Distinct Latent Constructs Research Articles

The role of trust and distrust in technology usage: An in-depth investigation of traffic information apps usage for mandatory and non-mandatory trips

Following the rapid pace of technological advancement and the continuous introduction of new technologies, the study of user acceptance has gained considerable attention. While previous studies have highlighted the role of trust in technology acceptance and adoption, the significance of distrust has received little attention and is often treated as the other end of the trust scale. This study aims to examine the separate roles of both trust and distrust in technology adoption by investigating the relationship between the usage of traffic information apps (TIAs) and the trust and distrust associated with them. To achieve this, a revealed preference questionnaire is designed, and data from a representative sample of 1028 Sydney residents is collected. The validity of treating trust and distrust as two separate constructs is empirically examined by contrasting a single-construct model versus a double-construct model. Both models are integrated choice and latent variable models with structural and choice components. The findings demonstrate that the model with trust and distrust as two distinct latent constructs outperforms the model with one latent construct. The results of the double latent construct model indicate that trust has a significant positive effect on using TIAs for both work and leisure trips, while distrust has a significant negative effect only for work trips. These findings underscore the importance of effectively managing distrust in technology, particularly in situations related to health and safety where individuals’ usage of the technology in these circumstances can save lives.

Psychometric properties of two implementation measures: Normalization MeAsure Development questionnaire (NoMAD) and organizational readiness for implementing change (ORIC).

Effective interventions need to be implemented successfully to achieve impact. Two theory-based measures exist for measuring the effectiveness of implementation strategies and monitor implementation progress. The Normalization MeAsure Development questionnaire (NoMAD) explores the four core concepts (Coherence, Cognitive Participation, Collective Action, Reflexive Monitoring) of the Normalization Process Theory. The Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change (ORIC) is based on the theory of Organizational Readiness for Change, measuring organization members' psychological and behavioral preparedness for implementing a change. We examined the measurement properties of the NoMAD and ORIC in a multi-national implementation effectiveness study. Twelve mental health organizations in nine countries implemented Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) for common mental disorders. Staff involved in iCBT service delivery (n = 318) participated in the study. Both measures were translated into eight languages using a standardized forward-backward translation procedure. Correlations between measures and subscales were estimated to examine convergent validity. The theoretical factor structures of the scales were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Test-retest reliability was based on the correlation between scores at two time points 3 months apart. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Floor and ceiling effects were quantified using the proportion of zero and maximum scores. NoMAD and ORIC measure related but distinct latent constructs. The CFA showed that the use of a total score for each measure is appropriate. The theoretical subscales of the NoMAD had adequate internal consistency. The total scale had high internal consistency. The total ORIC scale and subscales demonstrated high internal consistency. Test-retest reliability was suboptimal for both measures and floor and ceiling effects were absent. This study confirmed the psychometric properties of the NoMAD and ORIC in multi-national mental health care settings. While measuring on different but related aspects of implementation processes, the NoMAD and ORIC prove to be valid and reliable across different language settings.

Differentiating paranoia and conspiracy mentality using a network approach

Although mostly considered distinct, conspiracy mentality and paranoia share conceptual similarities (e.g., persecutory content, resistance to disconfirming evidence). Using self-report data from a large and multinational online sample (N = 2510; from the UK, the US, Hong Kong, Germany, and Australia), we examined whether paranoia and conspiracy mentality represent distinct latent constructs in exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Utilising network analysis, we then explored common and unique correlates of paranoia and conspiracy mentality while accounting for their shared variance. Across sites, paranoia and conspiracy mentality presented distinct, yet weakly correlated (r = 0.26), constructs. Both were associated with past traumatic experiences, holding negative beliefs about the self and other people, sleep problems, and a tendency to worry. However, paranoia was related to increased negative affect (i.e., anxiety) and decreased social support, whereas the opposite pattern was observed for conspiracy mentality (i.e., decreased anxiety and depression, increased social support). Paranoia and conspiracy mentality are related but not the same constructs. Their similar and distinct correlates point to common and unique risk factors and underlying mechanisms.

