Development and Validation of the Fearlessness About Suicide Scale

Recent work has identified fearlessness about suicide, rather than fearlessness about death, as more theoretically relevant in the assessment of capability for suicide and thus a more appropriate construct of measurement. The aim of the current project was to develop and validate a scale specifically assessing fearlessness about suicide. Across two studies, support for a 7-item, single-factor structure of the Fearlessness About Suicide Scale (FSS) emerged. The FSS factor structure demonstrated a good fit in the first study and was replicated in the second study. Measurement invariance was examined across those identifying as men and women and found to be comparable. The FSS also demonstrated test-rest reliability and good convergent and divergent validity in community and undergraduate samples. Overall, findings indicate that the FSS has a replicable factor structure that generalizes across those identifying as men and women and may better assess components of capability for suicide than existing scales.

"I find it hard to change poor food habits": Measuring food choice motives in an emerging economy

Food choices are driven by an array of motives that have been approached, determined and quantified in a number of ways, mainly in developed countries. The objective of this study was to better understand the motives behind food choices in an emerging economy by collecting information from urban people in South Africa in a series of four studies. (1) Items generated through focus group discussions with low, middle and high income participants by Magano et al. (2023) were checked for content and face validity and (2) 123 statements derived from them were evaluated by 621 respondents. After exploratory factor analysis (EFA), 46 statements best representing the motivational space were (3) presented to another group of respondents (n = 259). Here, the EFA resulted in a 31-item, 7-factor food choice questionnaire for emerging economies (FCQ-EE) which was (4) confirmed by a nationwide sample (n = 814) and further refined to an alternative 19-item, 7-factor solution. The emerging factors were: Healthy eating constraints (HEC), Frugality (FR), Emotional eating (EE), Meat appeal (MA), Weather (WE), Quality seeking (QS) and Cooking constraints (CC). Whether used in the 31-item or 19-item format, this set of statements highlights factors underlying food choice in an emerging economy and offers a way to study their importance in similar contexts. Further research is needed to show the extent to which these factors can predict actual food choices.

The positive solitude scale (PS): psychometric properties among Chinese older

BACKGROUND

Positive solitude, taken as a meaningful activity, contributes to the improvement of health, well-being, and quality of life of older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Positive Solitude Scale (PS) among Chinese older to provide a reference for related research.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 608 older people from 10 provinces in China was used to conduct the survey.

RESULTS

The Chinese version of the PS consisted of 9 items with a unidimensional structure, which could explain 60.91% of the variance. The factor loadings of each item ranged from 0.67 to 0.82, and the communality ranged from 0.44 to 0.68. The confirmatory factor analysis showed good model fit (χ2/df = 2.771, RMSEA = 0.076, CFI = 0.972, IFI = 0.972, TLI = 0.959, PNFI = 0.665, PCFI = 0.675). It was found from the criterion-related validity test that PS scores were significantly and positively correlated with Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness scores (r = 0.45 to 0.44); PS scores were significantly and negatively correlated with Short-Form UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-6), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), Ego Depletion Scale (EDS), and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-2nd Edition (AAQ-II) (r = -0.27 to -0.36). The Cronbach's α coefficient value for the scale was 0.917; the split-half reliability coefficient value was 0.928. In addition, the PS showed cross-gender consistency.

CONCLUSIONS

The PS presented favorable psychometric characteristics in older people, which can be used as a valid tool for assessing older people's positive solitude.

An exploration of Italian laypeople's belief in how human memory works

We present the first study to measure the beliefs held by Italian laypeople about how human memory works, using a newly developed tool: the Italian Memory Belief Questionnaire (IMBQ). Research conducted in other countries has demonstrated that beliefs about memory vary widely between different professional and non-professional groups, indicating that limitations exist regarding the dissemination of empirically researched scientific knowledge. To ascertain what Italian people understand about memory-related topics, including eyewitness testimony, repression of traumatic memories and factors influencing memory recall, 301 native Italian participants completed the IMBQ in Study 1. In Study 2, 346 additional participants completed the IMBQ, alongside various additional measures, to examine the construct validity of our new instrument and investigate socio-demographic predictors of memory beliefs. Exploratory factor analysis in Study 1 identified three distinct belief factors that were present in the dataset: eyewitness and memory reliability, trauma and remembering and aspects that improve remembering. Study 2 partially confirmed this factor structure and found IMBQ scores to correlate with existing memory belief questionnaires. Correlations were also found between the IMBQ subscales and measures of fantasy proneness, but not dissociation. In both studies, many Italian laypeople strongly endorsed the notion that controversial topics (i.e., repression) are possible. Contrastingly, Italian laypeople do appear to understand the conceivable inaccuracies of memory in eyewitness settings. Sex, age and education were shown to predict beliefs about memory. Findings are discussed in relation to the importance of addressing misinformation about memory, especially in clinical and forensic settings.

Translation and validation of the caregiving burden scale for family caregivers of children with cancer in chinese population

BACKGROUND

Effective response and reducing the burden of family care for children with cancer is critical, and China currently lacks a specific assessment tool.

AIMS

This study aimed to translate and validate the Caregiving Burden Scale for Family Caregivers of Children with Cancer (CBSFC-CC) and then test and implement the tool.

METHODS

According to the Beaton cross-cultural debugging guide, preliminary Chinese version of CBSFC-CC scale was formed, which was suitable for Chinese language environment and clinical context. Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed to verify structural validity. Convergent validity, discriminant validity and reliability were also conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 529 family caregivers of children with cancer participated in the survey. EFA extracts and combines four factors and explained 65.80% of the total variation. CFA proved that all the goodness-of-fit indicators were acceptable. The Cronbach's alpha of the Chinese version of CBSFC-CC was .96, and the test-retest reliability coefficient was .95. Four dimensions and 29 items were identified in the final Chinese version of CBSFC-CC.

CONCLUSION

The chinese version CBSFC-CC is scientifically reasonable and has good reliability and validity, which can be applied to the investigation of the nursing burden of family caregivers of children with cancer in China.

The Relationship between the Working Environment and Quality of Life among Home Health Aides: Focusing on the Mediation Role of Burnout

As South Korea's population rapidly ages, there is an increasing demand for home aides. However, little is known about how the caregiving environment affects HHAs. Guided by the environment comfort model, we examined the association between care recipients' home environment and HHA's quality of life, focusing on how burnout mediates this relationship. Our data came from a national survey of home health aides in 2020 (N = 786). We conducted an exploratory factor analysis to identify six factors related to the care environment in three dimensions: physical (1. space; 2. indoor/outdoor conditions), functional (3. home appliances; 4. heating/air conditioning), and psychological (5. satisfaction with the home environment; 6. relationships with care recipients and their families). We then used a path analysis to examine the relationship between these factors, burnout, and quality of life. Our findings show that safe indoor/outdoor conditions and positive relationships with care recipients and their families are associated with lower levels of burnout, leading to a higher quality of life (p < .05). This highlights the importance of considering both physical and psychological aspects of the caregiving environment to prevent burnout and improve the quality of life for HHAs, ultimately contributing to high-quality services for care recipients.

Development of the Life-Worldly Communication Scale to Improve Quality of Life: Daily Conversation as Care for Older Adults

The lack of daily conversation may lead to the deterioration of quality of life and cognitive function in older adults requiring long-term care. This study aimed to develop a scale to measure daily conversation among them, the Life-Worldly Communication Scale: LWCS, and to test its structural, convergent, and discriminant validity. The subjects were 539 older adults requiring long-term care in facilities and at home. A 24-item provisional scale was created, using a panel of experts. Structural validity of LWCS was examined from exploratory factor analysis to establish the factor structure, two confirmatory factor analyses for cross-validation, and measurement invariance between the institutional and home setting. Convergent validity was examined from the average variance extracted: AVE, composite reliability: CR, and simple regression analysis between LWCS and Interdependent Happiness Scale: IHS. Discriminant validity was examined using the heterotrait-monotrait ratio of correlations: HTMT. Multiple imputations were used to deal with missing data on these scales. The results showed that the goodness of fit of the three-factor, 11-item model obtained from the two-step CFA was SRMR = .043, RMSEA = .059, CFI = .978, and AGFI = .905. The model was confirmed for structural validity by measurement invariance tests: configural invariance (CFI=.973, RMSEA = .047), metric invariance (ΔCFI= .001, ΔRMSEA=-.004), scalar invariance (ΔCFI =-0.002, RMSEA = -0.003). Convergent validity was confirmed by AVE = .503~.772, CR = .801~.910, and simple regression analysis between LWCS and IHS (adjusted r2=.18, p < .001). Discriminant validity was also confirmed among the three factors (HTMT=.496~.644). LWCS can contribute to the assessment of daily conversation in geriatric settings and research regarding its promotion.

