Composite Reliability Scores Research Articles

Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Caregiver Burden Questionnaire for Family Caregivers of Hemodialysis Patients

AimThis study aimed to adapt and validate the Korean version of the Caregiver Burden Questionnaire for Family Caregivers of Hemodialysis Patients, originally developed by Hejazi et al. in 2022, to ensure its applicability and validity in Korea. MethodsUsing both online and offline approaches, this study included 230 family caregivers. Data analysis was performed with SPSS AMOS version 29.0 using the Korean version of the Caregiver Burden Questionnaire for Family Caregivers of Hemodialysis Patients and the Korean version of the Zarit Burden Interview as the primary instruments. ResultsThe findings confirmed the high content validity of the questionnaire (scale-level content validity index = .99), and confirmatory factor analysis established its construct validity. Convergent validity was confirmed with average variance extracted values ranging from .43 to .87, and composite reliability scores ranging from .80 to .91. A significant positive correlation with the Korean version of the Zarit Burden Interview (r = .81) demonstrated concurrent validity. The tool consists of 21 items across four factors on a 5-point Likert scale, exhibiting excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .91) and good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = .79). ConclusionsThis study validated a reliable instrument for assessing caregiver burden in families of hemodialysis patients in Korea. This tool accurately measures caregiver challenges and has the potential to enhance societal health and welfare.

A scale for seventh and eighth grade students’ attitudes towards skill-based mathematics questions

The aim of this study is to develop a theoretically sound, valid, and reliable scale to examine seventh and eighth grade students’ attitudes towards so-called skill-based mathematics questions (SBMQ). The sample of the study was 820 seventh and eighth grade students at three different middle schools in Etimesgut District of Ankara Province. A draft item pool was crafted after a detailed literature review and the scale was finalized for the implementation after receiving expert opinions. This version of scale was administered shortly before the national examination which included skill-based questions in the 2022-2023 academic year. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis methods were used to examine the construct validity of the scale. The analysis resulted in 16 items in three factors (affective, cognitive, and motivational) which explained 46% of the total variance. Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability scores were above .70 for each factor and whole scale. The results indicated that the Attitudes Towards SBMQ Scale developed for seventh and eighth grade students is valid and reliable.

Assessing Maternal Attitudes: Development, Validation, and Psychometric Properties of the Mother-Child Reminiscing Scales.

Mother-child participation in conversations about past events in early childhood has an invaluable influence on child development. While previous studies have focused on the investigation of maternal styles of talking about the past, the role of maternal attitudes towards reminiscing has been overlooked. This paper presents two studies on the development and validation of two separate scales that assess maternal attitudes in mother-child conversations: the Maternal Attitudes Towards Mother-Child Reminiscing Scale (MCRS) and MCRS-Context. In Study 1, we have investigated the factor structure of the MCRS (N = 312) and MCRS-Context (N = 278) with a sample of mothers whose children aged between 3 and 7. In Study 2, we aimed to test the factor structure obtained by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in Study 1 using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and we have investigated the psychometric properties of the scales with a different sample of 223 mothers. EFA and CFA results have suggested four theoretically consistent factors of the MCRS (interest, competency, satisfaction and difficulty) and a one-factor structure for the MCRS-Context (general positive attitudes in comparison to other mothers). To test construct validity, the relationships with related independent scales were investigated, indicating generally significant and theoretically expected correlations. The test/re-test, Cronbach alpha and composite reliability scores indicated acceptable internal consistency for both scales. The findings of both studies provided evidence for the validity and reliability of these scales in evaluating maternal attitudes towards mother-child conversations. It is thought that the studies presented here will provide useful insight for future studies for understanding the link between maternal cognitions and reminiscing practices in mother-child conversations and the effect of that link on child development.

Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among Chinese Chronic Orofacial Pain Patients with Psychological Health Problems: A Moderated Mediation Model.

