A combination of both positively and negatively worded items is often employed in a survey to reduce participants’ acquiescence bias, but such a combination may hurt the validity of the survey. The ...current study investigated the effect of valence of wording on participants’ (
N
= 1132) responses to four versions of the Undergraduate Learning Burnout (ULB) scale. The results showed that the valence of wording affected a number of features of the scale. The internal consistency of both the original and the original-reverse versions (consisted of both positively and negatively worded items) was lower than that of the positive-only and the negative-only versions. The original and the original-reverse versions also had more factors than the positive-only and the negative-only versions. The original and the original-reverse versions showed method effects from both the positively and the negatively worded items, and those from the negatively worded items were stronger than those from the positively worded items. The method effects were predicted by participants’ subjective well-being and future academic career plans. Together, this study suggests that using a combination of positively and negatively worded items can lead to a predictable response style and significant method effects, which reduce the scale’s internal consistency and change the factor structure of the scale.
The Motivational-Developmental Assessment (MDA) measures a university student's motivational and developmental attributes by utilizing overlapping constructs measured across four writing prompts. The ...MDA's format may lead to the violation of the local item independence (LII) assumption for unidimensional item response theory (IRT) scoring models, or the uncorrelated errors assumption for scoring models in classical test theory (CTT) due to the measurement of overlapping constructs within a prompt. This assumption violation is known as a testlet effect, which can be viewed as a method effect. The application of a unidimensional IRT or CTT model to score the MDA can result in imprecise parameter estimates when this effect is ignored. To control for this effect in the MDA responses, we first examined the presence of local dependence via a restricted bifactor model and Yen's
statistic. Second, we applied bifactor models to account for the testlet effect in the responses, as this effect is modeled as an additional latent variable in a factor model. Results support the presence of local dependence in two of the four MDA prompts, and the use of the restricted bifactor model to account for the testlet effect in the responses. Modeling the testlet effect through the restricted bifactor model supports a scoring inference in a validation argument framework. Implications are discussed.
Conceptualizing two-variable disturbances preventing good model fit in confirmatory factor analysis as item-level method effects instead of correlated residuals avoids violating the principle that ...residual variation is unique for each item. The possibility of representing such a disturbance by a method factor of a bifactor measurement model was investigated with respect to model identification. It turned out that a suitable way of realizing the method factor is its integration into a fixed-links, parallel-measurement or tau-equivalent measurement submodel that is part of the bifactor model. A simulation study comparing these submodels revealed similar degrees of efficiency in controlling the influence of two-variable disturbances on model fit. Perfect correspondence characterized the fit results of the model assuming correlated residuals and the fixed-links model, and virtually also the tau-equivalent model.
•La0.9K0.1Co0.9Ni0.1O3, perovskite catalyst was synthesized by three different methods.•The synthesis method affected the catalytic activity of La0.9K0.1Co0.9Ni0.1O3.•The increment of oxygen ...vacancies and reducible sites correlates with Co3+/Co2+ atomic ratio.•The solid synthesized by sol–gel showed the best catalytic activity toward soot oxidation.•The solid synthesized by microwave presented better stability during re-cycles.
In order to evaluate the effect of preparation method of La0.9K0.1Co0.9Ni0.1O3 perovskite on the catalytic activity towards soot oxidation, three synthetic routes, self-combustion (SC), sol–gel (SG) and microwaves-assisted (MW) were used. After characterizing the samples using different analytical techniques (SEM, TEM, DRX, XPS, H2-TPR and O2-TPD), the results suggested that the synthesis method influenced not only the textural and physicochemical properties of the catalyst, but also the availability of active sites such as oxygen vacancies (α-O/Ototal), and reducible sites (Co3+/Co2+ ratio). The above results along with the small particle sizes obtained for solids, favored the catalytic activity toward soot oxidation in the following order: SG (T50 435 °C) > MW (T50 455 °C) > SC (T50 491 °C). However, although the material synthesized by SG was the most active, the material synthesized by MW presented greater thermal stability and better selectivity toward CO2 than the other synthesis methods after 6 catalytic cycles. DRIFT analysis indicated that the evolution of molecular CO2 comes along with the bidentate carbonate species decomposition, although the presence of thermally stable carbonates species was also seen.
Objective: The Working Alliance Inventory short form (WAI-S) is one of the most commonly used alliance measures with adolescents. Yet, its factor structure has received minimal attention in the youth ...alliance literature. This study investigated the factor structure of the WAI-S in psychotherapy for adolescent depression and explored its measurement invariance across time, therapeutic approaches and patients' and therapists' perspectives. The existence of method effects associated with the negatively worded items of the scale was also assessed.
Method: The setting of this study is the IMPACT trial, a randomized controlled trial assessing the effects of three therapeutic interventions in the treatment of adolescent depression. The WAI-S was completed at 6, 12 and 36 weeks after randomization by 338 adolescents and 159 therapists. Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis.
Results: The hypothesized Bond-Task-Goal alliance structure was not supported and a general, one-factor model was found to be more psychometrically valid. The existence of a method effect and measurement invariance across time and treatment arms were also found.
