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Results for “Structural equation modeling”

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PubMed2005

Test of the health promotion model as a causal model of commitment to a plan for exercise among Korean adults with chronic disease.

The purpose of this study was to test seven constructs (prior experience of exercise, perceived health status, exercise benefits, exercise barriers, exercise self-efficacy, social support for exercise, and options for exercise) from the health promotion model (HPM) as a causal model of commitment to a plan for exercise in a sample of 400 Korean adults with chronic disease. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we found that all fit indices indicated a good fit. The final model accounted for 54% of the variance in commitment to a plan for exercise. Prior experience with exercise and exercise benefits were the factors most highly related. Health professionals can assess prior experience and emphasize personally relevant benefits of exercise in designing intervention programs to help Korean adults with chronic disease become more physically active.

Chronic Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Has the translation process impact on the psychometric structure of a questionnaire?].

Little is known about the impact of item translation on the psychometric structure of questionnaires. The analysis of different translation versions within the same language provides an opportunity to address this question. Therefore, in the present study, two of the six available German translations of Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) were compared with respect to their psychometric structure. A total of 449 female students completed the short forms of the EDI (consisting of the subscales drive for thinness, bulimia and body dissatisfaction). Structural equation modeling revealed that the item contents in both translations had been interpreted equivalently by the participants. In addition, the structural relations among the factors were equivalent across both versions. Whereas invariance of item-pair reliability was not tenable, the distribution of raw scores of the scales was similar. All in all, the findings suggest a very large degree of similarity in the psychometric structure of the alternative translations of the EDI versions. The results are discussed with respect to the lack of standards for the translation of questionnaires.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Help-seeking for child psychopathology: pathways to informal and professional services in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: To devise and test a model describing the process of help-seeking for child psychopathology in professional and informal service settings. METHOD: Using structural equation modeling, associations between several help-seeking stages, and the influence of child, family, and context characteristics on these stages were investigated in 246 Dutch children (4-11 years old) between April 2000 and July 2002. Children were selected for having emotional or behavioral problems from a representative general practice sample; 68% of the selected children participated. RESULTS: School personnel played an important role in the process of help-seeking for child psychopathology, in both detecting service need and the provision of and the referral for help. Although Dutch general practitioners are supposed to be gatekeepers of mental health care, their role in help-seeking for child psychopathology was limited. Various family characteristics were shown to influence service need and informal or professional help-seeking. The influence of child characteristics on the help-seeking process was limited. CONCLUSIONS: Educating parents about child psychopathology and the availability and accessibility of care, improving general practitioners' skills in detecting child psychopathology, and direct contact of mental health professionals with general practitioners and schools may enhance access to care for children in need.

Affective Symptoms↗

PubMed2000

The role of availability as a moderator of family fruit and vegetable consumption.

The public health objective to improve the diet of Americans includes increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&V). The availability of F&V in the home has been suggested but not confirmed as one environmental factor that influences the types and quantities of F&V eaten by family members. Using a model of parental and child influences on a child's intake of F&V, the authors investigated F&V availability as a moderating variable for the relationships between the model constructs and how the relationships might change with varying levels of F&V availability. Path analysis and multigroup structural equation modeling were the analytic tools. Results indicated that homes with more F&V available had a richer and generally stronger set of motivating factors for parent and child F&V consumption than homes with low F&V availability. Findings have implications for parental involvement in interventions to enhance the diet of fourth-grade children.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

First- and higher-order models of attitudes, normative influence, and perceived behavioural control in the theory of planned behaviour.

The present study examined the validity of an augmented version of Ajzen's (1991) theory of planned behaviour (TPB), adopting second-order latent factors to explain relationships between the differentiated components of the theory constructs. This model was tested on data from two independent samples, for exercise and dieting behaviours, respectively. The affective and instrumental attitude, injunctive and descriptive norms, and perceived controllability and self-efficacy constructs all exhibited discriminant validity in the first instance. First- and second-order confirmatory factor analyses exhibited satisfactory fit with the observed data from both samples. There were no substantial differences in the fit indices across the first- and second-order models, and the second-order models exhibited the most optimal parsimony-corrected fit indices. The higher-order models could therefore not be rejected on the grounds of inferior fit or parsimony. First- and second-order structural equation models accounted for significant variance in intentions and behaviour. These results corroborate Ajzen's (2002a) and Bagozzi, Lee, and van Loo's (2001) premise that recent augmentations of the TPB that differentiate the model components can be subsumed by global, higher-order factors while still making the distinction at the subordinate level.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Older adults and financial bequests.

