Is there evidence for factorial invariance of the COVID Stress Scales? an analysis of North American and cross-cultural populations

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the mental health of more citizens globally than any previous modern viral outbreak. In response to the psychological challenges associated with COVID-19, the COVID Stress Scales (CSS) were developed to assess the presence and severity of COVID-related distress. The initial North American validation study of the CSS identified that the scale comprised five factors: danger and contamination fears, fear of socioeconomic consequences, xenophobia, checking and reassurance seeking, and traumatic stress symptoms. The CSS have since been validated across a multitude of international populations. However, findings support a five- and six-factor model. Methodological issues make interpreting most studies supporting a five-factor model challenging. The purpose of this study was to re-evaluate the factor structure of the CSS using data from North American samples, to assess for potential factorial invariance, and compare these results to cross-cultural findings. Multiple confirmatory factor analyses (mCFA) were conducted across 28 different groups (e.g., age, ethnicity/race, sex) from two large independent North American samples from 2020 (n = 6827) and 2021 (n = 5787), assessing the fit indices of the five-, six-, and alternative-factor model of the CSS. The current results provide evidence for factorial invariance of the six-factor model of the CSS across different North American demographics and highlight potential challenges in interpreting the results of studies that have supported a five-factor model of the CSS.

Structure and factorial invariance of a brief version of the Eating Attitudes Test in Peruvian university students

Background

University students often experience significant changes in their eating habits, which can increase the risk of developing eating disorders (ED). This situation calls for the creation of brief assessment tools to identify college students who may be most at risk. The aim of the study was to determine the psychometric properties of the Eating Attitudes Test-8 (EAT-8) in a Peruvian university population; additionally, the possible differences in the scores of the instrument according to sociodemographic variables, such as gender and age, were examined.

Methods

A psychometric study was conducted on 610 participants (M = 24.3, SD = 2.16, and 61.5% female), aged 19 to 31 years, belonging to four universities of different professional careers.

Results

The unidimensional eight-item model was found to have fit indices that confirm acceptable factorial validity (X2/df = 3.23, CFI = 0.984, TLI = 0.977, RMSEA = 0.061, SRMR = 0.049) and an internal consistency of 0.833 for the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and 0.838 for the McDonald's omega coefficient. In addition, the EAT-8 was reported to be invariant according to gender and age; likewise, there were no significant differences in the age and gender categories.

Conclusion

The EAT-8 has solid psychometric properties, including validity, reliability, and invariance, in the Peruvian university population, which supports its ability to assess the risk of developing ED in this specific group.

Psychometric properties of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 for Chinese adolescent athletes taking the National Sports College Entrance Examination

Background

This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2) in Chinese adolescent sports exam candidates.

Methods

One day before the National Sports College Entrance Examination, 965 Chinese athletes rated the Chinese-language SAS-2. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test the three-factor structure. Factorial invariance was tested by comparing the configural invariance model to three more constrained models. Construct validity and reliability were determined.

Results

Fit indices meet the critical values: CFI = 0.953, TLI = 0.943, RMSEA = 0.048 [90% CI, 0.041-0.054], and SRMR = 0.042. All path factor loadings exceed 0.5. The changes in CFI and RMSEA across the configural, metric, scalar, and uniqueness invariance are within the critical values, demonstrating strict measurement invariance across gender, years of training, and type of sports. The average variance extracted of the worry sub-scale is above the cutoff criteria, and McDonald's omega coefficients are over 0.70. Significant correlations exist between the SAS-2, SCAT, and CSAI-2. Factor correlations are all below 0.8. The measurement also distinguishes the known gender effect, with females showing a probability of 58.6% higher anxiety levels. The intraclass correlation coefficient ranges from 0.706 to 0.801.

Conclusion

This study validated the Chinese-language SAS-2 in measuring competitive anxiety among Chinese adolescent athletes taking the National Sports College Entrance Examination. The development of the scale's applicability in China is discussed.

Validation of the Curiosity and Exploration Inventory-II in Spanish University Students

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to analyse the psychometric properties of the Curiosity and Exploration Inventory-II (CEI-II) to provide evidence of validity for its use in research on health promotion and the quality of life of young Spanish university students.

METHOD

A sample of 807 participants (75.09% female) aged 18-26 years (M = 20.68; SD = 2.13) completed the CEI-II and health and quality of life measures questionnaire.

RESULTS

A unidimensional structure was confirmed, but the original two-dimensional structure also showed an adequate fit. The measures obtained from the CEI-II were gender- and age-invariant, which exhibited adequate internal consistency for both the full scale and subscales, and showed a statistically significant relationship with life satisfaction, sense of coherence, and psychological distress.

CONCLUSIONS

The CEI-II can be used as unidimensional, which is recommended, but also as a two-dimensional measure. Both structures provide reliable, valid, and invariant measures across gender and age of exploratory behaviours in Spanish university students. Furthermore, the results confirm the association between exploratory behaviours and greater health management.

Assessment of the Risks and Needs of Middle School Students: Invariance Properties Related to Gender and Ethnicity

The middle school version of the Washington Assessment of Risks and Needs of Students (msWARNS) is a self-report instrument designed for use by school personnel to identify barriers to school attendance and school success for sixth- to eighth-grade students. It measures six domains relevant to improving school outcomes that include aggression-defiance, depression-anxiety, substance use, peer deviance, home environment, and school engagement. In the present study, a bifactor S - 1 model, for which the aggression-defiance domain was the reference factor for the general factor and the other domains constituted the subfactors, had good fit and better fit than several other alternative models. Results of multigroup confirmatory factor analysis revealed invariance across different groups defined by gender and race/ethnicity (Native American, African American, Hispanic, and White), with a sample of referred middle school students (N = 2,356; ages 10-15 years). Reliability analyses support the use of the general factor to guide decision-making, the reliable use of the depression-anxiety factor for providing additional insights, and the remaining factors for guiding communication, as part of an assessment and intervention program for middle school students.

Internal Structure of the Work-Family Conflict Questionnaire (WFCQ) in Teacher Teleworking

The interference between family and work roles has led to the development of scales for their measurement. However, instrumental studies of work-family conflict have not been conducted in the context of teacher teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason, the objectives of this study were set to obtain evidence of the internal structure and fairness of the Blanch and Aluja Work-Family Conflict Questionnaire, as well as its association with job satisfaction and other sociodemographic variables. A total of 235 Peruvian school teachers between the ages of 24 and 72 years (M = 43.79 and SD = 9.67) responded to the scale using the online form. The analysis employed the non-parametric item response theory modeling (Mokken scaling analysis). The structure of two correlated factors was confirmed: work conflict in the family (WCF) and family conflict in the work (FCW). Both dimensions were invariant with respect to sex group and educational level. The association of both dimensions with job satisfaction was theoretically convergent, and the gender of the teachers slightly moderated this relationship. The reliability was adequate for group research. Finally, the instrument can be useful in the organizational context of teachers who telework.

Bifactor SEM and MIRT Structure of a 12-Item Human Immunodeficiency Virus Stigma Scale in Peruvian Adults

BACKGROUND

The stigma associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can lead to prejudice and discrimination against people who have been infected by this virus, consequently, it is important to have a validated tool to measure this phenomenon. However, there is only 1 national precedent that has validated the scores of this instrument in its 21-item version. Therefore, this study examined the bifactor structural equation method (SEM) and multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) structure of a 12-item human immunodeficiency virus stigma scale in Peruvian adults.

