Confirmatory Factor Analysis Fit Indices Research Articles

Rasch Validation of the Mini-BESTest in People With Parkinson Disease.

The Mini-BESTest is a balance measure with robust psychometric properties widely used in people with Parkinson disease. The aim of this study was to examine-with advanced psychometric techniques-some key properties of the Mini-BESTest (including unidimensionality, functioning of rating categories, internal construct validity, reliability indexes) in a consecutive sample of individuals with Parkinson disease admitted for balance rehabilitation. Confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis (partial credit model) were performed on 193 individual raw scores of the Mini-BESTest items. Confirmatory factor analysis fit indices and principal component analysis of the residuals confirmed the scale's unidimensionality. At Rasch analysis, the 3-level rating scale demonstrated appropriate functioning. All items fitted the Rasch model. Item response dependence was negligible. No differential item functioning was found across gender and age groups. We confirmed and extended the evidence (demonstrated in different populations) on the general psychometric soundness of the Mini-BESTest, even when tested with rigorous statistical methods. In addition, 2 forms were created: (i) to transform raw scores into linear estimates of dynamic balance; and (ii) to compare the individual's item responses with those expected by the Rasch model (thus providing an aid for tailored interventions) and manage missing responses. Further independent studies using advanced psychometric techniques are warranted, also in people with balance disturbances of different etiology. Our study further increases the confidence in using the Mini-BESTest to assess dynamic balance in people with Parkinson disease and provides some useful additional clinical aids for interpreting the results and calculating more precise change scores.See the Supplementary Video, available at: http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A384.

The Collective Teacher Efficacy Behaviours Scale: A Validity and Reliability Study

The concept of collective efficacy that can be defined as “a belief in their common ability to organize and realize plans to achieve goals” (Bandura, 1997, p. 477) has gained utmost importance in educational contexts. Therefore, there arises an emergent need to develop scales to evaluate teachers’ collective efficacy behaviours. To this end, the present study aimed to develop an instrument to assess collective teacher efficacy behaviours. For this purpose in mind, an item pool was created in line with the related literature and face-to-face interviews with teachers. Two participating groups were included in the study. There was a total of 833 participants, 475 of which were in the first group and 358 in the second group. The preliminary version of The Collective Teacher Efficacy Behaviours Scale (CTEBS), consisted of 26 items. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were employed to test the construct validity of the scale with the available datasets. As a result of the EFA, a two-factored structure, namely social and professional relationship and professional development, was identified with 20 items. The two factors explained 58.798% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the validity of the structure based on the EFA results. It was found that the CFA fit indices were χ2/df=3.174, RMSEA=.076, SRMR=.435, NFI=.902, CFI=.930, IFI=.931, and GFI=.872. The results implied that The Collective Teacher Efficacy Behaviours Scale, consisting of two dimensions and 20 items, was a valid and reliable instrument.

The Validity of the World Health Organization Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Screening Scale for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition in Adolescence.

Objectives: Short, self-report screening measures for adolescent and adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) would greatly enhance the likelihood of ADHD subjects to be correctly diagnosed and treated. This study aimed at testing the reliability, factor structure, convergent validity, external validity, and diagnostic accuracy of the official Italian translation of the ADHD Self-Report Screening Scale for DSM-5 (ASRS-5) in a sample of community-dwelling adolescents, extending previous data on adult participants to adolescent participants. Methods: Five hundred sixty-four community-dwelling male adolescents (mean age ≅15) were administered the ASRS-5, the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale 18-item and 6-item versions (ASRS-18 and ASRS-6), the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS), and the Structured Clinician Interview for DSM-5-Clinician Version ADHD Module (SCID-5-CV-ADHD). School performance variables were also collected. Results: The item response theory (IRT) reliability of ASRS-5 was adequate. Dimensionality analyses strongly supported the unidimensional structure of ASRS-5 items; confirmatory factor analysis fit indices supported the adequacy of the one-factor model of ASRS-5. In terms of convergent validity, the ASRS-5 total score was significantly and positively associated with self-report and interview-based ADHD dimensional scores, as well as with school performance variables. Roughly 8.0% of our male adolescents met SCID-5-CV-ADHD criteria for categorical ADHD diagnosis. Ten-fold cross-validated receiver operating curve value was 0.843; precision-recall curve analysis suggests that an ASRS-5 total score >12 may be preferred for screening purposes in adolescence. Conclusions: Our data showed that the ASRS-5 may represent a psychometrically sound self-report instrument to reliably screen for DSM-5 ADHD, extending the range of application of ASRS-5 from adulthood to adolescence, suggesting that the ASRS-5 could be safely used for screening purposes also in community-dwelling adolescents, at least in its official Italian translation.

