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Objectives: This study examined the factorial invariance of the factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC‐V) across the UK, US and Australia & New Zealand (A&NZ). The factorial equivalence of cognitive assessments should be demonstrated before assuming cross‐culture generalizability and interpretations of score comparisons. Methods: Data were obtained from the UK, US and A&NZ normative standardizations of the WISC‐V. The samples consisted of 415 UK, 2200 US and 528 A&NZ children, aged 6–16. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied separately in each sample to establish the baseline model. Next, tests of factorial invariance were undertaken using the recommended hierarchical approach, firstly across the UK and A&NZ samples and then across the UK and US samples. Results: The five‐factor first‐order scoring model was found to be excellent fit across all three samples independently. Strict factorial invariance of the WISC‐V was demonstrated firstly across the UK and A&NZ and secondly the UK and US nationally representative standardization samples. Comparison of latent means found small but significant differences in female children across the UK and A&NZ samples. Conclusions: Consistent with previous research, these results demonstrate the generality of the WISC‐V factor structure across the UK, US and A&NZ. Furthermore, as the WISC‐V factor structure aligns with the Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC) model of cognitive abilities, the results add further support to the cross‐cultural generalizability of the CHC model. Small but significant differences in latent factor scores found across samples support the development and use of local normative data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traits of the dark triad (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) capture the individual differences in the aversive personality. The dark triad has shown significant relations with behaviors that affect people's lives. One of the best-known instruments to assess the dark triad is the Dirty Dozen. However, controversy continues over the use of one general dark triad score or, conversely, three different scores. This study aimed to investigate the factor structure of the Dirty Dozen across eight global regions. There were 11,477 participants in 49 countries grouped into eight regions. Different factor structures were studied using confirmatory factor analyses. Both the three-dimensional models and the bifactor models (symmetrical or traditional and non-symmetrical or bifactor-[S – 1]) showed a good fit to the data. The bifactor-(S – 1) models (with psychopathy or Machiavellianism as the reference factors) show adequate fit to the data, supported by the coherence of the factorial loadings and the bifactor indices. Regarding measurement invariance for both models, configural, metric, and scalar invariance were satisfied. The results indicate that it is not clear whether a psychopathy or Machiavellianism reference factor predominates in the Dirty Dozen. For both models, templates are provided to obtain standardized scores for applied researchers in the eight studied world regions until future studies offer a greater amount of validity evidence for this instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Retrospective harmonisation of data obtained through different instruments creates measurement error, even if the underlying concepts are assumed the same. We tested a novel method for item‐level data harmonisation of two widely used instruments that measure emotional and behavioural problems: the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Methods: Item content of the CBCL and SDQ was mapped onto four dimensions: emotional problems, peer relationship problems, hyperactivity/inattention and conduct problems. A diverse test sample was drawn from four prospective longitudinal birth cohort studies in Australia and Europe who used one or both instruments. The pooled sample included 5188 data points assessing children and adolescents aged 6–13 years (N = 257–704 participants per cohort). Measurement invariance was assessed using latent variable multi‐group confirmatory factor analysis. Results: Fifteen items from the CBCL and SDQ were mapped onto four dimensions allowing for measurement invariance testing as part of a stepwise process. Partial strict invariance between CBCL and SDQ assessments was established for all four dimensions. Conclusions: The harmonised dimensions of emotional, peer relationship, hyperactivity/inattention and conduct problems are invariant across the CBCL and SDQ suggesting that these dimensions can be reliably compared with limited measurement error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement invariance underlies construct validity generalization in psychology and must be demonstrated prior to any cross-population comparison of means and validity correlations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the measurement invariance of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fifth Edition (WISC-V) across Australia and New Zealand (A&NZ) versus the U.S. normative samples. The WISC-V is the most widely used assessment of intelligence in children. Participants were census matched, nationally representative samples from A&NZ (n = 528) and the United States (n = 2,200) who completed the WISC-V standardization version. Baseline model estimation was conducted to ensure the same model showed acceptable fit in both samples separately. Measurement invariance was then examined across A&NZ and United States. The five-factor scoring model described in the test manual showed excellent fit in both samples. Results showed that the WISC-V demonstrated strict metric measurement invariance across the A&NZ and U.S. samples. Further, the results were consistent with the Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC) framework of cognitive abilities, indicating the generalizability of cognitive abilities across cultures. Small but significant differences in visual spatial latent means were found across females, highlighting the importance of local normative data. These findings suggest that the WISC-V scores can be meaningfully compared across A&NZ and United States and that the constructs, which align with CHC theory, and associated construct validity research, generalize across countries. Public Significance Statement: This study examined the generalizability of the WISC-V, the