Note on the validity of the California Psychological Inventory.

Presents data on the validity of 5 scales of the CPI. The validity of the CPI scales of Dominance, Sociability, and Self-Acceptance was supported. No support was found for the validity of the Responsibility scale and conflicting evidence was found in regard to the validity of the Psychological-Mindedness scale. Validity was assessed by means of the intercorrelations between test scores and (1) peer-ratings, (2) self-ratings, (3) Eysenck Personality Inventory, and (4) derived measures of self-acceptance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Incremental validity of the MMPI-2 content scales in an outpatient mental health setting.

The incremental validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—2 Content Scales (MMPI—2; J. N. Butcher, J. R. Graham, C. L. Williams, & Y. S. Ben-Porath, 1990) was examined using clinical and content scale scores to predict conceptually relevant symptoms and personality characteristics of 274 male and 425 female mental health center outpatients. Regression analyses were performed to determine if the content scales contributed significantly beyond the conceptually relevant clinical scales in predicting therapists' ratings. Of the 10 content scales analyzed, incremental validity was demonstrated for 7 scales for men and 3 scales for women. A 2nd set of analyses indicated that incremental validity was demonstrated for 4 clinical scales for men and 6 clinical scales for women. The findings provide further evidence that the content scales aid interpretation of MMPI—2 scores by contributing additional information beyond the clinical scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Depressive Symptom Scale for the California Psychological Inventory: Construct Validation of the CPI-D.

To facilitate life span research on depressive symptomatology, a depressive symptom scale for the California Psychological Inventory (CPI) is needed. The authors constructed such a scale (the CPI-D) and compared its psychometric properties with 2 widely used self-report depression scales: the Beck Depression Inventory and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Construct validity of the CPI-D was examined in 3 studies. Study 1 established content validity, classifying CPI-D items into Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition depressive symptoms. Study 2 used 3 large samples to gather evidence for reliability and validity: Correlational analyses demonstrated alpha reliability and convergent and discriminant validity; factor analysis provided evidence for discriminant validity with anxiety; and regression analyses demonstrated comparative validity with existing standard PI scales. Study 3 used clinician ratings of depression and anxiety as criteria for external validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Les qualités psychométriques de la version canadienne-fran?aise du Questionnaire de Satisfaction du Consommateur de services psychothérapeutiques (QSC-8 et QSC-18B).

Studied the psychometric validity, the internal consistency, the factorial structure, and the discriminant properties of the Canadian-French version of an instrument designed to measure client satisfaction with psychotherapeutic services. Human subjects: 126 male and female French-Canadian adults (aged 19–67 yrs). All Ss had received treatment for dysthymic disorders, emotional problems, or mild personality disorders. Ss were interviewed by telephone during the week in which they initially sought treatment and at the end of treatment. During the course of treatment, the Questionnaire d'Auto-évaluation de la Détresse Psychologique ("Self-Report Questionnaire of Psychologic Distress") (SCL-10) by T. D. Nguyen et al (1983) and the Psychiatric Symptom Inventory (1974) by L. Derogatis et al were administered. At the end of treatment, the Canadian-French version of the CSQ for psychotherapeutic services by Sabourin et al (1987) was administered during a telephone interview. The results were analyzed statistically according to client satisfaction, demographic factors, utilization of psychiatric services, and efficacy of treatment. The psychometric validity of the CSQ was determined. (English abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing the developmental components of managerial jobs.

Describes the development of and builds validity evidence for the Developmental Challenge Profile (DCP), an instrument for assessing the developmental components of managerial jobs. Factor analysis of responses from 692 managers resulted in the creation of 15 DCP scales. Assessments of internal consistency, confirmation of the factor structure, and test-retest reliability provided further psychometric support for the scales. The existence of expected relationships between the scales and reports of on-the-job learning, job transitions, objective features of the jobs, and psychological states of the job incumbents provided validity evidence and supported use of these scales in management development research and applications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Teenage Inventory of Social Skills: Development, reliability, and validity.

Describes the development and the evaluation of reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of a newly designed self-report questionnaire for the assessment of adolescent social competence: the Teenage Inventory of Social Skills (TISS). Two-week test–retest reliabilities for positive and negative behavior scales were .90 and .72; internal consistencies were .88. Convergent validity was assessed by comparing TISS scales with self-monitoring data, ratings by peers, and sociometric data. Discriminant validity was examined by investigating correlations between scores on the TISS and social desirability, SES, and another paper-and-pencil self-report instrument (Conflict Behavior Questionnaire) thought not to be necessarily related to adolescent social behavior. Results provided adequate evidence for both the convergent and discriminant validity of the TISS scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of the Wiener-Harmon Subtle-Obvious scales and the standard validity scales in detecting valid and invalid MMPI-2 profiles.

