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The Latino population continues to underutilize mental health services at an alarming rate. The Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale–Short Form (ATSPPH-SF) is one of the most commonly used instruments to assess help-seeking attitudes. The current study sought to evaluate the factor structure and test for the presence of differential item functioning on the ATSPPH-SF with a sample of Latino adult individuals across nativity status (U.S.- vs. foreign-born), language format (English vs. Spanish), and gender. The analyses revealed two relatively independent factors named Openness to Seeking Treatment and Value and Need in Seeking Treatment. Measurement equivalence and practical implications are discussed in the context of use with Latino individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is part of a larger project to generate norms for letter verbal fluency test (VFT) in 3,284 children from nine Latin American countries. The letter VFT (letters M, R, and P) was administered and multiple linear regressions, including age, age2, MPE (mean parental education), MPE2, sex, and interactions were used as predictors. Results showed significant differences across countries for all scores. Age affected scores linearly except for Ecuador (P-letter), in which a quadratic effect was found. Scores increased linearly as a function of MPE, with the exception of Mexico (R-letter), in which a quadratic effect was found. Age by MPE (M- and P-letters), and age by MPE2 (R-letter) interactions were found in Mexico. Sex had an impact on letter R in Cuba, and letter P in Ecuador and Paraguay. Age2 by sex interaction was found in Ecuador (P-letter). These norms will be useful for clinical neuropsychologists in these countries to evaluate their patients' verbal fluency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-validated test of normal personality functioning is necessary in preemployment evaluations of candidates for public safety positions. In this study, we evaluated the construct validity and predictive validity of one such measure, the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ), in a large sample of candidates for law enforcement positions. We examined associations between MPQ scale scores and biographical data, clinician suitability ratings on the 10 established California Commission on Peace Officer and Standards and Training (POST) psychological screening dimensions, and (for a subsample) posthire performance outcome data. MPQ scores generally demonstrated a conceptually expected pattern of associations with criterion variables, supporting their construct validity. Scores related to negative emotionality were particularly salient predictors of a range of POST-10 suitability ratings. Scales assessing aspects of positive emotionality, impulsivity, as well as absorption, emerged as the best predictors of posthire performance problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to examine and compare the diagnostic accuracy of the Conners 3–Parent Short Form (C 3-P(S)), and the Conners 3–Teacher Short Form (C 3-T(S)) inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity scales, and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teacher's Report Form (TRF) attention problems scales, to distinguish those with and without attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It also examined and compared the diagnostic accuracy of the C 3-P(S) and C 3-T(S) Aggression (AG) scales, and the CBCL and TRF Aggressive Behavior (AB) scales, to distinguish those with and without oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). The study used archival data (N = 150-261) involving a large group of clinic-referred children aged between 6 and 11 years who had been interviewed for clinical diagnosis of ADHD and ODD using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children (ADISC-IV) as the reference standard, and then administered one or more of the screening measures. The findings provided empirical support for the use of the C 3-P(S) and CBCL for identifying ADHD and ODD, with the CBCL aggressive behavior scale having better ability to detect ODD. The implications of the findings for using the screening scales for diagnoses of ADHD and ODD are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) represents the gold standard for the neuropsychological assessment of executive function. However, very little is known about its reliability. In the current study, 146 neurological inpatients received the Modified WCST (M-WCST). Four basic measures (number of correct sorts, categories, perseverative errors, set-loss errors) and their composites were evaluated for split-half reliability. The reliability estimates of the number of correct sorts, categories, and perseverative errors fell into the desirable range (rel ≥.90). The study therefore disclosed sufficiently reliable M-WCST measures, fostering the application of this eminent psychological test to neuropsychological assessment. Our data also revealed that the M-WCST possesses substantially better psychometric properties than would be expected from previous studies of WCST test-retest reliabilities obtained from non-patient samples. Our study of split-half reliabilities from discretionary construed and from randomly built M-WCST splits exemplifies a novel approach to the psychometric foundation of neuropsychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of computerized and reliable performance validity tests are scarce. This study aims to address this issue by validating a free and computerized performance validity test: the Coin in Hand–Extended Version (CIH-EV). The CIH-EV test was administered in four countries (Colombia, Spain, Portugal, and the United States) and performance was compared with other commonly used validated tests. Results showed that the CIH-EV has at least 95% specificity and 62% sensitivity, and performance was highly correlated with scores on the Test of Memory Malingering, Victoria Symptom Validity Test, and Digit Span of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. There were no significant differences in scores across countries, suggesting that the CIH-EV performs similarly in a variety of cultures. Our findings suggest that the CIH-EV has the potential to serve as a valid validity test either alone or as a supplement to other commonly used validity tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a wide range of measures of bullying have been developed, there remains a need for brief psychometrically supported measures for use in contexts in which there are constraints on the number of items that can be administered. We thus evaluated the reliability and validity of scores from a 10-item self-report measure of bullying victimization and perpetration in adolescents: the Zurich Brief Bullying Scales. The measure covers social exclusion, property destruction, verbal and physical aggression, and sexual bullying in both traditional and cyber forms. We evaluated factorial validity, internal consistency, developmental invariance, gender invariance, and convergent and divergent validity of the measure. Our sample was the normative longitudinal Zurich Project on Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (z-proso) sample (N = 1,304). The study involved the administration of Zurich Brief Bullying Scales to participants aged 11, 13, 15, and 17 years. Strengths and weaknesses of the measure and recommendations for utilizing and improving the measure were identified. Overall, results suggest that the items provide a reasonable general but brief measure of bullying victimization and perpetration that can be used across early to late adolescence and in both males and females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study reports on the validation of a new instrument for the assessment of emotional experiences in dreams. The Jena Dream Inventory–Affect (JeDI-A) contains 21 items and 3 scales, positive dream affect, negative dream affect, and dream intensity, providing a differentiated yet economic assessment of dream affect. