Validation of the translated Negative Physical Self Scale in a sample of Asian women living in Canada

OBJECTIVES

Body dissatisfaction is often linked to the internalization of Western beauty standards. Existing measures of body dissatisfaction, developed in Western societies, may fail to capture complex variations across ethnicities and cultures. The Negative Physical Self Scale (NPSS) assesses cognitive, affective, perceptual, and behavioural facets of body dissatisfaction. While unique in its consideration of Chinese ideals of body image, the NPSS has recently been translated and validated in a North American sample. The English-translated version of the NPSS has the potential to be an appropriate body dissatisfaction assessment tool for Asian women living in North America. The current study aims to validate the NPSS in an Asian female population living in Canada.

METHODS

A sample of 899 undergraduate women residing in Canada with self-identified Asian ethnicity completed an online survey consisting of the NPSS and other measures of body dissatisfaction.

RESULTS

An initial confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the four-factor structure of the NPSS, previously suggested in a primarily non-Asian North American sample, was a poor fit for the data. A second-order multidimensional model, based on a model proposed during the original development of the NPSS in a Chinese sample, indicated good fit once items were removed due to loadings < .60. High internal consistency between subscales and strong convergent validity with other measures were demonstrated. Notably, the NPSS Body Concern subscale demonstrated high convergence with other popular measures of body dissatisfaction and has the potential for use as a brief measure of body dissatisfaction among North American Asian females in clinical and research settings.

CONCLUSIONS

The NPSS provides a valid assessment of body dissatisfaction among a sample of Asian women living in Canada, a specific subpopulation that has not been previously investigated. The findings highlight the importance of developing culturally sensitive measures of body dissatisfaction for differing ethnic and cultural groups.

Examining the validity of eye tracking during the computerized Wisconsin card sorting test in a sample of stroke patients and healthy controls

INTRODUCTION

Each year, approximately 50,000 Canadians, one million Americans, and millions of people worldwide are hospitalized for stroke. Cognitive impairment is common after experiencing a stroke and is known to affect functioning on daily tasks. While neuropsychological assessments are often employed to assess cognitive abilities and make inferences about functional capabilities, there is growing interest in integrating contemporary technologies to augment assessment. Eye tracking allows previously overlooked information, such as overt visual attention based on fixations and saccades, to be quantified to help elucidate how responses are made during testing.

METHOD

The current study investigated the validity of eye tracking during completion of the computerized Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (cWCST), a common test of higher level cognition, in a sample of inpatients recovering from stroke (n= 41) and a control group of healthy individuals (n = 46).

RESULTS

Results provided supporting evidence for the construction, criterion, and ecological validity of eye tracking on the cWCST with inpatients recovering from a stroke. Specifically, eye tracking metrics differentiated between inpatients and controls; fixations on cWCST areas of interest differed between type of response (conceptual versus non-conceptual); and average time per fixation predicted functional status early after a stroke as well as recovery during inpatient rehabilitation, above-and-beyond cWCST scores. Time spent on testing negated the effects of fixation and saccade counts for predicting cWCST performance, due to the substantial overlap in variance.

CONCLUSION

Current findings of this preliminary study provided support for the validity of eye tracking, integrated with the cWCST, for inpatients recovering from a stroke. Implications and areas for future research are discussed.

Factorial validity, reliability, and measurement invariance of the Negative Physical Self Scale in a sample of men residing in North America

The Negative Physical Self Scale (NPSS) is a measure of body dissatisfaction that was developed for administration within an Asian sample and has recently been translated to English and validated for use in North American female samples. The aim of the present study was to examine the factor structure and measurement invariance of the English-translated version of the NPSS across three ethnic groups (i.e., Caucasian, Asian, and other) using a sample of men residing in North America. Additionally, the internal consistency, convergent validity, and incremental validity of the NPSS were examined. A sample of 534 young (aged between 18 and 25) North American men completed self-report measures of the NPSS, the Body Shape Questionnaire, the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, and the Male Body Attitudes Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on two hypothesized models. The results supported the second-order factor structure (four factors with three subdimensions). Overall, we found that the factor structure and factor loadings of the NPSS were equal in participants across three broad ethnic categories (i.e., Caucasian, Asian, and other). Likewise, the NPSS displayed first-order scalar invariance. Further, the NPSS test scores demonstrated high internal consistency, strong convergent validity, and incremental validity over and above the existing measures of body dissatisfaction, body attitudes, and disordered eating. In sum, the English version of the NPSS is a valid and appropriate measure to assess body dissatisfaction in men residing in North America. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Exploring the impact of a gratitude-focused meditation on body dissatisfaction: Can a brief auditory gratitude intervention protect young women against exposure to the thin ideal?