Using data from Aging and Health Dynamics (AHEAD), this research investigated a model predicting an older adult's assessment regarding the chances (from 0 to 100) of leaving a financial bequest. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed three significant predictors of a high assessment (i.e., older age, high sense of control, and high socioeconomic status) and three predictors of a low assessment (i.e., race, physical health problems, and assessment of the chances of medical expenses depleting savings). Whites had higher financial bequests assessments than non-Whites. Physical health problems and the depleting savings assessment exerted negative effects on the financial bequest assessment. Marital status and negative psychological functioning exerted indirect effects through sense of control and through the depleting savings assessment.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1998

Flashbulb memories and the underlying mechanisms of their formation: toward an emotional-integrative model.

Flashbulb memories (FBMs) are detailed recollections of the context in which people first heard about important events. The present study investigates three models of the formation and maintenance of FBM. Two models have previously been proposed in the literature (Brown & Kulik, 1977; Conway et al., 1994). A third model of FBM that integrates theories of FBM and recent developments in the field of emotions is proposed. The present study compares these three competing models by investigating the FBMs that Belgian citizens developed upon learning of the unexpected death of their king Baudouin. Structural equation modeling revealed that, as compared to the two previously proposed models, the third model, which takes into account emotional processes, better explains FBM.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Limbic-frontal circuitry in major depression: a path modeling metanalysis.

This paper reports the results of an across lab metanalysis of effective connectivity in major depression (MDD). Using FDG PET data and Structural Equation Modeling, a formal depression model was created to explicitly test current theories of limbic-cortical dysfunction in MDD and to characterize at the path level potential sources of baseline variability reported in this patient population. A 7-region model consisting of lateral prefrontal cortex (latF9), anterior thalamus (aTh), anterior cingulate (Cg24), subgenual cingulate (Cg25), orbital frontal cortex (OF11), hippocampus (Hc), and medial frontal cortex (mF10) was tested in scans of 119 depressed patients and 42 healthy control subjects acquired during three separate studies at two different institutions. A single model, based on previous theory and supported by anatomical connectivity literature, was stable for the three groups of depressed patients. Within the context of this model, path differences among groups as a function of treatment response characteristics were also identified. First, limbic-cortical connections (latF9-Cg25-OF11-Hc) differentiated drug treatment responders from nonresponders. Second, nonresponders showed additional abnormalities in limbic-subcortical pathways (aTh-Cg24-Cg25-OF11-Hc). Lastly, more limited limbic-cortical (Hc-latF9) and cortical-cortical (OF11-mF10) path differences differentiated responders to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) from responders to pharmacotherapy. We conclude that the creation of such models is a first step toward full characterization of the depression phenotype at the neural systems level, with implications for the future development of brain-based algorithms to determine optimal treatment selection for individual patients.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1998

Well-being of haemophilia patients: a model for direct and indirect effects of medical parameters on the physical and psychosocial functioning.

This study outlines the development and evaluation of a structural equation model for establishing the consequences of haemophilia. The hereditary disorder is characterized by a high tendency to haemorrhages, with recurrent bleeding into the joints causing irreversible joint damage. The model is, in general, an attempt to answer the following questions: what is the effect of haemophilia on the well-being (i.e. satisfaction, health, somatic complaints and self-esteem) of patients and what is the additional or mediating role of other individual characteristics in this pathway? Disease severity, joint impairment and disability are defined as antecedents of well-being and the mediating roles of appraisal (i.e. the personal evaluation of the disease), health beliefs (i.e. locus of control), psychological characteristics (i.e. anxiety, anger, depression and optimism) and social support are investigated. Psychological variables turned out to be the strongest determinants of well-being and partly mediated the detrimental effect of disability on well-being. The role of appraisal remained somewhat unclear, as no significant relationship was established between this personal evaluation of haemophilia and well-being. Nevertheless, appraisal very well reflected the level of disability. An internal locus of control and favourable psychological characteristics appeared to reduce the perceived seriousness of haemophilia. No evidence was found for social support to act as a mediator between disability and well-being. The perception of support did show moderately strong associations with psychological characteristics (i.e. anxiety and depression) and satisfaction ratings. The study merits further research on quantifying the relationships between clinical parameters and psychosocial outcomes in patients with a chronic disease.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

A longitudinal SEM approach to STAI data:two comprehensive multitrait-multistate models.