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses in a sample of university students (N = 426) and a clinical sample of patients with sleep disorders (N = 149) supported factorial validity and measurement invariance, high temporal stability (over 1 year and 9 months in the students and patients, respectively), convergent and discriminant validity regarding established measures of dream affect and the Big Five, and criterion validity regarding subjective well-being. Cross-lagged panel models showed reciprocal longitudinal effects between dream affect and waking affect. We conclude that the JeDI-A is a valid instrument for differentiated investigations of individual differences in dream affect in clinical and nonclinical populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated measurement invariance across gender on the German Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fifth Edition (WISC-V). The higher order model that was preferred by the test publishers was tested on a population-representative German sample of 1,411 children and adolescents aged between 6 and 16 years. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test for measurement invariance. As soon as partial scalar invariance could be established by freeing nonequivalent subtest intercepts, results demonstrated that 11 out of 15 subtest scores have the same meaning for male and female children. These findings support interpretable comparisons of the WISC-V test scores between males and females but only in due consideration of partial scalar invariance and with respect to the underlying factor structure. Despite this, however, results did not support the overall structural validity of the higher order model. Thus, replacing the former Perceptual Reasoning factor by Fluid Reasoning and Visual Spatial may be considered inappropriate due to the redundancy of the FRI as a separate factor. Results also indicated that the WISC-V provides stronger measurement of general intelligence (Full Scale IQ) than measurements of cognitive subdomains (WISC-V indexes). Interpretative emphasis should thus be placed on the Full Scale IQ rather than the WISC-V indexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The factor structure of the intelligence and scholastic skills domains of the Intelligence and Development Scales–2 was examined using exploratory factor analyses with the standardization and validation sample (N = 2,030, aged 5 to 20 years). Results partly supported the seven proposed intelligence group factors. However, the theoretical factors Visual Processing and Abstract Reasoning as well as Verbal Reasoning and Long-Term Memory collapsed, resulting in a five-factor structure for intelligence. Adding the three scholastic skills subtests resulted in an additional factor Reading/Writing and in Logical–Mathematical Reasoning showing a loading on abstract Visual Reasoning and the highest general factor loading. A data-driven separation of intelligence and scholastic skills is not evident. Omega reliability estimates based on Schmid–Leiman transformations revealed a strong general factor that accounted for most of the true score variance both overall and at the group factor level. The possible usefulness of factor scores is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-report questionnaires based on Harter's response format ("Some kids... but other kids... ") are commonly used in developmental and clinical research settings, but the reliability and validity of this format in middle childhood are still under debate. The current study aimed to test the psychometric proprieties of Harter versus Likert response formats as applied to two attachment questionnaires in a sample of 410 Italian children aged 8 to 10 years. Participants completed the Experiences in Close Relationships–Revised Child version (n = 102, 4-point Likert-type scale; n = 104, adapted Harter version) and the Security Scale (n = 95, Harter's format; n = 109 adapted 4-point Likert version). Results of multigroup confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the two response formats exhibited comparable reliability and factorial validity, although a slight superiority of Harter's format emerged for the Security Scale. External validity was supported for both answer formats. Implications for developmental theory and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planning is an essential cognitive process of executive functions and is considered as one of the most important brain functions. Planning has been extensively studied in the field of neuropsychology, but there is a lack of computerized assessment tools of planning ability that are easily accessible to researchers and clinicians. The present study aims to validate a newly developed online spatial network test that is designed for both clinical and nonclinical populations. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a unidimensional factorial structure with moderate to high internal consistency in the test. Two-parameter logistic item response theory analysis showed acceptable item and model fit and no violation of the local independence assumption. The overall success rate exhibited a positive correlation with the performance of planning before attempting to solve the items. After correcting for attenuation, moderate to high correlations were found between the spatial network test and the International Cognitive Ability Resource 16 short form cognitive ability test and the automated perceptual maze test, respectively, demonstrating convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity. Future directions and potential applications of the spatial network test as an assessment tool to measure planning for researchers and clinicians are discussed in the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large body of research revealed that shame is associated with adaptive and maladaptive correlates. The aim of this work was to validate a new dimensional instrument (SHAME), which was developed to disentangle adaptive and maladaptive dimensions of shame proneness. