scholarly journals Factor Structure, Convergent, and Divergent Validity of the Prodromal Questionnaire–Negative Symptom Subscale

Assessment ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-168
Author(s):  
Katherine M. Pierce ◽  
Seth D. Maxwell ◽  
Thomas M. Olino ◽  
Shanna Cooper ◽  
Lauren M. Ellman

Negative symptoms such as anhedonia are associated with psychosis risk and poorer outcomes. The Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ) is a self-report questionnaire used to screen for psychosis spectrum symptoms. However, the convergent and divergent validity and underlying factor structure of the PQ–negative symptom subscale (PQ-N) have yet to be examined. Undergraduates ( N = 1,556) completed the PQ, Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale, and measures assessing anxiety, depression, and motivation. An exploratory factor analysis conducted on the PQ-N yielded a two-factor solution, reflecting subdimensions of social expression and dissociative–depressive experiences, contrary to previous research examining the factor structure of negative symptoms. Associations between the PQ-N, its two factors, and measures of negative symptoms and other psychopathology were examined. Results indicated that the PQ-N and its factors were more strongly correlated with measures of depression and anxiety than with measures of negative symptoms relating to motivation and pleasure, suggesting poor convergent and divergent validity.

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S61-S61
Author(s):  
Mariia Kaliuzhna ◽  
Matthias Kirschner ◽  
Fabien Carruzzo ◽  
Matthias Hartmann ◽  
Bischof Martin ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are suggested to map onto two distinct factors – amotivation and diminished expression, which relate to different aspects of behaviour and neural activity. Most research in patients with schizophrenia is conducted with broad symptom assessment scales, such as the PANSS, for which factor solutions allowing the distinction between amotivation and diminished expression have only recently been reported. We aimed to establish whether the PANSS factor structure corresponds to the well-established two-factor structure of the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) and whether it allows distinguishing specific behavioural and neuronal correlates of amotivation. Methods In study 1 (N=120) we examined the correlations between the PANSS factors and the BNSS factors. In study 2 (N=31) we examined whether PANSS amotivation is specifically associated with reduced willingness to work for reward in an effort-based decision making task. In study 3 (N=43) we investigated whether PANSS amotivation is specifically correlated with reduced ventral striatal activation during reward anticipation using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results On the clinical level, the PANSS amotivation and diminished expression were highly correlated with their BNSS counterparts. On the behavioural level, PANSS amotivation factor but not the diminished expression factor was specifically associated with reduced willingness to invest effort to obtain a reward. On the neural level, PANSS amotivation was specifically associated with ventral striatal activation during reward anticipation. Discussion Our data confirm that the two domains of negative symptoms can be measured with the PANSS and are linked to specific aspects of behaviour and brain function. To our knowledge, this is the first study employing behavioural and neural measures to validate a new approach to clinical measurement of negative symptoms. Our results warrant a re-analysis of previous work that used the PANSS to further substantiate the distinction between the two factors in behavioural and neuroimaging studies.


Psihologija ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ticu Constantin ◽  
Andrei Holman ◽  
Maria Hojbotă

The main goal of our research was to develop a new measure of persistence and to assess its construct validity and psychometric proprieties. First, we discuss the history of the psychological construct of persistence, defined here as the tendency to remain engaged in specific goal-related activities, despite difficulties, obstacles, fatigue, prolonged frustration or low perceived feasibility. The developed scale, measuring motivational persistence, contains three-factors: long-term purposes pursuing, current purposes pursuing and recurrence of unattained purposes. The results of the two validation studies conducted, employing both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, advocate the hypothesized structure. Also, the Pearson and canonical correlations between the three factors of the new self-report scale and other three related measures (and their factors) indicate good levels of convergent and divergent validity of the new scale.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Palumbo ◽  
Giovanni Stanghellini ◽  
Armida Mucci ◽  
Massimo Ballerini ◽  
Giulia Maria Giordano ◽  
...  