Conclusions: While the distinction between the specific alliance dimensions is conceptually and clinically interesting, at an empirical level the alliance features of the WAI-S in youth psychotherapy remain strongly intercorrelated.
This study examines the psychometrics of the 15-item version of the Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15).
An ethnically diverse sample of 538 college students participated in this study.
...The factor structure was evaluated through confirmatory factor analyses fitting 64 alternative models with and without method factors. Model fit as well as valid interpretations of the model parameters were considered in selecting the final model. Utilizing the final selected model, the relationship between mindfulness and the mindfulness facets with two related constructs, psychological inflexibility and emotional distress tolerance was examined.
The five-facet second-order model with a single-method factor best fitted to the data and provided sound, interpretable estimates. After accounting for the single-method effect, overall mindfulness was positively correlated with emotional distress tolerance and negatively correlated with psychological inflexibility.
The FFMQ-15 was a valid measure of mindfulness among university students when accounting for the method factor.
The authors examined the dimensionality of the VARK learning styles inventory. The VARK measures four perceptual preferences: visual (V), aural (A), read/write (R), and kinesthetic (K). VARK ...questions can be viewed as testlets because respondents can select multiple items within a question. The correlations between items within testlets are a type of method effect. Four multitrait—multimethod confirmatory factor analysis models were compared to evaluate the dimensionality of the VARK. The correlated trait—correlated method model had the best fit to the VARK scores. The estimated reliability coefficients were adequate. The study found preliminary support for the validity of the VARK scores. Potential problems related to item wording and the scale’s scoring algorithm were identified, and cautions with respect to using the VARK with research were raised.
Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the dimensionality of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), by testing the adjustment of eight factorial models: a one-factor and two-factor model and six ...single-factor models controlling for the method effect associated with the wording of negative and positive items, through the correlated traits-correlated uniqueness (CTCU) and correlated traits-correlated methods (CTCM) approaches. We also tested measurement invariance across gender. A total of 689 participants took part in the study, with ages between 18 and 70 years (M = 25.5; SD = 8.06), mainly females (77.1%), who answered the RSES and sociodemographic questions. The results showed that single-factor models controlling for the effect of negative items alone or positive and negative items together best fit the data. The results also indicated that the RSES is invariant across gender, presenting the same theoretical structure and psychological meaning for men and women.
Resumo O presente estudo objetivou avaliar a dimensionalidade da Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg (EAR), testando o ajuste de oito modelos fatoriais: unifatorial, bifatorial, e seis modelos unifatoriais controlando-se o efeito do método associado à redação dos itens negativos e positivos através das estratégias correlated traits-correlated uniqueness (CTCU) e correlated traits-correlated methods (CTCM). Ademais, avaliou-se se a EAR é invariante quanto ao gênero. Compuseram a amostra 689 participantes com idades variando entre 18 e 70 anos (M = 25,5; SD = 8,06), sendo a maioria do sexo feminino (77,1%), os quais responderam a EAR e perguntas sociodemográficas. Os resultados indicaram que modelos unifatoriais, controlando-se o efeito do método associado aos itens negativos ou aos itens negativos e positivos conjuntamente, são os mais ajustados aos dados. Observou-se também que a EAR é invariante em relação ao gênero, apresentando a mesma estrutura teórica e significado psicológico para homens e mulheres.
Resumen Este estudio objetivó evaluar la dimensionalidad de la Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg (EAR), probando el ajuste de ocho modelos factoriales: unifactorial, bifactorial, y seis modelos unifactoriales controlando el efecto del método de redacción de los ítems negativos y positivos a través de las estrategias correlated traits-correlated uniqueness (CTCU) y correlated traits-correlated methods (CTCM). Además, se evaluó si la EAR es equivalente a través de género. La muestra se conformó por 689 personas, con edades variando entre 18 y 70 años (M=25,5, DE=8,06), la mayoría mujeres (77,1%), que respondieron a la EAR y las preguntas sociodemográficas. Los resultados indicaron que los modelos unifactoriales, controlando el efecto del método asociado a los ítems negativos o a los ítems negativos y positivos conjuntamente, son los más ajustados a los datos. Se observó también que la EAR es equivalente a través de género, presentando la misma estructura teórica y significado psicológico para hombres y mujeres.
Right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) is notoriously complex, multifaceted, and difficult to measure as a psychological construct. Recently, Duckitt et al. developed the ACT scales, offering theoretical ...refinement of the RWA construct. Although the validity of the ACT scales had been supported by a considerable body of research, shortcomings in previous analyses cannot rule out the existence of possible method effects. In the present research, we sought to test for the presence of such effects in a representative community sample of adults in Singapore (N = 738). We re-evaluated the factor structure of the ACT scales by assessing four separate models using an item-based approach in our confirmatory factor analyses. Results found significant method effects associated with both the pro-trait and con-trait items in the ACT scales. The implications of these results and possible strategies for controlling method effects in the ACT scales are discussed.
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