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the three-factorial structure (bodily, cognitive, and existential shame) in American (n = 502) and German (n = 496) community samples, using invariance testing. Bifactor model analyses exhibited distinct associations of adaptive (bodily and cognitive shame) and maladaptive (existential shame) dimensions of shame with psychopathology and social functioning. Network analyses highlighted the role of existential shame in psychopathology, especially for a clinical sample of patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (n = 92). By placing shame pronenesss into a network of similar and dissimilar constructs, the current findings serve as a foundation for drawing conclusions about the adaptive and maladaptive nature of shame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional and behavioral problems among children and adolescents may be studied using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, containing five subscales, based on ratings by parents, teachers, or adolescents themselves. We investigate two measurement issues using data from a longitudinal sample of 8,806 participants aged 7 to 9 years and 11 to 13 years from the Bergen Child Study in Bergen, Norway. First, convergent validity of parent and teacher ratings is studied using a multitrait–multimethod approach. Second, longitudinal measurement equivalence is studied using confirmatory factor analysis, which requires us to deal with the considerable attrition. The multitrait–multimethod indicates not only good convergent validity but also considerable method variance for parents and teachers. The reliability and validity of some subscales are relatively low. Attrition analysis indicates that attrition is not missing completely at random, but estimation assuming missing at random makes no real difference. We conclude that assuming missing completely at random is acceptable. Comparing ratings by parents and teachers results in partial scalar equivalence. In addition, all subscales exhibit (partial) longitudinal scalar measurement equivalence. We recommend using latent variable modeling and not summated scales for longitudinal modeling using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of studies using observational coding systems for family interaction data derive scales describing family members' behaviors based on rational/theoretical approaches. This study explored an empirical approach to identifying the component structure of parent–child observational data that incorporated the affective context of the interaction. Dyads of 155 typically developing 8-year-olds and their mothers completed questionnaires and two interaction tasks, one each designed to illicit positive and negative interactions. Behaviors were coded based on a modified version of the Family Interaction Macro-coding System. Multiple factor analysis identified four-component solutions for the maternal and child data. For both, two of the components included negative behaviors, one positive behavior, and one communicative behavior. Evidence for the validity of the maternal and child components was demonstrated by associations with child depression and anxiety symptoms and behavioral problems. Preliminary evidence supports an empirical approach to identify context-specific components in parent–child observational data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Beck Depression Inventory–II is one of the most frequently used scales to assess depressive burden. Despite many psychometric evaluations, its factor structure is still a topic of debate. An increasing number of articles using fully symmetrical bifactor models have been published recently. However, they all produce anomalous results, which lead to psychometric and interpretational difficulties. To avoid anomalous results, the bifactor-(S-1) approach has recently been proposed as alternative for fitting bifactor structures. The current article compares the applicability of fully symmetrical bifactor models and symptom-oriented bifactor-(S-1) and first-order confirmatory factor analysis models in a large clinical sample (N = 3,279) of adults. The results suggest that bifactor-(S-1) models are preferable when bifactor structures are of interest, since they reduce problematic results observed in fully symmetrical bifactor models and give the G factor an unambiguous meaning. Otherwise, symptom-oriented first-order confirmatory factor analysis models present a reasonable alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the factor structures of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) adolescent and parent versions and their measurement invariance across settings in clinical (n = 4,053) and community (n = 962) samples of Dutch adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. Per SDQ version, confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess its factor structure in clinical and community settings and to test for measurement invariance across these settings. The results suggest measurement invariance of the presumed five-factor structure for the parent version and a six-factor structure for the adolescent version. Furthermore, evaluation of the SDQ scale sum scores as used in practice, indicated that working with sum scores yields a fairly reasonable approximation of working with the favorable but less easily computed factor scores. These findings suggest that adolescent- and parent-reported SDQ scores can be interpreted using community-based norm scores, regardless of whether the adolescent has been referred for mental health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In psychological assessment of children, it is pivotal to establish from what age on self-reports can complement or replace informant reports. We introduce a psychometric approach to estimate the minimum age for a child to produce self-report data that is of similar quality as informant data. The approach makes use of statistical validity indicators such as person-fit and long-string indices, and can be readily applied to data commonly collected in psychometric studies of child measures. We evaluate and illustrate the approach, using self-report and informant-report data of the PedsQL, a pediatric health-related quality of life measure, from 651 child–mother pairs. To evaluate the approach, we tested various hypotheses about the validity of the self-report data, using the G n p person-fit index as the validity indicator and the mother informant-data as a benchmark for validity. Results showed that G n p discriminated between self-reports of younger and older children, between self-reports of children that completed the PedsQL alone or with a parent, and between self-reports and informant reports. We conclude that the validity-index approach has good potential for future applications. Future research should further evaluate the approach for different types of questionnaires (e.g., personality inventories) and using different validity indices (e.g., response-bias indices). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early adolescence (typically aged 9-15 years) is a period of dramatic developmental change, and individual differences in temperament is likely to be an important predictor of the success with which individuals negotiate this period of life. Moreover, early adolescent temperament cannot be adequately captured by measures designed for other age groups. This study examined the empirical validity of the proposed temperament factors of the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire–Revised (EATQ-R) in a large representative sample of 2,453 early adolescents aged between 10 and 12 years of age, and compared it with models that include cross-loadings between items and first-order factors, as well as first- and second-order factors. Furthermore, the reproducibility of the factor structure established by using a cross validation approach. Adding cross-loadings to the EATQ-R fit the data substantially better, resulting in an overall good fit that the original EATQ-R model did not achieve. However, the conceptual interpretation of the first- and second-order factor structures were not substantially altered even with this addition of cross-loadings. Future research should