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Yust PKS, Weeks MS, Williams GA, Asher SR. Social relationship provisions and loneliness in school: Child- and classroom-level effects. J Sch Psychol 2023; 99:101218. [PMID: 37507187 PMCID: PMC10388189 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2023.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Building on social needs theory (Weiss, 1974), this study introduces the construct of classroom provision richness and examines the association between the exchange of social provisions among children in classrooms and children's feelings of loneliness in school. We examined the receipt of provisions from reciprocally nominated friends versus unilateral (one-sided) and non-friend classmates and examined associations between social provisions and loneliness at the child and classroom levels. Participants were 998 third- through fifth-grade children (468 girls, 530 boys; 88.5% White) in 38 classrooms who indicated which classmates they played with, helped, validated, and provided opportunities for self-disclosure. In addition to the social provisions nomination measure, children responded to (a) a measure of loneliness that avoided content overlapping with social provisions, (b) a rating-scale sociometric measure of peer acceptance, and (c) a measure that asked them to indicate which classmates engaged in prosocial, aggressive, or withdrawn-type behaviors. Multilevel analyses indicated that social provisions received from reciprocal friends and from unilateral-received friends were associated with children's feelings of loneliness in school. Furthermore, a measure of the provision richness of classrooms moderated the association between child-level provisions received and feelings of loneliness, such that children who received fewer provisions were less lonely in classrooms that were more provision-rich. Classroom provision richness was also associated with the general level of prosocial behavior and peer acceptance in the classroom. Together, findings suggest that efforts to foster the exchange of social provisions in classrooms could reduce loneliness and facilitate a more caring classroom environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula K S Yust
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, 417 Chapel Drive, Box 90086, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Molly S Weeks
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, 417 Chapel Drive, Box 90086, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Gladys A Williams
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Drive #1, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.
| | - Steven R Asher
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, 417 Chapel Drive, Box 90086, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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2
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McDonald KL, Siddiqui S, Seo S, Gibson CE. Interpretations and revenge goals in response to peer provocations: Comparing adolescents in the United States and Pakistan. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT 2022; 46:555-561. [PMID: 36866232 PMCID: PMC9977067 DOI: 10.1177/01650254221121840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
This study examined cultural specificity in how interpretations about peer provocation are associated with revenge goals and aggression. The sample consisted of young adolescents from the United States (369 seventh-graders; 54.7% male; 77.2% identified as White) and from Pakistan (358 seventh-graders; 39.2% male). Participants rated their interpretations and revenge goals in response to six peer provocation vignettes and completed peer nominations of aggressive behavior. Multi-group SEM models indicated cultural specificity in how interpretations were related to revenge goals. Interpretations that a friendship with the provocateur was unlikely were uniquely related to revenge goals for Pakistani adolescents. For U.S adolescents positive interpretations were negatively related to revenge but self-blame interpretations were positively related to vengeance goals. Revenge goals were related to aggression similarly across groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Salma Siddiqui
- National University of Science & Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sunmi Seo
- University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
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Maes M, Qualter P, Lodder GMA, Mund M. How (Not) to Measure Loneliness: A Review of the Eight Most Commonly Used Scales. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:10816. [PMID: 36078540 PMCID: PMC9518421 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Loneliness affects well-being and has long-term negative impacts on physical and mental health, educational outcomes, and employability. Because of those current and long-term impacts, loneliness is a significant issue for which we need reliable and appropriate measurement scales. In the current paper, psychometric properties of the eight most commonly used loneliness scales are reviewed both descriptively and meta-analytically. Results suggest that for many of the scales, the psychometric properties are promising. However, for some psychometric features, especially test-retest reliability and measurement invariance, evidence is rather scarce. Most striking, however, is the fact that all of the scales included items that do not measure loneliness. Surprisingly, for many (sub)scales, this was even the case for about half of the items. Because our measures are the foundation of our research work, it is crucial to improve the way loneliness is being measured.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies Maes
- Interdisciplinary Social Science: Youth Studies, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Pamela Qualter
- Manchester Institute of Education, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Gerine M. A. Lodder
