Bifactor Modeling Approach Research Articles

Assessing Mindfulness Barriers: Turkish Validation of the Fears and Resistances to Mindfulness Scale (FRM) via a Bifactor Model Approach

The Fears and Resistances to Mindfulness Scale (FRM) is a self-report measure to help identify who may fear of, have blocks against, and show resistances to mindfulness. The goal of the present study was to evaluate psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the FRM. The study recruited a sample of 448 participants. Participants completed several instruments including the Fears and Resistances to Mindfulness Scale, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales, Multidimensional Existential Meaning Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Mental Health Continuum-Short Form. Factor analyses confirmed the original two-factor structure of the FRM with good internal consistency and a bifactor model of the FRM. Measurement invariance analyses across gender showed consistent psychometric properties across gender. The subscales and the general factor had positive associations with depression, anxiety, and stress, whereas they predominantly were negatively associated with well-being indicators or irrelevant. This study confirms the original factor structure of the FRM in a non-Western context along with a bifactor model. The Turkish version of the FRM is a valid and reliable instrument.

The Role of Self-Control in Cyberbullying Bystander Behavior

The present study examined the association between general low self-control (LSC) and its three subcomponents: risk taking, self-centeredness, and impulsivity and various bystander behaviors of cyberbullying. The study utilized a bifactor modeling approach and included a sample of 501 adolescents aged 14–18 years old. Participants’ behaviors were measured using a self-reported questionnaire. General LSC was positively associated with the cyberbully-supporters’ and passive bystanders’ behaviors. Additionally, risk taking was positively associated with both the victim-defender’s and cyberbully-supporter’s behaviors, while self-centeredness was positively associated with both the passive bystander’s and the cyberbully-supporter’s behaviors. Furthermore, impulsivity was positively associated with the cyberbully-supporter’s behaviors. We conclude that general LSC plays an important role in understanding the cyberbully-supporter’s and passive bystander’s behaviors in cyberspace. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that LSC subcomponents were also associated with the bystanders’ behaviors above and beyond the associations between general LSC and these types of behaviors.

Psychometric Evaluation of the School Climate and School Identification Measure-Student on Chilean Students: A Bifactor Model Approach.

School climate is a relevant construct for understanding social relations at school. The SCASIM-St has been widely defined as a multidimensional construct; however, new factor structures have not been explored through evidence that allows for interpreting school climate scores from an approach that respects the multidimensionality of the scale and, at the same time, allows for identifying the degree of essential unidimensionality in the data. Consequently, the objective was to analyze the psychometric properties of the SCASIM-St from a bifactor model approach, evaluating the influence of a general school climate factor versus five specific factors. The study involved 1860 students of both sexes (42% males and 58% females), with an average age of 16.63 years (SD = 0.664), from 17 secondary schools in Chile. The results obtained by a confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence that the best model was the bifactor model for the 38 items, with one general factor and five specific factors. The Explained Common Variance (ECV) values and reliability levels by hierarchical omega accounted for a strong general school climate factor with high levels of reliability. Evidence of external criterion validity, assessed through the attitude toward authority scale (AIA-A), showed a theoretically expected and significant relationship between the factors of both instruments. This study confirmed the psychometric robustness of the SCASIM-St scale by means of a bifactor model, allowing for a new, essentially unidimensional interpretation of the scale scores and providing an instrument to measure school climate in Chile.

Modeling the dependence between response and response time: A bifactor model approach

Modeling the dependence between response and response time: A bifactor model approach

The ephemeral nature of wording effects.