establish the construct validity of the first- and second-order factors as measured by this empirically based factor structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to reconsider and support the use of spatial tasks based on familiar geographical information in the neuropsychological assessment of topographical (dis)orientation. Performance on two spatial tasks based on familiar information —l andmark positioning on a map and map of Italy — were compared in two studies assessing allocentric orientation among young and healthy elderly with different levels of education (Study 1) and elderly with and without probable cognitive impairment (Study 2). Results from Study 1 showed that the map of Italy task was affected by education, while the landmark positioning on a map was not. Results of Study 2 showed that both tasks were sensitive to different levels of cognitive functioning in a sample of community-dwelling seniors. Overall, spatial tasks based on mental representation of the hometown environment may be an important supplement in the assessment of allocentric topographical disorientation, discriminating typical from atypical aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging of America will include a significant increase in the number of older patients with cancer, many of whom will experience significant depressive symptoms. Although geriatric depression is a well-studied construct, its symptom presentation in the context of cancer is less clear. Latent profile analysis was conducted on depressive symptoms in younger (40-64 years) and older (≥65 years) patients with cancer (N = 636). The sample was clinically heterogeneous (i.e., included all stages, dominated by advanced stage disease). Participants completed questionnaires including the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, which was used for the latent profile analysis. A four-class pattern was supported for each age group. However, the four-class pattern was significantly different between the younger and older groups in terms of the item means within each corresponding latent class; differences were primarily driven by severity such that across classes, older adults endorsed milder symptoms. An unexpected measurement issue was uncovered regarding reverse-coded items, suggesting that they may generate unreliable scores on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for a significant subset of patients. The results indicate that cancer clinicians can expect to see depressive symptoms along a continuum of severity for patients of any age, with less severe symptoms among older patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Detailed Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress (DAPS; Briere, 2001) is a comprehensive questionnaire that assesses posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnostic criteria as well as peritraumatic responses and associated problems such as dissociation, suicidality, and substance abuse. DAPS scores have demonstrated excellent reliability, validity, and clinical utility, performing as well or better than leading PTSD questionnaires. The present study was an initial psychometric evaluation of the unreleased DAPS (DAPS-2), revised for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fifth edition (DSM-5), in an MTurk-recruited mixed trauma sample (N = 367). DAPS-2 PTSD scale and associated features scales demonstrated high internal consistency and strong convergent and discriminant validity. In confirmatory factor analyses, the DSM-5 four-factor model of PTSD provided adequate fit, but the leading seven-factor model provided superior fit. These results indicate the DAPS-2 is a psychometrically sound measure of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biobehavioral traits of the triarchic model of psychopathy have well-known correlates with externalizing psychopathology. Although evidence also suggests associations with internalizing disorders, research has yet to formally model relationships between dimensions of internalizing psychopathology and triarchic traits. Employing a sample of 218 adults (50.2% female), the current study used confirmatory factor analysis to characterize how triarchic trait dimensions—delineated using different scale operationalizations—relate to internalizing when modeled as a single broad factor, and as distinct fear and distress subfactors. Findings demonstrated (a) robust opposing relations for triarchic boldness (+) and disinhibition (−), and an interactive association for the two, with general internalizing, along with a modest negative relationship for meanness; and (b) distinct associations for the three triarchic trait dimensions with fear and distress subfactors of internalizing. This work clarifies how facets of psychopathy relate to the internalizing psychopathology spectrum and provides a means for interfacing this spectrum with biological variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical symptoms are highly comorbid with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As PTSD is underdiagnosed, this study explored the value of self-reported physical symptoms in screening for 30-day PTSD in military personnel. Two physical symptom scales were constructed using items from a 67-item health symptom checklist, clinical interviews were used as the diagnostic reference standard, and diagnostic utility of physical symptoms was compared with the current gold standard screen, the PTSD checklist (PCL). Receiver operating characteristic analyses showed that both a 9-item and a 10-item physical symptom scale were of value in predicting PTSD (areas under the curve 0.81 and 0.85). Importantly, two thirds of PTSD positive personnel missed by the PCL were captured with physical symptoms scales, and when physical symptoms were added to the PCL, prediction was improved (areas under the curve 0.90 to 0.92). Our findings highlight the value of including assessing physical symptoms in PTSD screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale (SNAP-IV) is a widely used scale that measures the core symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, there are contradictory findings regarding factor structure. Factor structure and measurement equivalence/invariance analysis on parent and teacher SNAP-IV for children referred for an ADHD assessment (N = 250; 6-17 years), revealed a two-factor structure provided the best fit. SNAP-IV scores were also compared with clinician diagnosis of ADHD and research diagnoses of ADHD and hyperkinetic disorder. Parent ratings of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity were good predictors of research but not clinician diagnosis. For teacher ratings, only hyperactivity/impulsivity scores were associated with research and clinician diagnosis. SNAP-IV scores showed high sensitivity but low specificity to clinician diagnosis. The SNAP-IV is a valid outcome measure for use in randomized controlled trials and clinical settings, and is best used as a screening rather than a diagnostic tool for ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the Problem Behavior Frequency Scale–Adolescent Report (PBFS-AR), a measure designed to assess adolescents' frequency of victimization, aggression, substance use, and delinquent behavior. Participants were 1,263 students (50% female; 78% African American, 18% Latino) from three urban middle schools in the United States. Confirmatory factor analyses of competing models of the structure of the