scholarly journals Validation of the Spanish Version of the Marijuana Consequences Questionnaire (S-MACQ)

Author(s):  
Angelina Pilatti ◽  
Adrian Bravo ◽  
Yanina Michelini ◽  
Gabriela Rivarola Montejano ◽  
Ricardo Pautassi

Background: The Marijuana Consequences Questionnaire [MACQ] assesses marijuana-related problems. This 8-factor (50-items) measure covers a broad array of multiple dimensions encompassing 50 negative consequences of gradient severity that are particularly relevant in the context of college. The present study aimed to validate the Spanish version of the 50-item Marijuana Consequences Questionnaire (S-MACQ) by analyzing the psychometric properties of internal, convergent, and concurrent validity and estimating internal consistency. We also examined the correlation between the brief (SB-MACQ) and the full S-MACQ and whether they similarly correlate with marijuana outcomes and marijuana-related variables. Method: College students from the two largest public universities of Cordoba city (Argentina) completed an online survey as part of a broader study focused on marijuana use and risky sexual behaviors. Only data from students that reported last-year marijuana use (n=470; 70.6% women; Mean age 22.67±3.52 years; 45.7% enrolled in psychology) were included in the study. We conducted independent samples t-tests to evaluate differences in the number of negative consequences (for the total scale and for each S-MACQ dimension) as a function of biological sex or frequency of use. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) was conducted to examine the factor structure of the S-MACQ. We conducted Pearson correlation analyses to examine the association between the number of marijuana-related consequences as measured by the S-MACQ and scores (a) in the CUDIT, a standardized measure of marijuana-related problems (i.e., convergent validity), (b) frequency and quantity of marijuana use (i.e., concurrent validity), (c) motives for marijuana use (i.e., concurrent validity). We examined the Pearson correlation between the SB-MACQ and the S-MACQ and then we estimated the difference between the Pearson correlation of the SB-MACQ and the S-MACQ with all the marijuana outcomes and marijuana-related variables. Results: Results from the CFA supported an 8-factor structure. The scores of the S-MACQ showed appropriate internal, concurrent and convergent validity, alongside with adequate internal consistency. The S-MACQ was largely correlated with the SB-MACQ and the correlations between these two versions and marijuana outcomes/marijuana-related variables did not significantly differ. Discussion: Findings supported the S-MACQ as a valid measure to assess marijuana-related problems in Spanish-speaking students. The instrument can be used to identify a broad diversity of marijuana problems in this population.

Crisis ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip J. Batterham ◽  
Alison L. Calear ◽  
Helen Christensen

Background: There are presently no validated scales to adequately measure the stigma of suicide in the community. The Stigma of Suicide Scale (SOSS) is a new scale containing 58 descriptors of a “typical” person who completes suicide. Aims: To validate the SOSS as a tool for assessing stigma toward suicide, to examine the scale’s factor structure, and to assess correlates of stigmatizing attitudes. Method: In March 2010, 676 staff and students at the Australian National University completed the scale in an online survey. The construct validity of the SOSS was assessed by comparing its factors with factors extracted from the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ). Results: Three factors were identified: stigma, isolation/depression, and glorification/normalization. Each factor had high internal consistency and strong concurrent validity with the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire. More than 25% of respondents agreed that people who suicided were “weak,” “reckless,” or “selfish.” Respondents who were female, who had a psychology degree, or who spoke only English at home were less stigmatizing. A 16-item version of the scale also demonstrated robust psychometric properties. Conclusions: The SOSS is the first attitudes scale designed to directly measure the stigma of suicide in the community. Results suggest that psychoeducation may successfully reduce stigma.


