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With a recent surge of research on narcissism, narcissism questionnaires are increasingly being translated and applied in various countries. The measurement invariance of an instrument across countries is a precondition for being able to compare scores across countries. We investigated the cross-cultural measurement invariance of three narcissism questionnaires (Brief Pathological Narcissism Inventory [B-PNI], Narcissistic Personality Inventory [NPI], and Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire [NARQ]) and mean-level differences across samples from the United States (N = 2,464), the United Kingdom (N = 307), and Germany (N = 925). Overall, the B-PNI and NARQ functioned equivalently for the U.S. and U.K. participants. More violations of measurement invariance were found between Germany and the combined U.S. and U.K. samples, and for the NPI. In the B-PNI and NARQ, Americans scored higher than individuals from the United Kingdom regarding agentic aspects (self-sacrificing self-enhancement, admiration), while Germans scored lower than both Americans and U.K. individuals regarding antagonistic (entitlement rage, rivalry) and neurotic (hiding the self, contingent self-esteem) aspects. More inconsistent results were found for NPI facets. When noninvariance was present, observed means yielded biased results. Thus, the degree of measurement invariance across translated instrument versions should be considered in cross-cultural comparisons, even with culturally similar countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Orientation: Several generational groups are employed in the workplace today, each with distinctly different attitudes, values and work behaviours. Little is known about how generational cohorts differ in terms of psychological ownership. Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the measurement equivalence of the South African Psychological Ownership Questionnaire (SAPOS) across three generational cohorts (Baby Boomers, Generation Xers and Generation Yers). Motivation for the study: Before meaningful inferences and comparisons can be made about psychological ownership across the generational cohorts, it is essential to ensure that the psychological ownership scale measures the same trait across all three generational cohorts. Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 945 skilled respondents employed in various public and private organisations employing a multigroup confirmatory factorial analytical approach. Main findings: The tripartite model of the SAPOS, comprising identity, responsibility and autonomy, was confirmed across the three generational cohort. Measurement invariance was established on configural, metric and scalar level across the three generational cohorts. Practical/managerial implications: The three generational cohorts perceive the items as was measured by the psychological ownership scale in the same way. Meaningful comparisons can thus be made between the groups and organisations can tailor their interventions to enhance the levels of psychological ownership of each of these generational cohorts. Contribution/value-add: This study is one of the first to provide empirical evidence of generational differences in respect of psychological ownership and to evaluate the measurement equivalence of a psychological ownership inventory across generational cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to discuss the validity of equivalence in the sample groups of young and adult; females and males in the scale of assessing the attitudes towards foreign language skills and to offer the researchers that will use this scale certain evidence based on data. No measurement equivalence/invariance was found in adult and young groups. Consequently, measurement equivalence / invariance based on gender variable was not present, either. The absence of measurement equivalence/invariance is in fact a fundamental proof that the measurement instrument is specific to the group that it is intended for. For this reason, researchers should evaluate cross-validity or multi-group analyses on the basis of the traits that are measured using the measurement instrument. It is not always negative not to have measurement equivalence/invariance during the process of gathering validity evidences. [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]

Differences in societal views on the roles of men and women have been addressed in many large-scale comparative studies by employing indicators of gender roles attitudes from cross-sectional surveys. Assuming that cross-country differences in gender role attitudes are linked to the prevailing cultural value orientations in each society, this study aims at investigating the association between societal views on gender roles, as measured by the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), and the prevailing cultural values, as defined by Schwartz's theory. However, to carry out meaningful comparisons, we first assessed the prerequisite of measurement equivalence between countries. The comparability of gender role attitudes is limited when using traditional methods based on the concept of exact equivalence (multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis). However, the recently established alignment optimization procedure reveals approximate measurement equivalence and suggests that the mean comparison is trustworthy. Based on these results, we correlate the national mean levels of gender role attitudes with the cultural values of embeddedness, hierarchy and egalitarianism, showing that traditional gender roles are displayed in societies emphasizing hierarchy and embeddedness while progressive views are more expressed in egalitarian societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has indicated differences in the presentation and measurement of depressive symptoms across ethnic groups. In the current study, we examined the factor structure of the Children's Depression Inventory in an ethnically diverse sample of adolescents in foster care (n = 346; Mage = 13.13 years, SD = 2.18 years) and examined the configural invariance of the measure across ethnic groups. Findings indicated a two-factor