This article explores the analysis and interpretation of wording effects associated with using direct and reverse items in psychological assessment. Previous research using bifactor models has suggested a substantive nature of this effect. The present study uses mixture modeling to systematically examine an alternative hypothesis and surpass recognized limitations in the bifactor modeling approach. In preliminary supplemental Studies S1 and S2, we examined the presence of participants who exhibited wording effects and evaluated their impact on the dimensionality of Rosenberg's Self-Esteem and the Revised Life Orientation Test, confirming the ubiquity of wording effects in scales containing direct and reverse items. Then, after analyzing the data for both scales (n = 5,953), we found that, despite a significant association between wording factors (Study 1), a low proportion of participants simultaneously exhibited asymmetric responses in both scales (Study 2). Similarly, despite finding both longitudinal invariance and temporal stability of this effect in three waves (n = 3,712, Study 3), a small proportion of participants was identified with asymmetric responses over time (Study 4), reflected in lower transition parameters compared to the other patterns of profiles examined. In both cases, we illustrate how bifactor models capitalize on the responses of individuals who do not even exhibit wording effects, yielding spurious correlations suggesting a substantive nature of the wording effect. These findings support the notion of an ephemeral nature underlying wording effects. The discussion focuses on alternative hypotheses to understand these findings and emphasizes the utility of including reverse items in psychological assessment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychometric Assessment of the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form in Athletes: A Bifactor Modeling Approach

Aim: A recent mental health in sport consensus statement advocates Keyes’ two continua model with an associated Mental Health Continuum (MHC) instrument to assess mental health in athletes. However, there remains statistically inconsistent usage of the MHC in athletes, so further exploration of the MHC’s psychometric factors is required. Methods: Athletes (N = 1,097) aged 32.63 (SD = 11.16) comprising 603 females (55.7%) and 478 males (44.3%), completed the 14-item MHC-Short Form, alongside validated measures of anxiety and depression. Five confirmatory factor analytic and bifactor models were developed based on extant research and theory. Results: Overall, a bifactor structure with a “general” positive mental health factor, and three specific factors (“hedonic well-being,” “social well-being,” and “psychological well-being”) fitted the data well and was deemed the superior model. Conclusion: A bifactor model of the MHC-Short Form is recommended comprising a composite score alongside specific factors of hedonic, social, and psychological well-being.

Examination of the wording effect in the new ecological paradigm scale in China: a bi-factor modeling approach

Examination of the wording effect in the new ecological paradigm scale in China: a bi-factor modeling approach

Developmental cascade models linking contextual risks, parenting, and internalizing symptoms: A 17-year longitudinal study from early childhood to emerging adulthood.

Although internalizing problems are the most common forms of psychological distress among adolescents and young adults, they have precursors in multiple risk domains established during childhood. This study examined cascading risk pathways leading to depression and anxiety symptoms in emerging adulthood by integrating broad contextual (i.e., multiple contextual risks), parental (i.e., negative parenting), and child (i.e., internalizing behaviors) characteristics in early and middle childhood. We also compared common and differential pathways to depression and anxiety symptoms depending on the conceptualization of symptom outcomes (traditional symptom dimension vs. bifactor dimensional model). Participants were 235 children (109 girls) and their families. Data were collected at 3, 6, 10, and 19 years of child age, using multiple informants and contexts. Results from a symptom dimension approach indicated mediation pathways from early childhood risk factors to depression and anxiety symptoms in emerging adulthood, suggesting common and distinct risk processes between the two disorders. Results from a bifactor modeling approach indicated several indirect pathways leading to a general internalizing latent factor, but not to symptom-specific (i.e., depression, anxiety) latent factors. Our findings highlighted comparative analytic approaches to examining transactional processes associated with later internalizing symptoms and shed light on issues of early identification and prevention.

Validation of L2 grit among Chinese EFL high school students and its enduring effect on achievements: A bifactor model approach

The current study seeks to validate L2 grit measure among 637 Chinese senior middle school students using a bifactor modeling approach. To do so, we first assessed and compared four alternative measurement models including CFA, bifactor CFA, ESEM, and bifactor ESEM models. Among these models, CFA exhibited the poorest fit to the data collected from the sample. ESEM showed partial fit to the data with a slightly lower factor correlation between two components of L2 grit (i.e., perseverance of effort and consistency of interest) than CFA. Two bifactor models (bifactor CFA and bifactor ESEM) demonstrated excellent fits to the data. The more parsimonious bifactor CFA model was selected as the optimal one. Based on the bifactor CFA model, we confirmed measurement invariance across gender and predictive validity of L2 grit on subsequent language achievements. Based on these findings, methodological and pedagogical implications were discussed.

