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A substantial body of research highlights the value of nature experience in supporting children's well-being and development. Given the growing interest in connectedness to nature (C2N), a better understanding of C2N measurement provides multiple opportunities, including consideration of the use of tools for research purposes and practitioner program measurement. The combination of interest in C2N and the potential for measuring the human relationship with nature provide the background for this exploratory study. The study's goal was to highlight the appropriate use of C2N scales based on considerations of context and culture. Three different, albeit related, efforts to translate, adapt, and use C2N measurements with children in a Danish-Swedish context during 2021–2022 were examined using case study methodology. Synthesis of the case studies provides general lessons and specific insights researchers and practitioners have learned regarding scale development and the application of measurement tools for children. Process functionality, child well-being, and conceptual appropriateness are three outcomes of the analysis that guide using child-oriented C2N scales in a Nordic context. The results highlight promoting discussions about nature and children's access to nature while guiding scale use. Based on the results, a checklist was created supporting a decision-making process for scale use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are limited recent Indian studies assessing the quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. This study evaluated the socio-demographic data, psychopathology, quality of life, and their associations in patients with schizophrenia. Methodology: Fifty outpatients with schizophrenia, meeting ICD-10 DCR criteria, were assessed using Kuppuswamy’s socioeconomic status scale, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and the Quality-of-Life Scale (QLS). Results: The mean patient age was 36.3 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.6:1. Most patients were married, unemployed, educated up to middle school, and belonged to the upper-lower socioeconomic class. Clinically, they had mild psychopathology with a mean PANSS total score of 62.36. Quality of life assessment revealed that 12% had severe impairment, 64% had mild to moderate impairment, and 24% had no impairment. Occupational status was significantly associated with QLS scores. PANSS scores negatively correlated with QLS scores, with stronger correlations in the general psychopathology and negative symptom domains. Conclusion: The findings emphasize the need for personalized and holistic approaches to managing schizophrenia, addressing both clinical symptoms and socio-demographic challenges.

The transition from school to university life is associated with structural changes and alongside a stressful modern lifestyle as students experience abrupt biopsychosocial situations. Loneliness and alexithymia are two social factors that have an impact on university life, academic performance and mental health of students. Literature shows that loneliness and alexithymia are variables that are experienced subjectively and depend on the individual's personality. People who live in stressful environments or have a personality that is either introverted or anxious are more at risk of experiencing high levels of alexithymia and loneliness. The social variables that have been considered among others to contribute to the development of social isolation and alexithymic characteristics in students are parental separation, poor economic conditions and, recently, the pandemic. The scientific approach of loneliness and alexi- thymia is carried out through psychometric scales. Psychometric tools, in a society that is constantly "changing", are continuously updated contributing to the objective determination of human behaviors. In order to support and protect students from loneliness and alexithymia, the empowerment of students should always be at the center of attention of the University's psychosocial care teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working mostly in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic countries, environmental psychologists have developed scales assessing relationships between pro-environmental beliefs and behaviors. Working in Tanzanian and Indonesian protected area landscapes, containing important biodiversity and conflict over human-nature interactions, we investigate the utility of the New Ecological Paradigm for measuring pro-environmental beliefs and understanding support for protected area regulations. We found the New Ecological Paradigm ineffective at measuring pro-environmental beliefs in both countries; in Tanzania due to acquiescence bias, and in Indonesia exploratory factor analysis supported none of the original factors, with 4 of 15 statements loading onto a novel "eco-fragility" factor. Individual statements in both countries and the eco-fragility factor in Indonesia were weakly correlated with support for protected area regulations, highlighting while elements of the New Ecological Paradigm can improve understanding of support for protected area regulations, care must be taken when applying psychometric tools in novel cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Scars affect patients after trauma, burns, or surgical procedures and can generate both physical and psychosocial changes. The aesthetic damage represents the modification of a person’s physical appearance, in its bodily integrity, causing numerous sufferings and determining social or economic consequences. The aim of this research is to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages offered by the available psychosocial and physical scar scales in assessing the physical, aesthetic, psychosocial, and juridical consequences of scars. This will aid to inform medical examiners about the most valued existing scales to allow them to select the most appropriate instrument to manage their patient. Methods: A broad search of relevant scientific studies on the psychosocial determinants of post-traumatic and surgical scars was conducted by using the following international database tools: PsycINFO, MedLine Social Science Index, Scopus, Web of Science, published from 1960 until 2022. Results: We analyzed 63 scientific studies to assess the advantages and limits of several psychometric and physical scar evaluation scales. Conclusions: The researchers analyzed in this review highlight the advantages and limitation of existing instruments, evidencing the demand for future scar evaluation instruments and a scar-assessing algorithm that takes into account the physical, aesthetic, psychosocial, and legal consequences of scars.

Background: Scars affect patients after trauma, burns, or surgical procedures and can generate both physical and psychosocial changes. The aesthetic damage represents the modification of a person's physical appearance, in its bodily integrity, causing numerous sufferings and determining social or economic consequences. The aim of this research is to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages offered by the available psychosocial and physical scar scales in assessing the physical, aesthetic, psychosocial, and juridical consequences of scars. This will aid to inform medical examiners about the most valued existing scales to allow them to select the most appropriate instrument to manage their patient. Methods: A broad search of relevant scientific studies on the psychosocial determinants of post-traumatic and surgical scars was conducted by using the following international database tools: PsycINFO, MedLine Social Science Index, Scopus, Web of Science, published from 1960 until 2022. Results: We analyzed 63 scientific studies to assess the advantages and limits of several psychometric and physical scar evaluation scales. Conclusions: The researchers analyzed in this review highlight the advantages and limitation of existing instruments, evidencing the demand for future scar evaluation instruments and a scar-assessing algorithm that takes into account the physical, aesthetic, psychosocial, and legal consequences of scars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundScars are a natural consequence of the healing process, but with an impact on the psychological and social level for the individual, which can even lead to withdrawal and social stigmatization. We aimed to analyze the psychosocial impact determined by post-traumatic scars, using psychometric scales, to assess the effectiveness of the Mekereș’ Psychosocial Internalization Scale (MPIS), and to identify relevant predictors of traumatic and surgical scar internalization.MethodsOur cohort included 293 participants, 149 women and 144 men, aged 18–64 years who were screened for scar characteristics and completed a set of psychological scales. We compared the results obtained in two subgroups: 153 subjects with posttraumatic scars and 140 with surgical scars.ResultsRelevant predictors for posttraumatic scar internalization (R2 = 0.721) are adaptation time, age of the occurrence and subjective appraisal, while for the depression, and hopelessness relevant predictors are the subjective appraisal of the scars and the posttraumatic quality of life.ConclusionThe psychological and social reporting of the aftermath of trauma, that has been followed by scar-ring, is an indicator of how a person will react and could indicate the susceptibility to psycho-pathology.

