Factorial invariance of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale across gender.

The Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS; G. B. Spanier, 1976) is the most widely used inventory of relationship satisfaction in the social sciences, yet the question of whether it is measuring the same concept in men and women has never been addressed. In the current study, the authors examined the factor structure of the DAS in a sample of 900 currently married couples who participated in the Minnesota Twin Family Study. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to a second-order factor solution with Spanier’s four factors (Dyadic Consensus, Dyadic Satisfaction, Dyadic Cohesion, Affectional Expression) loading on one higher order factor (Relationship Adjustment), to test for measurement invariance across gender. The second-order solution was relatively invariant across gender, even when taking into account the nonindependent nature of the data. This suggests that the best conceptualization of the DAS is one of a gender-invariant measure of marital adjustment with four distinct subfactors and that differences between men and women on any of these constructs can be interpreted by both clinicians and researchers as true mean differences rather than measurement bias. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factor structure of the CES-D and measurement invariance across gender for low-income Puerto Ricans in a probability sample.

Objective: The authors of this study aimed to evaluate 2-factor structures for the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) reported in the literature to determine which one proves to be a better fit with the data on low-income Puerto Ricans living on the island. Method: The sample consisted of 3,504 civilian noninstitutionalized Puerto Ricans, ranging in age from 18 to 64 who were living in low-income areas of Puerto Rico. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was implemented, and model fit was assessed with the Tucker–Lewis Index (TLI), the comparative fit index (CFI), and the root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA). Results: The CFA results obtained for the Radloff (1977) and Guarnaccia, Angel, and Worobey (1989) models show that neither model obtained adequate fit indexes. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that the 2-factor structure not only obtained better fit indexes (TLI = .948, CFI = .955, RMSEA = .048) but also reflected a better conceptual organization of the factors (basically divided into 2 components: Negative Affect and Positive Affect). When we assessed the model fit by gender, the model consistently fit the data for the female subsample but not for the male one. Conclusions: Results confirm the need to address the issues related to measurement equivalence for specific cultural and language gaps in assessment of depressive symptoms. Lack of factor invariance across gender also raises the question of the appropriateness of this measure for the male subsample and the need for further research in the manifestation of depression in this group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age-related invariance of abilities measured with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III.

Examination of measurement invariance tests the assumption that the model underlying a set of test scores is directly comparable across groups. The observation of measurement invariance provides fundamental evidence for the inference that scores on a test afford equivalent measurement of the same psychological traits among diverse groups. Groups may be derived from different psychosocial backgrounds or different clinical presentations. In the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III)/Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III) Technical Manual (Psychological Corporation, 2002), there appears to be a breakdown in factor structure among the standardization cases in older adults. In this study, the authors evaluated the invariance of the measurement model of the WAIS-III across 5 age bands. All components of the measurement model were examined. Overall, the evidence pointed to invariance across age of a modified 4-factor model that included cross-loadings for the Similarities and Arithmetic subtests. These results support the utility of the WAIS-III as a measure of stable intelligence traits across a wide age range. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factor structure and invariance across gender of the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment protective factor scale.

Early childhood social–emotional assessment has traditionally focused on risk factors or psychopathology, and has less frequently examined protective factors that may serve to promote positive developmental outcomes for children. To advance conceptual models that include protective factors as key explanatory constructs, there is a need for quantitative measures of protective factors that are psychometrically sound and function similarly across different subgroups, including gender. This study examined the factor structure and factorial invariance across gender of the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA), one of the few measures to focus on protective behaviors. A total of 1,344 parents completed the DECA for a group of developmentally and economically at-risk children ages 2 to 5 years. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis, the first to be conducted on the DECA, revealed that the factor structure proposed by the authors of the DECA was adequate with some modifications. Multigroup comparisons by gender supported the invariance of the factor pattern coefficients and 26 of the 27 item intercepts, indicating that the items were functioning similarly across boys and girls. Suggestions for improving problematic item pairs and content are provided. This study can be viewed as part of the ongoing validation of the DECA and an important contribution to the strength-based assessment literature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Latent structure and factorial invariance of a neuropsychological test battery for the study of preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

Objective: To examine the latent structure of a test battery currently being used in a longitudinal study of asymptomatic middle-aged adults with a parental history of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and test the invariance of the factor solution across subgroups defined by selected demographic variables and known genetic risk factors for AD. Method: An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a sequence of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted on 24 neuropsychological measures selected to provide a comprehensive estimate of cognitive abilities most likely to be affected in preclinical AD. Once the underlying latent model was defined and the structural validity established through model comparisons, a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis model was used to test for factorial invariance across groups. Results: The EFA solution revealed a factor structure consisting of five constructs: verbal ability, visuospatial ability, speed & executive function, working memory, and verbal learning & memory. The CFA models provided support for the hypothesized 5-factor structure. Results indicated factorial invariance of the model across all groups examined. Conclusions: Collectively, the results suggested a relatively strong psychometric basis for using the factor structure in clinical samples that match the characteristics of this cohort. This confirmed an invariant factor structure should prove useful in research aimed to detect the earliest cognitive signature of preclinical AD in similar middle aged cohorts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factorial validity and consistency of the MBI-GS across occupational groups in Norway.

