Search

Sleep problems are the major reported consequence of working on shifts. The specificity of working on rotating shifts is not always captured by the instruments used in other samples. The Bergen Shift Work Seep Questionnaire (BSWSQ) is a self-report tool able to identify insomnia symptoms' presence and severity and distinguish differences by shift and rest days/vacations. The aim of the current study was to present preliminary psychometric properties of the European Portuguese version of the BSWSQ. Data from 569 shift workers in a Portuguese paper industry were collected and analysed. The results indicated good internal consistency and significant correlations among insomnia symptoms, depression, anxiety, and stress. The insomnia scores considering the various shifts were significant differents. Almost 63% of the shift workers were classified as having "shift-related insomnia". ROC analysis found optimal cut-offs for the presence of insomnia in each shift and rest days/vacations. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed excellent fit. The BSWSQ seems to be a measure with good psychometric properties, capable of evaluate the presence and severity of insomnia symptoms related to each shift. However, more studies are necessary, specifically with other shift-work samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to validate a data collection tool's psychometric properties to explore whether business management research's relevance is a high-order construct made up of its perceived interest and perceived relevance. The authors conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to validate a two-factor scale. The sample was composed of 148 MBA students from a Peruvian business school. Results showed the appropriate levels of validity and reliability and confirmed the usefulness of this data set for exploring the relationship between perceived interest and relevance. Businesses and schools can replicate the validated tool for reviewing their curricula and teaching practices, exploring the gap between business and management research results and advancing managers' research literacy and evidence-based practice in business education and training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the utilisation of Bayesian structural equation modelling (BSEM) in psychology, highlighting its advantages over frequentist methods for handling complex models and small sample sizes. Basic concepts and fundamental issues relevant to BSEM are introduced, such as prior setting, model convergence, and model fit evaluation and so on. The paper also provides illustrative examples of commonly employed BSEMs, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models, mediation models and multigroup CFA models, accompanied by empirical data and computer codes to facilitate implementation. Our goal is to provide researchers with novel ideas for empirical research and equip them to overcome challenges inherent to traditional methods. As BSEM continues to gain traction in various fields, we anticipate its development will feature improved methods, techniques and reporting standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) is an alternative to the well‐known method of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). ESEM is mainly used to assess the quality of measurement models of common factors but can be efficiently extended to test structural models. However, ESEM may not be the best option in some model specifications, especially when structural models are involved, because the full flexibility of ESEM could result in technical difficulties in model estimation. Thus, set‐ESEM was developed to accommodate the balance between full‐ESEM and CFA. In the present paper, we show examples where set‐ESEM should be used rather than full‐ESEM. Rather than relying on a simulation study, we provide two applied examples using real data that are included in the OSF repository. Additionally, we provide the code needed to run set‐ESEM in the free R package lavaan to make the paper practical. Set‐ESEM structural models outperform their CFA‐based counterparts in terms of goodness of fit and realistic factor correlation, and hence path coefficients in the two empirical examples. In several instances, effects that were non‐significant (i.e., attenuated) in the CFA‐based structural model become larger and significant in the set‐ESEM structural model, suggesting that set‐ESEM models may generate more accurate model parameters and, hence, lower Type II error rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sensory Gating Inventory (SGI) measures behavioral aspects of Sensory Gating (SG), which filters irrelevant sensory inputs into the higher cortex. It modifies sensitivity to sensory stimuli. Abnormal SG leads to overloading of information in the brain and its subsequent dysfunction. Electrophysiological techniques cannot assess the behavioral aspects of SG. We aimed to design the Persian version of SGI with high validity and reliability. Methods: After a forward and then backward translation of the original SGI, we assessed the content validity and construct validity of the Persian version. A total of 405 participants filled the Persian version of SGI. To assess test-retest reliability, 100 participants filled the inventory again 7-10 days later. The content validity ratio and index, as well as confirmatory factor analysis, were computed, too. Finally, the Cronbach's alpha, Cohen's kappa, and intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated. Results: The content validity ratios of all items of the inventory were more than 60%, which means that they were necessary according to the experts' opinions. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the fitness of the 4-factor structure of the original Inventory. The test- retest reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha coefficients were also high for the four subscales. The Cohen's kappa coefficients revealed moderate to substantial level of agreement between the first and second scores for all items. Conclusion: The Persian version of SGI has good and acceptable psychometric properties. It can be used as a valid and reliable tool for studying behavioral aspects of SG in Persian speaking population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Comprehensive assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (CompACT) is a 23-item questionnaire measuring psychological flexibility, a quality of life protective factor. An 18-item version was recently produced. We assessed validity and reliability of CompACT, and equivalence of paper and electronic (eCompACT) versions in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) in Italy, Germany and Spain. Methods: We used confirmatory factor analysis and assessed CompACT-23 and CompACT-18 measurement invariance between the three language versions. We assessed construct validity (Spearman's correlations) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha). Test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC) and equivalence of paper and eCompACT (ICC and linear regression model for repeated measures) were assessed in subsamples of PwMS. Results: A total of 725 PwMS completed the study. The three-factor structure of the CompACT-23 showed poor fit (RMSEA 0.07; CFI 0.82; SRMR 0.08), while the fit of the CompACT-18 was good (RMSEA 0.05; CFI 0.93; SRMR 0.05). Configural and partial metric invariance were confirmed, as well as partial scalar invariance (reached when five items were allowed to vary freely). The CompACT-18 showed good internal consistency (all alpha ≥ 0.78); and test–retest reliability (all ICCs ≥ 0.86). Equivalence between paper and eCompACT was excellent (all ICCs ≥ 0.86), with no mode, order, or interaction effects. Conclusion: Results support using the refined CompACT-18 as a three-factor measure of psychological flexibility in PwMS. Paper and eCompACT-18 versions are equivalent. CompACT-18 can be used cross-culturally, but sub-optimal scalar invariance suggests that direct comparison between the three language versions should be interpreted with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the process of developing an original framework for conceptualising and measuring language learner well-being within the context of heritage language (HL) learning. Drawing on a quantitative validation study with 545 young Chinese heritage language (CHL) learners, aged 7–18, in the UK, this paper presents an empirically validated model alongside a self-report instrument designed to measure learner well-being. A comprehensive development and validation process yielded a 24-item Language Learner Well-being Scale, exhibiting robust psychometric properties, including face, content, construct validity, and internal reliability. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses uncovered a four-factor model of language learner well-being – enjoyment, connectedness, meaning, and competence – which represent the key pillars of flourishing among CHL learners. This multi-dimensional model provides potential pathways through which flourishing can be actively promoted in HL learning, with implications that are applicable to wider second/foreign language learning contexts. By exploring what constitutes well-being and developing an effective measure, the study also sets the stage for meaningful interventions in the future to optimise students’ language learning experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the implications of quality for the survival and performance of business and non-business organizations, research on its operationalization and measurement especially as it relates to services have continued to increase over the years. There is, however, a glaring dearth of research on the measurement of service quality in the non-business context, especially in the religious setting though it is a thriving segment of the market for services. Building on the Push–Pull–Mooring framework and following a multistage procedure involving both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA), this paper described the procedure employed in developing and validating the P-P-Relqual scale for measuring the quality of services offered by Christian religious service providers in the Nigerian context. The final version of the validated scale is made up of 11 items, measured on a five-point Likert scale, which were categorized into four dimensions (Conflict, Appeal of pastor, Appeal of Church, and Opportunity for Development). Based on the result obtained, the paper concluded that adherents will perceive the religious service they receive as being of a high quality, if their providers can strategize to effectively minimize intra-church “conflict” while enhancing “Appeal of pastor,” “Appeal of Church,” and “Opportunity for Development.