Maximum Likelihood Extraction Research Articles

Citizen profiles based on social capital in the Spanish fiscal context: Profile development and multivariate consistency analysis

Previous studies have established that social capital plays a significant role in individual tax-related behaviors, including inclinations toward tax evasion and compliance. This study seeks to extend the understanding of tax morale in Spain using data from the Public Opinion and Fiscal Policy Survey (CIS, Study 3332). We use factor analysis with maximum likelihood extraction and Varimax rotation to identify key social capital variables and tax attitudes. We identify profiles based on their social capital and tax compliance using cluster analysis. We will apply hierarchical clustering with Ward's chaining and k-means clustering. The robustness of the resulting profiles will be confirmed by discriminant analysis and a multilayer perceptron neural network, which will look for higher rates of correct classification as an indicator of improved profile consistency. Our findings suggest that identifying Spanish tax citizens' profiles helps analyze social capital in tax policy. After our analysis, we have determined that enhancing the accumulation of social capital variables leads to better tax adherence.

Development and psychometric evaluation of "Caring Ability of Mother with Preterm Infant Scale" (CAMPIS): a sequential exploratory mixed-method study.

Caring ability is one of the most important indicators regarding care outcomes. A valid and reliable scale for the evaluation of caring ability in mothers with preterm infants is lacking. The present study was conducted with the aim of designing and psychometric evaluation of the tool for assessing caring ability in mothers with preterm infants. A mixed-method exploratory design was conducted from 2021 to 2023. First the concept of caring ability of mothers with preterm infants was clarified using literature review and comparative content analysis, and a pool of items was created. Then, in the quantitative study, the psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated using validity and reliability tests. A maximum likelihood extraction with promax rotation was performed on 401 mothers with the mean age of 31.67 ± 6.14years to assess the construct validity. Initial caring ability of mother with preterm infant scale (CAMPIS) was developed with 64 items by findings of the literature review, comparative content analysis, and other related questionnaire items, on a 5-point Likert scale to be psychometrically evaluated. Face, content, and construct validity, as well as reliability, were measured to evaluate the psychometric properties of CAMPIS. So, the initial survey yielded 201 valid responses. The three components: 'cognitive ability'; knowledge and skills abilities'; and 'psychological ability'; explained 47.44% of the total observed variance for CAMPIS with 21 items. A subsequent survey garnered 200 valid responses. The confirmatory factor analysis results indicated: χ2/df = 1.972, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.933, and incremental fit index (IFI) = 0.933. These results demonstrate good structural, convergent, discriminant validity and reliability. OMEGA, average inter-item correlation (AIC), intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for the entire scale were at 0.900, 0.27 and 0.91 respectively. Based on the results of the psychometric evaluation of CAMPIS, it was found that the concept of caring ability in the Iranian mothers with preterm infants is a multi-dimensional concept, which mainly focuses on cognitive ability, technical ability, and psychological ability. The designed scale has acceptable validity and reliability characteristics that can be used in future studies to assess this concept in the mothers of preterm infants.

Development of a Study Tool to Measure Awareness of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Among Cancer Patients and Their Intention to Recommend the Vaccine.

