High Factor Loadings Research Articles

EXPLORATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS OF THE COMFORT ASSESSMENT IN DYING WITH DEMENTIA SCALE

Abstract The 14-item Comfort Assessment in Dying with Dementia (CAD-EOLD) scale is a widely used instrument measuring end-of-life care for people with dementia (PWD). The instrument has been used to evaluate symptom burden among PWD in nursing homes, but the measurement properties are less studied for symptoms reported by family and staff caregivers. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis to evaluate the psychometric properties of the scale using staff and family (N=476) responses to CAD-EOLD at the baseline of an NIH-funded clinical trial. Subjects were long-stay nursing home residents with moderate-to-severe cognitive impairment in Indiana and Maryland. Staff (n=368) and family members (n=108) completed the CAD-EOLD, describing participating residents. We performed separate exploratory factor analyses on family and staff responses. Family and staff data showed similar clustering patterns. Restlessness, anxiety, fear, crying, and moaning had high factor loadings in the first cluster, interpreted as “Physical and Psychological Distress” (loading range = 0.47–0.91). Choking, gurgling, and difficulty swallowing had high loadings in the second cluster that depicted “Dying Symptoms” (loading range = 0.62–1.15). Serenity, calm, and peace had high loadings in the third factor on “Well-Being” (loading range = 0.72–0.93). Three “Physical Distress” items (i.e., discomfort, pain, and shortness of breath) cross-loaded with “Dying Symptoms.” Accordingly, “Physical and Psychological Distress,” “Dying Symptoms,” and “Well-Being” represented important but separate dimensions for measuring end-of-life experiences of PWD. Findings demonstrated favorable construct validity of CAD-EOLD in PWD with moderate-to-severe cognitive impairment in nursing homes, as reported by staff and family caregivers.

On ecologically-safe high-speed vehicles: Conceptual design study of the next generation supersonic transport

Space-age technology makes it possible to travel faster than the speed of sound from one continent to another one or even to make suborbital flight as a space tourism. The existing technology challenge is to bring this innovative way of travel without damaging the environment to ensure human safety and to preserve environment balance. The sonic boom issue is one of the concerns when flying faster than sound. The issue must be taking into account at the stage of developing environmentally friendly high-speed vehicle. The next generation supersonic transport is fundamentally different from subsonic medium- and long-range aircraft in a breakthrough feature: it ensures a long-term supersonic cruise flight in the range of Mach numbers 1.6–1.8. For a successful implementation of the civil supersonic project at a new stage of technology development, it is necessary to solve a number of scientific and technical problems. In the present paper some of them are under discussion. In particular, the addressed issues are as follows: how to achieve a high level of aerodynamic efficiency at supersonic cruise along with low sonic boom; how to fit into low noise requirements at take-off and landing modes of supersonic aircraft with a moderate-bypass-ratio engine; how to implement a wing with high load factor and fuselage with long nose part to fit into required airframe structural stiffness, etc. Also, new technology approaches in multidisciplinary optimization task to achieve aircraft design goals of low drag, low boom and low noise characteristics are discussed. A few examples of optimal supersonic aircraft configurations along with passenger cabin are given. The paper was presented at the X-th IAA Symposium “Space Flight Safety” in St.-Petersburg on June 2023.

ANALYZING THE COMPENSATION AND ITS EFFECT ON LECTURERS’ JOB SATISFACTION

One factor that significantly affects job satisfaction among lecturers is compensation. Compensation is categorized into three dimensions, such as direct financial, indirect financial, and non-financial. This research is descriptive-verification type, and the approach used is explanatory survey. The objective of this research is to determine the effect of compensation on job satisfaction. The sampling technique used cluster sampling proportionally at five private colleges in Bogor, which led to a total sample size of 233 respondents, including Head Lectors, Lectors, and Assistant Lectors. Descriptive and quantitative analysis was conducted based on primary data obtained from field respondents, and hypothesis testing was conducted using SEM-Lisrel 8.8 method. The results indicated that the t-statistic value was greater than the t-value (t-statistic > 1.64), and the highest loading factor was found on the non-financial compensation variable (NFIN) which had a loading factor of 1.00 with a standard factor loading (SFL) of 0.5. It indicated that compensation has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction of lecturers in private colleges in Bogor. From the 3 dimensions that affect lecturer compensation, the non-financial dimension is the dominant dimension in forming the compensation variable construct by contributing the highest standard loading factor value.