Questionnaires are a widely used research method in human resource management (HRM), and multi‐item psychometric scales are the most widely used measures in questionnaires. These scales each have multiple items to measure a construct in a reliable and valid manner. However, using this method effectively involves complex procedures that are frequently misunderstood or unknown. Although there are existing methodological texts addressing this topic, few are exhaustive and they often omit essential practical information. The current article therefore aims to provide a detailed and comprehensive guide to the use of multi‐item psychometric scales for HRM research and practice, including their structure, development, use, administration, and data preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the effect of recall timing on training-session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) in a population of athletes well familiarized with the method and procedures during a 5-d training microcycle. Methods: Fifty-one top-class field referees (FRs) (age 38.4 ± 3.3 y, height 181 ± 5.6 cm, body mass 76.8 ± 6.8 kg, body-mass index 23.4 ± 1.7 kg/m2, body fat 20.4% ± 3.6%, international refereeing experience 5 ± 3.5 y) from 43 national football associations worldwide, preselected by the FIFA refereeing department for officiating during the FIFA World Cup 2014 Brazil, volunteered for this study. The FRs were randomly allocated into 3 assessment groups (n = 17 each), defined according to the timing of the sRPE, ie, immediately at the end of or 30 min or 7 h after the training sessions' end. The CR10 Borg scale was used to rate the training sessions (n = 5). All FRs again rated each training session of the 5-d training microcycle on the next morning (~20 h after) for confirmation (absolute and relative reliability). Results: No significant timing effect was found between or within groups. Relative reliability ranged from large to very large with trivial within- and between-groups differences. Conclusions: This study showed no effect of recall timing on postexercise RPE when well-familiarized athletes are submitted to training during a weekly microcycle. Posttraining RPE was reported to be a reliable subjective measure; however, specific timing is advisable to reduce difference in RPE values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Globally, over half of the human population has at least one companion animal, with the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) standing out above other species. While this bond has mutual benefits, research shows that it can break due to canine behavioral disorders, leading to consequences including abandonment and/or euthanasia. The wear and tear implied by the physical, psychological and emotional demands when facing the care of a sick animal can lead to a continuous and prolonged level of stress, which in human medicine is referred to as caregiver burnout syndrome. Parallels can be drawn with dog owners handling animals with behavioral disorders, which makes it necessary to have a validated measurement instrument for this problem. The exhaustion of the caregiver of dependent people is evaluated through the Zarit Scale. The present study, through the Delphi method technique, modified and validated this scale to measure this overload in people with dogs with behavioral disorders. Three levels of overload were obtained (Low, Medium-Low and Medium-High Overload). Having an instrument that allows assessing the level of exhaustion of caregivers of dogs with behavior problems will provide information to help these people, and consequently their dogs, avoid the negative consequences of bond degradation. Currently, domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are the most common species among companion animals. The close bond that can grow between owners and their dogs could be worn out and finally broken due to various causes. One main cause is canine behavioral problems, leading to dogs being abandoned or euthanized due to the costs faced by the owner when caring for the animal. Tools have been developed to evaluate the mental and emotional cost of caring for humans, but there is currently no validated tool for evaluating this particular problem. The objective of this study was to develop a questionnaire to evaluate caregiver burnout syndrome for owners of dogs with behavioral disorders. The methodology used consisted of drafting the tool, peer validation using the Delphi methodology and internal validation via Cronbach's alpha. Non-linear snowball sampling was used (n = 156 participants). A questionnaire with 35 questions was obtained which referred to various aspects of caregivers' lives. Regarding the description of the sample used, 50% had Low Burnout, 41% had Medium-Low Burnout and 9% had Medium-High Burnout. Furthermore, regarding the internal validation of the questionnaire, the general Cronbach's alpha coefficient was α = 0.9468. We can thus conclude that the questionnaire is valid for measuring caregiver burnout syndrome in owners of dogs with behavioral disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-family conflict shows tension between professional and family life domains, with negative repercussions for job performance, satisfaction with life and family. This study sought to adapt and gather initial psychometric evidence from the Work-Family Behavioral Role Conflict (WFBRC) in Brazil. The participants were 229 adults, active in the labor market, and involved in family relationships. Exploratory factor analysis procedures yielded positive initial evidence of the validity of internal, external, and precision structure, attesting in favor of its use in Brazil. The final version of the WFBRC distinguished two dimensions: work interfering with family (15 items; a and ω = 0.90) and family interfering with work (15 items; a = 0.90 and ω = 0.89). Results indicate convergent and discriminant validity between the WFBRC and conflict perception, as well as work-family enrichment. The conclusion is that the instrument is adequate and can contribute theoretically to investigations and work-family conflict-related practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manchiraju et al. (International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 1-15, 2016) published the Compulsive Online Shopping Scale (COSS) in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction (IJMHA). To develop their measure of compulsive online shopping, Manchiraju and colleagues adapted items from the seven-item Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale (BSAS) and its' original 28-item item pool. Manchiraju et al. did not add or remove any of the original seven items, and did not substantially change the content of any of the 28 items on which the BSAS was based. They simply added the word "online" to each existing item. Given that the BSAS was specifically developed to take into account the different ways in which people now shop and to include both online and offline shopping, there does not seem to be a good rationale for developing an online version of the BSAS. It is argued that the COSS is not really an adaptation of the BSAS but an almost identical instrument based on the original 28-item pool.

