Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents: Factorial invariance and latent mean differences across gender and age in Spanish adolescents

Little is known about the factorial invariance across gender and age for self-report measures of social anxiety in adolescence. This study examined the factorial invariance and latent mean differences of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) across gender and age groups in 1570 Spanish adolescents (54% girls), ranging in age from 14 to 17 years. Equality of factor structures was compared using multi-group confirmatory factor analyses. Measurement invariance for the correlated three-factor model of the SAS-A was found across gender and age samples. Analyses of latent mean differences revealed that girls exhibited higher means than boys on two SAS-A subscales, Fear of Negative Evaluation and Social Avoidance and Distress-New (SAD-New). In addition, on the SAD-New subscale, the structured means significantly diminished from 14-year olds to 16- and 17-year olds and from 15-year olds to 17-year olds. Findings are discussed in terms of the use of the SAS-A with Spanish adolescents.     

Interpersonal and Affective Dimensions of Psychopathic Traits in Adolescents: Development and Validation of a Self-Report Instrument

We report the development and psychometric evaluations of a self-report instrument designed to screen for psychopathic traits among mainstream community adolescents. Tests of item functioning were initially conducted with 26 adolescents. In a second study the new instrument was administered to 150 high school adolescents, 73 of who had school records of suspension for antisocial behavior. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a 4-factor structure (Impulsivity α = 0.73, Self-Centredness α = 0.70, Callous-Unemotional α = 0.69, and Manipulativeness α = 0.83). In a third study involving 328 high school adolescents, 130 with records of suspension for antisocial behavior, competing measurement models were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. The superiority of a measurement model represented by four correlated factors was supported, and this model was invariant across gender and age. The findings provide researchers and clinicians with a psychometrically strong, self-report instrument and a greater understanding of psychopathic traits in mainstream adolescents.     

Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A): Measuring Social Anxiety Among Finnish Adolescents

The aim of this study was to investigate symptoms of social anxiety and the psychometric properties of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) among Finnish adolescents, 13–16 years of age. Study 1 (n = 867) examined the distribution of SAS-A scores according to gender and age, and the internal consistency and factor structure of the SAS-A. In a subsample (n = 563; Study 2) concurrent and discriminant validity of the SAS-A were examined relative to the Social Phobia Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory. Test–retest stability was examined over a 30-month period by repeated measures every 6 months in another subsample (n = 377; Study 3). Results mostly revealed no gender differences in social anxiety, except that boys reported more general social avoidance and distress than girls. Older adolescents (14–16-year-olds) reported higher social anxiety than younger adolescents (12–13-year-olds). Internal consistency for the SAS-A was acceptable for both genders and for all three SAS-A subscales. Confirmatory factor analysis replicated the original 18-item three-factor structure of the SAS-A, accounting for 61% of the variance between items. Evidence for concurrent and discriminant validity was found. Test–retest stability over 6 months was satisfactory. Results support the reliability and validity of the Finnish adaptation of the SAS-A, and further indicate that gender differences in adolescents’ social anxiety may vary across Western countries.     

The Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children: Age,Gender and Clinical Invariance

The Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children (PSWQ-C) is one of the most frequently used instruments to assess worry in children. The current study examines the measurement invariance of the PSWQ-C in a Romanian sample. Participants (n = 759) were recruited from both community and clinical populations. Our findings have replicated the good psychometric properties of the PSWQ-C and of the short PSWQ-C (the original scale with the negative items deleted). Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis has supported measurement invariance (configural, metric, scalar) across gender, age and clinical diagnosis. Convergent validity with other assessment measures has also been established. Finally, the implications of the use of the PSWQ-C in the assessment of anxiety in children and adolescents are discussed.     

Callous-Unemotional Traits Among Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Associations with Parenting

This study examined the extent to which positive and negative parenting relates to conduct problems (CP) and callous-unemotional (CU) traits among 172 adolescents (72 % males; M^age = 16.91 years, SD = .67) with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and whether CU traits moderate the link between parenting and CP. Mothers reported on their adolescents’ CP, CU traits, and their own parenting practices. Maternal behaviors were observed during a problem-solving communication task. Parents who engaged in more positive parenting (self-reported and observed) reported their adolescents as having lower levels of CU traits. No effect was found for negative parenting. Moderation analyses indicated that lower levels of positive maternal behavior was only associated with higher CP in the presence of higher levels of CU traits. Negative parenting was positively related to CP regardless of CU traits. Positive parenting, irrespective of measurement approach, uniquely relates to adolescents’ CU traits while both positive and negative parenting relate to CP.     

