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The factor structure, measurement invariance, validity, reliability, and stability of scores on the Brief Situational Confidence Questionnaire (BSCQ) were evaluated for use with incarcerated youth. The BSCQ is an 8-item measure that assesses self-efficacy to resist alcohol use in tempting situations. The brevity of the measure may make it a useful tool for clinicians and researchers in a forensic setting. Analyses were conducted with 2 separate samples ( N = 205 and N = 189) of incarcerated youth ( M age = 16.90 and 17.12 years, respectively; 88% and 86% male). Based on prior theory and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), results indicated that a correlated 2-factor model best fit the data. Multisample CFAs suggested that BSCQ scores demonstrated configural and metric invariance across our 2 samples. Further, the BSCQ scores demonstrated sufficient test-retest stability in Samples 1 and 2 (Pearson's r = .66, .55) and internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .84 and .86, respectively). Negative binomial regressions showed that the overall BSCQ scores were significantly associated with concurrent alcohol use (number of drinking days, number of heavy drinking days, average drinks per week) and significantly predicted future alcohol use. Scores on the BSCQ demonstrated sufficient stability, internal consistency, and validity, and the 2-factor structure was largely invariant across 2 separate samples of incarcerated youth. Given its brevity, the BSCQ may provide valid and reliable scores to use with this population when time and resources are scarce. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Analyzing the reading grade level of online mental health information is an important first step in ensuring that information is largely accessible by the general public, so as not to perpetuate existing health disparities across socioeconomic groups. The present study systematically examined grade-level readability of mental health information related to various psychiatric diagnoses, obtained from 6 highly utilized mental health websites, using a generalized estimating equations approach. Results suggest that, in general, the readability of mental health information is largely well above the 6th-to-8th grade level recommended by several national health organizations, including the CDC and NIH (Kutner, Greenberg, Jin, & Paulsen, 2006; National Institutes of Health, 2001, 2017), with reading-grade-level estimates from the model ranging from 5.62 to 17.9. Further efforts are required to ensure that writers of online health information do not exacerbate existing health disparities by ignoring these guidelines. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychological Methods celebrated its 20-year anniversary recently, having published its first quarterly issue in March 1996. It seemed time to provide a brief overview of the history, the highlights over the years, and the current state of the journal, along with tips for submissions. The article is organized to discuss (a) the background and development of the journal; (b) the top articles, authors, and topics over the years; (c) an overview of the journal today; and (d) a summary of the features of successful articles that usually entail rigorous and novel methodology described in clear and understandable writing and that can be applied in meaningful and relevant areas of psychological research. (PsycINFO Database Record, ((c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).)

The introduction to this special issue on psychological research involving big data summarizes the highlights of 10 articles that address a number of important and inspiring perspectives, issues, and applications. Four common themes that emerge in the articles with respect to psychological research conducted in the area of big data are mentioned, including: (a) The benefits of collaboration across disciplines, such as those in the social sciences, applied statistics, and computer science. Doing so assists in grounding big data research in sound theory and practice, as well as in affording effective data retrieval and analysis. (b) Availability of large data sets on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites that provide a psychological window into the attitudes and behaviors of a broad spectrum of the population. (c) Identifying, addressing, and being sensitive to ethical considerations when analyzing large data sets gained from public or private sources. (d) The unavoidable necessity of validating predictive models in big data by applying a model developed on 1 dataset to a separate set of data or hold-out sample. Translational abstracts that summarize the articles in very clear and understandable terms are included in Appendix A, and a glossary of terms relevant to big data research discussed in the articles is presented in Appendix B. (PsycINFO Database Record, ((c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).)

Four studies were conducted to develop and validate the Sexual Assertiveness Scale (SAS), a measure of sexual assertiveness in women that consists of factors measuring initiation, refusal, and pregnancy-sexually transmitted disease prevention assertiveness. A total of 1,613 women from both university and community populations were studied. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that the 3 factors remained stable across samples of university and community women. A structural model was tested in 2 samples, indicating that sexual experience, anticipated negative partner response, and self-efficacy are consistent predictors of sexual assertiveness. Sexual assertiveness was found to be somewhat related to relationship satisfaction, power, and length. The community sample was retested after 6 months and 1 year to establish test-retest reliability. The SAS provides a reliable instrument for assessing and understanding women's sexual assertiveness.

Throughout history, alcohol and other drugs have been used to provide relief in times of stress and frustration. Research has confirmed this association between disruptive life change events and substance use. It was hypothesized that two psychological constructs facilitate and mediate this relation between stress and substance use. Uncontrollable stress (negative life change events) was assumed to create a sense of loss of control, which in turn engendered a decreased level of meaning in life. This meaninglessness in life, experienced as distressful and uncomfortable, is then treated or medicated with various drug substances. This theoretical sequential model was tested in two separate studies with independent samples of adolescents (one sample collected by the Rutgers University and the other collected by the University of California, Los Angeles [UCLA]) using latent variable structural models. The Rutgers sample was cross-sectional, whereas the UCLA sample provided longitudinal data. Results supported the theoretical hypothesis that Perceived Loss of Control and Meaninglessness mediate the relation between Uncontrollable Stress and Substance Use. In the Rutgers data, the association between stress and drug use was clearly accounted for by the mediating constructs; in other words, no direct path was necessary to explain the relation between stress and general drug use. However, in the UCLA data there remained a direct influence of Uncontrollable Stress on Substance Use after accounting for the significant impact of the mediating constructs. Five other competing models were tested; four were rejected empirically, and the other was accepted, although it was less theoretically based than the mediational model.