Currently, domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are the most common species among companion animals. The close bond that can grow between owners and their dogs could be worn out and finally broken due to various causes. One main cause is canine behavioral problems, leading to dogs being abandoned or euthanized due to the costs faced by the owner when caring for the animal. Tools have been developed to evaluate the mental and emotional cost of caring for humans, but there is currently no validated tool for evaluating this particular problem. The objective of this study was to develop a questionnaire to evaluate caregiver burnout syndrome for owners of dogs with behavioral disorders. The methodology used consisted of drafting the tool, peer validation using the Delphi methodology and internal validation via Cronbach’s alpha. Non-linear snowball sampling was used (n = 156 participants). A questionnaire with 35 questions was obtained which referred to various aspects of caregivers’ lives. Regarding the description of the sample used, 50% had Low Burnout, 41% had Medium-Low Burnout and 9% had Medium-High Burnout. Furthermore, regarding the internal validation of the questionnaire, the general Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was α = 0.9468. We can thus conclude that the questionnaire is valid for measuring caregiver burnout syndrome in owners of dogs with behavioral disorders.

Background: Mixed symptoms in depression may underlie bipolar diathesis rather than unipolarity. Uncovering mixed depression (MxD) is crucial for appropriate management, especially in the perinatal period, as it may affect treatment planning and impact future child development. We used a scale specific for identifying MxD and tested its validity in pregnant and postpartum women with depression.Methods: Women developing a major depressive episode (MDE) during their perinatal period extending from pregnancy to one year postpartum from November-2012 through June-2019 were assessed with BPRS-18, EPDS, CGI-S, GAF, HAM-A, HAM-D, Koukopoulos' Mixed Depression Rating Scale (KMDRS), TEMPS, and YMRS. They were classified, based on KMDRS criteria, as with mixed (MxD) or without (nonMxD) mixed symptoms. We conducted ROC analysis and performed factor analysis of the KMDRS.Results: Of 45 included, MxD (N = 19) were biased towards diagnosis of bipolar disorder and nonMxD (N = 26) towards major depressive disorder. Other sociodemographic variables did not differ significantly between MxD and nonMxD. MxD scored higher on total YMRS, BPRS, and KMDRS, and on KMDRS-6 Subjective Feelings of Irritability and KMDRS-12 Suicidal Impulsiveness items. The KMDRS correlated in the entire sample, in MxD and nonMxD, with the YMRS and the BPRS, while correlating with the HAM-D in nonMxD only. The KMDRS showed acceptable AUC distribution, with a 68% sensitivity and 58% specificity. Best-fit was three-factor-structure, explaining 54.66% of cumulative variance.Limitations: Small sample and cross-sectional design.Conclusions: The KMDRS is fit for investigating MxD along with the YMRS and the BPRS in perinatal women with a MDE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have emerged as a state‐of‐the‐art tool in very different research fields due to its adaptive power to the decision space since they do not presuppose any linear relationship between data. Some of the main disadvantages of these trending models are that the choice of the network underlying architecture profoundly influences the performance of the model and that the architecture design requires prior knowledge of the field of study. The use of questionnaires is hugely extended in social/behavioral sciences. The main contribution of this work is to automate the process of a DNN architecture design by using an agglomerative hierarchical algorithm that mimics the conceptual structure of such surveys. Although the train had regression purposes, it is easily convertible to deal with classification tasks. Our proposed methodology will be tested with a database containing socio‐demographic data and the responses to five psychometric Likert scales related to the prediction of happiness. These scales have been already used to design a DNN architecture based on the subdimension of the scales. We show that our new network configurations outperform the previous existing DNN architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We evaluated the internal consistencies and the correlation between measures of adverse childhood experiences (ACE), bully victimization, self-esteem, resilience, and social support in children/adolescents in Nigeria. Results: The Cronbach's alphas were 0.67 for the ACE Questionnaire; 0.79 for the victimization subscale of the Illinois Bully Scale; 0.60 for Rosenberg's self-esteem scale; 0.81 for Connor–Davidson resilience scale; and 0.93 for multidimensional perceived social support scale. Social support was negatively correlated with ACE (r = − 0.21) and bully victimization (r = − 0.16) and was associated with higher self-esteem (r = − 0.29) and higher resilience (r = 0.15). Likewise, higher resilience was associated with fewer ACE (r = − 0.07), higher self-esteem (r = − 0.21), and higher bully victimization (r = 0.13). Higher self-esteem was associated with fewer ACE (r = 0.25) and lower bully victimization (r = 0.16), whereas bully victimization was positively correlated with ACE (r = 0.20). The correlations were all statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aims to evaluate napping in patients with insomnia compared with two control groups and to investigate the relationships between psychometric measures and napping habitude. Methods: Sixty-eight adult patients with chronic primary insomnia were enrolled; 27 men and 41 women, mean age 53.6 ± 13. All patients underwent 24 h ambulatory polysomnography (A-PSG). Prevalence of napping behavior in Insomnia Patients (I-group) was compared with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) patients (OSAS-group) and epilepsy patients (Ep-group). Patients were evaluated with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and Berlin Questionnaire. Psychometric evaluation included Self-Administered Anxiety Scale (SAS #54), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Maudsley's Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS), and Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26). Results: No significant differences resulted in prevalence and duration of naps in the three groups. In the comparison between nappers (N+, subject with at least one nap in A-PSG) and non-nappers (N-, subject with no naps in A-PSG) we observed significant differences in PSQI scores (N+ = 14.1 ± 2.7; N− =11.9 ± 3.3; Whitney U-test = 341.0; p = 0.004) and in EAT score (N+ = 9.8 ± 9.7; N− = 4.4 ± 5.6; Whitney U-test = 313.5, p = 0.0.14); no significant differences were measured in other psychometric parameters and in sleep macrostructural indexes. Conclusions: Our data are in accordance with previous findings outlining that N + insomniacs have higher PSQI scores than N-. Our results do not confirm the suggested association between napping and depressive or obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Conversely, we found a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0014) in EAT scores in N + and N-. Hyperarousal and REM sleep instability in insomniac patients may create an unbalance of the neuroendocrine hypothalamic regulation leading to an appetite alteration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the validity of the screening method based on EEG analysis using predictive analytics algorithms with the calculation of linear discriminant functions (LDFs), in comparison with a classification system based on psychometric self-report scales., Material and Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study with partial blinding involving healthy volunteers was conducted at two investigational sites. The calculated scores of LDFs used to assess risks of impulsivity, depression and anxiety acted as quantitative characteristics of subjects' mental state. Testing included completing psychometric scales., Results: As a result of the performed validation of the original screening method based on EEG analysis in comparison with the scores of psychometric scales chosen as a reference method, satisfactory results were obtained with the best parameters of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for detecting high levels of impulsivity associated with pronounced aggressiveness. Of considerable interest is also the direct correlation found between high levels of LDF impulsivity scores and high levels of self-rated aggression on a psychometric scale (BPAQ-24)., Conclusion: The results open up the possibility of using the proposed method to predict a number of emotional and behavioral characteristics of subjects, including a high risk of aggressive behavior as part of professional selection.