Development and validation of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of the Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS-BP).

The object of the study was to translate and validate the Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS) into Brazilian Portuguese. A native Brazilian speaker fluent in English translated the RIBS into Brazilian Portuguese. Comprehensibility and face validity were assessed through discussions with mental health professionals and volunteers recruited from the community. Brazilian Portuguese version of the questionnaire was back-translated into English by another Brazilian researcher fluent in English and the researcher who developed the original RIBS was consulted to check the adequacy of the questionnaire translation, and approved the final translated version. RIBS-BP was administered to 1,357 caregivers from a community-based cohort. Internal consistency and factor loading were assessed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Differential item functioning was examined using Multiple Indicator Multiple Causes for subgroups of gender, socioeconomic status, and caregiver education. To assess external validity, we examined whether responses in RIBS-BP varied among these subgroups, considering respondents’ previous contact with people with mental illness. CFA fit indices were good to excellent (root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.07; 90% confidence interval, CI [0.04, 0.10]; comparative fit index [CFI] = 1.00; Tucker-Lewis Index [TLI] = 1.00). All loadings were above 0.4 (0.73 to 0.89), indicating that intended behavior items are related to the same unidimensional latent factor. In the latent model, higher socioeconomic status was associated with less intended stigma-related behavior (β = 0.20, p <.001), adjusted for education and gender. RIBS-BP has good internal consistency, demonstrate measurement invariance among subgroups, and appears to be a valid measure of stigma, representing a suitable tool to assess reported and intended stigma-related behaviors in Brazil. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

Assessing Functioning across Common Mental Disorders in Psychiatric Emergency Patients: Results from the WHODAS-2.

Assessing global functioning in psychiatric emergency settings is important for clinicians to estimate severity of mental disorders, devise a treatment plan, and assess the evolution of their patients' progression over time. The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule-2.0 (WHODAS-2) measures psychological, social, and professional functioning and is recommended as a standardized instrument of choice for use in psychiatric settings. Yet, studies investigating disability profiles of mental disorders using the WHODAS-2 are scarce, and psychometric properties have not been evaluated in a psychiatric emergency context. We describe and compare WHODAS-2 (12-item version) scores across mental disorders (anxiety, mood, psychotic, personality, and substance abuse) in adults admitted to psychiatric emergency. Data from the Signature Bank were used. Participants admitted to psychiatric emergency completed the WHODAS-2 at admission (n = 1,125). Mental disorders were evaluated by psychiatrists, and WHODAS-2 scores were compared across groups. Psychometric properties were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Higher mean WHODAS-2 scores were reported by those with anxiety, mood, and personality disorders (P < 0.001) compared to other psychopathologies. The measure showed good internal consistency (global score α = 0.88; domain subscores α = 0.59 to 0.85) and acceptable goodness of fit indices in CFA confirming the original structure of WHODAS-2. Findings from this large-scale study could assist clinicians in interpreting WHODAS-2 scores in psychiatric populations and provide a more detailed portrait of disability profiles associated with different clinical diagnoses.

Structural validity of the Brazilian version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index among patients with knee osteoarthritis.

The original structure of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) has been contested in several languages. To assess the structural validity of the Brazilian version of WOMAC among patients with knee osteoarthritis. Structural validity study conducted at physiotherapy clinics and primary healthcare units. The study included males and females aged 40 to 80 years who were all native Brazilian Portuguese speakers, with knee pain in the previous six months and a diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis. We used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with implementation of a polychoric matrix and the robust diagonally weighted least squares (RDWLS) extraction method. The adequacy of the model was assessed using the following fit indices: root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) and chi-square/degree of freedom (DF). 203 patients with knee osteoarthritis were included. The model proposed in this study with two factors, i.e. "pain" (items 1, 2, 3 and 4) and "physical function" (items 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 22), showed adequate fit indices in CFA: chi-square/DF = 1.30; CFI = 0.976; TLI = 0.970; RMSEA = 0.039; and SRMR = 0.070. The factorial loads ranged from 0.68 to 0.76 for the "pain" domain and 0.44 to 0.62 for the "physical function" domain. The Brazilian version of WOMAC with two domains, i.e. "pain" (four items) and "physical function" (eight items), presents the best structure.

