Multiple-indicator Multiple-cause Model Research Articles

Explaining Implausible Results in Shadow Economy Estimation Using MIMIC Models

For decades, economists have been trying to estimate the magnitude of the shadow economy (SE), which is not directly observable. This paper explores how the MIMIC (Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause) model can yield estimates of the SE/GDP (the proportion of the SE to the gross domestic product) below 0%, above 100%, and other implausible results. The focus is on the new calibration methods by Dell’Anno (2022) and data on the Czech Republic (1993–2021). The paper concludes that one of the leading causes of implausible results is the misalignment between the SE definition implied by the MIMIC model and that used for the exogenous estimates applied for calibration. Therefore, the authors propose testing the alignment between the SE definitions, such as assessing trends in the latent variable (first-stage scores) resulting from the MIMIC model and the exogenous estimates or applying regression or correlation analysis.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Hyperacusis Impact Questionnaire, Sound Sensitivity Symptoms Questionnaire, and Screening for Anxiety and Depression in Tinnitus, including preliminary analyses of the parent versions for use with children.

We previously reported the results of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the Hyperacusis Impact Questionnaire (HIQ), the Sound Sensitivity Symptoms Questionnaire (SSSD) and the Screening for Anxiety and Depression in Tinnitus (SAD-T). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is necessary to confirm the latent constructs determined using EFA. CFA should use different samples but with similar characteristics to those used for EFA. The aim was to use CFA to confirm latent constructs derived using EFA of the HIQ, SSSQ and SAD-T. We further evaluated the psychometric properties of parent versions of these questionnaires (indicated by -P), which are intended for use with children. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Data for 323 consecutive adults and 49 children who attended a Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Therapy Clinic in the UK within a six-month period were included. Data were collected retrospectively from the records of patients held at the audiology department. CFA with the weighted least-squares mean and variance-adjusted estimator was applied to assess the previously proposed factor structures of the HIQ, SSSQ and SAD-T. The internal consistency of the scales was assessed via Cronbach's alpha (α). The items of the HIQ, SSSQ and SAD-T were tested for measurement invariance regarding age and gender using the multiple indicator multiple cause (MIMIC) model. All questionnaires showed good to excellent internal consistency, with α = 0.93 for the HIQ, 0.87 for the SSSQ, and 0.91 for the SAD-T. The parent versions showed acceptable to good internal consistency, with α = 0.88 for the HIQ-P, 0.71 for the SSSQ-P, and 0.86 for the SAD-T-P. CFA showed that the HIQ, SSSQ, and SAD-T were all one-factor questionnaires and the factors generally were similar to those obtained for the EFA. The MIMIC model showed that all three questionnaires can be considered as measurement invariant, with scores similar across genders and ages. The HIQ, SSSQ and SAD-T are internally consistent one-factor questionnaires that can be used in clinical and research settings to assess the impact of hyperacusis, the severity of sound sensitivity symptoms, and to screen for anxiety and depression symptoms. Future studies should further explore the psychometric properties of the parent versions of the HIQ and SSSQ and SAD-T.

Measurement equivalence of the English and French versions of the self-efficacy to manage chronic disease scale: a Scleroderma Patient-Centered Intervention Network (SPIN) study.

