Validation of a short version of the Camberwell Family Interview.

Describes the validation of a short version of the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI; J. Leff and C. Vaughan, 1985) for the assessment of expressed emotion (EE) in family members with a schizophrenic relative. The Short CFI produced ratings for the EE dimensions of Criticism, Emotional Overinvolvement, and Warmth that were strongly associated with ratings of the same dimensions on the standard, full-length version of the CFI while requiring about one half of the time to administer and score. Validity of the Short CFI was supported by correlations between ratings on the Short CFI and behavioral observations of relatives during a problem-solving interaction with the ill family member. The results suggest that family EE can be reliably assessed with the Short CFI, thus enabling investigators to assess dimensions of family affect toward an ill relative using a more time efficient but equally valid instrument comparable to the standard-length CFI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A dimensional model of personality disorder: Incorporating DSM Cluster A characteristics.

The authors articulate an expanded dimensional model of personality pathology to better account for symptoms of DSM-defined Cluster A personality disorders. Two hundred forty participants (98 firstdegree relatives of probands with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, 92 community control participants, and 50 first-degree relatives of probands with bipolar disorder) completed a dimensional personality pathology questionnaire, a measure of schizotypal characteristics, and Chapman measures of psychosis proneness. Scales from all questionnaires were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation. A 5-factor structure of personality pathology emerged from the analyses, with Peculiarity forming an additional factor to the common 4-factor structure of personality pathology (consisting of Introversion, Emotional Dysregulation, Antagonism, and Compulsivity). These results support a 5-factor dimensional model of personality pathology that better accounts for phenomena encompassed by the Cluster A personality disorders in DSM-IV-TR (4th ed., text revised; American Psychiatric Association, 2000). This study has implications for the consideration of a dimensional model of personality disorder in DSM-V by offering a more comprehensive structural model that builds on previous work in this area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multiple dimensions of affective and cognitive disturbance: Latent-variable models in a community sample.

A clear understanding and confirmation of the structure of psychological distress has been hampered by different theoretical perspectives, ranges of measures, and methodologies. This study examined the latent construct structure of psychological distress as reflected in 27 self-report measures of psychological functioning from a community sample of 614 young adults. Models that hypothesized a single dimension of distress or 2 first-order factors (positive and negative affect) poorly fit the data. A model that fit well contained 9 first-order latent constructs, including Emotional Distress, Self-Derogation, Purpose in Life, Psychoticism, Depression, Anxiety, Hostility, Suicide Ideation, and Disorganized Thinking. Second and third higher order models achieved greater parsimony but were statistically inferior to the 9-factor model. Models are contrasted and discussed in terms of prior theory and current conceptualizations of mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Investigating the structure and age invariance of episodic memory across the adult lifespan.

The structure of episodic memory was investigated by assessing different modalities of material (verbal, figural, and spatial) and different types of tests (recall, cued recall, and recognition). A 3-factor model that distinguished among modalities of material was found to be the best representation of memory and the verbal, figural, and spatial memory factors exhibiting construct validity. This 3-factor modality of material model also demonstrated configural, metric, and structural age invariance across a sample of adults (N = 327) between the ages of 18 and 94. There was evidence that latent constructs corresponding to recall, cued recall, and recognition could be distinguished from one another within the verbal domain but not within the figural and spatial domains. A mediation model examining the retrieval constructs was examined within the verbal domain, and there were unique age-related influences on cued recall and recall performance. This result is consistent with findings that increased age is associated with increased difficulty in retrieving information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Exploring the structure of a neuropsychological battery across healthy elders and those with questionable dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a series of confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on 17 variables designed to assess different cognitive abilities in a sample of healthy older adults. In the EFA, 4 factors emerged corresponding to language, memory, processing speed, and fluid ability constructs. The results of the confirmatory factor analyses suggested that a 5-factor model with an additional Attention factor improved the fit. The invariance of the 5-factor model was examined across 3 groups: a group of cognitively healthy older adults, a group of patients diagnosed with questionable dementia (QD), and a group of patients diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD). Results of the invariance analysis suggest that the model may have configural invariance across the 3 groups but not metric invariance. Specifically, preliminary analyses suggest that the memory construct may represent something different in the QD and AD groups as compared to the healthy older adult group, consistent with the underlying pathology in early AD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Confirmatory factor analysis of the WMS-III in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Five competing models specifying the factor structure underlying the Wechsler Memory Scale--Third Edition (D. Wechsler, 1997b) primary subtest scores were evaluated in a sample of patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (N=254). Models specifying separate immediate and delayed constructs resulted in inadmissible parameter estimates and model specification error. There were negligible goodness-of-fit differences between a 3-factor model of working memory, auditory memory, and visual memory and a nested--more parsimonious--2-factor model of working memory and general memory. The results suggest that specifying a separate visual memory factor provides little advantage for this sample--an unexpected finding in a population with lateralized dysfunction, for which one might have predicted separate auditory and visual memory dimensions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The strengths and difficulties questionnaire: The self-report version in American urban and suburban youth.

