Development of a Brief Questionnaire of Smoking Urges--Spanish.

Using 2 different samples of smokers, the authors developed and cross-validated a Spanish, brief version of the Questionnaire of Smoking Urges (QSU; S. T. Tiffany & D. J. Drobes, 1991). The smokers in Study 1 (N = 245) and Study 2 (N = 225) were from the province of Alicante, Spain. In both samples, a 2-factor model provided an excellent fit for a 10-item, all positively worded version of the QSU. Moreover, in both studies each factor uniquely contributed to predict nicotine dependence. Overall, there was clear evidence of construct validity for the multidimensionality of smoking cravings among Spanish smokers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Memory self-efficacy predicts memory performance: Results from a 6-year follow-up study.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between memory self-efficacy (MSE) and a 6-year follow-up assessment of memory functioning in a sample of Dutch older adults. MSE was assessed by a Dutch abridged version of the Metamemory in Adulthood questionnaire (MIA; R. A. Dixon, D. F. Hultsch, & C. Hertzog, 1988; C. Hertzog, D. F. Hultsch, & R. A. Dixon, 1989; R. W. H. M. Ponds & J. Jolles, 1996). The total MSE score predicted memory performance at 6 years, as measured by the Visual Verbal Learning Task (VVLT; N. Brand & J. Jolles, 1985). A separate analysis of the different MSE subscales indicated that the MIA Change score was the most salient domain-specific MSE predictor of subsequent memory performance after 6 years. An extreme groups analysis of the MIA Change score revealed a pattern of performance for those who perceived that their memory was worsening, performing less well on the 3 trials of the VVLT when these were readministered at the 6-year follow-up. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Do smokers know what we're talking about? The construct validity of nicotine dependence questionnaire measures.

Few studies have examined whether nicotine dependence self-report questionnaires can predict specific behaviors and symptoms at specific points in time. The present study used data from a randomized clinical trial (N = 608; M. E. Piper et al., 2007) to assess the construct validity of scales and items from 3 nicotine dependence measures: the Fagerstr?m Test for Nicotine Dependence (T. F. Heatherton, L. T. Kozlowski, R. C. Frecker & K.-O. Fagerstr?m, 1991), the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (S. Shiffman, A. J. Waters, & M. Hickcox, 2004), and the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (M. E. Piper et al., 2004). Scales from these measures were used to predict participants' reports on real-time measures of withdrawal symptoms and smoking behavior and retrospective self-report questionnaires to assess convergent and discriminative validity. The nicotine dependence measures' scales and items generally predicted the real-time measures of similar constructs, but the percent of variance accounted for was low. The nicotine dependence measures did, however, show evidence of discriminative validity. Thus, this study provides modest support for the construct validity of these nicotine dependence scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cross-cultural replication of the five-factor model and comparison of the NEO-PI-R and MMPI-2 PSY-5 scales in a Dutch psychiatric sample.

The authors investigated cross-cultural replicability of the five-factor model (FFM) of personality as represented by the revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R; P. T. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 1992) in a sample of 423 Dutch psychiatric patients. Also, NEO-PI-R domain scales were compared with the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5; A. R. Harkness & J. L. McNulty, 1994) scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory--2 (J. N. Butcher, W. G. Dahlstrom, J. R. Graham, A. Tellegen, & B. Kaemmer, 2002). Principal-components analysis with procrustean rotation confirmed the hypothesized structural similarity of the present sample with the U.S. normative factor scores. All of the hypothesized relations between NEO-PI-R and PSY-5 scales were confirmed. The results provide evidence for cross-cultural replicability of the FFM and for validity of the NEO-PI-R and PSY-5 constructs in the psychological assessment of psychiatric patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Construct Validity of the California Verbal Learning Test--Children's Version (CVLT-C) After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury.

The purpose of this study was to determine the latent structure of the California Verbal Learning Test--Children's Version (CVLT-C; D. Delis, J. Kramer, E. Kaplan, & B. Ober, 1994) in a sample of 175 children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Maximum-likelihood confirmatory factor analyses were performed to test 6 competing hypothetical models for fit and parsimony. A 4-factor model consisting of Attention Span, Learning Efficiency, Delayed Recall, and Inaccurate Recall provided the best fit to the data. The results support the construct validity of the CVLT-C in children with TBI and suggest that a multifactorial interpretation of quantitative indexes from this instrument is appropriate for clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and validation of culture-specific Variable Response Inconsistency and True Response Inconsistency Scales for use with the Korean MMPI-2.