METHODS

We evaluated 342 patients (57.6% female and 42.45% male) diagnosed with HIV receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) from a hospital located in East Lima, aged 18 to 45 years (M = 31.4, SD = 9.79). A SEM was used to test 2 measurement models, a 4-factor correlated oblique model and a bifactor model due to high interfactor relationships.

RESULTS

Acceptable fit indices were identified for the oblique model (χ2/df = 1.26, SRMR = 0.044, RMSEA [90% CI] = 0.028 [0.000-0.047], CFI = 0.996, TLI = 0.994). In the same way, similar results were evident for the bifactor model (χ2/df = 1.14, SRMR = 0.039, RMSEA [90% CI] = 0.020 [0.000-0.044], CFI = 0.998, TLI = 0.997), however, in the latter it showed a greater explanation for the unidimensional model (H = 0.87, PUC = 0.82, LCA = 0.70), which was also evidenced by the bifactor MIRT analysis.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that the 12-item HIV Stigma Scale meets the psychometric properties of internal structure and unifactorial reliability.

Adjusting for Measurement Noninvariance with Alignment in Growth Modeling

Longitudinal measurement invariance-the consistency of measurement in data collected over time-is a prerequisite for any meaningful inferences of growth patterns. When one or more items measuring the construct of interest show noninvariant measurement properties over time, it leads to biased parameter estimates and inferences on the growth parameters. In this paper, I extend the recently developed alignment-within-confirmatory factor analysis (AwC) technique to adjust for measurement biases for growth models. The proposed AwC method does not require a priori knowledge of noninvariant items and the iterative searching of noninvariant items in typical longitudinal measurement invariance research. Results of a Monte Carlo simulation study comparing AwC with the partial invariance modeling method show that AwC largely reduces biases in growth parameter estimates and gives good control of Type I error rates, especially when the sample size is at least 1,000. It also outperforms the partial invariance method in conditions when all items are noninvariant. However, all methods give biased growth parameter estimates when the proportion of noninvariant parameters is over 25%. Based on the simulation results, I conclude that AO is a viable alternative to the partial invariance method in growth modeling when it is not clear whether longitudinal measurement invariance holds. The current paper also demonstrates AwC in an example modeling neuroticism over three time points using a public data set, which shows how researchers can compute effect size indices for noninvariance in AwC to assess to what degree invariance holds and whether AwC results are trustworthy.

Perception of School Violence: Indicators of Normalization in Mapuche and Non-Mapuche Students

The current social and political scenario in Chile has opened up the debate on two centuries of usurpation and discrimination towards the Mapuche people. Educational centers are not oblivious to the social exclusion faced by indigenous children and young people, and this forms part of the phenomenon of school violence. This study explores the differences in perception between Mapuche and non-Mapuche students regarding school violence. The issue is the lack of knowledge regarding cultural variations in the perception of school violence in spaces of social and cultural diversity in the Mapuche context. This study describes the characteristics of school violence perceived by students in relation to differences based on ancestry and characterizes the variations in perception. A total of 1404 students participated from urban schools in the city of Temuco, Chile, aged 10 to 13 (M = 11.4; SD = 1.1) who completed the CENVI questionnaire. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the total sample and categories provides indexes that fit the proposed model. The omega coefficients provide internal reliability guarantees. This study tests configural, metric and scalar invariance for all the categories explored, and statistically significant differences are found between Mapuche and non-Mapuche students in the perception of physical and verbal violence, where the Mapuche student perceives more violence. Results are discussed based on existing research on education in spaces of social and cultural diversity in the Mapuche context, with research into elements that can help explain the findings.

Initial Psychometric Evidence of Physical Inactivity Perceived Experience Scale (Pipes): COVID-19 Pandemic as a Pilot Study

Aims

Our study aimed to develop a two-factor self-administered orthogonal questionnaire to assess the experience of perceived physical inactivity, to test its psychometric properties, to confirm its relationships with fear of COVID-19, and finally, with perceived stress during the pandemic.

Methods

A total of 481 Tunisian subjects collected in several cities, aged from 16 to 67 years with a mean age = 32.48 ± 9.46, and of both sexes participate in our study with (male: 51.8%) and (female: 48.2%), divided according to the level of study into three categories. All subjects voluntarily answered the PIPES questionnaire, the IPAQ scale, the COVID-19 fear scale and the PSS-10 test.

Results

The results of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported the robustness of the tool measure. In addition, examination of configurational, metric, scalar, and strict invariance supported the equivalence of the structure by gender and educational level. Concurrent validity was established by the positive association of a negative perception of physical inactivity with scores measured by the IPAQ scale and a negative association with scores of COVID-19 fear and perceived stress. Whereas, a positive perception of physical inactivity from the COVID-19 scale was negatively associated with the IPAQ and positively associated with fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress.

Conclusion

The PIPES-10 scale can be used to measure the perception of physical inactivity in different situations.

Longitudinal Factorial Invariance of a Brief Measure of Affect and Calm Focus

Mindfulness-based practices for school-aged children are increasingly common in the United States. Positive and negative affect are theoretically and empirically associated with school outcomes, and these constructs are likely to be impacted by school-based mindfulness practices. Furthermore, mindful states, such as being calm and focused, targeted by mindfulness-based practices are a potential causal mechanism to improve learning and behavior. This study describes a test of longitudinal factorial invariance for a brief measure of affect states plus a state of calm focus that is appropriate for use in mindfulness intervention studies with elementary school-aged children. Data were collected from 97 fourth-grade students in an urban elementary school that was about 46% Hispanic and 44% White. Students listened to one of six different conditions each day for 24 school days: There were four individual mindfulness modules (cross-connect, pause buttons, belly breathing, and mindful minute), one condition that included all four of the modules together, and one condition that was a control activity (a grade-appropriate story presented via audiorecording). Students provided self-report of positive and negative emotions plus calm focus immediately before and after the presentation of the audio. Results showed high levels of internal consistency for the scales, low correlations between scales, and factorial invariance in the pre- and post-test design for five of the six conditions. These findings support the use of this measure in studies with older elementary school students. Future studies should further document construct validity through external validation of the scales.

Dimensionality of the Chinese CES-D: Is It Stable across Gender, Time, and Samples?

Depression is a common mental illness among Chinese adolescents. Although the Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) has been widely used in diverse populations, the reported factor structures are inconsistent, and its longitudinal invariance is under-researched. This study examined the psychometric properties and factorial invariance across gender and time of the CES-D among Chinese adolescents. Adolescents aged above 11 years from five schools in Chengdu responded to a questionnaire at Wave 1 (n = 5690). Among them, 4981 participants completed the same questionnaire after six months (Wave 2). The matched sample was composed of 4922 students (51.5% were girls; mean age = 13.15 years) at Wave 1. We used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the factor structure and performed multi-group CFA to test the factorial invariance across gender and time. A three-factor solution was identified, including "positive affect", "somatic complaints", and "depressed affect". Results of multi-group CFA comparisons supported the factorial invariance of the resultant three-factor solution. Using a new sample of Chinese adolescents in Southwestern China, the present study reproduced earlier findings on adolescents in other areas in China. This study has implications for depression assessment and research in Chinese adolescents.