Undergraduate Lay Theories of Abilities: Mindset, universality, and brilliance beliefs uniquely predict undergraduate educational outcomes.

Students' beliefs about their abilities (called "lay theories") affect their motivations, behaviors, and academic success. Lay theories include beliefs about the potential to improve intelligence (mindset), who (i.e., everyone or only some people) has the potential to be excellent in a field (universality), and whether reaching excellence in a field requires raw intellectual talent (brilliance). Research demonstrates that each of these beliefs influences students' educational experiences and academic outcomes. However, it remains unclear whether they represent distinct latent constructs or are susceptible to the "jangle fallacy" (i.e., different names given to the same underlying construct). We conducted a multiphase, mixed-methods study to 1) evaluate whether mindset, universality, and brilliance beliefs represent conceptually and empirically discriminable concepts, and 2) evaluate whether mindset, universality, and brilliance beliefs contribute unique explanatory value for both psychosocial (e.g., sense of belonging) and academic outcomes (e.g., course grades). To address these questions, we developed and collected validity evidence for a new measure of science and math undergraduates' lay theories, called the Undergraduate Lay Theories of Abilities (ULTrA) survey. Factor analyses suggest that mindset, brilliance, and universality are distinct and empirically discriminable constructs. Structural Equation Models indicate that each lay theory contributes unique predictive value to relevant outcomes.

Evaluating validity properties of 25 race-related scales.

Racial attitudes, beliefs, and motivations lie at the center of manyinfluential theories of prejudice and discrimination. The extent to which such theories can meaningfully explain behavior hinges on accurate measurement of these latent constructs. We evaluated the validity properties of 25 race-related scales in a sample of 910,066 respondents using various tools,includingdynamic fit indices, item response theory, and nomological nets. Despite showing adequate internal reliability, many scales demonstrated poor model fit and had latent score distributions showing clear floor or ceiling effects, results that illustrate deficiencies in thesemeasures' ability to capture their intended latentconstruct. Nomological nets further suggested that the theoretical space of "racial prejudice" is crowded with scales that may not capture meaningfully distinct latent constructs. We provide concrete recommendations forboth scale selection and scalerenovation and outline implications for overlooking measurement issues in the study of prejudice and discrimination.

Orthorexia nervosa vs. healthy orthorexia: relationships with disordered eating, eating behavior, and healthy lifestyle choices

BackgroundOrthorexia nervosa (OrNe) is a pattern of disordered eating behavior characterized by excessive preoccupation with overvalued ideas about healthy eating. Healthy orthorexia (HeOr) refers to a non-pathological interest in healthy eating and nutrition. Despite converging evidence that OrNe is correlated with measures of psychopathology and personality traits, there is relatively little empirical data relating OrNe and HeOr to eating and health-promoting behavior.MethodsAim 1: exploratory structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the factor structure of an English-language version of the Teruel Orthorexia Scale, the only measure of OrNe that also assesses HeOr in two samples (Yoga practitioners, N = 469, and Mechanical Turk workers, N = 453). Aim 2: conducted in the Mechanical Turk sample, partial correlation and linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationships of OrNe and HeOr with other symptoms of, and clinical impairment from, disordered eating, food choices, diet quality, body mass index (BMI), nutrition knowledge, alcohol/tobacco/vaping use, and sedentary behavior.ResultsThe two-factor structure of the TOS was replicated. HeOr and OrNe had opposing relationships with measures of disordered eating behavior and distress, food choices, diet quality, and nutrition knowledge. HeOr was negatively related to BMI, whereas OrNe was positively related to substance use and sedentary behavior.ConclusionsOrNe and HeOr are distinct latent constructs, with the latter reflecting non-pathological behavior. Only OrNe is related to elevated disordered eating and clinical impairment. Despite involving obsessions and compulsions related to healthy eating, OrNe was associated with relatively unhealthy eating and other lifestyle behaviors.Level of evidenceLevel V, descriptive cross-sectional study.

