Reliability estimation in a multilevel confirmatory factor analysis framework

Applied ambulatory assessment: Integrating idiographic and nomothetic principles of measurement

Ambulatory assessment (AA; also known as ecological momentary assessment) has enjoyed enthusiastic implementation in psychological research. The ability to assess thoughts, feelings, behavior, physiology, and context intensively and repeatedly in the moment in an individual's natural ecology affords access to data that can answer exciting questions about sequences of events and dynamic processes in daily life. AA also holds unique promise for developing personalized models of individuals (i.e., precision or person-specific assessment) that might be transformative for applied settings such as clinical practice. However, successfully translating AA from bench to bedside is challenging because of the inherent tension between idiographic and nomothetic principles of measurement. We argue that the value of applied AA will be most fully realized by balancing the ability to develop personalized models with ensuring comparability among individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale in Overweight and Obesity's Psychometric Properties (SOCRATES-OO)

The present study investigated the psychometric properties of the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES) in the context of overweight and obesity. The instrument was investigated in a non-probabilistic sample of 177 individuals who were overweight or obese. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed in order to provide evidence based on the internal consistency of the SOCRATES-OO scale with three correlated factors and two correlated factors. In addition, the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) raw score was used to provide evidence in terms of convergent validity by its correlation with the domains of the best SOCRATES-OO solution. According to CFA, the theoretical solution with two correlated factors provided a better statistical fit. The psychometric evaluation of the 19 items of SOCRATES-OO presented a good fit under the two-factor model and satisfactory internal consistency by Omega of AMREC (Ambivalence + Recognition) 0.924 and Action 0.942.

Multilevel Reliability Measures of Latent Scores Within an Item Response Theory Framework

This paper evaluated multilevel reliability measures in two-level nested designs (e.g., students nested within teachers) within an item response theory framework. A simulation study was implemented to investigate the behavior of the multilevel reliability measures and the uncertainty associated with the measures in various multilevel designs regarding the number of clusters, cluster sizes, and intraclass correlations (ICCs), and in different test lengths, for two parameterizations of multilevel item response models with separate item discriminations or the same item discrimination over levels. Marginal maximum likelihood estimation (MMLE)-multiple imputation and Bayesian analysis were employed to evaluate the accuracy of the multilevel reliability measures and the empirical coverage rates of Monte Carlo (MC) confidence or credible intervals. Considering the accuracy of the multilevel reliability measures and the empirical coverage rate of the intervals, the results lead us to generally recommend MMLE-multiple imputation. In the model with separate item discriminations over levels, marginally acceptable accuracy of the multilevel reliability measures and empirical coverage rate of the MC confidence intervals were found in a limited condition, 200 clusters, 30 cluster size, .2 ICC, and 40 items, in MMLE-multiple imputation. In the model with the same item discrimination over levels, the accuracy of the multilevel reliability measures and the empirical coverage rate of the MC confidence intervals were acceptable in all multilevel designs we considered with 40 items under MMLE-multiple imputation. We discuss these findings and provide guidelines for reporting multilevel reliability measures.

Using the Experience Sampling Method to Study Sexual Risk Behavior among Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM)

Toward the goal of advancing understanding of rates of HIV transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM) populations, this article provides preliminary data on the use of the experience sampling method (ESM) in a sample of 165 MSM. Participants completed 6 weeks of experience sampling in two 3-week measurement bursts with a 3-week rest interval. Criterion validity of the random and retrospective daily assessments was supported by expected within-person correlations between sexual risk behavior and sexual arousal. Participants reported some sexual activity with a male partner on 18.62% of the days, condomless anal sex (CAS) on 6.52% of days, and not using condoms on 66.56% of days they had anal sex. Over half of the variability in CAS was at the within-person level, which suggests the significance of time varying contextual factors. Finally, CAS reports were relatively stable across the study, suggesting a lack of reactivity to the self-monitoring.

Exploring the Time Trend of Stress Levels While Using the Crowdsensing Mobile Health Platform, TrackYourStress, and the Influence of Perceived Stress Reactivity: Ecological Momentary Assessment Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

The mobile phone app, TrackYourStress (TYS), is a new crowdsensing mobile health platform for ecological momentary assessments of perceived stress levels.

OBJECTIVE

In this pilot study, we aimed to investigate the time trend of stress levels while using TYS for the entire population being studied and whether the individuals' perceived stress reactivity moderates stress level changes while using TYS.

METHODS

Using TYS, stress levels were measured repeatedly with the 4-item version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4), and perceived stress reactivity was measured once with the Perceived Stress Reactivity Scale (PSRS). A total of 78 nonclinical participants, who provided 1 PSRS assessment and at least 4 repeated PSS-4 measurements, were included in this pilot study. Linear multilevel models were used to analyze the time trend of stress levels and interactions with perceived stress reactivity.

RESULTS

Across the whole sample, stress levels did not change while using TYS (P=.83). Except for one subscale of the PSRS, interindividual differences in perceived stress reactivity did not influence the trajectories of stress levels. However, participants with higher scores on the PSRS subscale reactivity to failure showed a stronger increase of stress levels while using TYS than participants with lower scores (P=.04).

CONCLUSIONS

TYS tracks the stress levels in daily life, and most of the results showed that stress levels do not change while using TYS. Controlled trials are necessary to evaluate whether it is specifically TYS or any other influence that worsens the stress levels of participants with higher reactivity to failure.