The Self-Efficacy to Manage Chronic Disease (SEMCD) scale is widely used, including in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The SEMCD has been validated in SSc, but the metric equivalence of the English and French versions has not been assessed (i.e., whether psychometric properties are equivalent across English and French). Participants were adults from the Scleroderma Patient-Centered Intervention Network (SPIN) Cohort (N = 2159) who completed baseline measures in English (n = 1473) or French (n = 686) between May 2014 to July 2020. Analyses assessed internal consistency reliability via Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega, convergent validity via Pearson's correlations, structural validity via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and differential item functioning via the Multiple-Indicator Multiple-Cause (MIMIC) model. Internal consistency reliability was high in English (α = .93, ω = .93) and French (α = .92, ω = .93). All correlations between the SEMCD and measures of health outcomes were moderate to large, statistically significant, and in the hypothesized direction in both languages. The CFA demonstrated that the one-factor model of self-efficacy, overall, fit reasonably well (CFI = .96, TLI = .93, SRMR = .03, RMSEA = .14). Standardized factor loadings were large (.76 to .88). Three items displayed statistically significant uniform DIF and all six displayed nonuniform DIF; all DIF was of minimal magnitude. Comparison of unadjusted and DIF-adjusted models indicated that DIF did not meaningfully impact total score (ICC = 0.999, r = 0.999). Scores from English- and French-speaking adults with SSc can be combined for analysis or compared.

Assessing the validity and reliability of the International Anxiety Questionnaire and the International Depression Questionnaire in two bereaved national samples.

The International Anxiety Questionnaire (IAQ) and International Depression Questionnaire (IDQ) are self-report measures of ICD-11 Generalized Anxiety Disorder (ICD-11 GAD) and ICD-11 Single Episode Depressive Disorder (ICD-11 DD). This study tested the psychometric properties of these scales in two samples of bereaved adults from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the combined dimensionality and measurement invariance of the IAQ and IDQ across the United Kingdom (n = 1012) and Irish (n = 1011) samples. Differential item functioning (DIF) was tested using multiple indicator multiple cause (MIMIC) modelling while convergent validity was also assessed. CFA results supported a correlated two-factor model in both samples. The MIMIC model showed that the IDQ item "Had recurrent thoughts of death or suicide" showed DIF and the effect was small. Internal reliability of the scales were high and convergent validity was supported. The prevalence of ICD-11 GAD was 18.6% and 16.1% and ICD-11 DD was 13.8% and 10.5% in the United Kingdom and Irish samples, respectively. Findings of the study provide support for the validity, measurement invariance, and reliability of the IAQ and IDQ among two bereaved national samples.

Specificity of polygenic signatures across symptom dimensions in bipolar disorder: an analysis of UK Bipolar Disorder Research Network data

Current definitions and clinical heterogeneity in bipolar disorder are major concerns as they obstruct aetiological research and impede drug development. Therefore, stratification of bipolar disorder is a high priority. To inform stratification, our analysis aimed to examine the patterns and relationships between polygenic liability for bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD), and schizophrenia with multidimensional symptom representations of bipolar disorder. In this analysis, data from the UK Bipolar Disorder Research Network (BDRN) were assessed with the Operational Checklist for Psychotic Disorders. Individuals with bipolar disorder as defined in DSM-IV, of European ancestry (self-reported), aged 18 years or older at time of interview, living in the UK, and registered with the BDRN were eligible for inclusion. Psychopathological variables obtained via interview by trained research psychologists or psychiatrists and psychiatric case notes were used to identify statistically distinct symptom dimensions, calibrated with exploratory factor analysis and validated with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). CFA was extended to include three polygenic risk scores (PRSs) indexing liability for bipolar disorder, MDD, and schizophrenia in a multiple indicator multiple cause (MIMIC) structural equation model to estimate PRS relationships with symptom dimensions. Of 4198 individuals potentially eligible for inclusion, 4148 (2804 [67·6%] female individuals and 1344 [32·4%] male individuals) with a mean age at interview of 45 years (SD 12·03) were available for analysis. Three reliable dimensions (mania, depression, and psychosis) were identified. The MIMIC model fitted the data well (root mean square error of approximation 0·021, 90% CI 0·019-0·023; comparative fit index 0·99) and suggests statistically distinct symptom dimensions also have distinct polygenic profiles. The PRS for MDD was strongly associated with the depression dimension (standardised β 0·125, 95% CI 0·080-0·171) and the PRS for schizophrenia was strongly associated with the psychosis dimension (0·108, 0·082-0·175). For the mania dimension, the PRS for bipolar disorder was weakly associated (0·050, 0·002-0·097). Our findings support the hypothesis that genetic heterogeneity underpins clinical heterogeneity, suggesting that different symptom dimensions within bipolar disorder have partly distinct causes. Furthermore, our results suggest that a specific symptom dimension has a similar cause regardless of the primary psychiatric diagnosis, supporting the use of symptom dimensions in precision psychiatry. Wellcome Trust and UK Medical Research Council.

