Preliminary Evidence Of Validity Research Articles

Multidimensional Self-Regulation Battery for Reading Comprehension: Preliminary Evidence for Criterion Validity

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity based on relationships with other variables of the Self-Regulation for Reading Comprehension Multidimensional Battery (BAMA-RC). This study was developed quantitatively, with a cross-sectional and correlational design. Participants were 182 middle school students from Brazil. Nine BAMA-RC scales and a Cloze test were used to assess reading comprehension. The data were analyzed using statistics that evaluate relationships between variables (correlation, linear regression, chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney). The results identified preliminary evidence of criterion validity, confirming the hypotheses of relationships between the dimensions of self-regulation for learning and reading comprehension. These findings encourage new studies to extend the psychometric properties of the BAMA-RC.

Initial Development of the Child Responsiveness Scale for Early Childhood Settings

This article presents initial psychometric data for scores on the Child Responsiveness Scale (CRS), an observational measure to assess child responsiveness to teacher delivery of practices designed to promote social-emotional competencies. In Study 1, 633 live observations conducted with 54 teachers and 91 children at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders in early childhood classrooms were rated independently by two coders. Interrater reliability, ICC(2,2), for the CRS item scores, averaged .67 ( SD = .06; range .55 to .72). The CRS scale scores demonstrated sensitivity to variation across teachers, children, and coders. In Study 2, 634 recorded observations with 52 teachers and 52 children in early childhood classrooms were rated independently by two coders. Interrater reliability, ICC(2,2), for the item scores, averaged .62 ( SD = .08; range .53 to .74). An exploratory factor analysis and a confirmatory factor analysis conducted on separate samples indicated that the items were best represented as two correlated factors, one for positive and one for negative items. Analyses provided preliminary evidence for CRS scale score validity. Future research directions are discussed regarding using the CRS to evaluate child responsiveness’s role in promoting child outcomes in early childhood classrooms.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Brief Resilience Scale and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Among Older Sexual Minority Women in the U.S.

Objective This study sought to examine the factor structure, internal consistency, and measurement invariance of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) among older sexual minority women with disabilities. Method Participants (n = 208) consisted of sexual minority women aged 55 and older with disabilities recruited online. Results CFA results showed a one-factor structure fit BRS data, RMSEA = .050 (90% CI [.00, .107]), SRMR = .015, CFI = .990, TLI = .975, with good internal consistency (alpha = 0.863, omega = .864). For the MSPSS, CFA showed a three-factor structure fit the data, RMSEA = .080 (90% CI [.064, .096]), SRMR = .037, CFI = .959, TLI = .947, with excellent internal consistency (alpha = 0.937, omega = .937). Full scalar invariance was achieved for both BRS and MSPSS when comparing single and partnered individuals. Additionally, full scalar invariance was also achieved for MSPSS when comparing individuals with a single and multiple health conditions. For BRS, partial scalar invariance was established across health conditions. Conclusions The original factor structures of the BRS and MSPSS fit with good internal consistency, providing preliminary evidence of construct validity and reliability of scores on both scales in this population.

The Motives for Solo Masturbation Scale: Development and Preliminary Validation

Solo masturbation is prevalent across adulthood. However, there are conflicting findings regarding how masturbation is associated with well-being. Understanding individuals’ motives for masturbating might help disentangle these conflicting findings; yet, existing measures are suboptimal for assessing motives for solo masturbation. In this study, 2960 adults (18-84 years old, M age = 32.62, SD age = 11.36, 60.2% men, 36.8% women) who had engaged in solo masturbation within the past year responded to items, written based on existing literature, reflecting a wide range of motives for masturbating. Exploratory factor analysis revealed eight factors that warranted retention (Fantasy, Pleasure/Arousal, Compulsion, Improvement, Sexual Dissatisfaction, Coping, Efficiency, and Avoidance of Risky Sex), and this structure was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. Measurement invariance was established across men and women, and individuals in and not in a sexually active romantic relationship. The resultant measure comprises 24 items assessing eight distinct motives. Fit indices and scale reliabilities suggest this new measure of masturbation motives is psychometrically sound. Correlations with related constructs (e.g., sex drive, dissatisfaction with partnered sex, religiosity, depression, anxiety, and attitudes toward masturbation) provide preliminary evidence of validity. Suggestions for future investigations and further development of this new measure are discussed.

