MEASURING BOREDOM DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The aim of this study was to translate into Spanish and validate the Boredom Proneness Scale-Short (SBPS) in a sample of young people and adults in Peru during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 588 people between 17 and 53 years of age (M = 21.70;SD = 5.22) was selected as a sample. The methodology used combined Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Item Response Theory (IRT) to determine the internal structure, factor weights and reliability, which was estimated by means of the omega coefficient test information functioning and empirical or marginal reliability. Evidence of convergent validity of the SBPS was explored based on its relationship with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-2) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2). Results reveal that the SBPS is a measure that should be interpreted uni-dimensionally. Reliability was excellent and convergence with the GAD-2 and PHQ-2 presented the expected relationship in both magnitude and direction.

Evaluating the psychometric properties of the fatigue severity scale using item response theory.

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a common daily experience and a symptom of various disorders. While scholars have discussed the use of the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) using item response theory (IRT), the characteristics of the Japanese version are not yet examined. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the FSS using IRT and assessed its reliability and concurrent validity with a general sample in Japan. METHODS AND MEASURES: A total of 1,007 Japanese individuals participated in an online survey, with 692 of them providing valid data. Of these, 125 participants partook in a re-test after approximately 18 days and had their longitudinal data analyzed. In addition, the graded response model (GRM) was used to assess the FSS items' characteristics. RESULTS: The GRM's results recommended using seven items and a 6-point scale. The FSS's reliability was acceptable. Furthermore, the validity was adequate from the results of correlation and regression analyses. The synchronous effects models demonstrated that the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) enhanced depression, and depression enhanced FSS. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that the Japanese version of the FSS should be a 7-item scale with a 6-point response scale. Further investigations may reveal the different aspects of fatigue assessed by the analyzed fatigue measures.

Longitudinal validation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale in a nationwide United States sample: An item response theory model across three inflection points of the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic's global emergence/spread caused widespread fear. Measurement/tracking of COVID-19 fear could facilitate remediation. Despite the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S)'s validation in multiple languages/countries, nationwide United States (U.S.) studies are scarce. Cross-sectional classical test theory-based validation studies predominate. Our longitudinal study sampled respondents to a 3-wave, nationwide, online survey. We calibrated the FCV-19S using a unidimensional graded response model. Item/scale monotonicity, discrimination, informativeness, goodness-of-fit, criterion validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were assessed. Items 7, 6, and 3 consistently displayed very high discrimination. Other items had moderate-to-high discrimination. Items 3, 6, and 7 were most (items 1 and 5 the least) informative. [Correction added on 18 May 2023, after first online publication: In the preceding sentence, the term 'items one-fifth least' has been changed to 'items 1 and 5 the least'.] Item scalability was 0.62-0.69; full-scale scalability 0.65-0.67. Ordinal reliability coefficient was 0.94; test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient 0.84. Positive correlations with posttraumatic stress/anxiety/depression, and negative correlations with emotional stability/resilience supported convergent/divergent validity. The FCV-19S validly/reliably captures temporal variation in COVID-19 fear across the U.S.

Psychometric Evaluation of GHQ-12 as a Screening Tool for Psychological Impairment of Healthcare Workers Facing COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) is a widely used tool in clinical and research settings due to its brevity and easy administration. Researchers often adopt a dichotomous measurement method, considering a total score above or below a certain threshold, leading to an extreme simplification of the gathered data and, therefore, the loss of clinical details. In a multistep evaluation study aimed at assessing health care workers' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, GHQ-12 proved to be the most effective tool to detect psychological distress compared to other scales. These results deepened the understanding of GHQ-12 properties through a statistical study focusing on items' properties and characteristics. Methods: GHQ-12 responses were analyzed using Item Response Theory (IRT), a suitable method for scale assessment. Instead of considering the single overall score, in which each item accounts equally, it focuses on individual items' characteristics. Moreover, IRT models were applied combined with the latent class (LC) analysis, aiming to determine subgroups of individuals according to their level of psychological distress. Results: GHQ-12 was administered to 990 healthcare workers, and responses were scored using the binary method (0-0-1-1). We applied the two-parameter logistic (2-PL) model, finding that the items showed different ways of responses and features. The latent class analysis classified subjects into three sub-groups according to their responses to GHQ-12 only: 47% of individuals with general well-being, 38% expressing signs of discomfort without severity, and 15% of subjects with a high level of impairment. This result almost reproduces the subjects' classification obtained after administering the six questionnaires of the study protocol. Conclusions: Accurate statistical techniques and a deep understanding of the latent factors underlying the GHQ-12 resulted in more effective usage of such a psychometric questionnaire - i.e., a more refined gathering of data and significant time and resource efficiency. We underlined the need to maximize the extraction of data from questionnaires and the necessity of them being less lengthy and repetitive.

