Multidimensionality of the Langner Symptom Survey and Replication of a Cutoff Score in Emerging Adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 340-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Lace ◽  
Kristen A. Haeberlein ◽  
Paul J. Handal

This study investigated the dimensionality of the Langner Symptom Survey and replicated a recent finding regarding a clinically validated cutoff score in emerging adults. Nine hundred thirteen (631 females and 282 males) students at a private university in the Midwestern United States participated online as part of a larger study and completed the Langner Symptom Survey and a demographic questionnaire. Results from exploratory principal components and confirmatory factor analyses provided support for both a six- and three-factor model of the Langner Symptom Survey, with the three-factor model offering marginally better confirmatory fit indices and greater parsimony of interpretation. A cutoff score of 5 denoting clinically significant psychological distress and need for treatment was supported through analysis of receiver-operating characteristic, sensitivity, specificity, and total classification accuracy based on psychological service utilization, and this result successfully replicated a recently published finding. The Langner Symptom Survey may function as a multidimensional measure of psychological distress and need for treatment in emerging adults that may need a lexical update.

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Ortuño-Sierra ◽  
Lorena Rodríguez ◽  
Martin Debbané ◽  
Eduardo Fonseca-Pedrero

AbstractThe main purpose of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Burns Anxiety Inventory (Burns-A: Burns, 1993). The sample consisted of 417 participants, 387 (29.71% male) healthy participants (control group: M = 35.5 years; SD = 8.40) and 30 (36.66% female) patients (clinical group: M = 35.8 years; SD = 12.94). The internal consistency evaluated through Cronbach’ Alpha was 0.95 for the Total Score in both subsamples. The test-retest reliability (two weeks) for Total Score was 0.86 (F = 13.2, p ≤ .001) for the non-clinical subsample, and 0.95 (F = 36.5, p ≤ .001) for the clinical subsample. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the initial three-factor model. However, modifications to the initial three-factor model improved the goodness-of-fit indices. Results showed statistically significant differences in the mean scores of the Burns-A between the clinical and control groups. This study supports the Spanish version of the Burns-A as a brief and useful tool for the screening of anxiety symptoms in adult populations. Future studies should investigate measurement invariance across cultures.


Author(s):  
Caroline Wehner ◽  
Ulrike Maaß ◽  
Marius Leckelt ◽  
Mitja D. Back ◽  
Matthias Ziegler

Abstract. The structure, correlates, and assessment of the Dark Triad are widely discussed in several fields of psychology. Based on the German version of the Short Dark Triad (SDT), we add to this by (a) providing a competitive test of existing structural models, (b) testing the nomological network, and (c) proposing an ultrashort 9-item version of the SDT (uSDT). A sample of N = 969 participants provided data on the SDT and a range of further measures. Our competitive test of five structural models revealed that fit indices and nomological network assumptions were best met in a three-factor model, with separate factors for psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism. The results provided an extensive overview of the raw, unique, and shared associations of Dark Triad dimensions with narcissism facets, sadism, impulsivity, self-esteem, sensation seeking, the Big Five, maladaptive personality traits, sociosexual orientation, and behavioral criteria. Finally, the uSDT exhibited satisfactory psychometric properties. The highest overlap in expected relations between SDT and uSDT, and convergent and discriminant measures was also found for the three-factor model. Our study underlines the utility of a three-factor model of the Dark Triad, extends findings on its nomological network, and provides an ultrashort instrument.


2005 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Aluja ◽  
Angel Blanch ◽  
Luis F. García

Abstract. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is an instrument which has been used worldwide to assess occupational stress in human service professions. While the MBI has been used in school settings, an inventory specifically oriented to measure burnout in teachers was developed (MBI-Form Ed; Schwab, in Maslach & Jackson, 1986 ). A Catalan version of the MBI-Form Ed was administered to 631 elementary school teachers. Several models, including those posited by some studies using the English language MBI-Form Ed, were analyzed in order to test their cross-cultural validity. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were used to fit all models by maximum likelihood (ML) and asymptotically distribution-free (ADF) estimation methods to test the hypothesis that incorrect use of the ML estimation method could be the reason for model misfit in previous studies. Results show that there are no differences due to the estimation method and support the three-factor structure. Furthermore, a shortened three-factor model of 17 items shows a better fit and similar reliability, and its use seems plausible in the research and psychological evaluation of teachers' burnout in both English and Catalan language settings.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manoj Kumar Sharma ◽  
David John Hallford ◽  
Nitin Anand

Background: The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) is a widely used measure of negative emotional states. While the DASS is increasingly used in mental health research in India, to date no study has examined the factor structure among Indian adults. Methods: A large community sample of English-speaking Indian adults completed the DASS 21-item version, and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. Results: The results indicated a good fit for a three factor (depression, anxiety, and stress) and a one-factor model (general psychological distress). There was no substantial difference between the fit of the models, and the DASS subscales were very strongly correlated with one another (r ≥ .80). Conclusion: The findings from this sample suggest that the DASS-21 items appear to assess general psychological distress, with little evidence that the items assess three distinct subscales.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josefin Sveen ◽  
Kristina Bondjers ◽  
Julia Heinsoo ◽  
Filip K. Arnberg