Multisensory Interactions in Head and Body Centered Perception of Verticality.

Percepts of verticality are thought to be constructed as a weighted average of multisensory inputs, but the observed weights differ considerably between studies. In the present study, we evaluate whether this can be explained by differences in how visual, somatosensory and proprioceptive cues contribute to representations of the Head In Space (HIS) and Body In Space (BIS). Participants (10) were standing on a force plate on top of a motion platform while wearing a visualization device that allowed us to artificially tilt their visual surroundings. They were presented with (in)congruent combinations of visual, platform, and head tilt, and performed Rod & Frame Test (RFT) and Subjective Postural Vertical (SPV) tasks. We also recorded postural responses to evaluate the relation between perception and balance. The perception data shows that body tilt, head tilt, and visual tilt affect the HIS and BIS in both experimental tasks. For the RFT task, visual tilt induced considerable biases (≈ 10° for 36° visual tilt) in the direction of the vertical expressed in the visual scene; for the SPV task, participants also adjusted platform tilt to correct for illusory body tilt induced by the visual stimuli, but effects were much smaller (≈ 0.25°). Likewise, postural data from the SPV task indicate participants slightly shifted their weight to counteract visual tilt (0.3° for 36° visual tilt). The data reveal a striking dissociation of visual effects between the two tasks. We find that the data can be explained well using a model where percepts of the HIS and BIS are constructed from direct signals from head and body sensors, respectively, and indirect signals based on body and head signals but corrected for perceived neck tilt. These findings show that perception of the HIS and BIS derive from the same sensory signals, but see profoundly different weighting factors. We conclude that observations of different weightings between studies likely result from querying of distinct latent constructs referenced to the body or head in space.

The Unique Effects of Hope, Optimism, and Self-Efficacy on Subjective Well-Being and Depression in German Adults

Positive thinking is a source of mental health. Hope, optimism, and generalized self-efficacy (GSE) are three factors of positive thinking that are strongly correlated but theoretically distinct. Specifically, these positive thinking factors covary with subjective well-being (composed of positive affect, negative affect, and satisfaction with life; SWB) and depression. However, the distinctiveness of hope, optimism, and GSE and their independent contributions to predicting SWB and depression is not well documented empirically. The present study used confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling in a large (n = 6077), older (M = 62.49, SD = 11.63), German sample. The sample was 51.3% male with no statistically significant differences in the predictors based on gender. We found the following results. First, the three factors of hope, optimism, and GSE better accounted for their individual items than a single overarching factor of positive thinking. However, because hope and GSE were not identifiable as distinct latent constructs in this sample (r = .98), they were modeled as one construct in subsequent analyses. Second, combined hope/GSE and optimism had a strong positive relationship (r = .74) among themselves and a weak to moderate positive relationship with higher SWB (positive affect, r = .70; negative affect, r = −.42; satisfaction with life, r = .68) and lower depression (r = −.44). Third, hope/GSE and optimism in the same model had unique weak to moderate latent effects on SWB and depression. The fact that hope and GSE were not distinguishable in this sample ran contrary to the existing literature. Overall, the positive thinking factors were highly correlated with each other and were found to be significant predictors of higher well-being and lower depression in this sample. Further investigation of the lack of distinctiveness of positive thinking in this sample is warranted given these unexpected findings.

Confirmatory factor analysis to validate a new measure of food insecurity: perceived and actual constructs