Psychometric properties of a physical self-efficacy perception scale in the light of cognitive social theory

The present study aimed at investigating the psychometric properties of an established instrument for assessing students' perception of self-efficacy about their performance in high school physics (Ricardo, 2014), given the importance of such a perception to the success of the teaching and learning process. Measurements of descriptors and distractors were estimated (TRI) from the Item Response Theory and validation tests based on their internal structure were performed. The relevant test results showed that the instrument's division into three original factors was not adequate, reducing them to a single factor. They also showed that a number of items of the instrument had to be removed to improve its adequacy This work shows that Ricardo's instrument can be turned into a strongly validated tool to adequately raise perceptions of self-efficacy of the students. However, due to some contingencies of the application of the instrument, mainly that of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is suggested to carry out further studies that aim to improve even more the psychometric properties of the test. © 2023 The Authors

Learning Performance Indicators a Statistical Analysis on the Subject of Natural Sciences During the COVID-19 Pandemic at the Tulcán District

Learning systems during the COVID-19 period has been modified in terms of methodology strategies as well as teachers' remote teaching emergency approach at primary education and higher education institutions. As a consequence, educators had to limitedly teach the basics from prioritized academic curriculums during the health emergency. Natural Sciences was not an exception, and the majority of educators in this field of study have notably identified low-academic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Ecuador, learning expected results was obtained through the evaluation of performance indicators, so in this research project a statistical analysis was performed using scores for these indicators obtained from Middle School samples of students of the Carchi province, with the aim of identifying significantly affected population strata by the application of remote learning and characteristics leading to low-academic performance. Data gathered was statistically evaluated and the test was calibrated using the Item Response Theory;significative difference among variables and performance indicators were analyzed via students' scores using ANOVA, Pairwise T-Tests, and T-tests. Difference tests were carried out using the weighted score of each student for each indicator as continuous variables and the categorical variables were the internet availability, students' residence location and quintile they belong to. Results proved that there exist significant differences in the student scores depending on the internet availability and the zone where they live, where the academic performance was significantly higher on those students that had stable internet connection in their homes and resided in urban zones during the pandemic. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Internet severity and activities addiction questionnaire (ISAAQ): Psychometrics of item response theory and clustering of online activities.

BACKGROUND: Problematic usage of the internet (PUI) is an umbrella term, referring to a variety of maladaptive online behaviors linked to functional impairment. There is ongoing need for the development of instruments capturing not only PUI severity, but also the online activity types. The Internet Severity and Activities Questionnaire (ISAAQ), previously developed to address this need, required further refinement and validation. METHODS: Cross-sectional data was gathered in two separate samples (South Africa n = 3275, USA-UK n = 943) using the Internet Severity and Activities Addiction Questionnaire (ISAAQ). Item Response Theory (IRT) was used to examine the properties of the scale (Part A of the ISAAQ) and differential item functioning against demographic parameters. The severity scale of the ISAAQ was optimized by eliminating the poorest performing items using an iterative approach and examining validity metrics. Cluster analyses was used to examine internet activities and commonalities across samples (Part B of the ISAAQ). RESULTS: Optimization of ISAAQ using IRT yielded a refined 10-item version (ISAAQ-10), with less differential item functioning and a robust unidimensional factor structure. The ISAAQ-10 severity score correlated strongly with established measures of internet addiction (Compulsive Internet Use Scale [Person's r = 0.86] and the Internet Addiction Test-10 [r = 0.75]). Combined with gaming activity score it correlated moderately strongly with the established Internet Gaming Disorder Test (r = 0.65). Exploratory cluster analyses in both samples identified two groups, one of "low-PUI" [98.1-98.5%], and one of "high-PUI" [1.5-1.9%]. Multiple facets of internet activity appeared elevated in the high-PUI cluster. DISCUSSION: The ISAAQ-10 supersedes the earlier longer version of the ISAAQ, and provides a useful, psychometrically robust measure of PUI severity (Part A), and captures the extent of engagement in a wide gamut of online specific internet activities (Part B). ISAAQ-10 constitutes a valuable objective measurement tool for future studies.