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The concept of social invisibility describes the devaluation of the perceived social and personal worth of an individual. This paper presents the theoretical foundation for this construct, and the development and validation of the “Invisibility Scale” capturing experiences of and needs for social (in)visibility within (i) intimate, (ii) legal, and (iii) communal relations. We developed and validated the Invisibility Scale in two studies. In Study I (n = 944), we formulated 80 items and tested their underlying factor structure using Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA). In Study II (n = 846), we aimed to replicate the factor structure identified in Study I on a novel sample using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and establish criterion‐related validity and construct validity using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Our results supported the development of two separate scales for measuring experiences of social invisibility (“Invisibility ScaleEXP”) and needs for social visibility (“Invisibility ScaleNEED”) Each scale consisted of 12 items (four items for each subfactor of intimate, legal, and communal relations). Evidence for construct validity between the Invisibility Scales and relevant constructs like Moral Disengagement, Sense of Coherence, and Violent Extremist Attitudes was mixed. Based on our findings, we present the two Invisibility Scales as preliminary validated measures of social invisibility. We encourage future research to replicate our findings, as well as looking more into other potentially mediating and moderating factors between social invisibility and its emotional, cognitive, and behavioral correlates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars have noted the importance of studying avoidance of partisan media. However, most partisan media studies have only included measures of seeking out these sources of information and assume that avoidance is operationally measured as a lack of use of partisan media. Some scholars have argued that avoidance is conceptually distinct, so assessing avoidance as a lack of use may not be the best approach to measuring avoidance. In this paper, we extend this line of research by demonstrating that our measures of active partisan avoidance are separate concepts from use of these same outlets. Using two data sets and confirmatory factor analysis, our results reveal that models where use and avoidance are treated as separate concepts fit the data better than when these concepts are treated as one factor. We also evaluate the validity of these measures. In general, this study suggests that scholars may want to consider assessing avoidance when studying this concept rather than just assessing use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toward delivering appropriately safe, high quality and effective health care, healthcare organization should be health literate. This paper presents the development and psychometrics of an instrument for assessing the attributes of a health literate hospital which is called MAHLO-76 (Measure to Assess Health Literate Organization) here by authors. Methods: The current study is methodological research which is involved two phases of tool development and psychometric evaluation. MAHLO primary item pool was prepared using the data extracted from the semi-structured, in-depth interviews and literature review. The face and content validity were evaluated applying qualitative and quantitative approaches. Exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation after Bartlett sphericity and KMO tests was used to evaluate the construct validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to evaluate the structural factors, applying the most common goodness-of-fit indices. In order to determine internal consistency and test–retest stability, Cronbach's alpha and intra-class correlation coefficient were calculated respectively. Results: The initial tool after checking for duplicates and excluding was contained 79 items. In terms of face validity, 3 items were modified using qualitative method and none of the items had an impact score of less than 1.5. In the qualitative content validity assessment, 16 items were revised and none of the items had CVR score less than 0.59 and CVI score less than 0.79. The results of the EFA obtained from the KMO showed the adequacy of the sample size (KMO value = 0.884) and the Bartlett's sphericity test showed a significant correlation between the items (χ2 = 38124.040, df = 3081, P < 0.0001). The exploratory factor analysis indicated that 14 initially extracted factors explained 63.716% of the total variance. In Confirmatory factor analysis, the chi-square was 205.016 and other model fit indices including NFI:0.812, NNFI:0.875, CFI:0.919, IFI:0.921, MFI:0.857, GFI:0.930, AGFI:0.918, RMR:0.051, RMSEA:0.06 were calculated. In reliability assessment, Cronbach's alpha was 0.94 and the value of ICC was 0.98. Conclusion: Measure to Assess Health Literate Organization (MAHLO-76) is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used as assessment as well as self-assessment tool in hospital settings. Its application could disclosure those organizational health literacy aspects in clinical environments that need necessary interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Biphasic sleep, characterized by nighttime sleep plus daytime napping, has demonstrated some cognitive, health and performance impacts when compared with consolidated monophasic sleep. This motivated the development and validation of the Biphasic Sleep Scale, reported in this paper. Scale development involved a literature review, expert input and individual interviews. The 16‐item Biphasic Sleep Scale was then administered to an international online sample (n = 6965) alongside well‐established validated sleep scales. To ensure a robust evaluation of the Biphasic Sleep Scale, the sample was divided into two parts: with 15% (n = 1000) of the participants allocated to the exploratory analytic phase; and the remaining 85% (n = 5965) reserved for confirmatory analyses. Psychometric evaluation included both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlations, network analysis, and item response theory. Exploratory factor analysis indicated a three‐factor structure assessing daytime napping as to likelihood, consequences and effect on nighttime sleep. Confirmatory factor analysis largely confirmed this model with no sex invariance. The three‐factor structure showed adequate fit. The Biphasic Sleep Scale demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.88, Ω = 0.89). Network analysis revealed varying centrality and connectivity of items. Item response theory found items covering a range of biphasic sleep levels. Significant positive correlations with sleep criteria provided evidence for convergent validity. Further testing is warranted to confirm the factor structure, refine model parsimony, and establish clinical utility. With additional validation, it is hoped that the Biphasic Sleep Scale will become a widely utilized tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stigma is a strong negative perception of other person or other group, about their physical as well as social characteristics. The stigmatized groups are discriminated against, oppressed, and treated inhumanly for their condition. Although such groups exist in most societies, stigmatization differs across cultures. The paper conceptualizes stigma, identifies its various dimensions, and describes the development of the social stigma scale to measure experiences and perception of stigmatized persons. Unstructured interviews with ten people were conducted, at least one from the six stigmatized groups: eunuchs, beggars, disabled, widows, poor, and leprosy patients to identify salient features of stigma. Content analysis of the unstructured interviews led to identify stigma's dimensions: marginalization, exclusion, ritualistic inclusion, dehumanization, (i.e. humiliation, atrocity, and exploitation), and identity. Each dimension was operationalized facilitating items (statements) writing and final selection of 30-items for the social stigma scale (SSS). The social stigma scale was administered to 328 participants in the six stigmatized groups to standardize the scale and determine reliability and validity. The internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) of each dimension was computed. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was determined to establish the scale's construct validity. The Cronbach alpha (α) values, CFA, and intercorrelations suggest conceptual convergence of stigma dimensions and confirmation of essential criteria of the social stigma scale in the Indian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal-assisted interventions, such as the use of service dogs, represent an increasingly popular therapeutic avenue for youths with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Before engaging anyone in this type of intervention, it could be justified to assess their level of attraction to animals. However, this aspect is rarely documented, and no existing instrument suits the specific challenges of ASD clients and the reality of the clinical setting. This paper describes the use and preliminary validation of an observation-based assessment tool developed by the Mira Foundation to evaluate the level of attraction toward dogs. The 9-item scale has been used by the team throughout the evaluation process of 1,010 potential candidates for a service dog. It is designed to describe and quantify observed behaviors during a standardized encounter with a non-familiar dog. The participants were aged between 2 and 26 years old (mean age = 8.13, SD = 4.3 years) and 87% had an ASD diagnosis. A total of 323 participants were assessed by a second rater, which allowed for interrater reliability analyses on each item of the scale. The factorial structure of the scale was determined by applying an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on one-half of the sample, followed by a cross-validation study consisting of a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the other half. Cronbach's alpha was used to assess internal consistency. Based on weighted kappa statistics, interrater reliability showed strong agreement for individual items (Kw between 0.66 and 0.85). A two-factor solution was produced with EFA and confirmed through CFA. A Cronbach's alpha of 0.89 when items from the first factor (attitude) were combined and 0.92 for the second factor (interaction) indicated good internal consistency for the identified subscales. These findings support the reliability of this assessment tool and its potential use in clinical and research domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aim Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implication WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on this subject What this study adds to the existing knowledge What are the practical and clinical implications of this work? Secondary behaviours, which encompass reactions developed due to an individual's fear and stress about stuttering, have the potential to exacerbate the condition. Therefore, self‐evaluation of secondary behaviours is significant in the multidimensional approach for people who stutter (PWS).To determine the validity and reliability of the Revised Scale of Avoidance and Struggle Behaviours in Stuttering (r‐SASBS).The results of the item analysis and content validity of the Scale of Avoidance and Struggle Behaviours in Stuttering (SASBS), whose pilot study was completed, were reviewed and the number of items was reduced from 30 to 16. The r‐SASBS was administered to 440 participants (PWS = 365; people who did not stutter = 75). The content, construct, discriminant validity, internal consistency and test–retest reliability of the r‐SASBS were analysed.Content validity was analysed quantitatively based on expert opinions and was found to be high. The r‐SASBS had two factors based on exploratory factor analysis. The number of items was reduced to 14 using confirmatory factor analysis. With discriminant validity, it was found that the r‐SASBS could distinguish between the groups. The internal consistency and reliability of the test–retest scores were found to be high.These findings indicated that the r‐SASBS is a reliable and valid scale for the self‐evaluation of secondary behaviours in PWS. Thus, it can be used by speech–language pathologists for the multidimensional assessment of stuttering. The validity and reliability of the r‐SASBS should be investigated in school‐aged children who stutter. Assessment of secondary behaviours in stuttering can be performed using objective and subjective tools. In this regard, a preliminary study was conducted to evaluate these behaviours, using the SASBS, which was developed based on interviews with PWS and a literature review. This study established the content and structural validity of the assessment and found it to have high internal consistency. Although secondary behaviour assessments need to be comprehensive, it can be time‐consuming in busy clinical settings. Owing to the importance of self‐reported secondary behaviours in the assessment of stuttering and the reliability of information obtained from the client, there is a need for scales that can be administered quickly to assess the impact of secondary behaviours in PWS. This study examines the validity and reliability of the r‐SASBS. The SASBS was reviewed in this study and the number of items was reduced. The r‐SASBS was administered to 440 participants. The validity of the r‐SASBS was determined based on its content, discriminant, and construct validity. The reliability of the r‐SASBS was determined using internal consistency and test–retest reliability. The results indicate that the r‐SASBS is a reliable and valid tool for self‐evaluating secondary behaviours in PWS. This could be a valuable measure of secondary behaviours in stuttering, which could improve treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research indicates that paranormal belief, in the absence of allied cognitive-perceptual and psychopathology-related factors, is not associated with negative wellbeing outcomes. However, investigators have historically reported relationships between specific facets of belief (e.g., superstition) and stress vulnerability. These typically derive from the Revised Paranormal Belief Scale (RPBS), which has questionable psychometric integrity. The main issue being that several RPBS items perform poorly. Noting this, the present paper re-examined the relationship between paranormal belief and stress using the Rasch purified version of the RPBS. This comprises two dimensions, called Traditional Paranormal Belief (TPB) and New Age Philosophy (NAP). These are operationalised in terms of function. Specifically, whether belief provides a sense of control at the social (TPB) or individual level (NAP). Accordingly, this study examined whether TPB and NAP were differentially predictive of levels of perceived stress. In this context, stress served as an indicator of well-being. A sample of 3084 participants (Mage = 50.31, SD = 15.20, range 18–91) completed the RPBS alongside the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling revealed that TPB was significantly predictive of higher Distress, and lower Coping. NAP was neither predictive of Distress nor Coping. These findings support the notion that TPB is attendant with external control, particularly the notion that unknown supernatural forces/powers influence existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular research frequently involves comparing patient-reported outcomes across groups. These groups can include individuals from different countries or those have different cardiovascular conditions, and it is frequently assumed that their understanding of the assessed outcome is similar. However, to ascertain that this is indeed the case, measurement invariance needs to be evaluated. This psychometric property helps us understand whether a test measures the same underlying construct in the same way across different groups. In the absence of measurement invariance, conclusions regarding group comparisons of the construct at hand may be inappropriate. This Methods Corner paper provides an overview of measurement invariance and an example of how it can be evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) need refined social science to be widely accepted. • The current paper proposes simplification in measurement of SAV acceptance. • A single acceptance factor is suggested, and ramifications of it is discussed. • Social aspects of SAV acceptance are investigated. The primary aim of this study was to develop an accurate measure of acceptance for shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) and to assess whether this measure can predict intentions to use SAVs. One leading model for explaining technology uptake is the UTAUT (Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology). This model is extensive and has received numerous suggested extensions and revisions, even being developed into a Multi-Level Model of Autonomous Vehicle Acceptance (MAVA). The challenge is to consolidate a model that effectively measures SAV acceptance and to determine which extensions capture the unique social situation within SAVs. The current study used survey data from 1902 respondents. The sample was split into two: one half underwent a principal component analysis (PCA) and the other half a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). We found that the 24 items we included were reducible to a single general acceptance factor (GAF), with three additional factors measuring interpersonal security, sociability, and attractivity. The GAF was, by a large margin, the most efficacious predictor of intention to use SAVs. The GAF could be further reduced to as little as two predictors, trust and usefulness, accounting for over 70 % of the variance in intention to use. However, there is also an argument to be made that the other components of SAV acceptance may capture different nuances of the service, particularly relating to the social situation. Interaction terms show differences between genders in their rating of sociability and how this impacts intentions to use SAVs. Our findings carry significant implications for future research in this field. They underscore the pivotal roles of trust and usefulness while corroborating the notion that SAV acceptance is best represented by a single latent component. However, further investigation is warranted to explore individual-level moderating effects on the other components, potentially offering novel insights for the design of future SAV services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current paper aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Icelandic translation of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, for both parent and teacher reports. SDQ is a widely used questionnaire for screening mental problems among youth. However, only a few studies have conducted a factor analysis on the youngest and oldest cohorts using an adequate sample size. This study aims not only to examine the traditional 5-factor model and alternative models suggested in prior research but also to establish norm data for the Icelandic population. Materials and methods: The total sample consists of 1653 youth aged 5–16 years, thereof 316 parent reports and 271 teacher reports for the 5-year-old sample. We used confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the factor structure. Special attention was given to the models' performance across different age groups and between genders. This cross-demographic evaluation is vital to ensure that the SDQ's utility is not limited by developmental or gender-specific variations in symptom expression or reporting. Results: We found an acceptable fit for both the original five-factor model and the more recent three-factor model with higher-order internalizing and externalizing factors. The fit for the factor structures seemed to be quite similar across