In response to the concern that Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2; J. N. Butcher, W. Dahlstrom, J. R. Graham, A. Tellegen, & B. Kaemmer, 1989; J. N. Butcher et al., 2001) Variable Response Inconsistency (VRIN) and True Response Inconsistency (TRIN) score invalidity criteria recommended for use with American samples results in an excessive number of exclusions in Asian samples (F. M. Cheung, W. Z. Song, & J. X. Zhang, 1996), we examined the cross cultural equivalence of the original VRIN and TRIN scales, and developed and validated Korean-specific VRIN and TRIN scales with Korean adult normative, clinical, and college samples. Although the results from item pair correlation analyses suggested the superiority of the Korean VRIN and TRIN over the original VRIN and TRIN, the mean comparison results and classification accuracy statistics using data with varying degrees of randomly inserted true and/or false responses did not reveal a strong advantage of one version over the other. We present and discuss plausible causes of the findings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structural invariance of vocational interests across Japanese and American cultures.

Two samples of college students (Japanese, N?=?373; American, N?=?401) were given the Inventory of Occupational Preferences (T. J. G. Tracey & J. Rounds, 1996a), and the structural invariance across cultures was examined at the item and at various scale levels. Correlations of principal-components factor loadings demonstrated that the item structure was similar across cultures. Three separate scale structures were examined: Holland's six-type circular model, Tracey and Round's eight-type circular model, and Tracey and Round's spherical representation. The fit of the six-type and spherical models to the Japanese sample was significantly worse than their fit to the U.S. sample. There were no differences in cross-cultural fit for the eight-type model. Few structure differences were found between and within genders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) in adolescents: New MMPI–A Scales.

The Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5; A. R. Harkness & J. L. McNulty, 1994) is a dimensional model of personality. Scales to measure the PSY-5 in adolescents were constructed from Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—Adolescents (MMPI–A) items. From the MMPI-2-based PSY-5 scales (A. R. Harkness, J. L. McNulty, & Y. S. Ben-Porath, 1995), 104 items are found in the MMPI–A booklet. Replicated rational selection (A. R. Harkness, J. L. McNulty, & Y. S. Ben-Porath, 1994) was used to identify additional items from questions unique to the MMPI–A. Preliminary scales were refined with internal psychometric analyses using the MMPI–A normative (N?=?1,620; J. N. Butcher, C. L. Williams, J. R. Graham, R. P. Archer, A. Tellegen, Y. S. Ben-Porath, & B. Kaemmer, 1992) and clinical (N?=?713; C. L. Williams & J. N. Butcher, 1989) samples. The median coefficient alpha for the 5 scales was .76 in both samples; the mean absolute scale intercorrelation was .32 in the normative sample and .30 in the clinical sample. Correlations with collateral data supported the construct validity of the scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of Meyer and Allen's three-component model of organizational commitment in South Korea.

J. P. Meyer and N. J. Allen's (N. J. Allen & J. P. Meyer, 1990; J. P. Meyer & N. J. Allen, 1991) 3-component model of organizational commitment was investigated with samples from 2 different organizations in South Korea. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using covariance structure analysis. The results were mixed. Reliabilities of the Affective Commitment Scale (ACS) and the Normative Commitment Scale (NCS) were acceptable, whereas the reliability of the Continuance Commitment Scale (CCS) was low. The 3 scales had acceptable convergent validity, but the ACS and the NCS lacked discriminant validity. The construct validity of the ACS was supported, whereas the construct validities of the CCS and the NCS were questionable. Psychometric and conceptual problems were discussed, and suggestions for future research were advanced. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The factorial structure of the Dutch translation of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems: A test of the long and short versions.

In this article, the authors study the factorial structure of 2 versions (64 items and 32 items) of the Dutch translation of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP; L. M. Horowitz, L. E. Alden, J. S. Wiggins, & A. L. Pincus, 2000) in both a clinical sample (n = 382) and a student sample (n = 287). First, the authors test whether both inventories are constituted by correlated uni-dimensional subscales, and they conclude that this is true only for the short version. Second, the authors study whether the correlations between the subscales follow a circumplex pattern. This proves to be true for both versions. Coefficients alpha and correlations between the IIP-64 and IIP-32 subscales are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Investigating the Validity of Holland's (1959, 1997) RIASEC Typology Among Native Hawaiians.