Care Partners' Engagement in Preventing Falls for Community-Dwelling Older People With Dementia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Little is known about how to prevent falls in community-dwelling older people with dementia. Although their care partners adopt various behaviors to prevent their falls, it is unclear if these behaviors reduce falls for those with different levels of fall risk.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Linking the 2015 and 2016 National Health and Aging Trends Study and the 2015 National Study of Caregiving (NSOC), we identified 390 community-dwelling older people with dementia with 607 care partners. We selected 26 NSOC items representing fall risk management (FRM) behaviors. We examined the prevalence and dimensionality of these behaviors and investigated associations between care partners' behaviors in 2015 (T1) and older people's falls in 2016 (T2) stratified by their fall incidence at T1, adjusting for covariates.

RESULTS

Five domains of FRM were identified: mobility and safety assistance, medical service coordination, health management, social service coordination, and accommodation. For those who did not fall at T1, mobility and safety assistance and social service coordination were each associated with an increased risk of falling at T2 (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] = 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-1.83, p = .019, aIRR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.01-1.55, p = .043). For those who had fallen at T1, social service coordination was associated with a decreased risk of falling at T2 (aIRR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.73-0.94, p = .004).

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

The different impacts of dementia care partners' FRM behaviors emphasize the need to address specific behaviors when involving care partners in preventing falls for older people with dementia at varying levels of fall risk.

Mental health among Hispanic college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Concurrent and predictive effects of negative and positive COVID-19 changes

Objective: We generated items to assess COVID-19 changes among Hispanic college students and examined the concurrent and predictive effects of these changes vis-à-vis mental health. Participants: The sample consisted of 559 Hispanic first-year (69% women; age range 18-22; 88.1% U.S.-born; 84% Mexican/Mexican American) attending a public university in Texas. Methods: Students participated in a three-wave longitudinal online survey assessing stressors, COVID-19 changes, anxious and depressive symptoms, hope, and self-esteem. Results: Students experienced negative changes across six life domains as a result of the pandemic-related lockdowns: education; health; relationships; finances; social issues; death/loss. They also reported positive changes during the lockdowns. Negative changes were positively correlated with higher, and positive changes with lower, acculturative and perceived stress. Negative COVID-19 changes predicted lower mental health. Conclusions: Hispanic students experienced both negative and positive COVID-19 changes, which were related to their mental health. Results can guide research and decision-making during future pandemics.

Translation and psychometric properties of a Polish version of the Body Acceptance by Others Scale-2 (BAOS-2)

The 13-item Body Acceptance by Others Scale-2 (BAOS-2) measures generalised perceptions of body acceptance by others. Here, we examined the psychometric properties of a novel Polish translation of the BAOS-2. A sample of 1183 adults (898 women, 285 men; age M = 28.98) from Poland completed a Polish version of the BAOS-2, alongside measures of body appreciation, pressure to conform to appearance ideals, self-compassion, self-esteem, and impression management. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis identified a stable unidimensional model of the Polish BAOS-2, with all 13 items retained. Additionally, the Polish BAOS-2 evidenced complete invariance (i.e., through to latent mean invariance) across gender identity. Scores on the BAOS-2 evidenced adequate composite reliability and, in a retest subsample (n = 260), showed complete invariance across four weeks. Evidence of convergent, criterion-related, discriminant, and incremental validity was very strong when based on observed BAOS-2 scores, but weaker when based on latent BAOS-2 scores. Whether examined at the observed or latent level, greater body acceptance by others was consistently and strongly associated with higher body appreciation. These results suggest that the psychometric properties of the Polish BAOS-2 are robust and that this instrument can be confidently utilised in future research with Polish adults.

Gay Community Stress in Sexual Minority Men and Women: A Validation Study in the Netherlands

Intraminority gay community stress theory posits that social stressors within sexual minority communities of men may be risk factors for mental health problems in gay and bisexual men. The recently developed 20-item Gay Community Stress Scale (GCSS) is a valid and reliable measure of gay community stress, but was not yet validated in the Netherlands. This study developed a Dutch-translated version of the GCSS and validated this scale in sexual minority men and sexual minority women, as it was hypothesized that sexual minority women may also experience intraminority stress. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were subsequently performed in independent samples of men and women, and produced a 16-item GCSS for men and a 12-item GCSS for women. The four-factor structure of the original GCSS was replicated in men and women, and encouraging support for discriminant and concurrent validity of the GCSS was found in both men and women. The total scale and subscales were internally consistent in men (α and ω ≥ .87) and in women (α and ω ≥ .78). The Dutch-translated GCSS seems to offer a valid and reliable way to assess intraminority stress in Dutch-speaking sexual minority men and sexual minority women, although further validation is warranted.

Development and validation of the mobile adherence satisfaction scale (MASS) for medication adherence apps

OBJECTIVE

To develop and validate the Mobile Adherence Satisfaction Scale (MASS) for assessing user satisfaction with mobile health applications aimed to improve medication adherence.

METHODS

The study involved patients over 18 with asthma, hypertension, heart failure, or diabetes, who used the CareAide® app for six months. Scale development included a literature review, expert consultations, and patient interviews, initially identifying 129 items. These were refined to 27 using a two-round Delphi technique and grouped into six dimensions: user interface, perceived usability, system quality, service quality, feature satisfaction, and general satisfaction. A pilot study with 30 participants further refined the model, which was then validated with 135 participants using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in SPSS 29 and SmartPLS 4. Data were collected via self-administered questionnaires.

RESULTS

A total of 135 complete questionnaires were analysed. Respondents had an average age of 66.7 years (SD = 11.6) with 42.2 % male (n = 57) and 57.8 % female (n = 78). After removal of an item due to cross loading, exploratory factor analysis resulted six dimensions and 26 items with Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of 0.837 and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity (χ2(n = 325) = 2085.673, P < 0.001). The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed high reliability and validity: Cronbach's alpha values > 0.70 for each dimension and an overall alpha of 0.89, with Composite Reliability and Average Variance Extracted both >0.70 and >0.50, respectively, for each dimension. Structural model indicated a significant positive impact of user interface (β = 0.226, P = 0.006) and feature satisfaction (β = 0.230, P = 0.002) on general satisfaction, explaining 23.1 % of the variance (R2 = 0.231).

CONCLUSION

The study developed and validated the MASS, a reliable tool for assessing user satisfaction with mHealth apps. User interface design and feature satisfaction are key for long-term engagement and consistent medication adherence.

Taxonomy for the assessment of the subjective experience of curly hair manageability

OBJECTIVES

This paper aims to develop and validate a taxonomy for the assessment of the subjective experience of curly hair manageability. It represents the latter of two iterative stages of a mixed-method design interdisciplinary project.

METHODS

The qualitative stage of the study incorporated thematic analysis of 14 interview transcripts generated using a video-ethnographic method (SEBE). A survey-based instrument assessing different elements of the construct of hair manageability designed during the first stage of this project was further developed following consultations with experts with extensive experience in hair research, product development, testing and trichology. The instrument was tested online with 506 female participants self-reporting natural curly hair, types 3A and higher according to the Andre Walker Curl Classification.

RESULTS

The initial construct of four groups of hair goals received positive content validity from the experts. High scale reliability was achieved for the aesthetic, haptic and emotive goals' scales as well as for hair esteem (Cronbach's alpha >0.75). Curl type was the only personal hair attribute that was correlated with hair goals and perceptions. From the demographic and lifestyle data, only age was correlated with goals and willingness to try new products. Common hair practices and product usage were also correlated with hair curl and goals.