ages. However, we observed goodness-of-fit below the acceptable range for girls on the parent ratings. We also found evidence for the convergent and divergent validity of both models. Conclusions: The current study provides further evidence of the utility of the SDQ as a screening instrument, with an acceptable factor structure across ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational podcasts have become an increasingly prevalent media used to disseminate profession‐specific information through easily accessible means. Despite the potential of educational podcasts as convenient and effective medium, there is a dearth of literature dedicated to the topic. Thus, using the Uses and Gratification framework, the psychometric properties of the Educational Podcasts Motivation Scale were examined, as well as the motivational factors that influence intention to listen to educational podcasts and recommend podcasts to others were explored. A sample of individuals in the field of education (n = 606), such as in‐service K‐12 teachers and higher education professors, were recruited for this study. This sample were randomly divided, and an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with the first set (n = 312) to identify underlying constructs, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were employed with the second set (n = 294). The scale demonstrated strong psychometric properties and five distinct motivational factors were identified: Information Gathering, Flexibility in Use, Social Interaction, Entertainment, and Professional Encouragement. Several motivational factors had significant associations with the constructs of "intention" and "word‐of‐mouth". This paper demonstrates both the unique motivational factors related to listening to educational podcasts and the motivational factors that overlap with other forms of media. Further examination of the underlying motivations to listen to educational podcasts is warranted. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Educational podcasts have become an increasingly prevalent media used to disseminate information to specific professions and fields that provide current practices and research information through easily accessible means.Educational podcasts have been found to be an effective tool to improve self‐efficacy and knowledge around topics with educators and college students, as well as a means to develop communities of practice where educators share knowledge and experiences.Results of studies using the uses and gratifications framework to examine the gratifications for listening to podcasts have found an array of overlapping, and sometimes conflicting, gratifications from the use of podcasts. Those most often identified include entertainment, multitasking and convenience, social interaction, escapism and educational purposes.What this paper adds This paper outlined the development of the Educational Podcasts Motivation Scale and used an exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling to demonstrate its strong psychometric properties.Five distinct motivational factors for why educators engage with educational podcasts were identified: (a) Information Gathering, (b) Flexibility in Use, (c) Social Interaction, (d) Entertainment and (e) Professional Encouragement.This paper identifies that educators are often most motivated to listen to educational podcasts due to constructs such as social interaction, flexibility in use and information gathering.Implications for practice and/or policy The findings in this paper demonstrate the perceived benefits and uses of educational podcasts as a learning tool, further establishing educational podcasts as a useful tool that should be incorporated into learning environments.The findings in this paper indicate that those embedding educational podcasts within learning activities and professional development should consider how to emphasise the flexibility, social interactions and learning aspects of these tools to promote the attractive features of this tool.Although this study sheds light on the reasons those in the field of education use this medium, additional research is needed to explore how and why these individuals engage with educational podcasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hotel booking websites to collect information about hospitality products/services are becoming more popular in the hotel industry. As a result, the importance of these websites for tourism firms marketing their services and products through electronic word of mouth (eWOM) on these hotel booking websites continues to grow. Despite its importance, there has been little research on how guests interact with information to increase eWOM. This paper creates a new scale for assessing guest interaction with Meituan.com information to fill this void. To this end, a three-step mixed-methods approach using open-ended surveys and published relevant research is used. Data were gathered from 440 hotel guests in Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong. Using SmartPLS 4, confirmatory factor analysis revealed 33 final items for the new scale. This paper significantly contributes to potential guest behavior by creating and confirming this new scale in the hospitality context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a need for valid and reliable measures of determinants of sustainability of public health interventions in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the psychometric and pragmatic properties of such a measure – the Integrated Measure of PRogram Element SuStainability in Childcare Settings (IMPRESS-C). Methods: We undertook a two-phase process guided by the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments checklist (COSMIN) and Psychometric and Pragmatic Evidence Rating Scale (PAPERS). Phase 1 involved measure development; i.e., determining items and scales through an iterative process and assessment of face and content validity. Phase 2 involved the evaluation of psychometric and pragmatic properties. The 29-item measure completed by service executives (directors and nominated supervisors) was embedded in a larger survey from a national sample of Australian ECEC services assessing their implementation of nutrition and physical activity programs. Structural validity, concurrent validity, known groups validity, internal consistency, floor and ceiling effects, norms, and pragmatic qualities of the measure were assessed according to the PAPERS criteria. Results: The final measure contained 26 items, with respondents reporting how strongly they agreed or disagreed on a five-point Likert scale. Phase 1 assessments confirmed the relevance, and face and content validity of the scale. In Phase 2, we obtained 482 completed surveys, of which 84% (n = 405) completed the entire measure across 405 ECEC settings (one executive per service). Three of the four fit indices for the confirmatory factor analysis met the pre-specified criteria (SRMR = 0.056, CFI = 0.993, RMSEA = 0.067) indicating 'good' structural validity. The IMPRESS-C illustrated: 'good' internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha values from 0.53 to 0.92; 'emerging' concurrent validity; 'poor' known groups validity; 'good' norms; and 'good' overall pragmatic qualities (cost, readability, length, and assessor burden). Conclusions: The IMPRESS-C possesses strong psychometric and pragmatic qualities for assessing service executive-level perceptions of determinants influencing sustainment of public health interventions within ECEC settings. To achieve a full range of perspectives in this setting, future work should be directed to also develop and test measures of sustainability determinants at the implementer level (e.g., among individual educators and staff). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire for Adults (RBQ-2A) measures two factors of restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRBs) associated with autism. However, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) provides four criteria for RRBs: repetitive motor behaviours, insistence on sameness, restricted interests, and interest in sensory aspects of the environment (or atypical sensitivity). The current paper aimed to examine whether the RBQ-2A is a psychometrically sound measure of these four factors. Study 1 had university students (N = 368) complete the RBQ-2A and other related measures online and revealed that the RBQ-2A can assess the factors highlighted in the DSM-5 and that these four factors comprise a general RRB construct. Study 2 had individuals disclosing a diagnosis of autism (N = 283) complete the RBQ-2A and other related measures online and supported that this four-factor structure provided good psychometric properties. While the current paper provides findings for an online autistic population, further research is needed to generalize these findings to autistic individuals less likely to partake in online studies (e.g., those with intellectual or language disabilities). Overall, the results suggest that the RBQ-2A reliably and validly assesses RRBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multimedia version of Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale 2 (Piers-Harris 2) was created with audio and cartoon animation to facilitate the measurement of self-concept among younger children. This study aimed to assess the psychometric qualities of the computer version of Piers-Harris 2 scores, examine its score equivalence with the paper-and-pencil version, and survey the respondent preference of the two versions. Two hundred and forty eight Taiwanese students from the first to fourth grade were recruited. In regard to the psychometric properties, high internal consistency (α = .91) was found for the total score of multimedia Piers-Harris 2. High interscale correlations (.77 to .83) of the multimedia Piers-Harris 2 scores and the results of confirmatory factor analysis suggested the multimedia Piers-Harris 2 contained good structural characteristics. The scores of the multimedia Piers-Harris 2 also had significant correlations with the scores of the Elementary School Children’s Self Concept Scale. The equality of convergence and criterion-related validities of Piers-Harris 2 scores for the multimedia and paper-and-pencil versions and the results of ICCs between the scores of the multimedia and paper-and-pencil Piers-Harris 2 suggested their high level of equivalence. Participants showed more positive attitudes towards the multimedia version. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypersexuality is a problematic behavior characterized by the combination of an excessive sexual desire and the pathological inability to control it. This study presents the psychometric properties of the Spanish paper-and-pencil and online versions of the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI), one of the most popular scales to assess this issue. A total of 2,250 participants (1,070 men) completed a translated version of the HBI (1,450 in paper-and-pencil; 800 online). The exploratory factor analysis yielded three factors that explained 67.53% of total variance for the HBI paper-and-pencil version. This factor structure was confirmed in the HBI online version through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Factorial, structural, scalar and error variance-invariance according to gender was also confirmed through multigroup CFA. Reliability of the total score and subscales ranged between .89 and .96. Likewise, correlations with other related scales were positive and significant (r between .511 and .743). Temporal stability one year after the first application was .77 (paper-and-pencil format) and .68 (online version). These results support the reliability and validity of the HBI and justify its use in the assessment of hypersexuality in Spanish-speaking countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Political scientists often need to evaluate whether samples are comparable, for example, when analysing different countries or time points or when comparing data collected using different methods. A necessary condition for conducting such meaningful cross-group comparisons is the establishment of measurement invariance. One of the most frequently used procedures for establishing measurement invariance is the multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. This method was criticised in the literature because it may suggest that a model fits the data although it may contain serious misspecifications. We present an alternative method to test for measurement invariance using detection of local misspecifications and illustrate its use on two data sets assessing value priorities that are often analysed in political science and collected using paper-and-pencil and web modes of data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) are disproportionately burdened by pregnancy-related deaths in the United States and have the lowest engagement in prenatal care compared to all other US racial groups. Aside from access barriers, studies suggest that NHPI face challenges with patient-clinician communication, perceived discrimination, and cultural conflicts within healthcare settings. This paper describes the cultural adaptation of the 14-item Mothers On Respect index for NHPI, originally developed by Vedam et al. (2017) for diverse communities in British Columbia, Canada, and reports the findings of the preliminary psychometric assessment of the adapted measure. Methods: Data from 26 interviews with NHPI women, expert, and cognitive interviews were conducted to inform the adaptation. An online survey was administered to a sample of 90 NHPI women to assess construct validity, convergent validity, and internal reliability of the adapted measure using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Results: The adaptation resulted in substantial changes to the original measure, mainly by the addition of items related to 'feeling cared for by and connected to the provider' and 'perceived threats hindering communication.' The psychometric analyses identified a three-factor structure for the culturally adapted index and confirmatory factor analyses were employed to refine the measure. The result was a 25-item index with acceptable goodness of fit indices, high internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha of 0.96, 95% CI =.94-.97) and convergent validity with a related scale. Overall, participants in this sample indicated high levels of respectful care; however, people who received < 8 prenatal care visits had significantly lower ratings on average. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the elements valued by NHPI are not fully captured in existing measures of respectful maternity care. Efforts to assess more discrete aspects of the patient-provider relationship for culturally distinct and racialized groups could help improve the quality of care and advance equity in maternal and perinatal health marginalized communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Design/Method Results Conclusions The objective of this paper was to examine the predictors of breastfeeding exclusivity at two time‐points (6 and 26 weeks postpartum) using a dyadic mother–father extended model of the theory of planned behaviour.A sample of 1139 first‐time Australian mother–father dyads completed measures of each of the Theory of Planned Behaviour variables (intention, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control) and additional psychosocial and behavioural predictors of breastfeeding, including problems with breastfeeding, psychological distress, childcare stress, partner support, and the frequency and time of first public breastfeed. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to determine the factor structures of the latent constructs to be included in the structural model. Structural equation modelling was used to model pathways between variables.Breastfeeding exclusivity at 6 weeks was significantly predicted by breastfeeding self‐efficacy at 6 weeks, intention to exclusively breastfeed, and frequency of public breastfeeding over the month prior, whereas childcare stress, partner support, time of first public breastfeed, and fathers' variables (attitudes and subjective norms) had little influence. Self‐efficacy mediated the relationship between mothers' attitudes, psychological distress, and breastfeeding problems with breastfeeding exclusivity at 6 weeks. Breastfeeding exclusivity at 26 weeks was significantly predicted by mothers' attitudes, self‐efficacy, breastfeeding exclusivity at 6 weeks, and frequency of public breastfeeding in the month prior.The results highlight the importance of breastfeeding self‐efficacy and confidence to breastfeed in public as crucial constructs in promoting long‐term exclusive breastfeeding and provides support for an extended theory of planned behaviour model in predicting breastfeeding outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural equation models are used to model the relationships between latent constructs and observable behaviors such as survey responses. Researchers are often interested in testing nested models to determine whether additional constraints that create a more parsimonious model are also supported by the data. A popular statistical tool for nested model comparison is the chi-square difference test. However, there is some evidence that this test performs suboptimally when the unrestricted model is misspecified. In this paper, we examine the type I error rate of the difference test within the context of single-group confirmatory factor analyses when the less restricted model is misspecified but the constraints imposed by the restricted model are correct. Using empirical simulations and analytic approximations, we find that the chi-square difference test is robust to many but not all forms of realistically sized misspecification in the unrestricted model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Swedish Demand-Control-Support Questionnaire (DCSQ) is used to measure psychosocial work environment. Nine of the original 17 DCSQ items were used in the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) in 2017–2019 (HUNT4); three items from each of the three dimensions of demand, control, and support. The goal of this paper was to assess the internal reliability and dimensional structure of the nine DCSQ items used in HUNT4. Method: HUNT4 participants registered with an occupation, and who had responded to all DCSQ items were included in the sample. Internal reliability and consistency of the nine DCSQ items were tested using composite reliability and item total correlation. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to determine whether the nine DCSQ items used in HUNT4 had a similar factor structure as the original 17 items. CFA was performed on the sample as a whole, before testing the models on different occupational groups to check if the dimensional structure remained the same. Results: Of 56,041 HUNT4 participants (participation rate: 54%), 21,187 had a known occupation and responded to all nine DCSQ items. The mean age of the sample was 50.6 years (SD = 10.2), and the sample consisted of 57.3% females and 42.7% males. The best model fit was achieved by removing the item "Work creativity" (λ = 0.398, item total correlation 0.334) from the model. The same three-factorial structure as in the original DCSQ was seen with the remaining eight DCSQ items, with good internal consistency of all three dimensions (composite reliability ranged from 0.709 to 0.851). This dimensional structure remained the same when tested on all occupational groups. Conclusion: The results indicate that the shortened version of the Swedish DCSQ used in HUNT4 can be used to assess aspects of demand, control, and social support at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers and clinicians are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of assessing positive functioning to inform clinical outcomes. This paper evaluates the Questionnaire on Well-Being (QWB, available for free https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GSC3R), a clinically informed instrument that assesses subjective well-being, across two studies. Study One, consisting of treatment-seeking individuals in an assertiveness training sample (n = 495), explored the factorial structure of the QWB, assessed the four-week test-retest reliability, criterion-related validity, and identified a preliminary cutoff point for the QWB with clinical significance. Study Two, including participants from the general public (n = 1561), confirmed the factorial structure of the QWB and further