Factor Structure Of Instruments Research Articles

Motivations for choosing teaching as a career: effects on general pedagogical knowledge during initial teacher education

The authors first ask to what extent future teachers in Germany endorse teaching motivations indicated by the FIT-Choice scale. This includes reporting on the confirmatory factor analysis they carried out to examine and to replicate the FIT-Choice scale structure in the specific cultural context of Germany with a sample of 1287 preservice teachers. Secondly, they investigate the relationship between future teachers' teaching motivations and their general pedagogical knowledge (GPK) using a subsample of 130 preservice teachers whose GPK was tested twice. Here the authors examine effects of preservice teachers' motivations for choosing teaching on their GPK. Among other findings of our study (1) the FIT-Choice instrument's factor structure is replicated, (2) the motivation profile typical for preservice teachers in Germany is replicated, (3) evidence is provided that intrinsic motivation is positively correlated, whereas extrinsic motivation is negatively correlated, with GPK at the first occasion of measurement, (4) extrinsic motivation has a positive effect on learning gain, whereas intrinsic motivation has not.

Testing Construct Validity of the 13-Item Sense of Coherence Scale in a Sample of Older People

The aim was to study the construct validity for the 13-item Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale among people aged 75+. This study comprised 1753 people aged 76-102 years. Construct validity was measured in terms of the instrument's factor structure as well as discriminant and convergent validity. The result revealed that the instrument failed to show acceptable construct validity in any of the tests or in any age group. The correlation analyses exhibited no clear pattern that could be interpreted as evidence of acceptable construct validity, and the result of the factor analyses did not support the factor structure proposed by Antonovsky. However, this does not necessarily mean that the theoretical concept is invalid, but that this version of the instrument may not be representative of the Sense of Coherence theory.

Development of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62).

Few instruments have been designed specifically to address the needs of college counseling centers. This article reviews existing instruments and presents 4 studies that describe the development and psychometric properties of a new instrument, the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62). Study 1 describes the initial item development, factor analysis, and preliminary scale development steps. Study 2 describes the results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using data from more than 22,000 clients pooled via a national practice-research network of counseling centers. Studies 3 and 4 provide preliminary evidence of subscales' convergent validity and retest reliability. Results from these 4 studies provide support for the instrument's factor structure, construct validity, and subscale reliabilities for both the total sample and subgroups. Clinical and methodological issues pertaining to the future development of the CCAPS are discussed in the context of a national practice-research network of college counseling centers.

Psychometric properties of the Iranian interview-administered version of the World Health Organization's Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF): A population-based study

BackgroundThe objective of the current study was to translate and validate the Iranian version of the WHOQOL-BREF.MethodsA forward-backward translation procedure was followed to develop the Iranian version of the questionnaire. A stratified random sample of individuals aged 18 and over completed the questionnaire in Tehran, Iran. Psychometric properties of the instrument including reliability (internal consistency, and test-retest analysis), validity (known groups' comparison and convergent validity), and items' correlation with their hypothesized domains were assessed.ResultsIn all 1164 individuals entered into the study. The mean age of the participants was 36.6 (SD = 13.2) years, and the mean years of their formal education was 10.7 (SD = 4.4). In general the questionnaire received well and all domains met the minimum reliability standards (Cronbach's alpha and intra-class correlation > 0.7), except for social relationships (alpha = 0.55). Performing known groups' comparison analysis, the results indicated that the questionnaire discriminated well between subgroups of the study samples differing in their health status. Since the WHOQOL-BREF demonstrated statistically significant correlation with the Iranian version of the SF-36 as expected, the convergent validity of the questionnaire was found to be desirable. Correlation matrix also showed satisfactory results in all domains except for social relationships.ConclusionThis study has provided some preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of the WHOQOL-BREF to be used in Iran, though further research is required to challenge the problems of reliability in one of the dimensions and the instrument's factor structure.

Exploring variability and sources of measurement error in alcohol expectancy questionnaire reliability coefficients: a meta-analytic reliability generalization study.

