Additional Evidence For Construct Validity Research Articles

Problem-Solving Style and Multicultural Personality Dispositions: A Study of Construct Validity

This exploratory study examined the relationship between problem-solving styles and multicultural personality dispositions among 91 graduate students enrolled in an urban university located in the northeast United States. Problem-solving style was assessed with the three dimensions of the VIEW: an Assessment of Problem Solving Style. Multicultural personality was assessed with the five-factor Multicultural Personality Questionnaire (MPQ); its factors of Cultural Empathy, Open-mindedness, Social Initiative, and Flexibility correlated significantly with Explorer and External problem-solving styles, as predicted. The Emotional Stability subscale also correlated significantly with scores on Explorer style, suggesting that individuals who prefer "thinking in new directions" in problem solving are more likely to report remaining calm under stressful situations. Collectively, study results provided additional evidence of construct validity for the VIEW.

Convergent Validity of the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey in a College Sample

The Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey (EMAS) (Goldberg, Brintnell, & Goldberg, 2002) demonstrated sufficient psychometric properties in a sample of 122 adults. The EMAS was found to have adequate test—retest (r = .71) and internal consistency (α = .88) reliability; significant positive correlations between the EMAS and the subscales of the Basic Psychological Needs Scale and the Sources of Meaning Profile and negative zero-order correlations were found with short form versions of the Boredom Proneness Scale and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales. Step-wise multiple regression analysis results showed the Sources of Meaning Profile, Boredom Proneness Scale, and Competence subscale of the Basic Psychological Needs scale best predicted the EMAS. These results lend additional construct validity evidence in support of the EMAS as a brief measure of meaningful activity participation.

Adaptation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support for Arab Immigrant Women

We adapted the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) for use with Arab immigrant women (MSPSS-AW) and estimated the psychometric properties of the adapted version with a sample of 539 Arab immigrant women living in the United States. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the proposed three-factor solution. Internal consistency reliability coefficients for the three subscales ranged from good to very good. Additional evidence for construct validity of the MSPSS-AW subscales was demonstrated through relationships with theoretically related measures. We conclude that the MSPSS-AW is reliable and valid for use with Arab immigrant women.

Development and validation of a new instrument to evaluate the ease of use of patient-controlled analgesic modalities for postoperative patients

Objective: To describe the development and psychometric evaluation of a questionnaire assessing the ease of use that patients associate with patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) modalities.Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with patients who had experience with intravenous (IV) PCA for postoperative pain management to generate items relevant to the ease of using PCA modalities. The content validity of the resulting questionnaire was examined through follow-up patient interviews, and an expert panel reviewed the questionnaire. Cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted with patients to determine the clarity and content of the instructions, items, and response scales, and the ease of completing the instrument. Psychometric evaluation was performed with patients who had undergone surgery and received IV PCA for postoperative pain management. Item and scale quality and the internal consistency reliability of the questionnaire were assessed. Construct validity was evaluated by examining the relationship between subscales of the questionnaire with patient-reported outcome measures. Known-groups validity was determined by assessing the instrument's ability to differentiate between patients with versus without an IV PCA problem. A potential limitation of this study was the exclusive sampling of patients who had experience with IV PCA.Results: The Patient Ease-of-Care (EOC) Questionnaire included 23 items in the following subscales: Confidence with Device, Comfort with Device, Movement, Dosing Confidence, Pain Control, Knowledge/Understanding, and Satisfaction. Coefficient alpha reliability estimates were ≥0.66 for Overall EOC (includes all subscales except Satisfaction) and all EOC subscales. Construct validity was supported by the moderate relationship between the Pain Control subscale and measures of pain severity and pain interference; additional evidence of construct validity was provided by correlations of the Confidence with Device subscale, the Satisfaction subscale, and Overall EOC with measures of pain severity, pain interference, and satisfaction. Significant mean score differences were reported between participants with and without IV PCA problems for Overall EOC and for the Comfort with Device, Confidence with Device, Movement, Pain Control, and Satisfaction subscales indicating known-groups validity.Conclusions: Results provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the Patient EOC Questionnaire as a measure of the ease of use that patients associate with PCA systems and may be useful for evaluating emerging PCA modalities.