Multiple Group Analysis in Multilevel Data Across Within-Level Groups: A Comparison of Multilevel Factor Mixture Modeling and Multilevel Multiple-Indicators Multiple-Causes Modeling

The purpose of this two-part study is to evaluate methods for multiple group analysis when the comparison group is at the within level with multilevel data, using a multilevel factor mixture model (ML FMM) and a multilevel multiple-indicators multiple-causes (ML MIMIC) model. The performance of these methods was evaluated integrally by a series of procedures testing weak and strong invariance models and the latent group mean differences testing after holding for factorial invariance. Two Monte Carlo simulation studies were conducted under the following conditions: number of clusters, cluster size, and the design type in groups. A multilevel one-factor confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model as a research model in Study 1 was investigated to compare the results under different conditions with those of previous studies. A multilevel two-factor CFA model as a research model in Study 2 was evaluated by fitting alternative models that can be applied when the model is complicated. The results indicated that the two methods were reasonable in multilevel multiple groups analysis across within-level groups. However, pros and cons were found between the two methods. In the multilevel one-factor CFA model, ML MIMIC model was slightly better when the sample size is small. In the multilevel complex model, two alternative models of ML FMM were recommended because the weak invariance testing of ML MIMIC was considerably time-consuming. Finally, it was shown that information criteria, which are criteria for determining whether factorial invariance is established, need to be applied differently according to the sample size conditions. Guidelines for this situation are provided.

Modification of the Rosenberg Scale to Assess Self-Esteem in Children

Rosenberg's scale (RSES) is widely used to assess global self-esteem (SE) in adults and adolescents but is not validated for children <12 years. This study assessed the internal consistency, convergent validity, and factor structure of a modified RSES for schoolchildren (CRSES) aged 7–12 years. A total of 711 children aged 9.0 ± 1.5 years completed the CRSES; a subset (n = 417) also completed a life satisfaction (LS) scale. Data were submitted for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and tests of factorial invariance by sex. Two-way ANOVA compared scores by age-group and sex; whilst Pearson's correlations examined the relationship between LS and SE. Following the use of modification indices the fit for the global SE model met the goodness of fit statistic criteria: χ(27, n = 711) = 77.22; χ^normed = 2.860 CFI = 0.961; RMSEA = 0.051 with 90% CI = 0.038-0.065; SRMR = 0.037; and displayed respectable internal consistency (α = 0.79). The model was also factorially invariant by sex. SE scores did not vary sex (p > 0.05); but were significantly reduced in children aged 9–10 and 11–12 years compared to children aged 7–8 years. The global SE score was significantly correlated (r = 0.51; P < 0.001) with LS. The current version of the CRSES can reliably examine global SE in children aged 7–12 years; extending the use of the RSES to allow tracking across the life course.

Multi-Validity Process and Factor-Invariance. Perceived Self-Efficacy-Scale for the Prevention of Obesity in Preteens

Given the lack of scales with a robust psychometric assessment of self-efficacy related to obesity in early adolescence, we aimed to obtain an instrument with high-quality validity and reliability items. Nonrandom samples (N = 2371) classified boys (1174, M = 12.83, SD = 0.84) and girls (1197, M = 12.68, SD = 0.78) from Mexico City and some cities of the Mexican Republic with obesity rates near to the national level mean. A multi-validity process and structural invariance analysis using the Perceived Self-efficacy Scale for Obesity Prevention were performed. A two-factor-physical activity and healthy eating-model with high effect-sized values-girls R² (0.88, p < 0.01) and boys R² (0.87, p < 0.01)-were obtained. Each factor explained more than half of the variance with high-reliability coefficients in each group and acceptable adjustment rates. The self-efficacy scale proved to have only girls, an invariant factor structure, or a psychometric equivalence between the groups. The obtained scale showed that a two-factor structure is feasible and appropriate, according to the highest quality of validity and reliability.

Factorial Validity and Factorial Invariance Across Gender of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-Chinese version in Undergraduates

OBJECTIVE

This study was aimed to examine the factor structure and factorial invariance across gender of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-Chinese version (FMPS-CV).

METHODS

The FMPS-CV was completed by 2451 undergraduates. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed to verify its factorial validity, and Multigroup CFA were performed to examine its factorial invariance across gender. Gender differences were compared on scores of FMPS-CV. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability were also detected. Clinical characteristics were compared between adaptive and maladaptive perfectionists categorized by positive and negative scores of FMPS-CV.

RESULTS

CFA supported the six-factor structure of FMPS-CV, and Multigroup CFA evidenced its factorial invariance across gender. No significant gender differences were found. The adaptive perfectionists scored significantly lower on clinical variables than maladaptive perfectionists. Moreover, the reliability indicators met the standards.

CONCLUSIONS

The good psychometrics properties of FMPS-CV supported it could be used to assess perfectionism in Chinese young adults.

Factorial validity and invariance analysis of the five items version of Mindful Awareness Attention Scale in older adults

Objective: Mindfulness or the full attention state is a factor that contributes to the successful process of aging. This study aims to evaluate the evidence of validity, on the basis of the internal structure, convergent and discriminant validity, reliability and factorial invariance across gender, for the five items Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS-5) within a sample of older adults.Methods: The participants were 323 Peruvian older adults, consisting of 160 women and 163 men, whose average ages were 68.58 (S.D = 7.23) and 68.91 years (S.D = 7.12), respectively. In addition to the MAAS-5, the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 were administered.Results: The Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicates that the one-factor structure of the MAAS-5 presents adequate fit for the total sample (χ² = 11.24, df = 5, χ²/df = 2.25, CFI = .99, RMSEA = .06 [90%CI: .01, .11]; and SRMR = .025), as well as for the sub-samples of men and women. This one-factor solution presents adequate internal consistency (ω = 80 [95%CI: .76 - .82]) and it is invariant across gender. Regarding convergent validity, high scores in the MAAS are associated with a greater satisfaction with life (r = .88, p< .01 [95%CI: .85, .95]) and less depression (r = -.56, p< .01 [95%CI: -.48, -.77]) in older adults.Conclusions: The preliminary results back the use of the MAAS-5 as a self-report measure of mindfulness that has an adequate unifactorial structure that is reliable and invariant across gender for measuring the full attention state in elderly Peruvians.

Military Background and Gender Identity in Psychological Assessment Among College Students: Factorial Invariance of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62)

The purpose of this study was to examine the factorial invariance of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62) across military background and gender identity. A sample of 2,208 military students and 2,208 nonmilitary students were chosen from a large database of university and college counseling centers. Using exploratory structural equation modeling, findings suggested the CCAPS-62 is mostly invariant across military background and gender identity. Only three item thresholds appeared to be noninvariant across groups. These results suggest comparisons of scores across military background and gender can be made. Latent mean differences across groups were also examined. After controlling for several background variables, there were some differences between males and females on subscales measuring depression, eating concerns, and generalized anxiety, but no differences between military and nonmilitary students. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

It Matters: Reference Indicator Selection in Measurement Invariance Tests

Conventional approaches for selecting a reference indicator (RI) could lead to misleading results in testing for measurement invariance (MI). Several newer quantitative methods have been available for more rigorous RI selection. However, it is still unknown how well these methods perform in terms of correctly identifying a truly invariant item to be an RI. Thus, Study 1 was designed to address this issue in various conditions using simulated data. As a follow-up, Study 2 further investigated the advantages/disadvantages of using RI-based approaches for MI testing in comparison with non-RI-based approaches. Altogether, the two studies provided a solid examination on how RI matters in MI tests. In addition, a large sample of real-world data was used to empirically compare the uses of the RI selection methods as well as the RI-based and non-RI-based approaches for MI testing. In the end, we offered a discussion on all these methods, followed by suggestions and recommendations for applied researchers.

