Assessment of validity and reliability of the Tuberculosis Related Stigma Scale in Colombian patients

ObjectiveTo know the dimensionality and internal consistency of the Tuberculosis-Related Stigma Scale in patients living with tuberculosis in Santa Marta, Colombia. Method: One hundred and twenty-two patients between the ages of 18 and 75 participated (M=40.3, SD=14.9), 63.9% were men, 44.3% were single, 69.7% had low income, 80.3% had pulmonary tuberculosis, and 13.1% had co-infection with HIV. The Tuberculosis-Related Stigma Scale was applied; it is composed of two subscales: perceived and internalized stigma. The internal structure was explored by confirmatory factor analysis (EFA). Internal consistency was measured with Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega. Besides, the differential functioning of the scales according to gender was explored with Kendall’s tau-b coefficient.ResultsCFA did not show excellent goodness-of-fit indicators for the perceived stigma scale (Satorra-Bentler’s chi-square of 184.48, degree of freedom of 44, p=0.001, RMSEA of 0.16, 95%CI 0.14 - 0.19, CFI of 0.77, TLI of 0.72, and SRMR of 0.08) and internalized (Satorra-Bentler’s chi-square of 189.14, degree of freedom of 54, p=0.001; RMSEA of 0.14, 95%CI 0.12 - 0.17, CFI of 0.82, TLI of 0.78, and SRMR of 0.07). The alpha and omega coefficients were 0.89 and 0.91 for both scales, respectively. Non-gender differential functioning was observed; Kendall’s tau-b were between 0.00 and 0.15.ConclusionsThe Tuberculosis-Related Stigma Scale has an excellent internal consistency but poor goodness-of-fit indicators of unidimensionality. Evaluating the scale’s psychometric performance is recommenced in future research.

Separating the effect of attachment figure-domain units in IPPA-R using the correlated trait and correlated method minus one model

Using the correlated trait and correlated method minus one model (CT-C(M-1)), this study separated trait effects and trait method-specific effects of attachment figure-domain units in the IPPA-R. The model fit of the proposed model was examined and compared with those of other alternative models using a sample of 1290 adolescents from China. Results indicated that models specifying attachment domains across relationships as methods fitted data better than models specifying attachment domains across relationships as traits in the CT-C(M-1) model. In addition, the factor representing attachment-with-mother was found to significantly predict anxiety, stress, and social efficacy, whereas the attachment-with-father factor was a significant predictor of social self-efficacy, both of which supported the differential functioning of mother and father. Results suggest that the CT-C(M-1) model is a promising approach to separate the unique contributions of different attachment figures and relationship attachment domain-specific effect measured by IPPA-R.

A Conceptual Framework for Investigating and Mitigating Machine Learning Measurement Bias (MLMB) in Psychological Assessment

Given significant concerns about fairness and bias in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for assessing psychological constructs, we provide a conceptual framework for investigating and mitigating machine learning measurement bias (MLMB) from a psychometric perspective. MLMB is defined as differential functioning of the trained ML model between subgroups. MLMB can empirically manifest when a trained ML model produces different predicted score levels for individuals belonging to different subgroups (e.g., race, gender) despite them having the same ground truth level for the underlying construct of interest (e.g., personality), and/or when the model yields differential predictive accuracies across the subgroups. Because the development of ML models involves both data and algorithms, both biased data and algorithm training bias are potential sources of MLMB. Data bias can occur in the form of nonequivalence between subgroups in the ground truth, platform-based construct, behavioral expression, and/or feature computing. Algorithm training bias can occur when algorithms are developed with nonequivalence in the relation between extracted features and ground truth (i.e., algorithm features are differentially used, weighted, or transformed between subgroups). We explain how these potential sources of bias may manifest during ML model development and share initial ideas on how to mitigate them, recognizing that the development of new statistical and algorithmic procedures will need to follow. We also discuss how this framework brings clarity to MLMB but does not reduce the complexity of the issue.

Urban children’s connections to nature and environmental behaviors differ with age and gender

Global conservation is increasingly reliant on young people forming meaningful connections with urban nature. However, interactions with nearby nature do not inspire all children and adolescents living in cities to act pro-environmentally. Our survey of over 1,000 school students from Sydney, Australia, revealed that 28% of respondents maintained strong nature connections. Younger students (aged 8–11) were more strongly connected with nature than their older peers (aged 12–14), and environmental behaviors were negatively associated with increasing age. Differences between boys and girls were less consistent, resulting in part from differential functioning of questionnaire items. Regardless, girls were more willing than boys to volunteer for conservation. Our findings suggest that policies designed to strengthen urban children’s nature connections will be most effective if they explicitly address the “adolescent dip” and other emerging demographic patterns, thereby ensuring all young people reap the health, wellbeing, and conservation benefits of connecting with nature.