Literature suggests that there is poor awareness and uptake of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in India. The role of cancer patients as potent advocates for HPV vaccine in their community is vital due to their first-hand experience with the turmoil that accompanies cancer. Hence, we have developed a study tool to measure the psychometric constructs "Awareness" of HPV vaccine among cancer patients and "Intention" to recommend the vaccine. The theoretical concepts of the Health Belief Model were applied, feedback from oncologists at Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute and public health experts at Indian Institute of Public Health to develop the study tool. A 24 items study tool was finalized following pre-testing and content validation. A sample size of 5:1 (participant:item) was considered adequate to conduct exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The pilot study tool was administered for validation to 150 cancer patients visiting the hospital during June-July 2023. The data were analysed using Jamovi (Version2.3). The McDonald's omega was 0.8, which indicates good internal consistency of the data. EFA using parallel analysis with maximum likelihood extraction method and Promax oblique rotation with factor loadings above 0.4 revealed a 3-factor solution with 21 items. Factors were named "Capability", "Awareness" and "Risk perception" respectively. The correlation between "Awareness" and "Risk Perception" was 0.28; between "Capability" and "Risk perception" 0.47. "Awareness" and "Capability" had a weak negative correlation(-0.02). The study tool could effectively measure individual constructs of awareness and intention. Notably, our findings indicate a weak correlation between awareness and one component of intention (capability), within this population. This aspect, rigorously measured and validated by our study tool, holds significance as it implies that despite a low level of awareness in this population, they may still be considered as potentially influential advocates for the HPV vaccine. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13224-024-01950-4.

B - 96 Assessing the Factor Structure of Social Connectedness and its Psychopathological Correlates.

Since COVID-19, social isolation has become increasingly prevalent, impacting neurocognitive, physical, and psychological health. Assessment of psychological functioning involves gauging levels of social dysfunction, particularly ones that capture psychopathological correlates. The current study aimed to explore the factor structure of the Social Connectedness Scale (SCS) as well as the predictive nature of depression and anhedonia on factor loadings of the SCS. Past studies established the SCS as a one-factor scale, however, social disconnection is observed in individuals with various pathologies, suggesting a multifaceted nature to this construct. A university population (N = 383) was given the SCS, the Revised-Social Anhedonia Scale-Short Form (RSAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-2) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). An exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation and maximum likelihood extraction yielded three factors explaining 60% of the variance. Factor 1 (factor loadings between 0.48 and 0.78) reflected overall feelings of disconnection from the world, and 35% of the variance. Factor two (factor loadings between 0.57 and 0.78) contributed 16% of the variance, measuring closeness with friends and family. Factor three (factor loadings between 0.61and 0.69) explained 6% of the variance, measuring stranger adaptability. A hierarchical linear regression show RSAS and BDI predicting more variance for factor 1 (R2 = 0.43) than factor 2 (R2 = 0.31) or factor 3 (R2 = 0.17), all ps < 0.01. These results did not replicate a one-factor structure similar to past studies, supporting a multidimensional and complex nature of social connection. Measurement of social connection dimensions may be particularly relevant to assessment of individuals with mixed neuropsychological and psychopathological features.

Exploratory validation of relationship functioning and non-pregnant partner behavior scales in pregnant people living with HIV in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

ABSTRACT Partner engagement in antenatal care can improve care for pregnant people living with HIV. However, concerns about engaging unsupportive non-pregnant partners warrant further study to avoid engaging partners who pressure their pregnant partner to refuse testing or treatment and/or perpetuate intimate partner violence. We adapted established relationship functioning and partner behaviour questionnaires among pregnant people living with HIV initiating antenatal care in rural South Africa. We identified 13 previously validated psychometric scales with 255 items that assess relationship functioning and partner behaviour, but, to our knowledge, had not been used in Southern Africa. After item translation and cognitive interviewing with 30 pregnant people, we recruited an additional 208 pregnant people living with HIV receiving antenatal care. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis with maximum-likelihood extraction and oblique promax rotation with the 58 items and 10 scales that remained after translation and cognitive interviewing. We used parallel analysis, scree plots, and the Kaiser criterion to guide factor retention and assessed internal factor consistency via Cronbach’s alpha. Of the 208 participants recruited, 197 (95%) answered each question and were included in the analysis. Exploratory factor analysis revealed 7 factors that assessed partner social support, sexual relationship power, emotional intimacy, threatened or enacted violence, sexual intimacy, violence in relationships, and partner engagement in pregnancy care via 37 items. Factor absolute Spearman correlations ranged from 0.012 to 0.518 and Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.84 to 0.92. This preliminary analysis will guide further scale development. Future developments will also include relevant clinical outcomes to assess the predictive validity of the resulting measures. These steps will further refine these questions into a succinct screening tool to assess relationship functioning and partner behaviour. This screening tool may eventually guide the selection of partner-based interventions during pregnancy to improve outcomes for pregnant people and their partners.