Factorial invariance of the Marianismo Beliefs Scale among Latinos in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study

OBJECTIVE

The Marianismo Beliefs Scale (MBS) assesses five components of marianismo, a cultural script of Latina gender role expectations. This study evaluated the MBS's psychometric properties across language, sex, and Latino subgroups (Mexican American, Central American, Cuban American, Dominican American, Puerto Rican, and South American).

METHOD

Study sample was derived from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) Sociocultural Ancillary Study which consisted of a community sample of 4879 Latino adults aged 18-64 from four field centers (Miami, FL, USA; San Diego, CA, USA; Bronx, NY, USA; Chicago, IL, USA).

RESULTS

Confirmatory factor analyses supported five factors. English and Spanish versions demonstrated equivalence of factor loadings and error variances across Latino subgroups and sex.

CONCLUSION

Although the MBS English and Spanish versions are psychometrically sound measures for male and female Latino adults, future research is needed to determine whether direct scale scores are comparable.

Psychometric Properties of the Environmental Reward Observation Scale: Study on Its Internal Structure, Factor Invariance, and Method Effect Associated With Its Negative Items

The aim of this study was to assess the factorial structure of the scale, the method's effect associated with its negative items, its temporal invariance, and factorial invariance according to sex. For this purpose, three samples were collected, an initial sample of 200 participants, a second sample of 461 participants and a third sample of 107 participants; making a total of 768 Peruvian university students. Other instruments were applied together with the EROS scale in order to measure satisfaction with life, anxiety, stress and depression. Regarding the results, in the initial sample it was found that the original scale containing positive and negative items does adequately fit the data (RMSEA = .19; CFI = .77; TLI = .71) and also evidence was found supporting the existence of a methodological effect associated with the negative items. It was also found that version B of the scale which only has positive items data fits the data (RMSEA = .13; CFI = .96; TLI = .95). In the second sample it was found that version B still had a good fit to the data in a larger sample (RMSEA = .07; CFI = .98; TLI = .98). In addition, it was found that the scale can be considered invariant according to sex and presents validity based on other constructs. In the third sample it was found that the test-retest reliability of the scale was adequate (.70 [CI95% .593-.788]) and also evidence was found in favor of the temporal invariance of the scale. It is concluded that the scale formed only by positive items presents more robust psychometric properties and constitutes a better alternative to measure the level of reward provided by the environment.

Studying a Moving Target in Development: The Challenge and Opportunity of Heterotypic Continuity

Many psychological constructs show heterotypic continuity-their behavioral manifestations change with development but their meaning remains the same (e.g., externalizing problems). However, research has paid little attention to how to account for heterotypic continuity. Conceptual and methodological challenges of heterotypic continuity may prevent researchers from examining lengthy developmental spans. Developmental theory requires that measurement accommodate changes in manifestation of constructs. Simulation and empirical work demonstrate that failure to account for heterotypic continuity when collecting or analyzing longitudinal data results in faulty developmental inferences. Accounting for heterotypic continuity may require using different measures across time with approaches that link measures on a comparable scale. Creating a developmental scale (i.e., developmental scaling) is recommended to link measures across time and account for heterotypic continuity, which is crucial in understanding development across the lifespan. The current synthesized review defines heterotypic continuity, describes how to identify it, and presents solutions to account for it. We note challenges of addressing heterotypic continuity, and propose steps in leveraging opportunities it creates to advance empirical study of development.

Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Goal Orientation Scales in Ecuadorian Undergraduate Students

The present study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of the Goal orientation Scales (GOS; Skaalvik, 1997) in a sample of 2,170 Ecuadorian undergraduate students (M = 21. 97, SD = 3.61; 61.6% female). The Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the four-factor structure of the GOS, and the scale exhibited an adequate factorial invariance for gender. The multidimensional Rasch analysis revealed that one item showed misfit, and the distribution of items did not correspond well with the levels of achievement goals. The current research addresses a formal gap related to the validation of the GOS in a Latin American country and provides advanced psychometric information to further improve the scale for its application to Spanish-speaking samples.

Psychometric Properties of the Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory in Ecuador

Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts (PATs) are currently being studied due to their association with maladaptive variables. This study aims to validate the Spanish version of the Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory (PCI) in a sample of Ecuadorian undergraduates as well as to analyze latent mean differences across sex. The sample was composed by 3060 undergraduates (Mage = 22.7, SD = 2.46). The Spanish model of the PCI composed by 17 items divided into three first-order dimensions (perfectionistic concerns, strivings, and demands) and a second-order factor was supported by confirmatory factor analysis. Acceptable levels of reliability and factorial invariance across sex were observed. Higher latent mean scores for males in comparison with females in the second-order factor of the PCI were found. The three dimensions of the PCI significantly and positively correlated with interpersonal difficulties. Overall, results demonstrate that the Spanish version of the PCI is a valid and reliable measure to evaluate PATs in Ecuadorian undergraduates.

The Spanish Version of the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS-6): Evidence of Validity of a Short Version

The aim of this work was to provide validity evidences of the short Spanish version of the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS-6). First, a psychometric study was performed to examine the factorial invariance of the scale across different groups. A sample of 1,500 heterosexual adults (50% men, 50% women) from the general Spanish population, aged 18 to 80, was examined. Results showed that the unidimensional model of the SOS-6 is invariant across sex, age range, relationship status, and educational level. Secondly, a laboratory study was performed to determine the relationship between erotophilia and objective and subjective sexual arousal in response to sexual stimuli. The sample consisted of 130 young Spanish university students (46.92% men, 53.08% women) with heterosexual orientation. In men, erotophilia was related to subjective sexual arousal; in women, erotophilia was related to subjective sexual arousal and estimation of genital sensations. In conclusion, this work provides validity evidences of the short version of the SOS-6 and describes the factorial equivalence of the scale across groups and its concurrent validity.

Spanish Validation of the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale: Factorial Invariance and Latent Means Differences across Sex and Age

The present study analyzed the psychometric properties of a Spanish translation of the child-adolescent perfectionism scale (CAPS-S), as well as its factorial invariance and latent means differences across sex and age. A sample of 1809 Spanish students of Primary Education, aged between 8 and 11 (Mage = 9.53, SD = 1.11), was used. Confirmatory factor analyses and multigroup confirmatory factor analyses were applied to examine the factor structure of the CAPS-S. The results revealed that a model made up of 13 items structured in 3 factors-Self-Oriented Perfectionism-Striving (SOP-Striving), Self-Oriented Perfectionism-Critical (SOP-Critical), and Socially Prescribed Perfectionism (SPP)-showed a better fit than any of the previously tested models, and it was invariant across sex and age. SOP-Striving did not significantly correlate with school anxiety and aggression, whereas significant and positive correlations were found in the case of SOP-Critical and SPP. The levels of reliability and stability of the scale were ω = 0.91, 0.74, 0.73, and 0.80, and rxx = 0.73, 0.62, 0.73, and 0.74, for the total CAPS-S and for the SOP-Striving, SOP-Critical, and SPP dimensions, respectively. Analysis of latent means differences revealed that boys scored significantly higher than girls in SOP-Critical. The 9-year-olds scored significantly lower in SPP than their 8-year-old peers. Conversely, 11-year-olds scored higher in SOP-Critical than 8-year-olds. In addition, 10- and 11-year-olds scored higher than their 9-year-old peers. The CAPS-S presented in this research is a reliable and valid instrument to assess perfectionism in Spanish child population.