An examination of the association between neurotypical school-age children’s performance on two pretend play assessments

ABSTRACT Pretend play is an important developmental milestone. Therefore, clinicians need access to validated pretend play assessments. The study investigated the convergent validity between the Animated Movie Test (AMT) and the Affect in Play Scale-Brief Rating Version (APS-BR) when completed by a sample of neurotypical school-aged children. Fourteen participant pairs of 14 children (9 girls, 5 boys) between eight and 10 years of age and one of their parents took part in the study. Children completed the AMT and APS-BR, and parents completed the Parent Report of Children’s Pretend Play (PRCPP). Spearman rho correlations were used to measure the association between each of the pretend play assessments. Significant positive associations were found between the AMT Initiation of Ideas subscale score and two of the APS-BR pretend play factor scores: Organization (rho = 0.571, p = .033) and Comfort in Play (rho = .537, p = .048). A significant positive association was also found between the AMT Total Setup and Preparation Score and the PRCPP’s total score (rho = .539, p = .047). The results of this preliminary study provide preliminary convergent validity evidence between the AMT and APS-BR. Further psychometric research of pretend play scales is recommended.

Conceptualization and validation of the TILT questionnaire: relationship with IGD and life satisfaction.

Currently, the study of esports is growing within the field of psychology. Among the different variables attracting interest - including stress or psychological factors associated with performance - an emerging concept known as tilt is gaining prominence in the literature. However, this construct has yet to be operationalized or defined. Thus, the present study aims to address this gap by defining and conceptualizing TILT while devising and validating a questionnaire to measure the construct in esports players. The initial phase of the study comprised 27 interviews conducted with professional players (n = 6), semi-professionals (n = 8), amateurs (n = 8), and coaches (n = 5) to characterize the concept of tilt. Following these interviews, a definition of tilt was formulated, and a panel of five experts in sports psychology and esports proposed a comprehensive set of 53 items. A total of 488 participants (278 males, 210 females), aged 18-50 (mean age = 26.9 years, SD = 7.57), completed the survey, including the 53 tilt items, a questionnaire measuring toxic behavior, and the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF). The tilt construct is primarily characterized as a state of frustration escalating into anger, resulting in diminished performance, attention, and recurring negative thoughts about errors. Its onset typically coincides with stressful situations, persisting for approximately 30 min. Through an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), 18 items were retained and categorized into two factors: Causes (7 Items) and Consequences (11 Items) of tilt. The entire questionnaire yielded a Cronbach's α of 0.922, with the first and second factors showing values of 0.854 and 0.890, respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed an acceptable fit for the 2-factor solution. Correlations with related constructs, such as Toxic Behavior and IGD, provided preliminary evidence of external validity. Empirical evidence for the validity and internal consistency of the Tilt Scale is robust, indicating its potential utility in future research on the psychological experiences of esports players.

Preliminary Evidence of Validity for the Verbally Pressured and Illegal Sexual Exploitation Modules of the Sexual Experiences Survey-Victimization

ABSTRACT The Sexual Experiences Survey-Victimization (SES-V; see Koss et al., 2024) revises the prior 2007 Sexual Experiences Survey-Short Form Victimization (SES-SFV) in many ways, including expanded measurement of verbally pressured and illegal sexual exploitation, as well as the addition of items that assess being made to perform a sexual act or to penetrate another person sexually. The current article describes two initial validity studies of the SES-V. Study 1 compared rates of self-reported verbal pressure and illegal sexual exploitation (e.g. rape) on a preliminary version of the SES-V and the SES-SFV in a sample of higher education students who completed both questionnaires online in a randomized order (N = 460). As expected, the preliminary SES-V produced higher rates than the SES-SFV, and continuous scores were strongly correlated. Responses to the made-to-penetrate (MTP) items suggested that some cisgender men and women may have misunderstood those items. Study 2 explored responses to the MTP items further by randomly assigning participants to complete items with either the Study 1 MTP language (n = 269) or revised language (n = 245). The revised language produced fewer implausible responses and was adopted in the final version of the SES-V. These findings provide initial support for the validity of the SES-V and the value of expanding the conceptualization of victimization to include a wider range of sexual exploitation. A research agenda for future validity research is suggested.