Investigating the construct validity of the SPAI-C: comparing the sensitivity and specificity of the SPAI-C and the SAS-A

Investigates the construct validity of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children (SPAI-C) by comparing its sensitivity and specificity with another self-report measure of social anxiety, the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A). Participants were 252 adolescents (124 males and 128 females) 13-17 years old. Adolescents completed the SPAI-C and the SAS-A and were interviewed using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV: Child Version (ADIS-IV:C). Parents were also interviewed and composite diagnoses were formed. Youth were classified as socially phobic or non-anxious based on these composite diagnoses. By comparing clinical cutoff scores with diagnostic group classification, the sensitivity and the specificity of the SPAI-C and SAS-A were compared. Results indicated that the SPAI-C was a more sensitive measure than the SAS-A (61.5% vs. 43.6%) providing evidence of the scale's construct validity. The two measures were similar with regard to specificity (82.7% for both). Implications of these results for assessment and research are discussed.     

Measurement invariance of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief across gender and age

The purpose of this study was to examine the dimensional structure and measurement invariance of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief (SPQ-B) (Raine and Benishay, 1995) across sex and age in a representative sample of nonclinical adolescents and young adults. The sample consisted of 1789 adolescents and young adults (42.1% males), with a mean age of 17.1years (S.D.=2.9). The results indicated that the Likert version of the SPQ-B showed adequate psychometric properties (α total score 0.89). The schizotypal personality models that presented the best fit indices were Raine et al.'s (1994) three-factor model and Stefanis et al.'s (2004) four-factor model. In addition, the results support the measurement invariance of the SPQ-B across sex and age. When the latent means of the schizotypal dimensions were compared across sex and age, statistically significant differences were found. Consistent with previous literature, schizotypal personality is a multidimensional construct whose structure appears invariant across sex and age. Future studies should examine the invariance of schizotypal personality across cultures, as well as using the SPQ-B as a screening method in the general population to detect individuals at risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, given its rapid and easy administration.     

Social anxiety level in Turkish adolescents

Social phobia is a mental disorder characterized by extreme and consistent fear of meeting new people, scrutiny in a variety of performance and/or interactional situations. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of self-reported social anxiety in a community sample of Turkish adolescents and the relationship between social anxiety and some sociodemographic parameters. This study was a school-based cross-sectional study. Students in grades 6–8 (aged 10–16) from 12 schools in Kocaeli/Turkey were screened by the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A). The correlations of sociodemographic parameters with the SAS-A scores were examined. Data from a sample of 1,713 students (865 boys 50.4% and 848 girls 49.5%) were analyzed. A significant gender difference in the SAS-A points was found. Boys reported higher SAS-A total and subscale scores (except social avoidance and distress-general subscale score) than did girls. A significant negative correlation was found between socioeconomic status and social anxiety level. SAS-A scores were higher in those with a low socioeconomic level, and who were going to rural schools. The result of this study showed that social phobic symptoms among Turkish adolescents were more severe in boys. Some factors such as low socioeconomic level, and going to a rural school had impact on the SAS-A scores. As the impairment in the school-domain was reported to be quite high, professionals and teachers need to recognize social anxiety in adolescents, so that help can be offered to overcome the difficulties social phobia causes.     