Psychological therapies are important for comprehensive chronic orofacial pain (COFP) treatment. This study is to validate the effects of psychological factors on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among COFP patients in China. Pain catastrophizing, which is a subjective cognitive emotion used to manage the psychological aspects of pain among COFP patients, was examined in relation to COFP severity and OHRQoL. All 479 participants were recruited in Changsha, Hunan Province, China. Cronbach's alpha coefficients (0.868-0.960), composite reliability scores (0.924-0.969), and average variance extracted from each construct (0.555-0.753) all indicated a good model fit. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that age and education status have a positive correlation with COFP severity, pain catastrophizing, and anxiety. COFP severity was related to anxiety, depression, and COFP-OHRQoL. Pain catastrophizing was related to employment status. Anxiety and depression symptoms indirectly mediated the correlation between COFP severity and COFP-OHRQoL. As a second-stage moderator, pain catastrophizing moderated the mediating effects of anxiety symptoms and depression symptoms. Our findings suggest that anxiety, depression, and pain catastrophizing should be evaluated jointly to improve COFP-OHRQoL among COFP patients. This evidence will help therapists to comprehensively treat patients for the best treatment effect.

Development of a questionnaire to measure teachers’ student-centred perspectives based on the Onion Model

BackgroundTeachers with a teacher-centred perspective have difficulties applying student-centred approaches in Problem Based Learning (PBL) because they are inclined to show teacher-centred behaviours. The six aspects explained in Korthagen’s Onion Model (environment, behaviour, competencies, beliefs, identity, and mission) are assumed to contribute to teachers’ perspectives, showing that both the environment and personal characteristics influence behaviours. For teachers to function properly in PBL, those six aspects should reflect a student-centred perspective. Previous instruments to measure teaching perspectives focused on only a few of these relevant aspects. Therefore, we developed the Student-Centred Perspective of Teachers (SCPT) questionnaire with subscales for each aspect in the Onion Model. This study aimed to provide evidence for its internal and external validity.MethodsThe SCPT was distributed in a survey to 795 teachers from 20 medical schools. For the internal validation, Confirmatory Factor Analysis was performed to analyse theoretical fit model validation, convergent validation, and discriminant validation. For the external validation, teachers’ perspective scores were compared among three groups of amount of PBL training using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Least Significant Difference (LSD) tests. The p-value for all tests was set at .05.ResultsA total of 543 out of 795 teachers (68.3%) participated. Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed the evidence of the SCPT’s internal validation with acceptable fit for the six subscales measured by 19 items and the following Composite Reliability scores: environment (.72), behaviour (.74), competencies (.63), beliefs (.55), identity (.76), and mission (.60). All items’ factors loadings reached a good standard (.5 or greater). Only the environment subscale had the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) score higher than .5 and the Maximum Shared Variance score lower than the AVE score. ANOVA and Post-hoc LSD tests showed that teachers who participated in more PBL training showed significantly higher student-centred perspectives, providing evidence for external validity.ConclusionThe SCPT is a reliable and valid instrument to measure teaching perspectives. Identifying aspects that do not represent the adoption of a student-centred perspective may provide valuable input for faculty development in the context of PBL.

French translation and validation of the International Trauma Questionnaire in a Canadian community sample

BackgroundThe diagnosis of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) was recently included into the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Recognizing the need for a brief and specific measure CPTSD symptoms as defined by the ICD-11, Cloitre and her team (2018) developed the original English version of the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ). The ITQ is composed of two scales—‘post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)’ and ‘disturbances in self-organization’ (DSO), respectively subdivided into three subscales. It was found to be psychometrically valid but has yet to be available in French. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to provide a French version of the ITQ and to examine its factorial validity, internal consistency, and convergent validity in a French-speaking Canadian sample. ParticipantsThe sample included 335 French-Canadian adults from the community. MethodsThe ITQ was translated in French, back translated into English, and deemed equivalent by the original ITQ's author. Participants answered the French version of the ITQ, as well as measures of convergent validity, via phone interview. ResultsConfirmatory factorial analyses revealed that the French ITQ presented the same factor structure as the original ITQ. Composite reliability scores revealed good internal consistency for both scales, and all but one subscale. Pearson's correlation and Steiger's Z test revealed good convergent validity. ConclusionThis study supports the factorial validity, internal consistency, and convergent validity of the French version of the ITQ, suggesting that it is a psychometrically sound measure of CPTSD.