Investigating How Parental Instructions and Protective Responses Mediate the Relationship Between Parental Psychological Flexibility and Pain-Related Behavior in Adolescents With Chronic Pain: A Daily Diary Study

BACKGROUND

Parental behavior can influence how well adolescents cope with chronic pain. Previous research has largely focused on how parents negatively impact adolescent functioning. Yet more recent work suggests that parents - and particularly parental psychological flexibility - can foster better adolescent pain-related functioning. In this study we examined if parental protective responses and instructions to engage in activities in the presence of pain mediate the impact of parental psychological flexibility and acceptance of adolescent pain on adolescents' daily pain-related behavior.

METHOD

Fifty-six adolescents with chronic pain (M age = 14.5 years, 86% girls) and one of their parents (93% mothers) were recruited at initial evaluation at two pediatric pain clinics in the US. Parents completed baseline questionnaires assessing psychologically flexible parenting and acceptance of adolescent pain. Next, parents and adolescents completed a 14-day self-report diary assessing adolescent activity-avoidance and activity-engagement in the presence of pain (adolescent report), and parental protective responses and instructions for their adolescent to engage in activities (parent report).

RESULTS

Psychologically flexible parenting and acceptance of adolescent pain in parents were indirectly related to lower daily adolescent activity-avoidance, via their negative association with daily parental protective responses. Positive associations also emerged between baseline psychologically flexible parenting and overall levels of adolescent activity-engagement via its negative association with overall levels of parental protectiveness across the 14-day period. Psychologically flexible parenting and parental acceptance of adolescent pain were also indirectly related to daily decreases in adolescent activity-avoidance via their association with daily increases in parental activity-engagement instructions. These baseline parental resilience factors were also positively related to overall levels of parental engagement instructions, a route via which an indirect association with both higher overall activity-engagement as well as higher overall activity-avoidance in the adolescent was observed.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest an (indirect) adaptive role of parental psychological flexibility on adolescent daily pain-related behavior via its impact on parental protective behavior. If our findings replicate, they would suggest that these parental behaviors could be targeted in pain treatments that include both adolescents and their parents. Future research could further examine the impact of parental instructions on pain-related behavior in adolescents with chronic pain.

Relating Neuroticism to Emotional Exhaustion: A Dynamic Approach to Personality

We build on a novel model of personality [PersDyn] that captures three sources of individual differences (here applied to neuroticism): (1) one’s baseline level of behavior, affect, and cognitions (baseline); (2) the extent to which people experience different neuroticism levels (variability); and (3) the swiftness with which they return to their neuroticism baseline once they deviated from it (attractor strength). To illustrate the model, we apply the PersDyn model to the study of the relationship between neuroticism and emotional exhaustion. In the first study, we conducted a 5-day experience sampling study on 89 employees who reported on their level of state neuroticism six times per day. We found that higher levels of baseline neuroticism and variability were related to increased emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, we found an interaction effect between baseline and attractor strength: people with a high baseline and high attractor strength tend to experience a high degree of emotional exhaustion, whereas people with low levels of baseline neuroticism are less likely to suffer from exhaustion if their attractor strength is high. In the second study, we conducted a laboratory experiment on 163 participants, in which we manipulated state neuroticism via short movie clips. Although the PersDyn parameters were not related to post-experiment emotional exhaustion, the interaction effect between baseline and attractor strength was replicated. It is concluded that a dynamic approach to neuroticism is important in understanding emotional exhaustion.

Metabolic risk affects fluid intelligence changes in healthy adults

Metabolic syndrome affects persons of all ages and has been associated with cognitive decline. In a sample of 221 healthy adults (18.57 to 85.33 years), assessed up to 3 times (over up to 6.33 years), we applied a second-order bivariate dual-change-score model with strong factorial invariance to estimate the effects of previous levels of metabolic risk (MR) and fluid intelligence (Gf) on subsequent changes in both constructs. The results indicated that MR levels affect subsequent changes in Gf, whereas Gf does not affect changes in MR. This suggests that control of MR may be related to the change in a person's cognitive status, making early intervention, starting in young adulthood, a promising approach. To our knowledge, this is the first long-term study with such evidence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Assessing psychosocial risk in pediatric cystic fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Psychosocial risk factors are known to impact quality of life, treatment adherence, and health outcomes. No standardized comprehensive psychosocial risk screener is routinely utilized in cystic fibrosis (CF) care. The objectives of the study were to describe the range and severity of psychosocial risk within this CF population, investigate the reliability of a comprehensive psychosocial screener in pediatric CF clinical care, and explore relationships between psychosocial risk and key factors affecting health outcomes. It was hypothesized that the PAT-CF total and subscale α coefficients would be similar to those found in other pediatric medical populations.

METHOD

Parents of 154 children with CF completed a CF-specific version of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool_All-lit (PAT-CF), an empirically-based psychosocial risk assessment, during routine CF clinical care.

RESULTS

The internal consistency of the PAT-CF Total score was 0.71. Total score and subscale reliabilities reflect findings in other pediatric populations. Total risk scores fell in the following categories: 7% (Clinical-highest risk), 41% (Targeted), and 52% (Universal-lowest risk), respectively. Increased psychosocial risk was associated with Medicaid status and lower parent education, whereas having private insurance was associated with decreased psychosocial risk.