most widely used intelligence test for children, across nationally representative samples from A&NZ and the United States. The results suggest that WISC-V scores can be meaningfully compared across A&NZ and U.S. children and that the psychological constructs measured by the WISC-V generalize across countries. However, small mean score differences highlight the importance of local normative data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to validate adapted versions of the Glasgow Anxiety Scale for people with Intellectual Disabilities (GAS-ID) simultaneously developed in English and French. A sample of 361 youth with mild to moderate intellectual disability (ID) (M = 15.78 years) from Australia (English-speaking) and Canada (French-speaking) participated in this study. The results supported the factor validity and reliability, measurement invariance (between English and French versions), a lack of differential items functioning (as a function of youth's age and ID level, but not sex in the English-Australian sample), temporal stability (over one year interval), and convergent validity (with global self-esteem and school loneliness) of a bi-factor exploratory structural equation modeling representation of the GAS-ID. The present study supports the psychometric properties of the English-Australian and French-Canadian versions of the adapted GAS-ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To validate a version of the Motives for Physical Activity Measure (MPAM) adapted for youth with intellectual disabilities (ID). A sample of 359 youth with mild to moderate ID from Australia and Canada respectively completed English and French versions of the MPAM-ID. Exploratory structural equation models supported the validity and reliability of the five-factor structure of the MPAM-ID, as well as the weak, latent variance-covariance, and latent mean invariance across linguistic versions. Additional results supported the partial strong and strict invariance of most MPAM-ID items across linguistic versions. The results also supported the complete measurement invariance of the MPAM-ID over time and revealed a lack of differential item functioning (DIF) as a function of youth's age, body-mass index (BMI), ID level, and frequency of sport involvement (FSI). However, partial DIF was found as a function of youth's sex. Additionally, latent mean differences in MPAM-ID's factors were found as a function of youth's ID level, sex, and FSI. Finally, results supported the convergent validity of the MPAM-ID factors with a measure of perceived physical abilities. The MPAM-ID can be used among English- and French-speaking youth with ID irrespective of their age, BMI, ID level, sex, and FSI. We propose English and French adaptations of the Motives for Physical Activity Measure for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities (MPAM-ID). The MPAM-ID was able to identify the same motives as the original measure. The MPAM-ID will facilitate the assessment of motives for physical Activity in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. The MPAM-ID will facilitate the assessment of motives for physical Activity among English- and French-speaking youth with ID. The MPAM-ID could be used to compare youth motives for physical Activity as a function of their age, body-mass index, ID level, and frequency of sport involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the reading skills items of the PISA 2018 at test and item level. Another aim of the study is to determine the item bias for items that do not show cross-cultural measurement invariance in line with expert opinions. A survey model was used in the study. The study sample consisted of a total of 3192 students who answered the questions of the Rapa Nui unit of reading skills test from Australia, China, and Turkey samples. Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted to examine the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the one-dimensional factor structure of the Rapa Nui unit. Item Response Theory Likelihood Ratio Test, Mantel Haenszel, Simultaneous Item Bias Test and Logistic Regression were used to investigate test items for Differential Item Functioning (DIF). As a result, the Rapa Nui unit of PISA 2018 showed only structural invariance according to countries in this study. The majority of the items showing differential item functioning were obtained from the comparison of Turkey and China. According to Australia-China and Australia-Turkey comparisons, five out of seven items were identified as showing DIF As a result of the bias study based on expert opinions, it was concluded that the items showed a bias in terms of the familiarity of a culture group with the content of the items, translation, the use of expressions in the item in different meanings, item format, and features measured by the item. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Emotional Availability Scales (EAS) are the most widely reported observational assessment measure of parent–child relationships and has been of particular interest in understanding differences between samples of depressed and nondepressed mothers and their offspring. Despite its widespread use, psychometric validation of the factor structure in normative samples and the measurement of invariance within clinical samples has not been published. We evaluated the internal structure (dimensionality, reliability, convergent, and discriminant validity) of the EAS fourth edition using a nondepressed sample of 157 Australian women and their infants aged 6 months, including testing the measurement invariance of the EAS between the same nondepressed sample (n = 157), and a depressed group (n = 185) of mother–infant dyads, using MPlus. Participants were recruited from tertiary hospitals, and depression status was established using a diagnostic measure. Higher-order confirmatory factor analyses on the EAS' six dimensions supported a unidimensional factor solution in our data. Full measurement invariance was not demonstrated due to metric noninvariance of the maternal nonintrusiveness and child responsiveness dimensions. Full scalar invariance supported mean comparisons, and a medium effect of.78SD lower mean emotional availability for the depressed group was found; Cohen's d =.63, 95% CI [.41,.85]. While arguments exist for the clinical utility of differentiating between multiple dimensions of emotional availability, the current findings do not support a multidimensional factor structure or full multigroup