A New Brief Scale to Measure Optimism

This research was done to find if using maximum likelihood could reduce the Interactive Optimism Scale-Garcia to a new valid and reliable shorter version. There were 502 adults: 263 women and 239 men (M_age = 34.67, SD = 12.27). It was used in confirmatory factor analysis. A four-item scale is obtained, having excellent goodness of fit: [χ²/df = .609, GFI (Jöreskog and Sörbom's Goodness-of-Fit Index) = .999, NFI (Normed Fit Index) = .999, CFI (Bentler's Comparative Fit Index) = 1.000, RMSEA (Steiger-Lind root mean square error of approximation) = .000 (90% CI = .0001, .077); SRMR (standardized root mean square residual) = .007], as well as factorial invariance across sexes; the scale has good internal consistency (ω = .869, α = .858, ordinal α = .906). Brief Interactive Optimism Scale-G correlates significantly with self-esteem (r = .779, p < . 01, 95% CI [.816, .736]), depression (r = -.810, p < .01, 95% CI [.843, .772]), and psychopathy (r = -.670, p < . 01, 95% CI [.723, .611]). In conclusion, Brief Interactive Optimism Scale-G is a good option for measuring optimism in Mexicans.

A transdiagnostic model of psychiatric symptom co-occurrence and autism spectrum disorder

Understanding whether the co-occurrence of psychiatric symptoms within autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are specific to the ASD diagnosis or reflect similar higher-order patterns observed in both ASD and non-ASD samples, or a confluence of the two, is of critical importance. If similar, it would suggest that comorbid psychiatric conditions among individuals with ASD are not symptoms of specific, non-ASD psychiatric disorders per se, but reflect a general liability to psychopathology associated with ASD. To this end, the current study examined whether the higher-order structure of co-occurring psychiatric symptoms was the same within ASD and non-ASD youth. Parents of clinic-referred youth with (n = 280) and without (n = 943) ASD completed a DSM-IV-referenced psychiatric symptom rating scale. A confirmatory factor analytic framework was used to examine four levels of measurement invariance across groups to determine the extent to which transdiagnostic factors were comparable. Transdiagnostic factors were characterized by symptoms of the same disorders (configural invariance) and the same factor loadings across groups (metric invariance). Furthermore, both groups evidenced equivalent numbers of symptoms of most psychiatric conditions with the notable exceptions of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and social anxiety (partial strong invariance), which were higher in the ASD sample. It was concluded that disparities in the co-occurrence of psychiatric symptoms between youth with and without ASD may be largely reflective of transdiagnostic factor level differences associated with ASD and not indicative of the ASD diagnosis per se. However, for ADHD and social anxiety, there appears to be some specific associations with the ASD diagnosis. Autism Res 2020, 13: 579-590. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Few transdiagnostic dimensions relate common mental disorder diagnoses with one another. These dimensions explain psychiatric comorbidity (i.e., the finding that many persons possess several disorder diagnoses simultaneously). However, it is unclear if these dimensions differ among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), compared with their non-ASD counterparts. The results of this study demonstrate that underlying transdiagnostic dimensions are similar in both ASD and non-ASD children. However, there appear to be ASD-specific differences when it comes to social anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Latent variable models for harmonization of test scores: A case study on memory

Combining data from different studies has a long tradition within the scientific community. It requires that the same information is collected from each study to be able to pool individual data. When studies have implemented different methods or used different instruments (e.g., questionnaires) for measuring the same characteristics or constructs, the observed variables need to be harmonized in some way to obtain equivalent content information across studies. This paper formulates the main concepts for harmonizing test scores from different observational studies in terms of latent variable models. The concepts are formulated in terms of calibration, invariance, and exchangeability. Although similar ideas are present in measurement reliability and test equating, harmonization is different from measurement invariance and generalizes test equating. In addition, if a test score needs to be transformed to another test score, harmonization of variables is only possible under specific conditions. Observed test scores that connect all of the different studies, are necessary to be able to test the underlying assumptions of harmonization. The concepts of harmonization are illustrated on multiple memory test scores from three different Canadian studies.

Child and Adolescent Social Adaptive Functioning Scale: Factorial Invariance, Latent Mean Differences, and Its Impact on School Refusal Behavior in Spanish Children

This study aims to examine the factorial invariance and latent mean differences across gender of the Spanish version of the Child and Adolescent Social Adaptive Functioning Scale (Study 1) and to value the function of social functioning as a protective ability of school refusal behavior (Study 2). Participants were Spanish students aged 8–12 years carefully chosen by simple random cluster, 345 for the first study (M = 9.17; SD = 1.03) and 1,032 students for the second study (M = 10.02; SD = 1.77). The measures used were the Child and Adolescent Social Adaptive Functioning Scale (CASAFS) and the School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised (SRAS-R). Results about the validation of the scale supported the model proposed in this study for the CASAFS, with 15 items and a four-factor structure (school performance, peer relationships, family relationships, and home duties/self-care). Findings revealed invariance across gender for this model and good internal consistency levels were exhibited in each of the four dimensions of the CASAFS (0.76, 0.72, 0.74, and 0.71). Latent mean differences did not report differences between boys and girls. Regarding the second study, the social functioning acted as a protective factor of school refusal behavior by negatively and significantly predicting high scores in school refusal behavior due to anxiety symptoms or feelings of negative affect linked to the obligation to attend school. Opposite results were found for those students who justify their refusal to attend school in pursuing tangible reinforcements outside the school setting. These findings strengthen the reliability and validity of the CASAFS and the idea of social functioning as a person’s ability which could prevent school refusal behavior is discussed.

Hierarchical Factor Analysis and Factorial Invariance of the Chinese Overparenting Scale

Overparenting has become an emergent phenomenon, where parents intrude into the lives and directions of their children and remove any anticipated obstacles that their children may encounter. This phenomenon develops rapidly across different ages, nations and cultures. This study examined the dimensionality of the Chinese paternal/maternal overparenting scales (CPOS and CMOS) in 1,735 early adolescents (mean age = 12.63 ± 0.78 years; 47.4% were female) in Hong Kong. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that an 8-factor model fitted the data well for both scales. The factors included close monitoring, intrusion of child’s life and direction, over-emphasis on child’s academic performance, frequent comparison of child’s achievement with others, overscheduling of child’s daily routine, anticipatory problem-solving, excessive affective response and excessive care. Hierarchical factor analyses showed that these factors could be subsumed under two second-order factors of “over-demandingness” and “over-responsiveness,” which provides support for the conceptual framework of parenting. Furthermore, the hierarchical factor models of the CPOS and CMOS were invariant in adolescent boys and girls; the scales and subscales showed good internal consistency. The present findings suggest that the CPOS and CMOS showed good factorial validity and reliability that can be used to assess overparenting objectively among early adolescents in the Chinese contexts.