Psychosis risk screening: Validation of the youth psychosis at‐risk questionnaire – brief in a community‐derived sample of adolescents

There have been several attempts to identify individuals potentially at high risk for psychotic‐spectrum disorders using brief screening measures. However, relatively few studies have tested the psychometric properties of the psychosis screening measures in representative samples of adolescents. The main purpose of the present study was to analyse the prevalence, factorial structure, measurement invariance across gender, and reliability of the Youth Psychosis At‐Risk Questionnaire – Brief (YPARQ‐B) in a community‐derived sample of adolescents. Additionally, the relationship between YPARQ‐B, depressive symptoms, psychopathology, stress manifestations, and prosocial skills was analysed. One thousand and twenty students from high schools participated in a cross‐sectional survey. The YPARQ‐B, the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Student Stress Inventory – Stress Manifestations were used. A total of 85.1% of the total sample self‐reported at least one subclinical psychotic experience. We observed a total of 10.9% of adolescents with a cutoff score of ≥11 or 6.8% with a cutoff score of ≥13. The analysis of internal structure of the YPARQ‐B yielded an essentially unidimensional structure. The YPARQ‐B scores showed measurement invariance across gender. The internal consistency of the YPARQ‐B total score was 0.94. Furthermore, self‐reported subclinical psychotic experiences were associated with depressive symptoms, emotional and behavioural problems, poor prosocial skills, and stress manifestations. These results would appear to indicate that YPARQ‐B is a brief and easy tool to assess self‐reported subclinical psychotic experiences in adolescents from the general population. The assessment of these experiences in community settings, and its associations with psychopathology, may help us to enhance the possibility of an early identification of adolescents potentially at risk for psychosis and mental health problems.     

Further Evaluation of Associations Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity and Oppositional Defiant Disorder Symptoms and Bullying-Victimization in Adolescence

Relations between symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and bullying-victimization in adolescence are not yet clear. Accordingly, the current study evaluated these associations, with attention to gender differences, in a sample of predominantly Latino 9th–12th grade students (52.6 % male; mean grade level = 10.35, SD = 1.11). Further, the role of peer delinquency in these associations was evaluated. Findings indicated that ODD symptoms were more strongly associated with both bullying and victimization than ADHD symptoms, and the effects of ODD symptoms on physical forms of both bullying and victimization were stronger for males than females. The association between ODD symptoms and physical bullying was stronger at high levels of peer delinquency when compared to low levels of peer delinquency for both males and females. The role of peer delinquency in the link between ADHD symptoms and bullying and victimization appears to be gender specific and in need of further evaluation. Implications for the need to focus primarily on ODD symptoms for both bullying and victimization prevention and intervention are discussed.     

Construct validity of the Nutrition and Activity Knowledge Scale in a French sample of adolescents with mild to moderate intellectual disability

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability (i.e. internal consistency and test–retest reliability) and construct validity (i.e. content validity, factor validity, measurement invariance, and latent mean invariance) of the Nutrition and Activity Knowledge Scale (NAKS) in a sample of French adolescents with mild to moderate Intellectual Disability (ID). A total sample of 260 adolescents (144 boys and 116 girls), aged between 12 and 18 years old, with mild to moderate ID was involved in two studies. In the first study, analysis of items’ content reveals that many words from the original version were not understood or induced confusion. These items were reworded and simplified while retaining their original meaning. In the second study, results provided support for: (i) the factor validity and reliability of a 15-item French version of the NAKS; (ii) the measurement invariance of the resulting NAKS across genders and ID levels; (iii) the partial measurement invariance of the resulting NAKS across age groups and type of school placement. In addition, the latent means of the 15-item French version of the NAKS proved to be invariant across gender, age categories, and ID levels, but to vary across type of school placement (with adolescents schooled in self-contained classes from regular schools presenting higher levels of NAK than adolescents placed in specialized establishments). The present results thus provide preliminary evidence regarding the construct validity of a 15-item French version of the NAKS in a sample of adolescents with ID.     

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.     

The relationships between gender,psychopathic traits and self-reported delinquency: a comparison between a general population sample and a high-risk sample for juvenile delinquency

Background

Studies have shown that youths with high psychopathic traits have an earlier onset of delinquent behavior, have higher levels of delinquent behavior, and show higher rates of recidivism than youths with low psychopathic traits. Furthermore, psychopathic traits have received much attention as a robust indicator for delinquent and aggressive behavior in both boys and girls. However, there is a notable lack of research on gender differences in the relationship between psychopathic traits and delinquent behavior. In addition, most of the studies on psychopathic traits and delinquent behavior were conducted in high-risk samples. Therefore, the first objective of the current study was to investigate the relationship between psychopathic traits and specific forms of self-reported delinquency in a high-risk sample for juvenile delinquency as well as in a general population sample. The second objective was to examine the influence of gender on this relationship. Finally, we investigated whether the moderating effect of gender was comparable in the high-risk sample for juvenile delinquency and the general population sample.