Translation and validation of the movement imagery questionnaire-3 second French version

IntroductionMotor imagery (MI) can be defined as the mental simulation of an action without performing it. Its effectiveness can be substantially influenced by imagery ability, and it is currently accepted that three main modalities are used in MI (kinaesthetic imagery, and internal or external visual imageries). In the context of rehabilitation, MI combined with physical therapy is further known to facilitate functional improvements, and promote cortical reorganization and long-term recovery. This study aimed to test the reproducibility and the validity of constructs (internal consistency and factorial structure) of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-3 Second French version (MIQ-3Sf). MethodThe internal consistency as well as the validity of constructs and the test-retest inter-rate reproducibility of the MIQ-3Sf was examined, in 553 participants, for the kinaesthetic and visual items. ResultsThe composite reliability scores (≥0.92) and the intraclass correlation coefficients (>0.88) for the kinaesthetic, internal visual and external visual imagery subscales revealed satisfactory internal consistency and reproducibility. Moreover, Pearson correlations revealed a strong relationship between the MIQ-3Sf and the MIQ-3f. Conclusions/Implications. The MIQ-3Sf can be considered as a valid, reliable and useful questionnaire for examining MI ability in the context of rehabilitation.

Development and validation of a scale for measuring hospital service quality: a dyadic approach

PurposeThis study integrates the providers' perspective as well as the patient's perspective in developing and validating a scale to measure hospital service quality in multispecialty hospitals.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory sequential mixed-method approach was used in this study. The strategies used included a thematic literature review, semi-structured interviews, modified Delphi and confirmatory factor analysis.FindingsThe reliability coefficient of 41 item scale was 0.963 with each attribute, that is, pivotal, core and peripheral, having a Cronbach's alpha of 0.907, 0.91 and 0.891, with scale content validity (S-CVI Ave) of 0.9151. The composite reliability scores of all constructs were greater than 0.7, with an Average Variance Explained (AVE) of all items greater than 0.5.Originality/valueThe instrument can be used to measure the difference between what service providers believe customers expect and customers’ actual needs and expectations. The scale can be used to measure the difference between what is delivered (as perceived by the provider) and what customers perceive they have received (because they are unable to accurately evaluate service quality). The dyadic approach of administering this questionnaire in measuring hospital service quality will lead to the identification of a knowledge gap and a perception gap in delivering hospital service quality.

Translation and validation of the Greek version of the Somatic Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8) in patients with chronic low back pain

Purpose To translate and validate the Greek version of the Somatic Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8) in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Materials and methods The Greek SSS-8, created through forth and back translation and cultural adaption processes, was handed over to 145 patients recruited using simple random sampling. Test–retest, composite, and internal consistency reliability were assessed. Construct validity was examined by assessing correlations with Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and EuroQoL 5-dimension 5-level (EQ-5D-5L) instruments. Structural validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Convergent, discriminant, and known group validity were also evaluated. Results The response rate was 95.1% (138 subjects, mean age 43.2 ± 11.7) and the overall Cronbach’s alpha was 0.831. Test–retest reliability assessment revealed excellent results (Pearson's r > 0.996; Lin’s concordance coefficient > 0.995; intraclass correlation coefficient >0.995, all p < 0.001). Composite reliability scores for the pain, cardiopulmonary, and fatigue domains were 0.712, 0.787, and 0.567, respectively. The correlation analyses indicated good construct validity. CFA revealed excellent fit results and known group validity output indicated a linear increasing trend in the severity of somatic symptom disorders (SSDs), depression, and anxiety with higher PHQ-15, PHQ-9, and GAD-7 scores (Jonckheere-Terpstra test, p value < 0.001). Conclusions The Greek SSS-8 was shown to be a reliable and valid tool for measuring SSDs in patients with CLBP. Implications for Rehabilitation According to the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2017, LBP was one of the leading causes of disability for both sexes combined since 1990. Strategies to identify SSDs in patients with LBP at an earlier stage are essential both for the provision of an optimal targeted treatment and for minimizing its direct and indirect economic burden. The Greek SSS-8 is a standardized and validated instrument, which its utilization will enhance the physical therapy assessment process in the Greek population. Not only is the SSS-8 an easy-to-use and highly accurate diagnostic tool for detecting SSDs, but also a short alternative to PHQ-15 in settings with limited assessment time.

The multidimensional school climate questionnaire (MSCQ) parent-version: Factorial structure and measurement invariance

ABSTRACT The current study aimed to test the factorial structure and psychometric properties of a parent version of the Multidimensional School Climate Questionnaire (MSCQ), a multi-informant and multidimensional measure of school climate recently developed and validated in Italian for a student version, by also providing evidence of measurement invariance between students and parents. Participants were 320 parents, mostly mothers, and 339 students enrolled in four middle schools in Northern Italy. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed a good fit for the expected six-dimension model (Student Support, Home-school Relations, Student Relations, Student-Teacher Relations, Educational Climate, Justice). All factors were positively correlated with each other and reported good Cronbach’s alphas and composite reliability scores (ω). Full configural and metric and partial scalar invariance were achieved between parents and students. These findings confirm that the parent version of the MSCQ is a psychometrically sound measure to assess multidimensional perceptions of school climate. Lastly, limitations and practical implications are discussed.

