Quantifying dynamical and structural invariance in a simple molten salt model

The optic ganglion of Daphnia Magna, a small crustacean that reproduces parthenogenetically contains about three hundred neurons: 110 neurons in the Lamina or anterior region and about 190 neurons in the Medulla or posterior region. The ganglion lies in the midplane of the organism and shows a high degree of left-right symmetry in its structures. The Lamina neurons form the first projection of the visual output from 176 retinula cells in the compound eye. In order to answer questions about structural invariance under constant genetic background, we have begun to reconstruct in detail the morphology and synaptic connectivity of various neurons in this ganglion from electron micrographs of serial sections (1). The ganglion is sectioned in a dorso-ventra1 direction so as to minimize the cross-sectional area photographed in each section. This area is about 60 μm x 120 μm, and hence most of the ganglion fit in a single 70 mm micrograph at the lowest magnification (685x) available on our Zeiss EM9-S.

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Measurement Invariance Analysis of the Parental Stress Index

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000463 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 35 (6) ◽

pp. 771-778 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Bernhard Piskernik ◽

Barbara Supper ◽

Lieselotte Ahnert

Keyword(s):

Measurement Invariance ◽

Parental Stress ◽

Stress Index ◽

Factor Analyses ◽

Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽

Mean Values ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Structural Invariance ◽

Parent Domain ◽

Structural Levels

Abstract. While parenting research continues to compare similarities and differences in mothers’ and fathers’ behaviors based on mean values on the respective dimensions, measurement invariance as a prerequisite for these comparisons has seldom been assured. The present study thus subjected the well-known Parenting Stress Index (PSI), widely used in models of family functioning, to a rigorous measurement invariance analysis based on ( N = 214) Austrian couples with children younger than 3 years of age. We evaluated configural, metric, scalar, and uniqueness invariance on item and subscale levels, and tested for structural invariance of means and variances of the PSI parent and child domain by second-order confirmatory factor analyses. As a result, only measurement differences on the scalar levels affected the factor scores, though negligibly. On the structural levels, no differences were found on the PSI child domain across parents, but on the PSI parent domain, mothers reported more stress.

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Retrospective Paternal and Maternal Parenting Styles in Greece, Italy, and Sweden

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000355 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 34 (6) ◽

pp. 399-408

Author(s):

Semira Tagliabue ◽

Maria Giulia Olivari ◽

Elisabeth Hertfelt Wahn ◽

Katerina Maridaki-Kassotaki ◽

Katerina Antonopoulou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parenting Styles ◽

Psychometric Characteristics ◽

Perceived Parenting ◽

Parental Roles ◽

Maternal Parenting ◽

Mixed Anova ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Permissive Parenting ◽

Assessment Techniques ◽

Structural Invariance

Abstract. Discrepancies in perceived parenting and parental roles across European countries could be due to the use of different assessment techniques or due to mean level differences in the authoritative, authoritarian, or permissive parenting styles. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric characteristics of the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ; Robinson, Mandleco, Olsen, & Hart, 1995 , 2001 ) in a sample of 225 Greek, 301 Italian, and 279 Swedish adolescents aged 16–19 years, who evaluated their father’s and mother’s parenting styles during their childhood. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), multigroup CFA, and modified version of the correlated uniqueness model were used to evaluate the structure and invariance of the scale across countries. Measurement and structural invariance was found in the 8-item authoritative scale and 6-item authoritarian scale. A mixed ANOVA (Country × Style × Role) showed that Swedish mothers scored lower than Italian or Greek mothers, and that, in the three countries, mothers were perceived as more authoritative than were fathers.

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A Confirmatory Factor Analytic Study of Anxiety, Fear, and Behavioral Inhibition System Measures

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001.28.4.179 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 179-187 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Andrew J. Cooper ◽

Adam M. Perkins ◽

Philip J. Corr

Keyword(s):

Trait Anxiety ◽

Behavioral Inhibition ◽

Discriminant Validity ◽

Self Report ◽

Behavioral Inhibition System ◽

Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory ◽

Factor Analytic ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Structural Invariance ◽

Fear And Anxiety

Abstract. Recent revisions to the reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) of personality have highlighted the distinction between the emotions of fear and anxiety. These revisions have substantial implications for self-report measurement; in particular, they raise the question of whether separate traits of fear and anxiety exist and, if so, their interrelationship. To address this question, the current study used confirmatory factor analytic procedures to examine the convergent and discriminant validity of measures of trait anxiety, fear, and the behavioral inhibition system (BIS). We also examined measurement and structural invariance across gender in 167 males and 173 females who completed the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Carver and White BIS Scale, and the Fear Survey Schedule (FSS). The findings suggested that trait anxiety and the BIS scale are relatively distinct from Tissue Damage Fear (FSS). Further, the final model showed measurement and structural invariance across gender. The implications of the results for future self-report assessment in RST research are discussed.

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