Development and Implementation of Societal Influences Survey Questionnaire (SISQ) for Peoples during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Validity and Reliability Analysis.

The emergence of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had rapidly spread since FEB/MAR 2020. Policy to prevent transmission of COVDI-19 resulted in multi-dimensional impact on social interaction. We aimed to develop a beneficial survey tool with favorable quality and availability, the Societal Influences Survey Questionnaire (SISQ), to evaluate social influences on people during this pandemic. The SISQ was developed with 15 items and 4-point Likert scales consisting of five factors. These include social distance, social anxiety, social desirability, social information, and social adaptation. Construct validity and reliability were performed to verify the SISQ. A total of 1912 Taiwanese were recruited. The results demonstrated that the SISQ has acceptable reliability, with Cronbach’s alphas ranging between 0.57 and 0.76. The SISQ accounted for 58.86% and satisfied the requirement of Kaiser–Mayer–Olkinvalues (0.78) and significant Bartlett’s Test of sphericity. Moreover, the confirmatory factor analysis fit indices also indicated the adequacy of the model. As for multiple comparison, females scored higher than males in factor of social distance. Unemployed participants and those without partners scored higher in several domains of factors. The survey method and survey instrument prove reliable and valuable, also providing different categories of assessment results regarding social influences and their impacts. Further studies are warranted to extend the applicability of SISQ.

Cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the Turkish version of the Nonarthritic Hip Score.

The aim of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Nonarthritic Hip Score (NAHS) into Turkish and determine the validity and reliability of the translated version in physically active patients with hip pain. Sixty young to middle-aged and physically active patients (34 women and 26 men; mean age=35 years; age range: 18-40 years) with hip pain were included in the study. The original version of the NAHS was first translated into Turkish and back-translated into English by two bilingual translators each. The back-translated version was compared with the initial English version by a committee of the four translators. The Turkish version was then tested with 15 patients with hip pain and 15 healthy individuals. The participants were asked whether they had difficulties in understanding the questions. Subsequently, the questionnaire was accepted for use in the study population. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. The construct validity was determined via the Pearson correlation coefficient between the NAHS and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), and Short Form-12 (SF-12). Floor and ceiling effects were analyzed. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to test construct validity. An ICC of 0.994 and Cronbach's alpha value of 0.908 were obtained; thus, the Turkish version of the NAHS was reliable. Neither floor nor ceiling effects (15%) were found in the sub-parameters (8.3-1.7%) and the total score (1.7%) of the NAHS. The EFA test showed that this questionnaire had four factors. Model fit indices in CFA were χ2/df=2.23, Tucker-Lewis index=0.90, comparative fit index=0.91, goodness of fit index=0.63, root mean square error of approximation=0.14 (90% CI: 0.12-0.16). The NAHS total score showed an excellent correlation with WOMAC (r=-0.909), mHHS (r=0.850), and SF-12 (r=0.811) scores. The Turkish version of the NAHS is a valid and reliable questionnaire for young and physically active patients with hip pain. Level II, Diagnostic study.

Psychometric Validation of the Chinese Version of the Lymphedema Functioning, Disability, and Health Questionnaire for Upper Limb Lymphedema in Patients With Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema.

Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) has a notable impact on patients' quality of life. However, no instrument is available to assess the problems in functioning due to BCRL in China. The aims of this study were to translate and validate a Chinese version of the Lymphedema Functioning, Disability, and Health Questionnaire for Upper Limb Lymphedema (Lymph-ICF-UL). A process of translation and cultural adaptation was conducted based on international standards. The study included 155 patients with BCRL and 90 patients without lymphedema. Psychometric properties that were tested consisted of internal consistency, test-rest reliability, content, construct and discriminant validity. The Cronbach's α was .92, and intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.83. Content validity was confirmed by a sufficient content validity index in item level and scale level. Exploratory factor analysis identified 5 factors accounting for 62.44% of the total variance, and confirmatory factor analysis fit indices were acceptable. Convergent validity was supported by a moderate correlation with the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey Questionnaire and relatively weak correlations with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30. There was good divergent validity with all hypotheses evaluating divergent validity were confirmed. Significant differences were found between the lymphedema and nonlymphedema groups. The Chinese version of the Lymph-ICF-UL is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used in both clinical and scientific settings in China. The Chinese version of the Lymph-ICF-UL could be applicable in assessing the impairments in function, activity limitations, and participation restrictions of Chinese patients with BCRL.

