Factorial Structure and Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the E (Empathy) Scale

2013 ◽  
Vol 113 (2) ◽  
pp. 441-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrich S. Tran ◽  
Anton-Rupert Laireiter ◽  
Christine Neuner ◽  
David P. Schmitt ◽  
Max Leibetseder ◽  
...  

The Empathy (E) scale has been proposed as a theoretically and psychometrically more satisfying alternative to existing self-report measures of empathy. Its four scales (facets) cover both components (cognitive vs. emotional) and both reality statuses (fictitious vs. real-life) of empathy in pairwise combinations. Confirmatory factor analyses of the E-scale in an Austrian community sample ( N = 794) suggested that one prior assumption, namely the mutual orthogonality of these facets, may partly need revision; particularly, the E-scale facets seemed to reflect more strongly differences in the reality statuses than in the components of empathy. Utilizing numerous informative psychological traits, the scale's convergent and discriminant validity were examined. E-scale scores were consistently predicted by sex-related and relationship-related constructs and measures of antisocial attitudes and behavior. Among the Big Five personality dimensions, openness emerged as a major positive correlate of empathy. Sex and age were demographic correlates of E-scale scores (higher in women and the younger). Findings were discussed with regards to the definition and measurement of empathy.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Anno Wester ◽  
Julian Rubel ◽  
Johannes Zimmermann ◽  
Mila Hall ◽  
Leonie Kaven ◽  
...  

The Expanded Version of the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS-II) is a 99-item self-report measure containing 18 nonoverlapping dimensional scales assessing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and mania. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a German adaptation of the IDAS-II. Participants from a community sample (N = 1054) completed the IDAS-II (German version) and a series of additional measures of depression and anxiety disorders. Item-level confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) confirmed unidimensionality and indicated good internal consistency of most symptom scales. A CFA of the IDAS-II scales based on exploratory results by Watson et al (2012) confirmed a three factor model of Distress, Obsessions/Fear, and Positive Mood. Correlational analyses with additional symptom measures supported convergent and discriminant validity. The IDAS-II (German Version) allows for a reliable assessment of severity of depression, anxiety, and bipolar symptoms, and is one of the first clinical measures for German-speaking samples that is consistent with the Hierarchical Taxonomy Of Psychopathology (HiTOP).


Assessment ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 1116-1127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica M. Petri ◽  
Frank W. Weathers ◽  
Tracy K. Witte ◽  
Madison W. Silverstein

The Detailed Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress (DAPS; Briere, 2001) is a comprehensive questionnaire that assesses posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnostic criteria as well as peritraumatic responses and associated problems such as dissociation, suicidality, and substance abuse. DAPS scores have demonstrated excellent reliability, validity, and clinical utility, performing as well or better than leading PTSD questionnaires. The present study was an initial psychometric evaluation of the unreleased DAPS (DAPS-2), revised for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fifth edition ( DSM-5), in an MTurk-recruited mixed trauma sample ( N = 367). DAPS-2 PTSD scale and associated features scales demonstrated high internal consistency and strong convergent and discriminant validity. In confirmatory factor analyses, the DSM-5 four-factor model of PTSD provided adequate fit, but the leading seven-factor model provided superior fit. These results indicate the DAPS-2 is a psychometrically sound measure of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms.


Assessment ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 107319112110109
Author(s):  
Jorge Torres-Marín ◽  
Hugo Carretero-Dios ◽  
Michael Eid

The GELOPH-15 is a self-report measure that assesses individual differences in the fear of being laughed at (i.e., gelotophobia), a relatively understudied but important trait that is closely related to social anxiety. Using a multitrait–multimethod (MTMM) approach, the convergent and discriminant validity of the GELOPH-15 scale was examined based on 217 self- and 651 peer ratings (of three close acquaintances per target) of the traits gelotophobia, social anxiety, and paranoid ideation. Participants completed the Spanish versions of the GELOPH-15, the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, and the Paranoia Scale. Applying MTMM models of multilevel confirmatory factor analyses (ML-CFA-MTMM) revealed relatively high associations between the self- and peer ratings, supporting the convergent validity of the GELOPH-15. Discriminant validity analyses confirmed the expected relationship patterns of gelotophobia with social anxiety and paranoid ideation (i.e., strong, but not perfect associations). The results showed that the ML-CFA-MTMM models might be a useful tool for analyzing the convergent and discriminant validity based on self- and peer ratings.