structure in the total sample. Furthermore, configural invariance was not supported, in that unique factor structures emerged for African American, White, and Hispanic subsamples. Findings hold implications for research and practice involving the assessment of depressive symptoms among youth in out-of-home care and among ethnic minority adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Education Research (1680-6360) is the property of Angle Publishing Co., Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives: The Kessler 6 (K6) Psychological Distress Scale is a well‐known instrument to screen for psychological distress of general populations. It is critical to perform the equivalence test of the K6 for Asian immigrant subgroups. Methods: The 2012 California Health Interview Survey data were used (N = 1,210; Chinese = 640, Koreans = 570). Among 1,210, 734 were younger (18–64 years) and 476 were older (65+) adults. It was examined whether parameters in the measurement model is equivalent across the two groups, using multiple‐group analysis. The equivalence tests for Chinese and Koreans were separately performed based on different age groups (younger [18–64] vs. older [65+]). Results: The younger group had good model fit (X2 = 41.27 [df = 16, p =.001], X2/df = 2.58, Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = 0.99, Goodness of Fit Index [GFI] = 0.98, root mean square error or approximation [RMSEA] = 0.05, standardized root mean residual [SRMR] = 0.03), and the older group also showed good model fit (X2 = 41.70 [df = 16, p <.001], X2/df = 2.61, CFI = 0.98, GFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.04). The model for older group indicated measurement noninvariance between Chinese and Korean immigrants (ΔX2 = 17.86, Δdf = 5, p =.003, CFI = 0.972, ΔCFI = 0.009). The items "hopeless," "restless," and "depress," were significantly nonequivalent between the two groups. Conclusions: Clinicians/researchers should be aware of the potential risk for misclassification when they screen psychological distress of Chinese or Korean older immigrants. Professionals should pay attention to cross‐cultural comparability when interpreting results from the K6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The present study examined differences by race/ethnicity in the measurement equivalence of the Subjective Well-Being Scale (SWBS) among older adults in the United States. Method Drawn from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), adults aged 65 years and older from three racial/ethnic groups (n = 1,200) were selected for the analyses from a total of 8,245: 400 non-Hispanic Whites, 400 African Americans, and 400 Hispanics/Latinos. We tested measurement equivalence of the SWBS that is categorized into three domains: positive and negative affect (four items), self-realization (four items), and self-efficacy and resilience (three items). Multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test measurement invariance. Results After adjusting for age, gender, and education, the underlying construct of the SWBS was noninvariant across three racial/ethnic elderly groups. Discussion Findings suggest that the comparison of latent means (especially for positive and negative affect and self-realization) across racial/ethnic groups is highly questionable. The SWBS should be used with extreme caution when it is applied to diverse racial/ethnic elderly groups for comparison purposes. Implications are discussed in cultural and methodological contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational research has focused increasingly on comparing student civic outcomes across various educational systems. However, the study of non-cognitive, attitudinal measures has assumed a subsidiary role to the study of cognitive measures, despite its potential to shape policy and practice. This article investigates the validity and cross-country measurement equivalence or invariance (ME/I) of political trust measures among adolescents. Drawing on student data from ICCS 2016 covering 15 European educational systems (N = 52,788), the standard test for exact ME/I (i.e., Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis) is juxtaposed with a novel method for approximate ME/I (i.e., Alignment Optimization). The results underscore a two-dimensional structure of political trust, separating trust in order institutions from trust in representative institutions. While MGCFA results suggest configural invariance, rendering correlational analyses and country mean comparisons meaningless, Alignment Optimization yields valid latent means with an acceptable degree of non-invariance (i.e., 16%). Implications for comparative research on political trust among adolescents are discussed. • European adolescents conceptualize political trust along two related dimensions. • Political trust encompasses trust in order institutions and trust in representative institutions. • Only configural invariance of a two-factor model of political trust was established • Alignment Optimization yields latent means with an acceptable non-invariance degree [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theorists and researchers have raised the question of whether self-esteem has similar meanings and correlates in individualistic and collectivist cultures. This study examined the cross-cultural equivalence of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale in four countries and compared its association with parental warmth and acceptance and depressed mood. Participants were 11th graders in the United States (n = 422), the Czech Republic (n = 490), China (n = 502), and Korea (n = 497). Cross-cultural similarities in the factor structure of the self-esteem scale and in the relations of self-esteem to other variables were more striking than cross-cultural differences. Across cultures, parental warmth was significantly related to both positive and negative self-image, each of which in turn was related significantly to depressive symptomatology. There was little evidence for the hypothesis that self-esteem would more strongly mediate the relation between parental warmth and adolescent depressive symptoms in the more individualistic (as opposed to collectivist) cultures.