Evaluating the psychometric properties of the parent-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in a nationally representative sample of Canadian children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief measure of children's and adolescents' mental health. There are different versions of the questionnaire: a version for children and adolescents to complete by self-reporting, a version for parents and guardians to complete ("parent-rated"), and a version for teachers to complete. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the parent-rated SDQ with a nationally representative sample of Canadian children and adolescents. Data are from cycle 1 (2007 to 2009), cycle 2 (2009 to 2011), cycle 3 (2012 to 2013) and cycle 4 (2014 to 2015) of the Canadian Health Measures Survey. Data include 7,451 Canadian children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years (49.3% female). Parents and guardians completed the SDQ by reflecting on their child's behaviour over the past six months. Factorial validity was examined via confirmatory factor analysis, which included testing the original five-factor SDQ model and alternative three-factor and higher-order models. Reliability was assessed through composite reliability scores. Measurement invariance across subgroups was also assessed. The original five-factor (i.e., emotional symptoms, conduct problems, peer problems, hyperactivity and prosocial behaviour) SDQ fit the data satisfactorily, demonstrated evidence of reliability, and was invariant across sex (male vs. female), age (children vs. adolescents) and survey language (English vs. French). The higher-order solution fit the data acceptably, and the three-factor solution did not fit the data well. The original five-factor, parent-rated SDQ demonstrates evidence of factorial validity and reliability as a population measure of mental health difficulties among Canadian children and adolescents.

The Impact of Financial Literacy on Financial Preparedness for Retirement in the Small and Medium Enterprises Sector in Uganda

The study investigated the direct effects of financial literacy (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) on financial preparedness for retirement and the moderating effect of age among the small and medium enterprises in Uganda. Primary data was collected from a sample of n = 380 selected from the SME workforce. Descriptive analysis was run on SPSS, while validity and reliability of the measurement items yielded satisfactory composite reliability scores and average variance explained (AVE) scores for all items. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses and multi-group analysis conducted to test for the moderating effect of age on the relationship between financial literacy and retirement preparedness. The results revealed that knowledge and skills were significant predictors of retirement preparedness. However, ‘attitude' was not a significant predictor, and age had no moderating effect on the relationship between the study variables. These findings present practical implications for policymakers and financial educators in a developing country context.

French translation and validation of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-third version (MIQ-3f)

Objectives: Imagery ability is a variable influencing the effectiveness of imagery practice that can be estimated by means of questionnaires. Among them, the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised, translated and validated in French, is widely used by French speakers. However, it does not allow for the distinction between the two visual imagery perspectives (internal vs. external). The Movement Imagery Questionnaire-3 has been recently proposed in the English literature to differentiate between the ease of performing internal visual, external visual and kinesthetic imagery. The aim of this study was to translate and validate a French version of this questionnaire (MIQ-3f). Method: We examined the validity of constructs, internal consistency, and test-retest inter-rate reliability of the visual and kinesthetic items of the MIQ-3f in 272 healthy participants (Mage = 20.26 years, SD = 1.73). Results: The internal consistency (composite reliability scores ≥ 0.88 for the three subscales) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients: 0.87 for visual internal imagery, 0.86 for visual external imagery, and 0.88 for kinesthetic imagery) of the MIQ-3f were satisfactory. The three-factor structure (with 4 items for each factor) was supported by confirmatory factor analysis. The MIQ-3f appears to be a valid and reliable instrument that can be used to assess imagery ability in French speakers.

The Self-Care of Heart Failure Index: A psychometric study.

