Multilevel Exploratory Factor Analysis Research Articles

Teachers can differentiate between standards-based leadership skills in principal evaluation surveys: a multilevel analysis

ABSTRACT Teacher surveys of principal leadership are a common component of school improvement efforts. The usefulness of teacher feedback surveys is dependent on teachers’ interpretation of survey items. The current study explores evidence regarding the validity and reliability of teacher surveys for evaluating principals and explores their alignment to nationally recognized standards. We examine the responses of 6,965 teachers who took the Network for Educator Effectiveness Teacher Survey to evaluate 652 elementary, middle, and high school principals and assistant principals in Missouri. We explore how teacher perceptions aligned with the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders. Results of a multilevel exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis suggest that teacher perceptions aligned well with the standards, both at the teacher and principal levels. Responses showed good internal consistency. These results support the use of standards-based teacher surveys when evaluating principals, and suggest that teachers can effectively distinguish different domains of principal leadership.

Factor Structure, Reliability, and Convergent Validity of an Ecological Momentary Assessment Binge-Eating Symptoms Scale.

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of binge-eating symptoms has deepened our understanding of eating disorders. However, there has been a lack of attention on the psychometrics of EMA binge-eating symptom measures. This paper focused on evaluating the psychometric properties of a four-item binge-eating symptom measure, including multilevel factor structure, reliability, and convergent validity. Forty-nine adults with binge-eating disorder and/or food addiction completed baseline questionnaires and a 10-day EMA protocol. During EMA, participants completed assessments of eating episodes, including four binge-eating symptom items. Analyses included multilevel exploratory factor analysis, computation of omega and intraclass correlation coefficients, and multilevel structural equation models of associations between contextual factors and binge-eating symptoms. A one within-subject factor solution fit the data and showed good multilevel reliability and adequate within-subjects variability. EMA binge-eating symptoms were associated with baseline binge-eating measures as well as relevant EMA eating characteristics: including greater unhealthful food and drink intake; higher perceived taste of food; lower likelihood to be planned eating; and lower likelihood of eating to occur at work/school and other locations and greater likelihood to occur at restaurants compared to home. In conclusion, the study findings support the psychometrics of a 4-item one-factor EMA measure of binge-eating symptoms.

An Expanded Daily Alcohol Expectancies Measure: Results on the Multilevel Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties.

Alcohol expectancies are beliefs people have about the likelihood of experiencing various positive or negative consequences related to alcohol use. Expectancies have most commonly been treated as trait-like characteristics of individuals, but some researchers have assessed expectancies as state-level characteristics that vary within-persons across days. Previous work developed a 13-item daily alcohol expectancies measure. This study evaluated an expanded version of that measure that includes 10 additional expectancy items. Participants were 2- and 4-year college students (N=201; 63.7% female; 55.2% White Non-Hispanic; 75.1% 4-year students) randomized to the control group of a longitudinal study designed to test the efficacy of a just-in-time adaptive intervention delivered via mobile app to reduce high-risk alcohol use. Multilevel exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the factor structure at the daily and person levels. Multilevel models were used to evaluate the convergent validity of the resulting subscales. Two factors, broadly representing positive and negative alcohol expectancies, were retained at the daily and person levels. Composite reliability (ω) estimates ranged from 0.85 to 0.96 and suggested that the reliability of the resulting subscales was good to strong. Associations between the daily expectancy subscales and baseline scores on an established expectancies measure provided preliminary evidence of convergent validity. Findings indicate that this expanded 23-item daily alcohol expectancies measure is psychometrically sound. This measure is appropriate for use in daily or just-in-time expectancy challenge interventions and is suitable for use among 2- and 4-year college students who drink alcohol regularly and occasionally in heavy quantities and who experience alcohol-related negative consequences.

Active Support Measure: a multilevel exploratory factor analysis.

Active Support is a person-centred practice that enables people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) to engage in meaningful activities and social interactions. The Active Support Measure (ASM) is an observational tool designed to measure the quality of support that people with IDs living in supported accommodation services receive from staff. The aim of the study was to explore the underlying constructs of the ASM. Multilevel exploratory factor analysis was conducted on ASM data (n=884 people with IDs across 236 accommodation services) collected during a longitudinal study of Active Support in Australian accommodation services. Multilevel exploratory factor analysis indicated that 12 of the ASM's 15 items loaded on two factors, named Supporting Engagement in Activities and Interacting with the Person. The 12-item ASM measures two dimensions of the quality of staff support. Both technical and interpersonal skills comprise good Active Support.