Food crises in 2008 raised the need for more timely and effective policy instruments to monitor and fight food insecurity. FAO developed the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), based on the individual experience in quantity and quality of food. Compared to the traditional, macro-based indicators, FIES presents important advantages: FIES makes it possible to identify the characteristics of food insecure people and allows to analyse food insecurity also in rich and developed countries. The main purpose of the paper is to validate the FIES, in order to assure policymakers that the tool is what they need to design meaningful development efforts. In this study, the methodological properties of FIES were evaluated on a sample of 150 thousand people, all over the world. The analysis of frequency distributions, the measurement of internal consistency, as well as an exploratory factor analysis and a cluster analysis were conducted. A principal component analysis-multiple linear regression allowed to rate the effect of each item on each factor. A confirmatory factor analysis was applied to test the hypothesis that a relationship exists between the observed variables and their underlying latent constructs. External validity was evaluated by a micro-econometric analysis of FIES in relation to extreme poverty and other relevant socio-economic characteristic of the population. The results show that FIES presents a good level of reliability and internal consistency. However, two distinct latent constructs were identified and analysed: a subscale measuring ‘perceived’ aspects of food insecurity and a subscale related to ‘actually experienced’ activities.

Development and Scoring of a Survey on Public Health Accreditation Capacity.

Public health accreditation is a 7-step process that starts with a period of preapplication during which a health department assesses its readiness for accreditation. However, no tools with established reliability and validity that quantitatively measure a local health department's (LHD's) capacity for accreditation are available to complete this initial step. We developed and validated a survey to measure accreditation capacity for LHDs. From January through April 2015, we administered a cross-sectional electronic survey instrument with 15 questions that tapped into domains of capacity for public health accreditation. We analyzed and grouped responses by using a confirmatory maximum likelihood factor analysis with oblique rotations. We assessed reliability by using Cronbach α, and we assessed validity by comparing responses with previously established instruments. We administered the survey to 174 LHD directors in Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska, 153 (88%) of whom responded. The factor analysis produced a 3-factor model of accreditation capacity, suggesting that accreditation capacity depends on 3 distinct latent constructs: support for accreditation, preparation, and planning and approach. The model had good scale reliability (average Cronbach α = 0.7) and validity (average factor correlation = 0.43). The survey developed and scored in this analysis can be used by LHDs to inform the feasibility of initiating the time-intensive and costly process of accreditation.

Latent constructs in the measurement of risk and protective factors for violent reoffending using the HCR-20v3 and SAPROF: implications for conceptualizing offender assessment and treatment planning

ABSTRACTThis paper describes a retrospective data analysis, examining the relationship between protective factors against violence, as measured by the Structured Assessment of Protective Factors for Violence Risk (SAPROF), and conceptually similar risk factors assessed in the Historical-Clinical-Risk Management-20 Version 3. The sample comprised 201 adult male violent offenders who completed a violence intervention programme in an Australian prison. Structural equation modelling revealed that conceptually similar risk and protective factors loaded onto correlated, but independent, factors. This suggests that these items from the two assessment tools may assess distinct latent constructs relevant to violence risk. SAPROF items did not, however, load onto the domains that are commonly targeted in violence treatment programmes. This study’s conclusion that assessment of protective factors may offer supplementary conceptual value in clinical practice with violent offenders is tempered by limitations, including the retrospective file review design, small sample, and lack of predictive validity of SAPROF ratings.

Loneliness, Social Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence: Examining Their Distinctiveness Through Factor Analysis

Adolescents face multiple changes in their social environment, which makes them more vulnerable to developing internalizing problems with strong interpersonal components, such as feelings of loneliness, social anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Given the widespread tacit assumption that these internalizing problems represent distinct concepts, research on these internalizing problems has evolved relatively independently. However, this assumption of distinctiveness has not often been empirically tested, especially not in adolescence. In order to check whether it is valid to examine loneliness, social anxiety, and depressive symptoms independently, the current study empirically tested whether these internalizing problems reflect a single latent construct or whether they are better represented by three distinct latent constructs. Three large samples of Flemish adolescents were used (i.e., N= 549, Mage = 14.82 in Sample 1; N= 1,116, Mage = 13.79, in Sample 2, and N= 1,423, Mage = 13.58 in Sample 3) in which adolescents filled out well-established and validated self-report questionnaires tapping into the three types of internalizing problems. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted in each sample separately. Adolescents filled out well-established and validated self-report questionnaires. The results contribute to the literature on the co-occurrence of loneliness, social anxiety, and depressive symptoms by showing that these internalizing problems can be best represented as interrelated, but distinguishable constructs. Based on our findings, examining loneliness, social anxiety, and depressive symptoms in separate research lines seems justified. Statistical techniques examining co-development over time for these internalizing problems can be used with confidence in future research.