Longitudinal Factor Structure of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Among Incident Cases of Schizophrenia Attending a Nigerian Hospital.

Schizophrenia, from its early conceptualization, has been described in distinct clinical subtypes. However, these categories were found not to be stable phenotypes over time, hence the dimensional option, whereas at cross-sectional level, the dimensions of psychopathology have been replicated across studies; there is dearth of data on the longitudinal stability of the factor structure of the symptoms of schizophrenia in African populations. This study examined the longitudinal stability of the factor structure of the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) across intervals of 16-week naturalistic treatment follow-up. Consecutive incident cases that fulfilled the criteria for schizophrenia were recruited into the study. After a baseline assessment, 160 incident cases of schizophrenia were followed up 4 weekly for indicators of symptomatic outcome for 16 weeks. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) assessments were conducted in clinical interviews and with the Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). Five BPRS assessments were made across the monthly intervals of follow-up. Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) using maximum likelihood extraction and varimax rotation with Kaiser normalization was used to extract the factors. A four-factor structure was found at baseline, namely negative, positive, depressive/anxiety, and manic symptom dimensions. From week 4, the manic and anxiety/depression dimensions remained invariant over time, while negative and positive symptoms merged into a psychosis dimension that was invariant. The persistence of the mood dimensions supports the DSM-5 recommendation to include these dimensions in the assessment of schizophrenia psychopathology. The longitudinal emergence and invariance of the psychosis factor echo the idea of unitary psychosis and, along with the prominence of mood dimensions over time, reflect recent molecular genetic findings about the sharing of genes by schizophrenia and mood disorders.

Learning environments in compulsory secondary education (ESO): validation of the physical, learning, teaching and motivational scales

We present the validation of a questionnaire for compulsory secondary school students (seventh to tenth grade), designated “Educational learning environments for ESO pupils” (CEApA_ESO), for the purpose of evaluating learning environments. Although many instruments have been developed in this area, our work attempts to comprehensively cover some factors that most influence learning environments from the students’ perspective. Therefore, we included physical, learning, teaching and motivational elements, by adapting different already-validated scales to our intended overall approach and the Spanish context. We conducted a pilot study with 207 students from four grades (two classes per educational level). We performed descriptive and factor analyses with maximum likelihood extraction method and varimax rotation to identify factors underlying each scale. The factors extracted from each scale were used to evaluate the fit of the model, using the AMOS v.18 software for structural equation analysis, taking as reference the criteria set by Byrne (Structural equation modeling with AMOS: Basic concepts, applications, and programming, Taylor & Francis Group, 2010) and Kline (Principles and practice of structural equation modeling, The Guilford Press, 2010) (CMIN/DF between 2 and 5, CFI and IFI > 0.9, RMSEA < 0.06 and HOELTER > 200). Finally, we present the factorial validity of the complete scale and analyse the internal consistency of the scale and its subscales using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. This instrument, with adequate psychometric properties, offers educators and researchers a valid tool for assessing the learning environments of their schools.

Validation of the Upper Limb Functional Index on Breast Cancer Survivor

A psychometric validation study of the ULFI-Sp was conducted on 216 voluntary breast cancer survivors. The psychometric properties were as follows: analysis of the factor structure by maximum likelihood extraction (MLE), internal consistency, and construct validity by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The factor structure was one-dimensional. ULFI-Sp showed a high internal consistency for the total score (α = 0.916) and the regression score obtained from MLE (α = 0.996). CFA revealed a poor fit, and a new 14-item model (short version) was further tested. The developed short version of the ULFI-SP is preferable to assess upper limb function in Spanish BCS. Given the high prevalence of ULD in this population and the broader versions of ULFI across different languages, this study's results may be transferred to clinical practice and integrated as part of upper limb assessment after breast cancer.

