Development and psychometric evaluation of the Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale—Second Edition.

The Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS; Goodman, Price, Rasmussen, Mazure, Delgado, et al., 1989) is acknowledged as the gold standard measure of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom severity. A number of areas where the Y-BOCS may benefit from revision have emerged in past psychometric studies of the Severity Scale and Symptom Checklist. Therefore, we created the Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale—Second Edition (Y-BOCS–II) by revising the Severity Scale item content and scoring framework, integrating avoidance into the scoring of Severity Scale items, and modifying the Symptom Checklist content and format. One hundred thirty treatment-seeking adults with OCD completed a battery of measures assessing OCD symptom severity and typology and depressive and anxious symptomology. Interrater and test–retest reliability were assessed on a subsample of participants. The Y-BOCS–II showed strong internal consistency for the Symptom Checklist (Kuder–Richardson-20 = .91) and Severity Scale (α = .89). Test–retest and interrater reliabilities were both high (intraclass correlations > .85). Confirmatory factor analyses did not show adequate fit with previous models of the Y-BOCS. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor solution generally consistent with the Obsession and Compulsion Severity subscales. Construct validity was supported by strong correlations with clinician-rated measures of OCD symptom severity and moderate correlations with measures of worry and depressive symptoms. Taken together, the Y-BOCS–II has excellent psychometric properties in assessing the presence and severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Although the Y-BOCS remains a reliable and valid measure, the Y-BOCS–II may provide an alternative method of assessing symptom presence and severity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The validation of a new obsessive–compulsive disorder scale: The Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory.

The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (OCI) is a new self-report instrument developed to address the problems inherent in available instruments for determining the diagnosis and severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The OCI consists of 42 items composing 7 subscales: Washing, Checking, Doubting, Ordering, Obsessing (i.e., having obsessional thoughts), Hoarding, and Mental Neutralizing. Each item is rated on a 5-point (0-4) Likert scale of symptom frequency and associated distress. One hundred and forty-seven individuals diagnosed with OCD; 58 with generalized social phobia; 44 with posttraumatic stress disorder; and 194 nonpatients completed the OCI and other measures of OCD, anxiety, and depression. The present article describes the psychometrics of the OCI including (a) scale construction and content validity, (b) reliability (internal consistency and retest reliability), and (c) convergent and discriminant validity. The OCI exhibited satisfactory reliability and validity with all 4 samples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validation of a new self-report measure of parental attributions.

Attributional theory and empirical evidence suggest that a tendency to make stable, global self-causal attributions for undesirable events is associated with negative outcomes. However, existing self-report measures of parental attributions do not account for the possibility that dysfunctional parent-causal attributions for child misbehavior might be important predictors of poor family functioning. To address these concerns, the authors developed and tested a new measure of both parent-causal and child-responsible attributions for child misbehavior in a sample of 453 community couples. Structural validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, internal consistency, and temporal stability of the new measure were examined. As expected, confirmatory factor analysis resulted in 2 factors, Child-Responsible (9 items) and Parent-Causal (7 items); the final model was cross-validated in a holdout sample. The final scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency (αs = .81–.90), test–retest reliability (rs = .55–.76), and convergent and discriminant validity. Dysfunctional parent-causal and child-responsible attributions significantly predicted parental emotional problems, ineffective discipline, parent–child physical aggression, and low parenting satisfaction. Associations with parent–child aggression and parenting satisfaction were generally larger than with partner aggression and relationship satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The construct validity of differential response latencies in structured personality tests.

Shows that differential response latencies are a meaningful indicator of the presence of a trait. A total of 92 subjects responded to a series of microcomputerized personality test items reflecting 4 different traits on each of 4 occasions. Estimates of internal consistency, parallel forms reliability, and test–retest stability suggested that the reliability of the response latencies was modest. Differential response latencies showed excellent convergent validity for corresponding trait level measures and excellent discriminant validity for irrelevant trait level measures. Moreover, as predicted, the latencies for endorsing trait relevant items were negatively related to trait level measures whereas the latencies for rejecting items were positively related. Differential response latencies had no tendency to group together as a method factor. Rather, the pattern of convergent and discriminant relationships generalized across all 4 retest sessions. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development of the Family Ritual Questionnaire: Initial reliability and validation studies.

