Convergent Discriminant Validity Research Articles

Psychometric Properties of the Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity Scale in a Sample of Adolescents and Young Adults.

Background: Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are a set of chronic or recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms (GS) with great psychobiological complexity. The appearance of FGIDs harms quality of life and drains medical resources. Methods: Psychometric properties of the Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity Scale (GSSS) based on Rome IV criteria were examined in a sample of 1247 individuals with typical development. Observations were randomly divided into two subsets, namely, subsample 1 (n = 624) and subsample 2 (n = 623). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed with data from subsample 1, whilst confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed with data from subsample 2. Internal consistency of the scale was assessed for the whole dataset according to ordinal alpha, whilst four-week reliability was measured according to the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Measurement invariance as a function of sex was also examined, and discriminant-convergent validity of the GSSS was examined through hypothesis testing. Results: EFA revealed a two-factor structure with a moderate percentage of explained variance (51.3%), whilst CFA exhibited an excellent fit of the data to the model. A one-factor CFA model demonstrated an acceptable but slightly lower fit. Internal consistency was moderate and test-retest reliability was deemed adequate. Metric invariance was demonstrated as a function of sex. Hypothesis testing demonstrated strong convergent-discriminant validity with measures of sensory sensitivity, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and pain. Conclusions: The GSSS is a tool with acceptable and promising psychometric properties when administered to neurotypical adolescents and young adults. The self-report GSSS may promote better understanding of GS involvement in the gut microbiota-brain axis in the general population.

Polish adaptation of self-report instruments for studying borderline personality traits - FFBI and FFBI-SF.

The article presents the results of research on the Polish adaptation of the self-report questionnaires FFBI (Five Factor Borderline Inventory) and FFBI-SF (Five Factor Borderline Inventory - Short Form), which were developed to measure borderline personality traits. The study, which consisted of two sessions, included a non-clinical sample of N = 527 adults (session 1: N = 527; Mage = 32.74 years; SDage = 10.12 years; 44% male; session 2: N = 315; Mage = 33.56 years; SDage = 10.71 years; 48.6% male). For convergent and divergent validity, Borderline Personality Disorder Checklist (BPD Checklist), Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (SI-Bord), Borderline Personality Inventory (BPI) and Personality Inventory for ICD-11 (PiCD) were used. The results showed the Polish adaptations of the FFBI and FFBI-SF to be reliable and valid. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for FFBI/FFBI-SF scales scores ranged from 0.80/0.67 to 0.94/0.91 (Mα = 0.89/0.84). The twelve-factor structure of FFBI/FFBI-SF items was conformed. All FFBI/FFBI-SF traits are related to borderline facets measured by BPD Checklist, SI-Bord, BPI and pathological personality traits measured by PiCD in an expected way. Obtained data demonstrate satisfactory internal consistency, factorial validity, and convergent-discriminant validity of the Polish adaptations of FFBI and FFBI-SF in a non-clinical sample.

Psychometric validation of the French Multidimensional Chronic Asthenia Scale (MCAS) in a sample of 621 patients with chronic fatigue

BackgroundPsychometric validation of the Multidimensional Chronic Asthenia Scale (MCAS) was conducted in order to provide an effective tool for assessing the health-related quality of life of French-speaking patients with chronic asthenia (CA).MethodsItems resulting from the initial formulation of the self-reported MCAS (along with other materials) were completed by French-speaking volunteers with inactive or active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD-I vs. IBD-A) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Responses from 621 participants (180 patients with IBD-A, 172 with IBD-I, 269 with CFS) collected in a single online survey were divided into three subsamples to test the construct validity of the MCAS (Step 1, N = 240), to confirm its factorial structure (Step 2, N = 204) and to explore its convergent-discriminant validity with the Fatigue Symptoms Inventory (FSI) and revised Piper Fatigue Scale (r-PFS, Step 3, N = 177).ResultsSteps 1 and 2 showed that, as expected, MCAS has four dimensions: feeling of constraint (FoC), physical (PC), life (LC) and interpersonal consequences (IC), which are also related to the duration of CA (i.e., the longer it lasts, the more the dimensions are impacted). The results further showed that the MCAS is sensitive enough to capture between-group differences, with the CFS group being the most impaired, followed by IBD-A and IBD-I. While convergent-discriminant validity between the 4 factors of MCAS and FSI and r-PFS, respectively, was satisfactory overall, Step 3 also pointed to some limitations that call for future research (e.g., shared variances between the PC and IC dimensions of MCAS and behavioral dimension of r-PFS).ConclusionDespite these limitations, the MCAS clearly constitutes a promising tool for measuring quantitative differences (i.e., severity/intensity) in CA associated with various diseases, but also, and importantly, the clinically important differences in domains of its expression (i.e., qualitative differences).