Translation and Validation Testing of the Constipation-Related Quality of Life Scale for Use in Japan.

Introduction Establishing a scale that can easily be used to appropriately measure the impact of constipation on the quality of life in Japan is a first step toward addressing this important health issue. We developed a Japanese language version of the Constipation-Related Quality of Life scale, which has 18 items and four subscales, and then subjected it to validation testing. Methods After translation according to a standardized and commonly used procedure, the Japanese version of the Constipation-Related Quality of Life scale was administered to people in an internet-based panel, in March 2023. The participants included 1,276 adults who had constipation (median age: 60 years, 690 {54.1%} males). The outcome measures included the Constipation-Related Quality of Life scale, the Constipation Scoring System (an index of constipation severity), and the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) eight-item short form (a measure of generic health-related quality of life). Results Confirmatory factor analysis (four-factor model) indicated that all 18 Constipation-Related Quality of Life items had sufficiently high factor loadings (0.686-0.926). Internal consistency reliability was high (Cronbach's alpha: 0.86-0.94). Scores on the social impairment subscale and on the distress subscale of the Constipation-Related Quality of Life scale were significantly worse in the participants who had worse scores on the social functioning and mental health domains, respectively, of the MOS eight-item short form, which indicates good concurrent validity. Regarding criterion-based validity, the four subscale scores differed significantly among the four constipation-severity groups. The four subscale scores were also 1.16-4.53 times more sensitive than the MOS eight-item short form's mental component score to differences among the four constipation-severity groups (relative validity: 1.16-4.53), which indicates good discriminant validity. Conclusion The Japanese version of the Constipation-Related Quality of Life scale can be used with confidence in its factor structure, its concurrent, criterion-based, and discriminant validity, and its internal consistency reliability.

1 Executive Functioning and Anxiety/Depressive Symptoms as Mediators Between ADHD and Quality of Life: A 10-year Longitudinal Study

Objective:Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with impaired executive functioning and anxiety/depressive symptoms, which may contribute to reduced quality of life. We tested the hypotheses that (1) a childhood diagnosis of ADHD is related to reduced quality of life in emerging adulthood and that (2) this relationship is mediated by impaired executive functioning and anxiety/depressive symptoms.Participants and Methods:We assessed 85 children and adolescents with ADHD and 50 typically developing peers at baseline (Mean age = 11.6 years, 58% males), two-year follow-up, and 10-year follow-up with neuropsychological tests of executive functioning, the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ), and the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale, second edition (RCMAS-2), as well as the Perceived Quality of Life scale (PQoL) at the 10-year follow-up. Four neuropsychological tests of executive functioning, the Letter-Number Sequencing test (working memory), the Color-Word Interference test condition 3 (response inhibition), the Color-Word Interference test condition 4 (shifting), and the trail making test condition 4 (cognitive flexibility) were combined into a neuropsychological executive functioning composite score based on high factor loadings (> .73). the parent-reported BRIEF indexes, the behavioral regulation index, and the metacognition index were used as measures of everyday executive functioning. We conducted independent samples t-tests to compare the groups and simple and parallel mediation analyses with full information maximum likelihood estimation to examine whether the different executive functioning measures and anxiety/depressive symptoms at two-year follow-up mediated the relationship between baseline ADHD and self-reported quality of life at 10-year follow-up.Results:Baseline ADHD was associated with more difficulties with executive functioning on a composite measure of neuropsychological tests (p < .001, Hedges g = .79) and parent-reported everyday metacognitive (p < .001, Hedges g = 2.37) and behavioral regulation executive functioning (p < .001, Hedges g = 1.55), as well as self-reported anxiety (p < .001, Hedges g = 1.05) and depressive symptoms (p < .001, Hedges g = 1.00) at two-year follow-up. Baseline ADHD was associated with lower self-reported quality of life (p = .001, Hedges g = -.67) at 10-year follow-up. The mediation analysis showed that everyday metacognitive executive functioning (p = .011, ß = -.497) and an anxiety/depressive symptoms composite (p < .001, ß = -.404) parallelly mediated the relationship between ADHD and quality of life.Conclusions:Impaired everyday executive functioning and anxiety/depressive symptoms may represent two distinct pathways to reduced quality of life in emerging adults with a childhood diagnosis of ADHD. These findings stress the importance of targeting both cognitive and emotional aspects in interventions for children and adolescents with ADHD to improve later quality of life.

