Factor structure and construct validity of the Basic Personality Inventory with juvenile offenders.

Cross-validated the previously identified factor structure of the Basic Personality Inventory (BPI) with the structure found in the responses of 1,233 young offenders (mean age about 14 yrs) and demonstrated the construct validity of BPI factor scores by discriminating subgroups within the offender sample. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Examining the construct validity of the Eating Disorder Inventory.

The construct validity of the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) was examined in 3 samples. An archival clinic sample (n=318) of women completed the EDI, a structured interview, and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory--II (MCMI-II). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) indicated that neither null nor 1-factor models of the EDI fit item-level or item-parcel data. The proposed 8-factor model did not fit at the item level but did fit item-parcel data. Reliability estimates of the 8 scales ranged from .82 to .93, and low-to-moderate interscale correlations among the eating and weight-related scales provided partial support for convergent validity. EDI personality scales showed moderate interscale correlations and were associated with MCMI-II scales. A final CFA of the EDI scales supported a 2-factor model (Eating and Weight, Personality) of the 8 EDI scales. Strong associations between depression and several EDI scale scores were found in a treatment study sample (n=50). The archival clinic sample scored significantly higher on the 8 EDI scales than the nonpatient college comparison sample (n=487). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Longitudinal construct validity of Brief Symptom Inventory subscales in schizophrenia.

Longitudinal validity of Brief Symptom Inventory subscales was examined in a sample (N = 318) with schizophrenia-related illness measured at baseline and every 6 months for 3 years. Nonlinear factor analysis of items was used to test graded response models (GRMs) for subscales in isolation. The models varied in their within-time and between-times parameter constraints, with the homogeneous model being the least constrained, followed by the 2-parameter GRM and 1-parameter GRM. Results show that 4 subscales (Interpersonal Sensitivity, Hostility, Paranoid Ideation, Psychoticism) were consistent with the 1-parameter GRM, and 5 subscales (Somatization, Obsessive-Compulsive, Depression, Anxiety, Phobic Anxiety) were consistent with the 2-parameter GRM. There is evidence that the 9 subscales may be validly used to study change in single constructs over time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-efficacy and marijuana cessation: A construct validity analysis.

Hypotheses regarding the relationships between self-efficacy for avoiding marijuana use and theoretically related measures were examined in a sample of 161 men and 51 women who sought treatment aimed at marijuana cessation. Theoretically proposed sources of efficacy judgments showed stronger univariate and multivariate relationships with efficacy for avoiding marijuana use after treatment than before treatment. The cognitive-behavioral relapse prevention treatment resulted in marginally greater self-efficacy, compared with a nonbehavioral treatment, but the link between coping skill training and efficacy was ambiguous. Efficacy contributed incrementally to the prediction of posttreatment marijuana use beyond efficacy source variables, but it did not completely mediate the effects of those sources of efficacy judgments. Predictive validity was stronger for frequency of posttreatment marijuana use than for abstinence status. The need for better assessment of the efficacy construct and potential revisions in efficacy theory as applied to substance use are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Criterion-related validity of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory in a prison sample.

The Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI; S. 0. Lilienfeld & B. P. Andrews, 1996), a self-report measure of psychopathic personality features, and R. D. Hare's (1991) Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL–R) were administered to adult youthful offender prison inmates (N?=?50). As hypothesized, PPI scores were significantly correlated with scores on the PCL–R, providing evidence of concurrent validity for the PPI. Moreover, unlike existing self-report psychopathy measures, the PPI showed a moderate and positive correlation with PCL–R Factor 1 (i.e., the core personality traits of psychopathy). Discriminant function analysis using the optimal PPI total score value to predict PCL–R classifications of psychopath (n?=?10) and nonpsychopath (n?=?40) resulted in accurate classification of 86% of the cases (sensitivity?=?.50, specificity?=?.95). Results are discussed in terms of the relative merits of these 2 measures of psychopathy and the validation of the PPI for clinical use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Construct validity of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory two-factor model with offenders.

Much of the research on psychopathy has treated it as a unitary construct operationalized by total scores on one (or more) measures. More recent studies on the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI) suggest the existence of two distinct facets of psychopathy with unique external correlates. Here, the authors report reanalyses of two offender data sets that included scores on the PPI along with various theoretically relevant criterion variables. Consistent with hypotheses, the two PPI factors showed convergent and discriminant relations with criterion measures, many of which would otherwise have been obscured when relying on PPI total scores. These results highlight the importance of examining facets of psychopathy as well as total scores. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal problems and the psychotherapy context: The construct validity of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems.