The present study extends the literature base that is answering the call to examine the validity of J. L. Holland's (1959, 1997) 6 types of themes (realistic [R], investigative [I], artistic [A], social [S], enterprising [E], and conventional [C]) in his typology when applied to populations that are culturally different from the populations with whom the typology was developed. Native Hawaiians (N=156), a group not previously investigated, completed a personal demographics form and the Strong Interest Inventory (L. W. Harmon, J. C. Hansen, F. H. Borgen, & A. L. Hammer, 1994). The construct validity of Holland's typology was supported in that Holland's vocational interest types were arranged in a circular R-I-A-S-E-C order. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing traumatic event exposure: Comparing the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis requires first identifying a traumatic event, but very few studies have evaluated methods of potential traumatic event assessment and their impact on PTSD diagnosis. The authors compared a behaviorally specific comprehensive multiple-item traumatic event measure with a single-item measure to determine their impact on traumatic event identification and subsequent PTSD diagnosis. In a within-subject, counterbalanced design, the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire (TLEQ; E. S. Kubany et al., 2000) was compared with the single-question traumatic event assessment in the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM–IV (SCID; M. B. First, R. L. Spitzer, M. Gibbon, & J. B. W. Williams, 1998) in 129 participants in opioid-dependence treatment. The TLEQ produced a 9-fold higher rate of traumatic events reported by the participants, compared with the SCID. As a result, PTSD diagnoses in the sample increased to 33% after the TLEQ measure from 24% after the SCID. The increase in potential traumatic event identification and PTSD diagnosis was greater in women than in men. This study provides strong support for the use of comprehensive traumatic event assessments to measure traumatic events and PTSD diagnoses, particularly in women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reduced specificity of autobiographical memory in Cluster C personality disorders and the role of depression, worry, and experiential avoidance.

The study objective was to investigate whether, compared with nonclinical controls, participants with an avoidant, dependent, or obsessive–compulsive Cluster C personality disorder (PD) manifested reduced levels of memory specificity and whether the association of Cluster C PDs with memory specificity is mediated by repetitive negative thoughts and experiential avoidance. The Autobiographical Memory Test (R. J. McNally, N. B. Lasko, M. L. Macklin, & R. K. Pitman, 1995) was administered along with self-report measures (translated into Dutch) for repetitive, uncontrollable, and negative thinking in the form of worry (Penn State Worry Questionnaire; T. J. Meyer, M. L. Miller, R. L. Metzger, & T. D. Borkovec, 1990) and experiential avoidance (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire; S. C. Hayes et al., 2004) to 294 clinical participants diagnosed with Axis I disorders (assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM–IV Axis I Disorders [SCID-I]; M. B. First, R. L. Spitzer, M. Gibbon, & J. B. W. Williams, 1994) and Axis II disorders (assessed with the SCID-II; M. B. First, R. L. Spitzer, M. Gibbon, & J. B. W. Williams, 1997)—202 with avoidant, 49 with dependent, and 120 with obsessive–compulsive PD—and to 108 matched nonclinical controls. Participants with a Cluster C PD showed lower levels of memory specificity than did nonclinical controls. Depression and worry mediated the effect of Cluster C PDs on memory specificity. Besides depression severity, repetitive, uncontrollable, and negative thinking may constitute a general mechanism mediating the association of various Axis I and II disorders with memory specificity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder: Relation between dichotomous and continuous measures.

Both the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III; American Psychiatric Association, 1980) and the Impact of Event Scale (IES) assess distress following trauma. This article assesses the interrelation between these two instruments for soldiers who suffered from combat stress reactions (N?=?382) and for a matched group (N?=?334). Results indicated that subjects suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) according to the DSM-III yielded higher scores of the Intrusion and Avoidance factors of the IES. Furthermore, the Intrusion factor was predominantly associated with each of the criteria of the DSM-III diagnosis. Although the IES and the DSM-III overlap, they may tap different aspects of battle-related PTSD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Shared syntactic representations in bilinguals: Evidence for the role of word-order repetition.

Studies on syntactic priming strongly suggest that bilinguals can store a single integrated representation of constructions that are similar in both languages (e.g., Spanish and English passives; R. J. Hartsuiker, M. J. Pickering, & E. Veltkamp, 2004). However, they may store 2 separate representations of constructions that involve different word orders (e.g., German and English passives; H. Loebell & K. Bock, 2003). In 5 experiments, the authors investigated within- and between-languages priming of Dutch, English, and German relative clauses. The authors found priming within Dutch (Experiment 1) and within English as a 2nd language (Experiments 2 and 4). An important finding is that priming occurred from Dutch to German (Experiment 5), which both have verb-final relative clauses; but it did not occur between Dutch and English (Experiments 3 and 4), which differ in relative-clause word order. The results suggest that word-order repetition is needed for the construction of integrated syntactic representations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychometric properties of the State-Trait Inventory for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety (STICSA): Comparison to the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

The State-Trait Inventory for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety (STICSA; M. J. Ree, C. MacLeod, D. French, & V. Locke, 2000) was designed to assess cognitive and somatic symptoms of anxiety as they pertain to one's mood in the moment (state) and in general (trait). This study extended the previous psychometric findings to a clinical sample and validated the STICSA against a well-published measure of anxiety, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; C. D. Spielberger, 1983). Patients (N=567) at an anxiety disorders clinic were administered a battery of questionnaires. The results of confirmatory factor analyses (Bentler-Bonnett nonnormed fit index, comparative fit index, and Bollen fit index>.90; root-mean-square error of approximation     

Development and validation of a modified version of the Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire.