2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 623-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. NEWMAN ◽  
K. E. KACHIN ◽  
A. R. ZUELLIG ◽  
M. J. CONSTANTINO ◽  
L. CASHMAN-McGRATH

Background. The development and validation of the Social Phobia Diagnostic Questionnaire (SPDQ), a new self-report diagnostic instrument for social phobia is described in three separate studies.Study 1. The participants were 125 undergraduates seeking help for an anxiety disorder of whom 60 had social phobia. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was conducted comparing SPDQ diagnoses and clinician-based Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule-IV (ADIS-IV) diagnoses of social phobia. Diagnoses made by the SPDQ showed an 85% specificity, an 82% sensitivity and kappa agreement with the ADIS-IV of 0·66.Study 2. The participants were 462 undergraduates who completed the SPDQ and a battery of additional questionnaires. The SPDQ had good internal consistency (α=0·95), good split-half reliability (r=0·90) and strong convergent and discriminant validity.Study 3. The participants were 145 undergraduates who completed the SPDQ at two time points separated by 2 weeks as well as several additional questionnaires. Scores on the SAD, FNE and SISST of SPDQ categorized undergraduates were also compared to scores on these measures from 35 clinical community participants to determine the clinical validity of the SPDQ. The SPDQ had strong 2-week test–retest reliability and good convergent and discriminant validity. Undergraduates diagnosed with social phobia by the SPDQ were not significantly different on the SAD, FNE and SISST from the socially phobic community sample, but both groups had significantly higher scores than undergraduates identified by the SPDQ as not meeting criteria for social phobia, demonstrating clinical validity of the SPDQ.Conclusions. These three studies provide preliminary evidence of the strong psychometric properties of the SPDQ as a measure to identify socially phobic participants.


2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuel Missias Silva Palma ◽  
Sônia Maria Guedes Gondim ◽  
Carolina Villa Nova Aguiar

Abstract Epistemic orientation refers to the preferred mode of accessing and using knowledge and is a construct of growing interest in psychotherapy research. In this context, the main objective of this study was to develop and provide initial validity evidence for a brief measure of epistemic orientation in a sample of Brazilian psychotherapists. Participants were 674 Brazilian psychotherapists (78.5% female), aged between 22 and 78 years. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on different subsamples to establish the structure of the measure. Results revealed an instrument consisting of three factors (Rationalism, Intuitionism, and Empiricism) with good psychometric properties and fit indices (X 2 = 1.92, GFI = 0.94, CFI = 0.95 and RMSEA = 0.06). Factors exhibited good internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validity. Criterion validity was evaluated by examining the scale’s ability to detect differences in the epistemic orientation dimensions as a function of therapist’s theoretical approach. Overall, the scale proved to be a valid self-report measure for investigating personal epistemology.


1989 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph A. Durlak ◽  
Margaret R. Kasimatis

This research was a multitrait-multimethod investigation of the convergent and discriminant validity of seven self-report death scales, each designed to measure one of three death-related attitudes. These attitudes relate to one's own death, reaction to reminders of death, and reluctance to interact with the dying. A structured, but open-ended interview schedule was developed to measure these same attitudes. College students at two universities completed the scales and were then interviewed. Application of Campbell and Fiske's multitrait-multimethod validation model indicated there was moderate support for the convergent and discriminant validity of three of the seven scales. Further analyses indicated that these three measures most effectively discriminated respondents at the extremes of the distribution of scale scores.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirill G. Miroshnik ◽  
Olga V. Shcherbakova ◽  
James C. Kaufman