Development and psychometric evaluation of a Risky Sexual Behaviour Scale for Married Women (RSBS-MW) in Iran: a mixed-method study

A valid and reliable culture-based scale for the evaluation of risky sexual behaviours for married Iranian women is lacking. This study aimed to develop, and psychometrically test, a risky sexual behaviour scale for married Iranian women. A mixed-method sequential exploratory design was conducted from 2016 to 2020 in Tehran, Iran. First, a qualitative study was employed to define the concept of risky sexual behaviour using 16 semi-structured individual interviews and 10 focus group discussions (n = 100). Then, an item pool was generated, and the scale was developed. Finally, in the quantitative study, the psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated by validity and reliability tests. A maximum likelihood extraction with promax rotation was performed on 400 sexually active married women to assess the construct validity. The six components: (i) ‘quality of sexual relations’; (ii) ‘unusual pleasures in sexual relations’; (iii) ‘sexual coercion’; (iv) ‘verbal violence in sexual relations’; (v) ‘self-care in sexual relations’; and (vi) ‘concealment in sexual relations’ could explain 57.49% of the total observed variance. The findings showed that the 27-item Risky Sexual Behaviour Scale (RSBS-MW) for married women in Iran has excellent internal consistency (α = 0.94) and stability (ICC = 0.98). Health care providers can use it to access risky sexual behaviours in married Iranian women.

English Language Anxiety and Language Achievement Among EFL Students in Saudi Arabia

Foreign language anxiety impedes language acquisition. Previous studies in various cultural contexts have found significantly negative and moderately high correlations between scores on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and foreign language grades. This study aims to investigate the factor structure of the FLCAS in the Saudi Arabian context and to determine whether the main FLCAS factors predict English language achievement, as operationalised by university grades. A total of 257 Saudi students (19–21 years old) studying accounting and business administration completed a Saudi Arabian version of the FLCAS. Simultaneously, these students provided their most recent grades from university English courses. Maximum likelihood extraction with direct oblimin rotation was performed, and three main factors (trait anxiety, situation-specific anxiety, and communication apprehension and confidence) were identified, accounting for 17.5%, 18.6%, and 4.1% of the total FLCAS variance, respectively. The linear regression model with these factors as predictors and language achievement as a criterion was non-significant (F = 0.479; p = 0.685), indicating that the main FLCAS factors were not connected to English language achievement. The study highlights specific areas (trait anxiety and situation-specific anxiety) that English teachers in Saudi Arabia need to address using better-targeted techniques and strategies.

Rethinking digital construction: a study of BIM uptake capability in BIM infant construction industries

PurposePractitioners have reported a minimal and non-use of building information modelling (BIM), especially in small and medium-sized organisations and BIM infant construction industries. This development calls for a reappraisal of organisations’ strength in capabilities required for BIM uptake towards the target of global construction digitalisation. This study aims to assess the BIM Level 2 uptake capability of organisations in a BIM infant construction industry and identify the underlying interactions between the capability criteria.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a multivariable analysis of fifteen descriptors identified from the people, process, policy, finance and technology domain. Data collection was done in the BIM infant construction industry in Nigeria. Verification of the descriptors and an evaluation of BIM uptake capability in organisations was done. Seventy-three responses were received within the selected context, and data analysis was done with mean weighting and exploratory factor analysis. Maximum Likelihood extraction and Direct Oblimin rotation were used.FindingsFactor analysis revealed three factors that explained 53.28% of the total variance in the BIM Level 2 uptake capability of construction organisations. The factors are workforce capacity and continuous development, an affinity for innovation and strength in physical and operational facilities.Research limitations/implicationsThis study provides an overarching and insightful discussion on BIM uptake capability and construction digitalisation with evidence from a BIM-infant construction industry.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study are a piece of valuable empirical evidence on Level 2 BIM uptake capability. This empirical situation analysis will inform the advocacy for the advancement of BIM and enhanced utilisation of building information. Evidence on the capability performance of the BIM infant industry has been revealed.Originality/valueThe outcome is expected to stir debate on the preparedness of organisations to further exploit the benefits of BIM in the BIM infant construction industry. Examination of the capability for a particular phase of BIM is scanty in the literature.