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, 5037 AB Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Marcus Mund
- Personality Psychology and Psychological Assessment, Klagenfurt University, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria
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Grygiel P, Humenny G, Rębisz S, Bajcar E, Świtaj P. Peer Rejection and Perceived Quality of Relations With Schoolmates Among Children With ADHD. J Atten Disord 2018; 22:738-751. [PMID: 25526905 DOI: 10.1177/1087054714563791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The main aim of the current study was to investigate the links between ADHD diagnosis and the objective and subjective dimensions of social relationships among children from primary schools. METHOD We used the data from 36 regular classrooms, consisting of 718 students, with each containing at least one child with an established clinical diagnosis of ADHD (38 children). RESULTS For children with ADHD, the level of the perceived quality of social relations was lower than that of children without such a diagnosis. After controlling for sociometric status, the impact of ADHD on perceived status proved to be statistically nonsignificant but the indirect impact of ADHD on this status through sociometric status was statistically significant. CONCLUSION Children diagnosed with ADHD are more often rejected by their peers and have a more pessimistic view of their social world. Moreover, ADHD diagnosis does not have a direct influence on the perceived quality of social relations otherwise than through sociometric status.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Piotr Świtaj
- 4 Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
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McDonald KL, Asher SR. Pacifists and Revenge-Seekers in Response to Unambiguous Peer Provocation. J Youth Adolesc 2018; 47:1907-1925. [PMID: 29349594 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-017-0767-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In order to better understand why some children retaliate when they feel provoked and others do not, the present study identified "pacifistically-oriented" children who made negative interpretations in response to unambiguous provocations, yet did not endorse revenge goals, and compared them to "revenge-seeking" children who also made negative interpretations but did endorse revenge goals. Groups were identified based on seventh graders' (N = 367; 54.77% male; 22.89% racial/ethnic minority) responses to hypothetical situations in which a peer excluded and insulted them. Comparing these groups revealed that Pacifists endorsed relationship-maintaining goals and emotion regulation goals more highly than Revenge-Seekers. Revenge-Seekers reported more anger and endorsed beliefs about negative reciprocity and aggression being legitimate more highly than Pacifists. Additionally, Revenge-Seekers were more disrespect sensitive than were Pacifists, based on a measure of vigilance for signs of disrespect and expectations that others would disrespect them. Together these findings point to social-cognitive and emotion-related processes that may inhibit revenge-seeking in unambiguous provocation situations, even when children interpret the peer's behavior quite negatively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina L McDonald
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Box 870348, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA.
| | - Steven R Asher
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Box 90086, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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Stewart RW, Ebesutani C, Drescher CF, Young J. The Child PTSD Symptom Scale: An Investigation of Its Psychometric Properties. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2017; 32:2237-2256. [PMID: 26270934 DOI: 10.1177/0886260515596536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The current study addresses the need for accurate measurement of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in youth by investigating the psychometric properties of the Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS). The factor structure, reliability, and concurrent and discriminant validity of the CPSS were investigated in a sample of 206 6th- to 12th-grade adolescents. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported a single-factor structure, which was contrary to the hypothesized three-factor structure. Scores comprising this one-factor structure were also associated with high reliability (α = .93), and tests of concurrent and discriminant validity were also strong. The implications of these findings are discussed, with particular emphasis on future directions for research on self-report measures for adolescent PTSD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Christopher F Drescher
- 3 Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - John Young
- 4 University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
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Grygiel P, Humenny G, Rębisz S. Using the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale With Early Adolescents: Factor Structure, Reliability, Stability, and External Validity. Assessment 2016; 26:151-165. [PMID: 27932403 DOI: 10.1177/1073191116682298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The present investigation is the first examination of the factor structures, reliability, external validity, longitudinal invariance, and stability of the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS), as used with early adolescents. It is based on a two-wave, large, representative sample of Polish primary school pupils. The results demonstrate that the model most reflective of the factor structure of the DJGLS is the bifactor model, which assumes the occurrence of one, highly reliable, general factor (overall sense of loneliness) and two, relatively irrelevant, subfactors. Essential unidimensionality (the general factor accounting for three fourth of the common variance) suggest that the interpretation of the subfactors over and above the general factor is inappropriate. The longitudinal confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the bifactor structure of the DJGLS is invariant over time. Correlations with self-rated loneliness, sociometric acceptance/rejection, social self-efficacy, identification with class group, family structure, and gender provide support for the validity of the DJGLS. This implies that it could be used as a measure of loneliness in adolescence, which does not involve references to the school context, making it possible to conduct studies that go beyond school period and compare the intensity of the feeling of loneliness in that group with other age groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Grygiel
