Development of a behavioral measure of physical distancing: The o'sickey distancing test

Introduction: Covid-19 has swept the globe and has disproportionately affected the United States with over 600,000 deaths in just over one year. The Centers for Disease Control recommendations for reducing the spread of Covid-19 have focused on physical distancing (PD), the practice of maintaining a distance greater than 6 feet from individuals not in the same household. When employed, this health behavior has been found to reduce the incidence of Covid-19. A review of the measurement literature evaluating PD indicates that PD has been measured at the community level via GPS, using proxy measures of the behavior, or as a construct. These methods can be useful in some situations;however, PD is an observable health behavior and can be reported as such. This study sought to address the issues in measuring PD by creating a new measure of self-reported PD that was: 1) appropriate for individual level measurement, 2) based on participant's self-report of the behavior of PD, and 3) presented a less ambiguous representation of the self-reported behavior. Method: Fifty college students from the University of New Mexico were sampled at a single time-point to evaluate the convergent and concurrent validity of the O'Sickey Distancing Test (ODT). Analysis Plan: To establish convergent validity, individual violations of PD as measured by the ODT were correlated with the Social Distancing Measure (SDM) and participant steps per day using Spearman's rank correlations and by comparing the correlations between the ODT and the number of participant self-reported steps per day and a measure of social distancing and participant steps per day using Steiger's t-test of correlated correlations within a sample. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Validation of CES-D8 among Czech university students during COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives: Due to the rise of depressive symptomatology especially among vulnerable populations such as young adults during the COVID-19 outbreak, a reliable measuring tool is needed. Because of the lack of such studies, the authors decided to validate the 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 8) among Czech university students capturing the beginning of lockdown experience. Statistical analyses: Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted and structural equation modelling with diagonally weighted least squares estimation using lavaan was employed. Different hypotheses about the dimensionality of the CES-D 8 scale were tested. The authors assessed the measurement equivalence of the CES-D 8 scale according to gender using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. The effect of socio-demographic and COVID-19 issues variables on depression was examined. Results: One dimensional model with correlated errors showed sufficient validity and therefore, the best fit. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis results revealed that the factor structure is invariant across gender. Women and those who reported financial distress and academic stress showed a higher level of depressive symptomatology. On the other hand, relationships proved to have a protective effect. Limitations: The sample came from an online survey, respondents were self-selected. There was a gender imbalance in the sample that cannot be explained by a higher number of women in the Czech university environment. Conclusions: The CES-D 8 proved to be a useful instrument for measuring depressed mood that opens further possibilities for depression research in the university environment and during pandemic situations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Czech) Cile: Vzhledem k narustu depresivni sympto-matologie behem pandemie covid-19 zejmena u zranitelnych skupin, jako jsou mladi dospeli, narostla potrebnost spolehliveho nastroje na mereni depresivity. Z duvodu chybejici validizace se autori rozhodli overit osmipolozkovou skalu Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 8) u ceskych vysokoskolskych studentu v dobe sameho pocatku pandemie. Statisticke analyzy: Byla provedena konfirmacni faktorova analyza za pouziti strukturniho modelovani metodou DWLS (diagonally weighted least squares) pomoci baliku laavan. Byly testovany ruzne hypotezy o dimenzionalite skaly CES-D 8. Pomoci MCFA (multigroup confirmatory factor analysis) autori posuzovali ekvivalenci mereni skaly CES-D 8 podle pohlavi. Byl zkouman vliv sociodemografickych promennych a promennych tykajicich se problematiky covid-19 na depresivni symptoma-tologii. Vysledky: Jednodimenzionalni model s korelo-vanymi rezidualnimi rozptyly u dvou polozek prokazal dostatecnou validitu a nejlepe odpovidal datum. Vysledky MCFA ukazaly, ze faktorova struktura zvoleneho modelu byla invariantni vzhledem k pohlavi. Zeny a osoby, ktere byly ve financni nouzi nebo prozivaly zvyseny stres ze studia, vykazovaly vyssi uroven depresivni symptomatologie. Naopak partnersky vztah se ukazal mit protektivni efekt. Limity prace: Vzorek pochazi z online pruzku-mu, respondenti byli vybrani samovyberem. Nadreprezentaci zen-studentek v datech nelze zduvodnit vyssim podilem zen na ceskych univerzitach. Zaver: CES-D 8 se ukazal byt uzitecnym nastro-jem pro mereni depresivity, jenz otevira dalsi moznosti pro vyzkum deprese v univerzitnim prostredi a behem pandemickych situaci. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID - 19 Readiness Organizational Trust Scale

It was aimed to develop a scale to evaluate how trust-distrust is structured in the context at the macro level;the state, lower organizations, employees and organization managers, decisions and measures regarding the epidemic and also communication between the employees and the organization and the changes brought about the way of doing business after being declared the outbreak in Turkey COVID-19. For this purpose, online interviews conducted with the help of open-ended questions. The obtained data transformed into measurable scale items and applied to 150 participants (Male: 78, Female: 72;Age: 22-67, Average: 38.3, SS: 12.43) together with the Socio- Demographic Information Form, General Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention scales. The findings obtained revealed that the scale has a three-factor structure: 'Trust in Manager', 'Trust in Organization' and 'Trust in Employee'. The results of the correlation analysis performed within the scope of the criterion validity showed that all the sub-dimensions of the scale are associated with General Job Satisfaction and the Turnover Intention. The analyzes carried out to test the discrimination validity showed that there is a significant differences in terms of Trust in Organization and Trust in Employees in groups where the perception of work-related health hazard is less dangerous and very dangerous. As a result, the findings obtained in this study show that the COVID-19 Readiness Organizational Trust Scale is a valid and reliable scale whose psychometric properties have been empirically tested in the Turkish sample. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Turkish) Bu calismada, Turkiye'de COVID-19 salgini ilan edildikten sonra;makro duzeyde devletin, daha asagida orgutlerin, calisanlarin ve orgut yoneticilerinin, salginla ilgili olarak aldigi kararlar, tedbirler, calisanlarin kendi aralarinda ve orgutle kurdugu iletisim, is yapma tarzi ile ilgili getirilen yenilikler baglaminda calisan ve orgut arasinda kurulan guven-guvensizligin nasil yapilandigini degerlendirmeye yonelik bir olcek gelistirmek amaclanmistir. Bu amaca yonelik olarak hazirlanan acik uclu sorular yardimiyla cevrimici gorusmeler gerceklestirilmistir. Elde edilen nitel veri olcumlenebilir olcek maddelerine donusturulmus ve Sosyo-demografik Bilgi Formu, Genel Is Memnuniyeti, Isten Ayrilma Niyeti olcekleriyle birlikte farkli sektorlerde calisan 150 katilimciya (Erkek: 78, Kadin: 72;Yas: 22 - 67, Ort:38.3, SS:12.43) uygulanmistir. Elde edilen bulgular olcegin 'Yoneticiye Guven', 'Kuruma Guven' ve 'Calisana Guven' olmak uzere uc faktorlu bir yapi gosterdigini ortaya koymustur. Kriter gecerliligi kapsaminda gerceklestirilen korelasyon analizi sonuclari olcege ait tum alt boyutlarin Genel Is Memnuniyeti ve Isten Ayrilma Niyeti ile iliskilendigini gostermektedir. Ayirt etme gecerliligini test etmek amaciyla gerceklestirilen analizler isin saglik acisindan tehlike algisinin az tehlikeli ve cok tehlikeli oldugu gruplarda Orgute Guven ve Calisana Guven boyutlarinda anlamli farklilik oldugunu gostermistir. Sonuc olarak, bu calismada elde edilen bulgular COVID - 19 Hazirliligi Orgutsel Guven Olcegi'nin Turk ornekleminde psikometrik ozellikleri gorgul olarak test edilmis gecerli ve guvenilir bir olcek oldugunu gostermektedir. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Acute Stress among Nurses in Sweden during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sweden was hit hard in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic with deaths per capita among the highest in Europe. The pandemic was a stressful time especially for healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients. Various studies have evaluated whether nurses caring for these patients had higher levels of acute stress, but typically with measures that either used older DSM-IV criteria for Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) or general measures of acute stress. We recruited an online sample (N = 101) of nurses in Sweden from COVID-19 specialized units (ICU), Emergency (ER), and other units (Other), and asked them to answer questionnaires retrospectively to the peak of infections in Sweden. We aimed to evaluate: 1) the psychometric properties of the translation of the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire-II (SASRQ-II, which follows DSM-5 criteria for ASD) into Swedish, 2) whether nurses in COVID-19 units had experienced more acute stress than nurses in other units, and 3) the extent of potential acute stress disorder. The SASRQ-II evidenced good construct, convergent and divergent validity, and good reliability. It showed that ICU nurses reported significantly more acute stress than the other two groups, a difference that could not be accounted for by demographic or other variables. A retrospective diagnosis of ASD using the SASRQ-II suggested that 60% of nurses might have fulfilled ASD criteria, but no differences across groups were found. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Development of the pet owner connectedness scale (POCS)