Author(s):  
Daniel Gutiérrez-Sánchez ◽  
Rafael Gómez-García ◽  
Isabel María López-Medina ◽  
Antonio I. Cuesta-Vargas

Background: The mini-suffering state examination is a valid and reliable measure that have been used to assess suffering in patients with advanced cancer. The aim of this study was to carry out a psychometric analysis of the Spanish version of the mini-suffering state examination. Method: A validation study was conducted. Seventy-two informal caregivers of deceased patients in palliative care were included in this study. A psychometric testing of content validity, internal consistency, and convergent validity with the Spanish version of the quality of dying and death questionnaire was performed. Results: The original instrument was modified to be used by informal caregivers. The content validity was acceptable (0.96), and the internal consistency was moderate (α = 0.67). Convergent validity was demonstrated (r = −0.64). Conclusion: The Spanish modified version of the MSSE showed satisfactory measurement properties. The Spanish modified version of MSSE can be useful to facilitate screening, monitor progress, and guide treatment decisions in end-of-life cancer patients.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-414
Author(s):  
Tayse Conter de Moura ◽  
Julia Candia Donat ◽  
Thiago Loreto Garcia da Silva ◽  
Adriane Xavier Arteche ◽  
Carolina Saraiva de Macedo Lisboa ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Experiencing trauma may entail psychopathological consequences, but also changes considered to be positive (i.e., posttraumatic growth). For positive change to occur, an impact on the beliefs of individuals is required, which may be measured through the Core Beliefs Inventory (CBI). The objective of this study was to validate the Brazilian Portuguese version of the CBI. Methods A total of 248 university students (65.7% female) answered the following assessment instruments: sociodemographic data sheet, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Posttraumatic Symptoms Checklist – Clinician Version (PCL-5) and the CBI. Psychometric properties of the CBI were assessed by conducting an exploratory factor analysis through a principal component analysis with varimax rotation. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s α) and convergent validity (Pearson correlation between instruments) were also investigated. Results The total scale showed adequate internal consistency (α = 0.83). A single factor solution explained 42.63% of the variance of the CBI. Significant correlations were found between CBI and PTGI, and between CBI and PCL-5. Conclusion The psychometric properties indicated adequate internal consistency and construct validity of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the CBI.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Gatica-Bahamonde ◽  
Paula Alarcon ◽  
Alejandra Mendez Fadol ◽  
Carrie Allison ◽  
Simon Baron-Cohen ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of an adapted version of the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT), an early screening tool that quantifies autistic traits dimensionally, in a community sample of Chilean children aged 18-24 months. An intentional non-probabilistic sampling was used. All primary caregivers of children aged 18-24 months who attended health check-up at four primary care clinics in Chile's Araucanía region during the study period were invited to participate. One hundred and eighty-eight toddlers were screened. Evidence of construct validity was determined through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), evidence of convergent validity with the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/F), and evidence of reliability through internal consistency and test-retest. The EFA showed a two-factor structure, which explained 42.2 % of the variance: “Restrictive and Repetitive Patterns” (factor 1), and “Communication and Social Interaction” (factor 2). The total Q-CHAT scores correlated positively and significantly with the total M-CHAT-R/F scores (r=0.59, p<0.01) with a large effect size. Internal consistency was acceptable for the scale in general (α=0.74), acceptable for factor 1 (α = 0.76) and good (α=0.85) for factor 2. Regarding test-retest stability, the intraclass correlation coefficient was good (ICC=0.86, p<0.001). In terms of the factor structure evidenced by the EFA, the two factors are theoretically consistent with the current diagnostic criteria of the DSM-5. The evidence of validity and reliability of Q-CHAT is encouraging when considering its use as an early detection tool in Chile.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsea McLellan ◽  
Mia Sisic ◽  
Hazel H. Oon ◽  
Jerry Tan

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with adverse physical and psychosocial impacts. The development of an HS quality-of-life measure, HS-QoL, has been recently described. Objective: This study was designed to validate the HS-QoL. Method: Fifty-five patients with HS from 4 dermatology clinics completed the 30-minute online survey. Item reduction, reliability (internal consistency), and correlation analysis (to assess convergent validity) were conducted. Results: The HS-QoL was reduced from 53 items to 44 items, resulting in a 7-subscale questionnaire. All subscales demonstrated excellent internal consistency, except for the support subscale, which had adequate internal consistency. All 7 HS-QoL subscales were related to other measures of QoL, life satisfaction, and mental health, which demonstrates convergent validity. Conclusion: The 44-item HS-QoL demonstrated strong preliminary evidence of reliability (internal consistency) and convergent validity.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen María Sánchez-Torrelo ◽  
Noelia Zagalaz-Anula ◽  
Roger Alonso-Royo ◽  
Alfonso Javier Ibáñez-Vera ◽  
Jesús López-Collantes ◽  
...  

