Exploratory Factor Analysis Research Articles

Gambling-related attitudes and dimensional structure of the GABS-15 in outpatient addiction care patients: associations with gambling disorder.

Individuals with gambling disorder (GD) harbor cognitive distortions and dysfunctional beliefs about gambling that may foster problematic gambling behaviour. Evidence on particularly detrimental attitudes and beliefs is however lacking. To close this knowledge gap, we analysed associations between gambling attitudes and beliefs (Gambling Attitudes and Beliefs Survey (GABS-15)) and severity of gambling disorder (DSM-5 criteria met) in a German cohort of 123 individuals receiving outpatient gambling treatment. Data from the "Katamnese-Study" covering a 36-months timeframe with 5 assessment points was pooled. The multidimensional structure of the GABS-15 was examined using explorative and confirmatory factor analyses, followed by mixed-effect regression models using different operationalizations of the GABS-15. A three-factorial structure comprising "attitudes while gambling", "sensation-seeking / excitement", and "gambling fallacies" demonstrated better fit indices than the GABS-15 sum score. Only the "gambling fallacies " factor (1.00, p<0.05; 15.36, p < 0.01) was significantly associated with increased severity of GD. As a one-dimensional conceptualization of gambling-related attitudes and beliefs might not sufficiently guide staff of outpatient treatment facilities regarding priority setting in gambling care, evidence on attitudes with particularly detrimental associations is highly warranted. Here, focussing on mitigating "gambling' fallacies" by tailored treatment strategies appears promising.

Standardizing a Questionnaire of Metacognitive Resources of Human Behavior Regulation in Difficult Circumstances

Modern psychology focuses on personal resources that help to overcome difficult circumstances accompanied by anxiety and stress. However, psychological diagnosis in this sphere remains understudied. The present research was an attempt to standardize a questionnaire of metacognitive regulation of human behavior in difficult circumstances. The study involved 559 participants from Tomsk (24.8% men, average age – 22.1). The exploratory factor analysis identified four factors (45.6% variance): self-control of behavior (six items, Cronbach’s alpha, α = 0.780; composite reliability = 0.863); anxiety control (four items, α = 0.823; composite reliability = 0.866); memory efficiency (three items, α = 0.817; composite reliability = 0.832); intuitive cognition of people (four items, α = 0.709; composite reliability = 0.757). Confirmation factor analysis showed high values of the model fitness indices: RMSEA = 0.044; SRMR = 0.059; CFI = 0.991; GFI = 0.986. The scales of the new questionnaire demonstrated the required external convergent validity and were found consistent with similar constructs. The study involved the following methods: D. V. Lyusin’s Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire; Subjective Risk Intelligence Scale developed by G. Craparo et al. and adapted by T. V. Kornilova and E. M. Pavlova, E. Yu. Mandrikova’s Activity Self-Organization Questionnaire, C. D. Spielberger’s Anxiety Test adapted by V. N. Karandashev, C. D. Spielberger’s Questionnaire of Personal Anxiety adapted by Yu. L. Khanin, and the Academic Motivation Scale developed by T. O. Gordeeva, O. A. Sychev, and E. N. Osin. The following scales demonstrated a good discriminative ability associated with statistically significant gender differences: self-control of behavior (p = 0.002); anxiety control (p &lt; 0.001), and memory efficiency (p &lt; 0.001). The questionnaire proved to be an efficient tool of studying human resources related to overcoming difficult circumstances.

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Chronic Heart Failure Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (CHFQOLQ-20)

The incidence rate of chronic heart failure has increased significantly in China and has a large impact on patients’ lives. The purpose of the study was to validate the Chronic Heart Failure Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (CHFQOLQ-20) cross-culturally and test its reliability and validity in patients with chronic heart failure. This study was conducted by investigating 622 patients with chronic heart failure from August 2023 to January 2024, and the data were tested for validity using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 23.0. The final psychometric validation of the CHFQOLQ-20 was performed. The Chinese version of the CHFQOLQ-20 had a Cronbach’s α of 0.908, a split-half reliability of 0.870, and a retest reliability of 0.892. An exploratory factor analysis yielded four common factors with a cumulative ANOVA of 59.355%, and the validated factor analysis with one correction resulted in a better-fitting model (χ2/df = 2.020, RMSEA = 0.057, CFI = 0.920, TLI = 0.907). The scale is a reliable assessment tool that can be used in future clinical practice.