This study aimed to determine if a brief gratitude-focused meditation would significantly impact body dissatisfaction, and whether it would serve as a protective factor from exposure to thin idealized images in a sample of undergraduate women. 176 participants (M_age= 19.75) engaged in either a gratitude meditation, mindfulness meditation, or listened to a recording of a history textbook. Women were subsequently exposed to a set of neutral images or thin ideal images. Women reported significant decreases in state body dissatisfaction following all auditory conditions, regardless of auditory content. Decreased levels of body dissatisfaction persisted through exposure to neutral images, but not through exposure to thin ideal images. Results indicated that both the gratitude and mindfulness interventions were effective in eliciting a significant increase in self-reported levels of gratitude and mindfulness compared to controls. The results of the study suggest that auditory micro-interventions can decrease body dissatisfaction in young adult women. However, further investigation into the optimal modality, length, and frequency of micro-interventions aimed at buffering the negative effects of idealized thin image exposure on women is needed.

A psychometric examination of the PAI-SF in persons with recent stroke

OBJECTIVE

The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Personality Assessment Inventory-Short Form (PAI-SF) for use with patients with recent stroke. Method: Study participants (N = 170) were inpatients in a tertiary hospital in Western Canada admitted to a rehabilitation department who completed a neuropsychological evaluation as part of their care. All participants completed the full-form of the PAI (344 items) and both full- and short-form (160 items) versions were scored from the same protocol. Results: Internal consistency for the PAI-SF scales was assessed by Cronbach's coefficient alpha. Alpha coefficients for clinical scales fell between the range of 0.53 (ANT) to 0.88 (ANX), with three scales (ANT, ALC, and DRG) falling below satisfactory (<0.70). Alpha coefficients were unsatisfactory for validity, treatment, and interpersonal scales. Absolute differences between mean clinical scale t scores between the full and short-form PAI clinical scales ranged from 0.04 (DEP) to 1.18 (MAN). For an individual, absolute differences in scale t scores between the full- and short-forms ranged from 0 to 30 t scores. On average, an individual varied 3.75 t scores between the PAI full- and short-form across all validity, clinical, interpersonal, and treatment scales. Component structure was similar across the full- and short-forms. Conclusions: Findings are somewhat consistent with previous literature on the PAI-SF as the full- and short-forms had minimal differences and similar psychometric properties. However, caution is warranted for the clinical utility for both forms given the lower alpha coefficients and different structure. Only certain clinical scales appear to have strong psychometric properties.

Validation of the translated Negative Physical Self Scale in a female North American sample: Preliminary examination

In an increasingly multicultural society, there is a need for cross-cultural research on measures of body dissatisfaction, a construct often influenced by sociocultural differences. The current study assessed the psychometric properties of an English translation of the Negative Physical Self Scale (NPSS; Chen, Jackson, & Huang, 2006). A sample of 646 young adult North American women completed an online survey including the NPSS and two widely used measures of body image and eating concerns. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-factor structure of the NPSS, three of which (Thinness, Shortness, and Facial Appearance) mirrored those found in Chinese samples. The remaining factor, labeled the Body Concern subscale, was an amalgamation of two factors found in Chinese samples, Fatness and General Appearance, and one item from the Facial Appearance subscale. Extracted factors had high internal consistencies (Cronbach's alpha values above 0.89). The NPSS, particularly the Body Concern Subscale, demonstrated strong convergent validity with other measures of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. The current study provided evidence for the use of a four-factor model of the NPSS among a North American population.

Psychological disturbance and cognitive functioning in TBI patients

The current study examined psychopathology and neuropsychological test performance in a traumatic brain injury (TBI) patient sample. Previous research has found that the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Second Edition (MMPI-2) indices of psychological disturbance were related to specific neuropsychological tests of attention and memory. Furthermore, higher scores on clinical scale 2 (Depression) and higher scores on the content scales of Fears and Bizarre Mentation of the MMPI-2 were related to poorer performance in, most notably, Attention and List Learning factors. The present study sought to extend the research by adding a neuropsychological measure of conceptual reasoning. A sample of 116 TBI patients referred for evaluation at a private practice clinic were administered a battery of neuropsychological measures of list learning, working memory, verbal memory, visuographic memory, and conceptual reasoning, as well as the MMPI-2 to assess emotional functioning. Regression analysis indicated that an overall model of MMPI-2 indices significantly predicted poorer performance on List Learning. More specifically, higher scores on the content scales of Obsessions and Fears were most robustly associated with poorer neuropsychological test performance for List Learning and Working Memory respectively. Findings suggest psychopathology is correlated with performance on neuropsychological measures for TBI patients.