- 1 The Educational Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
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Chua KC, Brown A, Little R, Matthews D, Morton L, Loftus V, Watchurst C, Tait R, Romeo R, Banerjee S. Quality-of-life assessment in dementia: the use of DEMQOL and DEMQOL-Proxy total scores. Qual Life Res 2016; 25:3107-3118. [PMID: 27318488 PMCID: PMC5102947 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-016-1343-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE There is a need to determine whether health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) assessments in dementia capture what is important, to form a coherent basis for guiding research and clinical and policy decisions. This study investigated structural validity of HRQL assessments made using the DEMQOL system, with particular interest in studying domains that might be central to HRQL, and the external validity of these HRQL measurements. METHODS HRQL of people with dementia was evaluated by 868 self-reports (DEMQOL) and 909 proxy reports (DEMQOL-Proxy) at a community memory service. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) were conducted using bifactor models to investigate domains that might be central to general HRQL. Reliability of the general and specific factors measured by the bifactor models was examined using omega (ω) and omega hierarchical (ω h) coefficients. Multiple-indicators multiple-causes models were used to explore the external validity of these HRQL measurements in terms of their associations with other clinical assessments. RESULTS Bifactor models showed adequate goodness of fit, supporting HRQL in dementia as a general construct that underlies a diverse range of health indicators. At the same time, additional factors were necessary to explain residual covariation of items within specific health domains identified from the literature. Based on these models, DEMQOL and DEMQOL-Proxy overall total scores showed excellent reliability (ω h > 0.8). After accounting for common variance due to a general factor, subscale scores were less reliable (ω h < 0.7) for informing on individual differences in specific HRQL domains. Depression was more strongly associated with general HRQL based on DEMQOL than on DEMQOL-Proxy (-0.55 vs -0.22). Cognitive impairment had no reliable association with general HRQL based on DEMQOL or DEMQOL-Proxy. CONCLUSIONS The tenability of a bifactor model of HRQL in dementia suggests that it is possible to retain theoretical focus on the assessment of a general phenomenon, while exploring variation in specific HRQL domains for insights on what may lie at the 'heart' of HRQL for people with dementia. These data suggest that DEMQOL and DEMQOL-Proxy total scores are likely to be accurate measures of individual differences in HRQL, but that subscale scores should not be used. No specific domain was solely responsible for general HRQL at dementia diagnosis. Better HRQL was moderately associated with less depressive symptoms, but this was less apparent based on informant reports. HRQL was not associated with severity of cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kia-Chong Chua
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
| | - Anna Brown
- School of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Ryan Little
- Croydon Memory Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - David Matthews
- Croydon Memory Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Liam Morton
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Vanessa Loftus
- Kingston Integrated Health and Social Care Community Mental Health Team for Older People, South West London and St George's NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Caroline Watchurst
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Rhian Tait
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Renee Romeo
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Sube Banerjee
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
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Maes M, Van den Noortgate W, Vanhalst J, Beyers W, Goossens L. The Children's Loneliness Scale. Assessment 2016; 24:244-251. [PMID: 26354495 DOI: 10.1177/1073191115605177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The present study examined the factor structure and construct validity of the Children's Loneliness Scale (CLS), a popular measure of childhood loneliness, in Belgian children. Analyses were conducted on two samples of fifth and sixth graders in Belgium, for a total of 1,069 children. A single-factor structure proved superior to alternative solutions proposed in the literature, when taking item wording into account. Construct validity was shown by substantial associations with related constructs, based on both self-reported (e.g., depressive symptoms and low social self-esteem), and peer-reported variables (e.g., victimization). Furthermore, a significant association was found between the CLS and a peer-reported measure of loneliness. Collectively, these findings provide a solid foundation for the continuing use of the CLS as a measure of childhood loneliness.
