Reliability, validity, and normative data of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire in 8-12-yr-old children.

The Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children (PSWQ-C) is a 14-item self-report questionnaire that intends to measure the tendency of children to engage in excessive, generalized, and uncontrollable worry (Chorpita et al., Behav. Res. Ther. 35 (1997) 569-581). The current study further examined the reliability and validity of the PSWQ-C in a large sample of 8-12-yr-old children (N = 486). Psychometric evaluation indicates that it is preferable to discard the three reverse scored items from the PSWQ-C when using the measure in this particular age group. The shortened 11-item PSWQ-C turned out to be reliable in terms of internal consistency and correlated meaningful with a scale measuring anxiety disorders symptoms. That is, PSWQ-C scores were significantly associated with all types of anxiety disorders symptoms but in particular with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Normative data of the PSWQ-C are provided against which scores of individual children in this age range can be compared.     

The Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents: Measurement Invariance and Psychometric Properties Among a School Sample of Portuguese Youths

Over the last decades there has been an increased interest in assessing social anxiety in adolescents. This study aims to validate the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) to Portuguese youth, and to examine its invariance across gender as well as its psychometric properties. The participants were 782 Portuguese youths (371 males, 411 females), with an average age of 15.87 years (SD = 1.72). The results support the original three-factor structure of the SAS-A, with measurement invariance being found across gender, with females scoring higher than males on two subscales. High levels of internal consistency were found. Positive associations with empathy demonstrated that high socially anxious adolescents have elevated empathy tendencies. Mostly null or low negative associations were found with measures of psychopathic traits, callous-unemotional traits and aggression. Study findings provide evidence that the SAS-A is a psychometrically sound instrument that shows measurement invariance between genders, good reliability and positive correlations with empathy.     

Measurement Equivalence across Child Self-Reports and Parent-Proxy Reports in the Chinese Version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0

An important assumption for comparing children’s quality of life (QoL) between children’s and parents’ perceptions is that measurement equivalence/invariance (ME/I) exists. The ME/I across the child- and parent-reported Chinese PedsQL was examined, and the latent means between child self-reports and parent-proxy reports were compared. Third-grade to sixth-grade children (n = 519) and their parents (n = 270) respectively completed the child- and parent-reported PedsQL. Seventy-eight parents completed parent-proxy reports twice. Full ME/I across child and parent reports was found in first- and second-order factor loadings. Partial ME/I was supported in item intercepts and item residual variances. The latent means of child self-reports and of parent-proxy reports were not significantly different, which suggested interchangeability between child- and parent-reported PedsQL. The ME/I results support the use of PedsQL scores to compare children’s and parents’ perceptions of children’s QoL.     

The Peer Aggressive and Reactive Behavior Questionnaire (Parb-Q): Measurement Invariance Across Italian and Brazilian Children, Gender and Age

This study examines measurement invariance, reliability and scores differences of the Peer Aggressive and Reactive Behaviors Questionnaire (PARB-Q) across Italian and Brazilian children, gender and age. Participants were 587 Italian and 727 Brazilian children, aged 7–13 years from 12 elementary schools. The PARB-Q is a brief self-report instrument composed by two scales that assess aggressive behavior and reactions to peer aggression. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses indicated full measurement invariance of the PARB-Q across groups based on country, gender and age, providing support for the unidimensionality of the first scale (direct peer aggression, PA) and a 3-factor model of the second scale (reactive aggression, RA; seeking teacher support, STS; internalizing reaction, IR). Reliability indices were good for all factors. Italian children reported a higher frequency of PA and a lower frequency of IR than the Brazilian children. Boys scored higher than girls on PA and RA, while girls scored higher than boys on STS and IR. Younger children reported a lower frequency of PA and a higher frequency of STS than older children. Results provide support for structure validity and reliability of the PARB-Q in two countries and information on differences related to gender, age and culture in peer relationships in elementary school.     