evaluated criterion-related validity. The results provided support for a unidimensional structure for the QWB. Furthermore, the QWB exhibited excellent internal reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.93 and 0.94 in Study One and Two, respectively), high test-retest reliability (ICC3 = .50 at a four-week follow-up in Study One), and appropriate criterion-related validity demonstrating positive correlations with positive affect and negative correlations with psychopathology. Finally, a cutoff point on the QWB below 50 was associated with marked psychopathology. These findings provide preliminary support for the usage of the QWB in clinical and non-clinical settings, establishing the QWB as a reliable indicator of subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of the European Union (EU) Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) raises questions about whether societies in member states share a common or convergent defence culture. Conceptual and methodological problems in the existing literature, however, make it difficult to measure this phenomenon. That is why this paper proposes a new model to measure the political culture relative to European defence, using a mixed factor analysis. In addition, drawing on a series of Eurobarometer surveys, it charts current attitudes towards defence in European citizenship and the impact of the war in Ukraine. The findings point to the existence of several political subcultures regarding defence in the EU. They also indicate various methodological strengths - and limitations - arising from the available Eurobarometer data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many technology acceptance models used in education were originally designed for general technologies and later adopted by education researchers. This study extends Davis' technology acceptance model to specifically evaluate educational technologies in higher education, focusing on virtual classrooms. Prior research informed the construction of the model, which contains perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, behavioural intent, access and convenience, system attributes and self‐efficacy. Education‐specific constructs include cognitive engagement, feedback, instructor practice and class interaction and communication. Additionally, a new construct called comfort and well‐being is introduced. A total of 427 valid responses on a 5‐point Likert scale were received from university students. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used to analyse the data. The model accounted for 78% of variance of behavioural intent, with comfort and well‐being demonstrating the strongest influence. Cognitive engagement, access and convenience influenced perceived usefulness, and system attributes and self‐efficacy influenced perceived ease of use. Feedback, instructor practice and class interaction and communication were not significant as educational constructs for this cohort. Based on this analysis, a final extended educational technology acceptance model (EETAM) is proposed for further use and testing.Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topicMost technology acceptance models used in education were made for general technologies, or do not include factors specific to learning and pedagogy.Most students prefer face‐to‐face learning experiences and active class engagement.Qualitative research shows that instructional attributes and student comfort and well‐being are known to be important for students.What this paper addsA novel extended educational technology acceptance model, informed by prior empirical research, is presented.Confirmation of the importance of including student comfort and well‐being in technology acceptance models used in education.The model revealed the heterogeneous nature of the student learning experience.Implications for practice and researchTechnology acceptance models used in educational settings should include factors specific for education and learning, and student comfort and well‐being.We encourage use of the presented model in educational settings to further test the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As teachers are purveyors of digital citizenship and their perspectives influence classroom practice, it is important to understand teachers' views on digital citizenship. This study establishes the Teachers' Perceptions of Digital Citizenship Scale (T‐PODS) as a survey instrument for scholars to investigate educators' views on digital citizenship for their students. Drawing upon existing research, a theorized model of digital citizenship was developed and validated via a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), resulting in a 14‐item four‐factor model. Factor constructs include digital ethics, participation and engagement, informed citizens and civic know‐how. As teachers' views can shift over time, particularly with the emergence of new technologies, scholars can utilize T‐PODS as they investigate educators' perceptions of digital citizenship across time and context.Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topicDigital citizenship is crucial for modern society and involves becoming a well‐informed and responsible participant in digital spaces.A few instruments exist for measuring digital citizenship, which have focused on the behaviours and perceptions of young people, including children and university students.Teachers play an important role in helping children develop their digital citizenship skills.What this paper addsThis study presents a new validated model that conceptualizes four key constructs of digital citizenship: digital ethics, participation and engagement, informed citizen and civic know‐how.It also demonstrates the relationship between these constructs and their connections to the literature.This article also establishes the Teachers' Perceptions of Digital Citizenship Scale (T‐PODS), a 14‐item survey instrument that measures teachers' perceptions of these four constructs.Implications for practice and/or policyResearchers and educators can use T‐PODS to understand teachers' perceptions of digital citizenship across time, locations and contexts.Drawing upon the four key constructs, teachers can identify and address constructs, skills and processes that are most applicable to their students and educational goals.Policymakers and curriculum developers can utilize these four constructs to develop both targeted and well‐rounded digital citizenship educational experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of the study that was initiated to develop and standardize a measure of Social Interaction (SI). The items were split into five different types of social interaction: exchange, competition, conflict, cooperation and accommodation. The systematic process that was used to construct and validate the tool is delineated in this study. The theoretical foundation for the questionnaire was carried out through a literature review. The item pool was generated with each statement reflecting the different aspects of interaction. Initially, experts in the field of social psychology reviewed the items for content validity and refined the items. The preliminary version of the questionnaire was tested using a pilot study. A larger validation was done with a larger population to confirm the factor structure using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The model fit indices were good for the obtained model (CFI = 0.929, IFI = 0.930, TLI = 0.920, RMSEA = 0.053), confirming that the model structure is robust. The final questionnaire has 26 items with a reliable and valid measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectivesMethodsResultsConclusionThe Therapist Work Involvement Scales (TWIS) is a self-report research instrument that enables a multilayered description of psychotherapists’ experiences when treating clients. The TWIS was created in a comprehensive study of close to 5,000 psychotherapists, and has been used in multiple studies. The aim of the current paper is to clarify the organization and statistical characteristics of the TWIS, and to present an updated version for longitudinal and cross-sectional research.Collection of a large sample of psychotherapy trainees made possible the use of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to evaluate the dimensions and structure of therapists’ process experiences, assessing reliabilities, measurement invariance over gender, item statistics, and correlations with other measures to show concurrent and predictive validity.The CFAs largely confirmed the factor structure of four of the five facets, and of the global super-factors. The global factors of Healing Involvement and Stressful Involvement each showed substantial correlations with therapists’ attachment style and professional growth, and were used to describe four practice patterns that typify the experiences of therapists.The results have shown the TWIS to be a statistically sound, multidimensional research instrument enabling therapists to describe their experience in current therapeutic work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundAimsMethodFindingsConclusionsPregnancy is a transformative time for women and their bodies, and therefore thoughts and feelings about the body understandably change during this period. While previous research has established the impact of body dissatisfaction on factors like antenatal attachment and maternal mental health, there is a notable gap in understanding its long-term effects on postnatal factors. This is often due to high attrition rates in longitudinal studies. Using retrospective measures could address this issue, however a measure of retrospective pregnant body dissatisfaction has not yet been identified.This paper aimed to create a retrospective measure of pregnancy body dissatisfaction by adapting a previously validated measure. It also aimed to investigate the relationship between retrospective accounts of body dissatisfaction during pregnancy and postnatal anxiety, depression, and bonding.Cross-sectional online survey data was collected from women postnatally (N = 404).An exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis identified a two-factor model of retrospective body dissatisfaction, adapted from the Body Understanding Measure for Pregnancy Scale, which was equivalent