CONCLUSION

The appropriateness of the instrument for measuring the strength of different hair goals and perceptions relevant to hair curvature degree and hair esteem has been validated. The instrument will support the development and testing of products better aligned with the manageability needs of very curly and textured hair. It was also confirmed that hair curvature is the most significant determinant of practices, and age of product attitudes.

Preliminary development of a brief parent-report gender identity alignment/distress screener for children

This research develops a brief, and preliminary, parent-report screener to assess gender identity alignment/distress in children. The increasing prevalence of children not identifying with their sex at birth, the length and outdated language of existing gender identity measures, and the need to assess gender identity among children (as opposed to adolescent/adult measures) motivate a screener. A survey containing 14 items from existing instruments was administered to a diverse set of 1110 parents of children ages 3-12. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, followed by multiple indicators and multiple causes (MIMIC) modelling, were used to develop a 5-item, unidimensional screener that may assess gender identity alignment/distress. The screener may be suitable to identify children who experience misalignment between their gender and sex assigned at birth and parents or children for whom this misalignment causes distress. These families may benefit from additional resources and conversations between paediatric staff and children about their gender identity, including education for parents, and/or referrals for specialty care. Future research should further streamline and validate this preliminary screener, examine its convergence with gender identity and distress measures and explore including children's perspectives.

Development and validation of the metaverse perception scale for nursing students

BACKGROUND

The use of Metaverse applications in nursing education is increasing every day and the evaluation of nursing students' perceptions of this new digital technology may guide interventions related to the use of the Metaverse. However, currently, no standardized instrument specifically designed to measure nursing students' perceptions of the Metaverse exists in Turkey.

AIM

To develop and validate the Metaverse Perception Scale for Turkish nursing students.

METHOD

This methodological study was carried out between March 1, 2023 and June 30, 2023 and its sample consisted of 770 nursing students who were enrolled in undergraduate nursing departments of universities in Turkey. The item pool was created based on a literature review and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, item analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, convergent and divergent validity, correlation analysis, internal consistency reliability and test-retest analysis.

RESULTS

The content validity index for the items ranged between 0.85 - 1.00. According to exploratory factor analysis, the eigenvalue of four factors was greater than one. These four factors explained 77.28 % of the total variance. In the scale model developed for this study, model fit was found to be acceptable for goodness of fit index:.921 and root mean square error of approximation:.064. χ2/sd: 1.659, normalized fit index:.961 and chi-square/degree of freedom revealed that model fit was at a good level and within the recommended value ranges. It was determined that the scale showed convergent and divergent validity and Cronbach's Alpha value ranged between 0.95 and 0.93 in the subscales. The Metaverse Perception Scale in Nursing Students was found to have a high level of test-retest reliability.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that the scale, which consists of 24 items and four subscales, is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used to assess nursing students' perceptions of the Metaverse in the Turkish context. This scale can contribute to the evaluation of Turkish nursing students' perceptions of the Metaverse, as well as the effective management of processes related to Metaverse practices.

Patient knowledge in anaesthesia: Psychometric development of the RAKQ-The Rotterdam anaesthesia Knowledge questionnaire

The transition from in-person to digital preoperative patient education requires effective methods for evaluating patients' understanding of the perioperative process, risks, and instructions to ensure informed consent. A knowledge questionnaire covering different anaesthesia techniques and instructions could fulfil this need. We constructed a set of items covering common anaesthesia techniques requiring informed consent and developed the Rotterdam Anaesthesia Knowledge Questionnaire (RAKQ) using a structured approach and Item Response Theory. A team of anaesthetists and educational experts developed the initial set of 60 multiple-choice items, ensuring content and face validity. Next, based on exploratory factor analysis, we identified seven domains: General Anaesthesia-I (regarding what to expect), General Anaesthesia-II (regarding the risks), Spinal Anaesthesia, Epidural Anaesthesia, Regional Anaesthesia, Procedural sedation and analgesia, and Generic Items. This itemset was filled out by 577 patients in the Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, and Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, the Netherlands. Based on factor loadings (≥0.25) and considering clinical relevance this initial item set was reduced to 50 items, distributed over the seven domains. Each domain was processed to produce a separate questionnaire. Through an iterative process of item selection to ensure that the questionnaires met the criteria for Item Response Theory modelling, 40 items remained in the definitive set of seven questionnaires. Finally, we developed an Item Response Theory model for each questionnaire and evaluated its reliability. 1-PL and 2-PL models were chosen based on best model fit. No item misfit (S-χ2, p<0.001 = misfit) was detected in the final models. The newly developed RAKQ allows practitioners to assess their patients' knowledge before consultation to better address knowledge gaps during consultation. Moreover, they can decide whether the level of knowledge is sufficient to obtain digital informed consent without face-to-face education. Researchers can use the RAKQ to compare new methods of patient education with traditional methods.

Validation of a German version of the caregiver strain questionnaire-short form 11 (CGSQ-SF11)

OBJECTIVE

Caring for a child, particularly one with special healthcare needs, is a demanding task that can lead to the experience of caregiver strain. This in turn has an effect on the caregiver's mental health, as well as on the child and his or her treatment. To enable the identification of afflicted parents, this study aims to provide a German version of the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire-Short Form 11 (CGSQ-SF11) and to examine its factor structure and psychometric properties.

METHODS

Data from 698 caregivers were included in the analyses. Caregivers completed the CGSQ-SF11 along with measures of parenting stress (PSI-SF), stress (PSS-10), anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-8), family-related quality of life (FLQ), and social desirability (SES-17) as additional instruments for validation. A two-week follow-up questionnaire included only the CGSQ-SF11. Exploratory factor analysis followed by a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted for parents of children with and without special healthcare needs, separately. Further analyses examined the validity and reliability of the instrument.

RESULTS

For parents of children with special healthcare needs, a three-factor structure (objective, internalized subjective, externalized subjective strain) with a second-order factor (caregiver strain) was supported. For parents of children without special healthcare needs, a similar three-factor structure was found, although the second-order factor was not supported. Measurement invariance between the two groups was not confirmed. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and validity were largely supported in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that the German version of the CGSQ SF-11 is a valid and reliable questionnaire for measuring caregiver strain.

Job embeddedness, career adaptability, and perceived overqualification under career shocks-findings from PLS and NCA

BACKGROUND

Amidst the post-COVID-19 economic downturn and the expanding higher education landscape in China, employee employment challenges have given rise to the widespread overqualification issue. This phenomenon has attracted extensive attention and is prompting a need for an in-depth exploration of perceived overqualification. However, existing studies predominantly concentrate on its outcomes rather than antecedents, leaving a notable gap in understanding the influence mechanism between individual advantageous resources (e.g., job embeddedness, career adaptability) and overqualification, particularly in specific events such as career shocks.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the interplay between employees' career adaptability, job embeddedness, and the mediating role of relative deprivation in shaping perceived overqualification, particularly in the aftermath of career shocks.

METHODS

A comprehensive analysis was conducted using data gathered from 339 questionnaire responses. Partial Least Square (PLS) path analysis, R's necessary condition analysis (NCA), and the Random Forest (RF) algorithm were employed to scrutinize the relationships and identify critical factors influencing perceived overqualification.

RESULTS

The findings indicate that after encountering career shocks, career adaptability and job embeddedness not only directly impact perceived overqualification but also exert their influence indirectly through the mediation of relative deprivation; Career adaptability, job embeddedness, and relative deprivation are necessary conditions for perceived overqualification, with relative deprivation having the most significant impact.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results, focusing on the psychological changes of employees after suffering career shocks provides valuable guidance for managers in channelling the emotional and cognitive responses of their employees.

Violence Exposure and Trauma Screener for Youth (VETSY)

BACKGROUND

Youth exposed to violence are at serious risk for physical, emotional, behavioral, and mental distress. Reliable and prompt detection is necessary to mitigate the psychological consequences of youth violence exposure and trauma.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the initial creation of the VETSY screener and its construct validity and potential use.