Multilevel IRT models for the analysis of satisfaction for distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic played a relevant role in the diffusion of distance learning alternatives to "traditional" learning based on classroom activities, to allow university students to continue attending lessons during the most severe phases of the pandemic. In such a context, investigating the students' perspective on distance learning provides useful information to stakeholders to improve effective educational strategies, which could be useful also after the end of the emergency to favor the digital transformation in the higher educational setting. Here we focus on the satisfaction in distance learning for Italian university students. We rely on data comprising students enrolled in various Italian universities, which were inquired about several aspects related to learning distance. We explicitly take into account the hierarchical nature of data (i.e., students nested in universities) and the latent nature of the variable of interest (i.e., students' learning satisfaction) through a multilevel Item Response Theory model with students' and universities' covariates. As the main results of our study, we find out that distance learning satisfaction of students: (i) depends on the University where they study; (ii) is affected by some students' socio-demographic characteristics, among which psychological factors related to Covid-19; (iii) is affected by some observable university characteristics.

Quality of life in multiple scenarios: The impact of work mode and social contact quantity.

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees were encouraged to temporarily work from home as an attempt to decrease social contact with others. However, the employees' quality of life (QoL) may have been threatened by this mode of working. This study, therefore, aims to explore the employees' QoL given the new mode of working from home (WFH) as a result of the pandemic vs. working in the office (WIO), the amount of social contact that they were exposed to, and the ratio of face-to-face contact that they had. Methods: A total of 803 WFH employees and 588 WIO employees' QoL was assessed during the same time period using the WHOQOL-BREF, which contains four domains: physical health, psychological health, social relationship, and the environment. We then divided the participants into 16 groups in accordance with the levels of work mode, social contact quantity, and face-to-face contact ratio-forming a case-control study. A differential item functioning (DIF) analysis was used to analyze the responses on the WHOQOL-BREF under the 4-dimensional rating scale model fitting. Results: The results indicated that WFH employees' QoL was superior to that of WIO employees. The relationship between the WFH mode and the employees' QoL was specifically moderated by the amount of social contact and the ratio of face-to-face contact that was experienced. The results further demonstrated that the increased amount of non-face-to-face contact was better for WFH employees' QoL than that of WIO employees. Discussion: In conclusion, the WFH mode was practical during the COVID-19 pandemic, as our findings indicated that WFH employees' QoL was better than WIO employees' QoL. However, maintaining social connections is equally important as this allows employees to perform better at their jobs and maintain such performance. The employees with a higher number of social support had a better QoL. Additionally, the facets detected as DIF items provided implications for the QoL with regard to the research methodology and insight into factors affecting the employees' QoL.

Validating a Claim-Evidence-Science Idea-Reasoning (CESR) Framework for Use in NGSS Assessment Tasks

We developed assessment tasks aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that require students to use argumentation and explanation practices along with disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts to make sense of energy-related phenomena. Scoring rubrics were created to evaluate students' ability to make accurate claims, cite evidence, use relevant science ideas, and combine those elements to formulate well-reasoned arguments and explanations. We present an analysis of data to investigate the validity and reliability of our rubrics. Due to school closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, data were collected using Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). The MTurk data were scored by two researchers to evaluate the inter-rater reliability. Data were then analyzed using Rasch modeling. Results show that rubric categories associated with stating claims, citing evidence, applying science ideas, and formulating coherent, well-reasoned arguments and explanations fit well to the Rasch model, and that rubric categories followed a hierarchy of difficulty. In this hierarchy, applying science ideas and formulating well-reasoned statements were more difficult than citing evidence, which were all more difficult than stating a claim. The ability to locate a student along this hierarchy allows for our tasks to be used to better understand a student's ability to write arguments and explanations of energy-related phenomena.

Research on the Changes of College Students' Cognitive Level under the Broadcast Teaching Mode during the COVID-19 Pandemic Period

A variety of smart education evaluation methods have emerged in the era of information technology. This study proposes an improved Bayesian Cognitive Tracing Model (BKT-IRT) based on the working environment of classroom response system. The college physics classroom response data set is analyzed to compare the cognitive level under broadcast teaching mode during the COVID-19 epidemic period and traditional classroom teaching mode. The results show the student cognitive level under broadcast teaching mode is lower compared with that of the traditional mode. The BKT-IRT method can show the differences in cognitive level more clearly compared with IRT method and questionnaire survey method. © 2022 ACM.

Psychometric properties of the cultural mix coping inventory for stressful situations using physical education teachers: a multidimensional item response theory analysis.