Assessing Mental Health for China's Police: Psychometric Features of the Self-Rating Depression Scale and Symptom Checklist 90-Revised.

Police mental health is important because police officers usually encounter stressors that cause high levels of stress. In order to better understand mental health for Chinese police, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R) are commonly used in mainland China. Unfortunately, both the SDS and SCL-90-R lack detailed information on their psychometric properties. More specifically, factor structures of the SDS and SCL-90-R have yet to be confirmed among the police population in mainland China. Therefore, the present study compared several factor structures of the SDS and SCL-90-R proposed by prior research and to determine an appropriate structure for the police population. Utilizing cluster sampling, 1151 traffic police officers (1047 males; mean age = 36.6 years [SD = 6.10]) from 49 traffic police units in Jiangxi Province (China) participated in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with Akaike information criterion (AIC) was used to decide the best fit structure. In the SDS, the three-factor model (first posited by Kitamura et al.) had the smallest AIC and outperformed other models. In the SCL-90-R, the eight-factor model had the smallest AIC and outperformed the one-factor and nine-factor models. CFA fit indices also showed that both the three-factor model in the SDS and the eight-factor model in the SCL-90-R had satisfactory fit. The present study’s results support the use of both SDS and SCL-90-R for police officers in mainland China.

Eating behavior tendencies among Finnish adults in relation to previous weight loss attempts

BackgroundThe number of weight loss attempts may be associated with higher weight status and unfavorable health behaviors as well as dysfunctional eating behaviors. We aimed to study eating behavior tendencies, i.e., cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating and emotional eating among a sample of Finnish adults who had engaged in a different number of attempts to lose weight during their lifetime. MethodsData were collected through a web-based survey. Participants completed a background questionnaire (including questions on weight, height, number of attempts to lose weight) and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R18). Out of 1985 individuals, 1679 with complete data were included in the study. The TFEQ-R18 was tested for its reliability and fit to our study population using Cronbach's alpha and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). ResultsSubscales of the TFEQ-R18 had acceptable reliability except for that of ‘cognitive restraint’, which reached acceptable reliability when three items were deleted (items 15, 16, 18). The revised version of the questionnaire was designated as the TFEQ-R15, which showed good fit based on CFA fit indices. Participants who had attempted to lose weight during their lifetime (n = 1229), especially those with ≥3 weight loss attempts (n = 499), had greater cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, emotional eating, and higher body mass index (BMI) than those with no previous weight loss attempts (n = 132). ConclusionsOur findings suggest that eating behavior tendencies, i.e., decreasing tendencies of uncontrolled and emotional eating should receive more emphasis to support successful weight management.

A scale for measuring member commitment and integration in fitness services

This study assesses the reliability and validity of an instrument adapted from the domain of student attrition in higher-education research, for implementation in the field of fitness services management. The study was conducted at a commercial fitness facility based in Dubai, UAE, and comprised 184 subjects. A questionnaire was created by adapting a model with extensive research support in the field of student attrition studies; modifications were based on Delphi technique and subject interviews. Items were measured on a 5-point Likert scale, and the data set was subjected to exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Four factors emerged: goal commitment; institutional commitment; social integration; institutional integration. CFA fit indices indicated good model fit, and all factors had strong Cronbach alpha coefficients. The instrument displayed robust psychometric properties/factor-loading invariance, and can be used to measure commitment and integration constructs in commercial fitness-club settings.

Validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Abuse Short Form.