The Development of Cyberbullying in Social Media Scale

Despite the fact that cyberbullying is common on social media, only a few instruments have beendeveloped to assess cyberbullying tendencies in the social media context. The purpose of this study is to develop a Cyberbullying in Social Media Scale (CSMS) for cyberbullying perpetration. Participants are active social media users in Indonesia (n = 958) between the ages of 18 and 40. The Cronbach alpha reliability testing showed that CSMS had a high internal consistency (α =.852). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that CSMS fit the one-factor model (χ² (54) = 154.891, p < 0.001, RMSEA = 0.044 [90% CI 0.036, 0.052], CFI = 0.906, TLI = 0.885, SRMR = 0.049). Convergent-discriminant validity testing method using the Big Five Inventory also showed that CSMS is valid in measuring cyberbullying perpetration in the social media context. The Cyberbullying in Social Media Scale (CSMS) is a developed unidimensional measurement tool that evaluates cyberbullying tendencies on social media. The CSMS has demonstrated reliability and validity, making it a valuable new instrument for screening and assessing levels of cyberbullying tendencies among young adults in Indonesia. As such, the scale has practical applications for guiding interventions and investigating cyberbullying behavior.

Escala de Preconceito Sexual Contra Bissexuais: Evidências de Validade

Abstract Sexual prejudice against bisexuals is widespread in society. However, little research has been done on this phenomenon because it is difficult to measure. The aim of the current study was to validate a short version of the Biphobia Scale for the Brazilian context (EPSB-br). In the first study, the EPSB-br showed unifactorial structure and convergent validity with scales measuring beliefs and stereotypes about bisexuality. Study 2 showed the EPSB-br’s convergent-discriminant validity with scales measuring religiosity, right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and sleepiness. Finally, Study 3 demonstrated the criterion-related validity of the EPSB-br through an experimental manipulation in which participants watched a video of a pretend teacher and assigned a salary to it. Taken together, these results showed evidence of validity and reliability of the EPSB-br, which introduced a measure of prejudice against bisexual people in Brazil.

Green Sukuk: As an Alternative Mechanism for Financing Infrastructural Development in Nigerian Power Sector

Infrastructure is a major determinant of a country's economic growth and broad-based of the country’s economic stand. Infrastructure is a measuring index for judging a country's economic growth. The study is to gauge the awareness of Green Sukuk in Nigeria among stakeholders and investigates the use of Green Sukuk in the financing power sector in Nigeria. The study employed a survey questionnaire that uses Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) under Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to ascertain the relationship. Reliability and validity were also used to determine data consistency. The study checked Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability (CR), Average variance Extracted (AVE), and convergent discriminant validity for the accuracy of study variables. The study's findings have developed strategies and policy plans for access to electricity in Nigeria. The results of this study are positive regarding Awareness (AW), Poor Infrastructure (PI), Corruption and Political Disruption (CPO), and Poor Household Allocation (PBA) towards sustainable financing of the power sector in Nigeria. It shows that there is a meaningful and strong relationship. The study covers only electricity infrastructure and does not include the other infrastructural projects in the country. Future research may extend wider to increase the country's generalization.

