Bidimensional Structure Research Articles

A Helpful Measure to Measure Help: The Construction and Validation of the Intergroup Giving and Intergroup Acting in Favor of Refugees Scale (IGIAF)

Since 2015, Europe has experienced two important influxes of vulnerable migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Despite heterogenous reactions within and across countries, acts of humanitarianism and solidarity have occurred in a diverse range of behaviors. Given the particularities of Intergroup Helping in favor of refugees, a more nuanced understanding of intentions to engage in helping behaviors would enrich theoretical and applied research. We developed and validated a scale of Intergroup Helping in favor of refugees, that covers the two dimensions of help, i.e., Intergroup Giving (alleviating the suffering of others) and Intergroup Acting (addressing injustices and inequalities). Following scale construction practices, we proceeded in three phases. First, we identified and defined our domains of interest, and proceeded to collect representative helping behaviors, using secondary data of semi-structured interviews on volunteers. These behaviors were pre-tested. Then, across two studies, we examined the scale’s reliability, dimensionality, and validity qualities. Study 1 was distributed among a student sample at two time-points. Results yielded robust internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and predictive validity, and displayed preliminary evidence of the bidimensional structure. Study 2 was distributed among a non-student sample and supported the bidimensional structure of the scale. This research demonstrates that Intergroup Helping intentions in favor of refugees can be classified into Intergroup Giving and Intergroup Acting behaviors and offers a predictive tool to investigate these behaviors in an intergroup context.

Angle-Resolved Fluorescence of a Dye Coupled to a Plasmonic Nanohole Array

Gold nanohole arrays are periodic metasurfaces that are gathering huge interest in biosensing applications. The bi-dimensional grating-like structure defines their plasmonic response, together with the corresponding mode of angular dispersion. These properties can be used to investigate the interaction processes with the fluorescence features of a properly chosen emitting molecule. By employing a custom gold nanohole array alongside a commercial organic dye, we conducted an accurate angle-resolved optical characterization resorting to fluorescence, reflectance, and transmittance spectra. The coupling between the plasmonic modes and the fluorescence features was then identified as a modification of the dye fluorescence signal in terms of both spectral redistribution and enhancement. By carefully analyzing the results, different measurement efficiencies can be identified, depending on the set-up configuration, to be properly engineered for sensitivity maximization in plasmon-enhanced fluorescence-based applications.

Clays and Wound Healing.

Aluminosilicates, such as montmorillonite, kaolinite, halloysite, and diatomite, have a uniform bidimensional structure, a high surface-to-volume ratio, inherent stiffness, a dual charge distribution, chemical inertness, biocompatibility, abundant active groups on the surface, such as silanol (Si-OH) and/or aluminol (Al-OH) groups. These compounds are on the list of U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved active compounds and excipients and are used for various medicinal products, such as wound healing agents, antidiarrheals, and cosmetics. This review summarizes the wound healing mechanisms related to the material characteristics and the chemical components. Numerous wound dressings with different active components and multiple forms have been studied. Then, medicinal mineral resources for use in hemostatic materials can be developed.

Functional and neurocognitive impairment in deficit schizophrenia patients in Peru and reliability of the bidimensional structure of negative symptomatology

Functional and neurocognitive impairment in deficit schizophrenia patients in Peru and reliability of the bidimensional structure of negative symptomatology

Évaluation de la structure factorielle et des qualités psychométriques de l'Échelle de Fatigue Pandémique parmi la population adulte québécoise: Evaluation of the factorial structure and psychometric qualities of the Pandemic Fatigue Scale among Quebec adult population.

The objective of the study is to evaluate the factorial structure and the psychometric qualities of the Pandemic Fatigue Scale among the Quebec adult population. The data analyzed come from a web survey conducted in October 2021 among 10 368 adults residing in Quebec. The scale's factor structure and invariance by gender, age and language used to complete the questionnaire were tested using confirmatory factor analyses. Convergent and divergent validity were also assessed. Finally, the reliability of the scale was estimated from the alpha and omega coefficients. The analyzes suggest the presence of a bidimensional structure in the sample of Quebec adults with informational fatigue and behavioral fatigue. The invariance of the measure is noted for sex, for age subgroups and for the language used for the questionnaire. The results of convergent and divergent validity provide additional evidence for the validity of the scale. Finally, the reliability of the scale scores is excellent. The results support the presence of a bidimensional structure as in the initial work of Lilleholt et al. They also confirm that the scale has good psychometric qualities and that it can be used among the adult population of Quebec.