I investigated psychometric properties of data gathered with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983, 1993) using structural equation modeling. Two features were integrated into the modeling: Bistability refers to the duality that is raised once the wording effect is recognized, and second-order, state-residual/trait decomposition refers to the basic bidimensionality of the data, which is revealed in a longitudinal perspective. I tested the approach on 2 samples of French adults (total N = 888) borrowed from Vautier and Jmel (2003). The models provided acceptable goodness of fit and supported the empirical need for hypothesizing 2 trait factors and 4 transient sources of true variance. I assessed the multidimensional composition of the composites using reliability analyses. I discuss theoretical consequences of the approach.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Global positive expectancies of the self and adolescents' substance use avoidance: testing a social influence mediational model.

Grounded in theories of global positive expectancies and social influences of behavior, this investigation posited a model in which global positive expectancies are related to substance use as mediated by attitudes, subjective norms, self-efficacy, and intentions. Using a cohort sample (n = 525), structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized predictions of future substance use. The findings suggest that, relative to adolescents with lower global positive expectancies, adolescents with higher global positive expectancies use substances less frequently over time because of their protective attitudinal and control-oriented perceptions towards that behavior. Additionally, results from the current investigation also extend prior findings on the factor structure of global positive expectancies, suggesting these expectancies can be viewed as a second-order factor representing optimism and two components of hope-agency and pathways.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Childhood emotional abuse and disordered eating among undergraduate females: mediating influence of alexithymia and distress.

OBJECTIVE: Drawing from stress-vulnerability and trauma theory (e.g., Rorty & Yager, 1996), this paper presents a model of associations among child emotional abuse (CEA), alexithymia, general distress (GD), and disordered eating (DE). This study extended previous research on psychological outcomes of child physical and sexual abuse to explore those of CEA using measures of specific emotionally abusive acts. METHOD: Five hundred and eighty-eight female university students completed self-report surveys consisting of measures of CEA, alexithymia, depression, anxiety, and DE. Structural equation modeling was used to test this conceptual model. RESULTS: Comparison between measurement models suggested that bulimic behavior is a separate construct from restrictive eating behaviors and body dissatisfaction. In the structural model with the best fit, the association between CEA and DE was mediated by alexithymia and GD (i.e., a component of depression and anxiety). Specifically, CEA was associated with alexithymia, which was further related to GD. Then, restrictive eating behaviors and attitudes mediated the relation between GD and bulimic behaviors. By analyzing a second, nested model, this latter pathway was shown to be important. CONCLUSION: While the best-fitting model is only one of many possibilities, these results point to a weak-but significant-complex relation between CEA and DE. They are associated through a series of mediating relations in a multivariate model including alexithymia and GD. The current study supports research suggesting that child emotional abuse can have a negative impact on its survivors. Treatment of those survivors manifesting disordered eating should be holistic, as opposed to targeted towards specific symptoms.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Logistic regression analysis of twin data: estimation of parameters of the multifactorial liability-threshold model.

We extend the DeFries-Fulker regression model for the analysis of quantitative twin data to cover binary traits and genetic dominance. In the proposed logistic regression model, the cotwin's trait status, C, is the response variable, while the proband's trait status, P, is a predictor variable coded as k (affected) and 0 (unaffected). Additive genetic effects are modeled by the predictor variable PR, which equals P for monozygotic (MZ) and P/2 for dizygotic (DZ) twins; and dominant genetic effects, by PD, which equals P for MZ and P/4 for DZ twins. By setting an appropriate scale for P (i.e., the value of k), the regression coefficients of P, PR, and PD are estimates of the proportion of variance in liability due to common family environment, additive genetic effects, and dominant genetic effects, respectively, for a multifactorial liability-threshold model. This model was applied to data on lifetime depression from the Virginia Twin Registry and produced results similar to those from structural equation modeling.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Physician utilization of computers in medical practice: policy implications based on a structural model.