to two of the original subscales. Using this factor structure, linear regressions demonstrated that higher levels of retrospective pregnant body dissatisfaction were associated with elevated rates of postnatal anxiety and depression and lower bonding scores.This study successfully established a measure for assessing retrospective pregnant body dissatisfaction, potentially aiding future research. Additionally, it has highlighted the link between pregnant body dissatisfaction and postnatal levels of depression, anxiety, and bonding. Thus, improving the pregnant bodily experience may have the potential to enhance the postnatal experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The government around the globe are striving to improve their public finance to meet their public expenditures and for sustainable development of their economies. However, the capability of the governments to generate adequate revenue is limited and refrained by numerous factors. The non‐compliance behavior of GST taxpayers is one of the major factors attributed to this phenomenon. Therefore, this paper endeavors to frame and validate a comprehensive instrumental scale with the application of the extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) for analyzing the determinants of compliance behavior of GST taxpayers in India. The current study has adopted the quantitative design through exploratory and confirmatory studies by incorporating qualitative semi‐structured interviews with 100 GST consultants to validate the instrumental scale. The study has collected a random sample of 339 GST taxpayers using snowball random sampling. Meanwhile, the study has employed the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) for analyzing the collected data. The result affirms six major factors in determining the compliance behavior of GST taxpayers explaining 65.166% of the total variance. The findings have instituted perceived complexity, trust and moral obligation in addition to three major constructs of TPB theory namely attitude behavior, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control of the GST taxpayers. The results explicate that the compliance behavior of GST taxpayers is a dynamic and multifaceted phenomenon and it is critical for GST authorities to comprehend the compliance behavior of GST taxpayers. The result explicates that there is a need to simplify and rationalize the GST system in India to increase voluntary compliance of taxpayers. The results also endorse for building trust between GST taxpayers, GST authorities and the state. This study may act as a baseline for formulating policies and strategies on GST in India. There is hardly any national and international study that has applied the extended theory of planned behavior for studying the antecedents of compliance behavior of GST taxpayers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of the most significant organizational factors on primary school achievements, with a note that the achievement of the school is expressed through the quality of outcome knowledge. The research was conducted on a sample of 460 employees, from 21 primary schools, of which 439 are professionals and 21 are principals in the South Bačka County, Republic of Serbia. The collected data were processed using the Gretl software and AMOS for modelling structural equations. More precisely, the research is based on the application of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. A neural network based on a standard multilayer perceptron model was used in the paper to test the validity of the obtained results of the AMOS model. The results of the research show that school management is the most important factor in school achievement and that this influence is most pronounced through teaching staff and school infrastructure. The results, also show that teachers' competencies have the strongest direct influence on the quality of outcome knowledge. The results obtained indicate that decision-makers and creators of social policies must pay special attention to the selection of school principals as well as their professional education, while school principals to the selection of teachers. Future researchers are recommended to use the Sobel test to precisely determine the indirect influences of school management on school achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vaccination is a crucial protective intervention to prevent adult mortality and morbidity. Personal perceptions and resources have an important place in the vaccination decision. Aim: This study aimed to modify the Public Attitude Towards Vaccination–Health Belief Model scale for adult vaccines and evaluate its psychometric properties. Methods: Overall, 626 people participated in this methodological study. Content validity index, confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency and item‐total score correlation were used for validity and reliability. The independent samples t test, logistic regression analysis and ROC analysis were used for criterion and concurrent validity. Results: In confirmatory factor analysis, values of fit indices were excellent or acceptable. The Cronbach alpha value was between 0.83 and 0.92. According to criterion validity, the susceptibility, severity, benefit, and health motivation scores of those with the vaccine were higher than those without, whereas their barrier score was lower. The barrier subscale was a risk factor, whereas the benefit score was a protective factor that increased the likelihood of vaccination. The concurrent validity of the scale was tested with the COVID‐19 vaccine. While the barrier subscale's ability to distinguish between vaccinated (specificity) and unvaccinated (sensitivity) individuals is excellent, it is acceptable for the other subscales. Conclusion: Modified PAVS‐HBM is valid and reliable for adult vaccines. This scale was associated with vaccination behaviour and distinguished between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Vaccination rates are low in many countries due to issues of access, economy and infrastructure and in countries that provide vaccines.Low vaccination rates in adults are associated with mortality and morbidity.Vaccination management success is enhanced by orientation towards individual perceptions. What this paper adds? The modified Public Attitude Towards Vaccination Scale–Health Belief Model (PAVS‐HBM) was demonstrated as a reliable and valid scale.This scale explains the vaccination behaviour for different adult vaccines.This scale's ability to distinguish between vaccinated (specificity) and unvaccinated (sensitivity) individuals is acceptable to excellent. The implications of this paper for practice: The scale can be used as a tool for researchers to evaluate the probability of individuals being vaccinated and to determine risk groups for vaccine refusal.It can be integrated with many models focused on behaviour change, and when used with a health model, the scale's explanation of individuals' vaccination behaviour can guide the structuring of nursing interventions for vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preference for paper-based learning (traditional) or audio-visual learning (electronic) brought about hybrid learning whose preference among students is much greater due to the interaction with digital and audio-visual media. The general objective is to analyze and describe the experiences of university students on paper-based learning called traditional and audio-visual learning called e-learning, for which a quantitative descriptive and correlational methodology was used with a measurement instrument through an anonymous and voluntary survey with 1240 participants. The results have acceptable statistics and are demonstrated with the confirmatory factor analysis, showing the preference for hybrid learning. Conclusion, students request that universities implement this methodology (hybrid) to work properly and have a quality education in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper uses an ongoing business-to-business (B2B) relationship perspective to establish the interrelationships between trust, commitment, and relationship satisfaction (as relational constructs) and specific assets, formalization, and opportunism (as transaction cost variables) from a buyer's perspective, framed within micro-enterprises in the business banking industry in South Africa. Data were collected via self-administered online questionnaires from 381 micro-enterprise customers of one of South Africa's major banks. We first used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess the measurement model before structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to estimate the hypothesized relationships between the study constructs. The measurement and structural models fitted the data well. The research was approached using the dual theoretical lenses of relationship marketing and transaction cost theory to investigate relationship satisfaction from a buyer's perspective. The results support the notion that, in a B2B context, relationship satisfaction is an outcome of trust and commitment, with commitment being the stronger predictor. Relationship satisfaction, in turn, was positively related to both specific assets and formalization (the relationship with formalization being the strongest), and a negative relationship between relationship satisfaction and opportunism. Since our results found commitment to be a stronger predictor of relationship satisfaction than trust (contrary to much previous research that found the opposite to be true), the paper concludes with several commitment-related suggestions for banks. Although much research exists on trust, commitment, and satisfaction, to our knowledge this study is the first using dual theoretical lenses (relationship marketing and transaction cost theory) to investigate relationship satisfaction from a buyer's perspective among micro-enterprise customers in a banking context. The insights gained from our study therefore not only address this under-researched area (micro-enterprises), but also contribute toward expanding our understanding of forming (and maintaining) banking relationships with the customers of the smallest-sized businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how the technology acceptance model (TAM) and structural