Two-Way Linear Probing Revisited

Linear probing continues to be one of the best practical hashing algorithms due to its good average performance, efficiency, and simplicity of implementation. However, the worst-case performance of linear probing seems to degrade with high load factors due to a primary-clustering tendency of one collision to cause more nearby collisions. It is known that the maximum cluster size produced by linear probing, and hence the length of the longest probe sequence needed to insert or search for a key in a hash table of size n, is Ω(logn), in probability. In this article, we introduce linear probing hashing schemes that employ two linear probe sequences to find empty cells for the keys. Our results show that two-way linear probing is a promising alternative to linear probing for hash tables. We show that two-way linear probing has an asymptotically almost surely O(loglogn) maximum cluster size when the load factor is constant. Matching lower bounds on the maximum cluster size produced by any two-way linear probing algorithm are obtained as well. Our analysis is based on a novel approach that uses the multiple-choice paradigm and witness trees.

Health Implications of Lemna Dumpsite in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria

Lemna solid waste dumpsites is found within cities of Calabar and due to poor and ineffective management, the dumpsites turn to sources of serious concern to the people living in the vicinity of the site. Polluted air, leachate release from the site to the ground water, activities of scavengers in the site, bad odour, incubation and proliferation of flies, mosquitoes, and rodents; that, in turn, are disease transmitters with their effect on population’s health, has its organic defenses in a formative and creative state. This study therefore sought to evaluate the health implication of Lemna dumpsite in Calabar on the residents living around the site. Data were collected from 309 household heads, through the use of self- administered questionnaires. Households’ heads were selected through the use of simple random sampling technique. Data collected were subjected to analysis using principal component factor analysis. Result shows that cardiovascular diseases, birth defects, immune system defects, weakening of lungs functions, lung cancer, kidney problems, liver disease, skin cancer, stomach infections, liver failure, kidney failure and polio have the highest loading in factor one meaning that there are not prevalence in the study area although there are in existence as seen from the communalities loadings. Whereas, typhoid, cholera, dysentery, malaria and stomach ulcer were the prevalence sickness in the environment because they have the highest factor loadings in factor two. On the severity if such sickness in the study area, it was seen that households only visit hospital often due to the following health condition; birth defects, immune system defects, kidney problems, liver disease, skin cancer, stomach infections, cholera, malaria, dysentery, stomach, ulcer, and typhoid because the above mentioned sicknesses have the highest loadings in factor one (often visit hospital). Conversely, cardiovascular disease, weakening of lungs functions, lung cancer, liver failure, kidney failure and polio have highest factor loading in factor two, meaning that although there is occurrence of this sicknesses in the study area, households rarely visit hospital because of such health condition. Therefore, the study recommends recycling of solid waste, waste to energy incineration, anaerobic digestion, compositing/organic waste recycling, and advanced technologies as waste management control should be encourage in Calabar instead of the use of dumpsite.

Gamification to Improve Medication Adherence: A Mixed-method Usability Study for MedScrab.

Medication non-adherence is a prevalent healthcare problem with poor health outcomes and added healthcare costs. MedScrab, a gamification-based mHealth app, is the first attempt to deliver crucial life-saving medication information to patients and increase their medication adherence. The paper presents the development of MedScrab and a two-phase mixed-method usability evaluation of MedScrab. Phase I qualitatively evaluated MedScrab using a think-aloud protocol for its usability. With 51 participants, qualitative data analysis of Phase I revealed two themes: positive functionality of the app and four areas of improvement. The improvement recommendations were incorporated into MedScrab's design. Phase I also validated a widely used mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ). Quantitative data analysis of Phase I reduced the original 18-item MAUQ scale to a 15-item scale with two factors: ease of use (4 items) and usefulness and satisfaction (11 items). Phase II surveyed 83 participants from Amazon's Mechanical Turk using a modified MAUQ. The modified MAUQ scale showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.959) and high factor loadings (between 0.623 and 0.987). The study design of the usability evaluation can serve as a methodological guide for designing, evaluating, and improving mHealth apps.The usability study showed that MedScrab was perceived as ease of use (6.24 out of 7) with high usefulness and satisfaction (5.72 out of 7). The quantitative data analysis results support the use of the modified MAUQ as a valid instrument to measure the usability of the MedScrab. However, the instrument should be used with adaptation based on the app's characteristics.