Validation of pain catastrophizing scale on breast cancer survivor.

Pain catastrophizing scale (PCS) is the most used scale to measure pain catastrophizing. In breast cancer survivors (BCS), pain catastrophizing is related to upper-limbs dysfunction and disability. This study aimed to assess the internal consistency, internal structure, and convergent validity of the Spanish version of the PCS in Spanish BCS. Breast cancer survivors were recruited from the service of Medical Oncology of the University Clinical Hospital Virgen de la Victoria, in Málaga (Spain). The psychometric properties were evaluated with analysis factor structure by maximum likelihood extraction (MLE), internal consistency, and construct validity by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Factor structure was three-dimensional, and one item was removed due to cross-loading. The new 12-item PCS showed a high internal consistency for the total score (α=0.91) and a good homogeneity, and CFA revealed a satisfactory fit. PCS showed an acceptable correlation with FACS (r= 0.53, p< 0.01). Pain catastrophizing scale is a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate pain catastrophizing in Spanish BCS. This tool may help clinicians in the management of pain by assessing pain and by measuring the effect of interventions.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of Urdu version of upper limb functional index; a validity and reliability study

BackgroundThe upper limb functional index is broadly used outcome measure for musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb. The main objective of the study was to translate and validate the upper limb functional index (ULFI) outcome measure in the Urdu language.MethodsUpper limb functional index was translated into Urdu language using Beaton et al. guidelines through forward and backward translation along with the expert committee reviews. Two fifty (n = 250) Urdu-speaking patients with sub-acute or chronic conditions of upper limb musculoskeletal disorders were included in the study. The mean age was 32.33 ± 4.67 years. The data were collected from the physical therapy department of The University of Lahore Teaching hospital. All participants completed the upper limb functional index-Urdu (ULFI-U), Numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), Quick Disability of arm, shoulder, and hand (QuickDash), and (health survey) SF-12 at baseline while only ULFI-U at day three. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency by Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest reliability by intra-class correlation (ICC). Content validity was measured by Lynn and Lawshee method. Spearman’s correlation has been used to measure criterion validity. The construct validity was measured through hypothesis testing. The structural validity has been explained through factor analysis by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using Maximum likelihood extraction (MLE) with Promax rotation.ResultsThe English version of ULFI was translated into the Urdu language with minor alterations. The Urdu version ULFI has demonstrated high levels of reliability with intra-class correlation (ICC2,1= 0.91) and Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.94). The content validity index found as 0.808, the criterion validity for ULFI-U correlating with quick Dash was found excellent (r = 0.845) and ULFI-U established strong correlation with 6 domains of SF-12(r = 0.697 to 0.767) and weak correlation with its 2 domains and NPRS(r = 0.520). A two-factor structure was obtained using EFA.ConclusionsThe ULFI-U is a valid and reliable patient-reported outcome (PRO) that can be used to assess upper limb musculoskeletal disorders in Urdu-speaking patients.Trial registrationThis study was registered in the U. S National Library on clinicaltrial.gov under registration no. NCT05088096. (Date: 21/10/2021).