Evaluation of Measurement Properties and Differential Item Functioning in the English and French Versions of the University of California, Los Angeles, Loneliness Scale-6: A Scleroderma Patient-Centered Intervention Network (SPIN) Study.

Loneliness has been associated with poorer health-related quality of life but has not been studied in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The current study was undertaken to examine and compare the psychometric properties of the English and French versions of the University of California, Los Angeles, Loneliness Scale-6 (ULS-6) in patients with SSc during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used baseline cross-sectional data from 775 adults enrolled in the Scleroderma Patient-Centered Intervention Network (SPIN) COVID-19 Cohort. Reliability and validity of ULS-6 scores overall and between languages were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), differential item functioning (DIF) through the multiple-indicator multiple-cause (MIMIC) model, omega/alpha calculation, and correlations of hypothesized convergent relationships. CFA for the total sample supported the single-factor structure (comparative fit index [CFI] 0.96, standardized root mean residual [SRMR] 0.03), and all standardized factor loadings for items were large (0.60-0.86). The overall MIMIC model with language as a covariate fit well (CFI 0.94, SRMR 0.04, root mean square error of approximation 0.11). Statistically significant DIF was found for 3 items across language (βitem2 =0.14, P < 0.001; βitem4 =-0.07, P=0.01; βitem6 =0.13, P < 0.001), but these small differences were without practical measurement implications. Analyses demonstrated high internal consistency with no language-based convergent validity differences. Analyses demonstrated evidence of acceptable reliability and validity of ULS-6 scores in English- and French-speaking adults with SSc. DIF analysis supported use of the ULS-6 to examine comparative experiences of loneliness without adjusting for language.

Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Trust Me Scale-Italian Version: A Validation Study.

The Trust Me Scale is a widely used instrument to measure trust in healthcare providers. However, no Italian version of the scale exists yet, limiting its use in Italian-speaking populations. The aim of this study is to translate and validate the Trust Me Scale for use in Italian-speaking populations in nurses and nurse managers. The translation process involved methodological steps of collaborative and iterative translation with cultural adaptation. The validation process included a cross-sectional study enrolling a convenience sample of 683 nurses and 188 nurse managers who completed the Italian version of the Trust Me Scale and measures of intention to leave, satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Item 5 was removed for poor factor loading, and items 11 and 13 were removed following an a priori strategy focused on deleting items with correlations between residual variables different than expected based on theoretical expectations derived from previous research. The final model fit well to sample statistics with a three-factor structure (harmony, reliability, and concern) and 13 items. A multiple-indicator multiple-cause model showed a measurement invariance between nurses and nurse coordinators. Construct validity was also supported by the evidence that the measured domains of trust align with the theoretical expectations and are related to the intention to leave, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Each dimension showed adequate scale reliability. The Italian version of the Trust Me Scale is a valid and reliable instrument to measure trust in nurses and nurse managers in Italian-speaking contexts. It can be used for research in nursing and leadership and evaluation of interventions aimed at improving trust in healthcare contexts.