The validity of the Wiener-Harmon Subtle–Obvious (S-O) scales has been widely debated despite increasing evidence suggesting that the scales have limited clinical utility. This study used valid Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) profiles of 49 psychiatric patients and profiles generated by 105 college students under fake-bad, fake-good, and standard instructions to examine whether the S-O scales can correctly classify faked and honest profiles. The S-O scales correctly classified high percentages of profiles, but further analyses showed that they added no information to that provided by L and F in classifying fake-bad, fake-good, and honest profiles. But other analyses showed that L and F provided substantial information not given by the S-O scales. The study also observed the paradoxical effect under the fake-good instructions and reported evidence suggesting that a naysaying response bias is a cogent explanation of the effect. The authors concluded that the standard validity scales appear to be more useful than the S-O scales in identifying faked profiles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychometric properties of the Ohio State leadership scales.

Reviews evidence concerning the validity, reliability, and scaling adequacy of 4 versions of the Ohio State leadership scales. A number of shortcomings are noted, due either to the lack of relevant data (e.g., with respect to construct validity) or actual inadequacies of the scales (e.g., item response skewedness). The 4 versions are shown to be substantially different psychometrically; although suffering from some deficiencies and requiring further refinement, one version of the scales appears sounder than the others. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and validation of work–family conflict and family–work conflict scales.

Researchers report on a 3-sample study that developed and validated short, self-report scales of work–family conflict (WFC) and family–work conflict (FWC). Using conceptualizations consistent with the current literature, the researchers offer content domains and definitions of the constructs. Advocated procedures were used to develop the scales and test dimensionality and internal consistency. Estimates of construct validity are presented by relating the scales to 16 other on- and off-job constructs. Mean-level difference tests between WFC and FWC also provide evidence of validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Internal and external motivation to respond without prejudice.

Empirical evidence is presented from 7 samples regarding the factor structure; reliability; and convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity of separate measures of internal and external motivation to respond without prejudice. The scales reliably measure largely independent constructs and have good convergent and discriminant validity. Examination of the qualitatively distinct affective reactions to violations of own- and other-based standards as a function of the source of motivation to respond without prejudice provides evidence for the predictive validity of the scales. The final study demonstrated that reported stereotype endorsement varies as a function of motivation and whether reports are made in private or publicly. Results are discussed in terms of their support for the internal–external distinction and the significance of this distinction for identifying factors that may either promote or thwart prejudice reduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales.

In recent studies of the structure of affect, positive and negative affect have consistently emerged as two dominant and relatively independent dimensions. A number of mood scales have been created to measure these factors; however, many existing measures are inadequate, showing low reliability or poor convergent or discriminant validity. To fill the need for reliable and valid Positive Affect and Negative Affect scales that are also brief and easy to administer, we developed two 10-item mood scales that comprise the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The scales are shown to be highly internally consistent, largely uncorrelated, and stable at appropriate levels over a 2-month time period. Normative data and factorial and external evidence of convergent and discriminant validity for the scales are also presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The development and multitrait-multimethod matrix analysis of three measures of three aspects of guilt.

Forced-choice and true-false guilt scales which controlled for social desirability were developed from a sentence-completion measure of guilt for 3 subcategories of guilt: Sex Guilt, Hostile Guilt, and Morality-Conscience Guilt. The 3 methods of measuring the 3 aspects of guilt were examined in a multitrait-multimethod matrix based on 95 male Ss. The matrix provided promising evidence of convergent and discriminant validity of the 3 guilt subcategories as measured by the forced-choice and true-false methods. Further evidence of discriminant validity was provided by including anxiety and social desirability scores as measured by 2 methods in the matrix. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validation of scales measuring attitudes, self-efficacy, and intention related to smoking among middle school students.

Attitudes toward smoking, self-efficacy to avoid smoking, and smoking intention, widely cited correlates of youth smoking prevention, are often measured in large-scale youth tobacco surveys. The psychometric properties of these scales have not been well studied among middle school youth. We examined the factorial, discriminate, and convergent validity of these scales among sixth to eighth graders from a convenience sample of 22 Texas middle schools (51.2% female; 51.21% White, 32.1% Hispanic, 16.9% African American, and 8.8% Other; 67.8% nonsmokers, 21.9% experimental smokers; 3.3% former smokers; and 7.6% current smokers). Confirmatory factor analysis and invariance testing suggest that smoking attitudes, self-efficacy, and intention have evidence of construct validity in this multiethnic sample, and the scales are appropriate to assess these constructs among middle school adolescents. Additional studies are needed to establish additional evidence of validity of these constructs in other middle school samples and other subgroups (e.g. current, experimental, and former smokers). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Convergent validity of the depression-happiness scale with the Crown-Crisp experimental index

In recent years the study of subjective well-being has attracted much research interest. A 1993 operational definition is the Depression-Happiness Scale of McGreal and Joseph. The aim of the present research was to investigate the convergent validity of the Depression-Happiness Scale with the Crown-Crisp Experiential Index. Among 40 undergraduate university students, higher scores on the Depression-Happiness Scale were significantly associated with lower scores on Free floating anxiety (-.63), Somatic anxiety (-.56), Depression (-.78), and Hysteria (-.36) scales but not the Phobic anxiety (-.27) or Obsessionality (-.25) scales of the Crown-Crisp Experiential Index. These data provide further evidence for the convergent validity of the Depression-Happiness Scale.     

