SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “construct validity”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources

PubMed2006

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.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Construct validity and age sensitivity of prospective memory.

We administered four prospective memory tasks to 330 adults between 18 and 89 years of age to investigate the relationship among the measures of performance in the four tasks, as well as the relationship of the prospective memory measures to age, other cognitive abilities, and noncognitive factors. The four prospective memory variables were found to exhibit both convergent and discriminant validity, indicating that prospective memory ability appears to represent a distinct dimension of individual differences. The prospective memory construct was significantly related to other cognitive abilities, such as executive functioning, fluid intelligence, episodic memory, and perceptual speed, but it was only weakly related to self-ratings of (primarily retrospective) memory and to personality traits. Although a substantial proportion of the age-related variance on the prospective memory construct was shared with other cognitive abilities, we also found some evidence of unique, statistically independent, age-related influences on prospective memory.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Additional factorial evidence of construct validity for the Visual Similes Test II with scores from a sample of African-American children.

The Visual Similes Test II was designed to measure the construct of arousal. This study investigated its factor structure with scores from a sample of 154 African-American elementary school children (7 to 10 years). The initial factor structure was examined using principal axis factor analysis with the promax rotation. Confirmatory factor analysis was then used to evaluate the model-fit of the data with the hypothesized hierarchical model. Results provided support for the two-factor structure in the principal axis factor analysis and the model-fit of the hypothesized model in the confirmatory factor analysis.

Black or African American↗

PubMed2000

Construct validation of the hospital anxiety and depression scale with clinical populations.

OBJECTIVE: the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) attempts to measure anxiety and depression without confounding by somatic symptoms of physical disorder, and is widely used for this purpose. This paper addresses three questions about the validity of the HADS concerning its independence of physical symptoms, the extent to which its items robustly measure the identified constructs with varying clinical populations and situations, and its capacity to differentiate anxiety and depression. METHODS: data from patients with breast disease, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke were examined using factor analytic and psychometric analyses. RESULTS: using exploratory factor analysis in patients with breast disease, 13 of the 14 HADS items fell on a psychological factor and loadings on the psychological factor were higher than loadings on the somatic factor for all items. The HADS showed high levels of internal consistency and there was little evidence that removing items would improve it. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) in MI and stroke groups confirmed the separation of anxiety and depression. Analyses indicated items, which were performing poorly for these clinical groups. CONCLUSIONS: there was support for the validity of the HADS for all three questions. However, there were some evidences of individual items performing poorly. Given the ease of administration and the acceptability of this measure to ill or weak respondents, the HADS continues to perform satisfactorily.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

The construct validity of empowerment among consumers of mental health services.

Subscales of the Empowerment Scale (Rogers, E. S., Chamberlin, J., Ellison, M. L., Crean, T., 1997. A consumer-constructed scale to measure empowerment among users of mental health services. Psychiatr. Serv. 48, 1042-1047) were examined to see whether they fit a model of consumer empowerment that distinguishes self- and community orientations. In addition, the relationship of these two superordinate factors to several psychosocial factors was examined. Thirty-five participants in a partial hospitalization program were administered the Empowerment Scale and measures of quality of life, social support, self-esteem, psychiatric symptoms, needs and resources, global functioning, and verbal intelligence. Analysis of the subscales of the Empowerment Scale yielded two factors consistent with self- and community orientations to empowerment. Correlational analyses revealed that the two superordinate factors were associated with different sets of psychosocial variables. A self-orientation to empowerment was significantly associated with quality of life, social support, self-esteem, and psychiatric symptoms. Community orientation was correlated with self-esteem, resources, verbal intelligence, and ethnicity. The implications of these findings for a model of consumer empowerment are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Construct validation of optimism and pessimism in older men: findings from the normative aging study.

Validation of Scheier and Carver's (1985) Life Orientation Test (LOT) has identified associations between bipolar optimism and several external constructs. However, optimism and pessimism may be not bipolar, but rather separate constructs. Furthermore, these constructs may be indistinguishable from personality traits, such as neuroticism and extraversion. This study examined the associations of separate optimism and pessimism measures with self-reports of hassles, psychological symptoms, and illness severity, controlling for personality. Ss were 1,192 men from the Normative Aging Study. Findings suggest that optimism and pessimism are separate and that their relations to external criteria remain, although attenuated, when neuroticism and extraversion are controlled.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2002

Construct validity in health behavior research: interpreting latent variable models involving self-report and objective measures.

Latent variable models assess the common variance across multiple indicators of a specific construct and are often used when measurement error may bias parameter estimates. However, care must be taken when interpreting the meaning of the latent construct when using item indicators that come from different measurement domains (e.g., self-report and biochemical indicators of smoking). Utilizing simulated data, we demonstrate that even though a model may be considered to have a "good fit" based on conventional criteria, data interpretation may be misleading or erroneous if precautions are not taken when specifying residual covariances. These findings have important implications for health-related research. Whenever different kinds of data are used to define latent variables in a health domain, exactly what items are used, and what biases may be present can affect, sometimes dramatically, (a) the definition of the latent variables and (b) the effects of the latent variables on other variables of interest.

