Psychometric evaluation of the IWQOL-Lite (Spanish version) when applied to a sample of obese patients awaiting bariatric surgery

Background Obesity may have an impact on key aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). In this context, the Impact of Weight Quality of Life (IWQOL) questionnaire was the first scale designed to assess HRQOL. The aim of the present study was twofold: to assess HRQOL in a sample of Spanish patients awaiting bariatric surgery and to determine the psychometric properties of the IWQOL-Lite and its sensitivity to detect differences in HRQOL across groups. Methods Participants were 109 obese adult patients (BMI¿ 35 kg/m2) from Barcelona, to whom the following measurement instruments were applied: IWQOL-Lite, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, Brief Symptom Inventory, and self-perception items. Results Descriptive data regarding the IWQOL-Lite scores obtained by these patients are reported. Principal components analysis revealed a five-factor model accounting for 72.05% of the total variance, with factor loadings being adequate for all items. Corrected itemtotal correlations were acceptable for all items. Cronbach"s alpha coefficients were excellent both for the subscales (0.880.93) and the total scale (0.95). The relationship between the IWQOLLite and other variables supports the construct validity of the scale. Finally, sensitivity analysis revealed large effect sizes when comparing scores obtained by extreme BMI groups. Conclusions This is the first study to report the application of the IWQOL-Lite to a sample of Spanish patients awaiting bariatric surgery and to confirm that the Spanish version of the instrument has adequate psychometric properties.

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Career interventions for adults frequently include personality assessment. Personality in career counseling contexts should no longer be considered as vocational personality associated with personality interests but, rather, as a set of dispositions that has an impact on several vocational and career-related outcomes, such as work engagement, work satisfaction, job performance, etc. Although the relationship between personality and the vocational and career related outcomes is not direct, it might certainly be mediated by several regulatory processes, such as work adaptability, and moderated by contextual and environmental factors. Personality assessment initiates an individual's self-regulatory process and contributes to the overall effectiveness of career interventions when feedback is individualized and stimulates a deconstruction, reconstruction, and co-construction of the vocational or multiple self-concept. Personality assessments can also promote the reconstruction of a self-concept more aligned with the perception of the environment about the personality of the counselee, strengthening the reality principle allowing more rational and controlled choices. In addition, some specific personality profiles, such as having high levels of neuroticism and low levels of conscientiousness, can be considered as risk factors frequently leading to career decision-making difficulties. Moreover, people with low conscientiousness benefit less from career interventions, so special attention should be devoted to counselees having that characteristic. Two case studies are provided to illustrate these important aspects of personality assessment in career interventions.

Mesurer la stigmatisation perçue chez les personnes souffrant de troubles psychiques : traduction française, validation et adaptation de la Stigma Scale [French translation, validation and adaptation of the Stigma Scale].

AIM: People suffering from mental illness are exposed to stigma. However, only few tools are available to assess stigmatization as perceived from the patient's perspective. The aim of this study is to adapt and validate a French version of the Stigma Scale (King et al., 2007 [8]). This self-report questionnaire has a three-factor structure: discrimination, disclosure and positive aspects of mental illness. Discrimination subscale refers to perceived negative reactions of others. Disclosure subscale refers mainly to managing disclosure to avoid discrimination and finally positive aspects subscale taps into how patients are becoming more accepting, more understanding toward their illness. METHOD: In the first step, internal consistency, convergent validity and test-retest reliability of the French adaptation of the 28-item scale were assessed in a sample of 183 patients. Results of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) did not confirm the hypothesized structure. In the light of the failed attempts to validate the original version, an alternative 9-item short-form version of the Stigma Scale, maintaining the integrity of the original model, was developed based on results of exploratory factor analyses in the first sample and cross-validated in a new sample of 234 patients. RESULTS: Results of CFA did not confirm that the data fitted well to the three-factor model of the 28-item Stigma Scale (χ(2)/df=2.02, GFI=0.77, AGFI=0.73, RMSEA=0.07, CFI=0.77 and NNFI=0.75). Cronbach's α was excellent for discrimination (0.84) and disclosure (0.83) subscales but poor for potential positive aspects (0.46). External validity was satisfactory. Overall Stigma Scale total score was negatively correlated with the score on Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (r=-0.49), and each subscale was significantly correlated with a visual analogue scale that referred to the specific aspect of stigma (0.43≤|r|≤0.60). Intraclass correlation coefficients between 0.68 and 0.89 indicated good test-retest reliability. The results of the CFA demonstrated that the items chosen for the short version of the Stigma Scale have the expected fit properties (χ(2)/df=1.02, GFI=0.98, AGFI=0.98, RMSEA=0.01, CFI=1.0 and NNFI=1.0). Considering the small number (three) of items in each subscale of the short version of the Stigma Scale, α coefficients for discrimination (0.57), disclosure (0.80) and potential positive aspects subscales (0.62) are considered as good. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the 9-item French short version of the Stigma Scale is a useful, reliable and valid self-report questionnaire to assess perceived stigmatization in people suffering from mental illness. The time of completion is really short and questions are well understood and accepted by the patients.