The development of policies regarding computer-based medical technology is hampered by a lack of knowledge about the process by which such applications are adopted and utilized by physicians. This study was designed to test a model of the process by which physicians change their practice behavior by utilizing a computer-based hospital information system (HIS). A structural model was developed, estimated, and tested using data from 270 members of the medical staff of a 1160 bed, private teaching hospital. The overall model consists of a measurement model which assumes that the observed variables are generated by a smaller number of unobserved variables or factors; and a structural equation model that relates exogenous and endogenous variables. The model indicates that consultation with other physicians on a hospital service leads to greater exposure to potential computer applications resulting in less concern about the potential impact of computers on medical practice. Physicians who are more knowledgeable about computers are far more likely to tailor the system to their individual practice by developing their own personal order sets for use on the HIS. All of these factors result in increased use of the HIS by physicians. A number of policy implications related to the introduction of new computer-based technology into medical practice settings are discussed.

Attitude to Computers↗

PubMed2006

Lagged covariance structure models for studying functional connectivity in the brain.

Most cognitive processes are supported by large networks of brain regions. To describe the operation of these networks, it is critical to understand how individual areas are functionally connected. Here, we establish a statistical framework for studying effective and functional brain connectivity, using data obtained with a relatively new neuroimaging method, the event-related optical signal (EROS). The novelty of our approach is the use of timing information (in the form of lagged cross-correlations) in interpreting the connections between areas. Interpretation of lagged cross-correlations exploits the combination of spatial and temporal resolution provided by EROS. In this paper, we apply dynamic factor analysis as a method for testing various structural models on the lagged covariance matrices derived from the EROS data. We first illustrate the approach by testing a simple path model of neural activity propagation from area V1 to V3 in a visual stimulation task. We then build more complex structural equation models with latent variables, describing both within-hemisphere integrity, and interactions between the two hemispheres, to interpret data from a second task involving inter-hemispheric competition. The results demonstrate how the integrity of anatomical connections between the two hemispheres explains different patterns of cross-hemispheric interactions. This approach allows for fitting brain imaging data to complex models that capture dynamic cognitive processes as they rapidly evolve over time.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Sense of coherence as a mediator between hostility and health: seven-year prospective study on female employees.

OBJECTIVE: We proposed and tested a model in which low sense of coherence (SOC) was hypothesized to underlie the association between hostility and health problems. METHODS: Structural equation modeling was based on cross-lagged 7-year follow-up data, relating to five measurement points in 433 female municipal employees. RESULTS: The mediated model fitted well with the data. After adjustment for baseline characteristics, hostility was associated with increased risk of health problems, as indicated by records of sickness absences and poor self-rated health. Incorporating SOC into the model attenuated this association by 33-50%, depending on the indicator of health. The mediated effect of SOC was stronger than that of an alternative mediator, depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Low SOC may be a psychological background factor partially underlying the adverse effect of hostility on ill health.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Reassurance seeking, stress generation, and depressive symptoms: an integrative model.

The purpose of this study was to examine a mechanism through which interpersonal vulnerability factors may be linked with depressive symptoms by integrating a stress-generation model with an interpersonal theory of depression. The proposed conceptual framework was tested with 267 college students in a prospective structural equation model with 3 assessments over a 5-week period. Results supported all hypotheses. Initial depressive symptoms and initial reassurance seeking style were positively associated, and initial depressive symptoms were positively related to the occurrence of subsequent minor social stressors. Finally, a reassurance-seeking style was positively related to outcome depressive symptoms indirectly through minor social stressors. As predicted, stress generation operated as a mediating mechanism linking an initial reassurance-seeking style to subsequent depressive symptoms.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1998

Reasoned action and social reaction: willingness and intention as independent predictors of health risk.

Three studies are described that assess elements of a new model of adolescent health-risk behavior, the prototype/willingness (P/W) model (F. X. Gibbons & M. Gerrard, 1995, 1997). The 1st analysis examined whether a central element of the prototype model, behavioral willingness, adds significantly to behavioral expectation in predicting adolescents' smoking behavior. The 2nd set of analyses used structural-equation-modeling procedures to provide the 1st test of the complete model in predicting college students' pregnancy-risk behavior. Finally, the 3rd study used confirmatory factor analysis to assess the independence of elements of the model from similar elements in other health behavior models. Results of the 3 studies provided support for the prototype model and, in particular, for 2 of its primary contentions: (a) that much adolescent health-risk behavior is not planned and (b) that willingness and intention are related but independent constructs, each of which can be an antecedent to risk behavior.

Adolescent↗