This article reports results from 3 studies conducted to develop and validate a modified version of the self-administered form of the Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire (PDEQ; C. R. Marmar, D. S. Weiss, & T. J. Metzler, 1997). The objective was to develop an instrument suitable for use with persons from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. In Study 1, the original PDEQ was administered to a small sample (N=15) recruited from among men admitted to the hospital for physical injuries stemming from exposure to community violence. Results led to modifications aimed at improving the utility of the instrument. In Study 2, the modified PDEQ was subjected to structural equation modeling and item response theory analyses to assess its psychometric properties in a larger, primarily male, sample of community violence survivors (N=294). In Study 3, the reliability and validity of the modified instrument were further assessed in a sample of female survivors of sexual assault (N=90). Results attest to the psychometric properties as well as the reliability and validity of the modified 8-item PDEQ. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The structure and temporal stability of the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale.

In this study, the authors examined the factor structure and temporal stability of the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS; G. L. Flett, P. L. Hewitt, D. J. Boucher, L. A. Davidson, & Y. Munro, 1997) in 2 samples of adolescents (15–16 years old). In Sample 1 (n = 624), confirmatory factor analysis did not support a 2-factor structure (self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism). As in B. T. McCreary, T. E. Joiner, N. B. Schmidt, & N. S. Ialongo (2004), reanalysis suggested a 3-factor solution (i.e., socially prescribed perfectionism, self-oriented–Striving perfectionism, self-oriented–Critical perfectionism). The authors validated their 3-factor model in an independent replication sample (Sample 2; n = 514) and confirmed that the 3-factor structure was invariant across gender and time (test–retest over 6 months). Taking these analyses together, the authors concluded that their discriminant 3-factor structure is robust. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. More research on the predictive validity of the CAPS is suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validating the factor structure of the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale in a community sample.

Currently, there is no standard self-report measure of psychopathy in community-dwelling samples that parallels the most commonly used measure of psychopathy in forensic and clinical samples, the Psychopathy Checklist. A promising instrument is the Self-Report Psychopathy scale (SRP), which was derived from the original version the Psychopathy Checklist. The most recent version of the SRP (SRP-III; D. L. Paulhus, C. S. Neumann, & R. D. Hare, in press) has shown good convergent and discriminate validity and a factor structure similar to the current version of the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R; R. D. Hare, 1991, 2003). The analyses in the current study further investigated the viability of the SRP-III as a PCL-R-analogous measure of psychopathy in nonforensic and nonclinical samples by extending the validation process to a community sample. Using confirmatory factor analyses and logistic regressions, the results revealed that a four-factor oblique model for the SRP-III was most tenable, congruent with the PCL-R factor structure of psychopathy and previous research in which the SRP-III was administered to a student sample. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Defining distinct negative beliefs about uncertainty: Validating the factor structure of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale.

This study examined the factor structure of the English version of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS; French version: M. H. Freeston, J. Rhéaume, H. Letarte, M. J. Dugas, & R. Ladouceur, 1994; English version: K. Buhr & M. J. Dugas, 2002) using a substantially larger sample than has been used in previous studies. Nonclinical undergraduate students and adults from the community (M age = 23.74 years, SD = 6.36; 73.0% female and 27.0% male) who participated in 16 studies in the Anxiety Disorders Laboratory at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada were randomly assigned to 2 datasets. Exploratory factor analysis with the 1st sample (n = 1,230) identified 2 factors: the beliefs that “uncertainty has negative behavioral and self-referent implications” and that “uncertainty is unfair and spoils everything.” This 2-factor structure provided a good fit to the data (Bentler-Bonett normed fit index = .96, comparative fit index = .97, standardized root-mean residual = .05, root-mean-square error of approximation = .07) upon confirmatory factor analysis with the 2nd sample (n = 1,221). Both factors showed similarly high correlations with pathological worry, and Factor 1 showed stronger correlations with generalized anxiety disorder analogue status, trait anxiety, somatic anxiety, and depressive symptomatology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)