Background: This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Swedish PG-13 in a bereaved trauma exposed sample. A second aim was to examine the latent structure of prolonged grief using the PG-13.Methods: The participants were adults (n = 123) taking part in an ongoing longitudinal study regarding the effects of potentially traumatic events. Participants had experienced a potentially traumatic event in the past 5 years and had reported a death of a significant other either as their primary traumatic event or in addition to another traumatic event. Assessment included self-report of prolonged grief, posttraumatic stress, and general psychological distress. Clinical interviews were used to assess depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and disability level. The psychometric properties of the Swedish PG-13 were examined through reliability tests and assessment of associations with symptoms of posttraumatic stress, depression, general psychological distress, and disability level. Principal component analysis (PCA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were used to assess the latent structure.Results: The internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.86) and test-retest (r = 0.86) reliability were good. PCA suggested a three-factor model as descriptive of the latent structure of the instrument. Therefore, the CFA used this model, as well as two models suggested in the literature. The three-factor model had the best fit to data. Support of concurrent validity of PG-13 was shown by moderate positive associations with measures of posttraumatic stress, depression, and general psychological distress.Conclusions: The Swedish PG-13 demonstrated good psychometric properties, and its use in research and practice to assess prolonged grief was supported. The factor analyses provided stronger support for models with two or three factors, as compared with a unidimensional model of prolonged grief, with the three-factor model having the best fit.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Arzu Araz ◽  
Duygu Güngör ◽  
Eda Aşçı

Background: The present study investigates the reliability and validity of the Positive–Negative Relationship Quality (PN-RQ) scale in Turkey. This study aims to test different factorial models including orthogonal factors model, correlated factors model, one-factor model, and bifactor model. Methods: In order to determine the validity and reliability of the scale, two studies were performed. The first was carried out with emerging adults (university students) who were in a romantic relationship (148 females, 43 males, and 2 unknown) and had the main purpose to examine the structure validity of the measurement tool in the Turkish sample with an exploratory analysis. Study 2 was performed online with 513 married adults (359 females, 149 males, and 5 unknown); confirmatory findings and criterion validity studies were added. Results: Exploratory factor analyses revealed that relationship quality had a two-factor structure and that there was also a negative relationship between the factors. Confirmatory factor analyses on the married sample showed that the bi-factor model provided evidence for the multidimensional nature of the scale. Both studies demonstrated high internal consistency. Conclusion: There is evidence for reliability and validity in the Turkish version of the PN-RQ scale to measure both positive and negative aspects of the relationship. The PN-RQ scale will be highly functional for social and clinical psychologists who work on close relationship issues in Turkey.


2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 670-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amaia Lasa Aristu ◽  
Francisco Pablo Holgado Tello ◽  
Miguel Ángel Carrasco Ortiz ◽  
María Victoria del Barrio Gándara

The present study examined the structure of Bryant's Empathy Index (BEI) using different samples for conducting exploratory and confirmatory analyses. The BEI was administered to a sample of 2,714 children (mean age 11.12, SD = 1.59). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed a three-factor structure: Feelings of Sadness, Understanding Feelings and Tearful Reaction. The results revealed both the multidimensionality of the instrument and appropriate fit indices for the model proposed. Although these results were very similar to those reported in other studies with a Spanish population, the analyses were conducted in a more robust way: with a larger sample and using polychoric correlations and cross validation estimation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Lucas-Molina ◽  
Alicia Pérez-Albéniz ◽  
Marta Giménez-Dasí ◽  
Gema Martín-Seoane

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine the dimensional structure and measurement invariance of Bryant’s Index of Empathy for Children and Adolescents (IECA) (Bryant, 1982) across gender in a representative sample of primary school-aged children in Spain. The sample consisted of 2,050 children (50.80% girls), with a mean age of 9.80 years (SD = 1.24), recruited from 27 primary schools. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. The model that presented the best fit indices was Lasa, Holgado, Carrasco, and del Barrio’s (2008) three-factor model: Understanding Feelings, Feelings of Sadness, and Tearful Reaction. The levels of internal consistency for the subscales ranged from .76 to .83. In addition, the results partially support the measurement invariance of the IECA across gender. When the latent means of the empathy dimensions were compared across gender, statistically significant differences were found. These results coincide with those found in the literature showing the multidimensionality of the IECA. Specifically, the findings support its three-factor structure and its invariance across gender, making it a very useful instrument for exploring the expression of empathy in primary school children.


Assessment ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Miller ◽  
Jungeun Kim ◽  
Grace A. Chen ◽  
Alvin N. Alvarez

The authors conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the Asian American Racism-Related Stress Inventory (AARRSI) to further examine the underlying factor structure in a total sample of 1,273 Asian American participants. In the first step of analysis, an exploratory factor analysis with 651 participants yielded a 13-item two-factor solution to the data. In the second step, a confirmatory factor analysis with 622 participants supported both the 13-item two-factor model and the original 29-item three-factor model in the cross-validation sample and generational and ethnicity analyses. The two-factor and three-factor models produced internal consistency estimates ranging from .81 to .95. In addition, the authors examined convergent and criterion related evidence for 13-item and 29-item versions of the AARRSI. Given its brief nature and generally good fit across generational status and ethnicity, the authors suggest that the 13-item AARRSI might be advantageous for research and assessment endeavors.


2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 692-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Jackson ◽  
Richard Rogers ◽  
Craig S. Neumann ◽  
Paul L. Lambert

Psychopathy is an important clinical construct in explaining criminal behavior, determining the likelihood of treatment response, and evaluating risk assessment. The majority of past research has focused on male offenders or male forensic patients. Psychopathy in females is relatively unexplored. The current study was designed to further investigate the underlying dimensions of psychopathy in females. Utilizing a sample of 119 female inmates from a large metropolitan area jail, a series of confirmatory factor analyses was undertaken. Previous research and clinical tradition suggest the use of a two-factor conceptualization of psychopathy. More recent research suggests that a three-factor model may better capture the underlying dimensions of psychopathy. Two-factor models of psychopathy were not confirmed. However, the three-factor model reproduced the data extremely well. Clinical and research implications of this finding are addressed.


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