Motherhood has been transformed throughout history. Nowadays, it is also nuanced by gender equity and both technological and scientific progress, hence the interest in establishing and determining the psychometric characteristics of a Maternity Beliefs Scale. The scale was applied to 545 Mexican women with different maternal statuses (perinatal loss, infertility, high-risk pregnancy, mothers with preschool children and university students without children). The scale is constituted by 13 test items, arranged in two subscales: motherhood as a sense of life and motherhood as a social duty. Both indexes for reliability and validity were satisfactory. Discussion includes their usefulness in research and clinical practice, and the results are analyzed in terms of the conceptualization of motherhood as a complementary choice for the life of a woman and not as a duty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of three studies were conducted to generate, develop, and validate the Attitudes toward Transgender Men and Women (ATTMW) scale. In Study 1, 120 American adults responded to an open-ended questionnaire probing various dimensions of their perceptions of transgender individuals and identity. Qualitative thematic analysis generated 200 items based on their responses. In Study 2, 238 American adults completed a questionnaire consisting of the generated items. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed two non-identical 12-item subscales (ATTM and ATTW) of the full 24-item scale. In Study 3, 150 undergraduate students completed a survey containing the ATTMW and a number of validity-testing variables. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) verified the single-factor structures of the ATTM and ATTW subscales, and the convergent, discriminant, predictive, and concurrent validities of the ATTMW were also established. Together, our results demonstrate that the ATTMW is a reliable and valid measure of attitudes toward transgender individuals.

Introduction. L-Acetylcarnitine (LAC), the acetyl ester of carnitine naturally present in the central nervous system and involved in several neural pathways, has been demonstrated to be active in various animal experimental models resembling some features of human depression. The aim of the study is to verify whether LAC can have an antidepressant action in a population of elderly patients with dysthymic disorder in comparison with a traditional antidepressant such as fluoxetine.Methods. Multicentric, double-blind, double-dummy, controlled, randomized study based on a observation period of 7 weeks. 80 patients with DSM-IV diagnosis of dysthymic disorder were enrolled in the study and subdivided into 2 groups. Group A patients received LAC plus placebo; group B patients received fluoxetine 20 mg/die plus placebo. Clinical assessment was performed through several psychometric scales at 6 different moments.Results. Group A patients showed a statistically significant improvement in the following scales: HAM-D, HAM-A, BDI and Touluse–Pieron Test. Comparison between the two groups, A and B, generally showed very similar clinical progression.Discussion. The results obtained with LAC and fluoxetine were equivalent. As the subjects in this study were of senile age, it is possible to hypothesize that the LAC positive effect on mood could be associated with improvement in subjective cognitive symptomatology. The difference in the latency time of clinical response (1 week of LAC treatment, compared with the 2 weeks' latency time with fluoxetine) suggests the existence of different mechanisms of action possibly in relation to the activation of rapid support processes of neuronal activity.