This study examined the factor structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in urban inner-city and suburban general population samples of American youth. The SDQ was administered to 4,661 predominantly minority urban youth (mean age = 13.0 years, SD = 2.02) and 937 predominantly Caucasian suburban youth (mean age = 14.0 years, SD = 1.56). The authors examined SDQ factor structure using structural equation modeling techniques. The fit for the 5-factor models in both samples was very good (comparative fit index = .96-.97). However, the factor loadings and, correspondingly, the scale reliabilities for most of the SDQ scales (except for Emotional Problems) were low, which suggests poor specificity of the items. Subsequent exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested that a 3-factor structure had a comparable model fit and better internal consistency of the scales. The study concluded that, although the SDQ scales do conform reasonably well to a 5-factor model, the scales are unsatisfactory in other respects and that, in its present form, the instrument has inadequate psychometric characteristics. Future research is needed for further scale development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Hierarchical Analysis of 1,710 English Personality-Descriptive Adjectives.

The structure of the English personality lexicon was investigated using self-ratings (N = 310) on a set of 1,710 personality-trait adjectives. The 5-factor solution resembled the Big Five structure, but included rotational variants of Agreeableness and Emotional Stability similar to those of other languages. In the 6-factor solution an additional factor, defined by terms such as unpretentious versus sly, resembled an Honesty-Humility factor observed in other languages. The 6-factor solution also produced an especially clear 5th factor, defined by Intellect, Imagination, and Unconventionality content. The hierarchical emergence of factors from 1 to 7 was explored, and the 7-factor solution yielded a Religiosity factor, adding to the diverse array of 7th factors observed in other languages. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

WAIS-R Factor Structure in Alzheimer's Disease Patients: A Comparison of Alternative Models and an Assessment of Their Generalizability.

The WAIS-R is often used in neuropsychological evaluations of individuals with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its factor structure in this population is unknown. Moreover, theories and past research findings make competing predictions concerning its structure. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the authors compared 5 alternative WAIS-R factor models among 516 AD patients: 1-factor (Spearman's g) and 2-factor (Verbal IQ and Performance IQ) models; a 3-factor model including Verbal Comprehension (VC), Perceptual Organization (PO), and Freedom From Distractibility (FD) factors; a 3-factor model in which Digit Symbol loads on PO rather than FD; and a 3-factor model in which Digit Symbol loads on both PO and FD. Results favored the 3-factor model in which Digit Symbol loads on PO rather than FD. Moreover, this model fit the data best among subsamples of patients defined by age, dementia severity, years of education, and gender. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Testing a Four-Factor Model of Psychopathy and Its Association With Ethnicity, Gender, Intelligence, and Violence.

Although a 2-factor model has advanced research on the psychopathy construct, a 3-factor model was recently developed that emphasized pathological personality and eliminated antisocial behavior. However, dropping antisocial behavior from the psychopathy construct may not be advantageous. Using a large sample of psychiatric patients from the MacArthur Risk Assessment Study (J. Monahan & H. J. Steadman, 1994), the authors used confirmatory factor analysis to test a 4-factor model of psychopathy, which included interpersonal, affective, and behavioral impulsivity dimensions and an antisocial behavior dimension. Model fit was good for this 4-factor model, even when ethnicity, gender, and intelligence variables were included in the model. Structural equation modeling was used to compare the 3- and 4-factor models in predicting proximal (violence) and distal (intelligence) correlates of psychopathy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factorial validity of the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief—Present scale among bereaved older adults.