The present study tested the factorial validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) among 694 participants from 4 different occupational groups. Confirmatory factor analyses of the total sample, as well as multigroup analyses and analyses of each of the 4 occupational groups separately, indicated that the original 3-factor model of the MBI-GS provided a good fit to the data. Internal consistencies of the subscales of the MBI-GS were acceptable, and test-retest reliability indicated relative stability of scores over a 6-month interval. These results indicate that the proposed 3-factor structure of the MBI-GS, based on 16 items, can be replicated in the total sample as well as across different occupational groups in Norway. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alternative Factor Models and Factorial Invariance of the GHQ-12: A Large Sample Analysis Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

This study tested alternative factor models of the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), based on previous research findings, with a large sample using confirmatory factor analysis. An alternative models framework was used to test 6 factor analytic models. A 3-factor model was the best explanation of the sample data. The 3 factors were labeled Anxiety-Depression, Social Dysfunction, and Loss of Confidence. The model was found to be factorially invariant between men and women. The utility of the 3 subscales, as opposed to the total GHQ-12 score, is questioned as they appear to provide little information beyond that of a general factor. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Measurement and structural invariance of parent ratings of ADHD and ODD symptoms across gender for American and Malaysian children.

The purpose of this study was to examine the measurement (configural, metric, scalar, and residual) and structural (factor variance, factor covariance, and factor means) invariance of parent ratings of the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-inattention (ADHD-IN), ADHD-hyperactivity/impulsivity (ADHD-HI), and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) across boys and girls. In an American pediatric sample (N = 1,015) and a Malaysian elementary school-age sample (N = 928), there was strong support for configural, metric, scalar, residual, factor variance, and covariance invariance across gender within each sample. Both American and Malaysian boys had significantly higher scores on the ADHD-IN and ADHD-HI factor means than did girls, whereas only in the American sample did boys score significantly higher on the ODD factor than did girls. The implications of the results for the study of gender, ethnic, and cultural differences associated with ADHD and ODD are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A multicultural assessment of adolescent connectedness: Testing measurement invariance across gender and ethnicity.

Counselors, psychologists, and evaluators of intervention programs for youth increasingly view the promotion of connectedness as an important intervention outcome. When evaluating these programs, researchers frequently test whether the treatment effects differ across gender and ethnic or racial groups. Doing so necessitates the availability of culturally and gender-invariant measures. We used the Hemingway: Measure of Adolescent Connectedness to estimate the factor structure invariance and equality of means across gender and 3 racial/ethnic groups with a large sample of middle school adolescents. From a practical perspective, the 10-scale model suggested factor structure invariance across gender and racial or ethnic (i.e., African American, Caucasian, and Latina/o) groups of adolescents. However, tests for partial invariance revealed some group difference on the factor loadings and intercepts between gender and ethnic/racial groups. When testing for mean equivalence, girls reported higher connectedness to friends, siblings, school, peers, teachers, and reading but lower connectedness to their neighborhoods. Caucasians reported higher connectedness to their neighborhoods and friends but lower connectedness to siblings than African Americans and Latinos. African Americans reported the highest connectedness to self (present and future) but lowest connectedness to teachers. Latinos reported the lowest connectedness to reading, self-in-the-present, and self-in-the-future. Overall, this study reveals racial/ethnic and gender mean differences on several connectedness subscales and suggests the Hemingway subscales are, from a practical perspective, invariant across gender and ethnicity and therefore appropriate for most assessment and evaluation purposes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Liberal and conservative political ideology, experiences of harassment, and perceptions of campus climate.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relations among racial-ethnic group membership, political ideology (i.e., conservative and liberal), and perceptions of general campus climate (GCC) and of campus climate for racial-ethnic minorities (RECC). One hundred and thirty-six (136) undergraduate, graduate, and professional students participated in this study at a large public Midwestern university. A series of multivariate analyses of variance, hierarchical regressions, and mediation analyses were conducted. Findings indicated that Whites endorsed more positive perceptions of campus climate, reported fewer experiences of racial-ethnic harassment, and endorsed less liberal political ideological beliefs than people of color. No racial differences in conservative ideology emerged. After controlling for racial-ethnic group membership, results showed that experiences of racial-ethnic harassment predicted both GCC and RECC, whereas conservative ideology only predicted RECC. Post hoc analyses demonstrated that experiences of racial-ethnic harassment fully mediated the relationship between racial-ethnic group membership and GCC, but only partially mediated the relationship between racial-ethnic group membership and RECC. Neither conservative nor liberal ideologies were significant mediators. Implications for future research and practice are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of perceived race and gender in the evaluation of college teaching on RateMyProfessors.Com.