equation modeling (SEM) might be used to assess customer acceptance of financial apps aiming at paving the road for enabling a cashless society in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Design/methodology/approach: Using a convenience sample of 600 users of the BenefitPay app in the Kingdom of Bahrain, this study used the quantitative research approach to obtain 427 usable responses. Following a descriptive study to establish a framework for the data and a subsequent inferential analysis using SEM with confirmatory factor analysis, the research hypotheses were tested. Findings: The results of this study back up what is claimed in the TAM theory literature, which shows that banking customers in the Kingdom of Bahrain who use e-payment methods are more likely to use BenefitPay if it is both easy to use and useful. BenefitPay systems behavioral intention to use was also highly influenced by aspects like ease of use and usefulness, which enable the development of cashless societies. Research limitations/implications: This research work contribution is described through exploring how a cashless society is developed using electronic apps by studying the case of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Kingdom of Bahrain is unique, and hence the knowledge obtained from studying it cannot be applied mechanically to any other nation. Instead, the paper seeks to explain the motivations behind Bahrain's move toward a cashless society, to analyze the difficulties and potential benefits of this transition and to spark much-needed conversations on how having less cash or none would affect the economies. Bahrain's BenefitPay systems can be seen as a current pushing force toward cashless society; thus, understanding how people in the Kingdom of Bahrain adopt e-payment techniques is vital. Originality/value: The TAM conceptual model is experimentally validated in this study using cutting-edge methods like SEM with value creation for banking sector management, making it stand out from similar research. This research may prove useful in laying the groundwork for a cashless society in the Kingdom of Bahrain by analyzing the key elements that affect the BenefitPay app. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWhile the term feedback engagement has become a buzzword in higher education, the constructs of feedback engagement have remained inadequately investigated, and research on the conceptualization and instrumentation of feedback engagement in the literature is limited. This paper presents the development and validation of a feedback engagement scale that both reflects a prevalent multidimensional perspective of engagement in general education and is grounded in the prior empirical feedback research. Psychometric tests were conducted with a large disciplinarily diverse sample of university undergraduate students (N = 872). Findings of both confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis provide evidence of reliability, validity, and measurement invariance, for capturing the behavioural, cognitive, emotional, and social components of feedback engagement in higher education settings. The feedback engagement scale can be utilized both as a diagnostic tool for teachers to assess the level of student feedback engagement in academic learning and as a research tool for researchers to investigate the dynamic interplays between student feedback engagement and other learner/learning achievement variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescent subjective well-being is a topic that has gained significant focus over recent years. This focus is reflected in forming measurement tools and interventions to better understand better and improve adolescent mental health. While these steps are necessary, problems still exist regarding adolescent subjective well-being measurement. Notably, current measurement tools are limited in their content, applicability to various populations, and accessibility. Aims: This paper examines the psychometric properties of the Survey on Flourishing (SURF) when used with an adolescent sample from the United States. Method: A sample of 334 participants participated in the present study. We examined the reliability and validity of the SURF by examining its internal consistency, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. We also examined the factor structure of the SURF using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: The SURF demonstrated high internal consistency (α = 0.92), a strong positive correlation with convergent measures, and a weak negative correlation with a discriminant measure. A one-factor model best fits the observed data. Conclusion: The SURF demonstrated good psychometric properties and addressed several shortcomings in current measures. Preliminary data suggests the SURF may be a useful and practical measure of adolescent subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A healthy diet is a critical factor in maintaining long-term health. In addition to a health-promoting food environment, the nutrition health literacy (NHL) and food literacy (FL) of the population are important in this context. This paper describes the development and validation of two short instruments to measure the nutrition literacy of the population, used in the Austrian Nutrition Literacy Survey 2021. Methods: An instrument to measure NHL (Nutrition Health Literacy Scale; NHLS) has been adapted and further developed. To measure FL, the Self-perceived Food Literacy Scale by Poelman et al. has been modified and shortened (SPFL-SF). Validation of the instruments was based on data from a web survey conducted in Austria in 2021 with almost 3,000 participants aged 18 years and older. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess the factorial validity/dimensionality of the instruments. Additionally, internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, ordinal alpha, and McDonald's omega. Results: Both instruments demonstrate excellent data-model fit. The NHLS also shows excellent internal consistency (α = 0.91), while the SPFL-SF displays a sufficient internal consistency for all (α between 0.70 and 0.89) but one sub-dimension (resisting temptation α = 0.61). Furthermore, the distribution of the items indicates that the measures are understandable and suitable, as evidenced by the absence of missing values in the sample. In addition, the items of both instruments differ in their level of difficulty or agreement. Conclusions: The NHLS and SPFL-SF are reliable and valid instruments for measuring NHL and FL in the general adult population. The brief instruments measuring the different aspects of nutrition literacy can be easily used in nutritional or evaluation studies. Further work is required to investigate other aspects of validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the so-called digital age, there is a basic assumption that digitalization entails rapid and dramatic change in schools, education and society. However, a challenge for educational research is to clarify what digitalization precisely means. This paper aims to develop, test, and validate a digital transformation scale (DTS). More specifically, the aim is to validate digitization, digitalization and digital transformation as hierarchical levels of sociocultural learning in school and education by using cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) as a framework. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory factor analysis (EFA), with principal-axis factoring as an extraction method, was used to examine the number of factors underlying the data. Findings: Results show that the three dimensions in the DTS questionnaire explain 68% of the variance and that all dimensions show high internal consistency (a >0.87). This means that the internal structure of the DTS corresponded to the internal structure of the theory. Research limitations/implications: The results show that the internal structure of the DTS corresponded to the internal structure of the theory and may be used quantitatively to analyze digital transformation in school organizations. However, further research is needed in other contexts and larger samples with the use of confirmatory factor analysis to develop knowledge in this area and the use of DTS. Practical implications: This tool and theoretical construction could be used to discuss digital transformation in school and education, both local and in general. Seeing digitalization from a sociocultural perspective makes possible to conceptualize and discuss this as a process ranging from small technology investments on an individual level to digitalization as strategic and organizational development. Originality/value: This DTS can be used quantitatively to study and analyze digital transformation in educational contexts and provides educational researchers with additional tools to articulate what they mean by digitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Mental Health Self‐Direction Scale (MHSD) measures the extent to which clients are able to resolve mental problems by themselves. Because this scale had not yet been evaluated, the aims of this paper were (a) to evaluate and improve the MHSD and (b) to explore the sensitivity to change of the improved scale. Method: The MHSD was evaluated and improved by means of confirmatory factor analyses of data from one longitudinal and two cross‐sectional outpatient sample. Inconsistent items were removed in a stepwise fashion. Subsequently, the scale's sensitivity to change was explored in the longitudinal sample by using latent growth curve models. Results: The original 31‐item scale was reduced to a more stable version with 19 items that yielded four factors named: actorship, demoralization, commitment, and understanding. Throughout clients' treatment, actorship and understanding tended to increase; demoralization tended to decrease; and commitment remained consistently high. Conclusions: The abridged MHSD scale is stable and sensitive to change. It measures the extent to which clients experience and develop self‐direction throughout their treatment. With the use of the new MHSD scale, new views on mental health that emphasize clients' ability to actively engage and cope with health‐challenges can be incorporated into clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]