The Self-Care of Heart Failure Index is an empirically tested instrument to measure self-care of heart failure patients across different populations and cultures. To develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Nepali Self-Care of Heart Failure Index. This psychometric study used a cross-sectional, observational, study design to collect data. The study was guided and reported following the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guideline. To develop and culturally validate Nepali Self-Care of Heart Failure Index, a combination of the recommended methods for cross-cultural validation studies were applied such as translation, back translation, expert committee review of the translated version and validity/reliability testing. Face and content validity were ensured using expert review. Construct validity was examined using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Composite reliability scores were calculated for each sub-scale of the Nepali Self-Care of Heart Failure Index. A total of 221 heart failure patients in Nepal were enrolled in the study. Adequate face and content validity were ensured through expert review. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis supported the original three-factor model. Although the three factors explained only 41% of the variance, confirmatory factor analysis fit indexes and error measures were found reasonable. The composite reliability coefficients for self-care maintenance, management and confidence scale were 0.6, 0.7 and 0.8, respectively. The Nepali Self-Care of Heart Failure Index is a theoretically based, culturally acceptable and appropriate instrument for use among Nepali heart failure patients. However, further studies are needed to refine its psychometric properties. Access to reliable, valid and culturally appropriate instruments is crucial in describing the state of the problem as well as for developing and evaluating tailored and targeted self-care practice interventions for Nepali patients living with heart failure.

Development of the Stanford Social Dimensions Scale: initial validation in autism spectrum disorder and in neurotypicals

BackgroundThe aim of this paper was to provide an initial validation of a newly developed parent questionnaire—the Stanford Social Dimensions Scale (SSDS), designed to capture individual differences across several key social dimensions including social motivation in children and adolescents with and without psychiatric disorders.MethodsThe initial validation sample was comprised of parents of 175 individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (35 females, 140 males; Mage = 7.19 years, SDage = 3.96) and the replication sample consisted of 624 parents of children who were either typically developing or presented with a range of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders (302 females, 322 males; Mage = 11.49 years, SDage = 4.48). Parents from both samples completed the SSDS and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2).ResultsExploratory Structural Equation Modeling indicated that a 5-factor model provided adequate to excellent fit to the data in the initial ASD sample (comparative fit index [CFI] = .940, Tucker-Lewis Index [TLI] = .919, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = .048, standardized root mean square residual [SRMR] = .038). The identified factors were interpreted as Social Motivation, Social Affiliation, Expressive Social Communication, Social Recognition, and Unusual Approach. This factor structure was further confirmed in Sample 2 (CFI = 946, TLI = .930, RMSEA = .044, SRMR = .026). Internal consistency for all subscales was in the good to excellent range across both samples as indicated by Composite Reliability scores of ≥ .72. Convergent and divergent validity was strong as indexed by the pattern of correlations with relevant SRS-2 and Child Behavior Checklist domains and with verbal and non-verbal intellectual functioning scores in Sample 1 and with the Need to Belong Scale and Child Social Preference Scale scores in Sample 2. Across both samples, females had higher social motivation and expressive social communication scores. Discriminant validity was strong given that across all SSDS subscales, the ASD sample had significantly higher impairment than both the typically developing group and the group with other clinical conditions, which in turn, had significantly higher impairment than the typically developing group.ConclusionsOur findings provide initial validation of a new scale designed to comprehensively capture individual differences in social motivation and other key social dimensions in ASD.

Reliability, Validity, and Measurement Invariance of Attitudinal and Social Norm Factors in Math

The purpose of the present study was to provide a deeper understanding of multidimensional aspects of attitudes and social norms in educational contexts. Specifically, the current investigation aimed to (1) examine reliability and validity of factorial structure of math attitudes (Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive factors) and perceived math social norms (Parent, Peer, and Teacher factors) and (2) test whether measurement of all factors would be invariant across national groups. Three nationally representative sample data (USA, Hong Kong, and Singapore; N = 15,019) were obtained from the 2012 Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) database. High values in Cronbach’s Alpha, Composite Reliability scores, and factor loadings indicated strong internal consistency and convergent validity of all factors. Estimated correlations among latent factors were ranged from small to moderate in value (rs = .21 - .51, ps &lt; .001) and each square root of average variance extracted turned out to be greater than all bivariate correlations (.71 - .85), which supported clear discriminant validity. Furthermore, the results of Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) yielded that measurement of the six factors was equivalent across national groups at the level of strong (scalar) factorial invariance. Implications for math education and future research are discussed.