A series of three studies were conducted to generate, develop, and validate the Attitudes toward Transgender Men and Women (ATTMW) scale. In Study 1, 120 American adults responded to an open-ended questionnaire probing various dimensions of their perceptions of transgender individuals and identity. Qualitative thematic analysis generated 200 items based on their responses. In Study 2, 238 American adults completed a questionnaire consisting of the generated items. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed two non-identical 12-item subscales (ATTM and ATTW) of the full 24-item scale. In Study 3, 150 undergraduate students completed a survey containing the ATTMW and a number of validity-testing variables. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) verified the single-factor structures of the ATTM and ATTW subscales, and the convergent, discriminant, predictive, and concurrent validities of the ATTMW were also established. Together, our results demonstrate that the ATTMW is a reliable and valid measure of attitudes toward transgender individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, most cross-country comparisons of children's subjective well-being have been conducted using single-item scales. Despite multi-item scales being more powerful for this purpose, they have seldom been tested on children when comparing results among more than 4 countries. Moreover, with very few exceptions, international comparisons have mostly been carried out using samples of children aged 12 or over and it is therefore uncertain how the scales available might work among younger populations, even if some scales have been tested in a few countries. We tested 3 psychometric scales on a sample of over 34,000 children from 15 countries aged mostly 10 and 12: the SLSS, the BMSLSS and the PWI-SC. We used the pooled database to identify models with a good fit by means of Confirmatory Factor Analysis, providing construct validity for each of the three scales for this set of countries. The comparability of the scales among countries was tested using Multi-group Confirmatory Factor Analysis to assess to what extent it is valid to make cross-national comparisons. Our results suggest that it is acceptable to compare correlations and regressions between most of the countries in our survey using each of these measures, with only a few exceptions. Some of the models using the specific modified SLSS version adopted in this research displayed promising results due to the fact that their correlations and regressions appeared to be comparable among all countries in the sample. However, mean scores for the overall indexes are only comparable among countries in some cases using partial intercept constraints. Two Multi-group Structural Equation Models including the three correlated multi-item psychometric scales plus two single-item scales (Overall Life Satisfaction and Overall Happiness Scale) displayed good fit indexes with constrained loadings for all countries, both for the 10 and 12-year-old samples. This result suggests that subjective well-being comparability increases among countries when using the five psychometric scales all together. With semi-partial constrained loadings and intercepts, fit statistics suggest that the means of this overall model can cautiously be compared among all countries: comparable items and not strictly comparable items were identified. Correlations among the psychometric scales and regressions of the multiple-item scales on the single-item scales clearly show different patterns among countries and variations according to age group, suggesting a high diversity of interrelations among these measures depending on age and different language and socio-cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a hypothetical graph, Masahiro Mori proposed in 1970 the relation between the human likeness of robots and other anthropomorphic characters and an observer's affective or emotional appraisal of them. The relation is positive apart from a U-shaped region known as the uncanny valley. To measure the relation, we previously developed and validated indices for the perceptual-cognitive dimension humanness and three affective dimensions: interpersonal warmth, attractiveness, and eeriness. Nevertheless, the design of these indices was not informed by how the untrained observer perceives anthropomorphic characters categorically. As a result, scatter plots of humanness vs. eeriness show the stimuli cluster tightly into categories widely separated from each other. The present study applies a card sorting task, laddering interview, and adjective evaluation ( $$N=30$$ ) to revise the humanness, attractiveness, and eeriness indices and validate them via a representative survey ( $$N = 1311$$ ). The revised eeriness index maintains its orthogonality to humanness ( $$r=.04$$ , $$p=.285$$ ), but the stimuli show much greater spread, reflecting the breadth of their range in human likeness and eeriness. The revised indices enable empirical relations among characters to be plotted similarly to Mori's graph of the uncanny valley. Accurate measurement with these indices can be used to enhance the design of androids and 3D computer animated characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is used worldwide for detecting depressive symptoms. This questionnaire has been revised (1996) to match the DSM-IV criteria for a major depressive episode. We assessed the reliability and the validity of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the BDI-II for non-clinical adults. METHODS: The questionnaire was applied to 60 college students on two occasions. Afterwards, 182 community-dwelling adults completed the BDI-II, the Self-Report Questionnaire, and the K10 Scale. Trained psychiatrists performed face-to-face interviews with the respondents using the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-I), the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Scale, and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale. Descriptive analysis, signal detection analysis (Receiver Operating Characteristics), correlation analysis, and discriminant function analysis were performed to investigate the psychometric properties of the BDI-II. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficient of the BDI-II was 0.89, and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient of internal consistency was 0.93. Taking the SCID as the gold standard, the cut-off point of 10/11 was the best threshold for detecting depression, yielding a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 87%. The concurrent validity (a correlation of 0.63-0.93 with scales applied simultaneously) and the predictive ability of the severity level (over 65% correct classification) were acceptable. CONCLUSION: The BDI-II is reliable and valid for measuring depressive symptomatology among Portuguese-speaking Brazilian non-clinical populations.OBJETIVOS: O Inventário de Depressão de Beck (IDB) é utilizado mundialmente para detectar sintomas depressivos. Este questionário foi revisado (1996) para se adequar aos critérios do DSM-IV para episódio depressivo maior. Avaliamos a confiabilidade e validade da versão I em português-brasileiro do IDB-I em uma amostra não clínica de adultos. MÉTODOS: O questionário foi aplicado em duas ocasiões para 60 estudantes universitários. Em seguida, 182 adultos residentes na comunidade preencheram IDB-II, Questionário de Auto-Resposta e escala K10. Psiquiatras treinados entrevistaram pessoalmente os respondentes através da Entrevista Clínica Estruturada (SCID-I), a escala de depressão de Montgomery-Åsberg e de ansiedade de Hamilton. Análise descritiva, detecção de sinal (Receiver Operating Characteristics), correlação e função discriminante foram realizadas para investigar as propriedades psicométricas do IBD-II. RESULTADOS: O coeficiente de correlação intraclasse do IDB-II foi de 0,89 e o coeficiente alfa de consistência interna foi de 0,93. Adotando a SCID como padrão-ouro, o ponto de corte de 10/11 foi o melhor limiar para detectar depressão, alcançando sensibilidade de 70% e especificidade de 87%. A validade concorrente (correlação de 0,63-0,93 com escalas aplicadas simultaneamente) e a capacidade preditiva de gravidade (mais de 65% de classificação correta de indivíduos deprimidos) foram aceitáveis. CONCLUSÃO: O IDB-II é fidedigno e válido para mensurar sintomatologia depressiva na população brasileira não clínica falante do português.

The ‗Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory‘ permits to evaluate attachment in close relationships during adulthood based on two dimensions able to be present in this kind of relationships: the avoidance of proximity and the anxiety related with to abandonment. It is a self-report 7- points likert scale composed by 36 items. The Portuguese version was administered to a sample of 551 university students (60% female), the majority with ages between 19 and 24 years old (88%) in a dating relationship (86%). The principal components analysis with oblimin rotation was performed. The total scale has good internal consistency (α=.86), as also has the 2 sub-scales: anxiety (α=.86) and avoidance (α=.88). The two dimensions evaluated are significantly correlated with socio-demographics, relational characteristics (jealousy, relationship distress, and compromise), wishes (enmeshment versus differentiation) and fears (abandonment versus control) related to attitudes in significant relationships, which testify the construct validity of the instrument. The results obtained are coherent with the original version and other ECR‘s adaptations. Practitioners and researchers in the context of clinical psychology and related areas have now at their disposal the Portuguese version of the ECR inventory, which has shown its very high usefulness in the study of close relationships, and specifically attachment in adulthood.