The Dysregulation Profile in middle childhood and adolescence across reporters: factor structure,measurement invariance,and links with self-harm and suicidal ideation

Recently, a phenotype of severe dysregulation, the Dysregulation Profile (DP), has been identified. DP consists of elevated scores on the Anxious/Depressed (AD), Aggressive Behavior (AGG) and Attention Problems (AP) scales of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Teacher Report Form (TRF), or Youth Self Report (YSR). A drawback in current research is that DP has been conceptualized and operationalized in different manners and research on the factor structure of DP is lacking. Therefore, we examined the factor structure of DP across multiple reporters, measurement invariance across gender, parents, and time, as well as links between DP and self-harm and suicidal ideation. Data from a large community sample were used (N = 697), covering middle childhood (M _age = 7.90, (SD = 1.16) and adolescence (M _age = 13.93, SD = 1.14). Mothers, fathers, teachers, and youth themselves reported on children’s emotional and behavioral problems using the CBCL, TRF, and YSR. Results indicated that in middle childhood and in adolescence, a bifactor model with a general factor of Dysregulation alongside three specific factors of AD, AGG, and AP fitted best, compared to a second-order or one-factor model. The model showed good fit for mother, father, teacher, and youth reports and showed invariance across gender, parents and time. Youth, mother, and father reported Dysregulation was uniquely and positively related to adolescent-reported self-harm and suicidal ideation. The DP is best conceptualized as a broad dysregulation syndrome, which exists over and above anxiety/depression, aggression, and attention problems as specific problems. The bifactor model of DP explains the uniqueness and interrelatedness of these behavioral problems and can help explaining shared and non-shared etiology factors. The exclusive link between the general dysregulation factor and adolescents’ self-harm and suicidal ideation further established the clinical relevance of the bifactor model.     

Screening for Student Mental Health Risk: Diagnostic Accuracy,Measurement Invariance,and Predictive Validity of the Social,Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener-Student Rating Scale (SAEBRS-SRS)

Schools have become the largest provider of mental health services to children, thus increasing the need to identify children at risk before problems worsen. The Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavioral Risk Screener-Student Rating Scale (SAEBRS-SRS) student version is a universal screener that assesses pre-symptomology of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Prior research on the SAEBRS-SRS has supported a psychometrically defensible factor structure; however, additional research is necessary to support applied used in schools. In this study, 1102 middle grades students completed the SAEBRS-SRS and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Data were analyzed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the screener via receiver operating characteristic curve analyses. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to identify measurement invariance across gender. Results indicated that (1) the SAEBRS-SRS has adequate diagnostic accuracy statistics, particularly for the SAEBRS Total score, and (2) the SAEBRS-SRS is invariant across gender at the metric and scalar levels of measurement invariance. Implications and recommendations for future research are further discussed.     

Factor Structure,Reliability, and Validity of the Spanish Version of the Children’s Florida Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (C-FOCI)

The Children’s Florida Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (C-FOCI) is a promising self-report measure of the presence and severity of obsessive–compulsive symptoms in children and adolescents. Although initial research showed it to have adequate psychometric properties, only one study has been published to date, which dealt exclusively with children. The aim of this report was to examine the psychometric properties of the C-FOCI across clinical and community samples of children and adolescents. The sample consisted of 94 Spanish-speaking patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and 1068 healthy community controls, aged 8–19 years. Factor analysis supported two single and independent factors (severity and symptoms), as well as metric invariance across groups for the symptom checklist and the Severity Scale. Results also indicated good reliability in terms of internal consistency and temporal stability, significant and high correlations with other OCD measures, and acceptable sensitivity and specificity for detect OCD. In summary, the C-FOCI is a promising, brief measure of 22 items for screening OCD symptoms and severity in children and adolescents.     

Screening symptoms of reactive attachment disorder: evidence for measurement invariance and convergent validity

The Relationship Problems Questionnaire (RPQ) was developed to screen symptoms of the inhibited and disinhibited subtype of reactive attachment disorder (RAD). This study further examines the psychometric properties of the RPQ in children with severe emotional and behavioural problems by testing its measurement invariance across informants and its convergent validity. Parents and teachers of 152 children [mean age (M_age) = 7.92] from 20 schools for special education filled out the RPQ and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). During a home visit in a subsample of 77 children the Disturbances of Attachment Interview (DAI) was administered to the caregiver and the child was observed using an observational schedule for RAD. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed the expected two‐factor structure for both parent and teacher RPQ. Configural and metric invariance, but no scalar invariance, were obtained across informants. Both RPQ‐subscales had acceptable to good internal consistencies and correlated as expected with similar DAI‐subscales. Furthermore, the disinhibited RPQ‐scale related with observations of the child's approach to a stranger. Finally, significant associations were found between the RPQ and the SDQ. Overall, the RPQ has good psychometric qualities as a multi‐informant instrument for RAD‐symptoms in children with severe emotional and behavioural problems. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The importance of measurement invariance in neurocognitive ability testing

