,问卷以Doherty编制的《情绪感染问卷》(the emotional contagion scale)作为蓝本,删除了不适合东方文化的项目,增加了符合中国人的情绪情境和展现情绪方式的项目,经过预测修订后,最终问卷包含5个维度25个项目,正式施测共回收747份有效问卷,并对数据进行了信效度检验。结果表明,探索性因素分析KMO为0.802,总问卷的标准化的Cronbach’sα系数为0.852,项目分析表明项目的鉴别指数D值在0.340~0.479之间,验证性因素分析具有较好的模型拟合度,问卷的重测信度与效标关联效度均达到显著水平。情绪感染问卷的信效度均达到了测量学的要求。     

How to get really smart: Modeling retest and training effects in ability testing using computer-generated figural matrix items

The interpretation of retest scores is problematic because they are potentially affected by measurement and predictive bias, which impact construct validity, and because their size differs as a function of various factors. This paper investigates the construct stability of scores on a figural matrices test and models retest effects at the level of the individual test taker as a function of covariates (simple retest vs. training, use of identical vs. parallel retest forms, and general mental ability). A total of N = 189 subjects took two tests of matrix items that were automatically generated according to a strict construction rationale. Between test administrations, participants in the intervention groups received training, while controls did not. The Rasch model fit the data at both time points, but there was a lack of item difficulty parameter invariance across time. Training increased test performance beyond simple retesting, but there was no large difference between the identical and parallel retest forms at the individual level. Individuals varied greatly in how they profited from retest experience, training, and the use of identical vs. parallel retest forms. The results suggest that even with carefully designed tasks, it is problematic to directly compare scores from initial tests and retests. Test administrators should emphasize learning potential instead of state level assessment, and inter-individual differences with regard to test experience should be taken into account when interpreting test results.     

Measuring social alienation in adolescence: Translation and validation of the Jessor and Jessor Social Alienation Scale

Safipour, J., Tessma, M. K., Higginbottom, G. & Emami, A. (2010). Measuring social alienation in adolescence: Translation and validation of the Jessor and Jessor Social Alienation Scale. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 51, 517–524. The objective of the study is to translate and examine the reliability and validity of the Jessor and Jessor Social Alienation Scale for use in a Swedish context. The study involved four phases of testing: (1) Translation and back‐translation; (2) a pilot test to evaluate the translation; (3) reliability testing; and (4) a validity test. Main participants of this study were 446 students (Age = 15–19, SD = 1.01, Mean = 17). Results from the reliability test showed high internal consistency and stability. Face, content and construct validity were demonstrated using experts and confirmatory factor analysis. The results of testing the Swedish version of the alienation scale revealed an acceptable level of reliability and validity, and is appropriate for use in the Swedish context.     

差异分数的信度分析

本文提出差异分数的信度变化问题,并以模拟数据分析了差异分数的信度在不同情况下的变化规律。结果指出：1．当两次测试得分的信度系数相等或相近时,两次测试的标准差相差越大,差异分数的信度越高。2．当两次测试得分的信度系数不等时,只要两次施测中任何一次的信度和标准差同时大于另外一次,那么差异分数的信度也比较高。3．无论两次测试的信度关系如何。两次测试相关越低,差异分数的信度越高。