The Problem with Having Two Watches: Assessment of Fit When RMSEA and CFI Disagree

The root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) and the comparative fit index (CFI) are two widely applied indices to assess fit of structural equation models. Because these two indices are viewed positively by researchers, one might presume that their values would yield comparable qualitative assessments of model fit for any data set. When RMSEA and CFI offer different evaluations of model fit, we argue that researchers are likely to be confused and potentially make incorrect research conclusions. We derive the necessary as well as the sufficient conditions for inconsistent interpretations of these indices. We also study inconsistency in results for RMSEA and CFI at the sample level. Rather than indicating that the model is misspecified in a particular manner or that there are any flaws in the data, the two indices can disagree because (a) they evaluate, by design, the magnitude of the model's fit function value from different perspectives; (b) the cutoff values for these indices are arbitrary; and (c) the meaning of “good” fit and its relationship with fit indices are not well understood. In the context of inconsistent judgments of fit using RMSEA and CFI, we discuss the implications of using cutoff values to evaluate model fit in practice and to design SEM studies.     

Convergence between physiological,facial and verbal self‐report measures of affective empathy in children

The present study investigated the degree of convergence between three different measures of vicarious affective responsiveness (affective empathy)—verbal self‐report, facial expression and change in heart rate—in typically developing children (N=29, aged 8–10 years), when presented with an emotionally evocative film. Although convergence between physiological and verbal measures was only at chance levels, convergence between facial and physiological measures, and between facial and verbal measures was statistically significant, but low (κ=0.30 and 0.22, respectively, p<0.01). These findings have important implications for the assessment of empathy in children and indicate that generalization of results across methods should be undertaken with caution. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

大学生宽恕行为抑制机制的个体差异多因素系统模型的初步建构

为探讨神经质特质、大学生宽恕行为、焦虑型依恋及攻击型幽默风格之间的关系,选取550名大学生为被试,采用大五人格问卷、情景宽恕问卷、成人依恋问卷及幽默风格量表进行测试。结果表明：（1）神经质对大学生宽恕行为有显著的正向影响,并间接地通过焦虑型依恋对大学生宽恕行为产生作用;（2）攻击型幽默风格在神经质对大学生宽恕行为的影响中起显著的调节作用,具体而言,在高攻击型幽默风格水平下,神经质对大学生宽恕行为的预测更强。     

A microswitch‐based program for promoting initial ambulation responses: An evaluation with two girls with multiple disabilities

We assessed the use of a microswitch‐based program for promoting ambulation responses by two children with multiple disabilities. The goals of the study were to: (a) evaluate the importance of the contingency between the target behavior (forward step) and the programmed consequence (preferred stimuli), (b) measure effects of the intervention on indices of happiness, and (c) assess the social validation of the procedure using 20 physiotherapists as external raters. The intervention involved the automatic delivery of preferred stimuli contingent on forward steps. Results showed that both participants improved their performance (forward steps and indices of happiness) during contingent reinforcement phases compared to baseline and noncontingent reinforcement phases. Moreover, physiotherapists rated the intervention as socially valid.     

Pathways to trust and caution among South African university students

This study sought to characterise lifestyle factors of trust and caution among South African university students (n = 196; females = 78.06%; median age = 21 years). The students completed an online survey on trustworthiness in cultural context. The data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to construct pathways among the trust and caution with social cynicism, and tolerance for ambiguity. Results indicate social cynicism to predict generalised caution, but not generalised trust. Tolerance for ambiguity was not a significant predictor of generalised trust, nor of generalised caution.     

Ethnicity, education, and the temporal stability of personality traits in the East Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area study

We examined the influence of age, gender, Black vs. White ethnicity, and education on five indices of personality stability and change across an average interval of 8 years in the East Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. In the full sample (n = 505, aged 30–88), examination of structural, rank-order, ipsative, and mean level stability, as well as indices of reliable change suggested that NEO-PI-R personality traits showed moderate to high levels of stability over time. There were few age and gender effects on temporal stability but rank-order, ipsative, and mean level stability were lower among Blacks and individuals with lower education. Future research should explore additional demographic predictors of temporal plasticity in a diverse range of samples, and employ observer ratings to assess personality.     

小组治疗对2型糖尿病患者生活质量和临床指标的影响

观察小组治疗对2型糖尿病患者生活质量及糖代谢的影响。将67名2型糖尿病患者随机分为实验组和对照组。两组均给以降糖药物治疗,实验组并给予小组干预。每位患者均于治疗前、治疗后3个月末和5个月末检测糖代谢指标,治疗前和治疗后5个月末测查健康调查简表（SF-36）。结果为实验组临床指标改善优于对照组（P〈0．05）,实验组与对照组相比生活质量明显提高（P〈0．01）。结论认为小组治疗对改善糖尿病患者生活质量和糖代谢情况有着积极作用。     

Sense of Community in Hong Kong: Relations with Community-Level Characteristics and Residents’ Well-Being

Sense of community (SOC) has been one of the most studied topics in community psychology. However, no empirical study to date has investigated SOC in Hong Kong and its relations with community characteristics and residents’ psychological well-being. A representative sample of 941 Hong Kong Chinese based on a randomized household survey was conducted in all 18 districts in Hong Kong. Results of hierarchical linear modeling indicated that SOC was not associated with sociodemographic indicators on both the individual-level (i.e., gender, age, family income, education level, type of residence, and area-to-capita ratio of residence) and the community-level (i.e., proportion of individuals with tertiary education, median family income, ownership of residence, population density, and resident stability). SOC was negatively related to daily hassles and positively with social support and quality of life. Conceptualization of SOC in Hong Kong was discussed.     

Graphic comparisons of interobserver agreement indices

How changes in the interobserver agreement and disagreement cells in the reliability matrix are reflected differently in eight commonly used reliability indices is shown graphically. Indices which take into account expected chance difference are compared to those indices which do not. Differences between indices which do and do not treat the agreement and the disagreement cells equally are also illustrated.     

Slow and steady? Strategic adjustments in response caution are moderately reliable and correlate across tasks

Speed-accuracy trade-offs are often considered a confound in speeded choice tasks, but individual differences in strategy have been linked to personality and brain structure. We ask whether strategic adjustments in response caution are reliable, and whether they correlate across tasks and with impulsivity traits. In Study 1, participants performed Eriksen flanker and Stroop tasks in two sessions four weeks apart. We manipulated response caution by emphasising speed or accuracy. We fit the diffusion model for conflict tasks and correlated the change in boundary (accuracy – speed) across session and task. We observed moderate test-retest reliability, and medium to large correlations across tasks. We replicated this between-task correlation in Study 2 using flanker and perceptual decision tasks. We found no consistent correlations with impulsivity. Though moderate reliability poses a challenge for researchers interested in stable traits, consistent correlation between tasks indicates there are meaningful individual differences in the speed-accuracy trade-off.