Organizational Development Level Determination Scale: A Validity and Reliability Study

The aim of this study was to develop a scaling instrument for measuring organizational development level in the Turkish higher education context depending on perceptions of the faculty. The sample consisted of academicians of higher education institutions in the 2020-2021 academic year. Data were gathered in two stages. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted in the first stage and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted in the second stage. The EFA sample consisted of 216 academicians working in 6 higher education institutions while the CFA sample consisted of 501 academicians working in 6 higher education institutions. Maximum Likelihood extraction and Varimax rotation methods were used in EFA. Results of EFA showed that the scale had a four-factor structure with 21 Items. The four-factor structure was confirmed with CFA. Cronbach&amp;rsquo;s alpha, Spearman Brown, and Guttman (G) were calculated in order to determine the reliability of the scores obtained from the scale. Item discrimination was verified by calculating Item-total correlation and item-remainder correlation. Also, t-test was carried out between upper and lower 27% to check item discrimination. Analyses were conducted making use of IBM SPSS 22 Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and AMOS Analysis of Moment Structure programmes. Overall, the results showed that the structure of the Organizational Development Level Determination Scale was valid. The measurement tool was concluded to have three factors and 18 Items, all in affirmative form.

A Golf Course Quality Scale (GCQS): Validity and Reliability Testing on Spanish Golf Courses.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties, in terms of validity and reproducibility, of the Golf Course Quality Scale (GCQS) in the Spanish golf course context. The GCQS is a scale that measures the quality of a golf course perceived by its users. It is comprised of 22 five-point Likert scale items, ranging from 1 (disagree) to 5 (totally agree). The items were grouped into five dimensions: services, etiquette, facilities, golf courses, and staff. A translated and adapted version of the Australian CQS questionnaire was administered to a total of 401 federated golf players in the Region of Murcia (RM). The margin of error was 4.9% with a confidence level of 95%. Of the total sample, 88.5% were men and 11.5% were women. The participants were between the ages of 18 and 80 (M = 54.1, SD = 14.3). Following an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to determine the suitability of the proposed items and the factorial structure of the scale, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed using structural equations under the maximum likelihood extraction method. This assessed the fit of the model and its internal consistency, with values above 0.79. In conclusion, the validity and reliability of this psychometric scale for the purposes of evaluating the quality of golf courses perceived by their users have been verified. The results confirm that the scale is a useful tool for golf course research and management.

An investigation of the factor structure of student ratings of teaching at a Midwestern public university in the USA

This study investigates the factorial structure of a five-item questionnaire for student ratings of teaching (SRT) at a university setting. It features factor analyses of three large samples of data from a large Midwestern public university in the USA. Students completed the questionnaire at the end of courses. There were three campuses at the university, and thus three data sets in the study including an evaluation of a total of 27,693 courses with responses from a total of 1,087,652 students. An exploratory factor analysis with maximum likelihood extraction and varimax rotation was conducted to explore the factorial structure of the three data sets separately. The results indicated that there was only one factor explaining 80.99%, 77.18% and 84.94% of the variance in the Campus 1, 2 and 3 data sets, respectively. Thus, our results suggested that the data set in each campus was primarily unifactor. That the five-item SRT measure is unifactor across the courses in each of the campuses is a robust finding. Calculation of the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the questionnaire indicated that the questionnaire had high internal consistency reliability (i.e. α = .94, α = .92 and α = .95 for Campus 1, 2 and 3, respectively).

Strategic decisional beliefs: Conceptualization and empirical research

Extant studies hold that the decision quality at the very moment of choice indicates future task accomplishment. However, regarding individual-making, the decision’s strategic nature still received little attention from scientists so far. For that reason, the author utilizes the strategic decision dimensions of justifiability, confidence, and satisfaction to form a new concept called strategic decisional beliefs. Making self-efficacy, motivation, subjective well-being, loyalty, and switching likelihood as the concept’s consequences under investigation, the author tests the concept using data from 350 new students chosen judgmentally. As expected, exploratory factor analysis with maximum likelihood extraction offers only one latent variable for the three underlined dimensions. Further investigation with confirmatory factor analysis indicates that all items are internally valid, reliable, and solidly merged into a single construct with a close fit measurement model. Good-fit structural equation modeling with Lisrel 8.8 successfully confirms that strategic decisional beliefs predict the specified consequences strongly. Interestingly, the construct has better structural validity in a unidimensional than a multidimensional form. This study still relies on a single cross-sectional design. Hopefully, further research can utilize a longitudinal design to investigate how strategic decisional beliefs predict individuals’ actual performance, satisfaction, and loyalty. Original Article | Turnitin