QLiS-SF: Development of a short form of the quality of life in schizophrenia questionnaire

BackgroundThere is a need for useful standardized Quality of Life (QoL) measures for people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Therefore, a short form of the self-administered Quality of Life in Schizophrenia (QLiS) scale was developed and validated.MethodsFour steps were taken to develop the abridged version using samples from the Clinical Analysis of the Treatment of Schizophrenia (CATS) study. Firstly, a model with second order scales was developed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Secondly, it was tested in an independent sample using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Thirdly, this model served as the basis for selecting items for the short form. Distributional properties, content reviews, and factor loadings were taken into account in this step. Fourthly, the resulting short form was validated through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Composite reliability scores were calculated for the new subscales.ResultsThree second order scales were constructed: illness-related quality of life (QoL), social life and finances, and global subjective well-being. CFA of the new theoretical model resulted in a CFI of 0.67 and absolute fit indices of CMIN/df = 2.55, RMSEA = 0.08, SRMR = 0.09. The selected 13 items showed good statistical properties and good fit of content to subscale. Fit of the underlying theoretical model with the reduced number of items was tested in an independent sample. Absolute and fit indices of the short form model were satisfactory (CFI = 0.95, CMIN/df = 2.23, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.04). Composite reliability scores for three subscales were above 0.70.ConclusionsThe short form of the QLIS (QLiS-SF) showed good model fit and reliability. It should only be considered for use if the application of the long version is not suitable.

Developing a Psychometric Instrument to Measure Physical Education Teachers’ Job Demands and Resources

ABSTRACTBased on the job demands–resources model, the study developed and validated an instrument that measures physical education teachers’ job demands–resources perception. Expert review established content validity with the average item rating of 3.6/5.0. Construct validity and reliability were determined with a teacher sample (n = 397). Exploratory factor analysis established a five-dimension construct structure matching the theoretical construct deliberated in the literature. The composite reliability scores for the five dimensions range from .68 to .83. Validity coefficients (intraclass correlational coefficients) are .69 for job resources items and .82 for job demands items. Inter-scale correlational coefficients range from –.32 to .47. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the construct validity with high dimensional factor loadings (ranging from .47 to .84 for job resources scale and from .50 to .85 for job demands scale) and adequate model fit indexes (root mean square error of approximation = .06). The instrument provides a tool to measure physical education teachers’ perception of their working environment.

Factor Structure and Factorial Invariance of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire among Children of Prisoners and their Parents

Parental imprisonment has been linked to a variety of adverse psychological outcomes for children and adolescents. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) has been widely used to assess behavioural and emotional difficulties among 7–17 year olds in the general population and more recently has been utilised among samples of children of prisoners. Previous research has variously tested traditional one-, three- and five- factor solutions to the SDQ, and more recently one bifactor solution has been examined. Based on a sample of children of prisoners (N = 724) and their non-imprisoned parent or caregiver (N = 658), the aim of the present study was to simultaneously compare nine alternative factor structures, including previously tested models and alternative bifactor solutions. Tests of factorial invariance and composite reliability were also performed. The five-factor model was found to provide the best fit for the data. Tests of factorial invariance revealed that the five-factor model provided an equally acceptable, but not identical fit, among boys and girls. Composite reliability scores were low for the Conduct Problems and Peer Problems subscales. The utility of the SDQ in measuring psychological functioning in response to parental imprisonment is discussed.

Quality of Life Assessment in schizophrenia - development of a short version of the QLiS

The QLiS (Quality of Life in Schizophrenia) is a disease-specific questionnaire with high content validity and sound psychometric properties. It comprises 54 items related to 12 subscales. However, its use in surveys or clinical studies is limited due to its length. Our aim was to develop and validate a short form of the QLiS.Four steps were taken to develop the short form (QLiS-SF) using samples from the Clinical Analysis of the Treatment of Schizophrenia study. 1. A model with second order scales was developed using exploratory factor analysis. 2. The resulting model was tested in an independent sample using confirmative factor analysis (CFA). 3. Based on this model, items were selected on grounds of distributional properties, content reviews, and item loadings. 4. The resulting short form was validated independently through CFA.ResultsThree second order scales were constructed: illness-related quality of life, social life, and global subjective well-being. CFA of the new theoretical model resulted in a CFI of 0.67 and absolute fit indices of CMIN/df = 2.55, RMSEA = 0.08, SRMR = 0.09. We selected 13 items that showed good statistical properties and good fit of content to subscale. Fit of the underlying theoretical model with the 13 items was satisfactory (CFI = 0.95, CMIN/df = 2.23, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.04). Composite reliability scores for the three subscales were above 0.70.The QLiS-SF showed adequate model fit and reliability. It offers a novel, well-founded opportunity to assess quality of life in persons with schizophrenia in situations in which the application of the long version is not considered possible.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.