Understanding the Dimensions of Post-Event Processing: Applying a Bifactor Modeling Approach to the EPEPQ-15.

Social anxiety disorder is maintained in part by rumination about past social experiences, known as post-event processing. The Extended Post-Event Processing Questionnaire (EPEPQ-15) assesses post-event processing as three correlated factors. Competing against this structure is a bifactor model that has not yet been evaluated for the EPEPQ-15. These models were tested for the conventional state version of the EPEPQ-15 and a new trait version in two separate samples (Ns = 327 and 351). In both samples, the fit of the bifactor model was better than that of correlated factor models. Moreover, the results did not support the group factors, indicating that a unidimensional interpretation of the EPEPQ-15 is most appropriate. The general dimension of the EPEPQ-15 was highly correlated with social interaction anxiety, beliefs related to social anxiety, anticipatory processing, and safety behaviors. These results overall suggest post-event processing is best conceptualized as a unitary construct.

Differentiation of general and specific abilities in intelligence. A bifactor study of age and gender differentiation in 8- to 19-year-olds

The structure of intelligence is not static. Differentiation hypotheses suggest that the contribution of g and specific abilities on tasks performance varies with age, but most research focused solely on g. Here we sought to test intelligence differentiation in both its general and specific components using a bifactor modelling approach that – previously ignored in literature – should be better suited to this aim. In parallel, the possible differences in intelligence differentiation between males and females are explored for the first time. A population of 8866 youths (8–19 years old) of the Philadelphia Neurodevelopment Cohort completed 12 tasks measuring four components of cognition (complex cognition, executive control, episodic memory, and social cognition) and the WRAT-4. Using bootstrap and meta-regression analysis, the bifactor-(S·I - 1) model shows that the variance explained differently changes over time according to peculiar development patterns of specific components. Executive functions lose specificity with age and their variance is explained only by g at the end of adolescence, episodic memory is increasingly explained by g, and complex cognition is explained more by g in males – and less in females – when age increases, also suggesting a possible role of gender in intelligence differentiation. We conclude discussing the importance of using adequate statistical models and we proposed studying differentiation also at the level of specific abilities to account for the complexity of the developmental phenomenon that could be better described by development priority theories.

P68. Atypical Network Properties During Rest and Task Performance in Youth With ADHD Symptoms: A Bifactor Model Approach

When neural networks deviate from typical development, the resulting dysfunction is thought to contribute to varying forms of psychopathology. Although childhood networks are crucial for understanding neural and psychological development, research in this domain has been limited by psychological comorbidities, small sample sizes, and a reliance on traditional diagnostic categories.

The Test of Gross Motor Development—Third Edition: A Bifactor Model, Dimensionality, and Measurement Invariance

Aim: To examine the latent structure of the Test of Gross Motor Development—Third Edition (TGMD-3) with a bifactor modeling approach. In addition, the study examines the dimensionality and model-based reliability of general and specific contributions of the test’s subscales and measurement invariance of the TGMD-3. Methods: A convenience sample of (N = 496; Mage = 7.23 ± 2.03 years; 53.8% female) typically developed children participated in this study. Three alternative measurement models were tested: (a) a unidimensional model, (b) a correlated two-factor model, and (c) a bifactor model. Results: The totality of results, including item loadings, goodness-of-fit indexes, and reliability estimates, all supported the bifactor model and strong evidence of a general factor, namely gross motor competence. Additionally, the reliability of subscale scores was poor, and it is thus contended that scoring, reporting, and interpreting of the subscales scores are probably not justifiable. Conclusions: This study shows the advantages of using bifactor approach to examine the TGMD-3 factor structure and suggests that the two traditionally hypothesized factors are better understood as “grouping” factors rather than as representative of latent constructs. In addition, our findings demonstrate that the bifactor model appears invariant for sex.