In light of the increasing interest in the role of family rituals in promoting mental health, a self-report questionnaire was developed. The Family Ritual Questionnaire (FRQ) assesses family rituals across 7 settings ranging from dinnertime to religious celebrations and across 8 dimensions ranging from roles to symbolic significance. Four studies were conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the FRQ. Adequate internal consistency, construct validity in comparison to the Family Environment Scale (R. H. Moos and B. S. Moos, 1986), test–retest reliability, and within-family agreement were established. The symbolic significance associated with family rituals was positively related to adolescent self-esteem and negatively related to adolescent anxiety. Clinical implications for the importance of symbolic meaning associated with family rituals are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and validation of the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale: A brief self-report measure of anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder.

This article describes the development and validation of a brief self-report scale for diagnosing anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Study 1 used a panel of eating-disorder experts and provided evidence for the content validity of this scale. Study 2 used data from female participants with and without eating disorders (N?=?367) and suggested that the diagnoses from this scale possessed temporal reliability (mean κ?=?.80) and criterion validity (with interview diagnoses; mean κ?=?.83). In support of convergent validity, individuals with eating disorders identified by this scale showed elevations on validated measures of eating disturbances. The overall symptom composite also showed test–retest reliability (r?=?.87), internal consistency (mean α?=?.89), and convergent validity with extant eating-pathology scales. Results implied that this scale was reliable and valid in this investigation and that it may be useful for clinical and research applications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychometric properties of the Posttraumatic Stress Checklist among young African-American men and women.

Research has demonstrated the validity and reliability of the Posttraumatic Stress Checklist (PCL) in predominantly Caucasian samples. However, there has not been a study that examined the psychometric properties of the PCL specifically for African Americans. The present paper is an examination of the factor structure, internal stability, reliability, and predictive validity of the PCL among a sample of young African American men and women. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated better support for a two-factor model than for a three-factor model reflecting the three diagnostic symptom clusters of posttraumatic stress disorder. High internal consistency and marginal test–retest reliability were observed. The positive predictive power of the PCL in the present study was far lower than that observed in previous studies; several potential explanations for this finding are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Performance of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale in depressed patients in the United Arab Emirates

Cross-cultural variation in the frequencies and modes of expression of depressive symptoms may influence the validity of depression rating scales. The most widely used instrument for this purpose, namely Hamilton's Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), has not been systematically evaluated in Arab countries. This study evaluates the face validity of the HDRS-21 by studying symptom frequencies, factor structure and symptom clusters in 100 UAE depressed patients. Concurrent validity is tested by comparing total HDRS scores with global estimates of severity made by clinicians, admission status, impairment of social and occupational functioning, and the endogenicity score of the Newcastle (NC) Diagnostic Index. Total HDRS scores show highly significant agreement with three independent measures of severity of depression. Rank orders of the most and least frequent symptoms are consistent with studies of similar design. Marked differences lie in more retardation and somatization and fewer cognitive components in the present study. Principal-component analysis confirmed the heterogeneous structure of the scale, separating a group of core depressive symptoms, and endogenous, somatization, anxiety and psychotic symptom components. The internal consistency (reliability) of the whole scale is moderate, and improves in the core symptom factor. The main conclusion is that the HDRS is sensitive to severity of depression in the UAE culture. However, it measures heterogeneous aspects, and its internal consistency suffers as a result. High levels of retardation and somatization contribute significantly to the total score in socially developing communities.     

Les qualités psychométriques de l'échelle de comportements d'adaptation Loranger-Pépin.

Presents results of 3 studies on the psychometric properties of the LP-ABC (M. Loranger and M. Pépin, 1993), a French-language instrument for assessing general functioning in adults with mental retardation. The studies involved a total of 299 male and female Canadian adults with mental retardation. Results confirm the internal consistency, construct validity, criterion validity, discriminant validity, interrater reliability, and test–retest reliability of the LP-ABC. (English abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychometric evaluation of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder assessments in persons with severe mental illness.