Reliability Generalization, a relatively new meta-analytic score reliability technique, was used to examine reliability coefficients for Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ) subscales in published research. Specifically, the present study identified the typical reliability coefficients of scores on AEQ subscales across published studies and examined sources of measurement error across AEQ subscales and studies. Based on literature reviews of PsyclNFO and PubMed, a total of 71 studies were analyzed and coded on 10 different dimensions believed to affect score reliability. Only 37% of the studies surveyed reported reliability coefficients for the data in hand. Analysis of these studies revealed that the average score reliability across studies varied considerably in subscales and samples, with the Arousal/Interpersonal Power and Sexual Enhancement subscales evidencing the greatest variability. Gender homogeneity and racial homogeneity were found to be the two most important predictors of the magnitude of score reliability coefficients across subscales and studies. Results of the study indicate that the AEQ tends to generate reliable scores, with some noted exceptions. Because the Arousal/Interpersonal Power and Sexual Enhancement subscales tend to generate unacceptably low reliability coefficients and because the AEQ holds promise in furthering prevention and treatment outcome research, it is suggested that future research with the AEQ explore instrument factor structure and item consistency. Because reliability estimates can influence substantive statistical analyses, it is recommended that authors using the AEQ report reliability information in their published work.

Psychometric Analysis of the Inviting School Safety Survey

This study provides psychometric data on the Inviting School Safety Survey (Lehr & Purkey (1997). The instrument's factor structure, internal consistency, and comparison with the Invitational Education Model (Purkey, 1978; Purkey & Novak, 1984, 1996; Purkey & Schmidt, 1987; Purkey & Stanley, 1991) are examined.

Validity of Students' Teaching Evaluation Scores: The Wimberly-Faulkner-Moxley Questionnaire

We present evidence for the validity of scores on a published instrument for student evaluations of teaching performance. We replicated the instrument's factor structure very closely, yielding five factors virtually identical to those of a previous study that used two different populations. For construct validation, we developed a preliminary theoretical model that predicts different effects of three sets of variables on student ratings of teachers. Student expectations about teachers had noteworthy effects on all dimensions of teaching effectiveness. Class size and teacher experience had much weaker effects on the ratings.

Verbal learning patterns in moderate and severe traumatic. brain injury

Previous studies that have examined performances on the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) among individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) have found differing levels of performance. Differential patterns of performance, however, have only been inferred. The present investigation sought to determine empirically if differential patterns of performance could be discerned in a TBI sample of 65 subjects with CVLT variables. The CVLT variables were selected based on the instrument's factor structure. Cluster analysis yielded four distinct subtypes of brain-injured individuals. The Active subtype demonstrated impaired unassisted retrieval, but used active encoding strategies and showed relatively intact ability to store novel information. The Disorganized subtype demonstrated an inconsistent, haphazard learning style along with deficits in encoding. The Passive subtype was marked by an overreliance on a serial clustering strategy as well as impaired encoding and/or consolidation. The Deficient subtype was the most impaired of all groups, exhibiting a slowed rate of acquisition, passive learning style, and significant impairment in encoding. Implications for rehabilitation are discussed.

The factor structure of the Colorado Level of Functioning Measure.

The Colorado Level of Functioning Measure (LOF) is a widely used instrument in public mental health centers that assesses client functioning. The present paper presents the results of an investigation of the instrument's factor structure, with data from 809 patients in a community mental health center. The results suggest that the LOF is comprised of three factors--Basic Life Functioning, Psychological Functioning, and Anti-Social Behavior. These factors accounted for 60% of the variance. Implications for the use of the scale are discussed.

The Factor Replicability of the Litwin and Stringer Organizational Climate Questionnaire: An Inter and Intra-Organizational Assessment

Four recent factor analytic studies of the Litwin and Stringer Organizational Climate Questionnaire (LSOCQ) are compared to assess the consistency of the instrument's factor structure when administered to different organizational populations. In addition, separate factor analytic results of the LSOCQ for three functional subgroups of a single organization are compared to investigate the LSOCQ's factor consistency within a single organization. Although there is somewhat more intrathan interorganizational replicability of factors, both comparisons raise considerable doubt about the validity of the Litwin and Stringer instrument.

Measuring the Job Satisfaction of Industrial Salesmen

While the unique characteristics of the industrial salesman's role has stimulated much recent research, this uniqueness requires the development and use of occupation-specific measurement instruments. A job satisfaction measure specifically designed for industrial salesmen is presented together with norms, a detailed description of the methodology employed, and techniques to evaluate the new instrument's factor structure, reliability, and construct validity.

Measurement of Broad Spectrum Social Attitudes: Liberalism-Conservatism

The present investigation studied the structure of the liberalism-conservatism system of social attitudes and constructed a scale to measure the domain. Items were prepared that expressed ideas relating to such basic social considerations as the nature of man, the nature of social order, and the need for tradition or social change. The scale was constructed using a methodology which combined a Likert procedure with a series of item-discrimination procedures using known-affiliation groups as external criteria. The scale was also subjected to a series of factor analyses employing data generated by three independent samples. Two forms of the instrument are presented along with evidence bearing on reliability and validity. Consideration is given to the stability of the instrument's factor structure over samples of varying composition.