The incidence of the COVID-19 pandemic heightened the levels of stress of not only students but for teachers, particularly physical education (PE) teachers. The reference to PE teachers is due to their role in engaging students in practical in-person lessons after the resumption of school. Previous literature has revealed that PE teachers exhibit significantly increased levels of anxiety, fear, tension and uncertainty that they could contract the virus during these lessons. Given this scenario, there is a growing need for identifying a suitable coping scale which can accurately measure coping strategies employed these teachers. This research assessed the psychometric properties of the 16-item coping inventory using a multidimensional item response theory approach. The study surveyed 484 PE teachers through the convenience sampling technique, after which the cultural mix coping instrument was administered to them. The findings of this study confirmed the 4-factor structure of the coping measure which is consistent with the original measure. Results further revealed that a modified 14-item compared to the original 16-item coping inventory was optimal in measuring coping strategies among PE teachers. The study concluded that the 14-item cultural mix coping inventory was appropriate, applicable and reproducible to the PE teachers' population.

Satisfaction towards virtual courses: Development and validation of a short measure in COVID-19 times.

This study was aimed to develop and validate a short scale to measure satisfaction with virtual courses (SVC-S) in a sample of higher education students during the covid-19 pandemic; specifically, in the year 2021. A total of 3080 students between 16 and 56 years of age participated (Mean = 25.71; SD = 8.83); 1836 were female (59.60 %) and 1244 male (40.40 %). The participants were students from three cities in Peru (77.90% from Lima, 12.70% from Trujillo and 9.42% from Cajamarca). Qualitative and quantitative procedures were followed for the construction of the SVC-S. Item response theory (IRT) considering Samejima's two-parameter Graded Response Model (GRM) (2PL) and the test-item information function was used to establish accuracy/reliability, and the relationship of the SVC-S with a similar measure was examined to demonstrate convergence and discrimination. The results reveal that the data present an optimal fit (M2 (2) = 3.62; RMSEA = .016; CFI = 1.00). Reliability is excellent (r xx = .93) and the information function suggests that the instrument is more accurate at low levels of the latent trait. Regarding convergence with an academic satisfaction scale, the SVC-S showed an appropriate correlation (r = .70) whose average variance extracted (AVE) reported good discrimination of the constructs; despite being conceptually similar. SVC-S is concluded to be a valid and reliable measure that can be used in future studies in higher education.

Psychometric Properties of the WHO-5 Well-Being Index among Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Three Countries.

Nurses' well-being has been increasingly recognised due to the ongoing pandemic. However, no validation scales measuring nurses' well-being currently exist. Thus, we aimed to validate the WHO-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5) in a sample of nurses. A cross-sectional multinational study was conducted, and a total of 678 nurses who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain (36.9%), Chile (40.0%) and Norway (23.1%) participated in this study. The nurses completed the WHO-5, the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2) and three questions about the quality of life (QoL). The WHO-5 demonstrated good reliability and validity in the three countries. Cronbach's alphas ranged from 0.81 to 0.90. High correlations were found between the WHO-5 and the psychological well-being dimension of QoL, and negative correlations between the WHO-5 and PHQ-2. The unidimensional scale structure was confirmed in all the countries, explaining more than 68% of the variance. The item response theory likelihood ratio model did not show discernible differences in the WHO-5 across the countries. To conclude, the WHO-5 is a psychometrically sound scale for measuring nurses' well-being during a pandemic. The scale showed strong construct validity for cross-cultural comparisons; however, more research is required with larger sample sizes.

Suggestions to the article: demonstrating the ascendancy of COVID-19 research using acronyms.

The article published on 16 May 2021 is interesting and impressive, particularly on the Figure displaying several acronyms in trend. Although the most popular eight acronyms in 2019 and 2020 are individually highlighted and labeled, how to determine the points in 2019 and 2020 is required for classifications. The analysis for the evolution of keywords is common and necessary in the bibliographic study. None of the studies addressed the determination of the bursting point for a given keyword over the years. We aim to illustrate the way to determine the inflection point on a given ogive curve and apply the temporal bar graph (TBG) to interpret the trend of a specific keyword (or acronym). The prediction model is based on item response theory, commonly used in educational and psychometric fields. The eight acronyms presented in the previous study were demonstrated using the TBG. We found that the TBG includes more valuable information than the traditional trend charts. The inflection point denoted the topic burst indicates the turning point suddenly from increasing to decreasing. The TBG combined with the inflection point to represent the trend of a given keyword can make the data in trend easier and clearer to understand than any graph used in ever before bibliometric analyses.

Psychometric validity and reliability of the 10- and 2-item Connor-Davidson resilience scales among a national sample of Americans responding to the Covid-19 pandemic: an item response theory analysis.