Assessment of personality disorder in the ICD-11 diagnostic system: Polish validation of the Personality Inventory for ICD-11.

This paper presents results of a study on the Polish adaptation of the Personality Inventory for ICD-11 (PiCD), which was developed to measure pathological traits under a new, dimensional model of personality disorders proposed in ICD-11. The study involved a non-clinical sample of N = 597 adults (51.4% female; Mage = 30.24 years; SD = 12.07 years). For convergent and divergent validity, Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) and Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2) were used. The results showed the Polish adaptation of the PiCD to be reliable and valid. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for PiCD scale scores ranged from 0.77 to 0.87 (Mα = 0.82). The four-factor structure of PiCD items with the three unipolar factors, "Negative Affectivity", "Detachment", and "Dissociality", and one bipolar "Anankastia" vs. "Disinhibition" factor was conformed. All PiCD traits are related to PID-5 pathological traits and BFI-2 normal traits in an expected way both in correlational and factor analyses. Obtained data demonstrate satisfactory internal consistency, factorial validity, and convergent-discriminant validity of the Polish adaptation of PiCD in a non-clinical sample.

Properti psikometris Big Five Inventory–2 versi Indonesia

The five personality traits are currently seen as the most widely used theoretical framework in explaining the variability of human behavior. Big Five Inventory (BFI) is one of the well-known inventories that contributes to the progress of the big five research. Recently, the developer updated and published the Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2). Various studies have been conducted to expand the scope of validation, but until now the testing has not been carried out involving Indonesian participants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the BFI-2 in the Indonesian version. The researcher corresponds with the developer to obtain BFI-2 which has been officially translated by the International Situations Project (ISP). Data were collected by distributing online surveys through various social media platforms. A total of 1061 participants were involved in this study. The result showed adequate internal consistency on the domain level and somewhat lower on the facet level. The BFI-2 domains and facets also showed good convergent-discriminant validity in relation to IPIP-BFM-50 and TIPI. The factor analysis shows that the model fits the data after seven problematic items were not included in the analysis. Therefore, we concluded that the questionnaire could be used to measure the Big Five personality traits in Indonesia provided the problematic items found to be invalid are deleted.

Translation and validation of M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Thyroid Cancer module in Chinese thyroid cancer patients: a cross-sectional and methodological study

AimTo translate and validate the Chinese version of the MDASI-THY among thyroid cancer patients.BackgroundThe M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Thyroid Cancer module (MDASI-THY) is one of well-validated instruments for thyroid-specific symptom assessment. To date, the instrument has not been used in China.MethodsAfter standard forward- and back-translation procedures, two instruments, the Chinese version of MDASI-THY and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ C30, were answered by 309 thyroid patients. The content, convergent discriminant validity and reliability of the MDASI-THY were evaluated.ResultsThe scale of content validity index (S-CVI) and the item of content validity index (I-CVI) of the instrument were over 0.80. There were significant relationships between MDASI-THY and EORTC QLQ-C30 (r range, 0.139 ~ 0.766, -0.759 ~ -0.461, p < 0.001). Symptoms were severer for patients underwent surgical treatment (Z = -9.999, p < 0.001). The Cronbach’s alpha was 0.966 (between 0.954 and 0.827 for subscales). Most symptom items had moderate to high interitem correlations (r range, 0.297 ~ 0.773).ConclusionsThe Chinese version of MDASI-THY demonstrated favorable validity and reliability. It can be used in development of symptom management program in thyroid cancer patients in China.Relevance to clinical practiceHealthcare providers can apply this instrument to assess Chinese thyroid cancer patients to increase the understanding of their symptom experience, resulting in a better symptom management.