Shifting Mobility Behaviors in Unprecedented Times: A Multigroup MIMIC Model Investigating Intentions to Use On-Demand Ride Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The spread of COVID-19 has been a major disruptive force in people's everyday lives and mobility behavior. The demand for on-demand ride services, such as taxis and ridehailing, has been specifically affected given both restrictions in service operations and users' concerns about virus transmission in shared vehicles. In the early months of the pandemic, demand for these modes decreased by as much as 80%. This study examines intentions to use on-demand ride services in the early lockdown stage of the pandemic in the United States, a period of unprecedented mobility reductions, changing household routines and transforming travel behaviors. Using data from a survey disseminated in June 2020 to 700 U.S. respondents, we use multigroup MIMIC (Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause) models to investigate the stated shift in intentions to use on-demand modes of travel. By using group-based segmentation we control for variation in ridership intentions according to personal, household, attitudinal factors, and pandemic experiences. The results point to a reduction across the board in the likelihood of using on-demand mobility associated with a significant COVID-19 effect. Beyond this general decrease, several groups are found to have more positive intentions, including younger adults, urban residents, graduate-degree holders, and people of Hispanic, Latino, Asian, and Pacific Islander ethnicities/races. The attitudinal effect of "tech-savviness" drives higher user intentions, revealing indirect effects of gender, education, and age. Multigroup analysis provides further evidence of potential COVID-triggered shifts in on-demand ridership intentions. The most significant drops in likelihood are observed for younger respondents (below 45), Black compared with all other racial/ethnic status, and for past users of on-demand mobility. This latter result is somewhat surprising, as riders who are younger and more experienced with on-demand travel are more likely to have been users in the past, but also more likely to reduce use during the pandemic. To conclude, we discuss the need to investigate pandemic experiences, risk attitudes, and circumstances to understand evolving mobility behavior and specific service model impacts.

Do cycling facilities matter during the COVID-19 outbreak? A stated preference survey of willingness to adopt bicycles in an Indonesian context

This study aims to evaluate to what level bicycles can replace motorized vehicles during the outbreak. The survey respondents were asked to choose between a bicycle and existing motorized vehicles for seven choice scenarios based on traffic congestion and bicycle infrastructure. This study integrated a multiple-indicator, multiple-cause (MIMIC) and a mixed logit model to examine the attitudes change caused by the outbreak and the social influences on the preference for bicycles. The results indicated that developing bicycle infrastructure encourages the adoption of bicycles, although most users tend to come from low-income and less-educated people. Based on the MIMIC model results, this study found significant differences in attitudes change and social influences across respondents’ socioeconomic characteristics, as male respondents were more likely to be easily influenced by their friends with respect to cycling than females. Attitudes change related to global warming and environmental consciousness also affected the preference for bicycles.

Holiday travel intention in a crisis scenario: a comparative analysis of Spain's main source markets

ObjetivoEste estudio propone una extensión del modelo de la teoría del comportamiento planificado (TPB) para comprender las intenciones de visitar España de los viajeros internacionales. El objetivo es comparar si las variables que predicen la intención de viajar difieren según la nacionalidad. Esta extensión del modelo incluye variables como: riesgo percibido, lealtad al destino, experiencia de viaje anterior, clima de la opinión pública y el boca a boca electrónico (eWOM).Diseño/metodología/enfoqueSe desarrolló un modelo de indicadores y causas múltiples (MIMIC) como modelo de ecuaciones estructurales para predecir la intención de viajar de los 1978 participantes. El modelo estructural se utilizó para comprobar el modelo teórico para la muestra total y por nacionalidades (alemanes, británicos y otros países europeos).RecomendacionesLos modelos ampliados propuestos se ajustaron bien a los datos, explicando entre el 64% y el 68% de la varianza total, si bien se encontraron diferencias en función de la nacionalidad del turista. El modelo MIMIC indicó que la intención de los alemanes de viajar a un destino de vacaciones estaba influenciada por su percepción de riesgo, el eWOM y la lealtad a España. En el grupo británico, solo las variables TPB resultaron relevantes. Para el grupo de otras nacionalidades europeas, la lealtad y el eWOM también fueron significativas. Sin embargo, la experiencia de viaje, utilizada en estudios previos, se mostró no significativa en todos los grupos. En general, estos resultados ofrecen información sobre cómo las personas de diversos países y culturas adoptan los constructos antes mencionados cuando toman decisiones de viaje.Originalidad/valorEstudios previos han aplicado varios TPB extendidos a un país específico o han comparado los resultados entre países asiáticos. Nuestra propuesta hace una comparación de las variables utilizadas para predecir la intención de visitar un destino vacacional entre países europeos.