Construct Validity of the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals

Measuring the competency of the public health workforce is critical to improving the functioning of the public health system. This study investigated the construct validity and reliability of the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals, as promulgated by the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health (COL). Principal component analysis, correlation and reliability analysis and known-groups comparisons were utilized. Results suggest omitting six items and moving six items to arrive at a 65 item, eight factor solution that corresponds with the eight COL domains. Additional evidence of construct validity was provided by known-groups comparisons that effectively discriminated between respondents known to differ on job type, education and practice experience. This study provides substantial support for the validity of the Core Competencies as a tool for assessing the competency of professionals in the public health workforce while suggesting some revisions to improve the measurement properties of the competency set.

Validation of the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS) in a Community Sample with Elevated Depressive Symptoms

The Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS) was previously developed to measure changes in avoidance and activation over the course of Behavioral Activation for depression. Initial scale development, definition of the factor structure and confirmation of the factor structure was performed with a non-depressed undergraduate sample. These prior results revealed four factors (Activation, Avoidance/Rumination, Work/School Impairment, and Social Impairment) with good factor structure, internal consistency, and test–retest reliability. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the psychometric properties, factor structure and construct validity of the BADS with a community sample with elevated depressive symptoms (N = 193). Results indicated good psychometric properties, additional evidence for construct validity of the total scale and subscales, and adequate fit of the data to the original factor structure. Normative data are also provided separately for depressed men and women, and for Caucasians and African Americans.

The relationship of punishment- and victim-based moral orientation to prosocial, externalizing, and norm trespassing behaviour in delinquent and non-delinquent adolescents: a validation study of the Moral Orientation Measure

This study examined the reliability and validity of the Moral Orientation Measure (MOM), which was administered to 75 juvenile delinquents and 579 non-delinquent adolescents from lower socio-economic and educational backgrounds. Confirmatory factor analysis of a two-factor model, with punishment- and victim-based moral orientation as factors, showed an adequate fit to the data, indicating construct validity of the MOM. Moderate associations between moral orientation and sociomoral reasoning, as well as empathy, were also considered indicative of construct validity. Additional evidence for construct validity was found in only small associations between moral orientation and social desirability and verbal intelligence. Stronger victim-based orientation proved to be associated with less norm trespassing behaviour in non-delinquent adolescents and more prosocial behaviour in juvenile delinquents, which was considered indicative of concurrent validity. The results of this study strengthen the case for the MOM as a reliable and valid instrument to assess moral development in adolescents at risk of behavioural maladjustment, showing that moral orientation is differently associated with morally relevant behaviour in delinquent and non-delinquent adolescents.

Parent?Adolescent Agreement on Disruptive Behavior Symptoms: A Multitrait-Multimethod Model

This study examined parent–adolescent agreement on reports of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and conduct disorder in 203 adolescents (94 girls, 109 boys) ranging in age from 13 to 18 years (M = 15.21, SD = 1.37). Results of confirmatory factor analyses provided additional evidence of construct validity for these traits in adolescents. Internal consistency was examined for parent reports and adolescent self-reports. In addition, correlational analyses were used in a multitrait-multimethod format (MTMM; D. T. Campbell & D. W. Fiske, 1959) to examine convergent and discriminant validity. Results showed that parents provided more consistent and valid reports of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity, whereas adolescents provided more consistent and valid reports of conduct disorder. In addition, interviews produced higher levels of convergence than rating scales. These findings are discussed in terms of implications for assessment of disruptive behavior disorders.

Assessing the construct validity and utility of two new influence tactics

AbstractProgress in developing theories of interpersonal influence depends on the identification of meaningful and measurable constructs for classifying influence behavior. We assessed the construct validity and relative effectiveness of two new influence tactics with a field survey study, an incident study, and a laboratory experiment. The confirmatory factor analysis of data from the survey study indicated that collaboration and apprising were distinct from nine proactive tactics identified in earlier research. Additional evidence for construct validity was provided by a comparison of tactics in terms of expected differences in influence outcomes, frequency of use, and differential use with subordinates and peers. Managers who understand the differences among the tactics will be more effective in influencing people in organizations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessing Teachers' Beliefs about Their Science Teaching Context

The primary purpose of this study was to develop and apply a method for assessing teachers' context beliefs about their science teaching environment. Interviews with 130 purposefully selected teachers resulted in 28 categories of environmental factors and/or people who were perceived to influence science teaching. These categories were used to develop items for the Context Beliefs about Teaching Science instrument and provided evidence for content validity. Construct validity was partially confirmed through factor analysis that resulted in 26 items and two subscales on the final instrument. Using Ford's Motivation Systems Theory and Bandura's Theory of Collective Efficacy, additional evidence for construct validity was found in the modest correlation of context beliefs with outcome expectancy beliefs and the low correlation with science teaching self-efficacy beliefs. The instrument was tested using 262 teachers participating in long-term science professional development programs. These teachers possessed fairly positive context beliefs and, according to Ford's theory, should be capable of effective functioning in the classroom. It was concluded that the assessment of context beliefs would complement current science teacher self-efficacy measures, thereby allowing researchers to develop profiles of science teachers' personal agency belief patterns. It could also be used to determine the factors which predict particular personal agency belief patterns, and assess teachers' perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of school science programs, and could be used in planning and monitoring professional development experiences for science teachers. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 37: 275–292, 2000.