Social dysfunctions (SD) are frequently observed in subjects with schizophrenia. Some of these dysfunctions are also observed in other neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD), major depression, bipolar disorder, or Alzheimer disease. Recently, a characterization of a specific type of SD in schizophrenia has been proposed, with the concept of dis-sociality, which form the core aspect of “Schizophrenic Autism” (SA). The present study aimed to explore the presence in people with schizophrenia of SA, independent of other autistic traits, which can be often found in schizophrenia and other neurodevelopmental disorders. We used a structured interview—the Autism Rating Scale (ARS), an instrument devised to detect and measure SA. Fifty-one outpatients affected by schizophrenia (26 remitted, SCZ-r) and 28 affected by bipolar disorder type 1, with psychotic features, in the euthymic phase (BD-e) were recruited. Before assessing the specificity for schizophrenia of SA, we tested the internal consistency, the convergent and divergent validity of the ARS in the schizophrenia sample. Specificity was assessed by examining potential differences in ARS scores between SCZ-r and BD-e subjects. ARS showed good internal consistency, as well as convergent and divergent validity. ARS items were more frequently of moderate severity in SCZ-r than in BD-e subjects. This scale can contribute to establish more precise phenomenal boundaries between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and opens up the possibility of identifying a different type of SD in schizophrenia, independent of autistic traits and negative symptoms, which might benefit from different treatments.


2021 ◽  
Vol 162 (35) ◽  
pp. 1391-1396
Author(s):  
Csaba Hamvai ◽  
Ágoston Fáber ◽  
Barna Konkolÿ Thege

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: Egyre több adat bizonyítja, hogy a COVID–19-járvány hatással van a pszichés egészségre, beleértve a megnövekedett észlelt stresszt is. Célkitűzés: Az Észlelt Stressz Kérdőív 10 tételes, járványspecifikus verziójának (PSS-PAN) megalkotása, validitásának és megbízhatóságának tesztelése. Módszer: A skála faktorstruktúráját, konvergens és divergens validitását teszteltük egy internetes vizsgálat során (n = 1164; átlagéletkor: 38,57 év; szórás: 6,27 év; 84,2% nő). Eredmények: Igazoltuk a PSS-PAN egykomponensű szerkezetét. A kérdőív továbbá szignifikánsan korrelált a rövidített Beck Depresszió Kérdőív (r = 0,41; n = 1164; p<0,001), a 4 tételes Észlelt Stressz Kérdőív (r = 0,46; n = 1164; p<0,001) és az Élettel Való Elégedettség Skála pontszámaival (r = –0,29; n = 1164; p<0,001). A nők esetében a PSS-PAN átlaga szignifikánsan magasabb volt, mint a férfiaknál (t(1162) = –7,135; p<0,001), de ez a hatásnagyság nagyon csekély volt (Cohen-féle d = 0,06). A PSS-PAN átlagpontszáma szignifikánsan nem különbözött a legmagasabb iskolai végzettség kategóriái mentén (F(6;1157) = 2,035; p = 0,06; η2 = 0,01). Az alsó középosztályba tartozó résztvevők átlagpontszáma szignifikánsan magasabb volt, mint a középosztályba tartozó kitöltőké a post hoc elemzés alapján (F(4;1159) = 3,461; p = 0,01; η2 = 0,01). A skála pontszáma nem korrelált szignifikánsan az életkorral (r = –0,04; n = 1164; p = 0,13). A Cronbach-alfa 0,89 volt, vagyis a kérdőív belső megbízhatósága kiváló. Megbeszélés: A skála egykomponensű struktúrát mutatott. A többi skálával való közepesen erős és gyenge korrelációja a skála validitását igazolta, és azt, hogy a járványhoz kapcsolódó észlelt stressz külön indikátora. Pontszámát nem vagy nem erősen befolyásolta a nem, a kor, az iskolázottság vagy a szocioökonómiai státusz. Következtetés: A PSS-PAN a járványokhoz kötődő stressz mérésének megfelelő eszköze. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(35): 1391–1396. Summary. Introduction: A growing amount of evidence indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic influences mental health, including an increased level of perceived stress. Objective: To develop and psychometrically investigate a pandemic-specific version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-PAN) that measures stress related to the pandemic. Method: Factor structure as well as convergent and divergent validity of the 10-item PSS-PAN were examined on the data set of an online survey (n = 1164; mean age: 38.57 years; standard deviation: 6.27 years; 84.2% women). Results: A one-factor structure for the PSS-PAN was confirmed. The scale correlated significantly with scores on the Shortened Beck Depression Inventory (r = 0.41; n = 1164; p<0.001), the 4-item Perceived Stress Scale (r = 0.46; n = 1164; p<0.001), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (r = –0.29; n = 1164; p<0.001). Women’s PSS-PAN scores were significantly higher than men’s (t(1162) = –7.135; p<0.001) but this difference was trivial (Cohen’s d = 0.06). Further, scale scores did not differ significantly across educational attainment (F(6;1157) = 2.035; p = 0.06; η2 = 0.01). Lower middle class participants’ mean scores were significantly higher than those of middle-class respondents according to the post hoc test (F(4;1159) = 3.461; p = 0.01; η2 = 0.01). PSS-PAN scores did not correlate significantly with age (r = –0.04; n = 1164; p = 0.13). Cronbach’s alpha was 0.89 indicating excellent internal consistency. Discussion: The PSS-PAN has a single-component structure. Moderately strong and weak correlations with other scales support its convergent and divergent validity and indicate that it is a distinct indicator of pandemic-related perceived stress. Its total score was not or not strongly associated with gender, age, education level, or socioeconomic status. Conclusion: The PSS-PAN is a proper instrument to measure pandemic-specific perceived stress. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(35): 1391–1396.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth J. Smith ◽  
David J. Emerson ◽  
Michael A. Schuldt