The multiple indicator multiple cause model for cognitive neuroscience: An analytic tool which emphasizes the behavior in brain-behavior relationships.

Cognitive neuroscience has inspired a number of methodological advances to extract the highest signal-to-noise ratio from neuroimaging data. Popular techniques used to summarize behavioral data include sum-scores and item response theory (IRT). While these techniques can be useful when applied appropriately, item dimensionality and the quality of information are often left unexplored allowing poor performing items to be included in an itemset. The purpose of this study is to highlight how the application of two-stage approaches introduces parameter bias, differential item functioning (DIF) can manifest in cognitive neuroscience data and how techniques such as the multiple indicator multiple cause (MIMIC) model can identify and remove items with DIF and model these data with greater sensitivity for brain–behavior relationships. This was performed using a simulation and an empirical study. The simulation explores parameter bias across two separate techniques used to summarize behavioral data: sum-scores and IRT and formative relationships with those estimated from a MIMIC model. In an empirical study participants performed an emotional identification task while concurrent electroencephalogram data were acquired across 384 trials. Participants were asked to identify the emotion presented by a static face of a child across four categories: happy, neutral, discomfort, and distress. The primary outcomes of interest were P200 event-related potential (ERP) amplitude and latency within each emotion category. Instances of DIF related to correct emotion identification were explored with respect to an individual’s neurophysiology; specifically an item’s difficulty and discrimination were explored with respect to an individual’s average P200 amplitude and latency using a MIMIC model. The MIMIC model’s sensitivity was then compared to popular two-stage approaches for cognitive performance summary scores, including sum-scores and an IRT model framework and then regressing these onto the ERP characteristics. Here sensitivity refers to the magnitude and significance of coefficients relating the brain to these behavioral outcomes. The first set of analyses displayed instances of DIF within all four emotions which were then removed from all further models. The next set of analyses compared the two-stage approaches with the MIMIC model. Only the MIMIC model identified any significant brain–behavior relationships. Taken together, these results indicate that item performance can be gleaned from subject-specific biomarkers, and that techniques such as the MIMIC model may be useful tools to derive complex item-level brain–behavior relationships.

A CROSS-CULTURAL INVESTIGATION OF SELF-COMPASSION IN ADOLESCENTS ACROSS GENDER

BackgroundSelf-compassion encourages one to accept oneself, reduce self-criticism and self-judgment, and see one’s shortcomings and setbacks in a balanced view. Adolescent self-compassion is a crucial protective factor against mental illness. It is, however, affected by gender. Given the scarcity of self-compassion scales for adolescents, the current study evaluates the Self-Compassion Scale for Youth (SCS-Y) in a large cross-cultural sample and investigates how the subscales of SCS-Y relate to the dimensions of depressive symptoms across gender.Subjects and MethodsThrough the internet-based Qualtrics, a total of 2881 teenagers aged 12 to 18 years were recruited from Hong Kong (HK), China, and the United Kingdom. A Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause (MIMIC) model was used to evaluate measurement invariance of the SCS-Y, and differential item functioning (DIF) was checked across gender. Upon the establishment of the best model, a multigroup structural equation model (SEM) was built between factors of SCS-Y and Multidimensional depression assessment scale (MDAS) which assesses four dimensions of depressive symptoms (emotional, cognitive, somatic and interpersonal).ResultsThe SCS-Y was shown to have good reliability and validity. The MIMIC model produced a good model fit for a hypothetical six-factor model (CFI = 0.980; TLI = 0.974; RMSEA = 0.038) and no item was flagged for DIF across gender. A gender difference was observed between SCS-Y factors and depression dimensions.ConclusionsThe SCS-Y exhibits good psychometric characteristics, including measurement invariance across gender. The study also highlights the gender difference between self-compassion factors and depression dimensions.AcknowledgementsSupported by a project grant from Hong Kong Metropolitan University Research and Development Scheme (PACRD/R6423).