CONCLUSIONS

The PAT-CF can feasibly be used as an empirically-based comprehensive psychosocial risk tool in routine CF care and is acceptable by parents. In addition to providing universal anticipatory guidance regarding child and family wellness, early identification of risk factors allows care teams to proactively provide targeted support and intervention for specific psychosocial risk factors to promote improved quality of life and ability to sustain daily care.

Models to Examine the Validity of Cluster-Level Factor Structure Using Individual-Level Data

When researchers model multilevel data, often a shared construct of interest is measured by individual-level observations, for example, students’ responses regarding how engaging their instructor’s teaching style is. In such cases, the construct of interest, “engaging teaching,” is shared at the cluster level across individuals, yet rarely are these shared constructs modeled as such. To address this gap, we discuss multilevel confirmatory factor analysis models that have been applied to item-level data obtained from multiple raters within given clusters, focusing particularly on measuring a characteristic at the cluster level. After discussing the parameters in each potential model, we make recommendations as to the appropriate modeling approach and the steps to be taken for model assessment given a set of data and hypothesized construct of interest. In particular, we encourage applied researchers not to use a model without constraints across the within-cluster level and the between-cluster level because such models assume that the average amount of the individual-level construct in a cluster does not differ across clusters. To illustrate this issue, we present simulation results and evaluate a series of models using empirical data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study.

Considering anticipated regret may reduce colorectal cancer screening intentions: a randomised controlled trial

Objective: Regular screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) can substantially improve outcomes. This study investigated how measuring regret expected from failing to screen might lead to stronger screening intentions. Five potential moderators were evaluated: perceived threat, psychological reactance, prior screening participation, concurrently measuring faecal aversion (FA) and anticipated regret (AR). Design: A 2 (AR measured pre/post intention) × 2 (FA measured pre/post intention) single blind parallel randomised controlled trial was used. Australians aged 45 and over completed an online survey measuring AR, FA, intention, theory of planned behaviour variables and potential moderators. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was CRC screening intention. Results: Eight hundred and three participants were randomised, with 666 analysed. Measuring AR prior to intention unexpectedly resulted in a significantly lower intention to screen (d = 0.18, 95% CI [0.03, 0.33]) compared to measuring after intention. Trait reactance predicted a significantly lower intention when it was at least 0.52 SD above the mean; other moderators were not supported. Conclusion: The processes underlying anticipated regret manipulations must be better understood in order to have practical value in health promotion. More research is required to determine how to minimise or avoid the apparent negative effects of psychological reactance in CRC screening communication. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12618001098224 http://www.ANZCTR.org.au/ACTRN12618001098224.aspx.

Tomorrow's gonna suck: Today's stress anticipation predicts tomorrow's post-awakening cortisol increase

The cortisol awakening response (a rapid rise in cortisol concentration shortly after awakening) is hypothesized to prepare the organism to cope with upcoming demands, suggesting a key role for anticipatory stress in its regulation. Yet, no thorough test of this hypothesis incorporating temporal dynamics of the underlying processes has been conducted so far. To address this gap in the literature, the present study investigated the effects of anticipated stress for the next day (assessed in the evening) on an estimate of the cortisol awakening response (assessed in the following morning). In an ambulatory assessment paradigm, 42 participants (69% female; mean age = 22.8, range = 18-30 years) completed 5 consecutive days of assessments in their daily lives, collecting saliva samples at awakening and 30 min later. Using hierarchical linear modeling, associations with anticipatory stress were examined separately on the within- and between-person level. In line with our expectations, anticipatory stress predicted the post-awakening cortisol increase on the within-person level, implying an elevated cortisol rise on days for which more stress than usual had been anticipated. In contrast, on the between-person level higher average anticipatory stress did not predict an increased cortisol rise. Taken together, the findings confirm a key role of anticipatory stress in the regulation of the cortisol awakening response on the within-person level.

Preaching and practicing multicultural education: Predicting students' outgroup attitudes from perceived teacher norms and perceived teacher-classmate relations

Research on the role of teachers in bringing about positive interethnic attitudes among their students has largely focused on the norms teachers express about cultural diversity in the classroom without considering teacher's enactment of these norms in their relationships with students. The current study assessed to what extent students' ethnic outgroup attitudes are affected by perceived positive teacher norms about cultural diversity, together with perceived positive teacher-classmate interactions that may serve as an example to students. We investigated whether and how teacher norms and practices interact to affect students' attitudes, and whether these effects may differ for minority and majority students. Data was gathered in two waves among 186 native (majority) Dutch students, and 129 students with a Turkish-Dutch, or Moroccan-Dutch (minority) background in 29 4th-6th grade classrooms. Results showed that both majority and minority students expressed more positive attitudes towards ethnic outgroups when they perceived their teacher to have a positive relationship with their majority classmates, but only when supported by positive teacher norms. Ethnic majority students had more favorable outgroup attitudes when perceiving positive teacher relationships with minority classmates, but only in the absence of positive teacher norms. These results indicate that students in culturally diverse classrooms consider their teachers' interpersonal relationships with classmates to inform their own attitudes about ethnic outgroups.

Validation predicting premature drop-out from treatment provided in training clinics

Background:

Therapist validation in treatment is theorized to be related to positive outcomes (Linehan, 1993), including keeping patients in therapy longer.

Aims:

We sought to evaluate the role of therapist validation from both therapists’ and clients’ perspectives as a predictor of drop-out from psychotherapy in three cognitive behavioural training clinics.