A Construct Validity Study for the Union Intolerance Scale: Convergent-Discriminant Validity and Concurrent Criterion-Related Validity

Stemming from union intolerance as a psychological construct, defined as sustained hatred by nonunion employees when unions are perceived to encourage intolerable vices in employees and, notably, in union employees, we sought to broaden the empirical basis to claim scale validity for the union intolerance scale. In doing so, we targeted two forms of construct validity: convergent-discriminant validity and concurrent criterion-related validity. Based on survey data drawn from a sample of American nonunion employees (N = 162), we found supportive correlational evidence for both forms. In reference to convergent validity, the scores yielded by the intolerance scale showed expected convergence with the scores yielded by measures of general intolerance of stigmatized groups and union reliance. In reference to discriminant validity, the scores yielded by the intolerance scale showed expected divergence with the scores yielded by a measure of self-reported negative social emotions linked to vices. As for concurrent validity, the scores yielded by the intolerance scale were associated with the scores yielded by a measure of support for the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (the PRO Act), a proposed labor law passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, in which employees indicated whether they will or will not urge their two State Senators to cast a vote in favor of the Act when it is brought to the floor of the U.S. Senate. Included are discussion points about why the scale can be suggested as valid and how scale validity can be extended.

Translation and validation of the Persian version of diabetic foot ulcer scaleshort form (DFS-SF).

Foot ulcer in diabetic patients could often result in significantly impaired quality of life. This study aimed to translate and validate the DFS-SF in Iran. The DFS-SF was translated into Persian, and then its validity and reliability were tested in 262 patients with DFUs. Content validity was evaluated using content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI), and criterion validity was assessed through Spearman's correlation between dimensions of the DFS-SF and the EQ-5D-5L. Construct validity was measured using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and convergent-discriminant validity was examined by calculating the average variance extracted (AVE) and composite reliability (CR). Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated to evaluate the reliability of the measure. CVR ≥0.66 and CVI=0.81 were calculated. Spearman's correlation ranged from 0.23 to 0.78 across all dimensions. The results of EFA showed that all six dimensions of the DFS-SF had an eigenvalue more than 1; accounting for 68.88% of the total variance. CFA confirmed the DFS-SF as a six-dimension structure with good fit indices of χ2/df=2.15 < 5, RMSEA= 0.06 < 0.08, CFI=0.91 ≥ 0.90, TLI=0.90 ≥ 0.90, and RMR=0.04, as well as with adequate fit indices of GFI=0.84 ≤ 0.90, NFI=0.86 ≤ 0.90. Estimates of ≥0.50 for AVE were not observed in two of the six dimensions and CR ≥0.70 was obtained for all dimensions. The reliability was calculated with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.89 and ICC >0.69 for all dimensions. Our findings confirmed the validity and reliability of the Persian DFS-SF; therefore, it can be used to assess QoL in patients with DFSs in clinical and research settings in Iran.

Assessing Alcohol Expectations in University Students: the APNE Scale

The increasing prevalence of alcohol consumption at early ages has led to major efforts to identify alcohol drinking habits within this highly vulnerable group, and individuals with hazardous patterns of alcohol consumption. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Alcohol Positive and Negative Expectations Scale (APNE; a new screening tool developed to identify expectations toward alcohol), and to examine the patterns of alcohol drinking in young adults. The sample included n = 1309 participants (college students) with age range 20 to 25 years. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) performed through Generalized Structural Equation Models (GSEM) verified the structure of the APNE, correlational models evaluated convergent-discriminant validity, and logistic regression assessed the discriminative ability to identify harmful drinking. The bifactor structure for the APNE was confirmed (positive and negative expectations toward alcohol drinking), with adequate goodness-of-fit (RMSEA = 0.052, CFI = 0.936, TLI = 0.914, and SRMR = 0.075). Multi-group modeling showed invariance by sex (p = .543) and age (p = .395) for the measurement coefficients. High correlations with external measures of alcohol use/abuse and discriminant capacity to identify harmful drinking were obtained. Compared to men, women reported higher mean scores in the negative expectations factor (p = .003). Polynomial linear trends showed that the likelihood of positive expectations toward alcohol decreased with age, while negative expectations increased. The APNE is a brief, reliable, valid, and accurate tool to assess positive and negative expectations toward alcohol consumption in college students. Tools like the APNE can support policymakers to make informed decisions about the implementation of prevention and treatment programs targeted at this segment of the population, the development of personalized alcohol programs, and the reappraisal of public campaigns.