Understanding Adoption Intent and Behavioral Response to Shared Electric Bicycles: A Survey in Ningbo, China

As a new form of shared mobility similar to bike-sharing, there is an increasing trend of people starting to use shared electric bicycles (SEB) for travel in China. Understanding the psychosocial factors that affect residents’ intention to use SEB is essential for the implementation of policies to develop sustainable transportation. Most research focuses on bike-sharing, while research on SEB is relatively rare. As such, this study proposes a theoretical framework based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to explore the mechanisms that influence the acceptance of and intention to use SEB. Drawing on this, it further addresses the moderating role of group heterogeneity and the residual effect of bike-sharing. An online survey of 313 SEB users in China was conducted in 2021. The results are constructed by structural equation modeling (SEM) and multiple-indicator multiple-cause (MIMIC) model. The results show that the research model can well explain people’s intention to use SEB. Perceived usefulness, attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control have direct positive effects on the intention to use SEB. However, there is group heterogeneity between social-economic attributes and latent variables. Moreover, satisfaction with bike-sharing could moderate the relationship between perceived usefulness and intention toward SEB. Based on the findings, some policy insights from users, government, and enterprises are proposed to guide the development of SEB.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Perceived Risk of HIV Scale in Brazilian Portuguese

BackgroundValid and reliable instruments are needed to measure the multiple dimensions of perceived risk. The Perceived Risk of HIV Scale is an 8-item measure that assesses how people think and feel about their risk of infection. We set out to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the scale to Brazilian Portuguese among key populations (gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men and transgender/non-binary) and other populations (cisgender heterosexual men and cisgender women).MethodsMethodological study with cross-sectional design conducted online during October/2019 (key populations [sample 1] and other populations) and February–March/2020 (key populations not on pre-exposure prophylaxis [sample 2]). Cross-cultural adaptation of the Perceived Risk of HIV Scale followed Beaton et al. 2000 guidelines and included confirmatory factor analysis, differential item functioning (DIF) using the Multiple-Indicator Multiple-Cause model, and concurrent validity to verify if younger individuals, those ever testing for HIV, and engaging in high-risk behaviors had higher scores on the scale.Results4342 participants from key populations (sample 1 = 235; sample 2 = 4107) and 155 participants from other populations completed the measure. We confirmed the single-factor structure of the original measure (fit indices for sample 1 plus other populations: CFI = 0.98, TLI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.07; sample 2 plus other populations: CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.09). For the comparisons between key populations and other populations, three items (item 2: “I worry about getting infected with HIV”, item 4: “I am sure I will not get infected with HIV”, and item 8: “Getting HIV is something I have”) exhibited statistically significant DIF. Items 2 and 8 were endorsed at higher levels by key populations and item 4 by other populations. However, the effect of DIF on overall scores was negligible (0.10 and 0.02 standard deviations for the models with other populations plus sample 1 and 2, respectively). Those ever testing for HIV scored higher than those who never tested (p < .001); among key populations, those engaging in high-risk behaviors scored higher than those reporting low-risk.ConclusionThe Perceived Risk of HIV Scale can be used among key populations and other populations from Brazil.