Factorial Invariance of the 10-Item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale Across Gender Among Chinese Elders

Resilience plays an important role in the health of the elderly. The 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) is widely used to evaluate resilience, but its factorial invariance has not been evaluated in the Chinese elders. In the current study, 1,238 Chinese elders aged 60 years and above completed the Chinese CD-RISC-10, yielding good reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.936, Omega coefficient = 0.83, and test-retest reliability coefficient of 0.665 after 6 months). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a single-factor model fitted our CD-RISC-10 data well, both for the total sample and for each gender group. Furthermore, factorial invariance across genders was supported by multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. Finally, the current study revealed greater resilience levels in Chinese elderly women than in Chinese elderly men.

Psychometric Properties of Spanish Version Student Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-S-9) in High-school Students

The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) is a self-report instrument widely used, both in the original and its abbreviated version of nine items, to assess the work -UWES, UWES-9- and academic engagement -UWES-S, UWES-S-9-. The present study examines factor structure of the UWES-S-9 using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), its convergent validity and invariance across sex and age groups in a sample of 626 Spanish high school students. The results support an unidimensional conceptualization of engagement (S-Bχ2/df = 5.29; CFI = .96; NNFI = .94; RMSEA = .083; IFI = .96; AIC = 82.21; BIC = 267.38), revealed an essentially invariant structure of the UWES-S-9 across the sex, ΔS-Bχ2(Δ6) = 10.67; p ≤ .05, and age, ΔS-Bχ2(Δ7) = 9.67; p ≤ .05, and confirmed the positive association between academic engagement and achievement (r = .30; p ≤ .001), dispositional optimism (r = .21; p ≤ .001), and subjective well-being (r = .16; p ≤ .001), and the negative association with perceived stress (r =. -13; p ≤ .001). In short, the Spanish version of UWES-S-9 is presented as a brief, reliable and valid tool to measure academic engagement in high school students (α = .91, AVE = .52, Ω = .911).

Multicultural Validation of the Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality Questionnaire Shortened Form (ZKA-PQ/SF) Across 18 Countries

The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality Questionnaire shortened form (ZKA-PQ/SF) in 18 cultures and 13 languages of different African, American, Asian, and European cultures and languages. The results showed that the five-factor structure with 20 facets replicated well across cultures with a total congruence coefficient of .97. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) resulted in adequate fit indices for the five factors based on the comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI; >.90), and RMSEA (.031-.081). A series of CFA to assess measurement invariance across cultures resulted in adequate CFIs and TLIs for configural and metric invariance. However, factors did not show scalar invariance. Alpha internal consistencies of five factors ranged between .77 (Sensation Seeking) and .86 (Neuroticism). The average alpha of the 20 facets was .64 with a range from .43 (SS4) to .75 (AG1). Nevertheless, alpha reliabilities were lower in some facets and cultures, especially for Senegal and Togo. The average percentage of the variance explained based on the adjusted R² was 2.9%, 1.7%, and 5.1% for age, sex, and, cultures, respectively. Finally, multidimensional scaling suggested that geographically or culturally close cultures share mean profile similarities.

Evaluating Factorial Invariance: An Interval Estimation Approach Using Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling

In this study, we introduce an interval estimation approach based on Bayesian structural equation modeling to evaluate factorial invariance. For each tested parameter, the size of noninvariance with an uncertainty interval (i.e. highest density interval [HDI]) is assessed via Bayesian parameter estimation. By comparing the most credible values (i.e. 95% HDI) with a region of practical equivalence (ROPE), the Bayesian approach allows researchers to (1) support the null hypothesis of practical invariance, and (2) examine the practical importance of the noninvariant parameter. Compared to the traditional likelihood ratio test, simulation results suggested that the proposed Bayesian approach could offer additional insight into evaluating factorial invariance, thus, leading to more informative conclusions. We provide an empirical example to demonstrate the procedures necessary to implement the proposed method in applied research. The importance of and influences on the choice of an appropriate ROPE are discussed.

Researching Parental Socialization Styles across Three Cultural Contexts: Scale ESPA29 Bi-Dimensional Validity in Spain, Portugal, and Brazil

Recent research that relates parenting with adolescent adjustment has shown the importance of considering the cultural context of the relationship. New results are emerging when considering the classical four-typologies model of parental socialization in some European and South-American countries. Among the instruments used in this emergent research is the Parental Socialization Scale ESPA29. This scale is a bi-dimensional parenting instrument that was specifically developed to measure the four parenting typologies, through the dimensions of acceptance/involvement and strictness/imposition. This study examines the good fit of the orthogonal bi-factor model based on the ESPA29 versus one-dimensional and bi-dimensional oblique alternative models, with three adolescent samples from 12 to 17 years old (53.4% girls), from Spain (N = 826), Portugal (N = 752), and Brazil (N = 628). We applied structural equation models (SEMs) to analyze the fit of the models to the data. The results confirm a better fit to the data for the orthogonal bi-factor model versus one-dimensional and bi-dimensional oblique alternative models across country, adolescent sex, and the three age groups. Additionally, the convergent validity of the scale was proved by showing the relation of the two parenting dimensions with self-concept. The results guarantee the adequacy of the ESPA29 to measure parenting styles.

Multisource Assessment for Development Purposes: Revisiting the Methodology of Data Analysis

Multisource assessment (MSA) is based on the belief that assessments are valid inferences about an individual's behavior. When used for performance management purposes, convergence of views among raters is important, and therefore testing factor invariance across raters is critical. However, when MSA is used for development purposes, raters usually come from a greater number of contexts, a fact that requires a different data analysis approach. We revisit the MSA data analysis methodology when MSA is used for development, with the aim of improving its effectiveness. First, we argue that having raters from different contexts is an integral element of the assessment, with the trait-context dyad being the actual latent variable. This leads to the specification of an Aggregate (instead of the usual Latent) multidimensional factor model. Second, since data analysis usually aggregates scores for each rater group into a single mean that is then compared with the self-rating score, we propose that the test for factor invariance must also include scalar invariance, a pre-requisite for mean comparison. To illustrate this methodology we conducted a 360° survey on a sample of over 1100 MBA students enrolled in a leadership development course. Finally, by means of the study we show how the survey can be customized to each rater group to make the MSA process more effective.

Validation of the Five-Factor Self-Concept Questionnaire AF5 in Brazil: Testing Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance Across Language (Brazilian and Spanish), Gender, and Age

Self-concept is widely conceptualized as multidimensional (Shavelson et al., 1976). The Five-Factor Self-Concept Questionnaire (AF5, García and Musitu, 2009) assesses five specific dimensions (i.e., academic, social, emotional, family, and physical). It is a psychometrically sound questionnaire, developed, and normed in Spain, which is widely used with Spanish-speaking samples. The validation of the AF5 in Brazil would expand its potential, and would facilitate cross-cultural research. To validate the Brazilian version of the AF5, the present study apply confirmatory factor analysis and multi-sample invariance analysis across sex (women vs. men), age (11–18 years old), and language (Brazilian [Portuguese] vs. Spanish). The sample consisted of 4,534 students (54.6%, women, 53.7%, Spanish) ranging in age from 11 to 18 years old (M = 14.61, SD = 2.09). The findings of the present study confirmed that the five-dimensional AF5 factorial structure provided the better fit to the data compared to alternative one-dimensional and orthogonal five-dimensional structures. The 30 items loaded appropriately on the five dimensions. Multi-group analysis for invariance between sex, age, and language groups showed equal loading in the five factors, equal covariation between the five dimensions, and equal error variances of items. Additionally, in order to obtain an external validity index, the five AF5 factors were related to both acceptance/involvement and strictness/imposition parenting dimensions. These results provide an adequate basis for meaningful comparative studies on a highly relevant construct, multidimensional self-concept, between male and female adolescents of different ages, and Brazilian (Portuguese) and Spanish-speaking samples. These results validate the instrument and confirm its suitability in cross-cultural research.