Patrizia Steca,1 Dario Monzani,1 Antonia Pierobon,2 Giulia Avvenuti,2 Andrea Greco,1 Anna Giardini2 1Department of Psychology, University of Milano – Bicocca, Milan, 2Psychology Unit, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri Spa SB, IRCCS Montescano, Montescano, Italy Abstract: The Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) measures dispositional optimism (DO) – an individual difference promoting physical and psychological well-being in healthy adults (HAs) as well as in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and healthcare providers (HPs). Controversy has arisen regarding the dimensionality of the LOT-R. Whereas DO was originally defined as a one-dimensional construct, empirical evidence suggests two correlated factors in the LOT-R. This study was the first attempt to identify the best factor structure of the LOT-R in patients with CHF and HPs and to evaluate its measurement invariance among subsamples of patients with CHF, HPs, and a normative sample of HAs. Its validity was also evaluated in patients with CHF. The sample comprised 543 participants (34% HAs; 34% HPs; and 32% CHF patients). Congeneric, two correlated factor, and two orthogonal factor models for the LOT-R were compared by performing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Measurement invariance was evaluated by considering differential item functioning (DIF) among subsamples of HPs, patients with CHF, and HAs. In patients with CHF, validity was assessed by considering associations with anxiety and depression. The CFA demonstrated the superior fit of the two orthogonal factor model. Moreover, across patients with CHF, HPs, and HAs, the results highlighted a minimal DIF with only trivial consequences. Finally, negative but weak correlations of DO with anxiety and depression confirmed the validity of the LOT-R in patients with CHF. In summary, these findings supported the validity and suitability of the LOT-R for the assessment of DO in patients with CHF, HPs, and HAs. Keywords: Life Orientation Test-Revised, dispositional optimism, validity, measurement equivalence, chronic heart failure

Abstract Background Rumination increases vulnerability to depression, exacerbates and perpetuates negative moods. This study was aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the 10-item Ruminative Response Scale (RRS-10) in a large undergraduate sample. Methods A sample of 5,236 university students finished the RRS and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed to examine the two-factor structure and the measurement equivalence of the RRS-10 across gender. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, correlations among RRS, RRS-10 and CES-D were also explored. In addition, gender difference on rumination and the relationship between rumination and depression were further investigated. Results The two-factor model of RRS-10 fit the data reasonably and had acceptable internal consistency and test-retest reliability in Chinese undergraduates sample. And the measurement equivalence of the RRS-10 was acceptable across gender in Chinese university students. Findings in respect of latent means and manifest means revealed non-significant gender difference in RRS-10. Besides, participants with high-level rumination had more depressive symptoms than those with low-level rumination. Conclusions The Chinese version of the RRS-10 showed good psychometric properties and was measurement invariant across gender in undergraduates.

Copyright of Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of the study was to explore latent mean differences regarding country, gender and age in life satisfaction. The sample was composed by 701 adolescents (Mage = 14.93, SD = 1.83) from Spain (74.2%) and Mexico (25.8%). Confirmatory factor analysis modeling was used to test for multigroup measurement invariance. To compare groups two methods were used: (1) fitting two models and running an Anova; and (2) the Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes Model (MIMIC) which links an observed covariate (country, gender and age) with a latent variable such as the SWLS score. Results supported a single-factor structure. The internal consistency of the SWLS, and the tests of measurement invariance supported its strict invariance regarding country and gender, and strong invariance regarding age. Latent mean differences showed better perceptions in life satisfaction for males and the youngest, while no cross-cultural differences were found between adolescents from Spain and Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much research intro political trust—its causes, correlates and trends—builds on the twin assumptions that trust in a wide range of political institutions is ultimately an expression of (1) a singular and (2) a cross-nationally equivalent underlying attitude. Yet, the widespread assumptions of unidimensionality and cross-national equivalence of political trust is at odds with the dominant conceptual understanding of political trust as a relational concept, driven by subjects, objects, and their interplay. This paper employs Rasch modelling as a direct, strict test of unidimensionality, equivalence and item hierarchy. We test the fit of the Rasch model on political trust items in seven widely used, cross-national surveys (World Values Survey, Afrobarometer, Arabbarometer, Asian Barometer, Eurobarometer, European Social Survey, and Latinobarometro), covering 161 national surveys in 119 countries across the globe. We find that the unidimensional specification of the Rasch model does not fit the standard political trust question batteries. Political trust is not cross-nationally equivalent; trust in specific political institutions is more than a mere indicator of an underlying attitude. This conclusion does not impede cross-national research into political trust; rather it illustrates the need for consistent robustness checks across a range of objects of political trust. Our findings open up new venues for substantive research questions on specific objects of political trust and their relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a novel measurement model of labour market segmentation in Europe for cross-national comparisons, tackling three drawbacks of current approaches: First, as segmentation is a multi-dimensional concept, it necessitates a complex measurement approach combining several indicators. Second, to date, we lack methodological evidence that earlier used measures are comparable across countries. Third, as any measure of social phenomena contains measurement error, segmentation research may be confounded by misclassification error. To overcome these drawbacks, we argue for modelling segmentation as a latent categorical concept by means of characteristics of the employment relationship. Our analysis shows that accounting for measurement non-equivalence in cross-national labour market segmentation research is crucial to arrive at reliable and unbiased comparative conclusions. The results demonstrate the importance of increased complexity in measuring labour market segmentation. Overall, this article serves as a methodological cross-national comparative framework for future quantitative analysis of labour market segmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Career Indecision Profile-65 (CIP-65) is a relatively new measure of career indecision that appears to have promise for use in career counseling and research. We sought to expand the information available to those evaluating the CIP-65 for potential use by assessing its measurement equivalence in college (N = 529) and noncollege (N = 472) samples and its scores' test–retest reliability in a subset of the college–student sample (n = 107). Six-week test–retest reliability coefficients ranged from.58 (interpersonal conflicts) to.85 (choice/commitment anxiety) for the subscale scores. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the CIP-65's four-factor structure fit the data well in both the college and noncollege samples. The CIP-65 scores were configurally invariant in the two samples, but we did not find support for metric invariance. We offer explanations for these findings, discuss implications for practice, and present ideas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In neighborhood research, the concept of collective efficacy has been particularly successful in capturing social cohesion and behavioral expectations among residents. Research has spread beyond the U.S. where it originated, and many studies from different countries have shown that collective efficacy is related to structural disadvantage in similar ways and affects outcomes as crime, education or health. However, methodological issues about measurement and modeling persist, and no study has yet investigated the cross-cultural measurement equivalence of this scale. We close this gap using two recent neighborhood surveys from Australia and Germany with large samples of respondents (N = ca. 12.800) and neighborhoods (N = ca. 440) in four cities. We employ multilevel structural equation modeling to test for measurement equivalence of collective efficacy across countries and to model its association with concentrated poverty, ethnic diversity, and residential stability. We find that the measurement of collective efficacy is metrically equivalent in both countries, modeling two latent factors on the respondent level—the two components informal social control and social cohesion/trust—but only one latent factor on the neighborhood level. Considering the relationship between the key correlates of collective efficacy, we find broad similarities but also substantial differences across contexts and compared to U.S. research, particularly concerning the role of ethnic diversity which has a stronger diminishing effect in Germany than in Australia. Possible explanations for these differences are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: American Indian people have high suicide rates. However, little epidemiological data is available on depression prevalence, a suicide risk factor, in this population. Some research suggests that depression scales may perform differently for American Indian people. However, the Patient Health Questionnnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a depression scale widely-used in clinical practice, had not been assessed for cross-cultural measurement invariance with American Indian people.Methods: In this retrospective study of existing electronic health record (EHR) data in an upper Midwestern healthcare system, we assessed the measurement invariance of the standard one-factor PHQ-9 and five previously identified two-factor models for 4443 American Indian and 4443 Caucasian American adults (age >= 18) with a PHQ-9 in the EHR from 12/1/2005 to 12/31/2017. We also conducted subgroup analyses with adults ages >= 65.Results: Models showed good fits (e.g., CFI > 0.99, RMSEA < 0.05) and internal consistency reliability (ordinal alpha > 0.80). All models displayed measurement invariance between racial groups. Factor correlation was high for two-factor models, providing support for the one-factor model. American Indian adults had significantly higher odds of PHQ-9 total scores >= 10 and >= 15 than Caucasian American adults.Limitations: Data came from a single healthcare system.Conclusions: The PHQ-9 exhibited cross-cultural measurement invariance between American Indian and Caucasian American adults, supporting the PHQ-9 as a depression screening tool in this clinical care population. American Indian adults also had higher levels of depression than Caucasian Americans. Future research could confirm the generalizability of our findings to other American Indian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Self-report instruments have been widely used to better understand variations in patient safety climate between physicians and nurses. Research is needed to determine whether differences in patient safety climate reflect true differences in the underlying concepts. This is known as measurement equivalence, which is a prerequisite for meaningful group comparisons. This study aims to examine the degree of measurement equivalence of the responses to a patient safety climate survey of Chinese hospitals and to demonstrate how the measurement equivalence method can be applied to self-report climate surveys for patient safety research.Methods: Using data from the Chinese Hospital Survey of Patient Safety Climate from six Chinese hospitals in 2011, we constructed two groups: physicians and nurses (346 per group). We used multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses to examine progressively more stringent restrictions for measurement equivalence.Results: We identified weak factorial equivalence across the two groups. Strong factorial equivalence was found for Organizational Learning, Unit Management Support for Safety, Adequacy of Safety Arrangements, Institutional Commitment to Safety, Error Reporting and Teamwork. Strong factorial equivalence, however, was not found for Safety System, Communication and Peer Support and Staffing. Nevertheless, further analyses suggested that nonequivalence did not meaningfully affect the conclusions regarding physician-nurse differences in patient safety climate.Conclusions: Our results provide evidence of at least partial equivalence of the survey responses between nurses and physicians, supporting mean comparisons of its constructs between the two groups. The measurement equivalence approach is essential to ensure that conclusions about group differences are valid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to measure motivation in physical education by the Perceived Locus of Causality Scale (PLOC) within a cross-cultural context. A sample of 2,293 adolescents from China (n = 1,287) and Spain (n = 1,006) completed the scales. The results largely supported the reliability and the validity of PLOC in both cultures as well as its cross-cultural equivalence except three problematic items found in the Chinese sample. Moreover, Chinese adolescents scored higher in intrinsic motivation and identified regulation, and lower in introjected regulation, external regulation, and amotivation than Spanish adolescents. These findings supported the universality of motivation structure across different cultures. However, problematic items encountered in Chinese adolescents and differences in motivation suggest that cultural values may cause adolescents to interpret certain motives differently, which highlighted the importance of cultural adaptation when measuring adolescents' motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of clinical trials employ electronic media, in particular smartphones and tablets, to collect patient-reported outcome data. This is driven by the ubiquity of the technology, and an increased awareness of associated improvements in data integrity, quality and timeliness. Despite this, there remains a lingering question relating to the measurement equivalence of an instrument when migrated from paper to a screen-based format. As a result, researchers often must provide evidence demonstrating the measurement equivalence of paper and electronic versions, such as that recommended by the ISPOR ePRO Good Research Practices Task Force. In the last decade, a considerable body of work has emerged that overwhelmingly supports the measurement equivalence of instruments using screen-based electronic formats. Our review of key works derives recommendations on evidence needed to support electronic implementation. We recommend application of best practice recommendations is sufficient to conclude measurement equivalence with paper PROMs. In addition, we recommend that previous usability evidence in a representative group is sufficient, as opposed to per-study testing. Further, we conclude that this also applies to studies using multiple screen-based devices, including bring-your-own-device, if a minimum device specification can be ensured and the instrument is composed of standard response scale types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the psychometric properties, factorial validity, and measurement equivalence across gender and three education levels of a Chinese short version of physical activity enjoyment scale (S-PACESC). Participants (N = 4051) were fifth to 12th grade public school students recruited from eight different geographic areas of mainland Chinese. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the unidimensionality of S-PACESC with great model fit. In addition, the S-PACESC was equivalent between genders and across three education levels (i.e. elementary, middle, and high school) at both configural, full metric, and full scalar levels. The latent means comparison revealed that boys perceived significantly higher physical activity (PA) enjoyment and the PA enjoyment tends to decrease as adolescents continue to age. PA enjoyment measured by S-PACESC successfully predicted moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) for both total and various sub-samples. The S-PACESC is a valid tool that can be used to measure PA enjoyment for Chinese students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of a web-based, self-administered battery of assessments of social-emotional comprehension called "SELweb." Assessment modules measured children's ability to read facial expressions, infer others' perspectives, solve social problems, delay gratification, and tolerate frustration. In an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of 4,419 children in kindergarten through third grade who completed SELweb: (a) scores from assessment modules exhibited moderate to high internal consistency and moderate 6-month temporal stability; (b) composite assessment scores exhibited high reliability; and (c) assessment module scores fit a theoretically coherent four-factor model that includes factors reflecting emotion recognition, social perspective-taking, social problem-solving, and self-control. In addition, the present study supports configural and metric invariance across time, sex, and ethnicity. Analyses suggest partial scalar invariance across time, sex, and, to a lesser degree, ethnicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased age is associated with lower scores in many cognitive tests, but interpretation of those results is based on the assumption that the measurement at different ages is equivalent, such that the differences reflect quantitative rather than qualitative changes. The assumption of measurement equivalence was investigated by comparing adult age differences in the relations among alternative versions of the same tests, among different tests of the same ability, and among different cognitive abilities. Results from three independent data sets revealed that only modest age differences were apparent at each level, which implies that cognitive abilities have similar measurement properties at different ages in adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) is a self-report questionnaire that retrospectively provides screening for a history of childhood abuse and neglect, and which is widely used throughout the world. The current study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the CTQ-SF. Methods Participants included 3431 undergraduates from Hunan provinces and 234 depressive patients from psychological clinics. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to examine how well the original five-factor model fit the data and the measurement equivalence of CTQ-SF across gender. Internal consistency was also evaluated. Results The five-factor model achieved satisfactory fit (Undergraduate sample TLI = 0.925, CFI = 0.936, RMSEA = 0.034, SRMR = 0.046; depressive sample TLI = 0.912, CFI = 0.923, RMSEA = 0.044, SRMR = 0.062). Measurement invariance of the five-factor model across gender was supported fully assuming different degrees of invariance. The CTQ-SF also showed acceptable internal consistency and good stability. Conclusion The current study provides that the Chinese version of the Childhood Trauma questionnaire-short form has good reliability and validity among Chinese undergraduates and depressive samples, which also indicates that the CTQ-SF is a good tool for child trauma assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creativity is not a static entity. It develops as people mature, and it can be trained and nurtured. Most applications of creativity research are in fact geared toward this end. However, the study of creativity as it changes and develops, whether under "natural" or "treatment" conditions (program effectiveness), faces a number of measurement and research-design challenges that have, thus far, greatly limited the conclusions that can possibly be made about this phenomenon. After a brief overview of research in this line of work, this review article emphasizes the enduring issues of practice effects, alternate-form reliability, and measurement equivalence in the study of creativity change and development. These issues serve as the general thread of this paper to discuss pitfalls and recommendations regarding (1) the definition and operationalization of constructs, (2) research designs, (3) issues of statistical power in repeated-measurement settings, and (4) other important measurement, methodological, and statistical issues for the accurate study of creativity change and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hacettepe University Journal of Education is the property of Hacettepe University Journal of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study proposed a model to explain the students' and teachers' intention to use (ITU) technology. A sample of 1,095 participants (503 students and 592 teachers) responded to a 15-item, 7-point scale designed to measure six variables: perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use, attitude toward use (ATU), facilitating conditions, computer self-efficacy (CSE), and ITU technology. Results of this study showed that the six variables were valid in explaining the ITU technology for both student and teacher groups. Hypothesis tests revealed that eight of nine hypotheses were supported. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis found support for full configural and metric invariance, and partial scalar invariance in the data. Finally, the results revealed that only two paths, PU → ATU and CSE → ATU were structurally invariant in the research model. Implications of this study are discussed and future research possibilities proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic literature emphasizes the importance of work values to job satisfaction and commitment. There is agreement that work values are multidimensional—most often identified as having extrinsic and intrinsic elements. However, little work has gone into assessing the measurement invariance of work values in different contexts. In this contribution, we ask, Do we find similar patterns of extrinsic and intrinsic work values across different cultural contexts? As such, we investigate the validity of work values when they are applied in cross-national analyses by identifying sets of items that can be translated into scales of extrinsic and intrinsic work values that carry a similar meaning in those cultural contexts. We thus want to know which items that make up work values are best understood in diverse contexts and are most suitable for cross-cultural analysis. We tackle this issue by relying on the European Values Study 2008, as well as the CUPESSE data from 2016. The results reveal that there is a trade-off between the number of items researchers use to study work values and the number of countries analyzed if we aim for a more equivalent analysis of work values across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Findings from meta-analytic studies that use standardized mean differences (SMDs) may be overly dependent on the original measures that were used to generate SMDs. This may be particularly true when measures have arbitrary metrics or when measures fail to meet measurement equivalence. We test the hypothesis that in such cases, meta-analytic results may vary significantly—statistically and practically—as a function of the measures used to derive SMDs. Methods: We conducted 5 secondary random-effects meta-analyses of SMDs—each under a different measurement scenario—from a published meta-analysis comparing the efficacy of cognitive–behavioral therapy with that of reminiscence therapy for depression in older adults. In each scenario, SMDs were based on scores from measures with arbitrary metrics, some of which failed to meet measurement equivalence. Results: Consistent with the hypothesis, meta-analysis results differed significantly—statistically and practically—between the measurement scenarios under conditions of measurement nonequivalence. Conclusions: Results of meta-analyses involving measures with arbitrary metrics may depend on the measures that the SMDs are based on when measurement equivalence fails to hold. Inferences concerning the relative efficacy of different treatments can be measurement dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is part of a larger initiative toward understanding the acculturation of immigrant adolescents using the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England 2004-2010 database. A necessary step in using a database for cross-ethnic comparisons is first to verify whether its items and scales are equivalent. I examined item- and scale-level differential functioning (DF; n = 4,663, six ethnic minority groups) on four of the database's sociocultural scales: Feelings About School (11 items), Relational Family Efficacy (four items), Being Bullied (five items), and Perceived Teacher Discrimination (four items) using an item response theory (IRT)–based framework. Findings demonstrated no meaningful DF on items and, in most cases, scales as well. Second, distinct ethnic group patterns are present. Third, the Perceived Teacher Discrimination scale was not functioning for the majority of the ethnic minority groups which is of grave concern. Implications for future comparative studies and immigration policy makers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we assessed the psychometric properties of the Spanish Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Depression in an adult population-representative sample from Spain (n = 1,503). We tested unidimensionality and local independence item response theory (IRT) assumptions with confirmatory factor and bifactor models under the exploratory structural equations modeling framework. We evaluated item monotonicity assumption with Mokken scaling analysis. We calibrated the items with an IRT-graded response model and assessed score reliability and test information, and evidence of validity with regard to scores on external measures. To examine differential item functioning by age, sex, education, and country (United States vs. Spain, N = 2,271), we used ordinal logistic regression. Results support compliance with IRT assumptions. We found few signs of differential item functioning: Only one item showed country differential functioning between the United States (n = 768) and Spain, with minimal impact on the overall score. Information values were equivalent to reliabilities over 0.90 from -1 (low depression) to +4 SD (high depression) around the population score mean. Evidence of validity in relation to concurrent measures was supported by the expected correlation pattern with external variables of depression, but higher than expected correlations with anxiety were found. Results indicate that the Spanish version of PROMIS Depression is adequate for assessing and monitoring depression levels in the general population and that PROMIS Depression is especially suitable for cross-national comparisons. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although safety climate has been the object of multiple studies in the last thirty years, the relationship between safety climate and organizational climate has been scarcely investigated. The Organizational and Safety Climate Inventory (OSCI) was the first and only validated instrument to allow the assessment of organizational and safety climates simultaneously and by using the same theoretical framework. The present work investigated the psychometric properties of OSCI in an Italian sample at the group level; study 1 (N = 745) examined the factor structure of the scale by using confirmatory factor analyses. Study 2 (N = 471) advanced the original Portuguese validation by testing its measurement equivalence across gender and company sector through multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses. Results confirmed one higher-order factor structure with four first-order factors for both Organizational Climate and Safety Climate, with Organizational Climate predicting Safety Climate. Moreover, the scale was found to be invariant between men and women and between different types of company. Reliability, discriminant, and criterion validities of the scale showed very good values. Overall, the findings strengthened the original claim of the OSCI to be a valid and innovative instrument, which allows the identification of specific dimensions of safety climate, starting from a more general model of organizational climate.