BACKGROUND AND AIM:Measuring child abuse and adverse experiences is a critical task with regard to its long-term impact on the health of individuals and communities. The purpose of this study was to validate the Persian version of the International Adverse Childhood Experiences Abuse Short Form (ACE-ASF) in Iranian society.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This cross-sectional study was conducted in Kerman, southeast of Iran, in 2019, on 494 students from Kerman University of Medical Sciences, selected by convenience sampling method. Psychometric properties of the questionnaire were examined after the forward and backward translation processes. The factor structure of the questionnaire was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The concurrent validity of the questionnaire was assessed using the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ). Cronbach's alpha and corrected item-total correlation were used to measure reliability.RESULTS:The mean age of participants was 24.3 ± 5.3 years. Based on EFA, two physical–emotional abuse and sexual abuse factors were obtained. The CFA fit indices well supported two extracted factors. The CFA showed acceptable factor loadings. The internal consistency coefficient of Cronbach's alpha was 0.75 for the physical–emotional abuse factor and 0.77 for the sexual abuse factor. The correlation coefficient of ACE-ASF and CTQ was r = 0.56. The reliability index of intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.73 (95% confidence interval: 0.60–0.84).CONCLUSION:The Persian version of the ACE-ASF questionnaire has acceptable psychometric properties.

A scale for measuring member commitment and integration in fitness services

This study assesses the reliability and validity of an instrument adapted from the domain of student attrition in higher-education research, for implementation in the field of fitness services management. The study was conducted at a commercial fitness facility based in Dubai, UAE, and comprised 184 subjects. A questionnaire was created by adapting a model with extensive research support in the field of student attrition studies; modifications were based on Delphi technique and subject interviews. Items were measured on a 5-point Likert scale, and the data set was subjected to exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Four factors emerged: goal commitment; institutional commitment; social integration; institutional integration. CFA fit indices indicated good model fit, and all factors had strong Cronbach alpha coefficients. The instrument displayed robust psychometric properties/factor-loading invariance, and can be used to measure commitment and integration constructs in commercial fitness-club settings.

Person-Fit as an Index of Inattentive Responding: A Comparison of Methods Using Polytomous Survey Data

Self-report measures are vulnerable to response biases that can degrade the accuracy of conclusions drawn from results. In low-stakes measures, inattentive or careless responding can be especially problematic. A variety of a priori and post hoc methods exist for detecting these aberrant response patterns. Previous research indicates that nonparametric person-fit statistics tend to be the most accurate post hoc method for detecting inattentive responding on measures with dichotomous outcomes. This study investigated the accuracy and impact on model fit of parametric and nonparametric person-fit statistics in detecting inattentive responding with polytomous response scales. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis was used to determine the accuracy of each detection metric, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) fit indices were used to examine the impact of using person-fit statistics to identify inattentive respondents. ROC analysis showed the nonparametric H T statistic offered the most area under the curve when predicting a proxy for inattentive responding. The CFA fit indices showed the impact of using the person-fit statistics largely depends on the purpose (and cutoff) for using the person-fit statistics. Implications for using person-fit statistics to identify inattentive responders are discussed further.

Preliminary psychometric properties of the Everyday Psychological Inflexibility Checklist

This paper provides preliminary data on a new questionnaire known as the Everyday Psychological Inflexibility Checklist (EPIC). Contextual Behavioural Science seeks to have application to human behaviour generally, not just to “psychopathology” in isolation. The field also aspires to meet some wider challenges of the human condition such as poverty, inequality, climate change and environmental destruction. It is possible that current measures, such as the AAQ-II, are not ideally suited to these wider challenges and more general measures of psychological inflexibility with different item wording may be a useful addition. As such, an initial item pool was devised which described how an individual might deal with private internal events and social interactions in a psychologically inflexible way. In the first study, data from this item pool was entered into exploratory factor analysis (EFA). This resulted in a ten item measure spread over two factors. One further item was added to bolster the second factor. In a second study, a small number of items underwent slight word changes and both old and revised versions of the measure went through further EFA. In the third study, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out across three separate samples and a number of items were deleted, leaving seven items. The final measure produced a relativity good set of CFA fit indices. To begin to establish the contribution of the EPIC, the final study explores relationships between the EPIC, the AAQ-II and a small number of broadly prosocial measures. The discussion explores a number of issues pertinent to the current and future development of this and other measures.

Measuring Diversity and Inclusion in Academic Medicine: The Diversity Engagement Survey.