PBFS-AR supported a model that differentiated among three forms of aggression (in-person physical, in-person relational, and cyber), two forms of victimization (in-person and cyber), substance use, and delinquent behavior. This seven-factor model fit the data well and demonstrated strong measurement invariance across groups that differed on sex and grade. Support was found for concurrent validity of the PBFS-AR based on its pattern of relations with school office discipline referrals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the present decade a large body of research has employed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to evaluate the factor structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) across multiple languages and cultures. However, because CFA can produce strongly biased estimations when the population cross-loadings differ meaningfully from zero, it may not be the most appropriate framework to model the SDQ responses. With this in mind, the current study sought to assess the factorial structure of the SDQ using the more flexible exploratory structural equation modeling approach. Using a large-scale Spanish sample composed of 67,253 youths aged between 10 and 18 years (M = 14.16, SD = 1.07), the results showed that CFA provided a severely biased and overly optimistic assessment of the underlying structure of the SDQ. In contrast, exploratory structural equation modeling revealed a generally weak factorial structure, including questionable indicators with large cross-loadings, multiple error correlations, and significant wording variance. A subsequent Monte Carlo study showed that sample sizes greater than 4,000 would be needed to adequately recover the SDQ loading structure. The findings from this study prevent recommending the SDQ as a screening tool and suggest caution when interpreting previous results in the literature based on CFA modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory is designed to assess the quality and quantity of support, stimulation, and structure provided to children in the home environment. HOME has been widely used for research and applied purposes. We focused on an abbreviated version of the Early Adolescent HOME (EA-HOME-A) that was administered to 15-year-old adolescents and their parents (N = 958) as part of the NICHD (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Our study had two objectives. First, we hypothesized and tested a bifactor model that specified a general factor in support of the use of the HOME total score and group factors for subsets of items in support of the content domain scores. Second, we applied structural equation modeling to relate the EA-HOME-A factors to outcome factors assessing maladaptive behaviors, autonomy, self-control, and cognitive–academic performance. The results supported the construct validity of the EA-HOME-A with respect to its internal structure as well as its correlates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical models of active ageing and cognitive reserve emphasize the importance of leading an active life to delay age-related cognitive deterioration and maintain good levels of well-being and personal satisfaction in the elderly. The objective of this research was to construct a scale to measure cognitively stimulating activities (CSA) in the Spanish language. The sample consisted of a total of 453 older persons. The scale was constructed from a list of 28 items and validated using structural equation models. The scale obtained showed a negative correlation with age and a positive correlation with education and physical activity. Using hierarchical regression models, CSAs were found to have a significant effect on attention when controlling for the effect of age and education. Likewise, a significant interaction between age and CSA was found on the measure of episodic memory. The validated CSA scale will enable the relationships between changes in cognitive functions and stimulating activities to be studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysfunctional conflict resolution behaviors in couples have been long recognized as markers of relationship maladjustment and are, consequently, frequent targets of couple therapy. The process of flooding may play a role. Flooding is the subjective sense of being overwhelmed by the partner's negative affect, which is perceived as unexpected and intense, and feeling as though one's information processing is impaired. It has been theorized that flooding is so aversive as to lead to maladaptive conflict behaviors (e.g., conflict escalation or withdrawal) as attempts to terminate the offending input (i.e., partner anger). Despite strong theory describing the construct, there has been a lack of valid measures to assess it. In the present study, we evaluated the psychometric properties of a 15-item measure in a sample of 453 couples. Reasonable unifactoriality, excellent internal consistency, and high test–retest reliability were demonstrated. Furthermore, using a dyadic latent variable model, the IPFS showed strong structural validity and concurrent validity with measures of relationship satisfaction, intimate partner violence, anger, depressive symptoms, and observed negative conflict behaviors. The IPFS appears to be a promising, economical instrument to assess flooding, a process relevant for understanding dysfunctional couple conflict behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the Positive Valence Systems Scale (PVSS), a measure of the National Institute of Mental Health's Research Domain Criteria Positive Valence Systems domain. An initial long form of the scale (45 items) providing a broad assessment of the domain was distilled into a short form (21 items) measuring responses to a wide range of rewards (Food, Physical Touch, Outdoors, Positive Feedback, Social Interactions, Hobbies, and Goals). Across three diverse samples, the PVSS-21 demonstrated strong internal consistency, retest reliability, and factorial validity. It was more strongly related to reward than punishment sensitivity, positive than negative affect, and depression than anxiety. PVSS-21 scores discriminated depressed from nondepressed individuals and predicted anhedonia severity even when controlling for depression status. Hobbies emerged as the strongest predictor of clinical outcomes and the best differentiator of depressed and nondepressed individuals. Results highlight the potential of the PVSS for advancing understanding of reward-related abnormalities in depression and other disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent review concluded that the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire is the most widely used instrument to assess cognitive failures. Our aims were to place cognitive failures self-reported with the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire into their nomological network by conceptually replicating known relations to the Big Five and by extending this knowledge through testing their relations with latent cognitive abilities (Study 1, N = 158, age 20-86 years) and theoretically relevant Big Five subfacets (Study 2, N = 176, age 19-39 years). Cognitive failures were unrelated to objective cognitive performance (processing speed, memory, and inhibition), but reliably related to the personality domains conscientiousness, neuroticism, and almost all their subfacets. Thus, self-reported cognitive failures do not qualify as a proxy for objective cognitive performance