measurement invariance of the EAS. Similar psychometric investigations of the EAS in clinical and nonclinical samples are needed. Public Significance Statement: This study reports new validity evidence relating to the Emotional Availability Scales, the most popular observational measure of parent–child relationships. Results challenged the emotional availability theory, underscoring the importance of empirical validations of assessment measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filial piety is a Confucian concept derived from Chinese culture, which advocates a set of moral norms, values, and practices of respect and caring for one's parents. According to the dual-factor model of filial piety, reciprocal and authoritarian filial piety are two dimensions of filial piety. Reciprocal filial piety is concerned with sincere affection toward one's parent and a longstanding positive parent-child relationship, while authoritarian filial piety is about obedience to social obligations to one's parent, often by suppressing one's own wishes to conform the demands of the parent. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the moderating effect of culture on the relationships between filial piety and palliative care knowledge. The secondary aim is to investigate whether filial piety is a universal construct across Singaporean and Australian cultures. A total of 508 participants living in Singapore and Australia were surveyed between May and October 2020. The final sample comprised of 406 participants, with 224 Singaporeans and 182 Australians. There were 289 females (71.1%), 115 males (28.3%), and two unspecified gender (0.6%) in the sample, with an average age of 27.27 years (SD = 9.79, range = 18–73). Results indicated a significant effect of culture on authoritarian filial piety and palliative care knowledge. Singaporeans showed higher authoritarian filial piety and higher palliative care knowledge than Australians. However, no effect of culture was found on reciprocal filial piety. Overall, no significant correlation existed between palliative care knowledge and reciprocal filial piety and authoritarian filial piety. For Singaporeans, a weak negative correlation was found between palliative care knowledge and authoritarian filial piety. In contrast, Australians and Singaporeans indicated a positive, moderate correlation between reciprocal and authoritarian filial piety. Further, culture moderated the relationship between authoritarian filial piety and palliative care knowledge. High authoritarian filial piety was associated with increased palliative care knowledge among Australians, while high authoritarian filial piety was associated with decreased palliative care knowledge among Singaporeans. The results support the conceptualization of filial piety as a possible psychological universal construct. In addition, the results point out an important implication that public health programs should target the appropriate filial piety types to enhance palliative care knowledge among Singaporeans and Australians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilized international, large-scale assessment data to compare science motivational beliefs of adolescents within and between countries and genders. The study focused on the beliefs about science of eighth graders, including their self-concept in science, the intrinsic value they ascribed to science, and their beliefs about the utility of the subject. The study data were derived from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study in 2019 (TIMSS) that was conducted in Taiwan, Australia, and the United States. To ensure the validity of mean cross-group comparisons, the measurement invariance (MI) of the constructs was first assessed. The multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis and latent factor mean comparisons were applied to the data. The results indicated that the MI of science motivational beliefs across the three countries attained only metric invariance, rendering a latent mean comparison implausible. However, the cross-gender MI within each country attained scalar invariance, supporting the comparison of means across genders. The science motivational beliefs of females were significantly lower than those of males, with the exception of beliefs of US students about their utility value. The findings of this study raise concerns about the validity of current international comparisons of science motivational beliefs of the students while supporting the use of TIMSS data to identify gender differences in science motivation within each country. The implications of MI across countries and genders are discussed, and the importance of establishing MI is highlighted. The findings affirm that gender disparities in science motivational beliefs can be compared using constructs with sound psychometric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With efforts increasing worldwide to understand and treat paranoia, there is a pressing need for cross-culturally valid assessments of paranoid beliefs. The recently developed Revised Green et al., Paranoid Thoughts Scale (R-GPTS) constitutes an easy to administer self-report assessment of mild ideas of reference and more severe persecutory thoughts. Moreover, it comes with clinical cut-offs for increased usability in research and clinical practice. With multiple translations of the R-GPTS already available and in use, a formal test of its measurement invariance is now needed., Methods: Using data from a multinational cross-sectional online survey in the UK, USA, Australia, Germany, and Hong Kong ( N = 2510), we performed confirmatory factory analyses on the R-GPTS and tested for measurement invariance across sites., Results: We found sufficient fit for the two-factor structure (ideas of reference, persecutory thoughts) of the R-GPTS across cultures. Measurement invariance was found for the persecutory thoughts subscale, indicating that it does measure the same construct across the tested samples in the same way. For ideas of reference, we found no scalar invariance, which was traced back to (mostly higher) item intercepts in the Hong Kong sample., Conclusion: We found sufficient invariance for the persecutory thoughts scale, which is of substantial practical importance, as it is used for the screening of clinical paranoia. A direct comparison of the ideas of reference sum-scores between cultures, however, may lead to an over-estimation of these milder forms of paranoia in some (non-western) cultures.