Bias↗

PubMed1995

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.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Construct validity of selected Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) battery measures.

The Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) is a computerized library of tests designed to assess neurocognitive functioning across administrations (Kane & Reeves, 1997). This study was designed to examine neuropsychological constructs measured by selected ANAM measures and to compare them with traditional measures putatively assessing similar domains. The sample consisted of 191 outpatients with suspected neurocognitive dysfunction. Correlations and regressions indicated significant relationships between traditional and computerized tests measuring similar constructs. PCA results yielded a three-factor solution: Factor I (Processing Speed/Efficiency), Factor II (Retention/Memory), and Factor III (Working Memory).

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Replicated evidence on the construct validity of the SCAG (Sandoz Clinical Assessment-Geriatric) scale.

Factor analysis procedures, applied to a data bank of 1165 senile patients from 21 double-blind studies, yielded 5 factors: cognitive dysfunction (4 items), interpersonal relationships (4 items), apathy (4 items), affect (3 items) and somatic function (3 items). A retrospective review of the 1165 case histories revealed that patients fell into three distinct diagnostic classes: (a) patients whose symptoms of dementia were likely associated with multiple infarcts; (b) patients with other medical disorders such as metabolic imbalances, pulmonary diseases, etc. which may have induced dementia-like symptoms; and (c) primary degenerative dementia for patients with no evidence of other intervening causes. Factor analysis applied independently to the SCAG data of each of the three groups produced similar factor constructs, thereby suggesting that results reported with this instrument are valid across different geriatric diagnostic categories.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Exploring the psychometric properties and construct validity of the MCMI-III anxiety and avoidant personality scales.

The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI; Millon, 1983) is a commonly used self-report instrument designed to aid in the assessment of Axis I and Axis II disorders. Concerns have been expressed regarding the procedures used in the normative research for the current version of the MCMI (MCMI-III; Millon, 1994) leading to a call for additional validity research on the MCMI-III (Retzlaff, 1996). In this study, we investigated the psychometric properties of the MCMI-III's Anxiety and Avoidant personality scales in a sample of patients diagnosed with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) anxiety disorders. Our results suggest that the MCMI-III Avoidant scale is reliable (r =.89) and it was found to demonstrate appropriate convergent and divergent validity with other self-report measures. The MCMI-III Anxiety scale also showed adequate reliability (r =.78); however, our findings raise some concerns about the discriminant validity of this scale. A scale composed of the MCMI-III core anxiety items was found to have better discriminant validity. These findings are consistent with those reported by other researchers regarding the relationship between self-report measures of anxiety, avoidance, and depression. We conclude that the MCMI-III measures of anxiety and avoidance are consistent with other measures of these constructs and may provide valuable clinical information in this regard.

Anxiety Disorders↗

PubMed1988

Rating scales for mood disorders: applicability, consistency and construct validity.

Rating scales for mood disorders have been reviewed with special reference to their consistency, applicability, and validity. Diagnostic scales with a biometric reference to antidepressants have been developed on the basis of the Newcastle Scales. This Diagnostic Melancholia Scale (DMS) includes two dimensions, one measuring endogenous depression, and one measuring reactive depression. These dimensions were found not to be mutually exclusive as 30% of the depressed patients scored high on both dimensions. Scales measuring outcomes of treatment were subdivided into (a) scales measuring disability of clinical depression (melancholia), anxiety, and mania, (b) scales measuring distress as a construct of side-effects during treatment, and (c) scales measuring discomfort or quality of life. Disability, distress and discomfort should be separately validated as they reflect different aspects of outcome of treatment. Self-rating scales have their main applicability in the measurement of discomfort.