The present study examined whether student evaluations of college teaching (SETs) reflected a bias predicated on the perceived race and gender of the instructor. Using anonymous, peer-generated evaluations of teaching obtained from RateMyProfessors.com, the present study examined SETs from 3,079 White; 142 Black; 238 Asian; 130 Latino; and 128 Other race faculty at the 25 highest ranked liberal arts colleges. Results showed that racial minority faculty, particularly Blacks and Asians, were evaluated more negatively than White faculty in terms of overall quality, helpfulness, and clarity, but were rated higher on easiness. A two-stage cluster analysis demonstrated that the very best instructors were likely to be White, whereas the very worst were more likely to be Black or Asian. Few effects of gender were observed, but several interactions emerged showing that Black male faculty were rated more negatively than other faculty. The results of the present study are consistent with the negative racial stereotypes of racial minorities and have implications for the tenure and promotion of racial minority faculty. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and birth cohort difference on the children's depression inventory: A meta-analysis.

A within-scale meta-analysis was performed on 310 samples of children (ages 8-16; N = 61,424) responding to the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Girls' depression scores stayed steady from ages 8 to 11 and then increased between ages 12 and 16. Boys' CDI scores were stable from ages 8 to 16 except for a high CDI score at age 12. Girls' scores were slightly lower than boys' during childhood, but girls scored higher beginning at age 13. There were no socioeconomic status effects and no differences between White and Black samples. However, Hispanic samples scored significantly higher on the CDI. Analyses for birth cohort showed a slight decrease in boys' CDI scores over time and no change for girls. Longitudinal studies demonstrated a marked testing effect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Measurement invariance of the Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale's three-factor structure in men and women with cancer.

Objective: Illness- and treatment-related disruptions to valued activities and interests (illness intrusiveness) are central to quality of life in chronic disease and are captured by three subscales of the Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale (IIRS): the Instrumental, Intimacy, and Relationships and Personal Development subscales. Using individual (CFA) and multisample confirmatory factor analyses (MSCFA), we evaluated measurement invariance of the IIRS's 3-factor structure in men and women with cancer. Method: Men (n = 210) and women (n = 206) with 1 of 4 cancer diagnoses (gastrointestinal, head and neck, lymphoma, lung) recruited from outpatient clinics completed the IIRS. In the MSCFA, we applied an analysis of means and covariance structures approach to test increasingly stringent equality constraints on factor structure parameters to evaluate weak, strong, and strict measurement invariance of the 3-factor structure between men and women. Results: Individual CFAs demonstrated fit of the hypothesized 3-factor structure for men and women, although more consistently for men. The 3-factor structure was superior to an alternative 1-factor structure. MSCFA results indicated that parameters of the 3-factor structure could be considered equivalent between the sexes up to the level of strong invariance. Strict invariance was not supported. Conclusions: Overall, IIRS scores can be interpreted similarly for men and women with cancer. Illness intrusiveness can be considered as important in the psychosocial adaptation of people with cancer as it is for people affected by other chronic conditions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Roles of gender, race, and SES in the college choice process among first-generation and nonfirst-generation students.

The authors examined students' reports of their college choice process to understand the influence of a set of psychological, personal, and institutional factors. The authors also examined potential moderating influences of generational status, gender, race, and SES on our variables of interest. A diverse sample of college freshmen (N = 1,339), including 42% who were the first in their families to attend college, responded to a self-reporting, Web-based survey. Findings indicate that psychosocial factors and academic quality of the college were most influential for first-generation students as compared to their nonfirst-generation peers in the college choice process. However, gender, race, and SES moderated these influences in complex ways. For example, females rated the psychological variables higher than males; Asian American and African American first-generation students rated higher than their parents' preferences for which college to attend as compared to nonfirst-generation peers. First-generation females, African American in particular, considered academic quality more important than other groups. Our findings should be of value to counselors and other personnel who facilitate students' college choice process as well as college recruitment, retention, and diversity enhancement programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The equivalence of the Child Behavior Checklist/1 1/2-5 across parent race/ethnicity, income level, and language.