The factor structure of Big Five personality trait measures at the between- and within-person levels

The cross-sectional factor structure of Big Five personality trait measures is a weighted blend of the factor structure at the between-person level (i.e., the level of time-invariant interpersonal personality differences) and the factor structure at the within-person level (i.e., the level of intrapersonal personality fluctuations and changes). Thus, the Big Five might not represent the underlying factors at either of the two levels. To probe this issue, I fit multilevel exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA and CFA) models to longitudinal data from the Netherlands and Australia ( N = 15,085 and 22,582, respectively). In both data sets, the canonical Big Five emerged at the between- but not at the within-person level. At the within-person level, a two-factor structure appeared to be most suitable. Factor 1 indicated positive attitudes towards the self. Factor 2 indicated neuroticism or negative attitudes towards the self. The two factors might reflect short-term fluctuations in positive and negative affect rather than long-lasting personality changes. The findings are tentative due to methodological limitations. We need more research on the within-person factor structure of personality trait measures to clarify what fluctuations and changes they assess and whether we need to revise the way we measure and analyze trait changes.

Assessing the cardiac autonomic response to bicycle exercise in Olympic athletes with different loads of endurance training: new insights from statistical indicators based on multilevel exploratory factor analysis.

Aim: The mechanisms governing the organism's response to exercise are complex and difficult to study. Spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) could represent a convenient methodology for studying humans' autonomic nervous system (ANS). However, difficulties in interpreting the multitude of correlated HRV-derived indices, mainly when computed over different time segments, may represent a barrier to its usage. This preliminary investigation addressed to elite athletes proposes a novel method describing the cardiac autonomic response to exercise based on multilevel exploratory factor analysis (MEFA), which reduces the multitude of HRV-derived indices to fewer uncorrelated ANS indicators capable of accounting for their interrelationships and overcoming the above difficulties. Methods: The study involved 30 Italian Olympic athletes, divided into 15 cyclists (prevalent high-intensity endurance training) and 15 shooters (prevalent technical training with low-intensity endurance component). All athletes underwent a complete test of a dynamic protocol, constituted by a rest-stand test followed by a stepwise bicycle stress test subdivided into a single bout of progressive endurance (from aerobic to anaerobic) exercise and recovery. Then, by spectral analysis, values of 12 ANS proxies were computed at each time segment (9 epochs in all) of the complete test. Results: We obtained two global ANS indicators (amplitude and frequency), expressing the athletes' overall autonomic response to the complete test, and three dynamic ANS indicators (amplitude, signal self-similarity, and oscillatory), describing the principal dynamics over time of the variability of RR interval (RRV). Globally, cyclists have significantly higher amplitude levels (median ± MAD: cyclists 69.9 ± 20.5; shooters 37.2 ± 19.4) and lower frequency levels (median ± MAD: cyclists 37.4 ± 14.8; shooters 78.2 ± 10.2) than shooters, i.e., a parasympathetic predominance compared to shooters. Regarding the RRV dynamics, the signal self-similarity and oscillatory indicators have the strongest sensitivity in detecting the rest-stand change; the amplitude indicator is highly effective in detecting the athletes' autonomic changes in the exercise fraction; the amplitude and oscillatory indicators present significant differences between cyclists and shooters in specific test epochs. Conclusion: This MEFA application permits a more straightforward representation of the complexity characterizing ANS modulation during exercise, simplifying the interpretation of the HRV-derived indices and facilitating the possible real-life use of this non-invasive methodology.

5613177 AN INTERNATIONAL, LONGITUDINAL, OBSERVATIONAL STUDY TO EVALUATE THE PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF A DAILY DIARY FOR ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE

Background: Vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) are a serious complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). The Sickle Cell Pain Diary – Self Report (SCPD-S) was developed to capture the impact of VOCs, which occur sporadically and unpredictably. The daily diary evaluates the severity of SCD-related pain during and outside of a VOC and the impact of pain on patient-relevant concepts. Aims: A longitudinal observational study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the SCPD-S items that assess VOC impact. Methods: Participants were eligible for the study if they were ≥12 years old, had a verified diagnosis of SCD, experienced ≥1 VOC in the past 12 months, and lived in the United States, United Kingdom, or Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Participants completed the SCPD-S daily for at least 3 months through a mobile application and at pre-specified intervals, completed additional surveys which served as criterion measures. Factor analyses were conducted to examine the conceptual framework of the SCPD-S VOC impact items. Psychometric properties of 3 different VOC impact scores were evaluated. Analyses included tests of internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent/divergent validity, known-groups validity, and responsiveness. Results: The analytic sample included 299 participants (87% of enrolled participants) who had ≥1 VOC during the study period and missed ≤5 daily assessments in the month in which the VOC occurred. The median age was 30 (range: 12-67); participants were predominantly female (72%) and Black (83%). A unidimensional multi-level confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) yielded poor model fit, failing to support the hypothesized unidimensional construct of VOC impact (Table 1, Model 1). Multi-level exploratory factor analysis revealed a 2-factor model with sufficient model fit (Model 2), which was also supported by a CFA (Model 3). The 2 factors represent interference with general activities (Scale 1) and difficulty completing specific activities of daily living (Scale 2). Cronbach’s α was 0.87 for Scale 1 and 0.86 for Scale 2, indicating adequate internal consistency reliability. Tests of differential item function show that after controlling for VOC impact, participants’ responses to SCPD-S items do not depend on age or country of residence. Psychometric analyses were conducted on the Daily VOC Impact scores, which measure VOC impact over the past 24 hours. Test-retest reliability of Scale 1 Daily VOC Impact scores was satisfactory; results for Scale 2 were weaker (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.78 for Scale 1 and 0.66 for Scale 2). Scale 1 Daily VOC Impact scores were responsive to change; change scores were correlated with changes in symptom severity (ρ=0.41, P<0.001). Scale 2 was not responsive to change (ρ=0.27, P<0.001). Additional analyses provided support for scores that aggregate across days within a VOC, not for scores that aggregate across a fixed period.Conclusion: Findings support the use of the SCPD-S to characterize the daily impact of VOCs, confirming the need for a daily diary to capture variability in VOC impact across days. Compliance with the diary was high (87% completed ≥25 days in a month). While factor analyses supported a 2-factor model of VOC impact, Scale 1 performed consistently better than Scale 2 across analyses. As such, it is recommended that items comprising Scale 2 be dropped from the diary, leaving a single scale that is a reliable and valid measure of VOC impact. Reference 1. White et al, J Patient Rep Outcomes 2021; 5(1):1-12

Validating a novel tool for coding body worn camera footage of police‐community member interactions

AbstractObjectivesThis study aimed to validate a tool for coding police body‐worn camera (BWC) footage to measure the dynamics of police–community encounters, including items related to community members, officer performance, and situational outcomes.MethodsOver 1000 BWC videos were scored by five coders who participated in an iterative interrater reliability exercise to improve the agreement. Krippendorf's alphas and a multilevel simultaneous component analysis were used to assess interrater reliability and the component structure of ratings, respectively. Bootstrapped and multilevel exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to ascertain any underlying dimensions supporting officer and community member behavior, and cluster analyses were performed to examine whether interactions could be grouped into coherent categories.ResultsThe lower bound of unweighted means of bootstrapped alphas ranged from 0.67 to 0.96 depending upon item type, and 21.60% of the total variance in raters was between‐subjects. Factor analyses revealed only a single factor (“defensiveness”) underlying four items related to hostility directed toward officers by community members. Cluster analyses described seven categories that were highly overlapping but conceptually plausible with cluster silhouette means ranging from −0.06 to 0.13.ConclusionsWe validated a collection of interval‐level coding metrics on a random sample of over 1000 interactions between police officers and community members recorded through BWCs. In doing so, we provide a roadmap for researchers and practitioners to effectively measure the dynamics of police–community encounters and officer performance within those encounters and a framework for addressing the validity and reliability of items in future studies involving the measurement of BWC footage.

A five-factor model of perseverative thought.