This research presents the psychometric properties and indicators of factorial validity related to the Brazilian version of love styles scale - LAS. The purpose of this measure is to evaluate six cognitive dimensions of romantic love, according to the theory proposed by John Lee: Eros, Storge, Ludus, Mania, Pragma and Agape. Five hundred and nine people of both sexes took part on the study, 222 of whom were men (43,6%) and 287 were women (56,4%). Mean participant age was 27,9 years old (SD = 9,6) for the male group and 26,4 years (SD = 8,5) for the female group. Participants answered to an online version of the original 42-item Likert scale that had been translated to Portuguese. Exploratory factor analysis results demonstrated consistency on the scale’s six dimension structure, and independence among the resulting factors. Scales’ Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient ranged from 0,55 to 0,81, indicating the viability to use that measure.

Background: Scars are a natural consequence of the healing process, but with an impact on the psychological and social level for the individual, which can even lead to withdrawal and social stigmatization. We aimed to analyze the psychosocial impact determined by post-traumatic scars, using psychometric scales, to assess the effectiveness of the Mekereș' Psychosocial Internalization Scale (MPIS), and to identify relevant predictors of traumatic and surgical scar internalization., Methods: Our cohort included 293 participants, 149 women and 144 men, aged 18-64 years who were screened for scar characteristics and completed a set of psychological scales. We compared the results obtained in two subgroups: 153 subjects with posttraumatic scars and 140 with surgical scars., Results: Relevant predictors for posttraumatic scar internalization ( R 2  = 0.721) are adaptation time, age of the occurrence and subjective appraisal, while for the depression, and hopelessness relevant predictors are the subjective appraisal of the scars and the posttraumatic quality of life., Conclusion: The psychological and social reporting of the aftermath of trauma, that has been followed by scar-ring, is an indicator of how a person will react and could indicate the susceptibility to psycho-pathology., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Mekereș, Buhaș, Tudoran, Csep, Tudoran, Manole, Iova, Pop, Voiţă, Domocoș and Voiţă-Mekereş.)

The objective of the present study was to establish the frequency of psychiatric comorbidity in a sample of diabetic patients with symmetric distal polyneuropathy (SDPN). Sixty-five patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were selected consecutively to participate in the study at Instituto Estadual de Diabetes e Endocrinologia. All patients were submitted to a complete clinical and psychiatric evaluation, including the Portuguese version of the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Neuropathy Symptom Score, and Neuropathy Disability Score. SDPN was identified in 22 subjects (33.8%). Patients with and without SDPN did not differ significantly regarding sociodemographic characteristics. However, a trend toward a worse glycemic control was found in patients with SDPN in comparison to patients without SDPN (HbA1c = 8.43 ± 1.97 vs 7.48 ± 1.95; P = 0.08). Patients with SDPN exhibited axis I psychiatric disorders significantly more often than those without SDPN (especially anxiety disorders, in general (81.8 vs 60.0%; P = 0.01), and major depression - current episode, in particular (18.2 vs 7.7%; P = 0.04)). The severity of the depressive symptoms correlated positively with the severity of SDPN symptoms (r = 0.38; P = 0.006), but not with the severity of SDPN signs (r = 0.07; P = 0.56). In conclusion, the presence of SDPN seems to be associated with a trend toward glycemic control. The diagnosis of SDPN in diabetic subjects seems also to be associated with relevant psychiatric comorbidity, including anxiety and current mood disorders.

Background The Pregnancy Loss Research Group at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) is a multidisciplinary team including doctors, midwives and researchers working collaboratively to provide support and information to patients bereaved by pregnancy loss, promote their emotional and physical well-being, as well as improving professional practice and facilitating research in this area. The group have developed a set of applications to disseminate professional information on pregnancy loss issues and aid their research with a mobile application (app) for data acquisition and management. Mobile apps have the capacity to gather and analyse a wealth of data and provide it to users in real time. Statistics show that the number of mobile subscriptions has increased and by the end of 2015, there will be more than 7 billion mobile cellular subscriptions in the world, corresponding to a penetration rate of 97%, up from 738 million in 2000. Mobile-broadband penetration levels are highest in Europe and the Americas, at around 78 active subscriptions per 100 inhabitants (ITU, 2015). Using mobile apps in medical research enables doctors to engage more participants in an easy and approachable way and to dramatically increase the amount of health data they can gather. Aims The aims of this project were to develop a content management system for a web and mobile apps in data acquisition and management. The app had a dual functionality as firstly it is to act as a resource for information on pregnancy loss issues on a mobile platform. Secondly the app needed to function as a research tool in allowing users to record their experience of pregnancy loss. No such app covers this topic in either Apple or Android app stores despite research indicating that most pregnant women download an average of three pregnancy apps during their gestational period (Frazer, et al, 2015). Methods and Results A professional website was created for the Pregnancy Loss Research Group to provide information relating to pregnancy loss and also the facilities at CUMH. A tailored content management system (CMS) was created to push articles written to both website and mobile platforms so they only need to update articles once with changes appearing on both platforms without having to alter any code. The app was built using the mobile development framework PhoneGap which incorporates Javascript, HTML5 and CSS. Once the app is opened articles are pulled from the database into local storage so that there are no barriers to accessing information. When the app has a network connection a function calls the articles from the database to sync with the articles in local storage. This keeps articles up to date and facilitates offline reading. Articles are accessed via a fixed navigation bar in sections that mirror the main website. The app has a separate ToolKit with sections that are only available after the app user creates a profile. The Toolkit allows the user to map and record their experience of pregnancy loss using a number of tools including diary entries and photos. Users can write a diary entry or take a photo and save to review. Once the user submits a diary entry or photo the overall sentiment, negative or positive, is calculated against a word list with related scores. Emojis included in diary entries can also be calculated in the sentiment rating so that the informal way in which app users communicate with mobile devices can be properly assessed. For additional research purposes, the mobile app also includes a number of validated psychometric scales including Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Scale and Self Evaluation Scale for the users to complete. The mobile app calculates the score for each scale and the scores per scale are displayed to allow researchers to investigate the emotional wellbeing of the users. The CMS then operates as a web user interface that allows the data collected by the mobile app to be analysed. The CMS shows app activity statistics in 3D graphs highlighting individual app user activity and overall total app usage activity. Graphs display different user type, app user location, number of psychometric tests completed per month, app activity by time of the day and day of the week. Conclusion An effective method for data acquisition and management in pregnancy loss research has been created. Both the website and mobile app act as an accurate information resource. The CMS allows the group to manage and update the information on both platforms without technical knowledge of web or mobile frameworks. Data collected from app users has the potential to inform evidence based practice in the future.