Implementing discourse-gating tasks to study the timing of speech act recognition

This paper presents the development of two novel discourse-gating tasks to investigate the processing of pragmatic information, namely, the timing of the recognition of genuine (sincere) and ostensible (transparently insincere) refusals in Chinese and provides preliminary validity evidence for the tasks. Gating tasks were introduced to investigate spoken word recognition and have been successfully extended to spoken language processing, most notably sentences. Following Grosjean's (1996) observation that gating tasks could be used to investigate a variety of linguistic features, we extended the gating tasks to spoken discourse using turns as gates. The open-prediction gating task allows participants to make a single prediction about the outcome of each of 12 recorded conversations as soon as they can. The fixed-prediction gating task asks participants to make predictions at regular intervals while listening to a second set of 12 conversations. One hundred and seven participants (60 L1 speakers and 47 third- and fourth-year learners of Chinese) were recruited to test the tasks. The tasks reveal a lag in speech-act identification not found when retrospective speech-act identification tasks are used. The fixed-prediction task additionally reveals alternatives that are considered during processing. The paper discusses the benefits of the discourse gating tasks and the merits of each, the quantitative and qualitative evidence for the tasks, and future directions for discourse gating tasks.

Validity of the I‑FEED classification in assessing postoperative gastrointestinal impairment in patients undergoing elective lumbar spinal surgery with general anesthesia: a prospective observational study

BackgroundThe I-FEED classification, scored 0–8, was reported to accurately describe the clinical manifestations of gastrointestinal impairment after colorectal surgery. Therefore, it is interesting to determine whether the I-FEED scoring system is also applicable to patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery.MethodsAdult patients undergoing elective lumbar spine surgery were enrolled, and the I-FEED score was measured for 4 days after surgery. The I-FEED scoring system incorporates five elements: intake (score: 0, 1, 3), feeling nauseated (score: 0, 1, 3), emesis (score: 0, 1, 3), results of physical exam (score: 0, 1, 3), and duration of symptoms (score: 0, 1, 2). Daily I-FEED scores were summed, and the highest overall score is used to categorize patients into one of three categories: normal (0–2 points), postoperative gastrointestinal intolerance (POGI; 3–5 points), and postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction (POGD; 6 + points). The construct validity hypothesis testing determines whether the I-FEED category is consistent with objective clinical findings relevant to gastrointestinal impairment, namely, the longer length of hospital stay (LOS), higher inhospital medical cost, more postoperative gastrointestinal medical treatment, and more postoperative non-gastrointestinal complications.ResultsA total of 156 patients were enrolled, and 25.0% of patients were categorized as normal, 49.4% POGI, and 25.6% POGD. Patients with higher I-FEED scores agreed with the four validity hypotheses. Patients with POGD had a significantly longer length of hospital stay (1 day longer median stay; p = 0.049) and more inhospital medical costs (approximately 500 Taiwanese dollars; p = 0.037), and more patients with POGD required rectal laxatives (10.3% vs. 32.5% vs. 32.5%; p = 0.026). In addition, more patients with POGD had non-gastrointestinal complications (5.1% vs. 11.7% vs. 30.0%; p = 0.034).ConclusionThis study contributes preliminary validity evidence for the I-FEED score as a measure for postoperative gastrointestinal impairment after elective lumbar spine surgery.

Construct validity of the simplified Chinese version of the instrument ‘Picture My Participation’

Background Preliminary evidence of the content validity of the simplified Chinese version of ‘Picture My Participation’ (PMP-C; Simplified) items and reliability of the subscale attendance for the effectiveness of the use with children and youth in mainland China has been collected. However, evidence of construct validity for the instrument is not yet available. Aim To explore the construct validity of the attendance scale in PMP-C (Simplified). Methods A cross-sectional study using convenience sampling was conducted using PMP-C (Simplified) with a picture-supported interview for 290 children and youths aged 5–21 with and without ID in urban and rural areas of mainland China. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed using the principal component analysis (PCA) to analyse the resulting data. Results The EFA extracted five factors with eigenvalues greater than one and the cumulative contribution rate of factors accounted for 51.62% of the variance. All items had factor loadings above 0.50. The five subcomponents included: organised activities, social activities, taking care of others, family life activities and personal care and development activities. Conclusion The results of the factor analysis support the construct validity of the PMP-C (Simplified) attendance scale. It provides further psychometric evidence that PMP-C (Simplified) is a sound measure to assess participation for children and youths in mainland China.

Psychometric network analysis of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) in Paraguayan general population.