This study examined the equivalence of the Child Behavior Checklist/1 1/2-5 (CBCL/1 1/2-5) in 682 parents of 2- to 4-year-old children stratified by parent race/ethnicity (African American, Latino, and non-Latino White), family income (low vs. middle-upper), and language version (Spanish vs. English). Externalizing Scale means differed by income and child gender. Internalizing Scale means differed by income and parent race/ethnicity. Differential item analyses showed that few items functioned differently by racial/ethnic, language, and income group. A confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the Externalizing Scale provided a good fit with the data across racial/ethnic and income groups. However, model fit was improved for the Internalizing Scale when factor weights were allowed to vary. Findings support the equivalence of the CBCL/1 1/2-5 when used with parents of low-income preschool children from African American and Latino backgrounds, although further study of the factor structure for the Internalizing Scale is recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Measurement equivalence: A comparison of methods based on confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory.

Current interest in the assessment of measurement equivalence emphasizes 2 major methods of analysis. The authors offer a comparison of a linear method (confirmatory factor analysis) and a nonlinear method (differential item and test functioning using item response theory) with an emphasis on their methodological similarities and differences. The 2 approaches test for the equality of true scores (or expected raw scores) across 2 populations when the latent (or factor) score is held constant. Both approaches can provide information about when measurrment nonequivalence exists and the extent to which it is a problem. An empirical example is used to illustrate the 2 approaches. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Confirmatory Analysis of the Factor Structure and Cross-Age Invariance of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition.

In the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III; D. Wechsler, 1997), the manual reports several confirmatory factor analyses in support of the instrument's latent factor structure. In practice, examiners frequently compare an examinee's score from a current administration of the WAIS-III with the results from a previous test administration. Implicit in test-retest score comparisons is evidence that scores retain similar interpretive meaning across time. Establishing an instrument's factorial invariance provides the foundation for this practice. This study investigated the factorial invariance of the WAIS-III across the instrument's 13 age groups. The overall results from this study generally support both configural and factorial invariance of the WAIS-III when the 11 primary tests are administered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Color-blind racial attitudes, social dominance orientation, racial-ethnic group membership and college students' perceptions of campus climate.

Racial-ethnic group membership, color-blind racial attitudes (i.e., unawareness of racial privilege, institutional discrimination, and blatant racial issues), and social dominance orientation were used to predict perceptions of campus climate in general and specifically for people of color among a sample of 144 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students at a predominately White university. Results indicate that after controlling for racial-ethnic minority status, perceptions of general campus climate (GCC) and racial-ethnic campus climate (RECC) are predicted by color-blind racial attitudes. Post hoc analyses indicated that unawareness of racial privilege partially mediated the relationship between race and RECC and fully mediated the relationship between race and GCC. Individuals with higher levels of color-blind racial attitudes tend to perceive the campus climate more positively. Implications for research, training and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Women's Health Initiative Insomnia Rating Scale.

As part of the Women's Health Initiative Study, the 5-item Women's Health Initiative Insomnia Rating Scale (WHIIRS) was developed. This article summarizes the development of the scale through the use of responses from 66,269 postmenopausal women (mean age=62.07 years, SD=7.41 years). All women completed a 10-item questionnaire concerning sleep. A novel resampling technique was introduced as part of the data analysis. Principal-axes factor analysis without iteration and rotation to a varimax solution was conducted for 120,000 random samples of 1,000 women each. Use of this strategy led to the development of a scale with a highly stable factor structure. Structural equation modeling revealed no major differences in factor structure across age and race-ethnic groups. WHIIRS norms for race-ethnicity and age subgroups are detailed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An investigation of gender, income, and special education status bias on curriculum-based measurement slope in reading.

This study investigated slope bias on student background variables for both Curriculum Based Measurement of Oral Reading (CBM-R) and Curriculum Based Measurement Maze Reading (Maze). Benchmark scores from 1,738 students in Grades 3 through 8 were used to examine potential slope bias in CBM-R and Maze. Latent growth modeling was used to both estimate growth rates and examine the extent to which demographic variables affected the estimated growth rates. Results indicate a significant CBM-R slope bias on special education status at Grade 3 and on gender at Grade 7. For Maze, slope bias on gender was associated with Maze slope estimates at Grades 5 and 7. Slope bias on various demographic variables was not consistent across CBM measures and grades. Results and implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)