tasks. They are rather useful as illustration of behavioral manifestations related to personality domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a widely used cognitive screening tool in stroke. As scoring the visuospatial/executive MoCA items involves subjective judgement, reliability is important. Analyzing data on these items from A Very Early Rehabilitation Trial (AVERT), we compared the original scoring of assessors (n = 102) to blind scoring by a single, independent rater. In a sample of scoresheets from 1,119 participants, we found variable interrater reliability. The match between original assessors and the independent rater was the following: trail-making 97% (κ = 0.94), cube copy 90% (κ = 0.80), clock contour 92% (κ = 0.49), clock numbers 89% (κ = 0.67), and clock hands 72% (κ = 0.46). For all items except clock contour, the independent rater was "stricter" than the original assessors. Discrepancies were typically errors in original scoring, rather than borderline differences in subjective judgement. In trials that include the MoCA, researchers should emphasize scoring rules to assessors and implement independent data checking, especially for clock hands, to maximize accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Zuckerman–Kuhlman–Aluja Personality Questionnaire shortened form (ZKA-PQ/SF) in 18 cultures and 13 languages of different African, American, Asian, and European cultures and languages. The results showed that the five-factor structure with 20 facets replicated well across cultures with a total congruence coefficient of.97. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) resulted in adequate fit indices for the five factors based on the comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker–Lewis index (TLI; >.90), and RMSEA (.031-.081). A series of CFA to assess measurement invariance across cultures resulted in adequate CFIs and TLIs for configural and metric invariance. However, factors did not show scalar invariance. Alpha internal consistencies of five factors ranged between.77 (Sensation Seeking) and.86 (Neuroticism). The average alpha of the 20 facets was.64 with a range from.43 (SS4) to.75 (AG1). Nevertheless, alpha reliabilities were lower in some facets and cultures, especially for Senegal and Togo. The average percentage of the variance explained based on the adjusted R 2 was 2.9%, 1.7%, and 5.1% for age, sex, and, cultures, respectively. Finally, multidimensional scaling suggested that geographically or culturally close cultures share mean profile similarities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of interpersonal dispositions (e.g., traits, problems) commonly employs self- and informant-report measures that conform to the two-dimensional interpersonal circumplex (IPC) model. Here, we adopted the IPC and interpersonal theory as a framework for mapping the universe of content of interpersonal influence. Although there are existing measures of influence tactics used in influence research, this literature is divided among disciplines with varying construct definitions and no unifying theory. Here, we define interpersonal influence as the conscious maneuvering of one's behavior to engender desired responses from others in interpersonal situations. The current article details the construction and validation of the Interpersonal Influence Tactics Circumplex (IIT-C) Scales in two samples (N s = 862, 608). The 64-item IIT-C assesses a comprehensive taxonomy of interpersonal influence tactics conforming to the structure of the IPC. Circumplex structure of the IIT-C was confirmed and replicated. Using the structural summary method for circumplex data, associations with other IPC measures, existing measures of influence, normal personality traits, and pathological personality traits supported the validity of IIT-C scores. The IIT-C assesses a theoretically based and empirically derived set of interpersonal influence tactics and provides a common language for integrating distinct streams of influence research by conforming to the IPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) categorizes reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) as two separate disorders, and their criteria are revised. For DSED, the core symptoms focus on abnormal social disinhibition, and symptoms regarding lack of selective attachment have been removed. The core symptoms of RAD are the absence of attachment behaviors and emotional dysregulation. In this study, an international team of researchers modified the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment for RAD to update it from DSM-IV to DSM-5 criteria for RAD and DSED. We renamed the interview the r eactive attachment disorder a nd d isinhibited social engagement disorder a ssessment (RADA). Foster parents of 320 young people aged 11 to 17 years completed the RADA online. Confirmatory factor analysis of RADA items identified good fit for a three-factor model, with one factor comprising DSED items (indiscriminate behaviors with strangers) and two factors comprising RAD items (RAD1: failure to seek/accept comfort, and RAD2: withdrawal/hypervigilance). The three factors showed differential associations with clinical symptoms of emotional and social impairment. Time in foster care was not associated with scores on RAD1, RAD2, or DSED. Higher age was associated with lower scores on DSED, and higher scores on RAD1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The factor structure of an initial item pool of 207 positive parenting items was investigated (Manila; n = 520, 538) to develop the Positive Parenting Schema Inventory. Single group and multigroup confirmatory factor analyses of the Positive Parenting Schema Inventory showed invariance of the factor structure in six out of the seven levels on two other independent samples (Eastern, Indonesia; n = 366, 383; Western, the United States; n = 204, 214). Good values for reliability were obtained for its seven subscales (50 items) using coefficient omegas (.71 to.95). Evidence of validity based on test content, response processes (item responses to desired inferences), internal structure (exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses), relations to other variables (correlations with other instruments), and consequences of testing (correlations with positive schemas) were demonstrated. A core tenet of schema therapy theory was supported in that recall of past positive parenting patterns were associated with current levels of positive schemas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We investigated the diagnostic efficiency and clinical utility of the Dimensional Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (DOCS) and subscales for distinguishing obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) from anxiety disorders (ADs). Method: A total of 369 participants (167 male, M age = 29.61 years) diagnosed with DSM-IV OCD or AD, recruited from specialty clinics across the United States, completed clinical interviews and self-report questionnaires, including the DOCS. Receiver operating characteristic analyses and diagnostic likelihood ratios (DiLRs) determined discriminative validity and provided clinical utility. Logistic regressions tested for incremental validity in the DOCS-total scale and subscales in predicting OCD status. Results: The DOCS-total scale and Contamination subscale performed best in differentiating between OCD and AD diagnosis (DOCS-total: Area under curve [AUC] =.75, p <.001; Contamination: AUC =.70, p <.001) as compared with the other subscales. At high scores (DOCS-total: 28+, Contamination: 6+), Contamination was more effective than the DOCS-total in differentiating OCD from ADs, with high scores in Contamination quadrupling OCD odds and DOCS-total by about threefold (Contamination DiLR+ = 4.04, DOCS-total DiLR+ = 2.82). At low scores (DOCS-total: 0-9, Contamination: 0-2), the converse was true, with low scores in Contamination cutting OCD odds by half and DOCS-total by one fifths (Contamination DiLR− = 0.52, DOCS-total DiLR− = 0.23). Conclusion: At high scores, the Contamination subscale is the most helpful subscale to differentiate OCD and ADs. For low scores, the DOCS-total scale performs the best among the scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the predictive and incremental validity of the Stable-2007 beyond the Static-99 was evaluated in an updated sample of N = 638 adult male sexual offenders followed-up for an average of M = 8.2 years. Data were collected at the Federal Evaluation Center for Violent and Sexual Offenders (FECVSO) in Austria within a prospective-longitudinal research design. Scores and risk categories of the Static-99 (AUC =.721; p <.001) and of the Stable-2007 (AUC =.623, p =.005) were found to be significantly related to sexual recidivism. The Stable-2007 risk categories contributed incrementally to the prediction of sexual recidivism beyond the Static-99. Analyzing the dimensional structure of the Stable-2007 yielded three factors, named Antisociality, Sexual Deviance, and Hypersexuality. Antisociality and Sexual Deviance were significant predictors for sexual recidivism. Sexual Deviance was negatively associated with non-sexual violent recidivism. Comparisons with latent dimensions of other risk assessment instruments are made and implications for applied risk assessment are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trait markers, or intermediate phenotypes linking different units of analysis (self-report, performance) from the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) matrix across populations is a necessary step in identifying at-risk individuals. In the current study, 150 healthy controls (HC) and 456 individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) Type I or II, NOS (not otherwise specified) or Schizoaffective BD completed self-report neuropsychological tests of inhibitory control (IC) and executive functioning. Bifactor analyses were used to examine the factor structure of these measures and to evaluate for invariance across groups. Bifactor analyses found modest convergence of items from neuropsychological tests and self-report measures of IC among HC and BD. The factor scores showed evidence of a general IC construct (i.e., subdomain) across measures. Importantly, invariance testing indicated that the same construct was measured equally well across groups. Groups differed on the general factor for three of the four scales. Convergence on a general IC factor and invariance across diagnosis supports the use of combined dimensional measures to identify clinical risk and highlights how prospective RDoC studies might integrate units of analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inaccurate disclosure of information is a significant limitation when relying on self-report for suicide risk screening. However, allowing for an explicit nondisclosure response option in screening items (e.g., "prefer not to disclose") may ultimately improve follow-up assessment validity. This study investigated explicit nondisclosure in suicide risk screening among military service members and veterans (n = 135), men older than 50 years, (n = 187), and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer) young adults (n = 140); all higher risk and lower help-seeking populations. Results indicated that allowing for explicit nondisclosure minimally affected screening sensitivity and specificity. However, its selection was prevalent among higher risk participants, and was associated with experience of past unhelpful reactions and "avoidance of stigmatized consequences." Allowing for nondisclosure creates potential psychometric and classification advantages, and may be a safe and effective way to encourage discussion of barriers, build trust, maximize patient autonomy, and ultimately facilitate accurate risk disclosure to improve assessment validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Research Domain Criteria initiative aims to reorient the focus of psychopathology research toward biobehavioral constructs that cut across different modalities of measurement, including self-report and neurophysiology. Constructs within the Research Domain Criteria framework are intentionally transdiagnostic, with the construct of "acute threat," for example, broadly relevant to clinical problems and associated traits involving fearfulness and stress reactivity. A potentially valuable referent for research on the construct of acute threat is a structural model of fear/fearlessness questionnaires known to predict variations in physiological threat reactivity as indexed by startle potentiation. The aim of the current work was to develop an efficient, item-based scale measure of the general factor of this structural model for use in studies of dispositional threat sensitivity and its relationship to psychopathology. A self-report scale consisting of 44 items from a conceptually relevant, nonproprietary questionnaire was first developed in a sample of 1,307 student participants, using the general factor of the fear/fearlessness model as a direct referent. This new Trait Fear scale was then evaluated for convergent and discriminant validity with measures of personality and psychopathology in a separate sample (n = 213) consisting of community adults and undergraduate students. The strong performance of the scale in this criterion-validation sample suggests that it can provide an effective means for indexing variations along a dispositional continuum of fearfulness reflecting variations in sensitivity to acute threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study developed and examined the performance of a computerized adaptive version of the Social Interaction Anxiety and Social Phobia Scales (SIAS/SPS) and compared results with a previously developed static short form (SIAS-6/SPS-6) in terms of measurement precision, concordance with the full forms, and sensitivity to treatment. Among an online sample of Australian adults, there were relatively minor differences in the performance of the adaptive tests and static short forms when compared with the full scales. Moreover, both adaptive and static short forms generated similar effect sizes across treatment in a clinical sample. This provides further evidence for the use of static or adaptive short forms of the SIAS/SPS rather than the lengthier 20-item versions. However, at the individual level, the adaptive tests were able to maintain an acceptable level of precision, using few items as possible, across the severity continua in contrast to the static short forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interpersonal theory of suicide (ITS) has accumulated empirical support; however, less research has investigated the clinical utility of ITS constructs in suicide risk assessment. The current study sought to increase the clinical utility of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ), an assessment of thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB), among 318 adult psychiatric outpatients while considering statistical methodology (i.e., multicollinearity and partialling). Results emphasized PB in the prediction of concurrent desire for death/suicide when TB was simultaneously considered. The interaction between TB and PB did not enhance prediction of concurrent desire for death/suicide. Independently, PB was a stronger predictor than TB of concurrent desire for death/suicide in the total sample and gender subsamples. Estimated probabilities of concurrent desire for death/suicide across INQ scores and preliminary INQ clinical cutoff scores are provided to enhance clinical application. These findings suggest the INQ could provide valuable information for suicide risk assessment and conceptualization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS), a widely used self-report questionnaire, assesses four personality traits which predict risk for substance use (i.e., anxiety sensitivity, hopelessness, impulsivity, and sensation seeking). Given its use in research and clinical settings, as well as potential utility, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive psychometric evaluation of the SURPS. Undergraduate participants (N = 718; 69% White; 26% Hispanic, aged 18-25 years, M = 19.00, SD = 1.33) completed a battery of measures, including the SURPS. Tests of measurement invariance, convergent and criterion validity, and internal consistency were conducted, as well as item response theory analyses and a treatment assignment simulation. Several items were removed before partial measurement invariance across gender was established with little information lost. Despite removing several SURPS items, the proposed factor structure was not empirically supported. More work is necessary to determine the predictive utility of assessing these personality traits to predict substance-related outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence is a period of high risk for the emergence of problems with anxiety and depression. Theory and research suggest that executive function deficits accompany internalizing and externalizing problems, although more evidence is required to understand these relationships. This study employed a commonly used rating scale of executive function, the Brief Rating Inventory of Executive Function, and examined relationships with self- and parent-reported internalizing and externalizing problems among a community sample of 299 adolescents. The sample was 56.2% female, with a mean age of 16.22 years (SD = 2.36 years). Analyses revealed strong associations between poorer self- and parent-reported executive function skills and the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms. Problems with executive function were also associated with externalizing symptoms. These results indicate that subjective ratings of executive function capture important aspects of cognitive problems that are highly relevant to adolescent psychopathology in a transdiagnostic fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently released National Institutes of Health Toolbox (NIHTB) batteries for neurological and behavioral function were designed to serve as standardized, common measures in clinical and epidemiological research. The current study aimed to examine constructs assessed by the self-report and parental proxy-report scales in the NIHTB Emotion Battery (NIHTB-EB) for Children by using factor analyses on data from the U.S. national normative sample of 2,916 English-speaking children. This battery contains 31 scales designed to assess both positive and negative aspects of social and emotional functioning that are considered developmentally relevant at each of three age ranges (3-7, 8-12, and 13-17 years). Results revealed four similar self-report factors for ages 8 to 12 years and 13 to 17 years. Proxy reports for ages 3 to 7 years revealed three factors, and for ages 8 to 12 years two factors. Based on the standardization sample data, age- and gender-corrected norms are presented for all NIHTB-EB individual scales and factor-based composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mental Health Continuum–Short Form (MHC-SF) is a widely used scale aimed at assessing three components of well-being: emotional, social, and psychological. The factor structure of the MHC-SF has been under debate over the past 10 years. The main goal of the present study was to examine the dimensionality of the MHC-SF. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), bifactor CFA, exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), and bifactor ESEM were used to evaluate competing models of the MHC-SF structure. The total sample consisted of 7,521 participants from four countries: The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Serbia. The results indicated that the three CFA factors were very highly related, and that a bifactor ESEM model provided the best fit to the data in all samples. Our findings provided support for the bifactor structure of well-being with a strong general factor explaining most of the variance in the items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Computerized Adaptive Test of Personality Disorder–Static Form (CAT-PD-SF) is a self-report inventory developed to assess pathological personality traits. The current study explored the reliability and higher order factor structure of the Norwegian version of the CAT-PD-SF and the relationships between the CAT-PD traits and domains of personality functioning in an undergraduate student sample (N = 375). In addition to the CAT-PD-SF, the short form of the Severity Indices of Personality Problems and the Brief Symptom Inventory were administered. The results showed that the Norwegian CAT-PD-SF has good score reliability. Factor analysis of the CAT-PD-SF scales indicated five superordinate factors that correspond to the trait domains of the alternative DSM-5 model for personality disorders. The CAT-PD traits were highly predictive of impaired personality functioning after controlling for psychological distress. It is concluded that the CAT-PD-SF is a promising tool for the assessment of personality disorder traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to accurately perceive cues to contextual demands across different situations has been identified as a crucial component of successful self-regulation. However, previous attempts to measure context sensitivity have suffered from serious methodological limitations, most notably the possibility that respondents may not possess sufficient knowledge of their own abilities, the confounding of perception of context with response to context, the use of only one or two contextual variations, and the failure to consider the abilities to both accurately detect contextual cues and accurately determine cue absence. This article reports a new, easy-to-administer scenario-based questionnaire measure, the Context Sensitivity Index (CSI), that addressed each of these limitations. The 20-item CSI was iteratively developed and normed using data from five studies to create separate indices to capture sensitivity to the presence of contextual cues (Cue Presence index) and to the relative absence of cues (Cue Absence index). We validated these indices against measures of flexibility, psychopathology, and other scales. Results are discussed in terms of the CSI's implications, limitations, and future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]