Depression and anxiety are two of the most prevalent and disabling mental disorders worldwide, both in the general population and in outpatient clinical settings. This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) based on network analysis metrics. A total of 911 Paraguayans (23.71% women and 76.29% men; mean age 31.25years, SD = 10.63), selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling, participated in the study. Network analysis was used to evaluate the internal structure, reliability, and measurement invariance between men and women. The results revealed that the PHQ-4 is a unidimensional measure through Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA). Reliability, through structural consistency, identified that 100% of the time, only a single dimension was obtained, and all items remained stable, as they were always replicated within the empirical dimension. The unidimensional structure has shown evidence of configural invariance; therefore, the network structure functioned equally among the different sex groups. The PHQ-4 presented optimal preliminary evidence of validity based on its internal structure, reliability, and invariance between sexes. Therefore, it may be useful as an accurate and brief measure of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the Paraguayan context.

Introducing the Tele-OCS: Preliminary evidence of validity for a remotely administered version of The Oxford Cognitive Screen

Background Remote cognitive assessments are increasingly used with the rising popularity of teleneuropsychology. Here, we evaluated the performance of the remotely administered Oxford Cognitive Screen (Tele-OCS) compared to in-person administration in adult stroke survivors. Methods 40 stroke survivors (M age = 69.30, SD = 10.44; sex = 30% female) completed in-person and remote versions of the OCS on average 30 days apart, with different trained examiners. The order of administration was counterbalanced. Cohen’s d estimates were used to compare performance between modalities. Results We found that the proportion of OCS subtasks impaired did not differ across modalities (d <.001). With regards to raw subtask scores, only the picture naming subtask and executive score from the trail making subtask were found to be statistically different across modalities, though raw differences were minimal (<1 point difference on average). These statistical differences did not affect impairment classifications. Conclusions The Tele-OCS classified cognitive impairments in a comparable way to the in-person version. The validation of the Tele-OCS allows for remote assessment to increase accessibility and pragmatically aid in addressing the clinical need for stroke-specific cognitive screening in a wider population.

Novel Performance Rating Instruments for Gynecological Procedures in Primary Care: A Pilot Study.

Improving training and confirming the acquisition of gynecological procedure skills for family physicians (FPs) is crucial for safe healthcare delivery. The objectives of this study were to (a) develop performance rating instruments for four gynecological procedures, and (b) pilot them to provide preliminary validity evidence using modern validity theory. Sixteen academic FPs and gynecologists participated in a modified Delphi technique to develop procedure-specific checklists (PSCs) for four procedures: intrauterine device insertion, endometrial biopsy, punch biopsy of the vulva, and routine pessary care. We modified a previously validated global rating scale (GRS) for ambulatory settings. Using prerecorded videos, 19 academic FPs piloted instruments to rate one first-year and one second-year family medicine resident's performance. They were blinded to the level of training. We compared the mean scores for PSCs and GRS for each procedure using paired samples t tests and Cohen'sdto estimate effect sizes. Consensus on items for the final PSCs was reached after two Delphi rounds. PSC and GRS scores were numerically higher for the second-year resident than the first-year resident for every procedure, with statistically significant differences for six of eight comparisons (P<.05). All comparisons demonstrated large effect sizes (Cohen'sd>0.8). Both instruments received high scores for ease of use by raters. We developed novel performance rating instruments for four gynecological procedures and provided preliminary validity evidence for their use for formative feedback in a simulation setting. This pilot study suggests that these instruments may facilitate the training and documentation of family medicine trainees' skills in gynecological procedures.

A pre-longitudinal screen of performance in an integrated assessment of throwing and catching competence