Method:

Clients in psychotherapy (n = 50; 80% female; 82% Caucasian) and their trainee therapists (n = 22; 68% female; 86% Caucasian) rated validation by the therapist at each of four early sessions of therapy.

Results:

After accounting for symptom severity, clients who reported greater therapist validation were less likely to drop out of treatment. Therapist ratings of their own validating behaviours were unrelated to client drop-out. Therapist experience moderated the relation between client-rated validation and drop-out, such that validation was unrelated to drop-out for more experienced therapists.

Conclusions:

Assessing and attending to client perceptions of validation by the therapist early in treatment, with brief self-report inventories, can alert therapists to clients at greater risk of drop-out.

National cultural value models and reputation of MNCs

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical and empirical comparison of four major national cultural value models for perceived corporate reputation (CR) of multinational corporations (MNCs) across nations: Hofstede, Schwartz, the GLOBE study and Inglehart.

Design/methodology/approach

Two consumer surveys on an MNC and on competitors in 25 countries in the year 2015 (n=20,288 and 25,397) were used for the first time to compare the roles of the cultural value models as antecedents of CR, using multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM), which disentangles the explained variances on the country level and on the individual level.

Findings

National culture is strongly attributed to individual CR perceptions of MNCs across nations. However, the four conceptual cultural value models explain the variance differently (46.2–84.6 percent) as do particular cultural value dimensions within each model. The results are stable for both surveys.

Research limitations/implications

Novel insights into the roles of cultural value models are provided for international business research. For MNCs aiming to use their CR to attract target groups in foreign countries, this study identifies the most influential cultural value model and particular dimensions.

Originality/value

This study contributes to cultural research by deepening the understanding of the various cultural value models and their importance for MNCs. Moreover, the authors add to the CR research by providing new insights into perception differences and using the still novel MSEM.

Enhancing Program Quality in a National Sample of After-school Settings: The Role of Youth-Staff Interactions and Staff/Organizational Functioning

Using multilevel data from the national evaluation of Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), this study examined associations among programmatic structures, workplace and workforce characteristics, and relational practices of program staff as they relate to young people's ratings of their experience attending local clubs. The sample included 57,710 members and 5,231 staff members at 740 BGCA sites throughout the United States. Staff relational practices-including establishing caring relationships, setting high expectations, positive behavior management, encouraging youth input and agency, and cultural sensitivity-explained associations between staffing and organizational functioning and youths' perceptions of the quality of their clubs. Findings suggest a central role of staff relational practices in establishing conditions that youth experience positively, and that staffing and organizational processes, including community engagement and teamwork and efficiency can be viewed as foundations for establishing a culture of positive adult-youth interaction, which in turn can contribute to the promotion of positive youth development. Further, identification with the experiences of youth had a direct association with youths' perceptions of club quality. These results underscore the importance of staff workforce development initiatives as key to improving youth experiences in after-school programs.

Longitudinal Changes in Empathy Across the Life Span in Six Samples of Human Development

The development of empathy is a hotly debated topic. Some studies find declines and others an inverse U-shaped pattern in empathy across the life span. Yet other studies find no age-related changes. Most of this research is cross sectional, and the few longitudinal studies have their limitations. The current study addresses these limitations by examining changes in empathy in six longitudinal samples (total N = 740, age 13–72). In a preliminary study ( N = 784), we created and validated a measure of empathy out of the California Adult Q-Sort. The samples were combined for multilevel analyses in a variant of an accelerated longitudinal design. We found that empathy increased across the life span, particularly after age 40, and more recent cohorts were higher in empathy.

How was your day? Convergence of aggregated momentary and retrospective end-of-day affect ratings across the adult life span

Daily diary studies and experience sampling studies examine day-to-day variations in affect using different rating types: The former typically collect retrospective affect reports at the end of the day, whereas the latter collects multiple momentary assessments across the day. The present study examined the convergence of (aggregated) momentary assessments collected repeatedly within a day and retrospective assessments collected at the end of the day. Building on prior research on the memory-experience gap and the peak-and-end rule we predicted that participants would report more intense retrospective affect than aggregated momentary affect, and that retrospective affect would be biased toward the peak and the most recent affect of the day. Based on socioemotional selectivity theory and the strength and vulnerability integration model, age differences in these convergence indicators were expected. Findings from 2 age-heterogeneous ecological momentary assessment/daily diary hybrid studies (N = 242, 25-65 years; and N = 175, 20-79 years) revealed (a) a memory-experience gap for negative affect (more intense retrospective ratings than aggregated momentary ratings) that is attenuated with advancing age; (b) only a small memory-experience gap for positive affect for very old adults (66-79 years), but not younger adults; (c) relatively high convergence of aggregated momentary ratings and retrospective ratings despite (d) small biases of retrospective negative affect ratings toward peak and most recent negative affect. Findings suggest that both rating types can discriminate "good days" from "bad days" and provide overlapping but not necessarily exchangeable information. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

A Comparison of Multilevel Mediation Modeling Methods: Recommendations for Applied Researchers

Multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM) has been proposed as a valuable tool for estimating mediation in multilevel data and has known advantages over traditional multilevel modeling, including conflated and unconflated techniques (CMM & UMM). Recent methodological research has focused on comparing the three methods for 2-1-1 designs, but in regards to 1-1-1 mediation designs, there are significant gaps in the published literature that prevent applied researchers from making educated decisions regarding which model to employ in their own specific research design. A Monte Carlo study was performed to compare MSEM, UMM, and CMM on relative bias, confidence interval coverage, Type I Error, and power in a 1-1-1 model with random slopes under varying data conditions. Recommendations for applied researchers are discussed and an empirical example provides context for the three methods.