Studies that have reported on the loneliness protective effect of pet ownership have recently been called into question owing to methodological drawbacks, including the use of inappropriate scales of measurement for loneliness in pet owner samples. It has also been recently demonstrated that pet interactions may only influence positive, not negative, human affect. In light of these recent advances, the current study aimed to create a new scale focusing on the inverse experience of loneliness: connectedness. An initial 24-item scale was developed using qualitative data collected from our previous study investigating the impact of pet ownership for Australians living alone during a government-enforced lockdown in response to COVID-19. Study 1 included 934 dog and cat owners who self-selected into the online study. Factor analyses revealed two distinct factors, and only items that loaded uniquely on one factor were retained. Study 2 included 526 dog and cat owners who self-selected into the online study, which confirmed the two-factor structure and established validity and reliability of the scale. The result was a 14-item Pet Owner Connectedness Scale (POCS) with two subscales: (i) owner-pet connection, and (ii) connectedness through pet. Hence, we present evidence for a new scale that can be used to measure the positive social states of connectedness that owners may gain from their pets. This may provide a good alternative to more traditional methods such as measuring the buffering effect pets have on negative social states such as loneliness. It may also offer a more robust method to measure the impact of pet interactions on their owners. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Development and validation of scores on a measure to appraise student-teacher relationships in a remote learning environment: Validation of the virtual learning assessment

The purpose of this dissertation was to validate scores for a new survey tool, The Virtual Learning Assessment. This 53-item measure was designed with the intent that if scores are validated it could provide a means in which student-teacher relationships and the attributes that enhance those relationships in a remote setting could be assessed. To test the validity of the this newly designed measure 532 Middle School students were asked to rate the level of impact specific teacher actions had on middle school student's relationship with a teacher while in a remote learning environment. This survey was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the survey was distributed electronically during students first semester back in face-to-face learning. Results revealed a 2-factor solution, these two factors were named, teachers' support for students' social-emotional well-being (factor 1) and personalized learning for students (factor 2). Confirmatory Factor Analysis revealed an acceptable-to questionable fit, with the data based on the guidelines provided by Dimitrov (2012) and Schreiber et al. (2006), CMIN, chi2 (323) = 770.01, p < .001, chi2/df = 2.38;CFI = .88;RMSEA = .07, 90% CI (.06, .07);and SRMR = .05. In addition, the 2-factor solution indicated a Normative Fit Index (NFI = .81), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI = .87). Values for this statistic range between 0 and 1 with Bentler and Bonnet (1980) recommending values greater than .90 indicating a good fit (Hooper & Mullen, 2008). The preliminary attempt to validate scores on the Virtual Learning Assessment suggests that while a true latent structure does exist amongst the data set with a 2-factor solution, further refinement of the survey items is necessary before further use of the measure in conducting research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Validation of the French-Canadian version of the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index with parents of an infant