The Romantic Jealousy as Multidimensional Construct: A Study on the Italian Short Form of the Multidimensional Jealousy Scale

Background:Romantic jealousy is a complex construct composed of several dimensions. Given the multidimensional nature of romantic jealousy, it would be useful to have a measurement scale that would take into account its several components.Objective:The aims of the present study were to provide the Italian adaptation of the Short Form of the Multidimensional Jealousy Scale (SF-MJS - Elphinson, Feeney & Noller, 2011) verifying its factorial structure, reliability, and predictive validity. Finally, gender differences in the tree main dimensions of romantic jealousy- cognitive, emotional and behavioral- were explored.Method:361 participants (168 males and 193 females), aged 20 to 40 (M = 26.50; SD = 4.99) were recruited. A confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) was performed to test the multidimensional structure of the scale. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to verify the reliability. The predictive validity was assessed examining associations between different dimensions of the romantic jealousy and insecure romantic attachment. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was implemented in order to verify gender differences.Results:Confirmatory factor analyses verified the three-factor structure, supporting the presence of these distinct latent constructs, assessing cognitive, emotional and behavioral components of romantic jealousy. The internal consistency coefficients were satisfactory for all the three factors of the scale, and ranged from .80 to .85. Consistent evidence supported the predictive validity of the ISF-MJS. Significant gender differences were registered.Conclusion:The ISF-MJS constitutes a reliable instrument for measuring romantic jealousy in the Italian context. Limitations, strengths, and further development of the present study are discussed.

Contrasting Lay Theories of Polyculturalism and Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism and polyculturalism are two lay theories of culture that have been associated with some similar intergroup attitudes and behaviors. But other than the studies of Rosenthal and Levy in the United States, there have been no studies that directly distinguish between these two lay theories. In this study, we use confirmatory factor analysis procedures to show that multiculturalism and polyculturalism represent two distinct latent constructs among our 1,730 participants in six Asian cultural groups (China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, the Philippines). Moreover, we show that essentializing race is associated with endorsement of multiculturalism (but not polyculturalism) in five cultural groups (except Hong Kong). The results provide strong cross-cultural empirical evidence for the distinction between the two lay theories and, more importantly, point to aspects of the lay theory of multiculturalism that relate to why it is sometimes associated with stronger stereotyping and prejudice toward minority cultural groups.

Examining Method Effect of Synonym and Antonym Test in Verbal Abilities Measure.

Many researchers have assumed that different methods could be substituted to measure the same attributes in assessment. Various models have been developed to accommodate the amount of variance attributable to the methods but these models application in empirical research is rare. The present study applied one of those models to examine whether method effects were presents in synonym and antonym tests. Study participants were 3,469 applicants to graduate school. The instrument used was the Graduate Academic Potential Test (PAPS), which includes synonym and antonym questions to measure verbal abilities. Our analysis showed that measurement models that using correlated trait–correlated methods minus one, CT-C(M–1), that separated trait and method effect into distinct latent constructs yielded slightly better values for multiple goodness-of-fit indices than one factor model. However, either for the synonym or antonym items, the proportion of variance accounted for by the method is smaller than trait variance. The correlation between factor scores of both methods is high (r = 0.994). These findings confirm that synonym and antonym tests represent the same attribute so that both tests cannot be treated as two unique methods for measuring verbal ability.

Evaluating the structure of the Mathematics Teacher Questionnaire: A measure of exposure to mathematics instructional practices and content

Psychometric properties of 24 items from the fifth grade Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort Mathematics Teacher Questionnaire were investigated in a sample of 5,181 participants. These items asked teachers to report how often they had their classroom students engage in different mathematics content, skills and instructional practices. Exploratory factor analyses were employed to evaluate the underlying factor structure of the selected items. Results suggest that these items effectively measure three distinct latent constructs that are specific to mathematics instruction: Instructional Practices for Teaching Mathematics, Developing Number Sense, and Beyond Number Sense. These results support the use of this instrument as a guide for research and policy, or to inform teacher curriculum decisions.