Anxiety Disorders↗

PubMed1992

Measuring patient satisfaction: a test of construct validity.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the validity of two patient satisfaction questionnaires (surgery satisfaction questionnaire (SSQ) and consultation satisfaction questionnaire (CSQ)) developed for use in general practice. DESIGN: Prospective study of performance of SSQ and CSQ in patients selected for their predicted levels of satisfaction. SETTING: Avon Family Health Services Authority (FHSA); general practices in Bristol (practice A) and in Cheltenham (practice B). PATIENTS: 400 patients selected by Avon FHSA who had changed practices but not their home address and whose original practice had not changed its services (group 1); 869 randomly selected patients (221 from practice A, 648 from practice B) (group 2). MAIN MEASURES: Median difference in satisfaction scores for each questionnaire between groups 1 and 2 and between subgroups of group 2 patients according to assessed level in continuity of care (< 50%, > or = 50%) in the past 12 consultations. RESULTS: 272 (68.0%) patients in group 1 completed the SSQ and CSQ. 711 (81.2%) patients in group 2 (178/221 (80.5%) in practice A, 533/648(82.3%) in practice B) completed the SSQ and 374(88/106(83.0%), 286/335(85.4%)) completed the CSQ. Both questionnaires classified patients in groups 1 and 2 according to the construct of satisfaction; thus the difference in median scores for every component of satisfaction in each questionnaire was significant and occurred in the direction predicted by the construct. Each questionnaire also discriminated between patients grouped according to their assessed level of continuity of care. CONCLUSION: SSQ and CSQ are valid measures of satisfaction for these types of patients. IMPLICATIONS: Valid measures of patient satisfaction can be developed; untested instruments should no longer be used.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Life-management strategies of selection, optimization, and compensation: measurement by self-report and construct validity.

The authors examined the usefulness of a self-report measure for elective selection, loss-based selection. optimization, and compensation (SOC) as strategies of life management. The expected 4-factor solution was obtained in 2 independent samples (N = 218, 14-87 years; N = 181, 18-89 years) exhibiting high retest stability across 4 weeks (r(tt) = .74-82). As expected, middle-aged adults showed higher endorsement of SOC than younger and older adults. Moreover, SOC showed meaningful convergent and divergent associations to other psychological constructs (e.g., thinking styles, NEO) and evinced positive correlations with measures of well-being which were maintained after other personality and motivational constructs were controlled for. Initial evidence on behavioral associations involving SOC obtained in other studies is summarized.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2006

Comparability of the Rey-Osterrieth and Modified Taylor Complex Figures using total scores, completion times, and construct validation.

The Modified Taylor Complex Figure (MTCF) was developed as an alternate form for the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) to assess visuospatial abilities. The present study examines the comparability of the figures by comparing (a) total scores and completion times on copy and recall trials using a repeated-measures design and an incidental administration procedure, and (b) the pattern of relationships between each of the figures and a number of demographic, convergent, and discriminant measures in a sample of community-dwelling adults. Overall, the study supports the use of the MTCF as a comparable measure of visuospatial memory and construction to the ROCF.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

The Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC) scale: construct validation with a Greek sample of breast cancer patients.

This investigation is a Greek validation of the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC) scale, an instrument derived from the MAC and designed to measure styles of coping with cancer. A sample of 225 women diagnosed with breast cancer completed this questionnaire. Statistical analyses using structural equation modeling (SEM) confirmed Watson's original five first-order factors underlying Mini-MAC items: Helplessness/Hopelessness (HH), Anxious Preoccupation (AP), Fighting Spirit (FS), Avoidance (AV) and Fatalism (F). On a higher-order level, SEM and Multidimensional Scaling revealed two second-order factors: adaptive coping (being measured by FS, AV, and F) and maladaptive coping (being measured by HH and AP). Results are discussed in terms of the theoretical framework needed to account for the relationships among Mini-MAC factors and the refinement of the applications of SEM in the study of the mental adjustment to cancer construct.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2004

Psychometric evaluation of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents and the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children: construct validity and normative data.

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) and Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children (SPAI-C) in a sample of 1147 adolescents aged 13-17 years. The fit indices of confirmatory factor analyses were comparable to those obtained in prior studies and supported the hypothesized models of the SAS-A and SPAI-C. The internal consistency was good and 12-month test-retest reliability modest for both measures. A significant, positive correlation was found between the SAS-A and SPAI-C, showing that these measures assess related, but relatively independent constructs of social anxiety and phobia. These findings support the use of the SAS-A and SPAI-C with adolescents.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Construct validity of scores/measures from a developmental assessment in mathematics using classical and many-facet Rasch measurement.

Data from a developmental assessment comprised of 9 short answer mathematics tasks were validated using classical and three-faceted Rasch measurement methods. Field test data from a mixed age elementary school sample (N=280) were analyzed. Descriptive statistics on scores from the overall scale and two subdomains indicated improved performance with age. The data showed better fit with a two-factor model corresponding with the subdomain structure (Bentler's CFI=.94), than a one factor model (CFI=.87). The inter-factor correlation was.76. Convergent validity coefficients of scores with scaled scores of the Stanford AchievementTest mathematics battery ranged from.28 to.47; internal consistency reliability of the total and subdomain scores ranged from.87 to.89, respectively; and median inter-rater reliability was.75. On average, persons, tasks and raters showed acceptable fit with the three-facet Rasch model. Rasch logit difficulties of tasks suggested an ordered scale structure, although tasks tended to have high difficulty levels. The original and calibrated task ordering was consistent at the extreme ends of the scale. Gaps identified on the Rasch item map suggested a need for additional task construction. Conceptual and procedural differences in each technique are considered in deciding future improvements to the scale.

Aptitude Tests↗