The Reactive–Proactive Aggression Questionnaire: Validation Among a Portuguese Sample of Incarcerated Juvenile Delinquents

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (13) ◽  
pp. 1995-2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Pechorro ◽  
James V. Ray ◽  
Adrian Raine ◽  
João Maroco ◽  
Rui Abrunhosa Gonçalves

The aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Reactive–Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ) among a forensic sample of incarcerated male juvenile offenders ( N = 221). The Portuguese version of the RPQ demonstrated promising psychometric properties, namely, in terms of factor structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and concurrent validity that generally justifies its use among this population. Statistically significant associations were found with conduct disorder, age of criminal onset, age of first problem with the law, crime seriousness, physical violence use in committing crimes, alcohol use, cannabis use, cocaine/heroin use, and having unprotected sex. The findings provide additional support for the extension of the RPQ across different cultures, ethnic groups, and samples.

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 531-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Pechorro ◽  
Rachel E. Kahn ◽  
James V. Ray ◽  
Adrian Raine ◽  
Rui Abrunhosa Gonçalves

Research on adolescent aggression often distinguishes between reactive and proactive aggression, but there is limited knowledge regarding the application or measurement of these subtypes of aggression among female youth, especially forensic samples of female youth. Drawing on 377 girls (103 selected from forensic settings and 274 selected from school settings) from Portugal, the current study is the first to simultaneously examine the psychometric properties of the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ) in incarcerated girls and community girls. The results support the use of the RPQ in terms of its two-factor structure, measurement invariance, internal consistency, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and known-groups validity. Significant associations were found with several criterion-related variables such as age of criminal onset, age of first problem with the law, conduct disorder, crime severity, violent crimes, and alcohol and drug use. Findings are discussed in terms of the use of the RPQ among incarcerated girls and community girls.


Author(s):  
Pedro Pechorro ◽  
Justin D. Russell ◽  
Lara Ayala-Nunes ◽  
Rui Abrunhosa Gonçalves ◽  
Cristina Nunes

Aggression can be considered a multidimensional construct that influences various forms of antisocial behavior, including juvenile delinquency and conduct problems. The aim of the present study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Brief Peer Conflict Scale–20 item version (PCS-20) among a Portuguese forensic sample (N = 192) of incarcerated male juvenile offenders ( M = 16.62 years; SD = 1.52 years; age range = 13-18 years). The PCS-20 demonstrated good psychometric properties in terms of its four-factor structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, and discriminant validity that generally justify its use among incarcerated male youth. The findings provide additional support for the extension of the PCS-20 across different cultures, ethnic groups, and samples.


Author(s):  
Maggie H Bromberg ◽  
Rocio de la Vega ◽  
Emily F Law ◽  
Chuan Zhou ◽  
Tonya M Palermo

Abstract Objective Insomnia is a highly prevalent sleep disorder that is particularly common among adolescents with health conditions. We aimed to develop and validate a brief screening measure of insomnia in adolescents that can be used across clinical and community samples. We hypothesized that we would identify evidence supporting reliability, convergent/discriminant validity, and that we would determine preliminary clinical cutoff scores. Methods A team of experts in behavioral sleep medicine developed a 13-item brief screening measure of insomnia in adolescents (Adolescent Insomnia Questionnaire [AIQ]). We evaluated the psychometric properties of the AIQ in a sample of 315 youth (11–18 years old, Mean = 14.90, SD = 2.02; 64% female) who had chronic pain (n = 37), headache (n = 170), insomnia diagnosed by a sleep specialist (n = 22), or were otherwise healthy (n = 86). Results Using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis, we identified three subscales consistent with major diagnostic criteria of insomnia. As expected, the measure showed strong reliability through high internal consistency (α =.91). We also found strong convergent validity through expected positive relationships between the AIQ and self-report measures of sleep disturbance, and divergent validity via weak relationships with parent-report of snoring. Results of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) identified a clinical cutoff score that may assist in clinical decision making. Conclusions We found that the AIQ has sound psychometric properties in a large heterogeneous sample of treatment-seeking youth and youth from the community. The AIQ can quickly screen adolescent insomnia and could address an important clinical need in identifying youth in need of insomnia treatment in pediatric practice settings.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Sanz Simon ◽  
Renata Thomas Ávila ◽  
Gilson Vieira ◽  
Cássio Machado de Campos Bottino