Purpose: This paper empirically addresses the question of whether the meaning of ethical leadership is constant across cultures. Drawing on the implicit leadership theory (ILT), we examine whether people in Australia and Pakistan respond to perceived ethical leadership in a similar or different manner. By comparing employees' interpretation of the key attributes associated with ethical leadership, we advance construct-specific knowledge in cross-national contexts. Design/methodology/approach: Since meaningful cross-country comparisons of a research construct require an equivalent measurement of it, we examine the issue of cross-cultural measurement invariance of ethical leadership. Specifically, this study explores the configural, metric and scalar invariance of ethical leadership by obtaining data from matched international samples. Findings: The findings broadly support cross-cultural generalisability of the construct's meaning and cross-cultural transferability of the ethical leadership scale (ELS). They suggest that measures of ethical leadership constructs should be used in different cultures with caution because significant differences may exist at the item level. Originality/value: This study provides cross-cultural endorsement to the construal of ethical leadership by presenting evidence that supports convergence in the construct's meaning across Eastern and Western cultures. The study has enhanced the construct validity of ethical leadership through the use of the refined multiple-sample analytical approach. Previous studies have assumed that measures of ethical leadership are invariant across various contexts. However, this is the first study to employ a robust methodological technique (metric and path invariance) that demonstrates the significant difference between each item and path and generalises the validity of ethical leadership construct and its measures by using international samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Australia, the stress levels have increased over the years, impacting on the physical and mental health of the general population. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the PSS-14 in an Australian population.Methods: The PSS-14 was applied to a large national sample comprising 3857 Australians in the population-based cross-sectional study Australia's National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004-2006. The psychometric properties analyzed with the Rasch model and Graphical Log-linear Rasch models were: model fit, item fit, local dependence, differential item functioning, unidimensionality, reliability, targeting and criterion validity.Results: The PSS-14 did not fit the pure RM (χ2 (55) = 3828.3, p = < 0.001) and the unidimensionality of the whole scale was rejected (p = < 0.001). The Perceived Stress (χ2 (27) = 1409.7, p = < 0.001) and Perceived Control (χ2 (27) = 713.4, p = < 0.001) subscales did not fit the pure RM. After the deletion of two items, the Perceived Stress subscale (χ2 (96) = 94.4, p = 0.440) fitted a GLLRM, while the Perceived Control scale (χ2 (55) = 62.50, p = 0.224) fitted a GLLRM after the exclusion of four misfitting items.Conclusions: The Perceived Stress subscale displayed adequate psychometric properties after the deletion of two items; however, the majority of problems centered around the Perceived Control subscale. The presence of differential item functioning among four items indicates that adjustment of total scores is required to avoid measurement bias. Recommendations for future applications in Australia are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent decades have brought growing interest in understanding and measuring psychological well-being. Although multiple measures of well-being exist, most were developed with Western populations. The current study tested the factor structure of a Chinese translation of the engagement, perseverance, optimism, connectedness and happiness (EPOCH) Measure of Adolescent Well-Being with 3,629 Chinese students (1,980 males, 1,649 females), and tested measurement invariance. The five-factor structure of the model was supported, and the model was invariant across age and gender. Combined with data from 2,041 American and 1,057 Australian adolescents, measurement invariance across cultures was supported for factor loadings but not intercepts or residuals. Results suggest that the factor structure is adequate across cultures, but the mean scores should not be directly compared. The findings support the EPOCH measure as an adequate scale, raise questions about different modeling decisions, and inform culturally sensitive approaches to comparing positive psychological variables across cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparison of subjective well-being scores across countries is increasingly being used as an indicator of societal progress. In this study we examined measurement invariance for the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI), which measures subjective well-being, across Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. The sample included a total of 5275 adult participants. Initially, the single-factor model of the PWI showed an adequate fit to the data only in Australia. Due to a poor fit in the remaining three countries we decided to test the single-factor structure on an abbreviated version of the scale. In order to shorten the PWI, we excluded two items (satisfactions with community-connectedness and future security) which demonstrated the lowest unique value in predicting global life satisfaction. The single-factor structure of the 5-item PWI (PWI-5) was supported in all four countries. Measurement invariance testing supported the partial scalar invariance of the PWI-5, thus allowing for latent mean comparisons. Latent mean analysis indicated higher life satisfaction in Australia, as compared with the other three countries. The PWI-5 correlated highly with the full scale. These findings suggest that the 