Validation of an Arabic version of the eating disorder inventory’s body dissatisfaction subscale among adolescents, adults, and pregnant women

IntroductionThe 9-item Body Dissatisfaction Subscale (BDS) of the Eating Disorder Inventory is one of the most used tools for assessing thinness-oriented body dissatisfaction in research and clinical practice. However, no validated Arabic version of this scale exists to date. In this study, we sought to validate this instrument in three samples of native Arabic-speaking adolescents, adults, and pregnant women from Lebanon.MethodsA total of 826 adults, 555 adolescents, and 433 pregnant women were included. To examine the factor structure of the BDS, we performed an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), using a principal component analysis via the FACTOR software on the first split-half subsample among Lebanese adults. We used data from the second split-half in the adult sample to conduct a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) through the SPSS AMOS v.29 software. That verified model was tested via CFA on adolescents and pregnant women.ResultsThe EFA showed a bidimensional structure for the BDS, with all 9 items retained and divided into Factor 1 = Body Satisfaction (negatively-worded items) and Factor 2 = Body Dissatisfaction (positively-worded items). The CFA demonstrated invariable goodness-of-fit of the instrument in the three studied populations. McDonald’s omega values were also adequate in the three samples, demonstrating its reliability. Moreover, the BDS showed invariance across sex among both adolescents and adults. Finally, higher BDS scores were correlated with more disordered eating, less body appreciation and less functionality appreciation, thus attesting to convergent validity of the scale. In addition, BDS scores correlated positively with depression and anxiety scores, indicating adequate patterns of divergent validity.ConclusionIn light of our findings, we endorse the use of the BDS by healthcare professionals in Arabic-speaking countries, in order to assess thinness-oriented body dissatisfaction in an appropriate and timely manner and ease early referral to a specialist, thereby preventing the deleterious health-related risks associated with this condition.

The Oxford Utilitarianism Scale: Psychometric properties of a French adaptation (OUS-Fr).

It is well established that one's sense of morality may be readily influenced by one's culture, education, and life situation. Very few psychometric tools are currently available to measure facets of human morality in different cultures. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to develop a French adaptation of the Oxford Utilitarianism Scale (OUS-Fr) and formally evaluate its validity. The OUS-Fr was developed through a process of back-translation and administered to a sample of 552 participants. Results from exploratory factor analyses revealed a bidimensional structure with satisfactory loadings that was then also supported in the confirmatory factor analysis check. The OUS-Fr scale demonstrated good psychometric properties, with acceptable internal consistency and coherent results in the convergent validity analyses. These findings contribute to morality measurement literature by providing evidence for the reliability and validity of the French adaptation of the OUS. The OUS-Fr can be viewed as a valuable tool for researchers and practitioners for assessing utilitarian tendencies within the French-speaking population, which could pave the way for cross-cultural understandings that are important for fully understanding the intricacies of human morality.

Validation of the Spanish version of the Perceived Control Scale: Perceived Constraints on Personal Control and Perceived Mastery

Objectives Perceived control is a relevant variable for understanding middle and older adults’ mental health. The Perceived Control Scale has two dimensions, Perceived Constraints on Personal Control and Perceived Mastery, and is a widely used instrument for assessing perceived control in adults. The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Perceived Control Scale with data from two different studies. Method In Study 1, 348 older adults between 60 and 92 years old were assessed through face-to-face assessments. In Study 2, 334 adults between 40 and 90 years completed an online survey. Perceived control, self-perceptions of aging, and anxiety and depressive symptomatology were assessed. An exploratory (Study 1) and confirmatory (Study 2) factor analysis of the Perceived Control Scale were performed, and reliability and its relationship with the other assessed variables were evaluated. Results Results from parallel, exploratory, and confirmatory factor analyses suggested that the Spanish version of the Perceived Control Scale has a bidimensional structure: Perceived Constraints on Personal Control and Perceived Mastery. Good internal consistency was found for the scale in both samples. The results revealed negative and significant associations with negative self-perceptions of aging, and anxiety and depressive symptomatology. Conclusion The Spanish version of the Perceived Control Scale shows good psychometric properties which endorse its use with middle-aged and older adults assessed either face-to-face or through online surveys.