ESH: Design and Implementation of an Optimal Hashing Scheme for Persistent Memory

Recent advancements in memory technology have opened up a wealth of possibilities for innovation in data structures. The emergence of byte-addressable persistent memory (PM) with its impressive capacity and low latency has accelerated the adoption of PM in existing hashing-based indexes. As a result, several new hashing schemes utilizing emulators have been proposed. However, these schemes have proven to be suboptimal, lacking scalability when implemented on real devices. Only a handful of hash table designs have successfully addressed critical properties such as load factor, scalability, efficient memory utilization, and recovery. One of the main challenges in redesigning data structures for an effective hashing scheme in PM is minimizing the overhead associated with dynamic hashing operations in the hash table. To tackle this challenge, this paper introduces ESH, an efficient and scalable hashing scheme that significantly improves memory efficiency, scalability, and overall performance on PM. The ESH scheme maximizes the utilization of the hash table’s available space, thus reducing the frequency of full-table rehashing and improving performance. Consequently, this scheme achieves a high load factor while minimizing the need for rehashing. To evaluate the effectiveness of the ESH scheme, we compare it to widely used dynamic hashing schemes employing similar techniques on Intel Optane® DC persistent memory (DCPMM). The experimental results demonstrate that ESH outperforms CCEH and Dash in terms of data insertion performance, exhibiting a 30% improvement over CCEH and a 4% improvement over Dash. Furthermore, ESH improves the lookup operation by nearly 10% compared to Dash, while achieving a load factor of up to 91%, surpassing its competitors.

Which virtual education methods do e‑students prefer? Design and validation of Virtual Education Preferences Questionnaire (VEPQ)

BackgroundWith the prevalence of new technologies and evolving student learning styles, virtual teaching methods have become increasingly popular. As a result, more and more students are opting to learn online. However, one common concern is that they may feel disconnected from their teachers, leading to feelings of loneliness and doubts about the quality of education they are receiving. To address this issue, a study was conducted to gather data on students' preferences for virtual education and to validate a tool for measuring students' preferences for virtual education.MethodsThe research was conducted in a mixed method with a quantitative–qualitative sequence. A virtual education preferences questionnaire (VEPQ) for students with a total of 17 items was created and validated as part of the qualitative component by looking at the theoretical underpinnings and experts' opinions in the focus group. The scale of the six-point Likert questionnaire was from very high to very low. To validate the tool and determine preferences, exploratory factor analysis was used. A total of 155 samples answered the questions and the data were analyzed using SPSS-24 software.ResultsA total of 155 complete questionnaires were returned; among them, 110 (71%) were filled out by women, 73 (47.1%) by respondents between the ages of 36 and 45, 107 (69%) were already employed in paramedical fields, and 48 (31%) were enrolled in a medical school. The opinions of ten experts were used to confirm the face validity of the questionnaire. With CVI = 0.924 and CVR = 0.805, content validity was verified. Using the internal consistency method of the questions with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of R = 0.824, the validity of the entire questionnaire was confirmed. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that a total of five components—self-directed projects (29.58%), e-content (13.00%), online presentation (10.97%), face-to-face interactions (9.12%), and text interactions (7.11%) had the highest load, with a total of 69.77% of the structure explaining virtual education preferences. The factor analysis test and the suitability of the sample are both confirmed by the value of KMO = 0.721 and the significance of Pvalue < 0.001.ConclusionIt appears that the highly valid tool developed can be used to ascertain the educational preferences of students. Also, the high factor load of self-directed educational methods and e-content shows that independence and flexibility in time and place are more important for students.