ABSTRACT Metamemory measures provide subjective memory information and are relevant to investigate memory ability in aging. However, there is a lack of metamemory instruments available in Brazil. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire (MMQ), which evaluates different dimensions of subjective memory functioning, such as Feelings, Abilities and Strategies used in everyday life. Methods: The MMQ was translated into Portuguese and administered to 30 Brazilian elderly subjects. The participants underwent cognitive tests, mood scales and metamemory instruments. Results: Analyses revealed good internal consistency (Cronbach's a coefficient ranged from 0.75 to 0.89) and test-retest validity for each MMQ dimensions (positive correlations between two applications ranged from 0.75 to 0.8). Convergent validity evidence for the MMQ was confirmed by significant positive correlations (0.47 to 0.68) with dimensions of the Metamemory in Adulthood scale (MIA) (i.e., the Ability, Control, Self-efficacy and Strategy dimensions). Discriminant validity revealed no associations between the MMQ and cognitive performance, suggesting a weak metamemory-objective memory correspondence. Moreover, there was a negative correlation between MMQ-Ability subscale scores and mood symptoms (-0.63 for anxious symptoms, and -0.54 for depressive symptoms); and the Brazilian MMQ was comparable with MMQ translations to other languages. Conclusion: The Brazilian MMQ exhibits good psychometric properties and appears promising for clinical and research purposes. Additional studies are needed to further examine the psychometric properties of the Brazilian MMQ in a larger sample.


Nova Scientia ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 274-292
Author(s):  
Jaime Sebastián F. Galán Jiménez ◽  
Omar Sánchez-Armáss Cappello ◽  
Luis Felipe García y Barragán

Introduction: Desensitization to violence is the result of exposure to violence. It reduces the negative emotions in cognitive and physiological responses to violence and can even generate a positive response to it.Method: A mixed sequential method yielding a transactional analytic design for Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis with a sample of 1720 participants of 25 different high schools and a juvenile detention center. Followed by convergent validity (as a criterion validity) with a different sample.Results: The EFA’s cumulative explained variance was 52% with a GFI of .98 with a three-factor model: sensitivity to violence, amusement with physical violence, and enjoyment of psychological violence. The CFA showed scores above .50 in Average Explained Variance in every factor, and an ideal model fit in every measure (CFI, AGFI, RMSEA, SRMR, and ECVI). The remaining factors are only those related with enjoying or amusement with violent behavior, indicating that the desensitization to violence is related not only with the normalization and legitimation of violence, but the increasing of the performance and amusement of it.Discussion or Conclusion: The scale of desensitization to violence for adolescents has adequate psychometric properties and can be a valuable instrument to generate intervention or prevention programs, especially for its intimate relationship with high scores in people interned because of their criminal behavior.


Psichologija ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 44-60
Author(s):  
M. Tvarijonavičius ◽  
D. Bagdžiūnienė

Straipsnyje analizuojama darbuotojų psichologinio įgalinimo problema, pristatomas lietuviškas psichologinio įgalinimo vertinimo klausimynas ir jo psichometrinės charakteristikos. Metodas parengtas dviem etapais, naudojant empirinę skalių konstravimo strategiją. Pirmajame etape, taikant grupinio interviu ir ekspertinio vertinimo metodus, parengti psichologinio įgalinimo vertinimo teiginiai. Antrajame etape atliktas empirinis tyrimas (dalyvavo 189 tiriamieji, reprezentuojantys 8 Lietuvos organizacijas). Remiantis jo rezultatais parengtas lietuviškas psichologinio įgalinimo vertinimo klausimynas. Tiriamosios faktorių analizės metodu išskirti penki faktoriai: prasmė, entuziazmas, sprendimų priėmimas, autonomija ir pasitikėjimas kompetencija. Klausimynas pasižymi dideliu vidiniu patikimumu (bendras Cronbacho α = 0,909, atskirų subskalių nuo 0,755 iki 0,880), dideliu konvergentiniu ir diskriminantiniu konstrukto validumu tiek viso klausimyno, tiek atskirų penkių skalių lygmeniu.Pagrindiniai žodžiai: psichologinis įgalinimas, psichologinio įgalinimo klausimynas, patikimumas, validumas.EMPLOYEE PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT: PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF THE LITHUANIAN QUESTIONNAIREMantas Tvarijonavičius, Dalia Bagdžiūnienė SummaryEmployee psychological empowerment is treated as a multidimensional construct manifesting in several dimensions. It has been researched for several decades using various scales depending on the definition of psychological empowerment chosen by a reasercher. However, there is a lack of widely applicable, compact instruments for a reliable and valid assessment of psychological empowerment. Furthermore, there has been a lack of empowerment research in Lithuania. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to construct a Lithuanian psychological empowerment questionnaire and to evaluate its psychometric properties (reliability and validity).The strategy of the empirical construction of a questionnaire was used. At first, statements to describe the concept of psychological empowerment were generated, using group interviews and expert evaluation. Fifteen final items were included into the Lithuanian Psychological Empowerment Questionnaire (LPEQ). Then, an empirical research was performed: 189 respondents from 8 organizations filled up the LPEQ, G.M. Spreizer (1995) Psychological Empowerment Questionnaire (PEQ), B. E. Ashforth (1990) Helplessness Scale, Intrinsic Motivation Scale (Warr et al., 1979), and socio-demografic questions.The results of the study have revealed that the LPEQ has a high internal reliability (Cronbach α = 0.909). Five factors were extracted using the exploratoryfactor analysis, three items each. Psychological empowerment was defined based on five dimensions: meaning, enthusiasm, decision making, authonomy, and trust in competence. The Cronbach α was between 0.755 and 0.880 for the dimension level. These five dimensions show support for the existing models of psychological empowerment (Spreitzer, 1995; Menon, 2001), but also they supplement these models with for instance, the dimension of enthusiasm.The convergent validity of the LPEQ was confirmed by strong correlations (p < 0.01) between the LPEQ and the PEQ subscales, and the Intrinsic Motivation Scale. It was supported by a negative correlation between the LPEQ subscales and the Helplessness Scale. Based on the analysis of correlations, the discriminant validity of the LPEQ dimensions’ levels was confirmed.In conclusion, the Lithuanian Psychological Empowerment Questionnaire (LPEQ) can be characterized as an instrument with appropriate psychometricproperties for the use in research and practice. Directions for the future research in the field have been offered.Key words: psychological empowerment, psychological empowerment questionnaire, reliability, validity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 376-382
Author(s):  
Eklund Mona ◽  
Neil Sandra ◽  
Argentzell Elisabeth