Validation of the Portuguese Version of Hoge Intrinsic Motivation Religiosity Scale and Rohrbaugh and Jessor Religiosity Scale

This study aims to validate, for the Portuguese population, the bidimensional structure of the Hoge Intrinsic Motivation Religiosity Scale (HIMRS) and the four-dimensional structure of the Rohrbaugh and Jessor Religiosity Scale (RJRS); it also aims to establish an association between the two religious scales and religious identity. To this end, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with polychoric matrix (for ordinal data) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) were carried out. Besides reliability, convergent and discriminant validity were assessed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, composite reliability (CR), average variance extracted (AVE), and AVE squared roots. The Portuguese versions of the HIMRS and RJRS presented good model fit. These instruments correlated with each other and with religious identity. Differences in religious motivation and in religious identity concerning sociodemographic variables were found: women, divorced, and older participants define themselves as being more spiritual or religious persons than men, single or married, and younger participants. Also, years of education were positively associated with religious intrinsic motivation and negatively associated with religious extrinsic motivation. This study provides two more instruments with adequate properties to assess intrinsic religious motivations, past-year frequency of religious service attendance, and personal religiosity for the Portuguese population.

Assessing of the Italian version of the Memory Strategy Test (TMS) in people with Parkinson disease: a preliminary descriptive psychometric study

BackgroundPrevious literature has shown that executive functions (EF) are related to performance in memory (M) tasks. The Test of Memory strategies (TMS) is a psychometric test that examines EF and M simultaneously and it was recently validated on an Italian healthy cohort. The first aim of the study was to apply TMS, for the first time, on a sample of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), who are characterized by mild cognitive impairment. The second aim is to investigate whether TMS scores can discriminate PD patients from healthy controls.MethodNinety-eight subjects were enrolled, including 68 patients with PD, and 30 Italian healthy controls (HC), who also underwent a memory evaluation through well-known tests.ResultsConfirmatory factor analysis (CFA) demonstrated that TMS of PD patients had a bi-dimensional structure as previously found in healthy cohort. In detail, The TMS-1 and TMS-2 lists require greater involvement of the EF factor, while TMS-3, TMS-4 and TMS-5 the M factor. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and precision-recall (PR) curves showed that the M subscale can distinguish between HC and PD, while EF had poor discrimination power.ConclusionThe hypothesized prediction model of TMS test seems to have adequate ability to discriminate PD from HC especially for the M function.

Validation of the Spanish version of DYsphagia in MUltiple Sclerosis questionnaire (DYMUS).

Dysphagia is a common symptom in multiple sclerosis that can occur even early in the disease course and can lead to serious complications. Early recognition and treatment can promote comfort, safety and optimal nutritional status. Few dysphagia rating scales are available in Spanish. The aim of this study was to translate the Dysphagia in Multiple Sclerosis Questionnaire (DYMUS) into Spanish and to validate it. Forward and backward translation method was used to translate the original English version of DYMUS into Spanish. A pilot-study with 10 PwMS was carried on in order to improve the intelligibility of the instrument, comprehensibility and content validity of the questionnaire. The questionnaire was filled out by 100 PwMS who were asked a dichotomous question on their swallowing ("Do you have swallowing troubles?"). Descriptive data are presented as median and quartiles for continuous variables and frequency and percentage for categorical ones. Internal consistency reliability was estimated by Cronbach's alfa. Test-retest reliability was estimated by intraclass correlation coefficient. Concurrent validity with a speech and language therapy assessment (SLT-A) was measured with the weighted kappa statistic for the concordance for both dysphagia type and degree categories. Confirmatory factor analysis by means of structural equation models was used to verify the two-factor (solids and liquids) structure of the DYMUS questionnaire. As the goodness of fit evaluation was poor, an additional exploratory factor analysis was carried out. Internal consistency was high. The globus sensation question and the weight loss questions (item 3 and 10) are the least specific with dysphagia symptomatology so they are worst correlated with the sum of the others (item-rest correlation, 0.243 and 0.248, respectively). The test-retest reliability of the DYMUS among 40 patients using ICC was 0.75 (95% CI 0.57 - 0.86). Concurrent validity with SLT-A was poor (weighted kappa 0.37 for dysphagia type and 0.38 for dysphagia degree). The DYMUS questionnaire detected three times more dysphagia (53% versus 17%) than the dichotomous question. Confirmatory factors analysis failed to confirm the bidimensional structure (solid and liquid items) often reported in other validation studies. The subsequent exploratory factor analysis also identified two factors, but with poor interpretability. DYMUS-SP scale is not a sufficiently useful scale to detect dysphagia in PwMS due to the poor concurrent validity and the probable overdiagnosis of the condition; however, it can be helpful as a screening tool when combined with other measures.