Validating a situational judgment test of intercultural competence for use with education professionals

ABSTRACT Given the growing importance of intercultural competence (IC) as part of the know-how of (future) education professionals, the present study sought to develop a tool that would validly assess this competence in the target population. The proposed 9-item instrument, labeled the Brief Test of Intercultural judgment (BTIJ), adopts the format of a situational judgment test (SJT) and targets the ability to accurately interpret others’ behavior in the face of cultural differences, as an arguably essential aspect of IC. The test was developed based on Cushner and Brislin’s culture-universal assimilator and psychometrically scrutinized with a sample of 245 preservice teachers and education specialists. Item homogeneity surfaced as an issue, yet the test’s convergent-discriminant validity was largely confirmed by findings of small-to-moderate positive associations with verbal intelligence, knowledge of different cultures, and experience with foreign languages. Moreover, in a subsample of n=34 participants, the test was positively related (r=.43) to performance on a real-life task requiring intercultural communication in the educational context. The BTIJ is thus regarded as a promising tool for assessing IC in education professionals, bearing the common advantages and limitations of an SJT-type measure. Recommendations for further investigations and improvements of the instrument are provided.

Measuring the General and Specific Domains of Self-Esteem: The Short-form of the State Self-Esteem Scale.

Self-esteem is a crucial human nature feature for understanding the social dimensions of individuals' self-concept. One of its characteristics is peoples' malleability to adapt to social contexts, that is, the state self-esteem (SSE). Individuals express SES in three different factors: performance; social success; and physical appearance. Along with three studies, we present evidence of validity of the Short-Form of State Self-Esteem Scale (SSES-S) that measures contextual fluctuations in individuals' self-esteem. In Study 1 (N = 300), we found that the structure of the SSES-S was organized into three correlated factors that exhibited convergent-discriminant validity with measures of trait self-esteem and human values. In Study 2 (N = 281), confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a bifactor measurement model better fit the description of the factorial structure of the SSES-S, which also showed incremental validity concerning trait self-esteem for predicting one criterion. In Study 3 (N = 160), we experimentally manipulated contextual information about self-achievement and showed that the SSES-S is sensitive enough to detect transient fluctuations in self-esteem, especially in the achievement factor. We discussed the limitations and scope of the SSES-S, as its specific focus on measuring undergraduate students' state self-esteem and its implications distinguishing the general and particular domains of this construct.

Development and Validation Regarding the Lithuanian Version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-X)

Introduction: The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-X), a widely used and accepted instrument developed to assess multidimensional emotional experience, is used in various social and clinical settings. It has an underlying hierarchical structure of the higher order for the positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA), and the lower order discrete affect scales that describe specific emotions; however, very little is known about the psychometric properties that this version of the instrument has. Aims: This study aims to investigate the psychometric properties in the Lithuanian version of PANAS-X, including the analysis for the factor structure of the higher and lower order scales, reliability, and validity characteristics. Methods: The study includes a demographically representative Lithuanian sample (N = 322, with an average age of 37.34, SD = 12.50). For the psychometric evaluation of the PANAS-X, researchers performed item analysis, reliability, convergent-discriminant validity, and confirmatory factor analysis. Results: The confirmatory factor analysis results support the basic structure of the PANAS-X PA, NA, and the discrete affect scales, although some scales were modified according to the item characteristics. The convergent validity is confirmed by the relations of the PA and NA as well as the discrete affect scales to the related constructs, which include personality traits, general, and psychological well-being. Conclusions: The Lithuanian version of PANAS-X can be considered a reliable and valid instrument for structuring positive, negative, and specific emotional experiences.

The reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Quality of Life Questionnaire of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis-31 (QUALEFFO-31).