Abstract Background. The Fonseca Anamnestic Index (FAI) offers a simple method to screen temporomandibular disorders (TMD). This study aimed to validate the standard version of the FAI in a Spanish population and to analyze the clinimetric properties of the Spanish version of the FAI in patients with TMD.Methods. The sample consisted of 179 subjects aged over 18 years, of which 119 were diagnosed with TMD and 60 were healthy controls. Construct validity (exploratory factor analysis), internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and concurrent validity were analyzed. To discriminate between patients with and without TMD, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed.Results. The Spanish version of the FAI showed construct validity formed by three factors. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.820, indicating good internal consistency. The reliability of the items measured with the weighted kappa coefficient was between 0.588 and 0.899, varying between moderate to almost perfect. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of the total score was 0.938, indicating excellent reliability. The standard error of measurement (SEM) was 6.42, with a minimum detectable change (MDC) of 12.59 points. The concurrent validity showed a significant correlation with headache, neck pain, vertigo and the Mental Component Summary (SF-12 MCS) of the SF-12. However, the relationship with the Physical Component Summary (SF-12 PCS) was not significant. The ROC curve analysis showed a good accuracy of the FAI in differentiating between healthy and TMD patients with an area under the curve (AUC) = 0.869, corresponding to a cut-off point for the FAI of >35 points, with a sensitivity = 83.19% and a specificity = 78.33%.Conclusions. The Spanish version of the FAI is a valid and reliable instrument for diagnosing people with TMD, with appropriate general clinimetric properties. Discrimination between patients with and without TMD is excellent.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Vinggaard Christensen ◽  
Jane K. Dixon ◽  
Knud Juel ◽  
Ola Ekholm ◽  
Trine Bernholdt Rasmussen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Anxiety and depression symptoms are common among cardiac patients. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is frequently used to measure symptoms of anxiety and depression; however, no study on the validity and reliability of the scale in Danish cardiac patients has been done. The aim, therefore, was to evaluate the psychometric properties of HADS in a large sample of Danish patients with the four most common cardiac diagnoses: ischemic heart disease, arrhythmias, heart failure and heart valve disease. Methods The DenHeart study was designed as a national cross-sectional survey including the HADS, SF-12 and HeartQoL and combined with data from national registers. Psychometric evaluation included analyses of floor and ceiling effects, structural validity using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and hypotheses testing of convergent and divergent validity by relating the HADS scores to the SF-12 and HeartQoL. Internal consistency reliability was evaluated by Cronbach’s alpha, and differential item functioning by gender was examined using ordinal logistic regression. Results A total of 12,806 patients (response rate 51%) answered the HADS. Exploratory factor analysis supported the original two-factor structure of the HADS, while confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor structure consisting of the original depression subscale and two anxiety subscales as suggested in a previous study. There were floor effects on all items and ceiling effect on item 8. The hypotheses regarding convergent validity were confirmed but those regarding divergent validity for HADS-D were not. Internal consistency was good with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.87 for HADS-A and 0.82 for HADS-D. There were no indications of noticeable differential item functioning by gender for any items. Conclusions The present study supported the evidence of convergent validity and high internal consistency for both HADS outcomes in a large sample of Danish patients with cardiac disease. There are, however, conflicting results regarding the factor structure of the scale consistent with previous research. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01926145.