5-item version of the PWI may be more suitable for cross-cultural comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measures of body dysmorphic disorder symptoms have received little psychometric evaluation in adolescent samples. This study aimed to examine cross-sex measurement invariance in the Body Image Questionnaire–Child and Adolescent version (BIQ-C) to establish whether observed sex differences in total scores may be meaningful or due to differences in measurement properties. A sample of 3,057 Australian high school students completed the initial screening item of the measure (63.2% male, Mage = 14.58 years, SD = 1.37, range = 12-18 years). Of these participants, 1,512 (49.5%) reported appearance concerns and thus completed the full measure. Partial scalar measurement invariance was established among a revised two-factor, 9-item version of the BIQ-C (BIQ-C-9). Females reported significantly greater latent factor variance, higher BIQ-C-9 total and factor scores, and higher scores on most individual BIQ-C-9 items. The measure can be used with caution to compare body dysmorphic disorder symptoms between male and female adolescents, though sex-specific cutoff scores should be used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Determine whether feeding practices across mothers and fathers are interpreted and measured with equivalent accuracy (measurement invariance) using the Feeding Practices and Structure Questionnaire-28 (FPSQ-28).Design: Cross-sectional hard-copy and online survey design; Setting: Socioeconomically disadvantaged community in Queensland, Australia.Participants: Mothers (n = 279) and fathers (n = 225) of 2- to 5-year old children.Variables Measured: Parental feeding practices were measured using the 7 multi-item factors from the FPSQ-28.Analysis: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to evaluate the factor structure of the FPSQ-28 among mothers and fathers from a socioeconomically disadvantaged community. Measurement invariance between mothers and fathers was examined using hierarchical multi-group CFAs.Results: The 7-factor FPSQ-28 model showed good fit and was invariant across parent gender.Conclusions and Implications: The FPSQ-28 subscales appear to be interpreted equivalently, and thus to measure the same constructs, irrespective of the gender of the parents. The questionnaire can be used to measure or compare mothers' and fathers' self-reported feeding practices and examine influence on child health outcomes. In the current sample of mothers and fathers recruited from a socioeconomically disadvantaged community, mothers used more 'covert restriction' than fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective and background: The 10-item Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) has recently been endorsed by international expert consensus for global use as the birth satisfaction outcome measure of choice. English-language versions of the tool include validated UK and US versions; however, the instrument has not, to date, been contextualised and validated in an Australian English-language version. The current investigation sought to develop and validate an English-language version of the tool for use within the Australian context. Methods: A two-stage study. Following review and modification by expert panel, the Australian BSS-R (A-BSS-R) was (Stage 1) evaluated for factor structure, internal consistency, known-groups discriminant validity and divergent validity. Stage 2 directly compared the A-BSS-R data set with the original UK data set to determine the invariance characteristics of the new instrument. Participants were a purposive sample of Australian postnatal women (n = 198). Results: The A-BSS-R offered a good fit to data consistent with the BSS-R tridimensional measurement model and was found to be conceptually and measurement equivalent to the UK version. The A-BSS-R demonstrated excellent known-groups discriminant validity, generally good divergent validity and overall good internal consistency. Conclusion: The A-BSS-R represents a robust and valid measure of the birth satisfaction concept suitable for use within Australia and appropriate for application to International comparative studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The short version of the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS-S:S) is a self-report measure used to identify symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) during adulthood. However, its psychometric properties specifically in emerging adults, or the transitional age group between adolescence and adulthood, remain understudied. This study aimed to validate the factor structure of the CAARS-S:S in a sample of emerging adults., Method: The CAARS-S:S measure was completed by adults (n = 591) aged 18 to 29 located in English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada and the United States. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test a four-factor model of Inattention/Memory Problems, Hyperactivity/Restlessness, Impulsivity/Emotional Lability and Problems with Self-Concept, as well as the model's invariance by sex. Sex was also included as a covariate in the model to examine differences in males' and females' scores on each factor., Results: Overall, the four-factor structure fit the data and was invariant across males and females. All factors demonstrated high internal reliability (average ω t and α = .86). It was observed that males tended to score higher on Inattention/Memory Problems while females scored higher on Problems with Self-Concept., Conclusion: This research establishes the psychometric properties of the CAARS-S:S, placing greater confidence in using it to screen for ADHD symptoms in emerging adults living in a Westernized cultural context. The detailed findings of this research, implications for the use of the CAARS-S:S in this age group and potential future directions for examining the properties of the measure are discussed.