PURPOSE: Psychometric validity/reliability of 10-item and 2-item abbreviations of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10; CD-RISC-2) was investigated via item response theory and classic approaches. METHODS: We sampled 5023 adult American participants in a June/July 2020 survey on the COVID-19 pandemic's psychological effects. Our questionnaire incorporated the CD-RISC-10 with other validated measures. CD-RISC-10 items were ranked on item-to-scale correlations, loadings on a one-factor confirmatory factor analysis model, and item slope/threshold parameters plus information curves from a unidimensional graded response model. Concurrent validity of the highest ranked item pair was evaluated vis-à-vis the CD-RISC-10 and CD-RISC-2. Internal consistency, based on average variance extracted (AVE) and multiple reliability coefficients, was also compared. Convergent/divergent validity was tested by correlating anxiety, depression, fear of COVID-19, anxiety sensitivity, coping, and personality measures with both scales and the highest ranked item pair. Binary agreement/classification indexes assessed inter-rater reliability. RESULTS: Items 2 and 9 from CD-RISC-10 ranked the highest. Reliability coefficients were > 0.93, > 0.72, and > 0.82 for the CD-RISC-10, CD-RISC-2, vs summation of items 2 and 9. AVEs were 0.66, 0.67, and 0.77. CD-RISC abbreviations and the summation of items 2 and 9 correlated negatively with anxiety (> - 0.43), depression (> - 0.42), and fear of COVID-19 (> - 0.34); positively with emotional stability (> 0.53) and conscientiousness (> 0.40). Compared to the CD-RISC-2, summative scores of items 2 and 9 more efficiently classified/discriminated high resilience on the CD-RISC-10. CONCLUSION: We confirmed construct validity/reliability of copyrighted CD-RISC abbreviations. The CD-RISC-10's items 2 and 9 were psychometrically more salient than the CD-RISC-2.

A novel video recommendation system for algebra: An effectiveness evaluation study

This study presents a novel video recommendation system for an algebra virtual learning environment (VLE) that leverages ideas and methods from engagement measurement, item response theory, and reinforcement learning. Following Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) theory, but considering low affect and high affect students separately, we developed a system of five categories of video recommendations: 1) Watch new video;2) Review current topic video with a new tutor;3) Review segment of current video with current tutor;4) Review segment of current video with a new tutor;5) Watch next video in curriculum sequence. The category of recommendation was determined by student scores on a quiz and a sensor-free engagement detection model. New video recommendations (i.e., category 1) were selected based on a novel reinforcement learning algorithm that takes input from an item response theory model. The recommendation system was evaluated in a large field experiment, both before and after school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show evidence of effectiveness of the video recommendation algorithm during the period of normal school operations, but the effect disappears after school closures. Implications for teacher orchestration of technology for normal classroom use and periods of school closure are discussed. © 2022 ACM.

Psychometric Features of the Emergency Remote Teaching Attitude Scale and an Example Application

Existing research shows that emergency remote teaching (ERT), which has become mandatory with the COVID-19 Pandemic, has unique aspects and provides differentiating experiences for teachers and learners. This research aims to develop a scale to measure the attitudes of the teaching staff working in higher education towards ERT;besides the validity and reliability proofs, to make a sample application with the developed scale. For this purpose, the validity and reliability proofs of the "Emergency Remote Teaching Attitude Scale (ERTAS)" according to the Classical Test and Item Response Theories were determined in line with the data collected from 878 teaching staff working in the state and foundation universities throughout Turkey. ERTAS has three sub-dimensions measuring "Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive" dimensions with a total of 22 items. According to the literature, the fit indexes of the ERTAS obtained from Confirmatory Factor Analysis are acceptable. It was determined that the attitudes measured by the sub-dimensions of ERTAS according to gender, seniority, and their interaction did not change. The teaching staff experienced that ERT relieved them of their teaching responsibility in line with the flexibility, accessibility, the facilitation of the presentation of visual and auditory content. Some suggestions have been made regarding the use of ERTAS.

Examination of the Japanese version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale among Adults Using Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory12

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has impaired every aspect of life, especially causing much psychological damage?for instance, increasing the risk of suicide. Intense fear and anxiety are considered to play a central role in mental health problems. This study examined the psychological properties of the Japanese version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) using classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT). Five hundred fifty participants aged 18?69?years and from across Japan completed questionnaires, including the Japanese FCV-19S, the Japanese Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-15 (DASS-15), and the Japanese version of the Kessler 6 (K6). CTT showed that each item of the Japanese FCV-19S had no ceiling and floor effect and was close to the normal distribution, and IRT revealed that each item had an appropriate parameter of discrimination and difficulty. Finally, the Japanese FCV-19S was shown to have an acceptable reliability and moderate good concurrent validity. Consequently, the Japanese FCV-19S has robust psychometric properties and can be useful for early detection of adults impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.