The Family Relationships Index (FRI)

Abstract. Factor analysis of nested data is a challenge for researchers when they need to accurately identify the most appropriate latent configuration of self-report instruments. The present study used a multilevel framework to evaluate the factor structure underlying the 12-item three-factor Family Relationships Index (FRI), while adapting this instrument to the Italian context. By way of separating the two sources of variance (within and between families), results from 231 family members nested in 77 family triads supported a three-factor model (i.e., family cohesion, communication, and conflict resolution). Multilevel confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA) corroborated this model at the family level in particular. A one-factor model was also tested but resulted in being less suitable at both the individual (within) and family (between) level of analysis. Finally, we consider challenges in using such statistical techniques, while taking into account the FRI’s briefness and easiness to complete and score it in a practice-oriented assessment perspective.

A multimodal, naturalistic investigation of relationships between behavioral impulsivity, affect, and binge eating

While binge eating is associated with both emotion regulation deficits and cognitive control impairments related to impulsivity, thus far research has not examined how dimensions of behavioral impulsivity may influence momentary relationships between affect and binge-eating episodes. The present study utilized multimodal methods to examine the extent to which individual differences in impulsive choice (i.e., delay and probabilistic discounting) and impulsive action (i.e., response inhibition) moderated momentary relationships between negative and positive affect (NA and PA) and binge eating measured in the natural environment. Participants were 30 adult women with binge-eating symptoms who completed measures of behavioral impulsivity (i.e., Monetary Choice Questionnaire, Cued Go/No-Go task, Game of Dice Task), followed by a 14-day ecological momentary assessment protocol during which they reported affect levels and binge-eating episodes. Results of generalized estimating equations indicated that greater delay discounting (i.e., preference for immediate, yet smaller rewards) strengthened momentary relationships between both PA and NA and binge eating. However, and unexpectedly, the relationship between momentary PA and binge eating was negative among individuals with greater Cued Go/No-go commission errors, suggesting that higher PA actually attenuated risk of binge episode occurring in these individuals. Together these findings highlight important distinctions between facets of behavioral impulsivity as well as their relationships with affect valence and intensity in predicting binge episodes. Specifically, temporal rather than probabilistic discounting may be most relevant to momentary processes that contribute to binge eating, and promotion of momentary positive affect may be helpful for individuals with poorer response inhibition.

Psychometric evaluation of the Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plan disenrollment reasons survey

OBJECTIVES

To develop and assess the reliability and validity of composite measures of reasons for disenrollment from Medicare Advantage (MA) and prescription drug plans (PDPs).

DATA SOURCE

Medicare beneficiaries who responded to the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan Disenrollment Reasons Survey.

STUDY DESIGN

Separate multilevel factor analyses of MA and PDP data suggested groupings of survey items to form composite measures, for which internal consistency and interunit reliability were estimated. The association of each composite with an overall plan rating was examined to evaluate criterion validity.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Five composites were identified: financial reasons for disenrollment; problems with prescription drug benefits and coverage; problems getting information and help from the plan; problems getting needed care, coverage, and cost information; and problems with coverage of doctors and hospitals. Beneficiary-level internal consistency reliability exceeded 0.70 for all but one composite (financial reasons); plan-level internal consistency reliability exceeded 0.80 for all composites; average interunit reliability for plans with ≥ 30 survey completes exceeded 0.75 for 3 of 5 composites. As expected, greater endorsement of reasons for disenrollment was associated with lower overall plan ratings.

CONCLUSIONS

The Disenrollment Reasons Survey provides a reliable and valid assessment of beneficiaries' reasons for leaving their plans. Multiple reasons for disenrollment may indicate especially poor experiences.

Can losing teams cope with destructive voice behaviour? The role of game results and athletes' perceived motivational climate

This study examined the relation between losing a game and players' destructive voice about the coach. As team performances would suffer when such behaviours are not managed properly, we tested the motivational climate as a potential mechanism by which coaches can manage these destructive behaviours. Twelve volleyball and basketball teams (N = 136) were weekly assessed during eight weeks using questionnaires. Players rated the extent to which their teammates expressed destructive voice about their coach. Each player's indegree centrality (i.e. the average score received from all teammates) functioned as measurement of his/her destructive voice about the coach. As hypothesized, losing a game increased players' expression of destructive voice about the coach. At both the within- and between-person level, perceived mastery (performance) climate negatively (positively) predicted players' destructive voice about the coach. When players perceived a more salient performance climate than usual after a loss, their increase in destructive voice about the coach was magnified. These results highlight the dynamics of players' destructive voice about the coach and how a single loss can start the utterance of such voice. A coach would be able to counter this process by increasing the focus on a mastery rather than a performance climate.