Gambling help services typically evaluate treatment outcomes using self-reported responses and measurements. However, gamblers' conceptualisations and prioritisations with respect to these measurements may shift over time. Thus, changes in the self-reported responses may not always reflect true change in the individuals. This study investigated for response shift in self-report measures of psychological distress and impairment in 293 help-seeking problem gamblers. We used confirmatory factor analysis to model data structures from pre-treatment to post-treatment. The findings indicated that a response shift had occurred. Two items became less important and one item became more important in measuring psychological distress. Measurement invariance was achieved for the complete set of items for impairment. These findings provide a more in-depth understanding of the nature of self-report outcomes in otherwise routinely collected data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the construct validity of the Self-Description Questionnaire II (SDQII) have not compared the factor structure between the English and Chinese versions of the SDQII. By using rigorous multiple group comparison procedures based upon confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of measurement invariance, the present study examined the responses of Australian high school students (N = 302) and Chinese high school students (N = 322) using the English and Chinese versions of the SDQII, respectively. CFA provided strong evidence that the factor structure (factor loading and item intercept) of the Chinese version of the SDQII in comparison to responses to the English version of the SDQII is invariant, therefore it allows researchers to confidently utilize both the English and Chinese versions of the SDQII with Chinese and Australian samples separately and cross-culturally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the nature of the life satisfaction construct with an emphasis on the comparison between a global or domain-specific operationalization during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. A combination of person-centered and variable-centered methods were used to analyze 7 waves of data covering the postschool transition from a sample of 24,721 youth participating in Longitudinal Study of Australian Youth (LSAY) between 1998 and 2010. Evidence for the increasing importance of a domain-specific approach as adolescents entered adulthood was provided by: (1) factor analyses identifying a 3-factor model covering achievement, family, and leisure satisfaction that proved invariant across time waves; (2) factor mixture analyses showing shape-related differences between profiles (i.e., within-profile differences between domains) that increased as young people moved into adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Explores the validity of the five-item parental adjustment scale, a subscale of the previously validated Parenting and Family Adjustment Scales., Aim: The aim was to assess the factor structure and convergent validity of a measure of parental adjustment within parents of typically developing children and parents of childiren with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities., Methods and Procedures: Cross-sectional survey data was analysed from Australian parents of children aged 2-12 years who were typically developing children (N = 683) and had developmental and/or intellectual disabilities (N = 756). Confirmatory factor analyses and multi-group structural equation modelling examined if the factor structure performed similarly across the two populations. Convergent validity was assessed., Outcomes and Results: The confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesised one-factor structure for the parental adjustment scale in both populations. Partial measurement invariance confirmed that the scale was structurally consistent within both parent groups. The convergent validity was supported by significant correlations with the DASS-21 in the disability population and the K10 in the typically developing population., Conclusions and Implications: This brief, easily administered, five-item scale demonstrates strong potential in assessing parental adjustment, within both parents of typically developing children and parents of children with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A growing literature supports the expansion of mental health assessment to include indicators of mental wellbeing; however, the concurrent use of measures of wellbeing and distress introduces potential sources of measurement error. The current study examines whether the mental health continuum short form is invariant to the level of participants' psychological distress. Measurement invariance testing was conducted within an Australian population ( n = 8406) who participated in an online survey. The depression anxiety stress scale was used to construct a non-distressed group ( n = 6420) and a severe-distress group ( n = 1968). Results showed that metric invariance was not observed, as item loadings on the latent variables were significantly different between the groups. This signifies that wellbeing items may be interpreted and valued differently by distressed and non-distressed individuals. Metric non-invariance indicates that total and subscale scores may not be equivalent, and caution is required when making comparisons between these groups.

This study uses confirmatory factor analysis procedures to examine the factor structure of the mother and father versions of the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ) and their measurement invariance across ratings provided by 314 Australian adults and 509 adults in the United States. The adult version of the PARQ is a 60-item self-report instrument designed to measure adults’ perceptions of maternal and paternal acceptance-rejection during childhood. The questionnaire contains four scales measuring warmth/ affection, hostility/aggression, indifference/neglect, and undifferentiated rejection. Results of analyses support the proposed four-factor model. All but six items in the father version and all items in the mother version show invariance across the two national groups. Overall, the results indicate support for the factorial model of the PARQ, as well as measurement equivalence across the national groups tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A psychological measurement model provides an explicit definition of (a) the theoretical and (b) the numerical relationships between observed scores and the latent variables that underlie the observed scores. Examination of the metric invariance of a measurement model involves testing the hypothesis that all components of the model relating observed scores to latent variables are equal across groups. The assumption of metric invariance is necessary for simple interpretation of scores. Establishing metric invariance also has implications for interpretation of convergent and divergent validity and patterns of deficit or disability. In this study the equivalence of the measurement model derived from the U.S. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Ill standardization sample was compared with a heterogeneous neurosciences sample in Australia. A pattern of strict metric invariance was observed across samples. These results provide evidence of the generality of the model underlying measurement of cognitive abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine measurement invariance of the Subjective Happiness Scale across countries, gender, and age groups and across time by multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. Altogether, 4,977 participants from nine European, American, and Australian countries were included in the study. Our results revealed that both configural and metric invariance held across countries, but scalar invariance was only partially confirmed with one item yielding varying intercepts in different countries. Measurement invariance was also confirmed across gender and age groups. Longitudinal measurement invariance was examined on a subsample of 478 English-speaking participants and was fully confirmed across five consecutive assessment points. Factor means were compared between groups and across time, and good convergent validity of the Subjective Happiness Scale was found in relation to a measure of temporal satisfaction with life. Overall, our results demonstrate that self-reported happiness was measured similarly in nine different countries, gender and age groups and over time, and provide a solid foundation for meaningful cross-group and cross-time comparisons in subjective happiness.