Measuring empathy online and moral disengagement in cyberbullying.

This investigation intends to explore how adolescents report empathy in online contexts and moral disengagement in cyberbullying incidents, and how these two constructs are related. To accomplish this goal, three studies were conducted considering the need to develop new instruments to uncover this new approach of measuring empathy and moral disengagement. In the first study, we adapted the Portuguese version of the Empathy Quotient-short form to online contexts, which resulted in the Empathy Quotient in Virtual Contexts (EQVC). We also developed the Process Moral Disengagement in Cyberbullying Inventory (PMDCI), in order to assess moral disengagement in these specific situations. In the second study we conducted exploratory factor analyses (N = 234) of these instruments. Finally, in the third study, we conducted confirmatory factor analyses (N = 345) of both instruments. These results showed how adolescents reported empathy in online contexts and moral disengagement in cyberbullying incidents. Specifically, empathy revealed a bi-dimensional structure including difficulty and self-efficacy in empathizing (Cronbach's α = 0.44, 0.83, respectively), whereas process moral disengagement revealed four unidimensional questionnaires including locus of behavior, agency, outcome, and recipient (Cronbach's α = 0.76, 0.65, 0.77, 0.69, respectively). Furthermore, a correlational analysis was also performed of both constructs, and we also considered the variable sex. Results showed that difficulty in empathizing was negatively associated with sex (with girls revealing more difficulty than boys) and all moral disengagement mechanisms except for behavior. Moral disengagement was positively correlated with sex, suggesting boys morally disengaged more from cyberbullying. The instruments provided new insights on how empathy and moral disengagement can be specific to online contexts and cyberbullying situations, and how they can be used in educational programs to promote empathy and gain insight on moral disengagement within this phenomenon.

Psychometric Characteristics of the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory in Older Adults Living in a Middle-Income Country

Chronic illness requires numerous treatments and self-care is essential in the care process. Evaluation of self-care behaviors facilitates the identification of patients' needs and optimizes education and care processes. This study aimed to test the psychometric characteristics (validity, reliability, and measurement error) of the Albanian version of the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory (SC-CII). Patients with multiple chronic conditions and caregivers were recruited in outpatient clinics in Albania. The patients completed the SC-CII, which includes three scales: self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring, and self-care management. Factorial validity was tested for each scale, with confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was evaluated with the composite coefficient, Cronbach's alpha, and the global reliability index for multidimensional scales. The construct validity was tested using hypothesis testing and known differences between groups. The measurement error was tested to assess responsiveness to changes. The self-care maintenance and self-care monitoring scales showed a unidimensional factorial structure, while the self-care management scale showed a bidimensional structure. Reliability estimates were adequate for all reliability coefficients. Construct validity was supported. The measurement error was adequate. The Albanian version of the SC-CII shows good psychometric properties in the Albanian sample.

Validity, Reliability and Responsiveness of the Malay Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (M-SPADI) for Patients with Shoulder Pain.