The "Brightening" Effect: Reactions to Positive Events in the Daily Lives of Individuals With Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Depressed individuals are less reactive than healthy individuals to positive stimuli in the laboratory, but accumulating evidence suggests that they are more emotionally reactive to positive events in their daily lives. The present study probed the boundaries of this curious "mood brightening" effect and investigated its specificity to major depressive disorder (MDD) vis-à-vis generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), its closest boundary condition. We used ecological momentary assessment to measure reactions to positive events over one week in individuals with MDD (n = 38), GAD (n = 36), comorbid MDD-GAD (n = 38), and no psychopathology (n = 33). Depressed individuals responded to positive events with larger changes in affect, cognition, reported withdrawal (but not approach) behavior, and symptoms than healthy controls. More severe depression assessed before the sampling week predicted greater brightening. Altered reactivity to positive events was relatively specific to MDD when compared with GAD, similar to patterns found for other positive emotional processes. The robustness, scope, and relative specificity of the brightening effect highlights the need to resolve conflicting findings across laboratory and non-laboratory studies to advance understanding of altered reactivity in emotional disorders.

Momentary affect, stress coping, and food intake in mother-child dyads

BACKGROUND

Momentary affect and stress in mothers and their children may be an important predictor of food intake in the natural environment. This study hypothesized that there would be parallel actor and partner effects such that mothers' and children's negative affect (NA), positive affect (PA), and ability to cope with stress would be associated with their own and the other dyad member's unhealthy and healthy food intake in a similar pattern.

METHOD

Participants included 202 mother-child dyads (child age range = 8-12 years) who responded to randomly prompted ecological momentary assessment surveys via smartphone up to 7 times per day over 8 days, excluding time at school. At each prompt, mothers and children reported on their current NA, PA, and ability to cope with stress and foods consumed in the past 2 hr.

RESULTS

Mothers' momentary ability to cope with stress predicted their own and their child's pastries/sweets intake and their own fries/chips intake, and children's momentary ability to cope with stress predicted their own pastries/sweets intake. Mothers and children who reported higher NA on average consumed more pastries/sweets, and children with higher NA on average consumed more fast food. Finally, mothers' momentary PA predicted their own fruit/vegetable consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provided evidence that the affect and ability to cope with stress of children and mothers predicted subsequent food intake. Given both actor and partner effects, the results show that targeting momentary mothers' and children's ability to cope with stress may have the greatest effect on reducing unhealthy food intake. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Citizenship Pressure as a Predictor of Daily Enactment of Autonomous and Controlled Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Differential Spillover Effects on the Home Domain

This study questions the exclusive discretionary nature of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) by differentiating between autonomous OCB (performed spontaneously) and controlled OCB (performed in response to a request from others). We examined whether citizenship pressure evokes the performance of autonomous and controlled OCB, and whether both OCB types have different effects on employees’ experience of work-home conflict and work-home enrichment at the within- and between-person level of analysis. A total of 87 employees completed two questionnaires per day during ten consecutive workdays (715 observations). The results of the multilevel path analyses revealed a positive relationship between citizenship pressure and controlled OCB. At the within-person level, engaging in autonomous OCB resulted in an increase of experienced work-home conflict and work-home enrichment. At the between-person level, enactment of autonomous OCB predicted an increase in experienced work-home enrichment, whereas engaging in controlled OCB resulted in increased work-home conflict. The divergent spillover effects of autonomous and controlled OCB on the home domain provide empirical support for the autonomous versus controlled OCB differentiation. The time-dependent results open up areas for future research.

Validating the Pediatric Symptoms Checklist–17 in the Preschool Environment

In the Response to Intervention framework, a psychometrically sound screening tool is essential for identification of children with emotional and behavioral risk. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist–17 (PSC-17) screener in school-based settings. Forty-four teachers rated 738 preschoolers using the PSC-17; children were later assessed using long forms of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-2) Preschool form or the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) Caregiver–Teacher Report Form to identify emotional and behavioral disorder. Validity evidence including examinations of a multilevel factor structure, internal consistency, and criterion-related validity supported the conclusion that the PSC-17 is a high-quality universal screening tool in school-based settings. Finally, to identify emotional and behavioral risk with young children, receiver operating characteristic curve analyses with the PSC-17 yielded a lower cutoff score (i.e., 7) than the original cutoff score (i.e., 15) based on a clinical sample.

Modeling long-term changes in daily within-person associations: An application of multilevel SEM

Short-term within-person associations are considered to reflect unique dynamic characteristics of an individual and are frequently used to predict distal outcomes. These effects are typically examined with a 2-step statistical process. The present research demonstrates how long-term changes in short-term within-person associations can be modeled simultaneously within a multilevel structural equation modeling framework. We demonstrate the utility of this model using measurement burst data from the National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE) embedded within the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) longitudinal study. Two measurement bursts were separated by 9 years, with each containing daily measures of stress and affect across 8 consecutive days. Measures of life satisfaction and psychological well-being were also assessed across the 9-year period. Three-level structural equation models were fit to simultaneously model short-term within-person associations between stress and negative affect and long-term changes in these associations over the 9-year period. Individual differences in long-term changes of the short-term dynamics between stress and affect predicted well-being levels. We highlight how characterizing individuals based on the strength of their within-person associations across multiple time scales can be informative in predicting distal outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The Interplay of Friends and Parents in Adolescents' Daily Lives: Towards A Dynamic View of Social Support

This daily diary study investigated the interplay of perceived friend and parent support in adolescents' everyday lives. Specifically, we tested the interactive effects of friend and parent support on adolescent well-being at both the intra- and inter-individual level. A diverse sample of 119 adolescents (M _age=15.36) completed diary reports for two weeks. Multivariate multilevel models demonstrated that on days adolescents felt more supported by their friends or parents, they experienced increases in their happiness and social connectedness. Additionally, parent support emerged as a protective factor for youth lacking friend support, although patterns differed at the intra- versus inter-individual level. The findings underscore the dynamic nature of social support in adolescents' daily lives and highlight the interactive roles of friends and parents in promoting youth well-being.