Translation and validation of the Ten-Item-Personality Inventory into spanish and catalan

In response to an increasing need for ever-shorter personality instruments, Gosling, Rentfrow, and Swann (2003) developed the Ten-Item-Personality Inventory (TIPI), which measures the dimensions of the Five Factor Model (FFM) using 10 items (two for each dimension) and can be administered in about one minute. In two studies and using a multi-judge (self and observer) and multi-instrument design, we develop Spanish (Castilian) and Catalan versions of the TIPI and evaluate them in terms of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent, discriminant, and content validity, as well as self-observer correlations. Test-retest correlations were strong, and convergence with the NEO-PI-R factors was significant. There were also strong correlations between observer ratings and the participants’ self-ratings. Despite some inconsistencies with respect to the Agreeableness scale, the Catalan translation and both translations into Spanish of the original TIPI demonstrated sufficient psychometric properties to warrant use as a Five Factor personality measure when the use of longer instruments is not convenient or possible. Furthermore, as the first translation of a brief standard Big Five Instrument into Catalan, this work should facilitate future research on personality in the Catalan-speaking population.

Personality traits are associated with acute major depression across the age spectrum.

Objectives: Psychological predictors, such as personality traits, have aroused growing interest as possible predictors of late-life depression outcome in old age. It remains, however, unclear whether the cross-sectional relationship between personality traits and depression occurrence reported in younger samples is also present in the elderly. Methods: Comparisons amongst 79 outpatients with DSM-IV major depression and 102 healthy controls included assessment of the five-factor model of personality (NEO PI-R), socio-demographic variables, physical health status, as well as depression features. Two sub-groups were considered, defined as young (25-50 years) and old (60-85 years) patients. Results: Depressed patients showed significantly higher levels of Neuroticism and lower levels of Extraversion, Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness compared to controls. Sequential logistic regression models confirmed that the combination of increased physical burden, levels of dependency, and increased Neuroticism strongly predicts the occurrence of acute depressive symptoms. In contrast, the levels of Neuroticism did not allow for differentiating late-life from young age depression. Increased physical burden and decreased depression severity were the main predictors for this distinction. Conclusion: Our data indicate that personality factors and depression are related, independently of patients' age. Differences in this relationship are mainly due to the intensity of depressive symptoms rather than the patients' life period. They also stress the need to consider physical health, level of dependency and severity of symptoms when studying the relationship between personality traits and mood disorders.