The factor structure of social cognition in schizophrenia: Weak evidence for separable domains

This study examined the factor structure of social cognition in a Norwegian sample of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia (n = 83). Eight variables from three social cognitive tests from three theoretical domains were included: emotion processing, social perception and theory of mind. Factor analysis with maximum likelihood extraction and oblique rotation resulted in two factors using Kaiser's criterion. Although the two-factor model had better fit than a unifactorial model, it did not represent the data well. Two social cognitive variables did not load on either factor. The two extracted factors did not correspond to an expected distinction between low and high level of processing or between affective and cognitive processes. A non-negligible number of nonredundant residuals between observed and computed correlations suggested poor model fit. In conclusion, this study failed to identify separable dimensions of social cognition in spite of including measures from different theoretical domains.

An Adaptation and Validation of Students’ Satisfaction Scale: The Case of McGraw–Hill Education Connect

This study aims to adapt and validate an Arabic version of the students’ satisfaction scale. It tries to measure students’ satisfaction with the McGraw–Hill Education Connect platform in Saudi Arabia. It provides Saudi and Arab academics with a valid instrument for further studies and interventions to improve students’ learning and environments. The study examined items to establish content, construct, convergent, and discriminant validity. It used two-phase Chemistry 101-student samples (N = 50 and N = 193). The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using the maximum likelihood extraction method and the Promax rotation method was used to explore the survey’s constructs in the pilot phase. It supported the five-factor construct of the survey. Three competitive construct models were investigated using the confirmatory factor analysis in the main phase study. The model that fitted the study data and satisfied reliability and validity standards was a second-order model identifying two primary constructs distinctively: satisfaction (N = 3, α = 0.912) and utility (N = 19, α = 0.965). The utility scale was composed of four subscales: understanding (N = 5, α = 0.913), studying (N = 3, α = 0.896), preparation (N = 4, α = 0.893), and usability (N = 7, α = 0.913). The results indicated that student’s overall satisfaction with MCGH Connect was significantly met (M = 3.52, SD = 0.176). Also, students were significantly satisfied with the MGHE Connect utility (M = 3.51, SD = 0.221). The highest level of satisfaction was understanding (M = 3.60, SD = 0.170), and the lowest was with preparation to classes (M = 3.23, SD = 0.259). Students were equally satisfied with using MGHE Connect to understand the materials, study and review for exams, and friendliness.

How can different psychological and behavioural constructs be used to personalise weight management? Development of the diet styles

The aim of this study was first, to explore whether distinct combinations of key psychological and eating-related characteristics, could be identified and, second, whether these styles were related to measures of dieting success such as weight status and the number of previous weight loss attempts. Participants were any person 18 years or older with access to the internet and were recruited through Facebook to complete a 30-min, online survey. The survey included 23 different measures of factors related to personality, eating behaviours and current weight management. 1047 (68.3% of starters) completed the full survey. These people were 82.4% female with a mean age of 42.54 years (SD = 14.07). Factor analysis using Maximum Likelihood Extraction method with Promax rotation resulted in the extraction of 5 novel factors: Temptation (including experiencing cravings and difficulty controlling eating); Foodie (higher engagement and involvement with food); Overthinking (neuroticism, behavioural inhibition and perfectionistic tendencies); Social (extroversion and agreeableness); Impulsivity (impulsivity, lower conscientiousness, higher fun-seeking). Each of the factors associated bivariately, and in the expected direction, with behaviours such as vegetable consumption, frequency of diet attempts, and self-rated health. Each possible diet style is described further and interpreted in the context of existing literature with a focus on how understanding these could help personalise future interventions. Future work will validate this structure in different samples.