Interrater reliability, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity were examined for the Trauma History Questionnaire (THQ), the Clinician-Administered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Scale (CAPS), and the PTSD Checklist (PCL) in 30 clients with severe mental illnesses. Interrater reliability for the THQ and CAPS was high, as was internal consistency of CAPS and PCL subscales. The test-retest reliability of the THQ was moderate to high for different traumas. PTSD diagnoses on the CAPS and PCL showed moderate test-retest reliability. Lower levels of test-retest reliability for PTSD diagnoses were related to psychosis diagnoses and symptoms. However, when more stringent criteria for PTSD were used on the CAPS, it had excellent test-retest reliability across all clients. CAPS and PCL diagnoses of PTSD showed moderate convergent validity. The results support the reliability of trauma and PTSD assessments in clients with severe mental illness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Depressive personality: Reliability, validity, and relation to dysthymia.

The reliability and validity of K. Schneider's (1958) construct of depressive personality was evaluated in a sample of 177 outpatients, who were administered structured diagnostic and family history interviews, an extensive battery of inventories, and a 6-mo follow-up assessment. The criteria for depressive personality had moderate to good interrater reliability, internal consistency, and test–retest stability, and the assessment of depressive personality traits was not influenced by patients' clinical states. In addition, preliminary support for the convergent and discriminant validity of the depressive personality construct was obtained. Although there were significant relations between the depressive personality and diagnoses of dysthymia from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) and DSM-III—Revised (DSM-III—R), the depressive personality was not entirely subsumed by existing mood disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correction to Stice et al. (2000).

Reports 2 errors in the original article by E. Stice et al (Psychological Assessment , 2000, vol 12[2], 123–131). On page 130 in Appendix A under heading "Bulimia Nervosa," EDDS Item 8 response should be "greater than or equal to 2." Under heading "Binge-Eating Disorder," EDDS Item 7 response should be "greater than or equal to 2." (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 2000-03952-002.): This article describes the development and validation of a brief self-report scale for diagnosing anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Study 1 used a panel of eating-disorder experts and provided evidence for the content validity of this scale. Study 2 used data from female participants with and without eating disorders (N?=?367) and suggested that the diagnoses from this scale possessed temporal reliability (mean κ?=?.80) and criterion validity (with interview diagnoses; mean κ?=?.83). In support of convergent validity, individuals with eating disorders identified by this scale showed elevations on validated measures of eating disturbances. The overall symptom composite also showed test–retest reliability (r?=?.87), internal consistency (mean α?=?.89), and convergent validity… (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Measuring member satisfaction with the Church.

Developed and validated the Congregation Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ), a set of scales measuring member satisfaction with the church and synagogue. The CSQ was administered to 353 members (mean age 44 yrs) of Protestant and Roman Catholic churches. The scales had high internal consistency reliabilities and adequate test–retest reliability. Significant evidence of convergent validity and moderate evidence of discriminant validity was also demonstrated. The CSQ is appended. (38 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Integration of Stressful Life Experiences Scale (ISLES): Development and initial validation of a new measure.

Making meaning out of life stressors has been proposed as a crucial mechanism by which individuals adjust to these experiences. However, an easy-to-use, multidimensional, and well-validated measure of the meaning made after a stressful life event has not been developed and tested. Thus, the present study tested the reliability and validity of scores for a newly developed measure called the Integration of Stressful Life Experiences Scale (ISLES). In 2 samples of young adults—1 that experienced a variety of stressors (n = 178) and another that experienced a recent bereavement (n = 150)—ISLES scores were shown to have strong internal consistency and, among a subsample of participants, also exhibited moderate test–retest reliability. In both samples, support was also found for a 2-factor structure, with 1 factor assessing one's sense of having some footing in the world following the stressful life event and the other gauging the comprehensibility of the stressor. Convergent validity analyses revealed that ISLES scores are strongly associated with other theoretically related measures and with mental and physical health outcomes, offering support for the potential utility of this measure in research and clinical settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual differences in causal uncertainty.

Presents a scale that measures chronic individual differences in people's uncertainty about their ability to understand and detect cause-and-effect relationships in the social world: the Causal Uncertainty Scale (CUS). The results of Study 1 indicated that the scale has good internal and adequate test–retest reliability. Additionally, the results of a factor analysis suggested that the scale appears to be tapping a single construct. Study 2 examined the convergent and discriminant validity of the scale, and Studies 3 and 4 examined the predictive and incremental validity of the scale. The importance of the CUS to work on depressives' social information processing and for basic research and theory on human social judgment processes is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Revision and extension of a multidimensional measure of sexual minority identity: The Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale.