Avainasiakassuhteiden analysointi ja -kehittämisstrategioiden luonti business-to-business markkinoilla toimivalle pk-yritykselle

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli tunnistaa tutkittavan yrityksen (Starlike Oy) avainasiakassuhteiden tila sekä luoda strategioita näiden asiakassuhteiden kehittämiseksi. Asiakassuhteiden tilaa pyrittiin analysoimaan tarkastelemalla kolmea suhteen osatekijää; ilmapiiriä, transaktiohistoriaa ja toimijoita. Vastaavasti strategioiden luonnintukena käytettiin asiakassuhteen osatekijöiden painoarvo- sekä asiakassuhteen ongelmat/tarpeet -mallia. Tutkimusmenetelmänä käytettiin kyselytutkimusta, jonka aineisto kerättiin sähköpostikyselyllä syksyn 2006 aikana niin asiakkailta kuin yritykseltäkin. Asiakassuhteiden havaittiin jakautuvan viidelle tasolle jakauman noudattaessa normaalijakaumaa. Asiakkaan ja myyjän näkemyksissä asiakassuhteen nykytilasta ei havaittu olevan järjestelmällistä eroa. Toisaalta myyjän havaittiin asettavan asiakassuhteen tavoitteet järjestelmällisesti asiakasta korkeammalle. Asiakassuhteiden tavoitteiden havaittiin lisäksi jakautuvan asiakassuhteen tasoittain kahteen osaan siten, että noin puolet asiakkaista halusi kehittää asiakassuhdettaan ja noin puolet oli tyytyväisiä sen nykytilaan.

The Persistence of Finnish Equity Fund Performance

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on selvittää, esiintyykö suomeen sijoittavilla osakerahastoilla menestyksen pysyvyyttä. Tutkimusaineisto koostuu kaikista suomalaisista osakerahastoista, jotka toimivat ajanjaksolla 15.1.1998-13.1.2005. Aineisto on vapaa selviytymisvinoumasta. Suorituskyvyn mittareina käytetään CAPM-alfaa sekä kolmi- ja nelifaktori-alfaa. Empiirisessä osassa osakerahastojen menestyksen pysyvyyttä testataan Spearmanin järjestyskorrelaatiotestillä. Evidenssi menestyksen pysyvyydestä jäi vähäiseksi, vaikkakin sitä esiintyi satunnaisesti kaikilla menestysmittareilla joillakin ranking- ja sijoitusperiodin yhdistelmillä. CAPM-alfalla tarkasteltuna tilastollisesti merkitsevää menestyksen pysyvyyttä esiintyi selvästi useammin kuin muilla menestysmittareilla. Tulokset tukevat viimeaikaisia kansainvälisiä tutkimuksia, joiden mukaan menestyksen pysyvyys riippuu usein mittaustavasta. Menestysmittareina käytettyjen regressiomallien merkitsevyystestit osoittavat multifaktorimallien selittävän osakerahastojen tuottoja CAPM:a paremmin. Lisätyt muuttujat parantavat merkittävästi CAPM:n selitysvoimaa.

Psychometric properties of the French version of the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire

Este estudio instrumental fue diseñado para investigar las propiedades psicométricas de la versión francesa y replicabilidad transcultural del Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ) en sus factores y facetas. El ZKPQ es un instrumento destinado a evaluar los cinco factores básicos del Alternative Five-Factor Model (AFFM). Los participantes fueron 843 suizos francófonos, principalmente estudiantes universitarios. Obtenidos los factores estos mostraron una fiabilidad entre 0,73 y 0,87, y sus facetas entre 0,57 y 0,77. Las diferencias entre géneros son similares a las informadas en la muestra americana. Las mujeres alcanzaron puntuaciones superiores en N-Anx, y puntuaciones más bajas en ImpSS y Act. El resultado de los análisis factoriales exploratorios respaldó la estructura de cinco factores y sus correspondientes facetas. Las correlaciones entre las escalas sostienen que los cinco factores básicos del AFFM son ortogonales. Los coeficientes de congruencia muestran la elevada eplicabilidad transcultural de los factores y sus facetas. Se puso a prueba el ajuste del modelo en sus factores y facetas mediante análisis factorial confirmatorio. Los resultados indican que la versión en lengua francesa del ZKPQ es un instrumento fiable y válido y posee buena replicabilidad transcultural.