Parents of an infant may be particularly vulnerable to peritraumatic distress (e.g., psychological distress experienced during or immediately following a traumatic event) associated with events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Since peritraumatic distress could affect both their psychological well-being and their couple relationship functioning, it is essential to measure and document these symptoms within parents. The COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI;Qiu et al., 2020) was the first validated instrument to measure COVID-19 peritraumatic distress, but it has not yet been validated in French. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the French-Canadian version of the CPDI (F-CPDI) in a sample of 492 parents (58% of mothers) of an infant in Quebec Province (Canada). The factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent validity of the instrument were tested. Results indicate that the F-CPDI has good internal consistency and supports the four-factor structure proposed by the authors of the original instrument. Results of correlation analyses indicated that peritraumatic distress was related to increased psychological distress, postpartum depression, and lower life satisfaction. Results indicate satisfactory psychometric qualities for the F-CPDI, providing researchers and mental health professionals access to a COVID-19 peritraumatic distress measure. This questionnaire can be used to assess peritraumatic distress in parents of an infant during a pandemic period, which is a first step towards offering adapted intervention strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (French) Les parents d'un nouveau-ne peuvent etre particulierement vulnerables a la detresse peritraumatique (c'est-a-dire la detresse psychologique vecue pendant ou immediatement apres un evenement traumatique) associee a des evenements tels que la pandemie de COVID-19. Puisque la detresse peritraumatique pourrait affecter a la fois leur bien-etre psychologique et le fonctionnement de leur relation de couple, il est essentiel de mesurer et de documenter ces symptomes chez les parents. L'indice de detresse peritraumatique reliee a la COVID-19 (IDPC;Qiu et al., 2020) a ete le premier instrument valide pour mesurer la detresse peritraumatique reliee a la COVID-19, mais il n'a pas encore ete valide en francais. Cette etude visait a evaluer les proprietes psychometriques de la version franco-canadienne du CPDI (l'IDPC en francais) aupres d'un echantillon de 492 parents (58 % de meres) d'un nouveau-ne dans la province de Quebec (Canada). La structure factorielle, la coherence interne et la validite convergente de l'instrument ont ete testees. Les resultats indiquent que l'IDPC a une bonne coherence interne et soutient la structure a quatre facteurs proposee par les auteurs de l'instrument original. Les resultats des analyses de correlation indiquent que la detresse peritraumatique est liee a une detresse psychologique accrue, a la depression post-partum et a une satisfaction de vie moindre. Les resultats indiquent des qualites psychometriques satisfaisantes pour l'IDPC, permettant aux chercheurs et aux professionnels de la sante mentale d'avoir acces a un indice de detresse peritraumatique reliee a la COVID-19. Ce questionnaire peut etre utilise pour evaluer la detresse peritraumatique des parents d'un nouveau-ne en periode de pandemie, ce qui constitue une premiere etape pour proposer des strategies d'intervention adaptees. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with an increase in mental health problems, including peritraumatic distress (Qiu et al., 2020). This study tested the validity of the French-Canadian COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (F-CPDI;Qiu et al., 2020), the first validated instrument to measure COVID-19 peritraumatic distress. Results revealed satisfactory psychometric qualities for the F-CPDI and prevalence rate of peritraumatic distress reaching 20.5% in Quebec parents of an infant. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Impact of COVID-19 on job satisfaction: The case of military and airline pilots

Objective: To investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the military and airline pilots' Job Satisfaction (JS), and identify important contributory factors to support the development of future mitigating strategies. Background: The aviation industry has undergone a series of devastating changes since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, the implications of the pandemic on pilots' JS are unknown. Methods: Quantitative JS measurements were taken from 203 European and Middle Eastern pilots, during the pandemic (March, 2021), using the shortened Job Descriptive Index and Job In General validated scales. Follow-up semi-structured interviews (April 2021) were conducted with 16 participants to establish pre-pandemic JS levels and identify the degree of change due to COVID-19. Results: Significant JS differences (p < .001) were observed between military and airline pilots;the former having higher levels. Qualitative findings revealed that airline pilots' levels decreased due to factors such as job security, pay cuts, opportunities for promotion and skill-fade concerns. Military pilots experienced an increased JS, as state-funded organizations were not substantially affected by COVID-19, which led to a feeling of appreciation and thankfulness. Conclusion: COVID-19 has caused a major disruption to JS of military and airline pilots. Suggested mitigation measures for the civil aviation sector comprised effective communication between pilots and managers to reduce the pandemic-induced job uncertainty. Solutions such as extra flight simulator sorties were recommended to tackle the skill-fade effect. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Brief Assessment of Adaptive and Maladaptive Coping Strategies During Pandemic

This study aimed to analyse the internal structure, internal consistency, and convergent and divergent validity for the Coping Strategies Scale. We found a two-factor solution (maladaptive coping;adaptative coping) with a second-order general factor (coping strategies) that demonstrated adequate factorial structure and internal consistency for a brief nine items instrument in a sample of 211 economically active Brazilians (Mage = 37.07;SD = 13.03). The adaptive strategies factor converged with quality of life and work. It also diverged from phobia, stress, and anxiety. Maladaptive coping strategies converged with phobia, stress, and anxiety and diverged from the quality of work and life. According to the results, we found that coping strategies are a vital personal resource to overcome daily adversity, including those from the current pandemic. The present instrument may impact worldwide, offering conditions to investigate and promote mental health positive outcomes by reinforcing coping assessment during pandemics. © 2023, Associação Brasileira de Psicologia.