When tests are translated into one or more languages, the question of the equivalence of items across language forms arises. This equivalence can be assessed at the scale level by means of a multiple group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the context of structural equation modeling. This study examined the measurement equivalence of a Spanish translated version of a statewide Mathematics test originally constructed in English by using a multi-group CFA approach. The study used samples of native speakers of the target language of the translation taking the test in both the source and target language, specifically Hispanics taking the test in English and Spanish. Test items were grouped in twelve facet-representative parcels. The parceling was accomplished by grouping items that corresponded to similar content and computing an average for each parcel. Four models were fitted to examine the equivalence of the test across groups. The multi-group CFA fixed factor loadings across groups and results supported the equivalence of the two language versions (English and Spanish) of the test. The statistical techniques implemented in this study can also be used to address the performance on a test based on dichotomous or dichotomized variables such as gender, socioeconomic status, geographic location and other variables of interest.

Neuroticism is an important concept in psychology, self-report measures of neuroticism are important for both research and clinical practice. The neuroticism subscale of the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory (NEO-PI) is a brief measure of neuroticism, and it was widely used in the world. This study was aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the neuroticism subscale of the NEO-PI. A total of 5,494 undergraduates from three universities and 551 clinical patients with mental disorders from a psychological clinic had completed the Chinese version of the neuroticism subscale of the NEO-PI. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to examine how well the three hypothetical models fit the data and the measurement equivalence of neuroticism subscale across gender. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability were also evaluated. Both the six-facet model and the bi-factor model (six-facet model with one general factor) achieved satisfactory fit, while the six-facet model had best fit (Undergraduate sample: TLI = 0.919, CFI = 0.933, RMSEA = 0.044, SRMR = 0.033; Clinical sample: TLI = 0.921, CFI = 0.935, RMSEA = 0.047, SRMR = 0.041), and it had measurement equivalence across gender. The neuroticism subscale also showed acceptable internal consistency and good stability. Within the undergraduate sample, there were statistically significant gender differences in neuroticism total scores and scores of six facets, while there were no significant gender differences in the neuroticism scores in the clinical sample. Both in the undergraduate sample and the clinical sample, anxiety facet, depression facet and vulnerability facet of the neuroticism subscale significantly predicted the depression level, while anxiety facet, angry-hostility facet and vulnerability facet significantly predicted the anxiety level. In conclusion, the Chinese version of the neuroticism subscale is a reliable and valid measurement of neuroticism in both undergraduate and clinical population.

Moderation effect is a commonly used concept in the field of social and behavioral science. Several studies regarding the implication of moderation effects have been done; however, little is known about how partial measurement invariance influences the properties of tests for moderation effects when categorical moderators were used. Additionally, whether the impact is the same across single and multilevel data is still unknown. Hence, the purpose of the present study is twofold: (a) To investigate the performance of the moderation test in single-level studies when measurement invariance does not hold; (b) To examine whether unique features of multilevel data, such as intraclass correlation (ICC) and number of clusters, influence the effect of measurement non-invariance on the performance of tests for moderation. Simulation results indicated that falsely assuming measurement invariance lead to biased estimates, inflated Type I error rates, and more gain or more loss in power (depends on simulation conditions) for the test of moderation effects. Such patterns were more salient as sample size and the number of non-invariant items increase for both single- and multi-level data. With multilevel data, the cluster size seemed to have a larger impact than the number of clusters when falsely assuming measurement invariance in the moderation estimation. ICC was trivially related to the moderation estimates. Overall, when testing moderation effects with categorical moderators, employing a model that accounts for the measurement (non)invariance structure of the predictor and/or the outcome is recommended.

