Factor structure and reliability of the Lasher and Faulkender’s Anxiety about Aging Scale in Mexican adults / Estructura factorial y confiabilidad de la Escala de Ansiedad por el Envejecimiento de Lasher y Faulkender en adultos mexicanos

The worry and anticipation of physical, psychological and personal losses centered on the aging process generate anxiety. This study analyzes the factorial structure, internal consistency and factorial invariance according to gender of the Lasher and Faulkender Anxiety about Aging Scale. The sample consisted of 706 Mexican adults. The factor structure of the questionnaire was analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis. The analyses show a four-factor structure (fear of the elderly, psychological concerns, physical appearance and fear of loss) is viable and adequate for both the total sample (GFI .979; RMSEA .037; CFI .987) as for women (GFI .970; RMSEA .045; CFI .980) and men (GFI .919 and RMSEA .080; CFI .947). The four-factor structure, based on statistical and substantive criteria, has shown adequate reliability and validity fit indicators and can be considered a short and computerized version of the original version by Lasher and Faulkender. On the other hand, the factor structure, the factor loadings and the intercepts are considered invariant in the two populations studied (men and women); however, there are differences between the populations on the means of the physical appearance and fear of loss factors.(AU)

La preocupación y anticipación de pérdidas físicas, psíquicas y personales centradas en el proceso de envejecimiento generan ansiedad. El presente estudio analiza la estructura factorial, consistencia interna e invarianza factorial de acuerdo al sexo de la Escala de Ansiedad ante el Envejecimiento de Lasher y Faulkender. La muestra fue de 706 adultos mexicanos. La estructura factorial del cuestionario se analizó a través de análisis factoriales confirmatorios. Los análisis, muestran que una estructura de cuatro factores (miedo a las personas mayores, preocupaciones psicológicas, apariencia física y miedo a las pérdidas), es viable y adecuada tanto para la muestra total (GFI .979; RMSEA .037; CFI .987) como para las mujeres (GFI .970; RMSEA .045; CFI .980) y hombres (GFI .919 y RMSEA .080; CFI .947). La estructura de cuatro factores, atendiendo a criterios estadísticos y sustantivos, ha mostrado adecuados indicadores de ajuste de fiabilidad y validez y se puede considerar una versión corta e informatizada de la versión original de Lasher y Faulkender. Por otro lado, la estructura factorial, las cargas factoriales y los interceptos se consideran invariantes en las dos poblaciones estudiadas (hombres y mujeres); sin embargo, existen diferencias entre las poblaciones para las medias de los factores apariencia física y miedo a las pérdidas.(AU)

Evidencias de validez y confiabilidad del Inventario de Trastornos de Ansiedad Generalizada en universitarios mexicanos / Evidence of validity and reliability of the Generalized Anxiety Disor-ders Inventory in Mexican university students

El presente estudio analiza las propiedades psicométricas, en hombres y mujeres universitarios, de la versión española propuesta por Blanco et al. (2017) para el Inventario de Trastornos de Ansiedad Generalizada. La mues¬tra total fue de 1220 participantes; 640 mujeres y 580 hombres, con una edad media de 20.40 años (DE= 1.92) y 20.54 años (DE= 2.04) respectivamente. Los análisis factoriales confirmatorios mostraron que una estructura trifactorial (síntomas cognitivos, trastornos del sueño y síntomas somáticos) es viable y adecuada para ambas poblaciones (mujeres y hombres) de acuerdo a los requisitos psicométricos establecidos. Además, la estructura factorial, las cargas factoriales y los interceptos se consideran invariantes en las dos poblaciones; sin embargo, existen diferencias entre las poblaciones para las medias de los factores síntomas cognitivos y síntomas somá¬ticos.

The present study analyses the psychometric properties, in university men and women, proposed for Blanco et al. (2017) to the Spanish version of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Inventory. The overall sample consisted of 1220 subjects: 640 women and 580 men, with a mean age of 20.40 years (SD= 1.92) and 20.54 years (SD= 2.04) respectively. Psychometric analysis showed that a tri-factorial structure (cognitive symptoms, sleep disorders and somatic symptoms) was viable and adequate for both populations (men and woman) according to the established psychometric requirements. The results showed that factor structure, factor loadings and intercepts of the instrument could be considered invariant across groups; however, there are differences between groups for the means of factors cognitive anxiety and somatic symptoms.

Quality of Life in Mexican Older Adults: Factor Structure of the SF-36 Questionnaire.