Purpose This paper aims to evaluate the efficacy of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale 10 (CD-RISC 10) (Campbell-Sills and Stein, 2007) for use in public accounting settings. Design/methodology/approach The analyses include an examination of possible demographic differences in overall score, the scale’s factor structure, the invariance of its factor structure across gender and age groups, the scale’s reliability and its convergent and divergent validity. Findings There are significant gender and age group difference in scores, but a common univariate factor structure for the scale. The authors further find that a two-factor solution provides a superior fit to the data compared to the single factor structure used in the most prior research. Spearman–Brown reliability coefficients, item-total correlations and coefficient alphas each support the reliability of the items loading on the scale for the full sample, as well as for each of the above-referenced demographic subsamples. Research limitations/implications Limitations are acknowledged related to the use of self-report measures, absence of test-retest score comparisons and convergent and divergent assessments limited to the heterotrait–homomethod approach. Practical implications The CD-RISC 10 is an expedient resilience measure, as it can be completed and scored in just a few minutes. Human resource administrators at public accounting firms can use it as an initial screening measure to identify staff who might benefit from resilience training. The paper adds to the appreciation of what not to do in the face of crisis by the government and those in charge of large accounting organizations. Social implications The CD-RISC 10 can be used in research and clinical efforts to reduce voluntary turnover of audit staff and enhance the well-being of auditors in the workplace. Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence that the CD-RISC 10 is a valid and reliable measure for future assessments of auditor resilience levels.


2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 604-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Walsh ◽  
Y. Shou ◽  
J. Han ◽  
J. K. Brinker

The Ruminative Thought Styles Questionnaire (RTS) conceptualizes rumination as repetitive, recurrent, intrusive, and uncontrollable thinking. This article outlines the development and validation of a Chinese language version of the RTS, the RTS-CH. Following independent translation, back translation, and final translation checking, the factor structure, convergent and divergent validity, and item-level congruence of the RTS-CH was examined and improved. The resultant scale showed equivalence to the RTS and had attractive psychometric properties. The RTS-CH is the first Chinese language rumination measure that does not have inherently negative or depressive content.