Is the widely used two-factor structure of the Ruminative Responses Scale invariant across different samples of women?

OBJECTIVES

Although the Ruminative Responses Scale is one of the most widely used measures of rumination, its two-factor structure remains controversial. Taking this into account, we aimed to test the RRS-10 two-factor invariance (Brazilian version) between different samples of women and to study its internal consistency and convergent validity.

METHODS

A sample of 321 women (general population, n = 106; college students, n = 115; and medical population of patients with overweight and obesity, n = 100) participated in the study. The two-factor structure of RRS-10 was assessed by CFA and multigroup analysis using Mplus software. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's alpha and the convergent validity by Pearson correlations.

RESULTS

The two-factor structure of RRS-10 showed a good fit, factorial invariance across three samples, good internal consistency, and adequate convergent validity. Brooding and Reflection subscales were both positively correlated with psychological inflexibility, cognitive fusion, anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms, although Brooding presented significantly stronger associations with these variables than Reflection.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides further discussion and evidence regarding the RRS-10 two-factor structure, as well as a valid version of RRS-10 to use in Brazil in order to reliably assess rumination in medical and research settings.

PRACTITIONER POINTS

This is the first study to test and confirm the RRS two-factor structure invariance across groups. RRS-10 two-dimensionality was confirmed in medical and non-medical samples of women. Brooding subscale showed significantly stronger relationships with psychopathology and experiential avoidance than Reflection. The study provides evidence that RRS can be used as a valid and sound measure to accurately assess the clinically relevant dimensions of rumination simultaneously across distinct groups.

Validation and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2

The main purpose of the present study was to examine the validation and reliability of the Korean version of the Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS-2Kr) by evaluating its factorial invariance across gender. A total of 303 Korean collegiate athletes (198 males and 105 females) from 9 sports participated in the study, and they completed the demographic questionnaire and the SAS-2Kr containing 15 items to measure multidimensional trait anxiety and individual differences in the cognitive and somatic anxiety experienced by athletes. The results of this study indicated that the construct validity in the SAS-2Kr was well established in that the values of the standardized factor loadings, composite reliability, and average variance extracted values were above the recommended cutoff points. The multiple-sample confirmatory factor analyses showed the SAS-2Kr could be generalizable across gender in college samples. The results also indicated that the SAS-2Kr supported the original 3-factor model of SAS-2 in English consisting of somatic anxiety, worry, and concentration disruption, and thus this study provides useful information for researchers to understand the athletes’ tendency to experience anxiety reactions in sport situations. Suggestions for future research on competitive trait anxiety are provided in the discussion section.

Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Short Form: Factorial Invariance and Optimistic and Pessimistic Affective Profiles in Spanish Children

The distinction in recent years between positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) is becoming increasingly important due to their relationship with depression and anxiety. This work is composed of two studies. The first study aimed to validate the brief version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children-Short Form (PANAS-C-SF) in a Spanish child sample. The second study sought to check the existence of four affective profiles: self-fulfilling (high PA and low NA), low affective (low PA and NA), high affective (high PA and NA), and self-destructive (low PA and high NA) and to relate them to optimism and pessimism. Samples for both studies were composed of 647 and 1,296 Spanish students (between 8 and 11 years), respectively. Through various multigroup confirmatory factor analyses (MCA), the invariance of the PANAS-SF and the lack of significant gender differences in the latent means were verified. In addition, cluster analysis confirmed the existence of the appropriate profiles. In this case, the self-fulfilling profile correlated with high scores in optimism and low scores pessimism, whereas the self-destructive profile correlated in the opposite direction. These contributions represent an advance in the study of child affect.

Spanish Version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale: Validation and Factorial Invariance Analysis in Chile

The aim of this study is to: (1) examine the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Satisfaction with Life scale (SWLS) on a representative sample of the Chilean population (N = 1,500); (2) test the factorial invariance of the SWLS across gender and employment status (henceforth status); and (3) provide normative data of the SWLS for Chile. Results suggest that the Spanish version of the SWLS is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring global life satisfaction in Chile and for comparison across gender and status. Confirmatory factor analysis shows support, across all groups, for a modified single-factor structure of the SWLS that allows error terms of items 1 and 2 to correlate (GFI > .98; RMSEA .99; RMSEA < .06). Metric invariance holds for gender (ΔCFI = 0; RMSEA = .051) and status (Δχ2 = 23.93, nonsignificant; ∆CFI = 0; RMSEA = .045). Scalar invariance holds for gender and some status combinations; partial scalar invariance holds for the rest. Mean levels of life satisfaction can be compared across gender and status, albeit cautiously for status combinations for which scalar invariance does not hold.

Validation of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being-Expanded (FACIT-Sp-Ex) Across English and Spanish-Speaking Hispanics/Latinos: Results From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study

The validity of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp) has been examined in primarily non-Hispanics/Latinos with chronic illness. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the non-illness, expanded FACIT-Sp (FACIT-Sp-Ex) in 5,163 U.S. Hispanic/Latino adults. Measures were interviewer-administered in English or Spanish. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated four factors: Meaning, Peace, Faith, and Relational. The scale demonstrated measurement invariance across English and Spanish. Subscales displayed adequate internal and test-retest reliability. Scores were positively associated with Duke Religion Index (DUREL) subscales. When all subscales were entered in a single model, Meaning and Peace were inversely associated with depressive symptoms and positively associated with HRQOL. Faith was positively associated with depressive symptoms and inversely associated with HRQOL. Relational was not associated with any outcome. FACIT-Sp-Ex subscales were generally more strongly associated than DUREL subscales with well-being. The FACIT-Sp-Ex appears to be a valid measure of spiritual well-being in U.S. Hispanics/Latinos.

The Development and Preliminary Validation of a Brief Questionnaire of Psychopathic Personality Traits

The measurement of psychopathic personality traits via self-report has become an important tool in legal psychology. One prominent instrument is the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI; Lilienfeld and Andrews, 1996), a well-validated questionnaire that is widely applied in many countries. In Germany, it is the only questionnaire assessing psychopathic traits that is available from a publisher with a manual edited for easy administration. Nevertheless, the PPI shows certain shortcomings: the high number of 154 items makes it less economic, it was developed on a non-representative undergraduate sample, and studies revealed an inconsistent factor structure. To overcome these points, a new questionnaire, the Questionnaire of Psychopathic Personality Traits [German: Fragebogen Psychopathischer Persönlichkeitseigenschaften (FPP)] was developed. The sample consists of n = 132 civilians (56% female) and n = 173 inmates of German correctional facilities (30% female). The FPP comprises 30 items, whose wording was short and adequate for inmates. It shows satisfying psychometric properties regarding factorial structure, item properties, and reliability. Partial invariance regarding both subsamples allows for interpretation of latent means. Results supported validity such as associations with self-reported crime, and inmates' misconduct. The factorial structure was cross-validated on a second sample of N = 517 participants (71% female) from an online study. The FPP is useful in large-scale research studies as well as for clinical settings, e.g., for treatment planning in correctional facilities.