Hotel employee perceived crisis shocks: Conceptual and scale development

Limited research assesses the impacts of crises on hotels from the individual employee perspective, and hotel employee perceived crisis shocks (HEPCS) lack empirical investigation and scale development. This mixed-method research conceptualized HEPCS and validated a measurement scale for HEPCS through three studies. In Study 1, 99 employees from 24 hotels were interviewed. The results showed that HEPCS was composed of the six dimensions of perceived shock: performance, task, occupation, mental, health, and family and life. In Study 2, the initial measurement items for HEPCS were generated, and 313 valid responses were collected for exploratory factor analysis. Study 3 had 931 valid respondents whose data were collected for confirmatory factor analysis and validation of the factor structure generated in Study 2. This research provides a new perspective and valid measurement scale for hotel crisis impact research as well as a theoretical basis for the establishment of hotel crisis response strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Psychometric properties of the assessment of COVID-19 attitudes and behaviors

Developing psychometrically validated assessment tools to examine social and intergroup processes related to COVID-19 is fundamental for creating interventions that reduce the spread of this virus. Thus, this manuscript aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of a new measure, Assessment of COVID-19 Attitudes and Behaviors (ACAB), that assesses COVID-19-related attitudes (e.g., about physical distancing, xenophobia), behaviors (e.g., helping others versus prioritizing own needs), and beliefs (e.g., about others' roles in spreading COVID-19). We used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA, CFA) to provide factor analytic support and Fisher's r-to-z transformation to provide construct validity evidence. EFA revealed and CFA confirmed a four-factor structure of social distancing adjustment, self-prioritization, prosocial behaviors, and belief in conspiracies. Fisher's r-to-z transformation provided evidence for the construct validity of the four factors. This psychometrically validated instrument will enhance social science researchers' ability to accurately identify and explicate psychological processes related to COVID-19. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Psychometric development and validation of Ostracism Experience Scale (OES): Across sample of young adults from Pakistan

Purpose: Ostracism is being socially ignored or excluded by others. Ostracism leads to serious psychological distress and health issues in the young adults being ostracized. However, there are no psychometrically designed instruments to measure this phenomenon in young adults. This study aims to develop a scale that measures ostracism efficiently and establishes the scale's psychometric properties. Design/methodology/approach: The research design used for the study is "a mixed-method study using non-experimental research with an exploratory sequential approach and instrument development design." For the formation of the item pool, theoretical evidence was collected and focus group discussions were conducted. Afterward, content validity was established with the help of subject matter experts, followed by Velicer's minimum average partial method and maximum likelihood factor analysis to form the instrument's factorial structure. Findings: Velicer's minimum average partial method and maximum likelihood factor analysis made two factors as follows: ostracism experience and psychological effect. The instrument developed has a high value of alpha reliability i.e. a = 0.97 and a = 0.96, a = 0.92 for the subscales, respectively. Research limitations/implications: The sample used for the research was enough to run the analysis, but future studies can go for a more extensive and more diverse sample. The sample was based solely on university students. The current research focused only on the target of the phenomenon, and the whole research process was conducted online because of the Covid-19 pandemic going on. The scale developed can be used in several settings to find out if the individual is being ostracized or not. Practical implications: The scale's most important implication is in the colleges and universities where young adults are found and face this problem daily. Likewise, psychologists can also use it in clinical settings. The other important implication of this scale is that it is opening a route to future research as different variables can be studied in ostracism such as depression, physical health and anxiety. Social implications: Ostracism is a hidden evil in societies that is not usually talked about. When people are not given equal importance in groups or settings, it leads to serious psychological issues in those individuals. This scale will in the identification of the problem that will lead to a proper solution to this evil. Originality/value: This work is original and not copied from anywhere. The research was conducted with the sole purpose of developing a scale on the ostracism experiences in young adults. The data is collected in the form of online surveys. The current scale is an attempt at developing a more reliable and valid scale that can be used in social settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Mental health and psychological assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic: Systematic review