Spanish adaptation of the Expectancy Questionnaire (EQ) about alcohol effects in adolescents

Background: Alcohol-related expectancies are especially relevant in relation to alcohol consumption during adolescence. The main aim of this study was to adapt and translate into Spanish (Castilian) the Expectancy Questionnaire (EQ), and to study its psychometric properties in adolescents. Method: The sample was composed of 514 adolescents (57.20% female, mean age = 15.21; SD = .63) who completed the EQ and the alcohol consumption questionnaire AIS-UJI. Results: Confi rmatory factor analysis indicated that an eight-factor model, grouped into two general factors of positive and negative expectancies, had acceptable fi t indices. Cronbach’s alphas ranged from .75 to .96. Finally, the structural equation model showed that positive expectancies were positively related to alcohol use, whereas negative expectancies were negatively related to drinking. Conclusions: Results showed that the Spanish version of the EQ for adolescents is a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure expectancies about alcohol effects.

The Measurement Invariance of Schizotypy in Europe

The short version of the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences (sO-LIFE) is a widely used measure assessing schizotypy. There is limited information, however, on how sO-LIFE scores compare across different countries. The main goal of the present study is to test the measurement invariance of the sO-LIFE scores in a large sample of non-clinical adolescents and young adults from four European countries (UK, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain). The scores were obtained from validated versions of the sO-LIFE in their respective languages. The sample comprised 4190 participants (M = 20.87 years; SD = 3.71 years). The study of the internal structure, using confirmatory factor analysis, revealed that both three (i.e., positive schizotypy, cognitive disorganisation, and introvertive anhedonia) and four-factor (i.e., positive schizotypy, cognitive disorganisation, introvertive anhedonia, and impulsive nonconformity) models fitted the data moderately well. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis showed that the three-factor model had partial strong measurement invariance across countries. Eight items were non-invariant across samples. Significant statistical differences in the mean scores of the s-OLIFE were found by country. Reliability scores, estimated with Ordinal alpha ranged from 0.75 to 0.87. Using the Item Response Theory framework, the sO-LIFE provides more accuracy information at the medium and high end of the latent trait. The current results show further evidence in support of the psychometric proprieties of the sO-LIFE, provide new information about the cross-cultural equivalence of schizotypy and support the use of this measure to screen for psychotic-like features and liability to psychosis in general population samples from different European countries.

Validation of French and German versions of a Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion questionnaire among young Swiss males, and its relationship with substance use

This study main purpose was the validation of both French and German versions of a Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire. The sample group comprised 5065 Swiss men from the "Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors." Multigroup Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a three-factor model fits the data well, which substantiates the generalizability of Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire factor structure, regardless of the language. The Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire demonstrated excellent homogeneity (α = 95) and split-half reliability (r = .96). The Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire was sensitive to community size and participants' financial situation, confirming that it also measures real social conditions. Finally, weak but frequent correlations between Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire and alcohol, cigarette, and cannabis dependence were measured.

Risk-Return Trade-Off for European Stock Markets

This paper adopts dynamic factor models with macro-finance predictors to test the intertemporal risk-return relation for 13 European stock markets. We identify country specific, euro area, and global macro-finance factors to determine the conditional risk and return. Empirically, the risk- return trade-off is generally negative. However, a Markov switching model documents that there is time-variation in this trade-off that is linked to the state of the economy. Keywords: Risk-return trade-off; Dynamic factor model; Macro-finance predictors; European stock markets; Markov switching model JEL Classifications: C22; G11; G12; G17