Kaufman Domains of Creativity Scale (K-DOCS) is a self-report of creative behavior in five distinct domains. The present study aims to translate K-DOCS into Russian and evaluate its psychometric properties. The psychometric analysis was performed on a sample of adults recruited through Yandex Toloka (N = 1011; Mage = 35.94, SDage = 10.95) from various regions of Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the model with five correlated factors showed the best fit to empirical data. All factors demonstrated good internal consistency and moderate test-retest reliability. The correlation and hierarchical regression analyses for K-DOCS factors, creative achievements by CBI (Creative Behavior Inventory), and personality traits by BFI–2 (Big Five Inventory – 2) yielded evidence for an adequate level of convergent and discriminant validity. We also examined differences across K-DOCS factors among occupations defined by Holland’s typology and attempted to investigate K-DOCS measurement invariance across gender. As a result, we obtained evidence supporting the construct validity of K-DOCS and established its partial measurement invariance across gender. The current study shows that Russian K-DOCS has satisfactory psychometric properties and can serve as a trusted guide into various manifestations of humans’ creative behavior.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 694-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veljko Jovanović ◽  
Milica Lazić ◽  
Vesna Gavrilov-Jerković ◽  
Dylan Molenaar

Abstract. The Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess positive and negative emotions. In Study 1 ( N = 4,250, 61.95% females, Mage = 28.56 years), we evaluated measurement invariance of the SPANE across gender and age using moderated factor analysis. In Study 2 ( N = 200, 52.5% females, Mage = 21.82 years), we investigated the convergent and discriminant validity of the SPANE by examining its associations with measures of well-being and religiosity. In Study 3 ( N = 160, 87.5% females, Mage = 20.38 years), we used a prospective design to examine associations of the SPANE with the Big Five personality traits. The results provided general support for the measurement invariance of the SPANE across age and gender, but some non-invariant items were detected as well. The analyses of latent mean differences across gender revealed that women reported higher levels of both positive and negative emotions than men, but the effect size for positive emotions was very small. Older participants reported lower levels of positive emotions and higher levels of negative emotions than younger participants. Both convergent and discriminant validity of the SPANE were supported.


2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 561-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Chiorri ◽  
Gabriele Melli ◽  
Rosa Smurra

Background: The Vancouver Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (VOCI) is a self-report measure of the severity of obsessive-compulsive problems such as contamination, checking, obsessions, hoarding, needing things to be just right, and indecisiveness. In the seminal paper a six-correlated-factor structure was found in a sample of OC patients, but the issue of the factor structure of the VOCI in non-clinical populations was not addressed. Aim: This study assesses the psychometric properties and the factor structure of the Italian version of the VOCI in a non-clinical sample. Method: The VOCI was administered to a large community sample (n = 445). Some participants also completed a battery including measures of OC behaviour, worry, anxiety and depression (n = 89) and were administered the VOCI twice at an 8-week interval (n = 46). Results: Confirmatory factor analyses replicated the six-correlated-factor structure originally found in a patient sample, but a more parsimonious, second-order-factor model showed a statistically higher fit, suggesting that VOCI subscales can be considered as facets of a higher-order OCD factor. The whole item pool and each of the subscales showed good internal consistency, unidimensionality, test-retest reliability and convergent construct validity. As in the original version, limited support for discriminant validity was found. Scores were weakly associated with age, gender and education. Conclusions: Although some key issues still need to be investigated (e.g. sensitivity to change), the VOCI seems to be a psychometrically sound instrument for the assessment of OCD-related behaviours and thoughts and can be used in cultural contexts different from the original.


2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 367-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura D. Seligman ◽  
Erin F. Swedish ◽  
Jason P. Rose ◽  
Jessica M. Baker

Abstract. The current study examined the validity of two self-report measures of social anxiety constructed using social comparative referent points. It was hypothesized that these comparison measures would be both reliable and valid. Results indicated that two different comparative versions – one invoking injunctive norms and another invoking descriptive norms – showed good reliability, excellent internal consistency, and acceptable convergent and discriminant validity. The comparative measures also predicted positive functioning, some aspects of social quality of life, and social anxiety as measured by an independent self-report. These findings suggest that adding a comparative reference point to instructions on social anxiety measures may aid in the assessment of social anxiety.


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