To produce a physician and scientific workforce that advances high-quality research and culturally competent care, academic medical centers (AMCs) must assess their capacity for diversity and inclusion and leverage opportunities for improvement. The Diversity Engagement Survey (DES) is presented as a diagnostic and benchmarking tool. The 22-item DES consists of eight factors that connect engagement theory to inclusion and diversity constructs. It was piloted at 1 AMC and then administered at 13 additional U.S. AMCs in 2011-2012. Face and content validity were assessed through a review panel. Cronbach alpha was used to assess internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to establish construct validity. Cluster analysis was conducted to establish ability of the DES to distinguish between institutions' degrees of engagement and inclusion. Criterion validity was established using observed differences in scores for demographic groups as suggested by the literature. The sample included 13,694 respondents across 14 AMCs. Cronbach alphas for the engagement and inclusion factors (range: 0.68-0.85), CFA fit indices, and item correlations with latent constructs indicated an acceptable model fit and that items measured the intended concepts. Cluster analysis of DES scores distinguished institutions with higher, middle, and lower degrees of engagement and inclusion by their respondents. Consistent with the literature, black, Hispanic/Latino, female, and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) respondents reported lower degrees of engagement than their counterparts. The DES is a reliable and valid instrument for assessment, evaluation, and external benchmarking of institutional engagement and inclusion.

La Escala de Control Intencional para adultos: propiedades psicométricas de la versión catalana y sus relaciones con la regulación emocional cognitiva.

The goals of this study were (a) to examine the psychometric properties of a Catalan version of the Effortful control scale of the Adult Temperament Questionnaire short-form and (b) to analyze the relation-ships among effortful control (EC), negative affectivity (NA), and the use of negative cognitive emotion regulation (ER) strategies. In a sample of 353 college students, the instrument presents acceptable internal consis-tency, temporal stability and convergent validity; however, in general, psy-chometric properties are poorer than those reported for other versions. Confirmatory factor analysis fit indices revealed an overall poor fit for the three-factor theoretical model. Additionally, it has been found that the proneness to engage in negative cognitive ER strategies was mainly related with exhibiting high NA. Further, although such tendencies were also in-fluenced by EC capabilities, data did not show EC moderating the relation-ships among NA, anxiety, and the use of negative cognitive ER strategies

Greek pre-service physical education teachers' beliefs about curricular orientations: Instrument validation and examination of four important goals

Background: The way people interpret reality is influenced by their mental constructions, their cognitive abilities and their beliefs. Physical Education (PE) students have a wide range of formed beliefs concerning the purposes of PE, which cannot be easily modified, even during undergraduate studies. Objective: This study validated the scores from a previously constructed questionnaire and investigated the Physical Education students' belief systems toward the Greek curricular outcome goals. Methods: Students (N&#x202F;=&#x202F;483; males&#x202F;=&#x202F;259, females&#x202F;=&#x202F;224) from a Greek Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science shared their beliefs about curricular outcomes. They completed the Greek version of the four factor instrument "Attitudes/beliefs toward curriculum in physical education". A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted for the validation of the instrument and MANOVAs followed in order to control for group differences. Finally, a profile analysis was run in order to determine if PE students considered each goal to be equally important. Results: The validation of the instrument confirmed the proposed four factors dependant model. Both internal consistency and the confirmatory factor analysis fit indices produced valid and reliable scores. The profile analysis was significant, indicating that students did not view the outcome goals as equally important. The leading goal was physical activity and fitness, followed by self-actualization, social development and motor skill development. MANOVA results for comparisons between sub-groups revealed significant differences only between genders. Conclusions: Between groups similarities and differences are discussed, focusing on the classification of the four important outcome goals. Currently, Greek Physical Education students consider physical activity and fitness outcome goal as the most important, while motor skill development is considered the least important one.

Development and validation of nature of science instrument for elementary school students

The purposes of this study were to develop and validate an instrument for assessing elementary students’ nature of science (NOS) views and to explain the elementary school students’ NOS views, in terms of varying grade levels and gender. The sample included 782 students enrolled in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Exploratory factor analysis factor structures and confirmatory factor analysis fit indices confirmed the existence of the hypothesised four dimensions in the structure of the nature of science instrument (NOSI). These dimensions and associated Cronbach α reliabilities of scores were observation and inferences (0.74), tentative NOS (0.76), imagination and creativity (0.80), and empirical NOS (0.63). Descriptive analyses revealed that the most favourable NOS views were obtained for the empirical nature of scientific knowledge. The students were uncertain about NOS views related to tentative NOS and imagination and creativity. The least favourable NOS views were obtained for observation and inferences.