The Fourth Dimensions of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model of Work Engagement in Indonesian Context

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the modified version of the Work Engagement Scale in the Indonesian context, by adding one aspect and test the effect of types of occupation using the multiple indicator multiple cause (MIMIC) model for testing measurement invariance. The sample of this study included 459 workers in Indonesia using 16 items of the Work Engagement Scale. The results revealed that Indonesian respondents have Asian characteristics, but they come from various ethnicities and cultures. By including university lecturers and industrial workers as respondents and performing confirmatory factor analysis followed by MIMIC model, it is discovered that Indonesian employees have satisfactory psychometric properties in all four dimensions, which comprise the constructs of the work engagement scale. The findings provide an insight into in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model of work engagement in Indonesian context consisted of vigor, dedication, absorption, and contribution dimensions from theoretical understanding. MIMIC model gives an evidence that the occupation types can affect the factor structure of work engagement, indicating that measurement invariance are not hold.

Do Older People Expect Reciprocity When Providing Care? Evidence From a National Cohort

Background: The debate on whether caregiving is selfless or self-serving is unresolved. From the perspective of caregiving as a moral responsibility, the motivation to provide care is altruistic. The exchange or reciprocity perspective suggests that care is provided with an expectation to be cared for in the future. The context of filial obligation and rapid socio-economic transformation in recent decades in urban and rural China provided a unique opportunity to investigate these two driving forces. Methods: We tested the effects of caregiving experience in older persons on their care expectation from their children using data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (n=8,308). Using a multiple-indicator multiple-cause model, a special form of structural equation modelling, we examined the effect of caring for one’s older parents, helping adult children with housework, and caring for grandchildren on older persons’ care expectation from their children. Results: Older persons in urban areas had higher expectation for future care from their children if they have helped them with housework or took care of their grandchildren, whereas their experience of taking care of their own parents is related to a lower care expectation from their children. Although a similar pattern was observed in rural areas, only the experience of helping adult children with housework significantly increased care expectation. Discussion: Both altruistic and exchange motivations are involved in caregiving. Caring for older parents was more likely altruistic. Caring for an adult child in both urban and rural areas, and grandparenting in urban areas, were motivated by reciprocity.

Translation and validation of the Short HIV Stigma scale in Brazilian Portuguese

BackgroundHIV-related stigma, or the degree to which people living with HIV endorse negative stereotypes associated with HIV, is associated with poor continuum of care outcomes. We translated the 12-item Short HIV Stigma scale and evaluated its psychometric properties in a Brazilian context with regard to construct validity and reliability.MethodsThe first step included translation, back-translation, evaluation, peer review, and pre-testing of the Short HIV Sigma scale developed by Reinius et al. (Health Qual Life Outcomes 15(1):115, 2017).The second step involved piloting the scale in three convenience samples of adults recruited online through advertisements on different platforms: Grindr (October/2019) and Hornet (February–March/2020), geospatial network apps for sexual encounters for gay, bisexuals and other men who have sex with men, and social media apps (Facebook and WhatsApp, October/2019). The psychometric evaluation included confirmatory factor analysis, differential item functioning using the Multiple-Indicator Multiple-Cause model, and correlations between subscale scores and antiretroviral treatment use and adherence. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, and ordinal alpha and omega from the polychoric correlation matrix.ResultsIn total, 114, 164, and 1824 participants completed the measure items through Grindr, social media, and Hornet, respectively. We confirmed a 4-factor structure with factors for personalized stigma (3 items), disclosure concerns (3 items), concerns with public attitudes (3 items), and negative self-image (3 items). Small differential item functioning with respect to sample was found for one item (“I feel guilty because I have HIV”), which did not substantively influence estimates of latent factor scores. Grindr and Hornet’s participants scored significantly higher than social media participants on all factors except personalized stigma. Higher subscale scores correlated with antiretroviral treatment use among participants from Hornet and with lower treatment adherence in participants from Grindr and Hornet. Reliability as measured by Cronbach’s alpha, ordinal alpha and omega were 0.83, 0.88 and 0.93 for the entire scale.DiscussionThe Brazilian Portuguese version of the Short HIV Stigma scale had satisfactory psychometric properties with present results suggesting that scores from different samples may be compared without concern that measurement differences substantively influence results though further studies with greater representation of women and heterosexual men are warranted.