Background: The Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) is a measure of subjective well-being and assesses eudemonic and hedonic aspects of well-being. However, differential scoring of the WEMWBS across gender and its precision of measurement has not been examined. The present study assesses the psychometric properties of the WEMWBS using measurement invariance (MI) between males and females and item response theory (IRT) analyses., Method: A community sample of 386 adults from the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada were assessed online (N = 394, 54.8% men, 43.1% women, M age  = 27.48, SD = 5.57)., Results: MI analyses observed invariance across males and females at the configural level and metric level but non-invariance at the scalar level. The graded response model (GRM) conducted to observe item properties indicated that all items demonstrated, although variable, sufficient discrimination capacity., Conclusions: Gender comparisons based on WEMWBS scores should be cautiously interpreted for specific items that demonstrate different scalar scales and similar scores indicate different severity. The items showed increased reliability for latent levels of ∓ 2 SD from the mean level of SWB. The WEMWBS may also not perform well for clinically low and high levels of SWB. Including assessments for clinical cases may optimise the use of the WEMWBS., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Adolescent Peer Relations Instrument-Bully/Target (APRI-BT) is a multidimensional scale designed to assess bullying involvement both as target and perpetrator. Although existing research has shown that the APRI-BT satisfies the assumption of measurement invariance across age and gender, these findings come from western individualistic countries (e.g., Australia). This study aimed to investigate the factorial structure and measurement invariance across age, gender, and clinical status in a sample of Romanian youths. Participants were 1,024 adolescents, 10 to 18 years, recruited from both community and clinical setting. Our results confirmed a six first-order factor structure and two second-order factors (Bully including Bullying Physical, Bullying Verbal, Bullying Social and Victimization including Physical Victimization, Verbal Victimization, Social Victimization). In addition, measurement invariance across age, gender, and clinical status was demonstrated. This study identifies APRI-BT as an instrument with solid psychometric proprieties for measuring bullying and victimization among preadolescents and adolescents.

The objective of the present study was to validate a version of the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ) adapted for youth with intellectual disabilities (ID). A sample of 362 youth with mild to moderate ID (61.0% boys, M = 15.80 years) from Australia (N = 240) and Canada (N = 122) respectively completed English and French versions of the TEOSQ-ID twice over a one-year interval. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the validity and reliability of the a priori two-factor structure of the TEOSQ-ID, as well as the weak, strict, and latent variance-covariance invariance of this factor structure across linguistic versions. The results also supported the strong invariance of a majority of the TEOSQ-ID items across linguistic versions, and revealed latent mean differences showing that English-Australian youth tended to score lower on the TEOSQ-ID factors than French-Canadian respondents. The results also supported the measurement invariance of the TEOSQ-ID over time, and revealed a lack of differential item functioning (i.e., measurement bias) as a function of youth's age, body-mass index, ID level, sex, and frequency of sport involvement. Meaningful latent mean level differences were observed on the TEOSQ-ID factors in relation to body-mass index, ID level, and frequency of sport involvement. Finally, our results supported the convergent validity of the ego and task factors in relation to a measure of perceived physical abilities. • The Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire was adapted. • The factor structure was supported among youth with intellectual disabilities (ID). • Higher Body Mass Index is positively related to ego motivation orientation. • Youth with moderate ID present higher ego and task motivation orientations. • Youth involved in sport present higher ego and task motivation orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study considers a measure of positive body image, the Body Appreciation Scale-2, which assesses acceptance and/or favourable opinions towards the body (BAS-2). Potential variations of the psychometric properties of the scale across males and females, as well as across its different items invite for further investigation. The present study contributes to this area of knowledge via the employment of gender Measurement Invariance (MI) and Item Response Theory (IRT) analyses., Methods: A group of 386 adults from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America (USA) were assessed online (N = 394, 54.8% men, 43.1% women, M age  = 27.48; SD = 5.57)., Results: MI analyses observed invariance across males and females at the configural level, and non-invariance at the metric level. Further, the graded response model employed to observe IRT properties indicated that all items demonstrated, although variable, strong discrimination capacity., Conclusions: The items showed increased reliability for latent levels of ∓ 2 SD from the mean level of Body Appreciation (BA). Gender comparisons based on BAS-2 should be cautiously interpreted for selected items, due to demonstrating different metric scales and same scores indicating different severity. The BAS-2 may also not perform well for clinically low and high BA levels. Thus, it should optimally be accompanied by clinical interviews for formal assessment in such cases., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