The Psychometric Properties of the Adlerian Courage Scale in a Sample of Turkish Adolescents

Courage has received considerable attention in recent years. However, courage research has been limited due to a lack of appropriate measurement tools for adolescents. In this field, there is a measurement tool for courage from an Adlerian perspective for adults, but it is lacking for adolescents. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Adlerian Courage Scale – Adolescents Form within an adolescent sample in Türkiye. The scale was administered to 618 Turkish adolescents aged between 14-18. The confirmatory factor analysis results indicated that the scale's one-dimensional structure was confirmed with high factor loadings for the items. Additionally, the internal reliability coefficient (α = .93) and test-retest reliability score (.95) illustrated that the items of the scale were reliable. Overall, considering reliability and validity results, the findings suggested that Adlerian Courage Scale – Adolescent Form is a valid and reliable measure to investigate the concept of courage in the context of positive psychology within the Turkish adolescent context.

THE IMPACT OF TOURISM ON THE ECONOMIC, SOCIO-CULTURAL, AND ENVIRONMENT IN OSING TOURISM VILLAGE KEMIREN BANYUWANGI

Kemiren Osing Traditional Tourism Village, located in Banyuwangi City, has experienced significant growth in recent years. This development has impacted the local community, spanning economic, socio-cultural, and environmental dimensions. The primary objective of this study was to assess these impacts from the residents' perspective. A survey involving 141 household heads selected through a simple random sampling method was conducted. The data collected were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. It was found that tourism has had a substantial economic impact on the community, primarily by increasing business opportunities (X1.3), with a high loading factor score of 0.822. Furthermore, tourism has influenced the socio-cultural aspect by stimulating demand for arts and culture, as indicated by a loading factor score of 0.799 based on X2.1. Additionally, tourism has contributed to environmental awareness, with the highest loading factor score of 0.885, emphasizing the importance of cleanliness. This research underscores the importance of enhancing the quality of tourism activities to maximize benefits for the local community. It also highlights the need for stringent regulations to prevent conflicts related to economics, socio-culture, and the environment between investors and residents.

Socio-demographic characteristics and dietary pattern of community-dwelling adults in Abia State, Nigeria.

Identification of dietary patterns and their association with socio-demographic factors. Community-based cross-sectional study design. Urban and rural communities in Abia State, Nigeria. Eight hundred and sixty-eight (868) male and female adults aged 20 to 59 years. Identification of Dietary patterns (DP) by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based on the consumption of 10 food groups, assessed using a 7-day qualitative food frequency questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses evaluated the association between identified patterns and socio-economic factors. Two dietary patterns 'traditional and convenience DPs were identified, explaining 52% of the total variance. The traditional DP was loaded with starchy staples, vegetable soups/sauces, and animal proteins. The convenience DP was characterised by high factor loading of processed cereals, carbonated drinks and alcoholic beverages. Larger households (>3) had lower odds of adhering to high traditional DP [AOR =0.633; 95% CI (0.429-0.934); p = 0.021]. Females [AOR =1.586; 95% CI (1.104-2.279); p = 0.013] and middle-aged adults (AOR = 1.750; 95% CI (1.075-2.848);p = 0.024] were more likely to adhere to the convenience DP, whereas, the odds of adhering to the convenience pattern was lower among adults residing in rural areas [AOR =0.3161.586; 95% CI (0.219-0.456); p = 0.001]. Socio-economic variables (age, gender, household size and place of residence) were associated with dietary patterns among community dwellers in Nigeria. None declared.

Measuring disrespect and abuse during childbirth in a high-resource country: Development and validation of a German self-report tool