This study aimed to identify the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of adult populations and verify the assessment resources employed. From a systematic review according to PRISMA recommendations, 1,158 articles were identified in the databases Pubmed, PsycINFO, PePSIC and Scielo, of which 54 met the eligibility criteria for analysis. The populations surveyed included adults in general, health professionals and elderly adults;symptoms of anxiety and depression were the most reported;there was expressive diversity in the assessment resources applied online. Prevention policies, promotion of mental health for the most vulnerable populations, as well as the development of evaluation tests with evidence of validity for on-line application, are a pressing reality. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) Abstract (Portuguese) Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar os efeitos da pandemia de COVID-19 na saude mental de populacoes adultas e verificar os recursos de avaliacao empregados. A partir de uma revisao sistematica, segundo as recomendacoes do PRISMA, foram identificados 1.158 artigos nas bases de dados Pubmed, PsycINFO, PePSIC e Scielo, dos quais 54 atenderam aos criterios de elegibilidade para analise. As populacoes pesquisadas contemplaram adultos em geral, profissionais de saude e adultos idosos;sintomas de ansiedade e depressao foram os mais relatados;houve expressiva diversidade nos recursos de avaliacao aplicados on-line. Politicas de prevencao, promocao de saude mental para populacoes mais vulneraveis, assim como o desenvolvimento de testes de avaliacao com evidencias de validade para aplicacao on-line, sao uma realidade premente. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Experiences of adolescents in the face of lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had harmful effects on emotional health, especially in young people. In the present study, the questionnaire <<Experiences of adolescents in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic was designed and validated. Participants were 4,011 Mexican adolescents aged 14 to 25 years (M = 18.21);33 % men and 67 % women. The questionnaire was administered online and, afterwards, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyzes were performed and Cronbach's Alpha was calculated. Satisfactory levels of validity and reliability were obtained. The instrument consisted of eight factors: favorable family interaction, entertaining-creative activities, conflict experiences, unfavorable mood, longing for the previous life, fear of contagion, general sanitary measures and sanitary measures adopted when returning home. It is concluded that the questionnaire is valid and reliable and will be useful to find out how adolescents experience the changes caused by health crises. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) Abstract (Spanish) La pandemia de la COVID-19 ha generado efectos nocivos en la salud emocional especialmente en los jovenes. En el presente trabajo se diseno y valido el cuestionario <<Experiencias de adolescentes frente a la pandemia de la COVID-19. Partici- paron 4011 adolescentes mexicanos de entre 14 y 25 anos (M = 18.21), 33 % hombres y 67 % mujeres. El cuestionario se aplico en linea, y, posteriormente, se realizaron los analisis factoriales (exploratorio y confirmatorio) y se calculo el alfa de Cronbach. Se consiguieron niveles satisfactorios de validez y confiabilidad. El instrumento quedo conformado por ocho factores: interaccion familiar favorable, actividades de entretenimiento-creativas, vivencias de conflicto, animo desfavorable, anoranza por la vida anterior, miedo al contagio, medidas sanitarias generales y medidas sanitarias adoptadas al volver a casa. Se concluye que el instrumento es valido y confiable y sera util para conocer como los adolescentes viven los cambios ocasionados por las crisis sanitarias. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Counselor competence gender identity scale: Measuring bias, knowledge, and skills among school counselors

The measures presently available to examine the effectiveness of school counselors to provide counseling services to youth and emerging adults who identify as gender diverse are limited. This mixed-methods research study aimed to validate the psychometric properties of the Counselor Competence Gender Identity Scale (CCGIS) with a sample of school counselors. The CCGIS is a competency-based assessment that measures the effectiveness of counselors who provide services to gender diverse individuals in schools. We also examined school counselors' levels of gender identity counselor competence in relation to region of practice. Considering requests by many gender diverse individuals to have gender-inclusive curriculum in the schools and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender minority youth, we recruited school counselors in the United States to take the CCGIS so its factor structure and validity could be examined. Exploratory factor analysis retained 25 items that formed four subscales with good internal consistency. Criterion and concurrent validity tests indicated that the CCGIS is psychometrically sound. The CCGIS was able to discriminate between groups of school counselors based on region. The CCGIS is a valid tool that can be self-administered by school counselors to assess their effectiveness with gender diverse students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Preschooler stressor-related thoughts and worries during the COVID-19 pandemic: Development and validation of a caregiver-report instrument