This research investigated the construct validity of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP; L. M. Horowitz, S. E. Rosenberg, B. A. Baer, G. Ure?o, & V. S. Villase?or, 1988) in the context of psychodynamic psychotherapy. The interpersonal circumplex was used to categorize patients reporting interpersonal distress into 1 of 4 problem quadrants: Friendly Dominant, Hostile Dominant, Hostile Submissive, and Friendly Submissive. At several points in treatment, therapists assessed their patients' personality disturbances, global functioning, and assets and liabilities for therapy. Patients described their in-session experiences using the Therapy Session Report (D. E. Orlinsky & K. I. Howard, 1975). The 4 problem types each had a coherent and distinctive set of correlates. Patients' interpersonal problems were articulated in therapists' perceptions and evaluations, and in the kinds of interpersonal and intrapsychic themes (wants, hopes, feelings, behaviors, etc.) that characterized patients' retrospective accounts of the therapy sessions. The results add to knowledge about the IIP, interpersonal problems, and the psychotherapy context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The convergence and predictive validity of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory and the Personality Assessment Inventory among individuals with chronic pain.

Objective: To explore the convergence, redundancy, and validity of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) in a chronic pain treatment setting. Participants: Data from intake (N=235) and follow-up (N=187) for individuals with an average of 9 years of chronic pain who participated in a 20-day integrative treatment program were analyzed. Outcome Measures: Oswestry Disability Index, Beck Depression and Anxiety inventories, Rand Short-Form Health Survey, and clinician-rated ability to stand and carry. Results: Conjoint factor analyses suggested that the MPI and PAI combine to tap five orthogonal factors: Negative Affect, Support, Externalizing, Physical Dysfunction, and Impulsivity. MPI and PAI scales significantly related to various aspects of client functioning, although these scales were more limited in predicting clinician-rated markers and change during treatment. Conclusion: Results support the combined use of the MPI and PAI to understand patient heterogeneity and predict treatment outcome in chronic pain samples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Distortions of construct validity in multiple regression analysis.

Contends that interpreting the results of multiple regression analyses in terms of the constructs reflected by variables originally entered into the analyses is hazardous because the statistics of interest produced by the analysis (e.g., regression coefficients) are computed using residualized scores. These scores reflect constructs that differ from those described by the original raw scores. Interpretive hazards are demonstrated with a simple fabricated set of data and then with actual data from a study by the author and R. W. Marx (1981) relating 118 schoolchildren's self-concept to their achievement. It is recommended that anchor variables not of direct interest in a research study be measured and correlated with residualized variables. This supplementary analysis sheds light on changes to construct validity that must be known before interpreting multiple regression analyses. (French abstract) (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Metatraits: Evidence relevant to the validity of the construct and its implications.

Further evidence for the metatrait construct was obtained by comparing correlations among theoretically related variables for Ss traited on both constructs, untraited on both constructs, or traited on 1 construct and untraited on another. Using hierarchical multiple regression, Ss traited on both constructs evidenced a substantially higher correlation between the 2 constructs than Ss untraited on 1 or both constructs. These findings replicated across 3 theoretical relationships. Study 2 showed that the effects of traitedness are not a function of the certainty or importance with which Ss view the traits being correlated but are hypothesized to represent the presence vs absence of a trait structure in personality. The implications of the results for construct validation are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reliability and validity of the Jesness Inventory: A caution.

A 1-wk test–retest interval was used with 59 delinquent and 68 nondelinquent White male adolescents in studying the Jesness Inventory. The data show that the 10 individual subscales were unstable and that the Asocial Index had moderate stability for broad classification but not for specific raw scores. The Asocial Index, which is the major predictor of delinquency, failed to distinguish accurately the delinquents from the nondelinquents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The construct validity of egocentrism.

Briefly explains construct validation and applies it to egocentrism. Conceptual and operational referents of this construct are organized into 3 categories: visual/spatial egocentrism (what does the other see), affective egocentrism (what does the other feel), and cognitive/communicative egocentrism (what is the other thinking). Several kinds of reliability information are reported, and construct validity is evaluated primarily by examination of the relationships among measures of egocentrism within and between categories. Although interrater reliability and interrater agreement were found to be uniformly high for all egocentrism measures examined in a review, and the measurement reliability was usually adequate, a few tasks were not internally consistent. Overall, the construct validity of egocentrism was not supported, since most task intercorrelations were low and often nonsignificant. An alternative interpretation of the data based on cognitive constructs and task- and response-specific variables is proposed. (2? p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A study of the construct validity of the Conceptual Systems Test.

Examined the construct validity of Harvey's content-based Conceptual Systems Test. 540 members of the 4 conceptual systems completed a group of tests predicted to relate differentially to the conceptual groupings. Analyses of variance revealed some theoretically consistent system differences for the variables of internal-external control, religious orientation, naysaying, introversion, tendermindness, openness to input, and ability. Chi square tests indicate differences among the systems in sex membership, a disproportionately larger number of females appearing in the lowest conceptual system. Findings are related to child rearing practices. (French summary) (24 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the construct validity of open-field measures.