This study examined the measurement invariance of three scales that assessed emotional eating, restrained eating, and intuitive eating across eight countries (Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Italy, Japan, Spain and the United States) in order to determine their suitability for cross-country body image research. A total of 6272 young adults took part in this study. Participants completed an online survey including the Emotional Eating subscale of the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire-Revised 21, the Restraint subscale of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, and the Reliance on Hunger and Satiety Cues subscale of The Intuitive Eating Scale-2. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate potential cross-country differences in functioning of the measures. Partial invariance for all three scales was found, with only minor levels of non-invariance identified. Multiple indicator multiple cause models identified BMI and gender as potential influences on scores for these measures. Sources of invariance across groups are discussed, as well as implications for further substantive research across countries involving these measures., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors reported no declarations of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aims: To determine if the Partners in Health scale, pertinent to assessing patient chronic condition self-management, operates equivalently for men and women., Background: There are distinct gender-based differences in self-management behaviours and health perceptions. This may introduce non-invariance in self-report measures. Testing of measurement invariance is a recommended practice in nursing science to ensure robust metrics., Design: A representative cross-sectional population survey in South Australian., Method: In 2014, 940 people responded to the South Australian Health Omnibus Survey, a battery of health-related questions. MI and estimation of heterogeneity was tested using Bayesian confirmatory factor analysis., Results: Findings showed self-management constructs were interpreted equivalently between men and women. Observed population heterogeneity associated lower education levels with poorer illness and treatment knowledge, smokers with poorer treatment partnerships and mental health problems with lower coping capacity., Conclusion: Approximate measurement invariance was achieved between men and women for Partners in Health scale., Impact: There is a lack of well-validated generic instruments, including investigation into gender variability, for measuring chronic condition self-management behaviours. Lower education levels were found to connect with poorer knowledge of health condition and treatment. Mental health problems attenuated ability to cope with the effect of the condition. Findings can facilitate the development of better tailored interventions for self-management of patients' chronic condition/s., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To validate the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) in earlier and later older-adulthood, and examine its correlates., Method: Participants in earlier ( n = 341, M age = 68.5) and later older-adulthood ( n = 341, M age = 78.6) completed the MLQ and other measures. Confirmatory multigroup analysis, correlations, and regression models were conducted., Results: A two-factor (presence and search), eight-item model of the MLQ had a good fit and was age-invariant. Presence and search for meaning were largely unrelated. Meaning was associated with life satisfaction, well-being across a range of domains, and psychological resources. Searching for meaning correlated negatively with these variables, but to a lesser degree in later older-adulthood., Discussion: The MLQ is valid in older-adulthood. Meaning in life is psychologically adaptive in older-adulthood. Searching for meaning appears less important, especially in later older-adulthood. Findings are discussed in the context of aging and psychosocial development.

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale is the most widely used measure for screening for depression in perinatal populations. A weakness is that the factor structure of the scale is inconsistent across studies. It is unclear the degree to which this inconsistency results from variability arising from the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The present study aimed to determine whether the EPDS factor structure remained stable in the same individuals reporting on their levels of distress across two testing occasions. Data were analysed for 636 postpartum inpatient females who were administered the EPDS at admission and discharge from a psychiatric mother and baby unit. Exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were conducted separately on the admission and discharge data to determine the optimal factor structure at each time point. The EFAs and CFAs supported a two-factor model at admission and a three-factor model at discharge. Given that the EPDS did not demonstrate an invariant number of factors, no further tests of measurement invariance were conducted. The EPDS does not appear to be invariant from admission to discharge. These findings suggest that individuals may respond differently to items depending on their level of distress. Potential implications for the EPDS in terms of comparability of scores across groups/time and its screening abilities are discussed.

Background: The prevalence of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is frequently higher in younger age groups and people with other anxiety or mood disorders; however, it is unclear whether these groups have a higher risk for developing SAD or are simply more likely to endorse diagnostic criteria than other people with similar levels of social anxiety. Explicitly testing the assumption all people respond to structured diagnostic interviews in comparable ways (measurement invariance) is essential in ensuring systematic response biases do not create spurious group differences. This research aims to systematically test whether age, comorbidity status, or types of social fears affect responses to a structured diagnostic interview., Design and Methods: Responses from 1755 participants in a large-scale survey of mental health in Australia screening into the social phobia/SAD section of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview were used. Three series of multigroup confirmatory factor analyses for categorical data systematically tested for increasingly strict levels of measurement invariance., Results: Overall, patterns of responding to diagnostic criteria were comparable across the groups, supporting assumptions of measurement invariance., Conclusions: Establishment of invariance supports the interpretation of differences between age, comorbidity status, and types of social situations feared as genuine differences in experience as opposed to measurement biases.