There is little evidence on cognitions that are associated with emotional and behavioral problems in preschoolers during stressful events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This article presents the initial development and validation of a caregiver-report instrument, the Preschooler Stressor-related Thoughts and Worries (PSTW) scale, developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, caregivers from two countries reported on their child's cognitions at baseline (T0) and three months later (T1;age 3-5 years;Australia: N = 559;United States: N = 346). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with the Australian sample at T0 and confirmed with the U.S. sample at T0. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a one-factor model including 10 items. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis failed to clearly support this structure (comparative fit index = .91, root mean square error of approximation = .11). Construct validity was supported by positive associations between PSTW scores and emotional and behavioral problems. Although the PSTW is a promising instrument to assess preschooler cognitions related to COVID-19, further investigation of its performance in other contexts (e.g., other countries, other stressful or traumatic events) is needed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Development and initial validation of the Parent and Family Engagement in Higher Education Measure

Throughout the history of higher education in the United States, parents and family members of college students have often found themselves as obsolete to the postsecondary experience. Minimal research has been dedicated to understanding the experience of parents and family members of college students until the millennial generation began their collegiate years (Harper et al., 2012;Wartman & Savage, 2008). In consideration of a new generation of college students (i.e., Gen Z) and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, it is crucial to illuminate the complexities of parent and family engagement in higher education and the needs of parents and families. Most recently, Kiyama and Harper (2018) proposed a Model of Parent Characteristics, Engagement, and Support based on their research. Harper et al. (2020) continued to investigate this model through qualitative methodologies and identified several constructs to better understand this complex phenomenon. Currently, no quantitative tools exist to measure Kiyama and Harper's (2018) model and accompanying construct. Thus, the goal of this study was to develop and initially validate the Parent and Family Engagement in Higher Education (PFEHE) measure as a quantitative research tool to complement Kiyama and Harper's (2018) model. This dissertation is the beginning of the ongoing and iterative process researchers need to develop and gather validity evidence for any measure (Bandalos, 2018;Kline, 2016). Strength of evidence supporting validity, reliability, and fairness were evaluated for the PFEHE measure. Evidence to support validity was based on test content, response processes, and internal structure and was mixed. Higher education and measurement experts and current family members of undergraduate college students assisted the development process resulting in a 54-item PFEHE measure. A wide recruitment effort garnered participation of more than 1,000 participants who completed the 54-item measure. After a thorough data screening process, 650 responses were viable to use for a variety of analyses. Approximately half of these responses were used in a series of exploratory factor analyses. These analyses further refined the PFEHE measure to 21 items representative of three constructs: family aspirational characteristics, family/student involvement and engagement, and family/university involvement and engagement. The other half of responses were used for a confirmatory factor analysis with the three factors and 21 items. Results of this analysis were less than favorable as no model fit indices met the minimum standards (DiStefano & Hess, 2005;Kline, 2016;McCoach et al., 2013). Strength of evidence based on reliability was gathered by calculating Cronbach's alpha separately for the two samples using the redefined 21-item measure. Reliability measures for each of the three scales across both samples ranged from .76 to .84, indicating moderately strong evidence. Finally, evidence to support fairness of the PFEHE measure was gathered initially from expert panel review. Additional evidence was gathered from cognitive interviews conducted with current parents and family members of undergraduate college students. Families were asked to recall the information needed to respond to each item and whether they would respond to each item honestly. Their responses guided the final wording for items and the inclusion of additional instructions for participants. Collectively, the strength of evidence supporting fairness was strong given the scope of this study. This study concludes with a discussion about the many opportunities the PFEHE measure could be used in future quantitative and qualitative research studies. The evidence reported in this study is promising for the PFEHE measure, and future research will aid in the evaluation of more evidence of validity, reliability, and fairness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 Causal Factors Perception Questionnaire (COVID-19-CFPQ)