The Texas Revised Inventory of Grief—Present scale (TRIG–Present) is one of the most widely used grief measures; however, researchers have only empirically examined the validity and underlying factor structure of TRIG–Present scores in a few studies. Hence, in the present investigation, we sought to examine the factorial validity of the TRIG–Present (those scores that index current grief) among 2 samples of bereaved older adults—a community-dwelling sample of 162 individuals who experienced a diverse set of losses in terms of relationship to the deceased and time since loss, and a recently widowed sample of 212 individuals who were assessed at 2-months and 12-months postloss. Across both samples, we found support for a 3-factor model, composed of clusters of items representing Emotional Response, Thoughts, and Nonacceptance regarding a loss. Additionally, this 3-factor model exhibited significant invariance from 2-months to 12-months postloss in the recently widowed sample. Analyses examining the convergent validity of these 3 factors also suggest that this conceptualization of the TRIG–Present could have practical advantages and potentially influence the way in which clinicians and/or researchers assess grief and evaluate bereavement interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Goal and process clarity: Specification of multiple constructs of role ambiguity and a structural equation model of their antecedents and consequences.

Measures of 2 constructs of role ambiguity (process and goal clarity) were developed. Mental health workers (N?=?402) from 2 organizations provided evidence that a confirmatory 2-factor model fit the data better than a 1-factor model. A path model including antecedents (autonomy, job feedback, agent feedback, recognition) and consequences (job satisfaction, job search behavior, turnover) of process and goal clarity was proposed based on the model of role ambiguity developed by A. G. Bedeian and A. A. Armenakis (1981) and modified in light of evidence on role ambiguity reviewed by C. D. Fisher and R. Gitelson (1983) and S. E. Jackson and R. S. Schuler (1985). A structural equation model confirmed the fit of the hypothesized model and a slightly more restricted model. Job tenure, need for clarity, and job classification were investigated as moderators but did not moderate the structural paths of the model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The bilevel structure of the Outcome Questionnaire–45.

The structure of the Outcome Questionnaire–45 (Lambert et al., 2001) was examined in a sample of 1,100 university counseling center clients using confirmatory factor analysis. Specifically, the relative fit of 1-factor, 3-factor orthogonal, 3-factor oblique, 4-factor hierarchical, and 4-factor bilevel models were examined. Although the 3-factor oblique, 4-factor hierarchical, and 4-factor bilevel models fit the data well, the 4-factor bilevel model fit the data best. The results provided support for the fit of the 4-factor bilevel model where each item loads on 1 of the 3 independent scales of Symptom Distress, Social Role Performance, and Interpersonal Relations, in addition to a nonoverlapping general distress factor. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factor analysis of the Psychological Screening Inventory.

Administered R. I. Lanyon's (see record 2005-09936-001) Psychological Screening Inventory to 150 undergraduates. Ss' responses to the 130 items were subjected to a factor analysis to define an oblique simple structure. This analysis yielded 3 relatively independent and psychologically meaningful factors: Introversion, Social Maladjustment, and Emotional Maladjustment. These factors have a substantial general correspondence to certain Psychological Screening Inventory scales, although it was not possible to define a 5-factor solution that corresponded directly to Lanyon's 5 scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Are indigenous personality dimensions culture specific? Philippine inventories and the five-factor model.

The authors addressed the culture specificity of indigenous personality constructs, the generalizability of the 5-factor model (FFM), and the incremental validity of indigenous measures in a collectivistic culture. Filipino college students (N=508) completed 3 indigenous inventories and the Filipino version of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R). On the basis of the factor and regression analyses, they concluded that (a) most Philippine dimensions are well encompassed by the FFM and thus may not be very culture specific; (b) a few indigenous constructs are less well accounted for by the FFM; these constructs are not unknown in Western cultures, but they may be particularly salient or composed somewhat differently in the Philippines; (c) the structure of the NEO-PI-R FFM replicates well in the Philippines; and (d) Philippine inventories add modest incremental validity beyond the FFM in predicting selected culture-relevant criteria. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Latent structure of the Postconcussion Syndrome Questionnaire.