METHODS

From 2014 through 2022 we surveyed 20,532 at-risk youth aged 8-18 years from a diverse metropolitan community participating in the Defending Childhood Initiative (DCI). Youth completed a 17-item self-report screener. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to determine the reliability and variable grouping for this brief screener. Violence exposure, violent behaviors, and trauma symptoms were assessed. Responses were evaluated based on youth demographics. A potential cutoff score meriting further assessment and intervention was established.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven percent of youth reported at least one type of violence exposure within the last year, 55 % reported perpetrating at least one type of violent behavior, and 68 % of youth reported at least one trauma symptom. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with a geomin (oblique) rotation was applied and yielded a three-factor model with high loadings and acceptable fit for violence exposure, violent behaviors, and trauma symptoms. Additional analyses showed the screener structure was the same across sex, race and age groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of the brief screener to quickly and reliably assess violence exposure, violent behaviors, and trauma symptoms among youth provides an opportunity for mental health providers to detect and refer at-risk youth for additional assessment and treatment.

Exploring Compersion: A Study on Polish Consensually Non-Monogamous Individuals and Adaptation of the COMPERSe Questionnaire

Compersion is a positive emotion experienced in relation to one's partner's relationship(s) with other partner(s). Experiencing it is highly desired in communities practicing consensual non-monogamy (CNM), especially polyamory. This article presents the results of a study on compersion on Polish CNM individuals. The main goal of the study was to adapt to the Polish-speaking population the COMPERSe (Classifying Our Metamour/Partner Emotional Response Scale; Flicker et al., 2021), the first standardized quantitative scale designed to measure compersion. The analyses were performed on data obtained from 211 individuals in CNM relationships and on a comparative group of 169 people in monogamous relationships. The results of the confirmatory factor analyses suggested that the three-factor model of the original COMPERSe version did not fit well, leading to further revisions that resulted in a 7-item, two-factor solution with excellent fit, excellent internal consistency, strong divergent and convergent validity, and excellent test-retest stability. The CNM individuals were found to have higher scores on compersion and cognitive empathy and were also less jealous than the monogamous participants. Furthermore, polyamorous individuals experienced more compersion and less aversion to partner's autonomy than people in open relationships. It was also revealed that compersion indirectly predicted relationship satisfaction by decreasing jealousy and that compersion was, in turn, predicted by cognitive empathy. However, when polyamorous and open relationships were analyzed separately, compersion predicted relationship satisfaction directly, but only in polyamorous relationships; meanwhile, in open relationships, satisfaction was directly predicted by cognitive empathy.

The Patient-Perceived Helpfulness of Measures Scale: Development and Validation of a Scale to Assess the Helpfulness of Using Measures in Psychological Treatment

In response to the increase in Routine Outcome Monitoring and Clinical Feedback, the Patient-Perceived Helpfulness of Measures Scale (ppHMS) was developed to assess the helpfulness-as perceived by patients-of using measures in psychological treatment. Study 1: The construct of patient-perceived helpfulness of measures was explored using thematic analysis with 15 patients. Six helpful and three unhelpful themes were identified and informed item development. Study 2: 28 items were formulated and rated by experts. Ten items were taken forward for psychometric shortening in a sample of 76 patients. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) led to an adequately fitting six-item model with excellent internal consistency, and convergence with the Delighted-Terrible single item of product satisfaction and a single item of measure helpfulness. Study 3: In a stratified online sample of 514 U.K. psychotherapy patients, a five-item model constituted the best fit. The final ppHMS had excellent internal consistency (McDonald's ω = .90), convergent validity with psychotherapy satisfaction (r = .5; p < .001), divergence from social desirability (r = .1), and metric and scalar invariance across measures. Study 4: Analyses were replicated and confirmed in a stratified U.S. sample (n = 602). The ppHMS is a reliable and valid scale that can be used to assess and compare patients' perceptions of the helpfulness of different measures as part of their psychological treatment.

Validating the AI-assisted second language (L2) learning attitude scale for Chinese college students and its correlation with L2 proficiency

The positive impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on second language (L2) learning is well-documented. An individual's attitude toward AI significantly influences its adoption. Despite this, no specific scale has been designed to measure this attitude, particularly in the Chinese context. To address this gap, our study aims to construct the AI-Assisted L2 Learning Attitude Scale for Chinese College Students (AL2AS-CCS) and evaluate its reliability, validity, and relationship with L2 proficiency. Our research comprises two phases, each involving separate samples. In Phase One (Sample 1: n = 379), we conducted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to determine the factor structure of the AL2AS-CCS. The resulting two-factor structure consists of 12 items, categorized into cognitive and behavioral components. In Phase Two (Sample 2: n = 429), we performed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to validate the factor structure and assess model fit. CFA in Sample 2 confirmed the factor structure and demonstrated a good model fit. Additionally, the AL2AS-CCS exhibited high criterion validity, internal consistency, and cross-gender invariance. Our findings suggest that the AL2AS-CCS is a valid measurement tool for assessing Chinese college students' attitude toward AI-assisted L2 learning. Moreover, Chinese college students were discovered to maintain a moderately positive attitude toward AI-assisted L2 learning. Additionally, a positive correlation was identified between this attitude and their L2 proficiency.

Assessing reliability and validity of food safety culture assessment tools

Since its recognition as a plausible direction to assure food safety, food safety culture research has evolved with several commercial and scientific assessment tools developed to evaluate the food safety culture in food businesses. However, existing research does not specify the validity and reliability checks required to demonstrate rigor in the tool development process and there is no unified methodology to confirm robustness of the tools to ensure trustworthiness and usefulness of findings and inferences generated. The purpose of the study was to develop a method to evaluate food safety culture assessment tools and to assess the reliability and validity of existing food safety culture assessment tools using the developed method. Eleven elements were found to be key in validating food safety culture assessment tools. Of the eight tools assessed, only one tool (CT2) was validated on each of the elements. The depth of validation strategies differed for each tool. Three out of the five commercial tools published peer reviewed publications that demonstrated the validation checks that were done. Face validation, and pilot testing were evident and appeared to be done the most. Whilst content, ecological, and cultural validity were the least validated for scientific tools, factor analysis and reliability checks were the least evaluated for commercial tools. None of the tools were assessed for postdictive validity, concurrent validity and the correlation coefficient relating to construct validity. Having an established science-based approach is key as it provides a way to determine the trustworthiness of established assessment tools against accepted methods.

Understanding Psychological Help-Seeking: The Role of Perceived LGBTQ+ Community Support

In this cross-sectional study, we examined the relations between perceived LGBTQ+ community support for psychotherapy and both willingness to seek counseling and use of mental health services in the past year among 721 sexual minority persons. At the bivariate level, we found that LGBTQ+ community support for psychotherapy was positively correlated with both willingness to seek counseling and use of mental health services in the past year. Further, LGBTQ+ community support for psychotherapy was directly and indirectly related to willingness to seek counseling via less public stigma, less self-stigma, and more positive attitudes toward help-seeking in serial. LGBTQ+ community support for psychotherapy was indirectly related to use of mental health services in the past year via these same explanatory variables. Finally, we provide psychometric support for the LGBTQ+ Community Support for Psychotherapy Scale that we developed for this study. Our findings indicate the important role that contextual factors can have on psychological help-seeking attitudes, intentions, and behaviors for sexual minority persons.

The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF): German Translation and Psychometric Assessment

BACKGROUND

German-speaking mothers have breastfeeding rates below the international breastfeeding recommendations. Previous research has found that breastfeeding self-efficacy is an important and modifiable predictor of breastfeeding outcomes, thus improving breastfeeding rates. The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF) is used in many countries to assess maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy. This instrument has not been available in German.

RESEARCH AIMS

To translate the BSES-SF into German and assess its psychometric properties among breastfeeding mothers up to 12 weeks postpartum.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted online with 355 breastfeeding mothers recruited from breastfeeding groups through Facebook. The BSES-SF was translated into German using forward and back-translation. To test reliability, item-total characteristics, including Cronbach's alpha, were examined. We used principal component analysis, as well as known-groups comparisons for evaluating construct validity, and examined the relationship between breastfeeding self-efficacy and demographic variables.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 32.4 years (SD = 4.32). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .88 and corrected item-total correlations ranged between .37 and .73. Principal components analysis yielded one component with factor loadings >.40 and an eigenvalue of 5.62, which explained 40% of the total variance. In addition, known group comparisons provided further evidence for construct validity. There was no significant difference in BSES-SF scores in terms of demographic and obstetrics characteristics.