2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 292-299
Author(s):  
Thiago Loreto Garcia da Silva ◽  
Victoria Guimarães Ramos ◽  
Julia Candia Donat ◽  
Fernando Rainho de Oliveira ◽  
Gustavo Gauer ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: To examine psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Method: A total of 300 university students were evaluated though instruments that investigated trauma history, depression and posttraumatic symptoms, and personality traits through the Big Five model. Pearson's correlation was used to assess internal consistency, inter-item reliability and construct validity. Principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed to investigate the factor structure of the PTGI. Results: Results confirmed the original five-factor structure. The results showed good internal consistency for the total scale (α = 0.91) and its subscales, ranging from α = 0.85 to α = 0.70. Also, evidence of construct and convergent validity was observed through correlations with posttraumatic and depression symptoms and personality measures. Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest that the Brazilian PTGI is reliable and showed adequate evidence of validity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 453-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar García-Pérez ◽  
Carmen Rodríguez-Menéndez ◽  
Susana Torío-López ◽  
Sara Rodríguez-Pérez

El control psicológico parental se refiere a los comportamientos de los padres que interfieren con los pensamientos y sentimientos del niño y se caracterizan por el uso excesivo de técnicas de manipulación, como la inducción de culpa o vergüenza y la retirada del afecto. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo validar la versión en español de la Dependency-oriented and Achievement-oriented Psychological Control Scale (DAPCS) (Escala de control psicológico orientado a la dependencia y control psicológico orientado al logro), una nueva medida diseñada para evaluar la percepción del control psicológico de un adolescente. Otro objetivo fue determinar la influencia del control psicológico parental percibido sobre el autoconcepto de los adolescentes. Evaluamos la estructura factorial, la fiabilidad y la validez convergente en una muestra de adolescentes tardíos españoles (N = 310, edad media = 19.75). Los análisis de factores exploratorios y confirmatorios mostraron que la estructura factorial de la escala DAPCS se describe mejor con una solución de 2 factores, tanto para padres como para madres, lo que indica la distinción entre control psicológico orientado a la dependencia y el orientado al logro. Los altos índices de consistencia interna indicaron que la escala DAPCS produjo óptimas puntuaciones. Además, la validez convergente fue confirmada por la correlación entre el DAPCS y otras medidas de control psicológico, así como con otras medidas del análisis de la crianza. La regresión jerárquica también mostró que DAPCS predijo el autoconcepto de los adolescentes tardíos. Los resultados de este estudio indican que la versión en español del DAPCS es un instrumento útil para estudiar ambos tipos de control psicológico. Parental psychological control refers to those parental behaviors that interfere with the child's thoughts and feelings and are characterized by excessive use of manipulative techniques, such as inducing guilt or shame and love-withdrawal. This study was aimed at validating the Spanish version of the Dependency-oriented and Achievement-oriented Psychological Control Scale (DAPCS), a new measure designed to assess an adolescent’s perception of psychological control. Another objective was to determine the influence of perceived parental psychological control on adolescents’ self-concept. We evaluated the factor structure, reliability, and convergent validity in a sample of Spanish late adolescents (N = 310, mean age = 19.75). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the DAPCS factor structure is best described by a 2-factor solution, for both paternal and maternal ratings, indicating the distinction between dependency-oriented and achievement-oriented psychological control. High indices of internal consistency indicated that DAPCS produced reliable scores. Moreover, convergent validity was confirmed by consistent associations between the DAPCS and other measures of psychological control and other parenting dimensions. Hierarchical regression also showed that DAPCS predicted late adolescents’ self-concept. The results of this study indicate that the Spanish version of the DAPCS is a useful instrument for studying both types of psychological control.


Author(s):  
Sadia Musharraf ◽  
Sheri Bauman ◽  
Muhammad Anis-ul-Haque ◽  
Jamil Malik

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the ICT Self-Efficacy Scale and the association of cyberbullying and victimization with ICT self-efficacy. Sample 1 (436 university students) was used to identify the factor structure of the Scale, and sample 2 (1115 university students) provided the data to confirm the factor structure (CFA), and to compute the internal consistency reliability, and convergent validity of the scale. Findings demonstrate that the new scale is a reliable and valid domain-specific measure to assess ICT Self-Efficacy for university students. Suggestions for further research with the scale are provided.


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