Objective: Neurocognitive test batteries such as recent editions of the Wechsler’s Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III/WAIS-IV) typically use nation-level population-based norms. The question is whether these batteries function in the same manner across different subgroups based on gender, age, educational background, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, mother tongue, or race. Here, the author argues that measurement invariance is a core issue in determining whether population-based norms are valid for different subgroups. Method: The author introduces measurement invariance, argues why it is an important topic of study, discusses why invariance might fail in cognitive ability testing, and reviews a dozen studies of invariance of commonly used neurocognitive test batteries. Results: In over half of the reviewed studies, IQ batteries were not found to be measurement invariant across groups based on ethnicity, gender, educational background, cohort, or age. Apart from age and cohort, test manuals do not take such lack of invariance into account in computing full-scale IQ scores or normed domain scores. Conclusions: Measurement invariance is crucial for valid use of neurocognitive tests in clinical, educational, and professional practice. The appropriateness of population-based norms to particular subgroups should depend also on whether measurement invariance holds with respect to important subgroups.     

Can parental bonding be assessed in children? Factor structure and factorial invariance of the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) between adults and children

This study examined the factorial structure of the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) in the Greek population. Using confirmatory factor analysis different proposed models of the basic dimensions of PBI were evaluated. The results indicated that Kendler’s three-factor (i.e. care, protectiveness and authoritarianism) solution was found to be more satisfactory than the other competing two-, three- and four-factor models. A second aim was the investigation of the factorial invariance of the PBI across different age groups (adults vs. children). The results revealed that PBI can be used in children samples (measurement invariance) but it seems that PBI latent variables may be perceived differently across different age groups (not structural invariance). The authors conclude that further research is needed in order to understand whether the differences are due to actual developmental changes in children’s perceptions of the parent–child relationship or conceptual problems regarding the children’s ability to conceive the PBI’s theoretical constructs.     

High resolution transbulbar sonography in children with suspicion of increased intracranial pressure

Purpose

To evaluate the accuracy of high resolution transbulbar sonography for the estimation of intracranial pressure (ICP) in children.

Methods

In children and adolescents with acute neurologic symptoms of various origin, transbulbar sonography was performed. Besides measurement of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), the ultrastructure of the subarachnoid space of the optic nerve sheath was evaluated. The results of transbulbar sonography were correlated with clinical data based on cross-sectional imaging, ICP measurement, and ophthalmologic examination.

Results

Eighty-one patients (age 3–17.8 years, mean 11.7 years) were included. In 25 children, cross-sectional imaging and ICP measurement revealed increased intracranial pressure. The mean ONSD was 6.85?±?0.81 mm. Twenty patients (20/25, 80 %) had a microcystic appearance of the subarachnoid space of the optic nerve. In 56 children without evidence of increased intracranial pressure, the mean ONSD was 5.77?±?0.48 mm. Forty-nine patients (49/56, 87.5 %) had a normal homogenous appearance of the subarachnoid space. The ONSD in children with increased intracranial pressure was significantly higher than in patients without (p?<?0.001).

Conclusion

High resolution transbulbar sonography of the optic nerve is a useful technique for the rapid and non-invasive estimation of intracranial pressure in children. Besides measurement of the optic nerve sheath diameter, evaluation of the ultrastructure of the subarachnoid space of the optic nerve is a helpful parameter.