CONCLUSION

Our results provide evidence that the German version of the BSES-SF is a reliable and valid tool for measuring breastfeeding self-efficacy among mothers in German-speaking countries.

Translation and validation of a Romanian version of the Breast Appreciation Scale (BrAS)

The 9-item Breast Appreciation Scale (BrAS; Swami et al., 2022) is a recently developed instrument that assesses a woman's positive breasted experiences. To date, however, the psychometric properties of the BrAS have only been investigated in English-speaking women. Here, we report on the translation and validation of a novel, Romanian version of the BrAS. A total of 555 cisgender women from Romania completed a Romanian translation of the BrAS along with additional measures of body image and psychological well-being. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis identified a stable unidimensional model of the BrAS, with all nine items retained. Additionally, the Romanian BrAS evidenced complete invariance (i.e., through to latent mean invariance) across mothers and non-mothers, though mothers had higher observed scores than non-mothers. Evidence of convergent, concurrent, and incremental validity was very strong when based on observed BrAS scores, but slightly weaker when based on latent BrAS scores. In particular, greater latent breast appreciation was significantly associated with higher body appreciation, lower breast size dissatisfaction, and higher self-esteem. Overall, these results suggest that the psychometric properties of the Romanian BrAS are robust and that the instrument can be effectively deployed in this linguistic context.

Factors Associated with College Students' Attitudes Toward Telehealth for Primary Care

Introduction: Establishing routine primary care visits helps to prevent serious health issues. College students are less likely than the general population to have a regular primary care provider and engage in routine health visits. Recent research provides evidence that telehealth is a convenient alternative to in-person primary care and that college students are comfortable using this technology, suggesting that telehealth has the potential to mitigate this disparity. As attitudes toward telehealth are one critical precursor to behavioral intention and actual utilization of telehealth, the goal of this study was to investigate which factors predict positive or negative attitudes toward telehealth. Methods: Data for this study were collected from a sample of 621 college students at a large southeastern university between September 19, 2022 and December 19, 2022. Results: The study found that college students who reported more trust in physicians, less medical mistrust, and less discrimination in health care settings reported more positive attitudes toward telehealth. Conclusions: These findings suggest that health care providers' skills in delivering patient-centered culturally informed care and building trust and rapport with patients might promote more positive attitudes toward telehealth and, potentially, greater overall utilization of health care services (including both telehealth and in-person services) among college students. This study lays the foundation for future research to examine psychological mechanisms underlying individuals' utilization of telehealth.

Factor Analysis With Unusual Sexual Interests: A Replication Study in a Representative Population Sample

A previous study found a variety of unusual sexual interests to cluster in a five-factor structure, namely submission/masochism, forbidden sexual activities, dominance/sadism, mysophilia, and fetishism (Schippers et al., 2021). The current study was an empirical replication to examine whether these findings generalized to a representative population sample. An online, anonymous sample (N = 256) representative of the Dutch adult male population rated 32 unusual sexual interests on a scale from 1 (very unappealing) to 7 (very appealing). An exploratory factor analysis assessed whether similar factors would emerge as in the original study. A subsequent confirmatory factor analysis served to confirm the factor structure. Four slightly different factors of sexual interest were found: extreme, illegal and mysophilic sexual activities; light BDSM without real pain or suffering; heavy BDSM that may include pain or suffering; and illegal but lower-sentenced and fetishistic sexual activities. The model fit was acceptable. The representative replication sample was more sexually conservative and showed less sexual engagement than the original convenience sample. On a fundamental level, sexual interest in light BDSM activities and extreme, forbidden, and mysophilic activities seem to be relatively separate constructs.

Developing and validating the Unhurried Conversations Assessment Tool (UCAT)

OBJECTIVE

Given the importance of unhurried conversations for providing careful and kind care, we sought to create, test, and validate the Unhurried Conversations Assessment Tool (UCAT) for assessing the unhurriedness of patient-clinician consultations.

METHODS

In the first two phases, the unhurried conversation dimensions were identified and transformed into an assessment tool. In the third phase, two independent raters used UCAT to evaluate the unhurriedness of 100 randomly selected consultations from 184 videos recorded for a large research trial. UCAT's psychometric properties were evaluated using this data.

RESULTS

UCAT demonstrates content validity based on the literature and expert review. EFA and reliability analyses confirm its construct validity and internal consistency. The seven formative dimensions account for 89.93% of the variance in unhurriedness, each displaying excellent internal consistency (α > 0.90). Inter-rater agreement for the overall assessment item was fair (ICC = 0.59), with individual dimension ICCs ranging from 0.26 (poor) to 0.95 (excellent).

CONCLUSION

UCAT components comprehensively assess the unhurriedness of consultations. The tool exhibits content and construct validity and can be used reliably.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

UCAT's design and psychometric properties make it a practical and efficient tool. Clinicians can use it for self-evaluations and training to foster unhurried conversations.

Examining measurement invariance of appetitive trait and ARFID symptom measures by food security status

OBJECTIVE

Measures assessing appetitive traits (i.e., individual differences in the desire to consume food) and disordered eating have generally been developed in predominantly food-secure populations. The current study aims to test measurement invariance (MI) for a measure of appetitive traits and a measure of Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) symptomology across food security status.

METHOD

Data from a sample of mothers (n = 634) and two undergraduate samples (n = 945 and n = 442) were used to assess MI for the Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire (AEBQ), which measures appetitive traits, and the Nine Item ARFID Screen (NIAS), which measures ARFID symptomology. Current food security was assessed using the 18-item USDA Household Food Security Survey Module, which was dichotomized into two groups: 1) the 'food insecure' group included marginal, low, and very low food security and 2) the 'food secure' group included high food security. Overall and multi-group confirmatory factor analyses were conducted separately for each measure in each sample.

RESULTS

Results demonstrated scalar (i.e., strong) MI for both measures across samples, indicating that these measures performed equivalently across food-secure and food-insecure individuals.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that differences in appetitive traits by food security status observed in prior research are not artifacts of measurement differences, but instead reflect true differences. Additionally, past mixed results regarding the relationship between food insecurity (FI) and ARFID symptomology are not likely driven by measurement error when using the NIAS.

Development and psychometric testing of the lymphedema self-management support scale for breast cancer survivors

Objective

Effective self-management support should be tailored to the individual. To provide personalized and targeted self-management support, a rigorous assessment tool is needed to screen the actual degree of lymphedema self-management support received by breast cancer survivors. This study aims to develop and psychometrically test the Lymphedema Self-Management Support Scale for Breast Cancer Survivors (LSMS-BCs).

Methods

This study involves two phases: scale development and psychometric testing. In the scale development phase, preliminary items and domains were identified through a qualitative meta-synthesis, a quantitative systematic review, and reference to previous similar scales. Expert consultation and pilot study were conducted to refine the scale and evaluate the content validity. The psychometric characteristics were tested with 447 participants using item analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability assessments, as well as measurement invariance.

Results

A preliminary 21-item scale with four domains, basic management support, management support for limb volume reduction, role management support, and emotional management support, was constructed in the scale development phase and well supported by EFA and CFA. The scale-level content validity index was 0.983. Cronbach's α coefficient for overall scale and subscales ranged from 0.732 to 0.949. McDonald's ω ranged from 0.848 to 0.955. Excellent known-groups validity, concurrent validity, predictive validity, and measurement invariance were demonstrated.

Conclusions

The LSMS-BCs is psychometrically valid and reliable. It can serve as a valuable tool for assessing and understanding the lymphedema self-management support received by breast cancer survivors.