SummaryThis study reveals the Turkish version of QUALEFFO-31 has a sufficient level of reliability, validity, and psychometric properties. The questionnaire, which is potentially capable of differentiating patients with fractures, does not appear to have the differential capacity in terms of osteoporosis.PurposeThis study aims to conduct the reliability and validity study of QUALEFFO-31 in Turkish and to evaluate the capacity of the questionnaire to distinguish patients in terms of osteoporosis.MethodsThe original English version was translated into Turkish by two translators whose native language was Turkish. Subsequently, this Turkish version was translated back into English by two different bilingual translators whose native language was English. After this preliminary questionnaire was tested in 30 patients, words, terminology, information errors, and parts difficult to understand were revised, and the questionnaire was finalized. Internal consistency and test–retest analyses were used for the reliability study. For the validity study, convergent-discriminant validity, concurrent validity, factor analysis, known-group validity, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed.ResultsA total of 111 patients were evaluated. Internal consistency levels were optimal except for the mental function. ICC coefficients showed good retest reliability for all domains and total tests. The convergent and discriminant validity ratios for the mental function domain were 78% for both and 100% for the other domains. There was a moderate and good negative correlation between QUALEFFO-31 and SF-36 domains which had similar names. Exploratory factor analysis revealed 3 structures. However, there was a spread to the other factors in physical function domain items. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) markers were not at a very good fitting level except for the relative chi-square index. When CFA was performed according to the assumed model, the fitting level increased in all analyses. There was no significant differential capacity in terms of osteoporosis or fracture for either QUALEFFO-31 or SF-36.ConclusionThe Turkish version of QUALEFFO-31 has a sufficient level of reliability, validity, and psychometric properties. Nevertheless, improvements in pain and mental function domains and some changes applying to the model may increase the psychometric capacity of the questionnaire. The questionnaire, which is potentially capable of differentiating patients with fractures, does not appear to have the differential capacity in terms of osteoporosis.ClinicalTrials.gov identifierNCT04259099 (date of registration: February 6, 2020)Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11657-021-00997-4.

Reliability, Factor Validity, and Neuropsychological Correlates of the Child Concentration Inventory-2 in a Community Sample of Italian Adolescents.

Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) has been less frequently studied in adolescents compared with school-aged youth, few studies have examined youth self-report of SCT, and no study has examined SCT in Italy. The present study examined the reliability and validity of the Child Concentration Inventory-Version 2 (CCI-2), a youth self-report measure of SCT, in 452 Italian adolescent high school students (37.8% female; mean age = 15.92 years). Adolescents were administered Italian translations of the CCI-2 and the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Self-Report Scale (ASRS). School performance variables (i.e., teacher-rated grades and teachers' disciplinary ratings) were also collected. A random subsample (n = 88) of participants was also administered the Mackworth Clock Test, a short version of the Attention Network Test, and the Stop-Signal Task. In our study, all CCI-2 items showed adequate convergent-discriminant validity, and the CCI-2 scale score showed adequate internal consistency reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis results suggested the adequacy of a one-factor model of the CCI-2 items, which showed to be invariant across sex. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the dissociability of SCT from ADHD-Inattention and ADHD-Impulsivity. SCT was significantly and negatively associated with adolescents' average school grades, whereas ADHD was also significantly and negatively associated with adolescents' disciplinary ratings. In the random subsample, the CCI-2 total score was positively, significantly, and uniquely associated with overall reaction time on the Attention Network Task, but not other neurocognitive variables. This study provides further support for the reliability and validity of self-reported SCT in adolescence.

Development of the perceptions of preventable adverse events assessment tool (PPAEAT): measurement properties and patients' mental health status.