2000 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 357-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Haggarty ◽  
Zack Cernovsky ◽  
Patricia Kermeen ◽  
Harold Merskey

Objective: To determine the rates of depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse, using modern nosology, in a random sample of residents aged 14 to 85 years living in an Arctic community. Method: A cross-sectional 2-step survey of randomly selected households was undertaken, using a self-report questionnaire to screen for anxiety, depression, and alcohol abuse. The survey included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Ewing and Roose's 4-question alcohol screening instrument (the CAGE questionnaire). Cut-off scores for the HADS and CAGE were found by comparing HADS and CAGE scores with scores on the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-III-R (SCID) in a stratified subs ample. Results: Estimated rates of depression and anxiety were 26.5% and 19.0% respectively within the past week, and estimated rates of lifetime alcohol abuse were 30.5%. Conclusions: The estimated prevalence of psychiatric disorders in this Arctic community is higher than that indicated in previous findings on Native mental health.


Assessment ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 707-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten H. Dillon ◽  
Nicholas P. Allan ◽  
Jesse R. Cougle ◽  
Frank D. Fincham

Hostile interpretation biases are central to the development and maintenance of anger, yet have been inconsistently assessed. The Word Sentence Association Paradigm (WSAP) was used to develop a new measure of hostile interpretation biases, the WSAP-Hostility. Study 1 examined the factor structure and internal consistency of the WSAP-Hostility, as well as its relationship with trait anger. Study 2 provided convergent and divergent validity data by examining its associations with trait anger, aggression, depression, and anxiety. Study 3 examined the relationship between WSAP-Hostility and another measure of hostile interpretation biases, as well as another word sentence association measure, in a sample of community participants. Study 4 also used a sample of community participants to offer further evidence of convergent validity. Across the studies, the WSAP-Hostility demonstrated convergent and divergent validity and internal consistency, supporting its use as a measure of hostile interpretation biases.


2002 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 986-996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monique Boekaerts

This article presents an analysis of the factor structure of the Beliefs about Working in Groups Questionnaire, which is based on a model of teaching focused on the complementary roles of teachers as models and coaches and students who have to regulate their own learning and learn together with and from peers. This self-report questionnaire presents statements describing salient aspects of group work to elicit beliefs students hold about two main aspects of the quality of working in groups, firstly, the belief that working in small groups has important advantages over working individually for developing deep learning; secondly, beliefs that working with peers in close interaction does or does not facilitate learning-focused dialogue. The questionnaire was administered to university sophomores. The hypothesized two-factor structure emerged. It was tested whether the two factors were related to the students' familiarity with working in small groups in high school, to the frequency with which they worked in groups, and to their perception of the value high school teachers attached to working in small groups.


1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 1433-1441 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. G. NORMAN ◽  
A. K. MALLA ◽  
L. CORTESE ◽  
F. DIAZ

Background. In the past it has been postulated that dysphoric emotions may be related to positive and/or negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The results of several recent studies have suggested that composite dysphoria indices are more strongly related to positive than negative symptoms. In the current study we use part correlation techniques to examine the possible unique contributions of two aspects of dysphoria – depression and anxiety – to three syndromes of symptoms (reality distortion, disorganization and psychomotor poverty) within schizophrenia.Methods. Data were obtained from 60 patients with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of schizophrenia. Symptoms of schizophrenia were assessed using the SAPS and SANS and dysphoria was assessed using both self-report (BDI and BAI) and observer ratings (HRSD and HARS). Assessment of schizophrenia symptoms and ratings of depression and anxiety were completed by different observers. In addition, drug induced extrapyramidal side effects were rated.Results. Part correlations showed that unique aspects of anxiety (particularly physiological arousal) were correlated with reality distortion while unique aspects of depression (including psychomotor slowing and loss of social interest) were related to psychomotor poverty. At least part of the latter relationship may be due to extrapyramidal side effects of neuroleptic medication.Conclusions. Although there is considerable overlap between anxiety and depression, it appears that the unique arousing or activating aspects of anxiety are related to the experience of reality distortion symptoms in schizophrenia and the unique slowing and withdrawal aspects of depression are particularly related to psychomotor poverty. Possible reasons for these relationships are discussed.


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