Psychometric evaluation of a revised version of the body appreciation scale-2 for autistic adults (BAS-2A)

Emerging evidence points to unique conceptualisations of positive body image in autistic individuals. However, there are no existing measures of positive body image that have been developed or validated for use with autistic adults. To rectify this, we developed a revised version of the BAS-2 - the BAS-2A - and examined its factorial validity and psychometric properties in a sample of autistic adults from the United Kingdom. Based on the results of exploratory factor analysis and scale purification, we extracted a 12-item, unidimensional model of BAS-2A scores in a first split-subsample (n = 273). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the unidimensional model of BAS-2A scores in a second split-subsample (n = 277). BAS-2A scores presented adequate composite reliability, measurement invariance across gender identity, and patterns of construct validity. For both women and men, BAS-2A scores correlated positively with self-esteem, well-being, quality of life, and adaptive coping, and inversely with dietary restraint, weight/shape overvaluation, body dissatisfaction, and depression. Finally, BAS-2A scores demonstrated incremental validity, predicting self-esteem over-and-above body dissatisfaction. However, temporal stability of the BAS-2A over three weeks was not supported. These results support the BAS-2A as a psychometrically robust measure of body appreciation for use in autistic adults from the United Kingdom.

The Patient Activation Measure-13 (PAM-13) in an oncology patient population: psychometric properties and dimensionality evaluation

BACKGROUND

Accurate assessment and enhancement of health-related skills among oncology patients are pivotal for optimizing cancer care. The Patient Activation Measure (PAM-13), a questionnaire designed to reflect an individual's knowledge, skills, and confidence in self-healthcare management, has been validated across diverse countries and settings. Concerns have been raised regarding the cross-situational applicability, as patients with specific diseases and cultural backgrounds interpret questionnaire items differently. This study aimed to examine the structural validity and psychometric properties of the PAM-13 in an oncological patient cohort.

METHODS

Baseline data from a longitudinal non-randomized controlled study involving cancer out-patients (n = 1,125) from Comprehensive Cancer Centres in Southern Germany were analysed. The German version of the PAM-13 was employed. With classical test and item response theory methods data quality, reliability, convergent and structural validity, as well as psychometric properties were assessed. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were employed to investigate the postulated unidimensionality of the underlying construct. With a partial credit model (PCM) we examined item fit, targeting, local independence and differential item functioning.

RESULTS

Participants were predominantly female (73.0%) with a breast cancer diagnosis (41.3%). While items were generally well-accepted, ceiling effects were observed and a high mean PAM-13 score (69.7, SD = 14.2) was noted, potentially compromising responsiveness to interventions. Reliability was adequate (Cronbach's α = 0.81), person and item separation reliability were good to excellent (0.81 and 0.99, respectively). Explorations of the unidimensionality of the construct (EFA, CFA, PCM) yielded inconclusive results, hinting towards a two-factor solution. Item difficulty rankings deviated from the original. No differential item functioning was identified, and local independence was confirmed.

CONCLUSIONS

While the PAM-13 serves as a valuable instrument for comprehending and promoting health-related skills in cancer patients, the identification of ceiling effects, disordered item-difficulty rankings, and inconclusive findings regarding unidimensionality contribute to the expanding body of evidence, emphasizing the dependency of PAM-13's validity and reliability on distinctive characteristics within the population under investigation. Future research should prioritize refining or adding PAM-13 items to better capture the specific health-related challenges within diverse populations, paving the way for more effective patient engagement strategies in oncology.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

DRKS00021779.

Development and validation of the Trust in Multidimensional Healthcare Systems Scale (TIMHSS)

CONTEXT

The COVID-19 pandemic has reignited a commitment from the health policy and health services research communities to rebuilding trust in healthcare and created a renewed appetite for measures of trust for system monitoring and evaluation. The aim of the present paper was to develop a multidimensional measure of trust in healthcare that: (1) Is responsive to the conceptual and methodological limitations of existing measures; (2) Can be used to identify systemic explanations for lower levels of trust in equity-deserving populations; (3) Can be used to design and evaluate interventions aiming to (re)build trust.

METHODS

We conducted a 2021 review of existing measures of trust in healthcare, 72 qualitative interviews (Aug-Dec 2021; oversampling for equity-deserving populations), an expert review consensus process (Oct 2021), and factor analyses and validation testing based on two waves of survey data (Nov 2021, n = 694; Jan-Feb 2022, n = 740 respectively).

FINDINGS

We present the Trust in Multidimensional Healthcare Systems Scale (TIMHSS); a 38-item correlated three-factor measure of trust in doctors, policies, and the system. Measurement of invariance tests suggest that the TIMHSS can also be reliably administered to diverse populations.

CONCLUSIONS

This global measure of trust in healthcare can be used to measure trust over time at a population level, or used within specific subpopulations, to inform interventions to (re)build trust. It can also be used within a clinical setting to provide a stronger evidence base for associations between trust and therapeutic outcomes.

Religion and Suicide in Black Emerging Adults: Examining Pathways Through Hope and Meaning in Life

While suicide persists as a leading cause of death for Black emerging adults in the U.S., few studies identify specific positive psychological mechanisms that can be leveraged to reduce future risk. The current study, therefore, explores whether religion is related to suicidal ideation via hope and meaning in life among a sample of n = 375 Black emerging adults ages 18-25-years-old (M = 20.79, SD = 2.22). Structural equation modeling techniques were used to measure direct and indirect associations. Primary results indicate that non-organizational religiosity (e.g., reading religious texts, listening to religious music, prayer) was positively associated with hope, presence of meaning in life, and search for meaning in life. Presence of meaning in life was the strongest contributor to decreased suicidal ideation. Further, non-organizational religiosity was indirectly associated with less suicidal ideation via hope and presence of meaning in life. Personal forms of religious involvement, and not service attendance, appear to be the most salient aspects of religion to consider when exploring pathways between religion and suicidality during this particular developmental stage.

Technical adequacy of measuring teachers' knowledge of dyslexia

Given the rapid growth in educational policies targeting educators' knowledge of dyslexia, this study explored the technical adequacy of a common instrument for measuring that knowledge. The responses of 1141 preservice teachers were scored in three ways: polytomously with the original 4-point Likert scale, dichotomously as true-false, and dichotomously as though the options were multiple choice. An exploratory factor analysis suggested at least one-third of the items needed to be removed. Confirmatory factor analyses suggested a one-factor model with polytomous scoring had the best fit to the data, but only six items loaded. All models demonstrated unacceptable internal consistency reliability (<0.70). Because no technically adequate version of the measure was identified, questions remain about basing policy on scores from these instruments. However, the findings indicated ways this type of measure might be improved.

Emophilia: psychometric properties of the emotional promiscuity scale and its association with personality traits, unfaithfulness, and romantic relationships in a Scandinavian sample

Emophilia is a suggested stable phenomenon referring to how often and easily an individual falls in love (Jones, 2011). The current study investigated the psychometric properties of the Emotional Promiscuity Scale (EPS, i.e., a measure of emophilia) and its association with personality traits, romantic relationships, and unfaithfulness in a Scandinavian sample. The sample consisted of 2,607 participants, who were recruited through Norwegian and Swedish newspapers. Descriptive analyses of the EPS and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to verify the previously obtained two-factor structure were conducted. Correlations between emophilia and the Big Five and Dark Triad traits were calculated to investigate the discriminative validity of the EPS. Lastly, negative binomial regression analyses were run in which emophilia comprised the independent variable and the number of romantic relationships and number of times being unfaithful constituted the dependent variables. The EPS had satisfactory internal reliability and the responses to the items were normally distributed. The CFA indicated a two-factor structure, although the two factors correlated highly, justifying collapsing them into one dimension. Emophilia showed satisfactory discriminant validity (r < 00.40) against the personality traits included. Lastly, emophilia was positively associated with the number of romantic relationships and times being unfaithful. Future research should aim to improve our understanding of the psychological and behavioral aspects of emophilia.

Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the functionality appreciation scale

BACKGROUND

The Functionality Appreciation Scale is a 7-item measure of an individual's appreciation of his or her body for what it can do and is capable of doing. While this instrument has been increasingly used in intervention-based research, its psychometric properties have not been extensively studied in non-English-speaking populations. The psychometric properties of a novel Spanish translation of the FAS were examined.