     

Diffusion tensor imaging predicts motor outcome in children with acquired brain injury

Background: Rehabilitation in children with acquired brain injury is a challenging endeavour. There is a large variability in motor recovery between patients, and a need to optimize therapies by exploiting cerebral plasticity and recovery mechanisms. This retrospective study aims to identify tract-based markers that could serve as predictors of functional outcome following rehabilitation. Methods: Twenty-nine children with traumatic brain injury (n = 14) or stroke (n = 15) underwent a 3 T Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) measurement, including Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) between admission to the Hospital and onset of rehabilitation therapy at the Rehabilitation Centre. The Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM) was routinely applied at admission and discharge from the Rehabilitation Centre. Distinguishing between children with good versus poor functional independence was performed using ROC-analysis. A non-parametric partial correlation analysis between the DTI and WeeFIM motor scores was performed with age, time in rehabilitation, and time of MRI scan after injury as covariates. Results: Mean fractional anisotropy (FA) from the DTI in the ipsilesional corticospinal-tract provided the highest predictive accuracy (sensitivity = 95 %, specificity = 78 %, Youden Index = 0.73, Area under the curve = 0.9), in comparison to the lesion volume or other clinical variables. Mean FA of the ipsilesional corticospinal-tract correlated positively with the WeeFIM discharge motor scores (ρ = 0.547, p = 0.004). Prediction was poorer for the lesion volume or Glasgow Coma Scale. Conclusion: The results suggest that DTI data could improve the prediction of functional outcome after rehabilitation in children and adolescents with stroke or traumatic brain injury. Specifically, mean FA shows the highest predictive accuracy in comparison to lesion volume or clinical scales.     

Investigating the Measurement Properties of the Social Responsiveness Scale in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The purpose of this study was to examine the measurement properties of the Social Responsiveness Scale in an accelerated longitudinal sample of 4-year-old preschool children with the complementary approaches of categorical confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis. Measurement models based on the literature and other hypothesized measurement models which were tested using categorical confirmatory factor analysis did not fit well and were not unidimensional. Rasch analyses showed that a 30-item subset met criteria of unidimensionality and invariance across item, person, and over time; and this subset exhibited convergent validity with other child outcomes. This subset was shown to have enhanced psychometric properties and could be used in measuring social responsiveness among preschool age children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.     

Assessment of the Italian Version of the Internet Disorder Scale (IDS-15)

Much research has focused on the validation of psychometric tools assessing Internet addiction. One of the newest measures is the Internet Disorder Scale (IDS-15) based on the modified IGD criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This study aimed at investigating the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the IDS-15 by examining the construct and the concurrent and the criterion-related validity and by identifying the taxonomy and the patterns of Internet users. A sample of 471 participants (M _age = 24.72 years, SD = 8.66; 256 males) was recruited from secondary schools, universities, and gaming halls. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the four-dimensional second-order structure and the three levels of the measurement invariance across gender. The reliability and the validity of the scale were confirmed, and the LPAs provided four classes of Internet users on the basis of the scores obtained in all four dimensions of the scale. The psychometric robustness of the Italian version of the IDS-15 was clearly demonstrated. Cross-cultural research should expand and generalize the present findings.     

The tympanic membrane displacement analyser for monitoring intracranial pressure in children

Purpose

Raised intracranial pressure (ICP) is a potentially treatable cause of morbidity and mortality but tools for monitoring are invasive. We sought to investigate the utility of the tympanic membrane displacement (TMD) analyser for non-invasive measurement of ICP in children.

Methods

We made TMD observations on normal and acutely comatose children presenting to Kilifi District Hospital (KDH) at the rural coast of Kenya and on children on follow-up for idiopathic intracranial hypertension at Evelina Children’s Hospital (ECH), in London, UK.

Results

We recruited 63 patients (median age 3.3 (inter-quartile range (IQR) 2.0–4.3) years) at KDH and 14 children (median age 10 (IQR 5–11) years) at ECH. We observed significantly higher (more negative) TMD measurements in KDH children presenting with coma compared to normal children seen at the hospital’s outpatient department, in both semi-recumbent [mean ?61.3 (95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) ?93.5 to 29.1) nl versus mean ?7.1 (95 % CI ?54.0 to 68.3) nl, respectively; P?=?0.03] and recumbent postures [mean ?61.4 (95 % CI ?93.4 to ?29.3) nl, n?=?59) versus mean ?25.9 (95 % CI ?71.4 to 123.2) nl, respectively; P?=?0.03]. We also observed higher TMD measurements in ECH children with raised ICP measurements, as indicated by lumbar puncture manometry, compared to those with normal ICP, in both semi-recumbent [mean ?259.3 (95 % CI ?363.8 to ?154.8) nl versus mean 26.7 (95 % CI ?52.3 to 105.7) nl, respectively; P?<?0.01] and recumbent postures [mean ?137.5 (95 % CI ?260.6 to ?14.4) nl versus mean 96.6 (95 % CI 6.5 to 186.6) nl, respectively; P?<?0.01].

