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The goal of this study was to evaluate the measurement invariance of an adapted assessment of motivations for social withdrawal ("Social Preference Scale--Revised"; SPS-R) across cultural contexts and explore associations with loneliness. Participants were a large sample of university students (N = 4,397; M[subscript age] = 20.08 years, SD = 2.96; 66% females) from 10 countries (Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, India, Italy, South Korea, Norway, Turkey, and the United States). With this cross-cultural focus, we illustrate the "multiple-group factor analysis alignment method," an approach developed to assess measurement invariance when there are several groups. Results indicated approximate measurement invariance across the 10 country groups. Additional analyses indicated that overall, shyness, avoidance, and unsociability are three related, but distinct factors, with some notable country differences evident (e.g., in China, India, and Turkey). Shyness and avoidance were related positively to loneliness in all countries, but the strength of the association between shyness and loneliness differed in Italy and India relative to the other countries. Results also indicated that unsociability was related positively to loneliness in the United States only. Theoretical and assessment implications are discussed.

Wheat varieties from Turkey, Australia and the Pacific Northwest of the US were screened for resistance to Fusarium crown rot (Fusarium pseudograminearum and Fusarium culmorum) in inoculated growth chamber studies. Fungal DNA was also quantified from the lower stems (crowns) of seedlings using quantitative PCR and crown rot scores were correlated with DNA results. There were significant differences among the varieties for crown rot severity index (p = 0.0265), crown rot score (p = 0.0003), disease index on leaf sheaths (leaf sheath score) (p = 0.0013), lesion length (p = 0.0200), and plant height (p < 0.0001). The crown rot score and plant height measurements also showed that the isolate of F. culmorum was more virulent than the isolate of F. pseudograminearum. The correlations were strongest between crown rot score and DNA levels at the second harvest, and much stronger with the isolate of F. culmorum compared to the isolate of F. pseudograminearum. Some susceptible varieties such as Seri had both a high disease score and high quantities of DNA, with both F. culmorum and F. pseudograminearum. On the other hand, varieties such as Matt, Sunco and Otis showed intermediate to high crown rot scores in response to F. culmorum, but much lower levels of DNA than Seri. 2–49, Burbot-6 and CT000161, in response to F. culmorum, showed low levels of disease and low levels of DNA. In conclusion, there were examples of varieties that were resistant and tolerant (low levels of DNA and disease), resistant and intolerant (low quantities of DNA, but higher levels of disease) and susceptible and intolerant (high quantities of DNA and disease). Quantitative PCR in combination with classical phenotyping of resistance to Fusarium crown rot may provide a tool for distinguishing resistance and tolerance in breeding efforts. • Fusarium crown rot of wheat is caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum and F. culmorum. • Resistance of varieties to Fusarium crown rot can be assessed in the greenhouse by visual symptoms. • DNA of pathogens can be quantified in the crown tissue using quantitative PCR. • The relationship between DNA and visual score is complex and not always linear. • This relationship can be explained by a resistance/susceptibility/tolerance/intolerance model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]