Abstract The aim was to develop a short version of the Swedish Process of Recovery Questionnaire (QPR-Swe) for use with people with severe mental illness and to investigate its internal consistency, construct validity, known-groups validity and any floor or ceiling effects. Two independent samples were used, the first (N = 226) to develop the short version and the second (N = 266) to test its psychometric properties. A seven-item version was developed by selecting items based on item-total correlations. The QPR-Swe-7 showed good internal consistency reliability (α = 0.82). It showed moderate correlations with indicators of convergent validity (self-rated health, self-mastery and quality of life) and weak with those selected to test discriminant validity (psychiatric symptoms and level of functioning). QPR-Swe-7 differentiated between people receiving two different levels of housing support. No floor or ceiling effects were found. The QPR-Swe-7 had appropriate psychometric properties for use with people with a variety of mental disorders when a brief scale is warranted.


2016 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Li ◽  
Yue Zhang ◽  
Feng Li

The Multi-Affect Indicator is a new measure that assesses the core affect at work with 16 items. The current study examined the scale’s psychometric properties in terms of internal consistency and composite reliability, factorial validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity with a Chinese sample of 370 full-time workers. The results demonstrated that Multi-Affect Indicator has high internal consistency and composite reliability and a correlated four-quadrant structure. Furthermore, three of its four subscales show adequate convergent validity. Thus, the Chinese version of the Multi-Affect Indicator behaves consistently with the original and can be used in future studies of core workplace affect in Chinese context.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Henrique Ribeiro Santiago ◽  
Adrian Quintero ◽  
Dandara Haag ◽  
Rachel Roberts ◽  
Lisa Smithers ◽  
...  

AimWe aimed to investigate whether the 12-item Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) constitutes a valid and reliable measure of social support for the general adult Australian population.MethodsData were from Australia’s National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004–2006 and included 3899 participants aged 18 years old and over. The psychometric properties were evaluated with Bayesian confirmatory factor analysis. One-, two-, and three-factor (Significant Other, Family and Friends) structures were tested. Model fit was assessed with the posterior predictive p-value (PPPχ2), Bayesian root mean square error of approximation (BRMSEA), and Bayesian comparative fit index (BCFI). Dimensionality was tested by comparing competing factorial structures with the Bayes factor (BF). Reliability was evaluated with the Bayesian ΩH. Convergent validity was investigated with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and discriminant validity with the Perceived Dental Control scale (PDC-3).ResultsThe theoretical three-factor model (Significant Other, Family, and Friends) provided a good fit to the data [PPPχ2 &lt; 0.001, BRMSEA = 0.089-95% credible interval (CrI) (0.088, 0.089); BCFI = 0.963-95% CrI (0.963, 0.964)]. The BF provided decisive support for the three-factor structure in relation to the other structures. The SO [BΩH = 0.95 - 95% CrI (0.90, 0.99)], FA (BΩH = 0.92 - 95% CrI (0.87, 0.97), and FR (BΩH = 0.92 - 95% CrI (0.88, 0.97)] subscales displayed excellent reliability. The MSPSS displayed initial evidence of convergent and discriminant validity.ConclusionThe MSPSS demonstrated good psychometric properties and excellent reliability in a large Australian sample. This instrument can be applied in national surveys and provide evidence of the role of social support in the Australian population.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document