METHODS

An online sample of 838 Spanish adults (mean age = 31.79 ± 11.95 years, 50.48% men) completed the Spanish FAS and validated measures of body appreciation, eating disorder symptomatology, intuitive eating, and life satisfaction.

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis supported a 1-dimensional factor structure of the FAS, which was further supported by confirmatory factor analysis (SBχ²(14) = 83.82, SBχ²normed = 1.48, robust RMSEA = 0.094 (90% CI = 0.074, 0.115), SRMR = 0.040, robust CFI = 0.946, robust TLI = 0.924). Invariance across genders was shown, and there were no significant differences according to gender (t(417) = 0.77, p =.444, d = 0.07). Construct validity was also supported through significant associations with the other measures of the study. Incremental validity was established in women. Thus, appreciation of functionality predicted life satisfaction over and above the variance accounted for by other body image and eating disorder-related measures (F(4, 399) = 18.86, p <.001, ΔR2 = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

These results support the psychometric properties of the Spanish FAS and demonstrate the importance of the appreciation of functionality in relation to a healthier body image and psychological wellbeing.

Barriers and recommendations for parent-child conversations about pornography

Introduction

Parents consistently report being worried about the impact of online pornography on their adolescent and pre-adolescent children's development. Yet, most parents do not discuss pornography as part of parent-child conversations about sexuality. The current study sought to identify the barriers to parent-child conversations about pornography.

Methods

We present two studies. The first study employed one-to-one interviews to explore parents' (n = 14) beliefs about their role in their child's pornography education. The second study involved the quantitative assessment of Study 1 findings in a sample of parents of pre-adolescent and adolescent children (n = 408).

Results

Findings indicate that three overarching themes prevent parents from addressing pornography with their adolescent children, parents' practical ability to discuss pornography, their attitudes toward discussing pornography, and the perceived positive impact of addressing pornography with their adolescent children. Practical ability was most often reported as the greatest barrier to parents engaging in parent-child conversations about pornography. Most notably, parents reported hesitancy in discussing pornography because they did not know how to define pornography or how to address pornography in an age-appropriate way. Fathers were also significantly less likely to believe that talking about pornography was socially acceptable.

Discussion

We discuss the implications of these findings and present recommendations for developing a parents' pornography education resource.

When I am sixty-four… evaluating language markers of well-being in healthy aging narratives

Natural language use is a promising candidate for the development of innovative measures of well-being to complement self-report measures. The type of words individuals use can reveal important psychological processes that underlie well-being across the lifespan. In this preregistered, cross-sectional study, we propose a conceptual model of language markers of well-being and use written narratives about healthy aging (N = 701) and computerized text analysis (LIWC) to empirically validate the model. As hypothesized, we identified a model with three groups of language markers (reflecting affective, evaluative, and social processes). Initial validation with established self-report scales (N = 30 subscales) showed that these language markers reliably predict core components of well-being and underlying processes. Our results support the concurrent validity of the conceptual language model and allude to the added benefits of language-based measures, which are thought to reflect less conscious processes of well-being. Future research is needed to continue validating language markers of well-being across the lifespan in a theoretically informed and contextualized way, which will lay the foundation for inferring people's well-being from their natural language use.

The development and validation of tour guides internalized occupational stigma scale (TIOSS)

BACKGROUND

Tour guides' identification and internalization of occupational stigma may exacerbate their career development, perceived professional reputation and status, and mental health. The current study aimed to develop and verify the Tour guides Internalized Occupational Stigma Scale (TIOSS) to provide an effective tool for relevant quantitative research.

METHODS

The study developed an initial questionnaire through literature analysis, expert review, and semi-structured surveys. We conducted item analyses and exploratory factor analyses among 326 tour guides, and confirmatory factor analysis and reliability and validity tests among 315 tour guides.

RESULTS

The TIOSS consists of 21 items and is formed in three dimensions referring to Stigma Perception (SP), Status Loss (SL), and Career Denial (CD). The correlation coefficient values of the TIOSS total scale and dimension scores with the criterion instruments ranged from 0.17 to 0.68. In addition, the Cronbach's α coefficients for the TIOSS and its dimensions ranged from 0.837 to 0.928, and the split-half reliability coefficients ranged from 0.843 to 0.916. The study also revealed that the TIOSS was consistent across genders.

CONCLUSION

The TIOSS performed favorable reliability and validity to be a valid instrument to assess tour guides' internalized occupational stigma.

A Preliminary Exploratory Factor Analysis of the BDSM Counselor Competency Scale

BDSM practitioners represent a large sexual minority group often overlooked, misunderstood, and unnecessarily pathologized by mental health clinicians. Although developing cultural competence for diverse and marginalized populations is widely understood to be a core component of delivering efficacious therapeutic services that can counteract these stigmatizing mental healthcare experiences, no measures currently exist that assess clinicians' self-reported competence to work with BDSM practitioners. Previous measurement work has been done to establish self-report competency scales for clinicians working with other sexual and gender minority groups, but no such scales exist for working with BDSM practitioners. In the current study, we adapted a version of the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS) to measure clinicians' self-reported competence to work with BDSM practitioners and did a preliminary exploratory factor analysis of the new scale (n = 124). After an initial 24-item administration, principal axis factoring of our final 17-item solution revealed two latent factors (attitudes and skills/knowledge) consistent with the 2013 SOCCS and the theoretical constructs of cultural competency. The BDSM Counselor Competency Scale (BDSM-CCS) can help clinicians, practices, agencies, and training programs track self-reported cultural competence with the BDSM population. Future research directions for scale development and clinical and training applications are discussed.

Development and Validation of a Broad and Fear-Adaptable Measure of Fear Approach and Application to Common Eating Disorder Fears

Fear approach is a theorized mechanism of exposure treatment for anxiety-based disorders. However, there are no empirically established self-report instruments measuring the tendency to approach feared stimuli. Because clinical fears are heterogeneous, it is important to create a measure that is adaptable to person- or disorder-specific fears. The current study (N = 455) tests the development, factor structure, and psychometric properties of a self-report instrument of fear approach broadly and the adaptability of this measure to specific eating disorder fears (i.e., food, weight gain). Factor analyses identified a unidimensional, nine-item factor structure as the best fitting model. This measure had good convergent, divergent, and incremental validity and good internal consistency. The eating disorder adaptations retained good fit and strong psychometric properties. These results suggest that this measure is a valid, reliable, and adaptable measure of fear approach, which can be used in research and exposure therapy treatment for anxiety-based disorders.

A Brief Measure of Positive and Negative Interpretation Biases: Development and Validation of the Ambiguous Social Scenarios Questionnaire

Positive and negative interpretation biases have been conceptualized as distinct constructs related to anxiety and social anxiety, but the field lacks psychometrically sound self-report measures to assess positive and negative interpretations of social ambiguity. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Ambiguous Social Scenarios Questionnaire (ASSQ) in two samples of 2,188 and 454 undergraduates with varying levels of anxiety. Results supported a bifactor model with a general interpretation bias factor and specific factors assessing positive and negative interpretation biases. The ASSQ demonstrated measurement invariance across genders and levels of social anxiety, as well as convergent and incremental validity with two existing measures of interpretation bias. It also demonstrated concurrent validity with attentional control, intolerance of uncertainty, total anxiety, and social anxiety and discriminant validity with emotional awareness. Findings support the ASSQ as a brief, valid, and reliable measure of positive and negative interpretation biases toward ambiguous social situations.

Development of the complex trauma screener: A brief measure of ICD-11 PTSD and complex PTSD

The purpose of this study was to develop the Complex Trauma Screener (CTS), a brief screener (seven items) of the ICD-11 trauma disorders that can be used in "quick-paced" facilities. We examined the factor structure of the CTS in two separate samples: civilian college students (N = 823) and military veterans (N = 130) who reported exposure to at least one traumatic event. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) supported two highly-correlated factors (post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and Disturbances in Self-Organization [DSO]) that loaded on the ICD-11-consistent items. The model fit indices indicated good to excellent model fit in both samples, and the internal consistencies for the scales were borderline to good (α = 0.68-0.86). Supplementary analyses supported the gender invariance of the CFA model in the civilian student sample, as well as convergent (with another trauma inventory) and discriminant validity (with borderline disorder features, depression, and mania) of the CTS in both samples. The CTS is, to our knowledge, the shortest instrument designed to measure the ICD-11 trauma disorders and is ideal for "fast-paced" facilities that have significant assessment time restraints. The CTS is, therefore, is a psychometrically-validated instrument that can help mental health professionals efficiently screen adults for ICD-11 trauma disorders.