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Ritchwood TD, Ebesutani CK, Chin EG, Young J. The Loneliness Questionnaire: Establishing Measurement Invariance Across Ethnic Groups. Assessment 2016; 24:798-809. [PMID: 26762110 DOI: 10.1177/1073191115625799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A state of loneliness describes an individual's perception of having dissatisfying social connections to others. Though it is notable across the life span, it may have particularly deleterious effects in childhood and adolescence, leading to increased risk of emotional impairment. The current study evaluates a widely used test of loneliness, the Loneliness Questionnaire, for measurement invariance across ethnic groups in a large, representative sample of youth in the 2nd to 12th grades ( N = 12,344; 41% African American) in Mississippi. Analyses were conducted using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis following a published, sequential method to examine invariance in form, factor loadings, and item intercepts. Overall, our results indicated that the instrument was invariant across ethnicities, suggesting that youth with equivalent manifest scores can be discerned as having comparable levels of latent loneliness. The loneliness scores also corresponded significantly with depression and anxiety scores for most subsamples, with one exception. These findings are discussed in the context of previous results comparing levels of loneliness across ethnicities. Additionally, the broader context of the need to expand invariance studies in instrumentation work is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eu Gene Chin
- 3 University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
| | - John Young
- 4 University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
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Viar-Paxton MA, Ebesutani C, Kim EH, Ollendick T, Young J, Olatunji BO. Development and initial validation of the Child Disgust Scale. Psychol Assess 2015; 27:1082-96. [PMID: 25844533 DOI: 10.1037/a0038925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Although disgust sensitivity (DS) has been implicated in the development of anxiety disorders in children, the absence of a measure of DS specifically for children has not allowed for an adequate test of this claim. To fill this important gap in the literature, this investigation presents a series of studies on the development and examination of the psychometric properties (including reliability, validity, and factor structure) of scores on a newly developed Child Disgust Scale (CDS). Exploratory factor analysis in Study 1 (N = 1,500) found that a bifactor model, which allows for a "g" DS factor in addition to 2 distinct factors of Disgust Avoidance and Disgust Affect, was the best fit for the data. Study 2 (N = 573) confirmed a two-factor bifactor model above and beyond a 1-factor model that controlled for method effects due to reverse-worded items. Results from Study 3 (N = 50) provided support for convergent and discriminant validity such that scores on the CDS were significantly correlated with measures of anxiety and fear, but not depression. Finally, Study 4 (N = 86) found that the CDS differentiated children with a diagnosis of specific phobia (n = 43) from a matched nonclinical community sample of children (n = 43), such that those with a specific phobia reported greater DS compared with controls. Results from these studies suggest that the CDS is a developmentally appropriate measure with good psychometric properties that can aid research on the role of disgust sensitivity in anxiety-related disorders in children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eun Ha Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi
| | - Thomas Ollendick
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
| | - John Young
- Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi
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Searching for a Screener: Examination of the Factor Structure of the General Health Questionnaire in Malaysia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1037/ipp0000030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Although mental health program development and service delivery have progressed in Malaysia since its independence in 1957, a shortage of mental health professionals remains a main barrier to mental health care ( Haque, 2005 ). Stigma and cultural beliefs about mental illness may further impede psychological help-seeking. An easy-to-use mental health screener such as the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) could be used to streamline mental health service delivery and to facilitate integration into primary health care settings. In this study, we conducted a Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) across English and Chinese language versions for the GHQ-12 to examine the fit of existing factor structures for the GHQ-12. Participants were Malaysian college students of diverse ethnicities attending 2 schools in Malaysia who completed English or Chinese versions of the GHQ-12 (English subsample, n = 151, Chinese subsample, n = 127). Results suggested that an eight-item version of Ye’s (2009) model provided the best fit for both language versions. However, some items on the Chinese version appear to underestimate general psychological distress compared with the English version, thus potentially limiting its utility. Possible reasons for differential item performance and implications of the study are discussed.