What Motivates Drivers to Comply with Speed Guidance Information at Signalized Intersections?

This study explored the intrinsic motivation of drivers most likely to accept guidance information at signalized intersections by using a mixed model approach. The proposed approach contains a multiple-indicator multiple-cause model (MIMIC) with a latent class analysis (LCA). The MIMIC model was used to quantify intrinsic motivations according to individual heterogeneity. From a group similarity perspective, the LCA was employed for the latent classification of drivers. The features and possibility of accepting guidance information of each class were also analyzed according to the intrinsic motivation of drivers. Data were collected from the stated preference online surveys, in which the questionnaire was designed according to the diffusion of innovation, in 2015 and 2019 in China. Four subjective perceptions of drivers were identified: the perception of innovating guidance information, the perception of convenience regarding guidance information transmission, the perception of surrounding complexity, and the individual innovation. The estimation results show that age, driving experience, education levels, and familiarity with road network are significant factors of compliance behavior. The proportion of conservatives gradually decreased from 2015 to 2019, while the proportion of early followers and late followers increased through market penetration, familiarity with the Internet of vehicles, and social networks in the same period. This prevalence demonstrates that guidance information at signalized intersections is gradually becoming acceptable in China.

Understanding customers’ battery electric vehicle sharing adoption based on hybrid choice model

Carsharing as a sustainable mode faces many difficulties such as low market share and acceptance rate in developing and developed countries. In order to develop effective promotion strategies, this study provides insights on the effects of the key factors, including customers’ attitude, level of service, and vehicle restriction policies, on the adoption of battery electric vehicle sharing service. The hybrid choice model framework is incorporated to quantify unobserved attitudinal variables and their effects. In the framework, factor analysis methods are used to construct the factor structure for latent attitudinal variables, a multiple-indicator multiple-cause model is incorporated to capture the relationship between observed variables and latent variables, and a multinomial logit model is used to comprehensively investigate the effects of the key factors on carsharing choice. Results indicate that Beijing permanent residency, demand for private cars, travel pattern, and home-work area have the most significant effects on the attitude towards carsharing. Attitudes such as environmental consciousness, social benefits, satisfaction with transport system, and reliability significantly affect the adoption of battery electric vehicle sharing. Vehicle cruising range and free-floating availability are two crucial factors that hinder the adoption of battery electric vehicle sharing against conventional gasoline vehicle sharing. Results also indicate that the quota scheme on private car plate registration improves the adoption intention of carsharing while restrictions on vehicle use owing to license plates significantly affects the adoption of battery electric vehicle sharing. The findings act as a reference for policy-making, promotion strategy, and operation management of carsharing.

Factor structure and a multiple indicators multiple cause model of internet addiction test: the effect of socio-demographic and internet use variables

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factor structure of a bilingual version (English and Malay) of Internet Addiction Test, a measure of severity on pathological Internet use (PIU); examine the measurement invariant by adding the socio-demographic and Internet use variables as covariates. Method: Pencil-paper questionnaire was distributed to undergraduates in Univerisiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). A total of 1120 valid responses were collected. EFA and CFA were first applied to identify the factor structure of IAT. Multiple indicator multiple cause (MIMIC) model was used to examine the differential item functioning (DIF) and the effect of covariates on the latent factors. Result: A four-factor model demonstrated moderate fit to the data for 17-item of IAT with significant high factor loading. Comparison of MIMIC model with and without DIF indicated that the most meaningful and significant DIF effect were on three items showing direct effect from Chinese to IAT18, IAT19 and IAT20. By controlling the DIF effect, some covariates still present the significant impact on latent factors of IAT, which were female, time spent online, effect on study, years of Internet use experience, general users, other users and Chinese. Conclusions: the risk factors of PIU were male, time spent online, years of Internet use experiences, game users, SNS users, perceived less effect on study. More research is encouraged to examine the racial group difference, including the risk of PIU and item response bias.