The underlying structure of the Postconcussion Syndrome Questionnaire (PCS) was evaluated in a large sample of medical and psychiatric patients. Three potentially viable models were generated using exploratory factor analysis with half of the sample. The other half evaluated the 3-, 4-, and 5-factor models using confirmatory factor analytic procedures. The factor analyses generated compelling data for a 5-factor model for the PCS questionnaire. However, internal consistency for each of the factors argued in favor of the 3-factor model. Balancing internal consistency, confirmatory factor analyses, and parsimony resulted in endorsement of a 4-factor solution for the PCS questionnaire for this sample. The factors are best described as clusters of psychological, somatic, cognitive, and infrequent complaints. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structure of the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory Self-Restraint Scale and its relation to problem behaviors in adolescence.

The authors examined the structure of the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory (WAI) Self-Restraint scale in derivation (n?=?1,286) and cross-validation (n?=?1,154) samples of mostly African American 6th-graders in 3 urban schools. Four models were compared: (1) a 1-factor model; (2) a hierarchical model in which factors representing Impulse Control, Suppression of Aggression, Responsibility, and Consideration of Others were subsumed by a higher order factor; (3) a model that represented these 4 factors as correlated but distinct constructs; and (4) a model that excluded Consideration of Others from the higher order factor. Consistent support was found for the last model based on confirmatory factor analyses and latent-variable analyses examining the relations among self-restraint scales, drug use, delinquency, and aggression. These findings have implications for using the WAI, particularly in studies of adolescent problem behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Refinements in the assessment of dementia-related behaviors: Factor structure of the memory and behavior problem checklist.

This study explored the factor structure of the Memory and Behavior Problem Checklist (MBPC) of S. H. Zarit et al (1980), a 29-item inventory that samples negative behavior changes associated with dementia (e.g., incontinence and destroying property). Family caregivers for 185 progressive-dementia patients provided information on their affected relatives. A principal-components factor analysis with an oblique (nonorthogonal) rotation produced an 8-factor solution that accounted for 62.9% of the variance. A second-order factor analysis of the first 5 factors produced a 3-factor solution that accounted for 74.7% of the variance. The 3 factors were (a) self-care and self-maintenance functions, (b) memory problems and psychiatric symptoms associated with dementia, and (c) communication problems and agitation. Correlations between MBPC frequency scores and measures of adaptive ability and level of dementia were high and positive. Potential clinical and research applications of the scale in other related populations are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Longitudinal factor structure of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale in schizophrenia.

The focus of this study was the invariance of the factor structure of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) over time. An initial sample of 193 individuals diagnosed with nonacute schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were administered the BPRS every 6 months over a 3-year period. Multiple-groups confirmatory factor analysis was used to fit the 4-factor oblique model of Mueser, Curran, and McHugo (1997) to both the 16-item and 18-item version of the BPRS. The results show that the model was configurally invariant over time, but it was more invariant for the 16-item version. The findings suggest that the factors, Thought Disturbance, Anergia, Affect, and Disorganized, as measured by the BPRS are distinct symptom constructs that endure over at least a 3-year period, but the strength of their interrelationships varies. Implications for interpretation of change in observed scores over time are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Test of the Tripartite Model of Depression and Anxiety in Older Adult Psychiatric Outpatients.

This study examined the tripartite model of depression and anxiety in 131 psychiatric outpatients, ages 55-87. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that a 3-factor model provided an adequate fit to the observed data, that the 3-factor model was empirically superior to 1- or 2-factor models, and that the 3-factor structure obtained in the current sample of older adult outpatients converged with that obtained on a separate, younger 'sample. Negative affect was significantly related to depression and anxiety symptoms and syndromes, and positive affect was more highly related to depression than anxiety symptoms and syndromes. Ways for taking into account possible age-associated differences in emotion in older adults and thus improving the conceptual model of anxiety and depression are briefly noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)