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Energy, fatigue, or both? A bifactor modeling approach to the conceptualization and measurement of vitality. Qual Life Res 2014; 24:81-93. [PMID: 25362259 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-014-0839-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Vitality is an important domain reflecting both the physical and emotional components of health-related quality of life. Because of its complexity, it has been defined and measured both broadly and narrowly. We explored the dimensionality of a very comprehensive item bank hypothesized to measure vitality and its related concepts. METHODS Secondary analyses were conducted using the responses of 1,343 adults representative of the US general population to Internet-based surveys including 42 items compiled from multiple scales (e.g., SF-36 Vitality, PROMIS-Fatigue), covering a broad range of vitality-related content areas (energy, fatigue, and their interference with physical, mental, social activities, and quality of life). Exploratory and confirmatory factor models were evaluated independently using split-half samples. Bifactor model was used to assess the essential unidimensionality of the items, in comparison with traditional unidimensional, multidimensional, and hierarchical models. Method effects of a common scale or phrase were modeled via correlating errors. RESULTS The exploratory factor analysis identified one dominant factor. The confirmatory factor analysis identified a best-fitting (CFI = 0.964, RMSEA = 0.084) bifactor model with one general (vitality) and two group (energy and fatigue) factors, explaining 69, 3, and 4 % of total variance. Correlating errors accounting for the method effects were important in identifying the substantive dimensionality of the items. CONCLUSIONS The bifactor model proved to be useful for evaluating the dimensionality of a complex construct. Results supported conceptualizing and measuring vitality as a unidimensional energy-fatigue construct. We encourage future studies comparing practical implications of measures based on the broader and narrower conceptualizations of vitality.
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Stewart RW, Drescher CF, Maack DJ, Ebesutani C, Young J. The Development and Psychometric Investigation of the Cyberbullying Scale. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2014; 29:2218-2238. [PMID: 24424252 DOI: 10.1177/0886260513517552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Accurate assessment of cyberbullying is essential for intervention planning and evaluation. Limitations to many currently available self-report measures of cyberbullying victimization include a lack of psychometric information and a limited scope (i.e., not assessing multiple electronic mediums of cybervictimization). To address these limitations, we developed and investigated the psychometric properties of a broad self-report measure of cyberbullying, the Cyberbullying Scale (CBS). We examined the factor structure and reliability of the CBS across 736 students in Grades 6 to 12 in six Northern Mississippi schools. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) results indicated that the structure of the CBS was best represented by a one-factor model. The finding of a single-factor structure suggests that cyberbullying is a unidimensional construct, which is consistent with previous research. In the current sample, the CBS demonstrated strong psychometric properties, including excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .94) and significant positive correlations with related constructs of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Results from the present study provide initial support for the CBS as a measure of cybervictimization among adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - John Young
- University of Mississippi, University, USA
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15
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Ebesutani C, Drescher CF, Reise SP, Heiden L, Hight TL, Damon JD, Young J. The Loneliness Questionnaire-Short Version: an evaluation of reverse-worded and non-reverse-worded items via item response theory. J Pers Assess 2012; 94:427-37. [PMID: 22404209 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2012.662188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Although reverse-worded items have often been incorporated in scale construction to minimize the effects of acquiescent reporting biases, some researchers have more recently begun questioning this approach and wondering whether the advantages associated with incorporating reverse-worded items is worth the complexities that they bring to measures (e.g., Brown, 2003 ; Marsh, 1996 ). In this study, we used item response theory (IRT) to determine whether there is statistical justification to eliminate the reverse-worded items (e.g., "I have lots of friends") from the Loneliness Questionnaire (LQ; Asher, Hymel, & Renshaw, 1984) and retain only the non-reverse-worded items (e.g., "I'm lonely") to inform the provision of a shortened LQ version. Using a large sample of children (Grades 2-7; n = 6,784) and adolescents (Grades 8-12; n = 4,941), we examined the psychometric properties of the 24-item LQ and found support for retaining the 9 non-reverse-worded LQ items to make up a shortened measure of loneliness in youth. We found that the non-reverse-worded items were associated with superior psychometric properties relative to the reverse-worded items with respect to reliability and IRT parameters (e.g., discrimination and item information). A 3-point Likert-type scale was also found to be more suitable for measuring loneliness across both children and adolescents compared to the original 5-point scale. The relative contributions of reverse-worded and non-reverse-worded items in scale development for youth instruments are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad Ebesutani
- Department of Psychology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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