Beyond the Pale: Dark Traits and Close Relations Influence Attitudes toward COVID-19 and the Rejection of Quarantine Rules.

Dark personality traits are predictors of detrimental behavior (e.g., selfishness or violating norms). This research examined the influence dark personality traits on attitudes toward the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine rules. We determined whether specific dark traits could predict non-compliance, beyond the global measure of dark personality traits. Additionally, previous research suggests that people are more likely to violate rules for the benefits of close relations, rather than for their own self-interests. We examined how this tendency interacts with dark traits. The 823 participants in the study completed measures of the dark triad, moral disengagement, and attitudes toward COVID-19 rules, and responded to vignettes about themselves or close relations escaping quarantine. Using a bifactor model approach, results showed that a general dark factor predicted non-compliance to COVID-19 rules, but that some moral disengagement mechanisms contributed to non-compliance beyond this factor. Vignette results showed that participants were more willing to break quarantine rules for a close relation than for themselves, except for those high in moral disengagement, who broke rules more—regardless of who was involved. These findings have important implications for intervention programs and policies, since individuals with dark traits tend to “selfishly” trespass norms, but anyone can “go beyond the pale, i.e., go outside the limits of acceptable behavior, for a loved one.

Factor structure and internal consistency of the ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool Parent Version (ICAST-P) in a cross-country pooled data set in nine Balkan countries

ObjectiveResearchers are increasingly using parental report measures in population-based surveys of violence against children. No research thus far has examined the factor structure of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) Child Abuse Screening Tool Parent Version (ICAST-P), a non-commercialized measure for prevalence studies. MethodsThis paper uses secondary data from the Balkan Epidemiological Study on Child Abuse and Neglect (BECAN) which included 25,202 primary caregivers of school-going children in three grades (aged 11, 13 and 16). Primary caregivers completed the ICAST-P 2010–2011, which measures children’s exposure to physical and psychological violence and neglect by caregivers and sexual violence by any perpetrator. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to assess the reliability and the factor structure of the ICAST-P for a four-dimensional model and a bifactor model, with one general factor and four group factors representing the specific components of each set of items. Measurement invariance could not be tested. ResultsLifetime prevalence for physical violence was 66.7 %, for psychological violence 66.6 %, for sexual violence 3.1 % and for neglect 9.1 %. CFA showed adequate fit for the hypothesized four-dimensional model, however, improved fit was shown for a bifactor model with abuse as the general factor. Internal consistency was good for physical and psychological violence, but not neglect and sexual violence. Hierarchical omega showed good internal consistency for the general factor. ConclusionsParents report that their children experience high levels of violence. The factor structure of the ICAST-P is best captured using a bifactor modelling approach.

The structure of self-esteem: a bifactor modeling approach of the Self-liking/Self-competence Scale-Revised (SLCS-R) in Chinese preadolescents

Although more and more studies concern about the development of self-esteem in preadolescents, there is a lack of systematic verification of tools for measuring self-esteem for preadolescents. To address that, the present study verified the measurement model, reliability, and dimensionality of the Self-liking/Self-competence Scale-Revised (SLCS-R; Tafarodi & Swann, 2001), a widely used scale to measure self-esteem, in a sample of 616 Chinese preadolescents aged 9–13 years old. The results showed that the bifactor model with a general factor and two specific factors was the best fit model to the data. Multiple index of the bifactor model showed that the common variance of the SLCS-R is mostly account to the general factor, and only the general factor demonstrated satisfactory reliability. These results suggested that the SLCS-R was essentially unidimensional, despite some multidimensionality for Chinese preadolescents.