The purpose of this study is to determine the validity, reliability, and responsiveness of the Malay Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (M-SPADI) in Malay speakers suffering from shoulder pain. The M-SPADI, the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and measurements of shoulder active range of motion (AROM) were completed by 140 patients with shoulder pain (68 with rotator cuff pathology and 72 with other shoulder pathology). Thirty-four patients were retested for test-retest reliability with M-SPADI after an average of 9.2 days. M-SPADI was performed on twenty-one individuals three months after completing treatment for rotator cuff disorders to assess response. The results of exploratory factor analysis revealed a bidimensional structure for M-SPADI. M-SPADI disability score was significantly greater in patients with rotator cuff pathologies (median = 31.87, IQR 82.50) than in patients with other shoulder pathologies (median = 20.00, IQR 23.84). In multi-group factor analysis, measurement invariance revealed no significant difference between the two groups (p>0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between M-SPADI and NRS (Pain = 0.86, Disability = 0.75, Total = 0.82, p=0.005), and a significant negative correlation between M-SPADI and shoulder AROM (Pain = -0.34 to -0.67, Disability =-0.44 to -0.73, Total =0.43 to -0.72, p=0.005). M-SPADI had a high degree of internal consistency (Cronbach's 0.92 for pain and 0.95 for disability). Test-retest reliability was moderate to excellent (ICC Pain = 0.84, ICC Disability = 0.78, ICC Total = 0.81, p=0.001), and the smallest detectable change ranges (Pain = 8.74, Disability = 3.21, Total = 3.83) were less than the minimal detectable change ranges (Pain = 21.57, Disability = 6.82, Total = 8.79). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for M-SPADI was greater than 0.90 (Pain = 0.99, Disability = 0.94, Total = 0.96). The M-SPADI has established construct validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and responsiveness. The M-SPADI is a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating shoulder pain among Malay-speaking individuals. In addition, the M-SPADI disability subscale may be useful for monitoring functional score changes in patients with rotator cuff pathology.

A computational modelling of carbon layer formation on treeing branches

Polymeric insulation employed in electrical power industry undergo irreversible and unpredictable ageing due to partial discharges (PDs). In particular, the dielectric properties of polyethylene (PE) used in high voltage cables are often compromised by the formation of electrical trees. In this work we assume that the propagation of treeing channels involves the injection of carbonic material into the gas interacting with the surface of the defect. Experimental characterizations proved that, in certain conditions, disordered graphitic carbon can form in some areas of the electrical trees, thus increasing surface conductivity and inhibiting PDs. The chemical mechanism involved in this process is yet to be clarified. Here we propose a model for this process. By means of a series of molecular dynamics simulations, we show how the chemisorption of gaseous molecules on a PE surface can lead to a bidimensional carbonic structure. The characterization of the density of states of such systems suggests that the presence of pure carbon adsorbed on the polymer causes an increase in surface conductivity.

Psychometric Properties of the Brief Fatigue Inventory in Hemodialysis Patients during a Dialysis Day: A Preliminary Report.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) in hemodialysis patients. During a dialysis day, patients completed both 9-item BFI and 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)-II questionnaires. The psychometric properties of the BFI were assessed in terms of reliability and validity. The BFI had an overall Cronbach's coefficient alpha of .92. Inter-item correlation coefficients between BFI items ranged from .38 to. 81 (all p < .0001). Exploratory factor analysis revealed bidimensional factor structure of the BFI-fatigue "severity" and fatigue "interference" explaining 11.0% and 62.0% of the total variance in the data set, respectively. In criterion validity analysis, BFI composite score correlated significantly with the total BDI-II score-Pearson correlation coefficient .40 (p < .0001). These preliminary results support the satisfactory psychometric properties of the BFI in assessing fatigue among hemodialysis patients during a dialysis day in a clinic setting.

Shear devices coupling exoskeleton and existing RC buildings for seismic improvement

Usually, the works for seismic improvement do not allow the use of the building. The interruption of use in many cases is not allowed especially for buildings with strategic or public service functions. In recent years, an alternative approach to intervention has spread that allows operating exclusively outside the structure through the use of a technology called a structural exoskeleton. The exoskeleton in many cases consists of a bi-dimensional or three-dimensional truss steel structure. The goal of this technology is to transfer most part the seismic action to the external structure. This allows for avoiding reinforcements to the existing structure. for the building-exoskeleton system to be effective against seismic action, the exoskeleton must be sufficiently stiff and the coupling device between the two structures must not produce internal constraints and generate unwanted stresses for the existing structural elements. A critical aspect of the application of this technology is the transfer of the floor seismic forces from the existing structure to the exoskeleton. The present work illustrates the study of an innovative building-exoskeleton coupling device to transfer the seismic shear forces of the floor from the existing structure to the exoskeleton without generating in-plane and out-of-plane bending interactions. The study of the coupling device was carried out as part of the seismic improvement project of a real case study. The seismic improvement project involves the construction of external shear walls consisting of steel trusses. The results of nonlinear numerical analyses on the global models of the building-exoskeleton systems as well as the results of local numerical analyses of the coupling device are illustrated.