Islamic work ethics in a complex, conflicted cultural milieu: The case of indigenous Palestinian Arab high school teachers in Israel

This study focuses on Islamic work ethics (IWE) among Indigenous Palestinian Arab high school teachers in Israel. With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, this predominantly Muslim Palestinian Arab minority experienced rapid socioeconomic change, as well as repression of its socio-political and cultural background and values. Despite its incorporation into a Western-oriented country, the core principles of Islam continue to have broad influence on the Palestinian Arab minority in Israel, as well as applications to many areas of life, including work values. The study sample included 1245 high school teachers. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were utilized to establish a reliable model of IWE, resulting in two reliable IWE dimensions: “dedication and social responsibility at work” and “independence, diligence, and achievement at work.” Indigenous Palestinian Arab teachers reported high IWE levels, although this differed by gender and age group. The IWE scale appears to be a valuable measure for describing the work-related values of Indigenous Palestinian Arab high school teachers in Israel.

Developing an Innovation Culture Measurement Construct for Healthcare Organizations

Objective: To develop an innovation culture measurement model specific to healthcare, by amending the original scale items of the Dobni innovation culture construct and model developed in 2008. Design: The project performed exploratory factor analysis from data collected on surveys, using redesigned scale items from the original Dobni innovation culture measurement. Setting: Managers and administrators from a Provincial Health Services Authority in Canada. Results: An exploratory factor analysis was performed on the 43 scale items used in the survey. The scale items were reduced to 31 and loaded on to new factors creating an Innovation Culture Measurement Model specific to healthcare. Conclusion: Although exploratory, the new model and scale items provide a foundation for researchers to advance innovation culture measurement in healthcare. Academically, measuring innovation culture has created a rich research stream, but to date has not exclusively focused on healthcare. Pragmatically, measuring innovation culture provides healthcare leaders and policy setters a benchmark to assess internally over a period of time or towards other entities.

Turkish adaptation of the fear of cancer scale: validity, measurement invariance and reliability study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the Turkish cultural and psychometric properties of the cancer fear scale developed by Feng et al. This methodological study was conducted between January and April 2024 with students from a university in eastern Turkey. Data were collected from two different sample groups (sample 1:350, sample 2:245). Personal information form and cancer fear scale were used. In the adaptation process of the scale, language validity, content validity, construct validity, and reliability were examined. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, measurement invariance and convergent-divergent validity were used to determine construct validity. Cronbach alpha internal consistency coefficient, test-retest and corrected item-total correlation were used for reliability. According to the results of exploratory factor analysis, it was determined that the fear of cancer scale had a two-factor structure with factor loadings between 0.58 and 0.70. As a result of the confirmatory factor analysis performed on the two-factor structure of the fear of cancer scale, it was determined that the model goodness-of-fit indices were acceptable and had an excellent fit. It has been determined that measurement invariance findings across genders support configural, metric and scalar invariance. The Cronbach alpha internal consistency coefficient of the fear of cancer scale was 0.93, and the corrected item total correlation values were between 0.45 and 0.73. The Turkish version of the fear of cancer scale was found to be a valid and reliable measurement tool.