Do People Know What They’re Like in the Moment?

Knowing yourself requires knowing not only what you are like in general (trait self-knowledge) but also how your personality fluctuates from moment to moment (state self-knowledge). We examined this latter form of self-knowledge. Participants (248 people; 2,938 observations) wore the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR), an unobtrusive audio recorder, and completed experience-sampling self-reports of their personality states four times each day for 1 week. We estimated state self-knowledge by comparing self-reported personality states with consensual observer ratings of personality states coded from the EAR files, which formed the criterion for what participants were “actually” like in the moment. People had self-insight into their momentary extraversion, conscientiousness, and likely neuroticism, suggesting that people can accurately detect fluctuations in some aspects of their personality. However, the evidence for self-insight was weaker for agreeableness. This apparent self-ignorance may be partly responsible for interpersonal problems and for blind spots in trait self-knowledge.

Estimating Reliability of Within-Person Couplings in a Multilevel Framework

Within-person couplings play a prominent role in psychological research and previous studies have shown that interindividual differences in within-person couplings predict future behavior. For example, stress reactivity-operationalized as the within-person coupling of stress and positive or negative affect-is an important predictor of various (mental) health outcomes and has often been assumed to be a more or less stable personality trait. However, issues of reliability of these couplings have been largely neglected so far. In this work, we present an estimate for the reliability of within-person couplings that can be easily obtained using the user-modifiable R code accompanying this work. Results of a simulation study show that this index performs well even in the context of unbalanced data due to missing values. We demonstrate the application of this index in a measurement burst study targeting the reliability and test-retest correlation of stress reactivity estimates operationalized as within-person couplings in a daily diary design. Reliability and test-retest correlations of stress reactivity estimates were rather low, challenging the implicit assumption of stress reactivity as a stable person-level variable. We highlight key factors that researchers planning studies targeting interindividual differences in within-person couplings should consider to maximize reliability.

Assessing within- and between-family variations in an expanded measure of childhood adversity

Previous measures of childhood adversity have enabled the identification of powerful links with later-life wellbeing. The challenge for the next generation of childhood adversity assessment is to better characterize those links through comprehensive, fine-grained measurement strategies. The expanded, retrospective measure of childhood adversity presented here leveraged analytic and theoretical advances to examine multiple domains of childhood adversity at both the microlevel of siblings and the macrolevel of families. Despite the fact that childhood adversity most often occurs in the context of families, there is a dearth of studies that have validated childhood adversity measures on multiple members of the same families. Multilevel psychometric analyses of this childhood adversity measure administered to 1,194 siblings in 500 families indicated that the additional categories of childhood adversity were widely endorsed, and increased understanding of the sources and sequalae of childhood adversity when partitioned into within- and between-family levels. For example, multilevel confirmatory factor analyses (MCFAs) indicated that financial stress, unsafe neighborhood, and parental unemployment were often experienced similarly by siblings in the same families and stemmed primarily from family wide (between-family) sources. On the other hand, being bullied and school stressors were often experienced differently by siblings and derived primarily from individual (within-family) processes. Multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM) further illuminated differential criterion validity correlations between these categories of childhood adversity with midlife psychological, social, and physical health. Expanded, multidomain, and multilevel measures of childhood adversity appear to hold promise for identifying layered causes and consequences of adverse childhood experiences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Helping Your Partner with Chronic Pain: The Importance of Helping Motivation, Received Social Support, and Its Timeliness

Objective

Like all intentional acts, social support provision varies with respect to its underlying motives. Greater autonomous or volitional motives (e.g., enjoyment, full commitment) to help individuals with chronic pain (ICPs) are associated with greater well-being benefits for the latter, as indexed by improved satisfaction of their psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The present study investigates the processes explaining why partners' autonomous or volitional helping motivation yields these benefits.

Methods

A total of 134 couples, where at least one partner had chronic pain, completed a 14-day diary. Partners reported on their daily helping motives, whereas ICPs reported on their daily received support, timing of help, need-based experiences, and pain.

Results

On days when partners provided help for volitional motives, ICPs indicated receiving more help, which partially accounted for the effect of autonomous helping motivation on ICP need-based experiences. Timing of help moderated the effects of daily received support on ICP need-based experiences.

Conclusions

Findings highlight the importance of ICPs of receiving support in general and the role of timing in particular, which especially matters when there is little support being received.

Mindfulness and progressive muscle relaxation as standardized session-introduction in individual therapy: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

There is scarce research on the effects of mindfulness in individual therapy. As many practitioners integrate mindfulness exercises into individual therapy, empirical evidence is of high clinical relevance.

METHOD

We investigated the effects of a session-introducing intervention with mindfulness elements (SIIME) in a randomized, controlled design. The effects of SIIME on therapeutic alliance and symptomatic outcome were compared with progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and treatment-as-usual (TAU) control conditions. The sample comprised 162 patients with anxiety and depression.

RESULTS

Multilevel modeling revealed a significant symptom reduction and significant increase of alliance over the course of therapy. There were no significant time-condition interactions on outcome and alliance, indicating the comparable efficiency of all three treatment conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

We found no advantage of SIIME versus PMR and TAU. Add-on mindfulness might not improve individual therapy related to alliance and outcome.