The pediatric cancer quality of life inventory-32 (PCQL-32): I. Reliability and validity

BACKGROUND: Multidimensional measurement of pediatric cancer patients' health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Phase III randomized controlled clinical trials is being recognized increasingly as an essential component in evaluating the comprehensive health outcomes of modern antineoplastic treatment protocols. The Pediatric Cancer Quality of Life Inventory-32 (PCQL-32) is a standardized patient self-report and parent proxy-report assessment instrument designed to assess systematically pediatric cancer patients' HRQOL outcomes. METHODS: To validate a patient-report form and a parent-report form, the PCQL-32 was administered to 291 pediatric cancer patients and to their parents. Both forms yield a total score and five a priori multidimensional scales. Clinical validity was determined by the known-groups approach by comparing patients classified as either on or off treatment. To determine construct validity, a battery of standardized psychosocial measures was administered and a multitrait-multimethod matrix was constructed. RESULTS: For both patient and parent forms, internal consistency reliability of the PCQL-32 total scale was high (0.91 and 0.92, respectively). The internal consistency reliabilities of the five component scales for both patient and parent forms were in the acceptable range for group comparisons. With regard to clinical validity, the PCQL-32 total scale and the disease/treatment and physical functioning scales of the PCQL-32 distinguished between patients on and off treatment for both patient- and parent-report. The results of the multitrait-multimethod matrix approach were consistent with hypotheses and lent evidence for the construct validity of the patient and parent forms of the PCQL-32 total scale and the psychological functioning, social functioning, cognitive functioning, physical functioning, and disease/treatment scales. CONCLUSIONS: The PCQL-32 has demonstrated acceptable internal consistency reliability, clinical validity, and construct validity for both patient-report and parent-report forms. Further field testing of the PCQL-32 will determine its practicality and utility in multisite pediatric cancer randomized controlled clinical trials.     

Primary traits of Eysenck's P-E-N system: three- and five-factor solutions

The Eysenck Personality Profiler (EPP), a set of 21 scales measuring primary traits hypothesized to be definers of Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Psychoticism factors, was administered to 229 adults together with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire--Revised (H. J. Eysenck & S. B. G. Eysenck, 1991) and the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R; P. T. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 1992b). Correlations of EPP scales with NEO-PI-R facet scales provided preliminary evidence supporting the convergent and discriminant validity of the EPP scales. However, varimax and targeted validimax factor analyses suggested that some EPP scales were misclassified and that EPP scales could better be understood in terms of the 5-factor model than the intended 3-factor model.     

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)     

Multitrait-multisource confirmatory factor analytic approach to the construct validity of ADHD rating scales.

Confirmatory factor analysis was used to model a multitrait-multisource design to evaluate the construct validity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rating scales. The 2 trait factors were the ADHD inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity dimensions. The 2 source factors were parents and teachers. In Study 1, parents and teachers rated 1,475 Australian elementary school children on the ADHD symptoms. In Study 2, parents and teachers rated 285 Brazilian elementary school children on the ADHD symptoms. Similar results occurred in both studies with most of the ADHD symptoms containing more source than trait variance, thus providing weak evidence for the convergent and discriminant validity of the symptoms as measured by rating scales. The study outlines the implications of such strong source effects for understanding ADHD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relation between catastrophizing and depression in chronic pain patients.

The relation between catastrophizing, depression, and pain was examined in 125 chronic pain patients. The Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) developed by A. K. Rosenstiel and F. J. Keefe (see record 1984-18170-001) assessed patients' use of cognitive and behavioral strategies to cope with chronic pain. A significant association between catastrophizing and depression was found. In order to address questions of measurement redundancy, 6 clinical psychologists rated the degree to which items on the CSQ reflected depressive symptomatology. All items contained in the Catastrophizing subscale were rated by all psychologists as being reflective of symptoms of depression and were removed from the CSQ. When this subscale was excluded, none of the remaining CSQ subscales were significantly related to depression. The discussion addresses the interpretive difficulties that arise from hypothesizing mediating relations between variables that are conceptually and operationally confounded. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)