Validity and Reliability Testing of the Turkish Version of the Self-Acceptance Scale for Pregnant Women

Objective: This study was conducted to adapt the Self-Acceptance Scale for Pregnant Women (SAS-PW), which was developed in Brazil, to Turkish and test the psychometric properties of its Turkish version. Method: This methodological study was carried out with 576 pregnant women who presented to the pregnancy outpatient clinics of a Research and Training Hospital in northern Turkey between December 2021 and April 2022. The validity of the Turkish version of SAS-PW was tested by conducting linguistic, content, and construct validity analyses, while its reliability was tested by conducting internal consistency and test-retest analyses. Results: According to the results of the exploratory factor analysis, the factor load values of the items and the rates of the total variance in scale scores explained by the factors were sufficient. The confirmatory factor analysis results demonstrated that the goodness-of-fit indices of the scale were within suitable ranges. The 2-factor and 10-item construct of the original SAS-PW was confirmed based on the factor analyses. The item-total score correlations of the scale were found sufficient, and the total Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of SAS-PW was determined to be 0.933. The test-retest analysis of the scale scores revealed a strong correlation between the scores of the two implementations. Conclusions: The Turkish version of SAS-PW is a valid and reliable measurement instrument to evaluate the self-acceptance levels of pregnant women in Turkish society.

Lament: Measuring a Christian Meaning-Making Coping Practice

Research demonstrates that people draw on their religions in coping with difficult life circumstances, and that more religious people tend to cope better than less religious people. Lament is a religious prayer practice that constitutes a form of meaning-making coping. Here, we explicate this form of coping and, in a series of three studies with Christian participants, report on the development of a lament scale. In the first study, we develop items and test the items for clarity and for generalizability to diverse Christian groups using expert review and cognitive interviewing with participants representing five Christian groups. In the second study, we report results of exploratory factor analysis using data from primarily White and Protestant MTurk participants ( N = 303). In the third study, we report on factor stability and construct validity using data from largely White and African American Protestant and Catholic Prolific participants ( N = 346). The studies demonstrated generalizability to diverse Christian groups, a three-factor structure consistent with our theoretical formulation, good construct validity and relationships with well-being. Moderation analyses also indicated that when both Complaint and Praise are either high or low, the severity of the event is inversely related to flourishing. However, when either Complaint or Praise is high, the negative relationship between severity of the event and flourishing is ameliorated. The Lament Scale is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing lament in ways that are consistent with the conceptualization of lament as a meaning-making coping practice.

Development and psychometric testing of the Perception of Childbirth Environment Scale in Taiwan

BackgroundPrevious research has shown that women's perceptions of their childbirth environment are critical in ensuring that they feel supported and in facilitating physiological childbirth. AimTo develop and validate the Perception of Childbirth Environment Scale (PCES) for expectant mothers. MethodsThe PCES was developed based on findings from a scoping review and a qualitative study on childbirth environments conducted by the authors. The scale underwent expert review to ensure relevance, clarity, and content validity, followed by face validity testing with five women. A total of 193 participants, recruited from two medical institutions, completed the PCES within 48 h after childbirth. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α for internal consistency. Construct validity was evaluated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. ResultsThe PCES comprised 10 items divided into two dimensions: comfort and control. “Comfort” factors included privacy, homeliness, familiarity, relaxation facilitation, and a sense of continuity in the room, while “Control” factors were reflected in elements like a birth companion, empowerment, and safety. The model demonstrated a good fit following exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, as well as adjustments based on modification indices. ConclusionsThe PCES displayed strong reliability and validity, making it a suitable tool for assessing women's perceptions of their labor and childbirth environment.

Attitudes toward statistics among business students: Do majors, mathematical background, sex, and field of secondary education matter?

AbstractStatistics knowledge, literacy, and skills are vital to undergraduates' academic and professional careers. Students' attitudes toward statistics play a vital role in their understanding of the importance of statistics. Therefore, it is important to examine their attitude toward statistics. This study investigated the attitude of 153 business students toward statistics and the factors that affect this attitude using the Survey Attitudes Toward Statistics (SATS‐36) scale. It also investigated the relationship between attitudinal components and students' demographic and academic characteristics. Five components underlying students' attitudes toward statistics were identified using exploratory factor analysis. Further, a background in quantitative subjects and demographic characteristics was found to affect students' attitudes toward statistics. The results suggested that statistics should be taught in a more practical way to relate it to students' lives, and teachers must adopt active learning methods in which students work with data and real‐life examples.