Conclusion

The TMD analyser has a potential utility in monitoring ICP in a variety of clinical circumstances.     

Psychometric Properties of a German Parent Rating Scale for Oppositional Defiant and Conduct Disorder (FBB-SSV) in Clinical and Community Samples

The Fremdbeurteilungsbogen für Störungen des Sozialverhaltens (FBB-SSV) is a commonly used DSM- and ICD-based rating scale for disruptive behaviour problems in Germany. This study examined the psychometric properties of the FBB-SSV rated by parents in both a clinical sample (N = 596) and a community sample (N = 720) of children aged 4–17 years. Results indicate that the FBB-SSV is internally consistent (α = .69–.90). Principal component analyses produced two-factor structures that are largely consistent with the distinction between oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD). Diagnostic accuracy was examined using receiver operating characteristic analyses, which showed that the FBB-SSV is excellent at discriminating children with ODD/CD from those in the community sample (AUC = .91). It has satisfactory diagnostic accuracy for detecting ODD/CD in the clinical sample (AUC = .76). Overall, the results show that the FBB-SSV is a reliable and valid instrument. This finding provides further support for the clinical utility of DSM- and ICD-based rating scales.     

Comparison Among Children with Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Nonverbal Learning Disorder and Typically Developing Children on Measures of Executive Functioning

It has been suggested that children with nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD) or Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) may show difficulties with executive functioning. There were 3 groups in this study who completed a neuropsychological battery of visual-spatial, executive functioning, and reasoning tasks; AS (n = 37), NLD (n = 31), and controls (n = 40). Results indicated that children in both clinical groups scored within average limits on measures of spatial reasoning and verbal ability. Fluid reasoning was also found to be within average ranges for all groups. The AS group experienced significant problems with cognitive flexibility compared to the other two groups. In contrast the NLD group showed fewer difficulties with cognitive flexibility but more problems with visual sequencing. These findings suggest that performance on executive function measures for children with AS or NLD is remarkably similar with subtle differences present.     

Validating the cross-cultural factor structure and invariance property of the Insomnia Severity Index: evidence based on ordinal EFA and CFA

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to examine the factor structure of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) across samples recruited from different countries. We tried to identify the most appropriate factor model for the ISI and further examined the measurement invariance property of the ISI across samples from different countries.MethodsOur analyses included one data set collected from a Taiwanese sample and two data sets obtained from samples in Hong Kong and Canada. The data set collected in Taiwan was analyzed with ordinal exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to obtain the appropriate factor model for the ISI. After that, we conducted a series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), which is a special case of the structural equation model (SEM) that concerns the parameters in the measurement model, to the statistics collected in Canada and Hong Kong. The purposes of these CFA were to cross-validate the result obtained from EFA and further examine the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the ISI.ResultsThe three-factor model outperforms other models in terms of global fit indices in Taiwan's population. Its external validity is also supported by confirmatory factor analyses. Furthermore, the measurement invariance analyses show that the strong invariance property between the samples from different cultures holds, providing evidence that the ISI results obtained in different cultures are comparable.ConclusionsThe factorial validity of the ISI is stable in different populations. More importantly, its invariance property across cultures suggests that the ISI is a valid measure of the insomnia severity construct across countries.     

A Parent-Mediated Intervention to Increase Responsive Parental Behaviors and Child Communication in Children with ASD: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Longitudinal research has demonstrated that responsive parental behaviors reliably predict subsequent language gains in children with autism spectrum disorder. To investigate the underlying causal mechanisms, we conducted a randomized clinical trial of an experimental intervention (Focused Playtime Intervention, FPI) that aims to enhance responsive parental communication (N = 70). Results showed a significant treatment effect of FPI on responsive parental behaviors. Findings also revealed a conditional effect of FPI on children’s expressive language outcomes at 12-month follow up, suggesting that children with baseline language skills below 12 months (n = 24) are most likely to benefit from FPI. Parents of children with more advanced language skills may require intervention strategies that go beyond FPI’s focus on responsive communication.