Cross-Level Group Measurement Invariance When Groups Are at Different Levels of Multilevel Data

Studies comparing groups that are at different levels of multilevel data (namely, cross-level groups) using the same measure are not unusual such as student and teacher agreement in education or congruence between patient and physician perceptions in health research. Although establishing measurement invariance (MI) between these groups is important, testing MI is methodologically challenging because the groups compared for MI are at different levels with one group nested within the other group. We propose a multilevel confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model that allows MI testing between cross-level groups at the between level and demonstrated testing MI between students and teachers using the promoting social interaction scale. Along with the demonstration, some methodological issues in implementing the proposed model (e.g., cluster invariance and reliability) and evaluating the model fit of multilevel CFA (e.g., ΔCFI and level-specific fit indices) and alternative approaches to the proposed model are discussed.

An experience sampling study on the nature of the interaction between traumatic experiences, negative affect in everyday life, and threat beliefs

Research suggests that trauma is associated with the development of psychotic experiences, such as paranoia, via affective processes. However, the empirical evidence on the exact mechanism is limited and it is unclear which aspects of trauma are relevant. Here we tested whether self-reported frequency of trauma, recurring trauma, age, and type of trauma are predictive of later threat beliefs in daily life and which role affective processes (self-reported negative affect and autonomic arousal) play in this association. We tested two often postulated mechanisms: mediation, with affective processes in everyday life explaining the association between trauma and threat beliefs; and moderation, with trauma strengthening the association between affective processes and threat beliefs in everyday life. Trauma was assessed at baseline with the Trauma-History-Questionnaire in 67 individuals with attenuated symptoms of psychosis. We then applied the experience-sampling-method during 24 h to assess negative affect, heart rate and threat beliefs. Multilevel analysis showed that negative affect (p < 0.001) and heart rate (p < 0.05) were predictive of subsequent threat beliefs. There was no significant mediation effect from any trauma characteristic to threat beliefs via negative affect and heart rate. Trauma frequency (p < 0.001), age at first trauma (p < 0.001), as well as the presence of physical trauma (p < 0.001) moderated the path from negative affect to subsequent threat beliefs. Our findings indicate that more frequent trauma, trauma at young age and physical trauma strengthen the association from negative affect to threat beliefs and could be relevant to determining the extent of vulnerability to psychosis.

Measuring affective well-being at work using short-form scales: Implications for affective structures and participant instructions

Measuring affective well-being in organizational studies has become increasingly widespread, given its association with key work-performance and other markers of organizational functioning. As such, researchers and policy-makers need to be confident that well-being measures are valid, reliable and robust. To reduce the burden on participants in applied settings, short-form measures of affective well-being are proving popular. However, these scales are seldom validated as standalone, comprehensive measures in their own right. In this article, we used a short-form measure of affective well-being with 10 items: the Daniels five-factor measure of affective well-being (D-FAW). In Study 1, across six applied sample groups (N = 2624), we found that the factor structure of the short-form D-FAW is robust when issued as a standalone measure, and that it should be scored differently depending on the participant instruction used. When participant instructions focus on now or today, then affect is best represented by five discrete emotion factors. When participant instructions focus on the past week, then affect is best represented by two or three mood-based factors. In Study 2 (N = 39), we found good construct convergent validity of short-form D-FAW with another widely used scale (PANAS). Implications for the measurement and structure of affect are discussed.

Adolescents' Psychological Well-Being: A Multidimensional Measure

Over the last few years, different theoretical approaches have emerged advocating for a positive understanding of adolescence, recognizing it as a stage characterized by plasticity, the acquisition of competences and the achievement of satisfactory levels of well-being and positive adjustment. Based on Ryff's multidimensional model of psychological well-being, this study aims: (1) to develop an adjusted measuring instrument for adolescents (Brief Scale of Psychological Well-Being for Adolescents), as well as analysing its psychometric properties; and (2) to conduct a descriptive analysis of the levels of psychological and subjective well-being among adolescent boys and girls. A sample of 1590 Andalusian adolescents (51% girls), aged between 13 and 19 years old participated in this study. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) showed the validity of the instrument, with a multidimensional factorial solution of four factors (self-acceptance, positive interpersonal relationships, autonomy and life development) with good levels of internal consistency. Descriptive analyses showed good scores of psychological and subjective well-being among the adolescents, with a significant impact of sex and age in both measures of well-being. The results are discussed in terms of the importance of considering adolescent well-being from a multidimensional view and the need to promote positive development from a multifactorial perspective which takes into account the diversity of the variables involved.

Experience Sampling Methods: A Discussion of Critical Trends and Considerations for Scholarly Advancement

In the organizational sciences, scholars are increasingly using experience sampling methods (ESM) to answer questions tied to intraindividual, dynamic phenomenon. However, employing this method to answer organizational research questions comes with a number of complex—and often difficult—decisions surrounding: (1) how the implementation of ESM can advance or elucidate prior between-person theorizing at the within-person level of analysis, (2) how scholars should effectively and efficiently assess within-person constructs, and (3) analytic concerns regarding the proper modeling of interdependent assessments and trends while controlling for potentially confounding factors. The current paper addresses these challenges via a panel of seven researchers who are familiar not only with implementing this methodology but also related theoretical and analytic challenges in this domain. The current paper provides timely, actionable insights aimed toward addressing several complex issues that scholars often face when implementing ESM in their research.