The Impact of Psychological Empowerment on Individual Performance in Balloon Companies: Is Justice Perception a Mediator?

Today’s organizations inevitably experience rapid changes at every moment. One factor that plays an important role in the success of organizations in this change is their employees. This study aims to examine the intermediary role of justice in the impact of psychological empowerment perceptions of employees working in balloon businesses belonging to the private aviation industry on individual performance. The study used a convenience sampling method, and the data were obtained from 454 employees by questionnaire. The study used the SPSS 25.0 Program and Process Macro v 4.0 application. Frequency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability analysis were conducted. In addition, descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression, and mediating effects were analyzed using the bootstrap method developed by Hayes (2013). In addition, the Sobel test was used to examine the significance of the mediating effect. As a result of the study, the relationship between competence and interactional justice (r =.550; p =.000) is higher than other variables. Moreover, psychological empowerment has a significant and positive impact on individual performance (95% CI [.37; .59]; ß=.4553; p=.000). In addition, psychological empowerment has a significant and positive impact on the justice perception (95% CI [.31; .32]; ß=0.191; p=.000). Justice perception has a significant and positive impact on individual performance (95% CI [.32; .47]; ß=.4052; p=.000). Finally, justice perception has a semi-intermediary impact on psychological empowerment and individual performance (ß=.7892) and (95% CI [.1431, .1488]).

Influencer Marketing, EWOM, E-Brand Experience, and Retail E-Brand Loyalty: Moderating Influence of E-Brand Love

This article, through developing a conceptual model, attempts to examine how influencer marketing impacts electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM), consumer E-brand experience, and E-brand loyalty, while considering the moderating influence of E-brand love. The study involved the collection and analysis of 310 questionnaires collected from online retail consumers in Iran. In this study, we employed exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis techniques using a structural equation modeling approach. The research uniquely emphasizes the customer perspective, focusing not only on the outcomes but also on the processes and antecedents that drive E-brand loyalty. The results indicate that influencer marketing has positive influences on EWOM, E-brand experience, and E-brand loyalty. Furthermore, EWOM and E-brand experience exhibit positive effects on E-brand loyalty. Notably, E-brand love plays a moderating role in the relationships between influencer marketing and E-brand loyalty, as well as the relationships between E-brand experience and E-brand loyalty. It is worth mentioning that E-brand love does not moderate the relationship between EWOM and E-brand loyalty. The results help to further comprehend how influencer marketing can successfully improve loyalty in the online realm. However, it is crucial to consider ethical implications in fostering emotional bonds, as unethical practices in this regard can trigger negative outcomes, including "hate" and distrust, particularly across different cultures and contexts. This insight emphasizes the significance of emotional bonds in fostering brand loyalty and proposes that nurturing the link between influencer marketing and E-brand loyalty through brand love, favorable E-brand experiences, and EWOM can result in more robust and lasting connections with consumers. To cultivate E-brand loyalty and love, it’s vital to build trust with influencers, as ethical missteps can have severe repercussions. Hence, it’s important to approach this relationship with careful consideration and awareness.

Reconceptualizing “feeling represented”: A new approach to measure how feelings of political representation are constructed

AbstractIn political representation, the concept of feeling represented has garnered significant attention in recent years. However, the prevailing conceptualization of feeling represented is limited in its scope and has effectively conflated a perception of being represented with feeling represented. We argue that such a conflation undermines our understanding of political representation, especially in the face of the constructivist turn in representation. Constructivist scholars have theoretically elaborated that representation results from a process in which a linkage is created between represented and representative. We argue that feeling represented is an essential part of establishing this representative relationship. By drawing on the recent constructivist turn in representation and applying key insights from psychology, we develop and test a reconceptualization of feeling represented. Through an online survey, American prolific users ($$N=605$$ N = 605 ) were asked a number of questions related to feeling represented after witnessing representative claims by unelected representatives. Through both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, we establish that feeling represented is a multidimensional concept consisting of instrumental, expressive, and aversive dimensions. Thus, feeling represented is a subjective state consisting of clearly emotional components, and it can be measured as a response to unelected representation. Acknowledging this goes beyond the current constructivist account of representation and sets the stage for future research.