Raters Interpret Positively and Negatively Worded Items Similarly in a Quality of Life Instrument for Children

Measurement invariance is an important assumption to meaningfully compare children's quality of life (QoL) between different raters (eg, children and parents) and across genders. Moreover, QoL instruments may combine using negatively and positively worded items-a common method to reduce response bias. However, the wording effects may have different levels of impact on different raters and genders. Our aim was to investigate the measurement invariance of Kid-KINDL, a commonly used QoL instrument, across genders and raters and to consider the wording effects simultaneously. Third to sixth graders (208 boys and 235 girls) completed the self-rated Kid-KINDL, and 1 parent each of 241 children completed the parent-rated Kid-KINDL. The wording effects were accounted for by correlated traits-uncorrelated methods model. The measurement invariance was examined using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. Item loadings and item intercepts were invariant across gender and rater when we simultaneously accounted for the wording effects of Kid-KINDL. Our results suggest that Kid-KINDL could be used to compare QoL across gender and that parent-rated Kid-KINDL could be used to measure children's QoL. Specifically, the invariant factor loadings across child-rated and parent-rated Kid-KINDL suggest that the score weights in each item were the same for both children and parents (ie, the important items identified by the children are the same items identified by the parents). The invariant item intercepts suggest that both children and parents share the same threshold for each item. Based on the results, we tentatively recommend that each score of a parent-rated Kid-KINDL can stand for each child's QoL.

Factor Structure and Invariance of an Adolescent Risks and Needs Assessment

The Washington Assessment of Risks and Needs of Students is a youth self-report screening instrument developed for use by high school and juvenile court personnel faced with the legal and practical challenges of high truancy and dropout rates. It purports to measure six facets of risks and needs of youth relevant to improving school outcomes. In this study, a bifactor model measuring a general factor and six specific factors was examined for fit and invariance across different groups defined by sex and race/ethnicity, with a sample of court-petitioned high school students (N = 937; ages 13-17 years). The results of multigroup confirmatory factor analysis revealed an essentially invariant bifactor structure across the groups. Further analysis of reliability support the use of the general factor to guide decision making for youth at risk for truancy and school failure, and scores deriving from the six specific factors as providing insight on specific areas of risk and need.

Factor structure of the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS) across English and Spanish language responders in the HCHS/SOL Sociocultural Ancillary Study

Despite widespread use, psychometric investigation of the original English and translated Spanish versions of the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983) has been limited among the U.S. Hispanic/Latino population. The present study examined the factor structure, factorial invariance, and reliability and validity of PSS scores from English and Spanish versions using data from 5,176 Hispanics/Latinos who participated in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study. The total sample and language multigroup confirmatory factor analyses supported a bifactor model with all 10 PSS items loading on a general perceived stress factor, and the 4 reverse-worded items also loading on a reverse-worded factor. Internal consistency ranged from .68 to .78, and it was indicated that reliable variance exists beyond the general perceived stress factor. The model displayed configural, metric, scalar, and residual invariance across language groups. Convergent validity analyses indicated that both the general perceived stress factor and the reverse-worded factor were related to scores of depression, anxiety, and anger in the expected directions. The reverse-worded factor added to the validity of the PSS beyond the general perceived stress factor. The total computed score of the PSS can be recommended for use with Hispanics/Latinos in the United States that complete the measure in English or Spanish and the reverse-worded factor can enhance prediction. (PsycINFO Database Record

School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised: Factorial Invariance and Latent Means Differences across Gender and Age in Spanish Children

The aim of this study was to analyze the factorial invariance and latent means differences of the Spanish version of the School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised for Children (SRAS-R-C) in a sample of 1,078 students (50.8% boys) aged 8-11 years (M = 9.63, SD = 1.12). The results revealed that the proposed model in this study, with a structure of 18 items divided into four factors (Negative Affective, Social Aversion and/or Evaluation, To Pursue Attention and Tangible Reinforcements), was the best-fit model with a tetra-factorial structure, remaining invariant across gender and age. Analysis of latent means differences indicated that boys and 11-year-old students scored highest on the Tangible Reinforcements subscale compared with their 8- and 9-year-old peers. On the contrary, for the subscales of Social Aversion and/or Evaluation and to Pursue Attention, the differences were significant and higher in younger age groups compared to 11-year-olds. Appropriate indexes of reliability were obtained for SRAS-R-C subscales (0.70, 0.79, 0.87, and 0.72). Finally, the founded correlation coefficients of scores of the SRAS-R-C revealed a predictable pattern between school refusal and positive/negative affect and optimism/pessimism.

The German Version of the Humor Styles Questionnaire: Psychometric Properties and Overlap With Other Styles of Humor

The Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ; Martin et al., 2003) is one of the most frequently used questionnaires in humor research and has been adapted to several languages. The HSQ measures four humor styles (affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive, and self-defeating), which should be adaptive or potentially maladaptive to psychosocial well-being. The present study analyzes the internal consistency, factorial validity, and factorial invariance of the HSQ on the basis of several German-speaking samples combined (total N = 1,101). Separate analyses were conducted for gender (male/female), age groups (16–24, 25–35, >36 years old), and countries (Germany/Switzerland). Internal consistencies were good for the overall sample and the demographic subgroups (.80–.89), with lower values obtained for the aggressive scale (.66–.73). Principal components and confirmatory factor analyses mostly supported the four-factor structure of the HSQ. Weak factorial invariance was found across gender and age groups, while strong factorial invariance was supported across countries. Two subsamples also provided self-ratings on ten styles of humorous conduct (n = 344) and of eight comic styles (n = 285). The four HSQ scales showed small to large correlations to the styles of humorous conduct (-.54 to .65) and small to medium correlations to the comic styles (-.27 to .42). The HSQ shared on average 27.5–35.0% of the variance with the styles of humorous conduct and 13.0–15.0% of the variance with the comic styles. Thus–despite similar labels–these styles of humorous conduct and comic styles differed from the HSQ humor styles.

Genetic and environmental architecture of changes in episodic memory from middle to late middle age

Episodic memory is a complex construct at both the phenotypic and genetic level. Ample evidence supports age-related cognitive stability and change being accounted for by general and domain-specific factors. We hypothesized that general and specific factors would underlie change even within this single cognitive domain. We examined 6 measures from 3 episodic memory tests in a narrow age cohort at middle and late middle age. The factor structure was invariant across occasions. At both timepoints 2 of 3 test-specific factors (story recall, design recall) had significant genetic influences independent of the general memory factor. Phenotypic stability was moderate to high, and primarily accounted for by genetic influences, except for 1 test-specific factor (list learning). Mean change over time was nonsignificant for 1 test-level factor; 1 declined; 1 improved. The results highlight the phenotypic and genetic complexity of memory and memory change, and shed light on an understudied period of life.