ABSTRACT Background: The ability to adapt motor skill performance to a variety of conditions is vital to success in physical activity settings. Valid and reliable measurements of motor competence (MC) are critical for understanding its impact on physical health. Many widely used MC assessments evaluate the performance of isolated motor skills, place performers in highly standardized environments, and limit opportunities to adapt performance. Consequently, evaluations of motor skill performance using these tools may not adequately differentiate motor skill levels. Assessing MC in more dynamic performance contexts may enhance the utility of MC measures. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the developmental validity of scores on a combined throwing and catching assessment. Data Collection and Analysis: Data were collected on a convenience sample (n = 873, n female = 320, age = 14.7 years ± 4.2). Participants threw a regulation tennis ball against a wall from a distance three times their standing height and caught it as many times as possible in 30 s. Performers were free to use any throwing pattern (e.g. over/underarm) or task strategy (e.g. speed, trajectory of ball, ball bouncing, one- or two-handed catch). The highest number of catches between two 30-second trials was used for analysis. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the total sample and for males and females separately. Pearson correlations were used to evaluate the relationship between throw-catch assessment (TCA) scores and age. We evaluated the relationship between TCA score, sex, and age via hierarchical regression with TCA score as the dependent variable using three models: (1) Participant sex as the sole predictor, (2) sex and age as predictors, and (3) sex, age, and the quadratic term for age (age2). Additionally, we evaluated the reliability of scores on TCA assessment trials via intraclass correlations (ICCs) using a two-way, fixed effects model. Results: The mean TCA score was 11.34 (± 5.44; M females = 9.18 ± 4.80, M males = 12.59 ± 5.40). Strong relationships were observed between TCA score and age (r = .743, r females = .698, r males = .746; all significant at p < .001). Significant increases in model fit were observed at each stage of the hierarchical regression (Model 1: R 2 = .091, p < .01; Model 2: ΔR 2 = .484, p < .01; Model 3: ΔR 2 = .009, p < .01), with the final model indicating significant effects for sex (β male = 1.95, p < .01), age (β = 2.01, p < .01) and age2 (β = –.04, p < .01) on TCA score (R 2 = .584, F 3,869 = 406.7, p < .001). Finally, there was good reliability between scores on the two TCA trials (ICC = .875, F 872,873 = 14.97, p < .001). Discussion: These data provide preliminary evidence for the developmental validity of the TCA across childhood to young adulthood. The ability to differentiate skill levels across a wide age-range can enhance the ability to track MC across the lifespan and better understand the relationship between covariates of MC across the lifespan. These data provide support for a MC assessment that can be used by researchers and practitioners to evaluate throwing and catching skill in a swift and ecologically valid way.

Anosognosia in Alzheimer's Pathology: Validation of a New Measure.

Two studies were performed to validate a brief measure of cognitive insight and compare it to an empirical model - the Cognitive Awareness Model (CAM). A pilot study included 31 (52% male; Mage = 69.42) patients from an outpatient neuropsychological assessment clinic. Seven patients were diagnosed with likely Alzheimer's dementia (AD), 15 mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 9 no diagnosis (i.e., cognitively normal; CN). The Cognitive Coding Form (CCF) and several other measures were administered. Study 2 entailed archival data extraction of 240 patients (80 CN, 80 MCI, and 80 AD; 53.3% female; Mage = 72.8) to examine whether the CCF predicts memory (Wechsler Memory Scale - IV) and executive functioning (Trail-Making Test B). The pilot study found preliminary evidence of convergent and discriminant validity for the 8-item CCF. Study 2 confirmed that both patient-reported cognitive concerns (F(2,237) = 10.40, p < .001, ω2 = .07, power = .99) and, more strongly, CCF informant-patient discrepancy scores (F(2,237) = 24.52, p < .001, ω2 = .16, power = .99) can distinguish CNs from those with MCI and AD. A regression indicated that depression (5.5%; β = -.38, p < .001) and TMT-B (13%; β = -.43, p < .001), together accounted for 18.5% of the variance in insight (R2 = .19, F(2,219) = 26.10, p < .001), supporting the CAM. These studies establish an efficient measure of insight with high clinical utility and inform the literature on the role of insight in predicting performance in those with Alzheimer's pathology.

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.

Development and validation of the physical effort scale (PES)

ObjectivesPrevious literature has primarily viewed physical effort as an aversive experience. However, recent research suggests that effort can also be valued positively. These differences in approach and avoidance tendencies toward physical effort may play a key role in the self-regulation of physical activity behaviors. The aim of this study was to develop a scale that measures these tendencies and contributes to a better understanding of physical effort and how it affects behavior. MethodsThe Physical Effort Scale (PES) was developed in Study 1 based on expert evaluations (n = 9) and cognitive interviews (n = 10). In Study 2 (n = 680, 69% female), content validity and dimensional structure were examined using principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Item reduction was conducted using item response theory. Preliminary construct validity was explored using regression. Study 3 (n = 297, 71% female) was used to validate dimensional structure, internal consistency, and construct validity, and to assess test-retest reliability. ResultsIn Study 1, 44 items were rated for content validity, of which 18 were selected and refined based on cognitive interviews. Analyses from Study 2 allowed reducing the scale to 8 items with a two-dimension structure: tendency to approach (n = 4) and to avoid physical effort (n = 4). The two subscales showed high internal consistency (α = 0.897 for the approach dimension and 0.913 for the avoidance dimension) and explained usual levels of physical activity, providing preliminary evidence of construct validity. Study 3 confirmed the two-dimension structure with high internal consistency (α = 0.907 and 0.916 for the approach and avoidance dimension, respectively) and revealed acceptable test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation >0.66). Patterns of associations with other constructs showed expected relationships, confirming the concurrent, convergent, and discriminant validity of the scale. ConclusionsThe PES is a valid and reliable measure of individual differences in the valuation of physical effort. This scale can assess the propensity to engage in physically demanding tasks in non-clinical populations. The PES and its manual are available in the Supplementary Material.