The article details the validation procedure for a questionnaire that analyzes the perception of the causal factors of the COVID-19 pandemic, the COVID-19- CFPQ. A pilot test was carried out with 55 subjects, its content and comprehension validity was analyzed through the judgment of 8 experts, and its construct validity through an exploratory factor analysis. In addition, a confirmatory factorial analysis was carried out with a sample of 427 people, the convergent validity was calculated, and a descriptive and internal consistency analysis of the factors of the final questionnaire was performed. The COVID-19-CFPQ finally comprised 20 items and four dimensions: Social distancing and Protection (SDP), Perceived psychological impact (PPI), Skepticism (S) and Credibility of perceived information (CPI). The results demonstrated the validity of the questionnaire and high reliability rates, which allows us to determine the perceptions of the population about the causal factors of COVID-19. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Spanish) En el articulo se detalla el procedimiento de validacion de un cuestionario que analiza la percepcion de los factores causales de la pandemia de la COVID-19, el CPFC-COVID-19. Se realizo una prueba piloto con 55 sujetos, se analizo la validez de contenido y de comprension a traves del juicio de 8 expertos y la validez de constructo a traves de un analisis factorial exploratorio. Ademas, se realizo un analisis factorial confirmatorio con una muestra de 427 personas, se calculo la validez convergente y se hizo un analisis descriptivo y de consistencia interna de los factores del cuestionario final. El CPFC-COVID-19 quedo constituido por 20 items y cuatro dimensiones: Distanciamiento social y Proteccion (DSP), Impacto psicologico percibido (IPP), Escepticismo (E) y Credibilidad de la informacion percibida (CIP). Los resultados demuestran la validez del cuestionario y unos altos indices de fiabilidad, lo que permite conocer las percepciones de la poblacion acerca de los factores causales de la COVID-19. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Psychometric properties of COVID-19 dot-probe task in Iranian adults

Objective: After the COVID-19 outbreak, corona anxiety has become prevalent all over the world. To understand and treat this type of anxiety, researchers have examined its relationship with attentional bias, a phenomenon closely associated with other types of anxiety. The dot-probe task is a common instrument used for the evaluation of attentional bias. However, the psychometric properties of this instrument, when used for the assessment of attentional bias towards corona-related stimuli, are unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the COVID-19 dot-probe task to see whether its application in COVID-19 studies is justified. Methods: A total of 362 Iranian adults completed the COVID-19 dot-probe task and Corona Anxiety Disease Scale (CADS), 146 of whom repeated this procedure after two weeks to provide test-retest data. Split-half reliability, the Cronbach alpha, intraclass correlation coefficient of test-retest scores, and associations between COVID-19 dot-probe task and CADS were calculated using SPSS v. 26. Results: The study results indicated that the standard version of the COVID-19 dot-probe task lacks internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and criterion validity, whereas the response-based version of the instrument promotes all of these psychometric properties to an acceptable level. Conclusion: COVID-19 dot-probe task is a psychometrically sound instrument for evaluating corona-related attentional bias and investigating its role in the mechanism of corona anxiety, only if the response-based method of computation is used for calculating the measures of attentional bias. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Loneliness, college belongingness, subjective vitality, and psychological adjustment during Coronavirus pandemic: Development of the College Belongingness Questionnaire

Loneliness is a serious risk factor for healthy development and flourishing. Although loneliness has been revealed to play an important role in psychological health and well-being, little is known about moderating and mitigating mechanisms underlying this association, especially during adverse experiences (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic). The current study purposed to explore whether subjective vitality mediated the association of loneliness with psychological adjustment and whether college belongingness moderated the mediating effect of subjective vitality on students' adjustment in the context of loneliness. The study sample comprised 333 undergraduate students (69% female) from a public university in Turkey. They ranged in age between 19 and 41 years (M = 21.94, SD = 4.15). Findings from mediation analysis revealed that loneliness had a significant predictive effect on subjective vitality and psychological adjustment challenges. Subjective vitality also mediated the effect of loneliness on the psychological adjustment of college students. Further, college belongingness moderated the mediating effect of subjective vitality on adjustment and had a protective effect on the association between loneliness and subjective vitality in college students. These results indicate that subjective vitality and college belongingness are important mechanisms that may help develop prevention and intervention strategies to foster students' psychological health and well-being in university settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)