This article is a supplement to the summary by R. N. Walsh and R. A. Cummins (1976) of the current status of open-field measures of emotionality. The relevant factor-analytic and multifactor-experimental evidence is summarized. It is concluded that 3 lower order invariant factors underlie the 5 most extensively investigated open-field measures. Latency to move, locomotor activity, and penetration to the center are primarily indices of motor discharge. Open-field defecation is primarily an index of autonomic balance, and open-field urination is primarily an index of territorial marking. It is also concluded that the higher order factor of emotional stability is common to the 3 lower order factors. (49 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Detection of back random responding: Effectiveness of MMPI-2 and Personality Assessment Inventory validity indices.

Two experiments examined the detection and effects of back random responding (BRR) on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Experiment 1 revealed that MMPI-2 Clinical and Content scales were relatively resistant to the effects of BRR. Fb--F ≥ 20T was the most effective index for identifying invalid protocols. Experiment 2 revealed greater susceptibility of the PAI interpretive scales to the effects of BRR and less successful detection of BRR. The most effective PAI validity index was the combined indicator, ICN ≥ at 73T or INF ≥ 75T. Clinical and empirical implications of these findings are discussed, and tentative modifications to the MMPI-2 interpretative guidelines are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The construct validity of social desirability.

Replies to A. L. Edwards (see record 1990-13700-001) and J. A. Walsh (see record 1990-13747-001) about R. Hogan and R. A. Nicholson's (see record 1989-00097-001) article on construct validity and social desirability (SD) in personality measurement. Nicholson and Hogan argue that SD does not contaminate self-reports of personality and that there is no lack of differential validity among instruments for SD to explain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Democratic values and therapeutic efficacy: A construct validity study.

Studied the construct validity of the Democratic Values Scale (DVS), a measure of therapist authoritarianism, and of the relation of DVS scores to therapeutic outcome for 30 completed cases treated by 14 therapists. Results indicate that DVS scores are significantly related to other relevant therapist attitudes, to therapists' actual choice behavior at intake, and to therapeutic outcome. These findings, together with previous ones from the same investigation, suggest that therapist authoritarianism may play a more significant role in determining treatment outcome than client authoritarianism. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Convergence and concurrent validity of DSM-III diagnoses and the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC).

Evaluated the relations of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) diagnoses and the parent-informant PIC within a sample of 839 behaviorally disturbed children and adolescents. In addition, the ability of DSM-III diagnoses and the PIC to predict teacher and clinician behavior ratings was compared. High proportions of children assigned specific DSM-III diagnoses obtained elevated scores on related PIC scales, although the overlap was imperfect. Also, covariation of the teacher and clinician behavior ratings was much stronger with the PIC than with DSM-III diagnoses. Implications of these findings for clinical practice with children are discussed. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Criterion models and construct validity for criteria.

Reviews methods for measuring criteria and ascertaining underlying criterion constructs. 3 criterion measurement models (the ultimate criterion model, the multiple criterion model, and a "general" criterion model) for the determinants of managerial effectiveness were examined and attempts made toward integration. The 3 models were than compared to a formal construct validation model. Strengths and weaknesses in both the constructs provided by each of the criterion models and the construct validation procedures are discussed. It is recommended that future criterion research utilize an integrated multiple and general criterion model, and construct validation procedures more extensive than the multitrait-multimethod matrix. (39 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factor analysis of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory: structure and validity

Principal-components (PC) factor analysis of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory (MPAI) was conducted using a sample of outpatients (n = 189) with acquired brain injury (ABI) to evaluate whether outcome after ABI is multifactorial or unifactorial in nature. An eight-factor model was derived which explained 64-4% of the total variance. The eight factors were interpreted as representing Activities of Daily Living, Social Initiation, Cognition, Impaired-Self-awareness/Distress, Social Skills/ Support, Independence, Visuoperceptual, and Psychiatric, respectively. Validation of the Cognition factor was supported when factor scores were correlated with various neuropsychological measures. In addition, 117 patient self-rating total scores were used to evaluate the Impaired Self-awareness/Distress factor. An inverse relationship was observed, supporting this factor's ability to capture the two-dimensional phenomena of diminished self-awareness or enhanced emotional distress. A new subscale structure is suggested, that may allow greater clinical utility in understanding how ABI manifests in patients, and may provide clinicians with a better structure for implementing treatment strategies to address specific areas of impairment and disability for specific patients. Additionally, more precise measurement of treatment outcomes may be afforded by this reorganization.