Patient-centered care and patient involvement have been increasingly recognized as crucial elements of patient safety. However, patient safety has rarely been evaluated from the patient perspective with a quantitative approach aiming at making patient safety and preventable adverse events measurable. The objectives of this study were to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a questionnaire assessing patient safety by perceived triggers of preventable adverse events among patients in primary health-care settings while considering mental health. Two hundred and ten participants were recruited through various digital and print channels and asked to complete an online survey between November 2019 and April 2020. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to identify domains of triggers of preventable adverse events affecting patient safety. Furthermore, a multi-trait scaling analysis was performed to evaluate internal reliability as well as item-scale convergent-discriminant validity. A multivariate analysis of covariance evaluated whether individuals below and above the symptom threshold for depression and generalized anxiety perceive triggers of preventable adverse events differently. The five factors determined were information and communication with patients, time constraints of health-care professionals, diagnosis and treatment, hygiene and communication among health-care professionals, and knowledge and operational procedures. The questionnaire demonstrated a good total and subscale internal consistency (α = 0.90, range = 0.75-0.88), good item-scale convergent validity with significant correlations between 0.57 and 0.78 (P < 0.05; P < 0.01) for all items with their associated subscales, and satisfactory item-scale discriminant validity between 0.14 and 0.55 (P > 0.05) with no significant correlations between the items and their competing subscales. The questionnaire further revealed to be a generic measure irrespective of patients' mental health status. Patients older than 50 years of age perceived a significantly greater threat to their own safety compared to patients below that age. The developed Perceptions of Preventable Adverse Events Assessment Tool (PPAEAT) exhibits good psychometric properties, which supports its use in future research and primary health-care practice. Further validation of the PPAEAT in different settings, languages and larger samples is needed. The results of this study need to be considered when assessing patient safety in the context of health-care research.

DetectaWeb-Distress Scale: A Global and Multidimensional Web-Based Screener for Emotional Disorder Symptoms in Children and Adolescents.

Emotional disorder symptoms are highly prevalent and a common cause of disability among children and adolescents. Screening and early detection are needed to identify those who need help and to improve treatment outcomes. Nowadays, especially with the arrival of the COVID-19 outbreak, assessment is increasingly conducted online, resulting in the need for brief online screening measures. The aim of the current study was to examine the reliability and different sources of validity evidence of a new web-based screening questionnaire for emotional disorder symptoms, the DetectaWeb-Distress Scale, which assesses mood (major depression and dysthymic disorder), anxiety (separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, social phobia, panic disorder/agoraphobia, and specific phobia), obsessive–compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidality (suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts), and global distress. A total of 1,499 participants (aged 8–18) completed the DetectaWeb-Distress Scale and specific questionnaires for emotional disorder symptoms, suicidal behaviors, and well-being through a web-based survey. Results indicated that a structural model of 10 correlated factors fits reasonably better in comparison to the remaining models; measurement invariance for age and gender; good internal consistency (McDonald's ω ranging from 0.65 to 0.94); and significant positive correlation with other measures of anxiety, depression, PTSD, or distress, and negative correlation with well-being measures, displaying support for convergent-discriminant validity. We also found that girls scored higher than boys on most of the subscales, and children had higher scores for social anxiety, specific phobia, panic disorder, and obsessive–compulsive symptoms, whereas adolescents scored higher on depressive symptoms, suicidality, and generalized anxiety, but the effect sizes were small to medium for all comparisons. The DetectaWeb-Distress Scale is a valid, innovative, and useful online tool for the screening and evaluation of preventive programs for mental health in children and adolescents.

COVID-19 anxiety scale (CAS): Development and psychometric properties.

The objective of the present research is to develop and validate the COVID-19 Anxiety Scale (CAS). We conducted three studies to gather evidence regarding content and construct validity, as well to evaluate the reliability of the measure. Study 1 is subdivided into two studies. In Study 1a, we analyze the content validity of the new measure through content expert analysis (N = 10 expert raters). In Study 1b (N = 30), we perform a pilot study with a sample from the target population. In Study 2 (N = 352), we explored the unifactorial structure of the measure, and analyzed its internal consistency verified. Finally, in Study 3 (N = 200), we assess the adequacy of the factor structure and gather evidence on convergent-discriminant validity and gender-scale invariance. In summary, our results demonstrate that CAS is a reliable and adequate instrument to assess COVID-19 related anxiety.