Like diagnostic status, clinically relevant thought remains overwhelmingly conceptualized in terms of discrete categories (e.g., worry, rumination, obsessions). However, definitions can vary widely. The area of perseverative thought (or clinically relevant thought more broadly) would benefit substantially from a consensus-based, empirically grounded taxonomy similar to the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (Kotov et al., 2017) or the Big Five for personality. This article addresses three major barriers to establishing such a taxonomy: (a) a lack of research explicitly comparing categorical (subtype) versus dimensional models, (b) primary reliance on between-person measures rather than modeling at the level of the thought (within person), and (c) insufficient emphasis on replication and refinement. Participants included an unselected crowdsourced sample (790 observations from 286 participants) and an independent anxious-depressed replication sample (808 observations from 277 participants). Participants made dimensional ratings for three idiographic clinically relevant thoughts on a range of features. Multilevel latent class analysis and multilevel exploratory factor analysis were applied to identify and extract natural patterns of covariation among features at the level of the thought, controlling for person-level tendencies. A consistent five-dimension solution emerged across both samples and reliably outperformed the best-fitting categorical solution in terms of fit, replicability, and explanatory power. Identified dimensions were dyscontrol, self-focus, valence, interpersonal, and uncertainty. Findings support a five-factor latent structure of perseverative thought. Theoretical, empirical, and clinical implications and future directions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Validation of the Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS) using multilevel factor analysis.

Behavioral regulation supports children to control their cognitive and emotional skills and participate fully in classroom learning and interactions. Teacher ratings are frequently used to collect data but are highly susceptible to the teacher's response bias, meaning much child level variance is attributable to the teacher level. Multilevel modeling techniques are commonly used to assess the psychometric properties of measures at different levels by disaggregating within- and between-teacher variation in student behaviors. In this study, we attempt to identify the factor structure at each level using teacher ratings on the Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS). The sample of 1,375 preschool children (49.2% males) was drawn from a longitudinal study in Singapore. The teacher ratings of these children were collected at three time points (average age at Time 1 was 58.5 months, Time 2 was 69.8 months, and Time 3 was 80.9 months). Using multilevel exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, a three-factor model at the within level and a two-factor model at the between level best fit the data. At the within level, the three factors were identified as basic interpersonal skills, advanced interpersonal skills, and learning-related social skills. The three factors showed good internal consistency and differential correlates. The two factors at the between level may be related to teacher and classroom characteristics. This study provides empirical support for (a) differential factor structures of CBRS at the within and between levels; and (b) two distinct interpersonal skills. Future studies should aim at exploring the sources of between level variability. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Model-Selection-Based Approaches to Identifying the Optimal Number of Factors in Multilevel Exploratory Factor Analysis

ABSTRACT This study examined the accuracy of commonly used model fit indexes in identifying number of factors in multilevel exploratory factor analysis using Monte Carlo simulations. Multilevel data were generated according to different scenarios of factor structures: cluster numbers, cluster sizes, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) conditions. The results showed that when using the model-based approach, most of the commonly used fit indexes could identify the correct number of factors at the lower level, except for the within-level SRMR, AIC, CFI, and the within-level CFI. However, most of the fit indexes extracted fewer factors at the higher level when ICC and sample size were small. When using the design-based approach (assuming the same factor structure across levels), most of the fit indexes were able to identify the correct number of factors, except for SRMR, AIC, and ∆AIC, and CFI.

What makes for a pleasant social experience in adolescence? The role of perceived social interaction behavior in associations between personality traits and momentary social satisfaction

Whereas theory and research agree that social interactions are central mediators of the associations between personality traits and relationship outcomes, less is known about the mechanisms involved. This is particularly evident when looking at adolescence, when social networks restructure and expand. Drawing on experience sampling data from two adolescent samples (overall N &gt; 200), we examined which self- and other-perceptions of real-life social interaction behaviors contribute to the links between personality traits (i.e., extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) and momentary satisfaction with social interactions. Multilevel exploratory factor analyses revealed that most social perceptions could be represented by two factors, labeled expressive and communal behavior. As hypothesized, we found that higher extraversion and agreeableness and lower neuroticism predicted greater social satisfaction. These associations were mediated by perceptions of more expressive and communal behaviors in the case of agreeableness and extraversion and perceptions of less expressive behavior in the case of neuroticism. Contrary to our expectations, the results were the same no matter whether self- or other-perceptions were used as mediators. We discuss how our results provide information about the co-development of personality traits and social relationships from a microlevel perspective and outline directions for future research on perceived social interaction behavior.