IntroductionIncreasing evidence on disrespect and abuse during childbirth has led to growing concern about the quality of care childbearing women are experiencing. To provide quantitative evidence of disrespect and abuse during childbirth services in Germany a validated measurement tool is needed. Research aimThe aim of this research project was the development and psychometric validation of a survey tool in the German language that measures disrespect and abuse of women during childbirth. MethodsA survey tool was created including the following measures: German adaptations of the short and long form of the “Mothers on Respect” (MOR) index (MOR-7 and MOR-G); the “Mothers’ Autonomy in Decision Making” (MADM) scale; a mistreatment-index (MIST-I) comprising indicators of mistreatment during childbirth; and a set of items that measure experiences of discrimination during maternity care. Internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the scales were assessed using Cronbach's alpha, unweighted least squares factor analysis and non-parametric correlation analysis with a scale that measures a related construct, the Posttraumatic Symptom Scale – Self Report (PSS-SR) scale. We distributed the survey online, recruiting through snowball sampling via social media. A selection bias towards women who had experienced disrespect and abuse during their birth was intended and expedient for tool validation. The final sample of participants (n = 2045) had given birth in Germany between 2009 and 2018. FindingsMore than 77% of the study participants reported at least one form of mistreatment with non-consented care being the most commonly reported type of mistreatment, followed by physical violence, violation of physical privacy, verbal abuse and neglect. All included scales showed good psychometric properties with high Cronbach's alphas (0.95 for both MOR versions and 0.96 for MADM). Factor analysis generated one factor scales with high factor loadings (0.75 to 0.92 for MOR-7; 0.37 to 0.90 for MOR-G and 0.83 to 0.92 for MADM). MOR-7, MOR-G, MADM and MIST-I scores were significantly (p<0.001) correlated with PSS-SR scores (Spearman's rho -0.70, -0.61 and 0.68 for MOR-G, MADM and the MIST-I, respectively). ConclusionsThis study presents a valid and reliable instrument for the quantitative assessment of disrespect and abuse during childbirth in Germany. Childbearing women's experiences of disrespect and abuse are a relevant phenomenon in German hospital based maternity care. Disrespect and abuse during childbirth appear to contribute to post-traumatic symptoms and may be associated with severe mental health problems postpartum.

A multivariate approach to understanding the genetic overlap between externalizing phenotypes and substance use disorders.

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are phenotypically and genetically correlated with each other and with other psychological traits characterized by behavioural under-control, termed externalizing phenotypes. In this study, we used genomic structural equation modelling to explore the shared genetic architecture among six externalizing phenotypes and four SUDs used in two previous multivariate genome-wide association studies of an externalizing and an addiction risk factor, respectively. We first evaluated five confirmatory factor analytic models, including a common factor model, alternative parameterizations of two-factor structures and a bifactor model. We next explored the genetic correlations between factors identified in these models and other relevant psychological traits. Finally, we quantified the degree of polygenic overlap between externalizing and addiction risk using MiXeR. We found that the common and two-factor structures provided the best fit to the data, evidenced by high factor loadings, good factor reliability and no evidence of concerning model characteristics. The two-factor models yielded high genetic correlations between factors (rg s≥ 0.87), and between the effect sizes of genetic correlations with external traits (rg ≥ 0.95). Nevertheless, 21 of the 84 correlations with external criteria showed small, significant differences between externalizing and addiction risk factors. MiXer results showed that approximately 81% of influential externalizing variants were shared with addiction risk, whereas addiction risk shared 56% of its influential variants with externalizing. These results suggest that externalizing and addiction genetic risk are largely shared, though both constructs also retain meaningful unshared genetic variance. These results can inform future efforts to identify specific genetic influences on externalizing and SUDs.

Validation of a modified Chinese-language version of the Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (MCL-DACOBS) in a sample of Chinese patients with schizophrenia.

The Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS) is widely used to assess cognitive biases in patients who have schizophrenia. However, the lack of a modified Chinese-language version of the DACOBS (MCL-DACOBS) precludes Chinese schizophrenic patients from treatment aimed at normalizing cognitive biases, impacting their prognosis. Here, we aimed to produce a DACOBS for China and test the validity and reliability of the resultant MCL-DACOBS. Eighteen researchers collaborated to develop the MCL-DACOBS: A total of 15 researchers modified and translated the English version of the DACOBS, 1 native-English-speaking researcher back-translated the scale, and 2 Chinese sinologists localized and optimized the language of the MCL-DACOBS. Forty-two volunteers checked the scale items' comprehensibility, and the two sinologists performed further localization and optimization based on their feedback. The final version of the MCL-DACOBS used in this study was thus derived from the harmonized English-language version of the scale. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were used to examine the best latent structure of the MCL-DACOBS. Cronbach's α and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to check the reliability. The discriminative ability of the MCL-DACOBS was assessed according to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. The CFA showed that all items loaded onto factors with loadings >0.400. A two-factor structure showed a good model fit (root mean square error of approximation=.018, Tucker-Lewis index=.978, comparative fit index=.984). Promax rotation demonstrated that each item had a high factor load (0.432-0.774). Cronbach's α coefficient and ICC for the MCL-DOCABS were .965 and .957, respectively, indicating that the scale has ideal reliability. The MCL-DACOBS has good validity and good reliability, and its psychometric properties indicate that it is a valid tool for measuring cognitive biases in Chinese patients with schizophrenia.