Two studies were conducted to investigate a revised and extended version of the Lesbian and Gay Identity Scale (Mohr & Fassinger, 2000): the 27-item Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS). This revision features more inclusive and less stigmatizing language than the previous version and includes 2 new subscales assessing identity affirmation and centrality. In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis (n = 297) and a confirmatory factor analysis (n = 357) supported an 8-factor solution assessing acceptance concerns, concealment motivation, identity uncertainty, internalized homonegativity, difficulty with the identity development process, identity superiority, identity affirmation, and identity centrality. Predicted associations with measures of identity-related constructs and psychosocial functioning provided preliminary validity evidence for LGBIS scores in a college student population. Study 2 (N = 51) provided evidence of the test–retest and internal consistency reliability of LGBIS scores. These studies suggest that the LGBIS may offer researchers an efficient means of assessing multiple dimensions of sexual orientation minority identity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Identifying comorbid depression in elderly medical patients: Use of the Extracted Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.

The high prevalence and low rate of detection of comorbid depression in primary care is now well documented. Older adults with multiple medical problems represent a population at higher risk for underrecognition. The Extracted Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (XHDRS) was evaluated as a screening instrument for depression diagnosed according to Research Diagnostic Criteria in a sample of 150 geriatric medical and surgical inpatients. Scale reliability and validity were evaluated, and its sensitivity, specificity, and predictive power were calculated at multiple cutoff points. Results indicated good internal consistency, interrater reliability, concurrent validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Additionally, use of the XHDRS offered greatly improved case identification when compared with use of conventional screening procedures. The XHDRS also showed improved specificity and positive predictive power when compared with several widely used self-report symptom scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Injection Phobia Scale–Anxiety.

The present investigation examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Injection Phobia Scale–Anxiety (IPS-Anx). Principal components analysis of IPS-Anx items in Study 1 (n = 498) revealed a 2-factor structure consisting of Distal Fear and Contact Fear. However, CFA results in Study 2 (n = 567) suggest that a 1-factor structure may be more parsimonious. IPS-Anx scores demonstrated excellent reliability including test–retest over a 12-week period in Study 3 (n = 195). Supportive evidence for convergent and divergent validity of IPS-Anx scores was also found in Study 4 (n = 319), with strong associations with disgust propensity and sensitivity and weak associations with positive affect. Further evidence of validity was found in Study 5 (n = 1,674) because IPS-Anx scores discriminated those who have experienced fainting symptoms or avoided medical procedures from those without a history of such symptoms. In Study 6, data from Studies 2 through 5 were pooled, and the findings of Study 2 were replicated. The 1-factor model also fit the data well for men and women in Study 6. Lastly, IPS-Anx scores differentiated those with blood-injection-injury phobia (n = 39) from those without this phobia (n = 43) in Study 7. These findings suggest that the IPS-Anx has excellent psychometric properties, making it suitable for use in programmatic research on injection phobia. However, future research examining the validity of a short form of the scale with only the Contact Fear items may further improve the efficiency and utility of the IPS-Anx. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing problems of cancer patients: Psychometric properties of the Cancer Inventory of Problem Situations.

Evaluated in 479 cancer patients the psychometric properties of the Cancer Inventory of Problem Situations (CIPS), a cancer-specific survey designed to assess day-to-day problems and rehabilitation needs. CIPS was factored into 31 clinically useful subscales and 5 higher order factors representing the physical, psychosocial, medical interaction, marital, and sexual problem areas characteristic of cancer and its treatment. Internal consistency of all the scales was high. Test–retest reliability and validity of the instrument were studied in 120 cancer patients. Analyses of items, subscales, higher order factors, and total CIPS score suggest excellent reliability. The pattern of correlations of CIPS with other measures provided preliminary evidence of concurrent, discriminant, and convergent validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

L'échelle de solitude de l'Université Laval (éSUL): validation canadienne-fran?aise du UCLA Loneliness Scale.

Conducted 3 studies to validate a French version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale. The correlation between the French and English versions of the scale and the internal consistency and construct validity of the French version were assessed in Study 1, with 178 undergraduate students. Population norms were established in Studies 2 and 3, with 274 mild and severely depressed and nondepressed adults, and the concomitant and discriminant validity and test–retest reliability of the French version were assessed. (English abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)