Psychometric evaluation of the Symptom-Checklist-K-9 among U.S. working-age adults with psychiatric disabilities.

The Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R; Derogatis, 1992) is a widely used self-report measure of psychiatric symptoms (Prinz et al., 2013), but it is longer than many screening measures used in certain settings. Recently, a nine-item form of the SCL-90-R, the Symptom-Checklist-K-9 (SCL-K-9), has been gaining traction despite the limited research examining its psychometric properties in the United States. The purpose of this study is to conduct a psychometric evaluation of the SCL-K-9 scores in U.S. working-age adults with psychiatric disabilities. Six hundred and thirty participants with self-reported psychiatric disabilities completed the SCL-K-9 and other psychosocial self-report measures. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to evaluate the SCL-K-9 scores' dimensionality. Coefficient omega was used to assess the scores' internal consistency. Convergent and discriminant validity were assessed by examining the strength and direction of correlation coefficients between the SCL-K-9 and other psychosocial measures. Measurement invariance across sex, age, and primary diagnostic groups was also examined. CFA revealed a one-factor solution with satisfactory reliability (coefficient omega = .828). Convergent validity was supported by the relatively high correlation coefficients between the SCL-K-9 with neuroticism, self-stigma, and psychiatric disability acceptance, and discriminant validity by relatively low correlation coefficients with perceived social stigma and hope. Full measurement invariance for sex and partial invariance for diagnostic groups was supported. Overall, this study provides preliminary reliability and validity evidence for the SCL-K-9 scores among U.S. working-age adults with psychiatric disabilities. Further investigation is warranted to support its use for research and treatment progress monitoring in recovery-oriented care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The development of a Chinese vocabulary proficiency test (CVPT) for learners of Chinese as a second/foreign language

In order to address the needs of the continually growing number of Chinese language learners, the present study developed and presented initial validation of a 100-item Chinese vocabulary proficiency test (CVPT) for learners of Chinese as a second/foreign language (CS/FL) using Item Response Theory among 170 CS/FL learners from Indonesia and 354 CS/FL learners from Thailand. Participants were required to translate or explain the meanings of the Chinese words using Indonesian or Thai. The results provided preliminary evidence for the construct validity of the CVPT for measuring CS/FL learners’ receptive Chinese vocabulary knowledge in terms of content, substantive, structural, generalizability, and external aspects. The translation-based CVPT was an attempt to measure CS/FL learners’ vocabulary proficiency by exploring their performance in a vocabulary translation task, potentially revealing test-takers’ high-degree vocabulary knowledge. Such a CVPT could be useful for Chinese vocabulary instruction and designing future Chinese vocabulary measurement tools.

Initial evidence of reliability and validity of an implicit association test assessing attitudes toward individuals who use substances

ABSTRACT Background: Substance use disorders (SUDs) are stigmatized conditions, with individual biases driving poor health outcomes. There are surprisingly few validated measures of bias or stigma toward individuals who use substances. Bias can be classified as explicit (self-report) or implicit (behaviorally based). Objectives: The goal of the present study was to establish preliminary indices of reliability and validity of an implicit association test (IAT) designed to measure implicit bias toward individuals who use substances. Methods: A large United States-based, crowd-sourced sample (n = 394, 51.5% male, 45.4% female, 2.5% nonbinary) completed the IAT and a small battery of survey instruments that assessed social distance to mental illness (including heroin use), attitude toward and perceived controllability of injection drug use, perception of public stigma, and social desirability. Results: Nearly all (92%; n = 363) scores on the IAT indicated greater negative than positive attitudes toward those who use substances. Spearman-Brown corrected split-half reliability on the IAT scores was excellent, r = .953. Controlling for social desirability, IAT scores positively correlated with all included measures pertaining to substance use as well as social distance for heroin and schizophrenia (but not diabetes). A principal component analysis resulted in two interpretable components representing disapproval (perceived controllability and negative attitudes) and perceived stigma (social stigma and social distance). Scores on the IAT positively correlated to scores on both components, again, controlling for social desirability. Conclusion: These results provide compelling preliminary evidence of validity of an IAT designed to measure bias toward individuals who use substances.