Rasch Validation of the VF-14 Scale of Vision-Specific Functioning in Greek Patients

The Visual Functioning-14 (VF-14) scale is the most widely employed index of vision-related functional impairment and serves as a patient-reported outcome measure in vision-specific quality of life. The purpose of this study is to rigorously examine and validate the VF-14 scale on a Greek population of ophthalmic patients employing Rasch measurement techniques. Two cohorts of patients were sampled in two waves. The first cohort included 150 cataract patients and the second 150 patients with other ophthalmic diseases. The patients were sampled first while pending surgical or other corrective therapy and two months after receiving therapy. The original 14-item VF-14 demonstrated poor measurement precision and disordered response category thresholds. A revised eight-item version, the VF-8G (‘G’ for ‘Greek’), was tested and confirmed for validity in the cataract research population. No differential functioning was reported for gender, age, and underlying disorder. Improvement in the revised scale correlated with improvement in the mental and physical component of the general health scale SF-36. In conclusion, our findings support the use of the revised form of the VF-14 for assessment of vision-specific functioning and quality of life improvement in populations with cataracts and other visual diseases than cataracts, a result that has not been statistically confirmed previously.

Measuring depression in adolescence: Evaluation of a hierarchical factor model of the Children’s Depression Inventory and measurement invariance across boys and girls

Background One of the most widely used instruments to measure depression in childhood and adolescence is Kovacs’s Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI). Even though this particular measure sparked massive interest among researchers, there is no clear consensus about its factorial structure. It has been suggested that inconsistencies in findings can be partly ascribed to the cultural context. The aim of this study was a) to examine and verify the factor structure of CDI in the Czech population and b) to assess gender-related psychometric differences using the mean and covariance structure (MACS) approach and differential item functioning (DIF) analysis. Methods The research sample consisted of 1,515 adolescents (ages 12 to 16 years, 53.7% female) from a non-clinical general population. Based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on a random subsample (N = 500), we proposed a model that was subsequently tested on the rest of the sample (N = 1,015) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Following the MACS procedure, we assessed measurement invariance in boys and girls. The between-group comparison was further supplemented by a DIF analysis. Results The proposed hierarchical four-factor model (General Symptoms, Negative Self-Concept, Inefficiency, and Social Anhedonia) with a second-order factor of depression fitted the data reasonably well (χ2 = 1281.355; df = 320; RMSEA = 0.054, CFI = 0.925). Regarding gender differences, we found no substantial signs of measurement invariance using the MACS approach. Boys and girls differed in first-order latent means (girls scored higher on General Symptoms with a standardized mean difference of 0.52 and on Negative Self-Concept with a standardized mean difference of 0.31). DIF analysis identified three items with differential functioning. However, the levels of differential functioning were only marginal (in two items) or marginal/moderate and the presence of DIF does not substantially influence scoring of CDI. Conclusion In the general adolescent population in the Czech Republic, the CDI can be considered a reliable instrument for screening purposes in clinical settings and for use in research practice. Instead of the originally proposed five-factor model, we recommend using the newly established four-factor structure. The measure seems to show only marginal psychometric differences with respect to gender, and overall measurement invariance in boys and girls seems to be a tenable assumption.

Body Appreciation Scale (BAS-2): Measurement Invariance across Genders and Item Response Theory Examination.

Background: The present study considers a measure of positive body image, the Body Appreciation Scale-2, which assesses acceptance and/or favourable opinions towards the body (BAS-2[29]). Differential functioning of the scale across the two genders, as well as its items, has not been excluded. The present study contributes to this area of knowledge via the employment of gender Measurement Invariance (MI) and Item Response Theory (IRT) analyses. Methods: A group of 386 adults from the community were assessed (N = 394, 54.8% men, 43.1% women, M age = 27.48; SD = 5.57). Results: MI analysis observed invariance across males and females at the configural level, and non-invariance at the metric level. Further, the two-parameter logistic model employed to observe IRT properties indicated that all items demonstrated, although variable, strong discrimination capacity. Conclusions: The items showed increased reliability for latent levels of ∓ 2 SD from the mean level of Body Appreciation. The implications and interpretations of the findings for clinical practice are discussed.

Is the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire adequate to assess individuals with subacromial pain syndrome? Rasch model and International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

Objective The Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire is highly used to assess patients with symptoms of subacromial pain syndrome (SPS). No study has analyzed the DASH by using the Rasch model in these patients and related the level of difficulty of the items with the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) domains. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the measurement properties of the DASH in individuals with SPS and to describe which International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) components are influenced by SPS based on the DASH. Methods The full version of the DASH was used to assess upper limbs pain and function in individuals with SPS. Responses were assessed using the Rasch model. Items of the DASH were grouped according to the level of difficulty, and associated to the ICF domains in order to identify which is the most compromised aspect in these individuals. Results Reliability and internal consistency for the DASH were shown to be 0.93 and 0.95, respectively. Item 3 (“Turn a key”) was the easiest, and 25 (“Pain during specific activity”) the most difficult. Only item 30 (“Less capable/confident/useful”) resulted as an erratic item. Item 15 (“Put on a sweater”) showed differential functioning by age, and item 11 (“Carry a heavy object”) by sex. Seven items showed differential functioning related to the angular onset of pain during arm elevation. Sixty percent of the most difficult items belonged to the “Body function” domain of the ICF. Conclusion Although some psychometric properties of the DASH are adequate according to the Rasch model, adjustments to some items are necessary for individuals with SPS. Clinicians should be cautious when interpreting the DASH, especially in patients with the angular onset of pain above 120° of arm elevation. Impact The information contained in this study should be used by clinicians to interpret the results of the DASH when assessing individuals with SPS. The DASH may not be adequate to assess those with shoulder pain above 120 degrees of arm elevation. These results are not generalizable to other shoulder pathologies.