The evaluation of quality of life may enable researchers to produce information that may improve health care and the quality of older people's lives. This research has two main goals: the first is to assess the psychometric properties of the SF-36 Health Questionnaire (construct validity and internal consistency), and the second, to calculate the factorial invariance of the questionnaire in two random, independent samples (i.e., cross-validation). The total sample consisted of 970 elderly subjects from the cities of Chihuahua and Monterrey, Mexico, with an average age of 71.18 (SD = 7.69). The factor structure of the SF-36 was analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The analyses show an adequate four-factor structure. The four-factor structure (Physical Function, Body Pain, Physical Role and Psychological Health) shows adequate reliability and validity indices. In addition, the results from the CFA analyses for the subsamples provide strong evidence of the stability of the four-factor structure. Future research should consider replicating the present findings in larger samples.

Factor Structure of the AUDIM-M Dimensional Self-Concept Questionnaire in Mexican Adolescents.

Self-concept is one of the most relevant variables in the field of personality, and a negative self-perception can pose a risk to the adolescent's development. The present study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties proposed by Aguirre and collaborators for the dimensional self-concept questionnaire (AUDIM-M). The total sample was 560 adolescents from the city of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, with a mean age of 12.96 ± 0.88 years. The factor structure of the questionnaire was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. The analyses show that a four-factor structure is viable and adequate (GFI 0.964; RMSEA 0.057; CFI 0.950). The four-factor structure (personal self-concept, physical self-concept, social self-concept, and academic self-concept), according to statistical and substantive criteria, shows adequate indicators of reliability and validity adjustment. The model obtained coincides with that proposed by Aguirre et al. Improving adolescents' self-concept undoubtedly contributes to their quality of life, hence the need for valid and reliable instruments for its measurement; this study could be a first approach for future research.

Validation of a Computerized Version of the Trait Subscale of the Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale in Mexican Preadolescents.

Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread or restlessness and can develop into a weight-related disorder. The objective was to analyze the psychometric properties of the trait anxiety subscale of the Physical Appearance State and Trait Anxiety Scale (PASTAS), as well as the invariance in Mexican preadolescents. The sample consisted of 604 participants, 285 female and 319 male, whose ages ranged between 11 and 12 years (M = 11.37; SD = 0.48). The questionnaire's factor structure was analyzed using confirmatory factor analyses. The analyses show the viability and adequacy of a two-factor structure (weight and non-weight factors) both for the total sample and for the populations of male and female. The two-factor structure showed adequate reliability and validity fit indicators. The factor structure, the factor loadings and intercepts are considered invariant according to the variable sex; however, differences between female and male participants were found for levels of anxiety caused by physical appearance. In conclusion, the PASTAS can be considered a convenient instrument to assess the variables related to anxiety generated by one's physical appearance, as well as allowing more participants to be quickly assessed.

Evidence of Validity and Reliability of the Lasher and Faulkender Anxiety about Aging Scale in Mexican Older Adults.

Anxiety about aging is an important mediating factor in attitudes and behavior toward elderly individuals as well as a mediating factor in the adjustment to one's own aging processes. The aim of this study was to analyze the factor structure, internal consistency and factorial invariance by sex of the Lasher and Faulkender Anxiety about Aging Scale. The sample consisted of 601 Mexican older adults, 394 women and 207 men, with a mean age of 70.69 ± 8.10 years. The factor structure of the questionnaire was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. Analyses show that a four-factor structure is feasible and adequate. The four-factor structure (fear of the elderly, psychological concerns, physical appearance and fear of loss), according to statistical and substantive criteria, showed adequate reliability and validity indicators. However, the obtained model does not fully coincide with that proposed by the questionnaire authors, although it continues to support the multi-factor component of anxiety about aging. On the other hand, the factor structure, the factor loadings and the intercepts are considered invariant in the two populations (men and women); however, there are differences between populations on the means of the physical appearance and fear of loss factors.

Composition and Factorial Invariance for the Assessment of Body Image Dissatisfaction Questionnaire in Mexican Adolescents.

Body image is a mental representation that a person has, which could become a body dissatisfaction due to the pressure exerted by the culture, affecting several life stages specially in adolescents. The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties and factorial invariance of the questionnaire to assess body image dissatisfaction. The sample consisted of 552 Mexican teenagers, 259 female, and 293 male, with a mean age of 12.91 ± 0.96 years. Confirmatory Factor Analyses show that a five-factor structure is viable and adequate. The five-factor structure (perceptual, emotional distress, behavioral, proposal to change, and fear of gaining weight) show adequate fit indices and validity, even though the obtained model does not completely correspond to that proposed by the authors of the scale, it continues to endorse the multifactorial component of body dissatisfaction. On the other hand, the factorial structure, the factor loadings, and the intercepts are considered invariant in both populations; however, there are differences between the populations for the means of the perceptual, emotional distress, and fear of gaining weight factors. This study serves as a premise for future research on the study of instruments for measuring body image in populations with different personal and cultural factors.