Is abstinence really the best option? Exploring the role of exercise in the treatment and management of eating disorders

Exercise prescription is suggested to help manage exercise abuse and improve overall eating disorder (ED) prognosis. This study explored emerging perceptions of ED health professionals concerning the role of exercise as a supportive treatment for EDs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with international health professionals (n=13) with expertise in ED treatment. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed through thematic analysis. Four themes were revealed and titled 1) understanding the current state; 2) gaining perspectives; 3) barriers and benefits; 4) one size does not fit all. Within these themes, participants described the current state of exercise in ED treatment and suggested there exists a gap in research knowledge and practice. Participants also identified the implications of incorporating exercise into treatment and how an exercise protocol may be designed. Results enhance the understanding of the role of exercise in ED treatment and how it may further benefit individuals with EDs.

Risk for eating disorders modulates interpretation bias in a semantic priming task

The current study used a semantic priming paradigm to investigate the presence of implicit interpretation biases for food and body shape words among 118 undergraduate females. Reaction times (RTs) were recorded while participants made lexical decisions (i.e., word vs. non-word judgments) to lexical targets that were preceded by negatively valenced eating disorder related (e.g., fat-PIZZA), eating disorder unrelated (e.g., party-PIZZA), or semantically unrelated (e.g., umbrella-PIZZA) prime words. Self-reported eating disorder traits were assessed using the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-34), the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), and the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE-Q 6.0). Results suggested that biased RT priming effects for eating disorder related word pairs were strongly associated with measures of body dissatisfaction and ED symptomology. Specifically, scales targeting eating disordered cognitions (the BSQ-34 and the Shape/Weight Concern subscales of the EDE-Q 6.0) demonstrated the strongest association with implicit interpretation biases as assessed by performance on the semantic priming task.

Bilingual lexical access during L1 sentence reading: The effects of L2 knowledge, semantic constraint, and L1-L2 intermixing

Libben and Titone (2009) recently observed that cognate facilitation and interlingual homograph interference were attenuated by increased semantic constraint during bilingual second language (L2) reading, using eye movement measures. We now investigate whether cross-language activation also occurs during first language (L1) reading as a function of age of L2 acquisition and task demands (i.e., inclusion of L2 sentences). In Experiment 1, participants read high and low constraint English (L1) sentences containing interlingual homographs, cognates, or control words. In Experiment 2, we included French (L2) filler sentences to increase salience of the L2 during L1 reading. The results suggest that bilinguals reading in their L1 show nonselective activation to the extent that they acquired their L2 early in life. Similar to our previous work on L2 reading, high contextual constraint attenuated cross-language activation for cognates. The inclusion of French filler items promoted greater cross-language activation, especially for late stage reading measures. Thus, L1 bilingual reading is modulated by L2 knowledge, semantic constraint, and task demands.

The role of awareness and working memory in human transitive inference

The human ability to perform transitive inference (TI) is an area of debate from a neurocognitive standpoint. Some studies emphasize a stimulus driven medial-temporal lobe process [Preston, A.R., Shrager, Y., Dudukovic, N.M., Gabrieli, J.D., 2004. Hippocampal contribution to the novel use of relational information in declarative memory. Hippocampus 14, 148-152; Titone, D., Ditman, T., Holzman, P., Eichenbaum, H., Levy, D., 2004. A transitive inference test of relational memory in schizophrenia. Schizophr. Res. 68, 235-247; Van Elzakker, M., O'Reilley, R., Rudy, J., 2003. Transivity, flexibility, conjenctive representation and the hippocampus: an empirical analysis. Hippocampus 13, 334-340] while others emphasize a higher-level frontal lobe strategy that requires the flexible maintenance of information in working memory [Waltz, J., Knowlton, B., Holyoak, K., Boone, K., Mishkin, F., de Menedezes Santos, M., Thomas, C., Miller, B., 1999. A system for relational reasoning in human prefrontal cortex. Psychol. Sci. 10, 119-125]. In two experiments we investigated when and how adults employ different cognitive strategies during TI by evaluating the interaction between task instructions and individual differences in working memory capacity. Participants engaged in a paired discrimination task involving a 6-unit TI hierarchy and were either prior aware, prior unaware or serendipitously aware of the hierarchical relationship among stimulus items. Both prior aware participants and serendipitously aware participants were more likely to engage in a logic-based strategy compared to unaware participants who relied upon stimulus-driven strategies. Individual differences in working memory were associated with the acquisition of awareness in the serendipitously aware group and with the maintenance of awareness in the prior aware group. These findings suggest that the capacity for TI may be supported by multiple neurocognitive strategies, and that the specific strategy employed is dependent upon both task- and participant-related factors.