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Given the importance of parent involvement and parent-implemented interventions in achieving maximum child outcomes, practitioners need valid measures to assess and monitor family outcomes in developing and delivering effective and sustainable interventions. This study examined the structure of the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A, using a sample of 467 caregivers of young children diagnosed with or at increased likelihood of autism in China and identified significant predictors of the five family outcomes. Findings supported a five-factor model but a poorer fit was reported when the overall family outcome factor was added to the model. Modeling shared variance between some items under Outcome 4, "having support systems," and Outcome 5, "accessing the community" was found to significantly improve the model fit. Among the analyzed child and family characteristics, the number of hours that the caregiver spent with the autistic child, caregivers' employment status, family income, and caregivers' educational attainment were found to be significantly associated with Family Outcomes Survey, Form A scores. Implications of the findings are discussed. Efforts to measure, document, and monitor family outcomes can be helpful to practitioners in developing and delivering effective and sustainable interventions. Researchers have developed the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A, for measuring the outcomes experienced by families of children in the early intervention/early childhood special education system. Little has been reported on how well the five outcomes on the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A describe the experiences and expectations of families of autistic children in China. We conducted a survey using the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A, Chinese version with 467 caregivers of young autistic children in China. First, the five-outcome structure of the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A seemed to be appropriate for measuring family outcomes of autistic children in China. We also found that the Chinese caregivers of autistic children seemed to give general lower ratings on all five outcomes on the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A as compared to caregivers of children in early intervention/early childhood special education in Western countries like the United States and Australia. Furthermore, caregivers' ratings on the five Family Outcomes Survey, Form A outcomes seemed to be related to their educational attainment, employment status, family income level, and how much time caregivers spent with their autistic child. This study supported the use of the Family Outcomes Survey, Form A, Chinese version with families of autistic children in China. We also discussed how the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic could have impacted the family outcomes as reported by the Chinese caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Family Outcomes Survey–Revised (FOS-R) measures family outcomes of services for young children with disabilities or developmental delays, and it can be used to investigate change in outcome achievement over time. To confirm the validity of FOS-R change scores, it must be established that the FOS-R measures the same construct over time; if so, score changes can be attributed to family outcome achievement. However, if not, interpretation of change scores may be misleading. Caregivers (N = 349) of Singaporean children with developmental delays receiving early intervention services completed the FOS-R Part A twice, approximately 1 year apart. Factor analysis was used to confirm the structure of the FOS-R Part A and to assess whether the scale measures the same thing across time (i.e., longitudinal measurement invariance). Results provided support for partial longitudinal measurement invariance, indicating that change scores on this scale can be validly interpreted with certain caveats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Executive functions (EFs) correlate positively with many developmental outcomes, and ecologically valid measures of EFs may be more predictive of some outcomes than performance-based measures. Accordingly, there is a need to evaluate short EF rating scales, such as the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2nd Edition Screener, Teacher Report (BRIEF2-TS). Data from 1,322 kindergarten children in Singapore (50% girls; 61.3% Chinese, 10.6% Malay, 16.3% Indian, 4.0% other ethnicity, and 7.8% did not report their ethnicity), followed for 3 years, were used to examine the multilevel factor structure, gender and longitudinal invariance, reliability, and concurrent and predictive validity of BRIEF2-TS scores. Results indicated a two-factor within-level structure (11 items; cognitive and emotional–behavioral regulation) that was at least partially invariant across gender and time. Concurrent validity with direct EF measures and ratings of self-regulation, and predictive validity for socioemotional and academic skills were good. Overall, BRIEF2-TS scores showed evidence for good validity and reliability. Future research should consider correlates of the between-level structure and further consider structure and validity in clinical samples. Public Significance Statement: Executive functions (EFs) are positively related to important aspects of child development, and short EF rating scales are useful for measuring child EF in large-scale clinical and research settings. This study provides evidence of the psychometric validity of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2nd Edition Screener, Teacher Report (BRIEF2-TS) with young children in Singapore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, more than 90% of individuals in need are not receiving mental health services, partially because of the scarcity of valid and reliable developmental tools. This project aimed to adapt and validate a parent-completed screening tool, the Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2), to fill in this gap. First, a national representative sample of 2,830 children was accessed to establish cutoff scores. Results from a confirmatory multidimensionality item response theory analysis supported a two-factor structure with this sample. Evidence for item response theory reliabilities and internal consistency were also examined. The second study compared the Chinese ASQ:SE-2 with three convergent measures in a regional sample. Chinese ASQ:SE-2 total scores significantly correlated with most of the domain and total scores on the convergent measures. The classification agreement achieved a maximum of 85%. This project supports the use of the ASQ:SE-2 in the Chinese population, enhancing its clinical utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raven's progressive matrices are considered a measure of inductive reasoning. However, there is evidence to suggest that they are not unidimensional, and they may measure visuospatial ability in addition to inductive reasoning. We investigated the psychometric properties of several versions of the Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM). Confirmatory factor analyses and Rasch analyses were used to investigate the dimensionality of the test, sex differences regarding dimensionality, and the utility of proposed taxonomies of item solution strategies. Three samples were administered three different forms of the test. Sample 1 consisted of 1297 individuals (929 females) who completed a 12-item short form; Sample 2 consisted of 455 individuals (327 females) who completed the full APM; and Sample 3 consisted of 362 individuals (244 females) who completed a 15-item short form. Results indicated that all three forms of the APM are unidimensional and measurement invariant across sex. There was little support for the validity of the taxonomies of solution strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With family centred practice as one of the tenets in early childhood intervention (ECI), it is important to understand family outcomes as a means of assessing the effectiveness of ECI services.Aims: The present paper investigates the psychometric properties of an expanded measure of caregivers' perceptions of helpfulness of ECI services, the Family Outcomes Survey - Revised, Expanded Part B (FOS-RE B).Methods and Procedures: Two-hundred and forty-six caregivers of children enrolled in an ECI programme in Singapore completed the FOS-RE B, as well as convergent validity measures (FOS-R Part A, Depression, Stress and Anxiety Scale and questions addressing perceptions of family situation and optimism for the child's future). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the factor structure of the FOS-RE B and correlations were used to examine convergent validity.Outcomes and Results: The factor structure of the FOS-RE B was found to mirror the structure of the FOS-R A, as hypothesized. Evidence for convergent validity, in the form of correlations with family well-being measures was found, as well as evidence for good internal consistency reliability.Conclusions and Implications: It is concluded that the FOS-RE B presents a promising measure of perceived helpfulness of ECI services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There is variation in the magnitude of sex differences on inductive reasoning. • There is variation in the direction of sex differences on inductive reasoning. • Stimuli and item type may influence the sex difference observed. Meta-analyses concerning sex differences in measures of fluid ability have been limited to discussions of sex differences in the Raven's Progressive Matrices, a measure of inductive reasoning. This study synthesized data concerning sex differences on several different types of inductive reasoning tests in order to assess the evidence for an overall sex difference in manifest scores, as well as whether the magnitude of the sex difference may vary depending on certain test characteristics such as stimuli and item type. Meta-analytic techniques were used to summarize data concerning sex differences in inductive reasoning from 98 studies reporting data from 96,957 adults with mean ages 18 to 64 years. The overall summary effect size was g = +0.13 (range −0.54 to +0.68), however there was significant variation in the magnitude, and in some cases direction, of the effect size in measures of inductive reasoning. Some implications of this variation in the effect size of the sex difference across tests are discussed in light of theoretical interpretations and practical uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral regulation supports children to control their cognitive and emotional skills and participate fully in classroom learning and interactions. Teacher ratings are frequently used to collect data but are highly susceptible to the teacher's response bias, meaning much child level variance is attributable to the teacher level. Multilevel modeling techniques are commonly used to assess the psychometric properties of measures at different levels by disaggregating within- and between-teacher variation in student behaviors. In this study, we attempt to identify the factor structure at each level using teacher ratings on the Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS). The sample of 1,375 preschool children (49.2% males) was drawn from a longitudinal study in Singapore. The teacher ratings of these children were collected at three time points (average age at Time 1 was 58.5 months, Time 2 was 69.8 months, and Time 3 was 80.9 months). Using multilevel exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, a three-factor model at the within level and a two-factor model at the between level best fit the data. At the within level, the three factors were identified as basic interpersonal skills, advanced interpersonal skills, and learning-related social skills. The three factors showed good internal consistency and differential correlates. The two factors at the between level may be related to teacher and classroom characteristics. This study provides empirical support for (a) differential factor structures of CBRS at the within and between levels; and (b) two distinct interpersonal skills. Future studies should aim at exploring the sources of between level variability. Public Significance Statement: This present study provides information regarding validity and reliability of the Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS), a measure assessing children's interpersonal and learning-related social skills in the classroom. Results indicate that children's interpersonal social skills can be manifested into two types (i.e., basic and advanced). The findings also indicate that teacher characteristics and practices could influence teacher ratings of children's social behavior in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Striking a balance between the management of environmental risks and values is a challenge for decision-makers. If people perceive that environmental risks are increasing they may be willing to discount local values to manage those risks, so the identification of thresholds in risk perception in relation to specific behaviors could help to avoid policy failures. The complex relationships between perceptions of climate change and bushfire risks, environmental values and support for actions to mitigate local risks are presented for peri-urban regions in South Australia. The results of a household survey (N=988) suggest that a threshold of risk perception in relation to climate change and bushfire management has not been exceeded and people are broadly supportive of balanced management interventions. A minority of people still do not perceive that climate change is increasing bushfire risk, and are supportive of risk mitigation interventions even at the expense of local biodiversity. However, a larger group believe that climate change is a driver of bushfire risk, yet are still more likely to prioritize ecological values and are unwilling to discount those values for risk mitigation. Targeted communication could assist different groups to respond to gaps in knowledge and action to facilitate effective, differentiated interventions within forested landscapes on the margins of urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]