The brief scale of existential loneliness: scale development and psychometric evaluation

AbstractLoneliness is a common and distressing experience which has an existential dimension. Existential loneliness is understudied and a brief, valid measure which is grounded in experiences of the phenomenon and captures its distressing nature is needed. This study therefore developed the Brief Scale of Existential Loneliness. Scale items were developed based on a literature review and qualitative inquiry. Potential items were reviewed by academic experts, experts by experience, and potential participants for relevance and clarity. Scale structure was assessed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with 714 participants (17–84 years old, M = 42.25, SD = 20.22) and reliability and validity were investigated. Tests of dimensionality revealed a 6-item unidimensional scale. The scale possesses high internal consistency and construct validity. Consistent with predictions, scale scores are negatively correlated with meaning in life and positively correlated with loneliness (broadly defined), poor mental health, emptiness, and related constructs. The Brief Scale of Existential Loneliness is a short, valid, and reliable measure of existential loneliness which may be usefully employed alongside measures of other loneliness dimensions.

Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Vestibular Migraine Patient Assessment Tool and Handicap Inventory.

There are insufficient tools to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of vestibular migraine. Hence, the aim of this study was to perform the Turkish adaptation of the Vestibular Migraine Patient Assessment Tool and Handicap Inventory (VM-PATHI). After the language and content validity was completed, a pilot study was conducted. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to test construct validity, and as a result of the validity analyses, Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient and test-retest analyses were conducted for reliability. In the study, in which 289 participants were evaluated, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient was calculated as 0.903. The percentage of variance explained by the EFA was 67.246% and the range of factor load change was 0.433-0.828. The scale structure was tested with CFA and the model was confirmed with adequate goodness of fit index values. The Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient of the scale was 0.931. The VM-PATHI is a valid and reliable tool for the subjective evaluation of vestibular migraine in Türkiye.

Development and Validation of the Defending Behavior Scale of Cyberbullying for Adolescents.

In the context of cyberbullying, bystanders engage in a diverse array of defending behaviors, employing a range of strategies tailored to the specific forms of bullying they encounter. These defending behaviors have been demonstrated to effectively mitigate the adverse effects of cyberbullying on victims. This study involved the development of the defending behavior scale of cyberbullying for adolescents and a subsequent assessment of the scale's reliability and validity. Firstly, the structure of defending behavior was explored based on the results of in-depth interviews and previous studies in the literature. The defending behavior scale of cyberbullying for adolescents was then developed, and 550 middle school students were selected for item analysis and exploratory factor analysis. Secondly, 526 middle school students were selected for a series of reliability and validity analyses, including tests of convergent validity, discriminant validity, and structural validity, to assess the reliability and validity of the scale. The final version of the scale comprises 24 items distributed across four dimensions: emotional support, reporting authority, aggressive defending, and problem-solving. The four factors collectively account for 66.26% of the total variance. The internal consistency coefficient α of the scale was 0.92, with the internal consistency coefficients α of the dimensions being 0.88, 0.92, 0.92, 0.92, and 0.87, respectively. The scale demonstrated good convergent validity, discriminant validity, structural validity, and criterion validity. Finally, the scale has measurement equivalence across genders. The defending behavior scale of cyberbullying for adolescents was demonstrated to possess good reliability and validity, to meet the requirements of psychometrics, and to be suitable for use in measuring defending behavior in adolescent cyberbullying.