Text treats parent's experiences and perceives and the significant of their newborn premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit in the Ljubljana maternity hospital. Aim of health promotion, the significance of health education in health education counselling are presented. The purpose of this study was to introduction parent' s experiences and make an implementation in nursing practice. The advantage is represent by performing health education counselling for parents in intensive care unit permanently. Perceives of parents during living their newborn infant in neonatal intensive care unit are present on five concepts: perceive parents themselves, perceive their infant, perceive the staff and the intensive care setting and perceive their home setting. Results are showing statistic important differences between mothers and fathers at the time of deliver and at the time charging infant home. A questionare was used for collecting data. Process of development instrument is represent. Descriptive statistics and T-test was used for quantitative data analysed. Using method of internal consistent Chronbach alpha tested reliability of scales and mean differences in time are graf protrayed by 95% confident intervals. Results show statistical significant differences on all five concepts of parent's experiences. Methodological findings and reseaarch limitations are also present. Authoress positive evaluates the effect of health education counselling program and find out its positive effect on parent's critical thinking and contributes to quality assurance nursing.

The concept of self-efficacy is presented in the paper, which has not been applied yet in empirical psychological research in Slovenia, and selected metric characteristics of the translated and adapted Schwarzer's generalised self-efficacy scale (LSU) are analysed. The introduction focuses on self-efficacy within organisational context, the self-efficacy versus self-esteem issue and the Bandura's socio-cognitive paradigm. The psychometric analyses are based on a sample of 120 undergraduates, supplemented by comparisons with a sample of 15 employees. In addition to the LSU, a self-regulation scale was applied (another adaptation to Slovenian), a standard trait-anxiety scale and a self-confidence scale. The self-efficacy scale is analysed in detail – including the item level, while the other three instruments are only addressed on the scale level. LSU's reliability in terms of internal consistency proved to be sufficient (Cronbach α 0,77 for the students and 0,87 for the employees). Concurrent validity was verified through indicator convergence (a high positive correlation with the two related scales and a high negative correlation with the anxiety scale). Another piece of evidence in favour of construct validity of the LSU is provided by lack of significant differences between distinct groups of students on any of the scales, as well as by significant differences between the students and the employees on all the four scales.

Although previous studies have examined adaptive capacity using a range of self-assessment procedures, no objective self-report approaches have been used to identify the dimensions of adaptive capacity and their relative importance. We examine the content, structure, and relative importance of dimensions of adaptive capacity as perceived by rural landholders in an agricultural landscape in South-Eastern Australia. Our findings indicate that the most important dimensions influencing perceived landholder adaptive capacity are related to their management style, particularly their change orientation. Other important dimensions are individual financial capacity, labor availability, and the capacity of communities and local networks to support landholders' management practices. Trust and confidence in government with respect to native vegetation management was not found to be a significant dimension of perceived adaptive capacity. The scale items presented, particularly those with high factor loadings, provide a solid foundation for assessment of adaptive capacity in other study areas, as well as exploration of relationships between the individual dimensions of adaptive capacity and dependent variables such as perceived resilience. Further work is needed to refine the scale items and compare the findings from this case study with those from other contexts and population samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Social Support Satisfaction Scale (SSSS) was submitted to an adaptation to Portuguese language. Psychometric qualities of the SSSS were assessed in a sample of 1,023 university and college students from Brazil and Portugal. From the results obtained, we propose a modified version of the SSSS with 12 items that assess four dimensions (Satisfaction with Friendship, Intimacy, Satisfaction with Family and Social Activities). The modified version of the SSSS demonstrated good reliability; factorial validity; and concurrent, divergent and discriminant validity. Convergent valid is in the limit of what is acceptable. There was invariance of the factorial weights in the Portuguese and Brazilian samples, allowing its use for assessing "Social Support Satisfaction" in higher education students in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although previous studies have examined adaptive capacity using a range of self-assessment procedures, no objective self-report approaches have been used to identify the dimensions of adaptive capacity and their relative importance. We examine the content, structure, and relative importance of dimensions of adaptive capacity as perceived by rural landholders in an agricultural landscape in South-Eastern Australia. Our findings indicate that the most important dimensions influencing perceived landholder adaptive capacity are related to their management style, particularly their change orientation. Other important dimensions are individual financial capacity, labor availability, and the capacity of communities and local networks to support landholders' management practices. Trust and confidence in government with respect to native vegetation management was not found to be a significant dimension of perceived adaptive capacity. The scale items presented, particularly those with high factor loadings, provide a solid foundation for assessment of adaptive capacity in other study areas, as well as exploration of relationships between the individual dimensions of adaptive capacity and dependent variables such as perceived resilience. Further work is needed to refine the scale items and compare the findings from this case study with those from other contexts and population samples.