The Factor Structure of Items Assessing Subjective Memory: Between-Persons and Within-Persons across Time

Introduction: Current understanding of the psychometric properties of items intended to assess the multidimensional construct of subjective memory (SM) is limited, as longitudinal studies of aging commonly use single items or brief sets of items to assess SM. Investigating how SM items cluster within individuals over time would increase the understanding of how combining these items impacts their utility as an early indicator of cognitive change in the aging trajectory. To address this need, the current study examined the factor structure of a brief set of SM items in an existing longitudinal study focused on cognitive aging at both the within-person and between-person levels. Methods: Data were drawn from the Einstein Aging Study, a longitudinal cohort study of aging (N = 1,239, M_age = 77.51, SD = 5.03; 69.50% white; 24.27% black; 6.23% other). Community-dwelling older adults from an urban area of New York City were interviewed annually. At each wave, participants responded to 6 items intended to assess SM. Items assessed participants’ perceived memory decline as well as current memory ability. Multilevel exploratory factor analyses examined which factor solution best fit the data at between-person and within-person levels. Results: Factor structure of the SM items varied at the two levels. At the within-person level, two factors emerged, whereas at the between-person level, a single factor best represented the SM items. Items assessing perceived declines in memory functioning tended to have similar trajectories, while items assessing current memory ability were less related to change over time. Conclusion: Items appeared to assess two different dimensions of SM when examining within-person changes in SM across time; however, the item structure suggested no other items covaried systematically within persons over time. In contrast to the conceptualization of SM as a multidimensional construct, our findings suggest that when measuring SM between individuals, SM items tend to capture a single dimension underlying SM. This may be due to the long retrospection period of items assessing perceived memory ability. A single item assessing perceived memory decline in older adults without evidence of objective cognitive impairment may be sufficient to monitor memory change in clinical or research settings.

THE FACTOR STRUCTURE OF MEMORY COMPLAINTS OVER TIME

Although memory complaints are assessed with a variety of items to track change in individuals as they age, it remains unclear which items best capture change. Adults aged 70 to 104 (n=1,344, 38% Male) completed six memory complaints items annually for up to 11 years: frequency of problems, one year decline, ten year decline, seriousness of problems, forgetting important things, and current functioning compared to functioning at age 30. Using multilevel exploratory factor analysis, the best fitting model indicated one factor fit the between person structure with all items loading significantly. Across time, items required two factors. Items about decline loaded together while the item about functioning compared to functioning at age 30 dominated a second factor. Remaining items did not load on either factor across time. This suggests these items assessing memory complaints are better at discriminating across persons rather than tracking changes within a person across time.

A day in the life of Narcissus: Measuring narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability in daily life.

There is growing interest in understanding the fluctuations in grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic states over time. Momentary data collection is vital in facilitating this new area of inquiry. Two narcissism adjective scales, the Narcissistic Grandiosity Scale and the Narcissistic Vulnerability Scale, have recently been developed for this purpose. In the present study, the validity of these 2 scales was examined across 3 different samples. Results indicate that these measures perform well psychometrically at both the momentary- and trait-level. Multilevel exploratory factor analyses reveal a clear 2-factor structure at both the within- and between-person level. Within-person correlations between these scales and other momentary scales (e.g., the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) are consistent with theoretical expectations. Finally, individual differences in endorsement of both of these scales correlated with other dispositional measures, including existing narcissism measures (e.g., The Pathological Narcissism Inventory and The Five Factor Narcissism Inventory), at the between-person level in the expected manner. We conclude these scales are well-suited for momentary narcissism assessment in studies wishing to examine fluctuations in grandiosity and vulnerability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The Structure of Competence: Evaluating the Factor Structure of the Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale

The Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale (CTRS) is an observer-rated measure of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment fidelity. Although widely used, the factor structure and psychometric properties of the CTRS are not well established. Evaluating the factorial validity of the CTRS may increase its utility for training and fidelity monitoring in clinical practice and research. The current study used multilevel exploratory factor analysis to examine the factor structure of the CTRS in a large sample of therapists (n = 413) and observations (n = 1,264) from community-based CBT training. Examination of model fit and factor loadings suggested that three within-therapist factors and one between-therapist factor provided adequate fit and the most parsimonious and interpretable factor structure. The three within-therapist factors included items related to (a) session structure, (b) CBT-specific skills and techniques, and (c) therapeutic relationship skills, although three items showed some evidence of cross-loading. All items showed moderate to high loadings on the single between-therapist factor. Results support continued use of the CTRS and suggest factors that may be a relevant focus for therapists, trainers, and researchers.

Integrating structure and dynamics in personality assessment: First steps toward the development and validation of a personality dynamics diary.