Methods

Participants were 1220 adolescents of the German-speaking part of Switzerland (N = 351 high-risk sample, N = 869 general population sample) who were between 13 and 21 years of age. The Youth Psychopathic traits Inventory (YPI) was used to assess psychopathic traits. To assess the lifetime prevalence of the adolescents’ delinquent behavior, 15 items derived from a self-report delinquency instrument were used. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between gender, psychopathic traits and self-reported delinquency across both samples.

Results

Our results demonstrated that psychopathic traits are related to non-violent and violent offenses. We found no moderating effect of gender and therefore we could not detect differences in the moderating effect of gender between the samples. However, there was a moderating effect of sample for the relationship between the callous and unemotional YPI scale and non-violent offenses. In addition, the regression weights of gender and sample were, for non-violent offenses, reduced to non-significance when adding the interaction terms.

Conclusions

Psychopathic traits were found to be present in a wide range of youths (i.e., high-risk as well as general population sample, young children as well as adolescents, boys as well as girls) and were related to delinquent behavior. The influence of age and YPI scales on self-reported delinquency was more robust than the influence of gender and sample. Therefore, screening for psychopathic traits among young children with psychosocial adjustment problems seems relevant for developing effective intervention strategies.

     

Negative association between plasma cortisol levels and aggression in a high-risk community sample of adolescents

In this study, the association of aggressive behavior and personality traits with plasma cortisol levels was investigated in a high-risk community sample of adolescents. Plasma cortisol levels were collected in 245 fifteen-year-olds (118 males, 127 females) from an epidemiological cohort study of children at risk for psychopathology. Additionally, measures of reactive and proactive aggression, externalizing behavior and callous-unemotional together with impulsive personality features were assessed. Both subtypes of aggression as well as delinquent behavior and impulsive personality traits showed significant negative correlations with plasma cortisol levels. This association was observed in males, but not in females. In both gender groups, callous-unemotional traits were unrelated to plasma cortisol levels. This result suggests that the association between cortisol levels and aggression in adolescents is mediated rather by impulsivity than by unemotional or psychopathic traits.     

Optimal Level of Participation in Sport Activities According to Gender and Age can be Associated with Higher Resilience: Study of Lithuanian Adolescents

This study analyzes resilience differences between sedentary adolescents and adolescents that were classified as belonging to different sport activity categories in gender and age groups (grades 5–6, 7–8 and 9–10). The data were taken from the 2008 study which had been carried out in five biggest cities in Lithuania. The self-reported data on resilience (Resilience Scale for Adolescents, READ) and participation in sport activities (Consistent Five Categories Schema) were obtained from adolescents whose age ranged from 10.4 to 18.3 years for females (N = 1492) and from 10.5 to 18.1 years for males (N = 1407). Significant differences were observed that indicated that adolescents could have higher resilience in comparison with sedentary peers if they participated in sport activities in line with the optimal level of participation in sport activities for resilience according to their gender and age (effect sizes were rather small; the Bonferroni correction (p < .0125) was applied). According to the research data, there are possible specific mechanisms of interaction between resilience and participation in sport activities, and also, each age and gender group could involve a relevant different optimal level of participation in sport activities when resilience of adolescents is higher compared to sedentary peers. Evaluation of specific mechanisms of interrelation between resilience and participation in sports can promote improvement when preparing and implementing sport activity programs, designing them in a more specific way in terms of adolescent mental health and resilience education.     

Gender Differences in Relations among Perceived Family Characteristics and Risky Health Behaviors in Urban Adolescents

Background

Research regarding the role of gender in relations between family characteristics and health risk behaviors has been limited.

Purpose

This study aims to investigate gender differences in associations between family processes and risk-taking in adolescents.

Methods

Adolescents (N = 249; mean age = 14.5 years) starting their first year at an urban high school in the northeastern USA completed self-report measures that assessed family characteristics (i.e., parental monitoring, family social support, family conflict) and health behaviors (i.e., tobacco use, alcohol use, marijuana use, sex initiation) as part of a prospective, community-based study. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate gender differences in associations between the family characteristics and health behaviors.