In this article we describe the process of construction and validation of two instruments devised to measure attitudes toward same-sex parenting. One instrument focuses on evaluations of the parents and the other on evaluations of their child's development. Both instruments are presented after an adoption vignette in which the sexual orientation and relational status of the prospective adoptive parents and the gender of the adopted child were varied. First, we determined the factorial structure of the two instruments using exploratory factor analysis. Second, we validated the observed factorial structures using confirmatory factor analysis. Third, we tested the measurement invariance of this model across the prospective adoptive parents' sexual orientation, relational status, and gender of their adopted child using multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis. The two instruments showed good psychometric qualities and proved to be reliable resources to measure diverse aspects of attitudes toward same-sex parenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Psychometric scales often change over time, complicating comparison of scores across different versions. The Impact of Cancer (IOC) scale was developed to measure quality of life of long-term cancer survivors. We sought to develop a method for scoring the earlier version, IOCv1, to obtain scores comparable to IOCv2, which is the recommended version. Methods: Data from 1,828 cancer survivors who had completed a questionnaire including all IOCv1 and IOCv2 items were randomly split into training, validation and test sets. The training and validation sets were used to develop and validate linear regression models for predicting each IOCv2 item missing from IOCv1. The models were then applied to the test set to obtain pseudo-IOCv2 scores, which were compared to observed scores to assess predictive performance of the models in independent data. Results: Observed and pseudo-IOCv2 scale scores were highly correlated in the test sample and had mean differences near zero. The models performed especially well in predicting summary scale scores, with correlations exceeding 0.98. Conclusions: The approach facilitates comparison across samples of survivors surveyed using different versions of the IOC and may be useful to other investigators trying to compare participants surveyed using different versions of the same instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is used worldwide for detecting depressive symptoms. This questionnaire has been revised (1996) to match the DSM-IV criteria for a major depressive episode. We assessed the reliability and the validity of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the BDI-II for non-clinical adults. Methods: The questionnaire was applied to 60 college students on two occasions. Afterwards, 182 community-dwelling adults completed the BDI-II, the Self-Report Questionnaire, and the K10 Scale. Trained psychiatrists performed face-to-face interviews with the respondents using the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-I), the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Scale, and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale. Descriptive analysis, signal detection analysis (Receiver Operating Characteristics), correlation analysis, and discriminant function analysis were performed to investigate the psychometric properties of the BDI-II. Results: The intraclass correlation coefficient of the BDI-II was 0.89, and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient of internal consistency was 0.93. Taking the SCID as the gold standard, the cut-off point of 10/11 was the best threshold for detecting depression, yielding a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 87%. The concurrent validity (a correlation of 0.63-0.93 with scales applied simultaneously) and the predictive ability of the severity level (over 65% correct classification) were acceptable. Conclusion: The BDI-II is reliable and valid for measuring depressive symptomatology among Portuguese-speaking Brazilian non-clinical populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Losing a child at the beginning of life is one of the most intense emotional stressors that may experience a woman. The evaluation of this mourning process requires reliable and valid instruments. This study aimed to determine the psychometric characteristics of the Perinatal Grief Scale (PGS) in a sample of Mexican women who had experienced perinatal loss. The scale was translated, retranslated, tested and adapted to finally be applied to 200 women who had experienced one or more perinatal loss and were attending a clinic. Data were subjected to the usual statistical procedures of validation (analysis of frequency distribution, comparison of extreme groups, exploratory factor analysis and factor analysis confirming, as well as correlation between scales) and evaluation of internal consistenc); obtaining appropriate indexes of reliability and validity. The Perinatal Grief Scale (EDP) was formed by 27 items, grouped in four scales: active grief, depression, guilt, and acceptance. Its use in research and clinical practice is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, the transportation sector is the third largest contributor of CO-e emissions. In order for Australia to meet the ratified target of 5% below 2000 emissions levels by 2020, a number of changes must be put in place. Sustainable transport design allows for more carbon-friendly travelling alternatives in urban and suburban areas where transportation activities mostly occur. In order for the design to be successfully accepted by the community, a good understanding of people's travel behaviour and preferences of transportation mode is required. This paper offers a review of current transportation research in the context of Australia that spans a number of disciplines including economics, engineering and psychology. The objectives are to assess the key factors that have been empirically shown to affect individual transportation mode choice, identify the shortcoming and gaps in the literature, and recommend how this research can be used to aid in future carbon reduction through better understanding of people's travelling behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: proposed a hypothetical graph describing a nonlinear relation between a character’s degree of human likeness and the emotional response of the human perceiver. However, the index construction of these variables could result in their strong correlation, thus preventing rated characters from being plotted accurately. Phase 1 of this study tested the indices of the Godspeed questionnaire as measures of humanlike characters. The results indicate significant and strong correlations among the relevant indices (). Phase 2 of this study developed alternative indices with nonsignificant correlations (p >.05) between the proposed y-axis eeriness and x-axis perceived humanness (r =.02). The new humanness and eeriness indices facilitate plotting relations among rated characters of varying human likeness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Measures of values typically appraise the construct globally, across life domains or relative to a broad life domain such as work. We conducted two studies to construct and initially validate an occupation- and context-specific values measure. Study 1, based on a sample of 192 medical students, describes the initial construction and item analysis of the physician values in practice scale (PVIPS), which produced a 15-factor model. Study 2 reports on a further analysis and refinement of the instrument with a national sample of 644 medical students. Results supported the basic psychometric properties of the PVIPS items. Exploratory factor analysis in Study 2 extracted six factors consistent with a theoretical model of values (Dawis, 1991) and accounting for 61% of the variance: Prestige, Service, Autonomy, Lifestyle, Management, and Scholarly Pursuits. The PVIPS shows promise as a values measure for medical students and physicians encountering career specialty and medical practice style decisions. Interested researchers may construct similar scales for other occupations to promote contextualized appraisals of values. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]