Kvantitatiivisen osakepisteytysmallin testaaminen Euroopan markkinoilla

Tutkielman tavoitteena on testata kvantitatiivisen osakepisteytysmallin tehokkuutta Euroopan osakemarkkinoilla. Osakepisteytysmalli järjestää osakkeet paremmuusjärjestykseen yrityskohtaisten tunnuslukujen avulla. Pisteytysmallin suositusten mukaan luodaan testisalkku ajanjaksolta 2002 2007. Testisalkun tuottoa mitataan pääomahyödykkeiden hinnoittelumallin sekä Faman ja Frenchin kolmen faktorin mallin avulla. Testisalkkua testataan markkina arvopainoisena sekä tasapainoisena. Tasapainoisessa salkussa jokaista osaketta painotetaan yhtäläisesti. Testisalkun rinnalle luodaan lisäksi vertailusalkku satunnaisista osakkeista. Tasapainotettu testisalkku tuotti tarkasteluajanjaksolla tilastollisesti merkitsevää markkinariskikorjattua ylituottoa 0,7 prosenttia kuukaudessa. Kolmen faktorin mallin avulla laskettu ylituotto ei ollut merkitsevä. Yrityskokofaktori sekä markkinatuotto näyttivät selittävän vahvasti testisalkun tuottoja. Yrityskoon vaikutus näkyi myös markkina arvopainotetussa salkussa, jonka tuotto ei päihittänyt markkinatuottoa. Vertailusalkku ei tuottanut tilastollisesti merkitsevää ylituottoa.

Distribution Patterns of Soil Properties in a Rural Mediterranean Area in Northeastern Spain

Soil properties on the Cap de Creus Peninsula, NE Spain depend primarily on scarce agricultural practices and early abandonment. In the study area, 90% of which is mainly covered by Cistus shrubs, 8 environments representing variations in land use/land cover and soil properties at different depths were identified. In each environment variously vegetated areas were selected and sampled. The soils, collected at different depths, were classified as Lithic Xerorthents according to the United States Department of Agriculture system of soil classification (USDA-NRCS 1975). Differences in soil properties were largely found according to the evolution of the plant canopy and the land use history. To identify underlying patterns in soil properties related to environmental evolution, factor analysis was performed and factor scores were used to determine how the factor patterns varied between soil variables, soil depths and selected environments. The three-factor model always accounted for 80% of the total variation in the data at the different soil depths. Organic matter was the more relevant soil property at 0–2 cm depth, whereas active minerals (silt and clay) were found to be the most relevant soil parameters controlling soil dynamics at the other depths investigated. Results showed that vineyards and olive tree soils are poorly developed and present worse conditions for mineral and organic compounds. Analysis of factor scores allowed independent assessment of soils, depth and plant cover and demonstrated that soils present the best physico-chemical characteristics under Erica arborea and meadows. In contrast, soils under Cistus monspeliensis were less nutrient rich and less well structured

Validation of an instrument to evaluate quality of life in the aging population: WHOQOL-AGE.

BACKGROUND: There is a need for short, specific instruments that assess quality of life (QOL) adequately in the older adult population. The aims of the present study were to obtain evidence on the validity of the inferences that could be drawn from an instrument to measure QOL in the aging population (people 50+ years old), and to test its psychometric properties. METHODS: The instrument, WHOQOL-AGE, comprised 13 positive items, assessed on a five-point rating scale, and was administered to nationally representative samples (n = 9987) from Finland, Poland, and Spain. Cronbach's alpha was employed to assess internal consistency reliability, whereas the validity of the questionnaire was assessed by means of factor analysis, graded response model, Pearson's correlation coefficient and unpaired t-test. Normative values were calculated across countries and for different age groups. RESULTS: The satisfactory goodness-of-fit indices confirmed that the factorial structure of WHOQOL-AGE comprises two first-order factors. Cronbach's alpha was 0.88 for factor 1, and 0.84 for factor 2. Evidence supporting a global score was found with a second-order factor model, according to the goodness-of-fit indices: CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.073. Convergent validity was estimated at r = 0.75 and adequate discriminant validity was also found. Significant differences were found between healthy individuals (74.19 ± 13.21) and individuals with at least one chronic condition (64.29 ± 16.29), supporting adequate known-groups validity. CONCLUSIONS: WHOQOL-AGE has shown good psychometric properties in Finland, Poland, and Spain. Therefore, considerable support is provided to using the WHOQOL-AGE to measure QOL in older adults in these countries, and to compare the QOL of older and younger adults.