An experimental method to estimate the electro-mechanical coupling for active vibration control of a non-collocated free-edge sandwich plate

Positive Position Feedback (PPF) is one of the leading algorithms for the active suppression of the mechanical vibrations of thin-walled structures. The ease of integration with piezoelectric patches and its modal characteristics are among its main assets. In Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) architectures, however, the passage from the physical signals of piezoelectric transducers to modal coordinates is required; this is achieved by placing participation matrices between sensors, controllers and actuators. The determination of these matrices is non-trivial, especially when the number of actuators is different from the number of modes to be controlled. Usually, the construction of an electromechanical Finite Element (FE) or reduced-order model is required to estimate the participation matrices. In this work, a method for the estimation of the participation matrices based on experimental measurements only is proposed. For the sake of generality, a bidimensional structure – a composite plate – with free edges (and thus with rigid body motions) was considered, and the vibration of eight vibration modes was suppressed by using four sensors and four actuators, in a non-collocated configuration. The simplified experimental identification of the electromechanical coupling allowed the numerical simulation of the uncontrolled and controlled vibrations of the plate when the latter was subjected to an external disturbance. The resulting PPF AVC achieved a reduction of several decibels in the vibration amplitude of all the eight modes under consideration, with negligible spillover over the following normal modes in laboratory experiments. The vibration reduction was verified in correspondence of several points across the surface of the plate in presence of a pseudo-random excitation. The proposed experimental identification technique simplifies considerably the design of PPF controls, eliminating the need for electromechanical modeling and opening the door to a more widespread use of Active Vibration Control (AVC) techniques.

La balance optimisme/pessimisme : détermination des styles d’expectations envers le futur en se basant sur la bidimensionnalité du Life Orientation Test–Revised

IntroductionSince the 1980s, two major conceptions of the representation of optimism and pessimism have been disputed: a unidimensional structure and a bidimensional structure. ObjectiveThe bidimensional properties of the LOT-R in French are further explored in order to determine the styles of expectations towards the future according to the levels of optimism and pessimism. MethodA study carried out on a sample of 913 adults from France (72.7% women, M=41.14years) proposes (1) to analyze the factorial structure of the instrument, the relationship between the two constructs as well as their separability, (2) to explore the styles of expectations according to the levels of positive and negative expectations by latent profile analysis, (3) to study the influence of socio-demographic factors (age, sex, socio-professional category) on cognitive expectations about the future. ResultsThe confirmatory factor analyzes establish the replicability of the bidimensional latent structure of the instrument across age and gender groups, with the separability between the two constructs increasing with advancing age. The latent profile analysis supports the existence of three styles of expectations towards the future within the sample: the optimistic style, the mixed style and the pessimistic style. The MIMIC model demonstrates that increasing age and socio-professional category are determinants of levels of optimism and pessimism as well as of expectation styles. ConclusionThis research makes it possible to use the styles of expectations towards the future which empirically models the balance between the levels of optimism and pessimism.

Do pre-schoolers with high touchscreen use show executive function differences?

The recent increase in children's use of digital media, both TV and touchscreen devices (e.g., tablets and smartphones), has been associated with developmental differences in Executive Functions (EF). It has been hypothesised that early exposure to attention-commanding and contingent stimulation provided by touchscreens may increase reliance on bottom-up perceptual processes and limit the opportunity for practice of voluntary (i.e., top-down) attention leading to differences in EF. This study tests the concurrent and longitudinal associations between touchscreen use (high use, HU ≥ 15 min/day; low use, LU < 15 min/day), and two components of EF (working-memory/cognitive-flexibility, and impulse/self-control), building explicitly on recent developmental models that point to a bidimensional structure of EF during toddlerhood and pre-school years. A longitudinal sample of 46 3.5-year-olds (23 girls) was tested on a battery of lab-based measures and matched at 12 months on a range of background variables including temperament. Touchscreen HU showed significantly reduced performance in lab-based Working Memory/Cognitive Flexibility, although this became non-significant when controlling for background TV. Impulse/Self-control was not significantly associated with touchscreen use but was negatively associated with non-child-directed television. Our results provide partial support for the hypothesis that using touchscreen devices might reduce capacity for top-down behaviour control, and indicate that broader media environment may be implicated in early executive function development. However, it may also be the case that individuals who are predisposed towards exogenous stimulation are more drawn to screen use. Future studies are needed to replicate findings, demonstrate causality, and investigate bidirectionality.