Psychometric characteristics of the Chinese version of the Pregnancy Exercise Attitudes Scale (C-PEAS)

BackgroundReasonable instruction and promotion of appropriate exercise are crucial to improving the exercise status of pregnant women and safeguarding the health of both mother and fetus. However, there is a lack of validated Pregnancy Exercise Attitude Scales with a complete evaluation system in China. This study aims to assess the validity and reliability of the Pregnancy Exercise Attitude Scale (C-PEAS) in Chinese to give medical professionals a reference for carrying out pregnancy care services and promoting the health of the mother and fetus.MethodsIn this study, the scale was translated, back-translated, and cross-culturally adapted using the Brislin translation model to form the C-PEAS. 528 pregnant women were conveniently selected for the questionnaire survey to evaluate the scale's reliability. The scale's content validity was assessed by the content validity index, while its structural validity was investigated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Cronbach's alpha coefficient, McDonald's omega coefficient, split-half reliability, and retest reliability were used to evaluate the scale's internal consistency.ResultsThe C-PEAS contains two dimensions with 37 entries. The EFA supports a two-factor structure with a cumulative variance contribution of 62.927%. The CFA model was well fitted (χ2/df = 1.597, RMSEA = 0.048, IFI = 0.955, TLI = 0.952, and CFI = 0.955). The C- PEAS' Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.973, and the range of Cronbach's alpha values for the dimensions was 0.976, 0.944. McDonald's omega coefficient was 0.971, the half-point reliability of the scale was 0.856, and the retest reliability was 0.966.ConclusionsThe Chinese version of C-PEAS has good psychometric properties. It can be used as an effective measurement tool to evaluate the attitude of pregnant women to exercise during pregnancy.

Tolerance Evaluation of Some Bread Wheat Genotypes to Water Deficit through Exploratory Factor Analysis

Tolerance Evaluation of Some Bread Wheat Genotypes to Water Deficit through Exploratory Factor Analysis

Unveiling and modelling the impact of safety drivers on the overall success of construction projects in developing countries

The construction industry faces significant risks, leading to high accident rates and injuries, underscoring the urgent need for effective safety implementation. In developing countries, safety implementation is often inadequate, leading to increased incidents and project failures. This study investigates how implementing safety drivers (SDs) can enhance overall project success (OPS) in construction through a five-step process. Initially, systematic searches and scientometric analyses are conducted to review existing literature and establish a foundational understanding. A questionnaire is then distributed to experts in the Egyptian construction sector. The third step involves exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to categorize relevant variables. Following this, partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) tests the proposed conceptual model and analyzes relationships among the variables. The final step employs Fuzzy Synthetic Evaluation (FSE) to rank SDs categories. Findings from PLS-SEM indicate that SDs have a medium to high impact on OPS, accounting for 58.8% of the total influence. The FSE results reveal that the planning and implementation group ranks as the most significant at 3.48 on evaluation matrix. This research contributes to the limited literature on safety in developing countries like Egypt by proposing a novel model that links SDs to OPS, offering practical insights for the construction industry.

Latent factors affecting safer injection practices that can reduce infections and how education can improve them.

The incidence of healthcare-associated infections, particularly injection-related infections, can increase patient comorbidities even in countries with adequate medical resources. Although there are clear guidelines for injection practices to prevent infections, their application in clinical settings is insufficient. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify factors affecting injection practices associated with reduced infections by conducting surveys targeting practicing healthcare providers involved in administering injections at each healthcare organization and performing data analysis. We administered a survey to healthcare providers responsible for injection practices at each healthcare organization that included items related to infection-safe injection practice guidelines. All survey questions were reviewed by an expert panel of infectious disease and infection control nurses. Survey contents were subjected to exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis, and multivariable robust regression tests to determine the impact of each factor and their correlations. A total of 842 questionnaires were analyzed. Each questionnaire was classified into four factors: reuse and contamination, compliance with aseptic technique, exchange of infusion set, and use of multidose vials. Nurses with higher careers showed more compliance. Education within one year and awareness of each item of the questionnaire had positive associations with proper injection practice. Education is thought to be the most important factor in good injection practices that could reduce infections. Relevant knowledge through timely training is expected to have a positive impact on performance and compliance related to safe injections.