Development and validation of Unsuccessful Disengagement Aging Scale (UDAS) for older adults

The present study aimed to develop a precise and reliable measure of unsuccessful disengagement among older adults, defined as involuntary withdrawal from societal roles and norms due to familial or societal pressure, resulting in the transfer of responsibilities to the younger generation. High scores on the Unsuccessful Disengagement Aging Scale (UDAS) were indicative of a greater degree of unsuccessful disengagement. The study was conducted in two parts: Study I involved a purposive sample of 200 participants, whereas Study II involved a purposive sample of 500 occupationally retired older adults aged between 65 and 85 years. The constructs of the study were measured using the UDAS, Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale, and Identity and Experiences Scale. In Study I, the UDAS was subjected to an Exploratory Factor Analysis, which revealed a clear four-factor solution with high factor loadings and internally consistent factors. This factor structure was confirmed through Confirmatory Factor Analysis in Study II. Construct validity was established through the UDAS’s significant positive correlation with depression and non-significant correlation with assimilation identity style. Furthermore, the mean UDAS score of older adults suffering from chronic physical ailments such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiac problems, hepatitis, ulcers, liver problems, arthritis, and joint pain was significantly higher than that of healthy older adults, indicating the concurrent validity of the UDAS in distinguishing between ill and healthy older adults. Overall, the results indicated that the UDAS was a reliable and valid instrument for measuring unsuccessful disengagement in older adults.

Psychometric Properties of the Brief Resilience Scale Among Alternative Sexuality Community Members.

Assessing resilience among alternative sexuality (alt-sex; e.g., kink, polyamory) community members is imperative as alt-sex individuals often face discrimination and possess intersecting marginalized identities. The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) has extensive psychometric support; however, prior research indicates both a one- and two-factor (i.e., succumbing and resilience) structure. Further, the psychometric properties of the BRS have not been examined among alt-sex community members. As such, the current study examined the BRS factor structure among alt-sex individuals and measurement invariance across demographic groups (i.e., sexual orientation, gender identity, and sexual assault history). Confirmatory factor analyses and multi-groups invariance analyses were conducted. The two-factor BRS model demonstrated better fit to the data. Model fit did not differ by sexual orientation or gender identity. Measurement invariance was observed by lifetime sexual assault history, with higher factor loadings on succumbing items among alt-sex community members with a lifetime history of sexual assault. Our findings support use of the BRS to measure resilience among alt-sex individuals. Succumbing, or weakened resilience, is a salient factor for alt-sex community members who are sexual assault survivors, warranting further attention.

Exploratory Factor Analysis as a Tool for Determining Indicators of a Research Variable: Literature Review

Background. Exploratory factor analysis can be used as a guideline for constructing instrument homogeneity. Purpose. Factor analysis is the queen of analytical methods because of its strength, flexibility and closeness to the nature of scientific aims and objectives. Method. Roughly speaking, an instrument whose items measure only one trait in general and can determine the indicators of a research variable. To determine the number of indicators based on eigenvalues greater than or equal to one, both in the initial factor analysis and in further analysis. Results. A statement item is declared eligible for inclusion in a factor if the item has a factor load greater than or equal to 0.30 on only one factor. Similarly, an indicator is declared feasible if its factor load is greater than or equal to 0.30. Conclusion. The item that has the highest factor load on a factor contributes the most to that factor, so that item is used as the basis for guidance in naming a factor as the name of the indicator.

Strategies for integrating a web-based learning environment based on authentic learning in distance learning for elementary school students

This research aimed to find a strategy to integrate web-based learning based on authentic learning by identifying the dominant factors regarding teachers' authentic activities. The research method was a teacher survey that used web-based learning. Questionnaires were given to 100 teachers regarding the use of authentic activities. The questionnaire was tested for validity and had a high load factor of more than 0.6. Authentic learning had an effect of 0.689. The data was processed by factorial analysis to obtain the dominant value. Furthermore, a strategy to integrate web-based learning was developed in learning. The results showed that the dominant authentic learning activities used were real-world activities, integrated assessment, various sources and final product design. It can be concluded that using web-based learning applications based on authentic learning provides real-life experiences for students and supports learning to be more meaningful.