PNS213 Dimensional Structure of Dermatology Life Quality Index in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: Bifactor Model Approach

PNS213 Dimensional Structure of Dermatology Life Quality Index in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: Bifactor Model Approach

Heritability of overlapping impulsivity and compulsivity dimensional phenotypes

Impulsivity and compulsivity are traits relevant to a range of mental health problems and have traditionally been conceptualised as distinct constructs. Here, we reconceptualised impulsivity and compulsivity as partially overlapping phenotypes using a bifactor modelling approach and estimated heritability for their shared and unique phenotypic variance within a classical twin design. Adult twin pairs (N = 173) completed self-report questionnaires measuring psychological processes related to impulsivity and compulsivity. We fitted variance components models to three uncorrelated phenotypic dimensions: a general impulsive–compulsive dimension; and two narrower phenotypes related to impulsivity and obsessiveness.There was evidence of moderate heritability for impulsivity (A2 = 0.33), modest additive genetic or common environmental effects for obsessiveness (A2 = 0.25; C2 = 0.23), and moderate effects of common environment (C2 = 0.36) for the general dimension, This general impulsive–compulsive phenotype may reflect a quantitative liability to related mental health disorders that indexes exposure to potentially modifiable environmental risk factors.

Working memory and short-term memory deficits in ADHD: A bifactor modeling approach.

Objective: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been associated with large magnitude impairments in working memory, whereas short-term memory deficits, when detected, tend to be less pronounced. However, confidence in these findings is limited due to task impurity combined with methodological and statistical limitations of the current evidence base. Method: A well-characterized, clinically evaluated sample of 172 children ages 8-13 years (M = 10.30, SD = 1.42; 72 girls; 64% White/non-Hispanic) were administered multiple, counterbalanced working memory tests. Bifactor-(s-1) modeling was used to characterize the presence and magnitude of central executive working memory, phonological short-term memory, and visuospatial short-term memory deficits in pediatric ADHD. Results: ADHD status was associated with very large magnitude impairments in central executive working memory that are present in most pediatric cases (d = 1.63-2.03; 75%-81% impaired), and these deficits covaried with ADHD inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptom severity based on both parent and teacher report. There was also evidence for a unique, albeit significantly smaller, impairment in visuospatial short-term memory (d = 0.60; 38% impaired); however, visuospatial short-term memory abilities did not covary with ADHD symptom severity. There was no evidence linking ADHD with phonological short-term memory deficits across either the dimensional or categorical analyses. Conclusion: These findings provide strong evidence that ADHD is associated with marked central executive working memory deficits that covary with their behavioral symptom presentation across settings. In contrast, visuospatial short-term memory deficits, when present, are likely epiphenomenal, and the most parsimonious conclusion appears to be that phonological short-term memory is intact in pediatric ADHD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Work engagement and burnout: real, redundant, or both? A further examination using a bifactor modelling approach

ABSTRACT Researchers have often debated whether burnout and work engagement are truly different concepts, or whether they are opposite poles of the same construct and therfore redundant. Recent perspectives postulate that they are both real and redundant. In this paper we examine these three competing views using a bifactor modelling approach. A sample of 1787 Argentine employees completed the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), the Maslach Burnout Inventory–General Survey (MBI-GS), and other work-related measures. Bifactor analysis showed that at the construct level, work engagement and burnout are not adequately represented by a single well-being dimension, indicating that they are distinct constructs. At the dimension level, vigour and exhaustion could not be accounted for by a general energy factor, meaning that these constructs are distinct rather than direct opposites of one energy continuum. In contrast, dedication and cynicism were substantially explained by a single identification factor, suggesting that they represent each other’s opposite along an identification continuum. However, dedication and cynicism displayed a unique pattern of relationships with different external variables, implying that they are also real constructs. Collectively, the findings indicate that each of the competing views on the work engagement-burnout relationship has its merits. Implications for conceptualization and measurement are discussed.