Parallel psychometric and cognitive modeling analyses of the Penn Face Memory Test in the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers

Objective: The psychometric properties of the Penn Face Memory Test (PFMT) were investigated in a large sample (4,236 participants) of U.S. Army Soldiers undergoing computerized neurocognitive testing. Data were drawn from the initial phase of the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS), a large-scale study directed towards identifying risk and resilience factors for suicidal behavior and other stress-related disorders in Army Soldiers. In this paper, we report parallel psychometric and cognitive modeling analyses of the PFMT to determine whether ability estimates derived from the measure are precise and valid indicators of memory in the Army STARRS sample. Method: Single-sample cross-validation methodology combined with exploratory factor and multidimensional item response theory techniques were used to explore the latent structure of the PFMT. To help resolve rotational indeterminacy of the exploratory solution, latent constructs were aligned with parameter estimates derived from an unequal-variance signal detection model. Results: Analyses suggest that the PFMT measures two distinct latent constructs, one associated with memory strength and one associated with response bias, and that test scores are generally precise indicators of ability for the majority of Army STARRS participants. Conclusions: These findings support the use of the PFMT as a measure of major constructs related to recognition memory and have implications for further cognitive–psychometric model development.

Comparing and Contrasting Fears of Positive and Negative Evaluation as Facets of Social Anxiety

Cognitive-behavioral theorists have proposed that fear of negative evaluation (FNE) is the core feature of social anxiety (Clark & Wells, 1995; Rapee & Heimberg, 1997). However, emerging evidence supports the notion that fear of evaluation in general is important in social anxiety, including fear of positive evaluation (FPE) as well as negative evaluation (e.g., see Weeks, Heimberg, & Rodebaugh, 2008; Weeks, Heimberg, Rodebaugh, & Norton, 2008). The purposes of the present study were to test several new hypotheses related to this expanded conceptualization of social anxiety, as well as to replicate the two-factor structural model consisting of separate factors for fears of positive and negative evaluation originally reported by Weeks, Heimberg, and Rodebaugh, et al. (2008). The present findings further support FPE and FNE as distinct latent constructs. FPE and FNE related similarly to social anxiety but demonstrated unique relationships with several social anxiety-related constructs and emerged as distinc...

Positive expectancies and mental health: Identifying the unique contributions of hope and optimism

Contemporary theories of hope and optimism provide two explanations for how positive expectancies can shape human behavior and promote well-being. Scheier and Carver's theory of optimism focuses on generalized expectations of positive outcomes, whereas Snyder's hope theory focuses on how evaluations of personal agency can facilitate goal attainment. Although the theoretical distinctions between these constructs have previously been articulated, few studies have jointly examined the two constructs in order to determine unique effects, and some have questioned whether the constructs are truly distinct. This study therefore examines whether hope and optimism (1) are distinct latent constructs, (2) have unique effects on components of flourishing mental health, and (3) differentially relate to the components of flourishing mental health. Confirmatory factor analysis results and a bootstrapped structural equation model indicate that hope and optimism are distinct latent constructs that each uniquely predict a moderate proportion of variance of the components of well-being.

Möglichkeiten und Grenzen subjektiver Lebensqualität schizophrener Patienten als Outcomekriterium psychiatrischer Therapie

A systematic review on empirical results of studies that assess Quality of Life (QoL) in schizophrenic patients. A systematic overview of the literature is provided with focus on schizophrenic patients under deprived living conditions. No consistent relationships are found between objective living conditions and their subjective evaluation by means of QoL-ratings. The latter are influenced by the level of depression, personality factors and adaptation. Objective and subjective variables represent distinct latent constructs. Standards for the use of subjective QoL as outcome indicator are suggested.