Background: Cultural factors influence both the expression of social anxiety and the interpretation and functioning of social anxiety measures. This study aimed to test the measurement equivalence of two commonly used social anxiety measures across two sociocultural contexts using individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) from Australia and Japan.Methods: Scores on the straightforwardly-worded Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (S-SIAS) and the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) from two archival datasets of individual with SAD, one from Australia (n = 201) and one from Japan (n = 295), were analysed for measurement equivalence using a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) framework.Results: The best-fitting factor models for the S-SIAS and SPS were not found to be measurement equivalent across the Australian and Japanese samples. Instead, only a subset of items was invariant. When this subset of invariant items was used to compare social anxiety symptoms across the Australian and Japanese samples, Japanese participants reported lower levels of fear of attracting attention, and similar levels of fear of overt evaluation, and social interaction anxiety, relative to Australian participants.Limitations: We only analysed the measurement equivalence of two social anxiety measures using a specific operationalisation of culture. Future studies will need to examine the measurement equivalence of other measures of social anxiety across other operationalisations of culture.Conclusions: When comparing social anxiety symptoms across Australian and Japanese cultures, only scores from measurement equivalent items of social anxiety measures should be used. Our study highlights the importance of culturally-informed assessment in SAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to assess measurement equivalence in the 16-item short-form Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (QOLCE-16) across age, sex, and time in a sample of children with newly diagnosed epilepsy. Methods Data came from 373 children participating in the Health-related Quality of Life in Children with Epilepsy Study (HERQULES), a multicenter prospective cohort study. Measurement equivalence was assessed using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis methods. Comparison groups were stratified by age (4–7 years vs. 8–12 years), sex (male vs. female), and time (at diagnosis vs. 24 months postdiagnosis). Results The QOLCE-16 demonstrated measurement equivalence at the level of strict invariance for each comparison group tested — age: χ2 (3, 274) = 429.6, p < 0.001; comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.985; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.056 (0.046, 0.066); sex: χ2 (3, 271) = 430.5, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.984; RMSEA = 0.057 (0.047, 0.067); and time: χ2 (3, 269) = 566.4, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.985; RMSEA = 0.059 (0.052, 0.066). Significance The findings provide support for the robust psychometric profile of the QOLCE-16 as a reliable and valid measure of health-related quality of life for children with epilepsy. Demonstrating good properties and a multidimensional structure, the QOLCE-16 is an appropriate short measure for both clinicians and researchers wanting to obtain health-related quality of life information on children with epilepsy. Highlights • The ability to obtain unbiased comparisons of quality of life is a shared goal of both clinicians and researchers. • The current study aimed to further validate the QOLCE-16 by assessing measurement equivalence across age, sex, and time. • Results suggest that comparisons of scores obtained with the QOLCE-16 are unbiased and differences are meaningful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the consistency of the attitudinal structure of environmental concern in cross-national comparison using structural equation models (SEM) with International Social Survey Program (ISSP) 2010 data. Multiple group confirmatory factor analysis is used to explore measurement invariance and to test the cross-national consistency of the relationship between environmental attitudes and the willingness to sacrifice for environmental protection (which can be interpreted as a behavioral intention). Both are referred to as being dimensions of environmental concern. Multilevel SEM is conducted to explain country differences regarding levels of consistency between the two dimensions of environmental concern. The results of the multiple group confirmatory factor analysis show that it is possible to reach metric measurement invariance for both dimensions of environmental concern. Further, the consistency (i.e., the strength of statistical association) between these two dimensions differs considerably throughout the world. Multilevel SEM analysis shows that the consistency is associated with national wealth; that is, the higher the national wealth, the stronger the relationship between the two dimensions of environmental concern. Thus, in poor countries, there is only a weak link between environmental attitudes and behavioral intentions to protect the environment. In contrast, in wealthy countries, environmental attitudes and environmental behavioral intentions form a highly consistent cluster of environmental concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index (RAPI) is widely used to assess alcohol-related problems among college students within the U.S. and internationally. Despite its wide usage, whether the RAPI similarly assesses alcohol-related problems among students in different countries has not been established. We begin to address this issue by evaluating responses to the RAPI for measurement equivalence across college students in the U.S. (European Americans and Mexican Americans, treated as separate groups) and Mexico (Mexicans). Toward this end, we evaluated the RAPI for Differential Item Functioning (DIF) within an item response theory framework. Our results showed DIF for 6 item severities, all but one of which differed as a function of country (U.S. vs. Mexico). Additional analyses showed that using a latent RAPI variable with no DIF assumed had no substantive consequences in terms of group mean differences and zero-order correlations with self-reported drinking behaviors. Similarly, when using observed RAPI scale scores, there were no substantive differences in terms of correlations. The observed scale scores, however, led to inaccurate mean comparisons. Based on our results, we recommend that scholars model the RAPI as a latent variable when conducting analyses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We provide a tutorial on how to analyze multiple-indicator multi-method (MM) longitudinal (multi-occasion, MO) data. Multiple-indicator MM-MO data presents specific challenges due to (1) different types of method effects, (2) longitudinal and cross-method measurement equivalence (ME) testing, (3) the question as to which process characterizes the longitudinal course of the construct under study, and (4) the issue of convergent validity versus method-specificity of different methods such as multiple informants. We present different models for multiple-indicator MM-MO data and discuss a modeling strategy that begins with basic single-method longitudinal confirmatory factor models and ends with more sophisticated MM-MO models. Our proposed strategy allows researchers to identify a well-fitting and possibly parsimonious model through a series of model comparisons. We illustrate our proposed MM-MO modeling strategy based on mother and father reports of inattention in a sample of N = 805 Spanish children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]