Development and Validation of the Positive Outcomes of Cannabis Use Scale (POCUS) Among Predominantly White Adults in the United States

Operant conditioning and social learning theories suggest that positive cannabis use-related outcomes are a primary contributor to maintained use and risk for dependence. However, currently there does not exist a reliable, validated measure of positive cannabis-related outcomes. This study sought to develop and psychometrically evaluate the Positive Outcomes of Cannabis Use Scale (POCUS). We collected three samples, college students (N = 883), community adults (N = 214), and college students (N = 615), of predominantly White adults in the United States who completed an online survey. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses evaluated scale structure and identified four factors: social enhancement, mood enhancement, cognitive enhancement, and sexual enhancement. Positive outcomes were positively associated with recent use, controlling for expectancies and negative outcomes. Positive outcomes were also differentiated from positive expectancies and more influential in predicting typical use frequency. Findings indicate that the POCUS is psychometrically sound and clinically useful for measuring positive cannabis use-related outcomes among predominantly White adults in the United States.

Measuring resilience for Chinese-speaking populations: a systematic review of Chinese resilience scales

Introduction

Despite the rapid growth of interdisciplinary resilience research in Chinese contexts, no study has systematically reviewed individual-level measurement scales for Chinese-speaking populations. We report a systematic review of scales developed for or translated/adapted to Chinese-speaking contexts, where we assessed how widely used scales fare in terms of their psychometric qualities.

Methods

Studies included in this review must have been published in peer-reviewed English or Chinese journals between 2015-2020 and included self-reported resilience scales in Chinese-speaking populations. Searches were conducted in PsycINFO, CNKI (completed in May 2021), and PubMed (completed in January 2024). We developed coding schemes for extracting relevant data and adapted and applied an existing evaluation framework to assess the most frequently used resilience scales by seven methodological criteria.

Results

Analyses of 963 qualified studies suggested that Chinese resilience scales were used in a diverse range of study contexts. Among 85 unique kinds of resilience measures, we highlighted and evaluated the three most frequently used translated scales and three locally developed scales (nine scales in total including variations such as short forms). In short, resilience studies in Chinese contexts relied heavily on the translated 25-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, which scored moderately on the overall quality. The locally developed Resilience Scale for Chinese Adolescents and Essential Resilience Scale received the best ratings but could use further development.

Discussion

We discussed how future work may advance widely used scales, and specified seven methodological recommendations for future resilience scale development with existing and new scales in and beyond the Chinese study contexts. We further addressed issues and challenges in measuring resilience as a process and called on researchers to further develop/evaluate process measures for Chinese-speaking populations.

Development of the Rural Perception Scale (RPS-18)

BACKGROUND

People living in rural areas often experience limited access to health resources, slow knowledge diffusion, and geographical isolation, and tend to be at higher risk for poor physical and mental health outcomes compared with nonrural populations. It is unclear, yet, how the concept of "rural" shapes observed differences from nonrural populations. We aim to develop a psychometrically sound scale to assess key dimensions that constitute individual-level perceived rurality.

METHODS

We first conducted a broad literature review to identify a priori concepts related to rurality and adapted survey items measuring relevant constructs, such as loneliness, attitudes toward people living in rural areas, and perceived social membership. We used these conceptual constructs and measures to develop a survey questionnaire focused on rural perceptions. We recruit residents in 3 rural states: Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Using the explorative factor analysis and second-order measurement model in the structural equation model framework, we developed a rural perception scale consisting of 18 items.

RESULTS

We recruited 1,384 participants (n = 686 from KY; n = 698 from NH/VT) using Amazon Mechanical Turk (n = 897, 64.8%) and social media paid ads (n = 487, 35.2%). The average age of participants was 41 years old (SD = 15); 54.7% of respondents had less than college graduate education, and 94.2% reported their race as non-Hispanic White. Majority of the participants were from Rural Urban Commuting Area (RUCA)-designated urban areas (n = 798, 57.7%), followed by RUCA-designated large rural areas (257, 18.6%), RUCA-designated rural areas (n = 174, 12.6%) and RUCA-designated isolated areas (n = 133, 9.6%). Our final model revealed 4 latent constructs: "belonging" (Cronbach's α = 0.896), "attitudes toward rural life" (Cronbach's α = 0.807), "loneliness" (Cronbach's α = 0.898), and "community social ties to people in their community" (Cronbach's α = 0.846).

CONCLUSIONS

We identified 4 subfactors of the umbrella concept of rurality that explain how people in rural regions may perceive being in rural environments and having rural lifestyles.

The Misinformation Susceptibility Test (MIST): A psychometrically validated measure of news veracity discernment

Interest in the psychology of misinformation has exploded in recent years. Despite ample research, to date there is no validated framework to measure misinformation susceptibility. Therefore, we introduce Verification done, a nuanced interpretation schema and assessment tool that simultaneously considers Veracity discernment, and its distinct, measurable abilities (real/fake news detection), and biases (distrust/naïvité-negative/positive judgment bias). We then conduct three studies with seven independent samples (Ntotal = 8504) to show how to develop, validate, and apply the Misinformation Susceptibility Test (MIST). In Study 1 (N = 409) we use a neural network language model to generate items, and use three psychometric methods-factor analysis, item response theory, and exploratory graph analysis-to create the MIST-20 (20 items; completion time < 2 minutes), the MIST-16 (16 items; < 2 minutes), and the MIST-8 (8 items; < 1 minute). In Study 2 (N = 7674) we confirm the internal and predictive validity of the MIST in five national quota samples (US, UK), across 2 years, from three different sampling platforms-Respondi, CloudResearch, and Prolific. We also explore the MIST's nomological net and generate age-, region-, and country-specific norm tables. In Study 3 (N = 421) we demonstrate how the MIST-in conjunction with Verification done-can provide novel insights on existing psychological interventions, thereby advancing theory development. Finally, we outline the versatile implementations of the MIST as a screening tool, covariate, and intervention evaluation framework. As all methods are transparently reported and detailed, this work will allow other researchers to create similar scales or adapt them for any population of interest.

Development of a short form of the Japanese version of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA-J-10) among informal caregivers of older adults

AIM

To support informal caregivers, a simple assessment tool capturing the multidimensional nature of caregiving experiences, including negative and positive aspects, is required. We developed a short form of the Japanese version of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA-J), a multidimensional assessment scale for caregiver experiences.

METHODS

The internet survey involved 934 Japanese informal caregivers aged 20-79 years (mean age = 58.8 years; 50.2% women) who completed questionnaires, including the CRA-J 18 items (CRA-J-18), consisting of five domains, such as impacts on schedule and finances and positive experiences of caregiving. A 10-item short version of the CRA-J (CRA-J-10; 0-50 points), which was prepared by selecting the two items with the highest factor loadings from each domain, was tested for model fit by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and was analyzed for correlations with the CRA-J-18, Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), Positive Aspects of Caregiving Scale (PACS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and WHO-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). The area under the curve (AUC) in the receiver operating characteristic was evaluated as discriminability for depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 10 points).

RESULTS

The CFA indicated a good model fit in the CRA-J-10. The CRA-J-10 correlated well with the CRA-J-18 and other variables (CRA-J-18, r = 0.970; ZBI, r = 0.747; PACS, r = -0.467; PHQ-9, r = 0.582; WHO-5, r = -0.588) and showed good discriminant performance for the presence of depressive symptoms (AUC = 0.793, 95% confidence interval = 0.762-0.823).

CONCLUSIONS

The CRA-J-10 allows a simple assessment of caregiver experiences, helping support informal caregivers. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 290-296.