Results

Among males, higher levels of perceived parental monitoring were associated with lower odds of using tobacco and having ever engaged in sex. Among females, higher levels of perceived parental monitoring were associated with lower odds of marijuana use, alcohol use, and having ever engaged in sex. However, in contrast to males, among females (a) higher levels of perceived family social support were associated with lower odds of alcohol use and having ever engaged in sex and (b) higher levels of perceived family conflict were associated with higher odds of marijuana use and having ever engaged in sex.

Conclusion

Family processes were more strongly related to health behaviors among adolescent females than adolescent males. Interventions that increase parental monitoring and family social support as well as decrease family conflict may help to protect against adolescent risk taking, especially for females.

     

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.     

Associations between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autoimmune diseases are modified by sex: a population-based cross-sectional study

Several studies have demonstrated associations between neuropsychiatric disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and the immune system, including autoimmune diseases. Since ADHD and many autoimmune diseases show sex-specific properties, such associations may also differ by sex. Using Norwegian national registries, we performed a cross-sectional study based on a cohort of 2,500,118 individuals to investigate whether ADHD is associated with common autoimmune diseases. Associations between ADHD and autoimmune diseases in females and males were investigated with logistic regression and effect modification by sex was evaluated. Several subanalyses were performed. The strongest association was found between ADHD and psoriasis in females, adjusted odds ratio (adjOR) = 1.57 (95% confidence interval: 1.46–1.68) and males, adjOR = 1.31 (1.23–1.40); p value for interaction < 0.0001. Furthermore, among females, ADHD was associated with Crohn’s disease, adjOR = 1.44 (1.16–1.79) and ulcerative colitis, adjOR = 1.28 (1.06–1.54). In contrast, males with ADHD had lower odds of Crohn’s disease, adjOR = 0.71 (0.54–0.92), in addition to a trend for lower odds of ulcerative colitis, adjOR = 0.86 (0.71–1.03); p values for interaction < 0.0001 and 0.0023, respectively. In a group of females where information on smoking and body mass index was available, adjustment for these potential mediators did not substantially alter the associations. Our findings support previously reported associations between ADHD and diseases of the immune system. The associations differ by sex, suggesting that sex-specific immune-mediated neurodevelopmental processes may be involved in the etiology of ADHD.     

Development and validation of the Basic Empathy Scale

In developing the Basic Empathy Scale (BES), 40 items measuring affective and cognitive empathy were administered to 363 adolescents in Year 10 (aged about 15). Factor analysis reduced this to a 20-item scale that was administered 1 year later to 357 different adolescents in Year 10 in the same schools. Confirmatory factor analysis verified the two-factor solution. Females scored higher than males on both affective and cognitive empathy. Empathy was positively correlated with intelligence (for females only), extraversion (cognitive empathy only) neuroticism (affective empathy only), agreeableness, conscientiousness (for males only), and openness. Empathy was positively related to parental supervision and socioeconomic status. Adolescents who would help victims of bullying had high empathy.     

Are Autistic Traits Measured Equivalently in Individuals With and Without An Autism Spectrum Disorder? An Invariance Analysis of the Autism Spectrum Quotient Short Form

It is common to administer measures of autistic traits to those without autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) with, for example, the aim of understanding autistic personality characteristics in non-autistic individuals. Little research has examined the extent to which measures of autistic traits actually measure the same traits in the same way across those with and without an ASD. We addressed this question using a multi-group confirmatory factor invariance analysis of the Autism Quotient Short Form (AQ-S: Hoekstra et al. in J Autism Dev Disord 41(5):589–596, 2011) across those with (n = 148) and without (n = 168) ASD. Metric variance (equality of factor loadings), but not scalar invariance (equality of thresholds), held suggesting that the AQ-S measures the same latent traits in both groups, but with a bias in the manner in which trait levels are estimated. We, therefore, argue that the AQ-S can be used to investigate possible causes and consequences of autistic traits in both groups separately, but caution is due when combining or comparing levels of autistic traits across the two groups.