Both theories and cutting-edge research highlight the dynamic nature of personality and personality pathology, thereby posing significant challenges for an exclusively between-person, trait-based approach to personality assessment. In a series of 3 studies, we explored the viability of integrating within-person, dynamic aspects into clinical personality assessment by means of daily dairy methods. In the 1st study, 314 students filled out a 73-item questionnaire capturing daily behaviors and situation experiences across 7-10 consecutive days. We used multilevel exploratory factor analyses to construct a shortened version, the Personality Dynamics Diary (PDD). In the 2nd study, the PDD was applied in a sample of 77 psychotherapy inpatients across 40 days, on average. In the 3rd study, 35 psychotherapy outpatients as well as their therapists judged the clinical utility of a smartphone version of the PDD. Taken together, we were able to construct a relatively brief self-report measure that assesses major dimensions of within- and between-person differences of situations and behaviors in daily life with acceptable reliability. Application in clinical samples provided further evidence for the reliability, validity, and clinical utility of the PDD but also highlighted possible obstacles in clinical practice as well as the need for further replication and refinement. We conclude that daily diary methods have the potential to integrate within- and between-person approaches to personality assessment. By applying measures like the PDD, clinicians may gain insight into the psychological mechanisms that give rise to, and maintain, a person's maladaptive dispositions and ultimately find individualized leverage points for targeted therapeutic interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The Multilevel Structure of Daily Emotion-Regulation-Strategy Use: An Examination of Within- and Between-Person Associations in Naturalistic Settings

Existing structural analyses of emotion-regulation (ER) strategies have relied on retrospective, dispositional assessments, ignoring the within-person structure (i.e., intraindividual strategy groupings based on momentary covariances) and variability in strategy use across time and contexts. We conducted multilevel exploratory factor analyses on self-reported daily use of 11 strategies (i.e., acceptance, behavioral avoidance, distraction, experiential avoidance, expressive suppression, procrastination, reappraisal, reflection, rumination, savoring, social support) in clinical ( N = 129) and student ( N = 109) samples with intensive longitudinal designs. At the between-person level, two factors—Engagement and Avoidance—emerged in both samples. A different structure was found at the within-person level, with four factors in the student sample (i.e., Attentional Shift, Acceptance, Avoidance, Emotional Expression) and three in the clinical sample (i.e., Attentional Shift, Avoidance, Emotional Expression). The validity of these factors was examined via their associations with daily internalizing symptoms and affect. Implications for naturalistic ER strategy use and clinical assessment/intervention are discussed.

The dynamics of persisting through distress: Development of a Momentary Distress Intolerance Scale using ecological momentary assessment.

Distress tolerance, or the ability to withstand uncomfortable states, is thought to be a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology. Distress tolerance is typically measured using self-report questionnaires or behavioral tasks, both of which construe distress tolerance as a trait and downplay the potential variability in distress tolerance across time and situation. The aim of the current study was to provide a method for assessing momentary distress tolerance using ecological momentary assessment to capture both within- and between-individual information. Participants (n = 86) responded to random prompts on their cell phones seven times per day for one week, which included 10 momentary distress tolerance items as well as momentary emotion. After examining item distributions and interclass correlations, we conducted a multilevel exploratory factor analysis using both within-individual and between-individual data to arrive at a brief, 3-item measure we call the Momentary Distress Intolerance Scale. Model fit and reliability indices were good for both within- and between-individual approaches. We found that distress tolerance varied significantly over time, and that average momentary distress intolerance and instability in momentary distress intolerance were associated with trait distress tolerance, emotion dysregulation and tendencies to use experiential avoidance. Neither average momentary distress intolerance nor instability in momentary distress intolerance correlated with behavioral distress tolerance tasks. We discuss the importance of construing distress tolerance from a dynamic perspective and provide recommendations toward future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Measurement Tools to Assess Relationship Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention Program Effectiveness Among Youth.

This article describes the adaptation, development, and psychometric properties of survey instruments to assess outcomes of bystander-focused violence prevention efforts among high school students, including media literacy, rape myths, bystander readiness, bystander barriers and facilitators of bystander action, bystander intentions, perceptions of school personnel helping, perceptions of peer helping, and victim empathy. The study was based on data collected from 3,172 high school students across 25 schools in northern New England. Overall, the measures demonstrated acceptable fit indices in multilevel exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Whereas most measures and subscales had adequate reliability, several measures had less than ideal internal consistency, likely because of the limited number of items. Although additional measurement work is needed, these measures provide researchers and practitioners with foundational tools for basic research and program evaluation.