A construct‐oriented analysis of individual‐level polychronicity

This paper provided construct validity evidence for polychronicity in two related studies. Study 1 assessed the relationship between individuals’ stated polychronicity preferences and peer ratings of polychronicity in a multitrait‐multimethod design, which indicated that different raters were able to agree about an individual’s polychronicity. Additional construct validity evidence was provided by linking polychronicity to several potentially related constructs such as achievement striving, impatience/irritability, stress, and performance. In study 2, hypothesized relationships between polychronicity and both time urgency and time management behavior dimensions were supported. In addition, similar relationships between polychronicity and time urgency dimensions were identified across French and US samples. Together, these two studies provide a clearer understanding of the correlates and potential outcomes of polychronicity. Directions for future research are also discussed.

Computerized adaptive math tests for elementary talent development selection

A computerized adaptive test was developed for placing fifth grade elementary school children in a middle school mathematics talent development program. Three study cohorts were used for test construction, validation, and piloting. The 240 items that comprised the item bank were based on 60 objectives teachers identified as critical for successful completion of a sixth grade math talent development program. The items were partitioned into eight forms (average a = .76) with 10 anchor items and equated using Item Response Theory (IRT). A factor analysis of the 10 anchor items suggested that the item bank was essentially unidimensional (first factor explained 41% of the total test variance). A comparison between sixth grade children enrolled in a math talent development program and those enrolled in regular math classes provided additional evidence of construct validity. The scores generated by the computerized adaptive test correlated with the end‐of‐semester percent scores given by the teachers as well or ...

Additional Construct Validity Evidence for the Task/Contextual Performance Distinction

Borman and Motowidlo (1993) hypothesized two job performance domains labeled task performance and contextual performance. Previous research has provided construct validity evidence in the form of differential predictor-criterion relations for the two performance domains. This study provided additional construct validity evi- dence. I examined internal consistency and empirical independence of the two domains by analyzing multitrait-multirater (MTMR) matrices. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) of 15 MTMR matrices showed higher correlations for performance dimensions within a domain (mean correlations were .70 and .70 for task and contextual performance, respectively) than between domains (M = 3). Evidence showed that the distinction between task and contextual performance was more clear for nonmanagerial than for managerial jobs. One aspect of contextual performance, cooperating with others, showed greater independence from task performance than did persisting with extraeffort or following organizational...

Additional Construct Validity Evidence for the Harder Personal Feelings Questionnaire Measure of Shame and Guilt Proneness

The present study was done to provide additional evidence for the construct validity of the Harder Personal Feelings Questionnaire, a measure of shame and guilt proneness. Two samples of university students ( n = 96 and n = 109) completed the questionnaire and scales assessing self-derogation, instability of self-concept, inadequacy of self-concept, social desirability, and locus of control. The correlations among these scores were generally consistent with predictions, although the evidence was only mildly supportive of the discriminant validity of the shame and guilt scales.

An Updated Paradigm for Scale Development Incorporating Unidimensionality and Its Assessment

The authors outline an updated paradigm for scale development that incorporates confirmatory factor analysis for the assessment of unidimensionality. Under this paradigm, item-total correlations and exploratory factor analysis are used to provide preliminary scales. The unidimensionality of each scale then is assessed simultaneously with confirmatory factor analysis. After unidimensional measurement has been acceptably achieved, the reliability of each scale is assessed. Additional evidence for construct validity beyond the establishment of unidimensionality then can be provided by embedding the unidimensional sets of indicators within a nomological network defined by the complete structural model.

Comparison of Self-Report and Performance Measures of Attention: A Second Look

The present study examined the failure of earlier researchers to find relationships between the Test of Attentional and Interpersonal Style and behavioral measures of attentional processes. Data are presented which illustrate the attenuation in correlations as a result of improper selection of subjects. When this problem is addressed, the predicted relationships between subjective and behavioral measures of attention are obtained. Results provide additional evidence of construct validity for the Test of Attentional and Interpersonal Style.