A systematic review comparing two popular methods to assess a Type D personality effect

Introduction:  Type D personality, operationalized as high scores on negative affectivity (NA) and social inhibition (SI), has been associated with various medical and psychosocial outcomes. The recent failure to replicate several earlier findings could result from the various methods used to assess the Type D effect. Despite recommendations to analyze the continuous NA and SI scores, a popular approach groups people as having Type D personality or not. This method does not adequately detect a Type D effect as it is also sensitive to main effects of NA or SI only, suggesting the literature contains false positive Type D effects. Here, we systematically assess the extent of this problem. Method:  We conducted a systematic review including 44 published studies assessing a Type D effect with both a continuous and dichotomous operationalization. Results:  The dichotomous method showed poor agreement with the continuous Type D effect. Of the 89 significant dichotomous method effects, 37 (41.6%) were Type D effects according to the continuous method. The remaining 52 (58.4%) are therefore likely not Type D effects based on the continuous method, as 42 (47.2%) were main effects of NA or SI only. Conclusion:  Half of the published Type D effect according to the dichotomous method may be false positives, with only NA or SI driving the outcome

Evaluating the psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Impostor Profile scale (IPP30)

The Impostor Profile scale (IPP30) is a recently developed tool designed to delve into the nuanced aspects of the Impostor Phenomenon (IP), a psychological phenomenon where individuals wrongly attribute their successes to external factors, discounting their own abilities and often feeling like frauds. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties, including factor structure, internal consistency, and nomological validity, of the Swedish version of IPP30 (S-IPP30). In a sample of Swedish students (N = 1,010; 76.7% women; Mage = 25.65, SDage = 6.43), Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses were conducted to scrutinize S-IPP30’s structure. The analyses supported a bifactor model with six specific factors and one overarching factor. However, two items in the scale displayed poor alignment with their intended subscales, adversely affecting the internal consistency of the two subscales. Consequently, a rephrasing of these items was suggested. The remaining four S-IPP30 subscales exhibited good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.76–0.90, McDonald’s ω = 0.77–0.91). Convergent validity was confirmed by largely replicating correlations among various S-IPP30 facets, the unidimensional IP measure, personality variables, and self-esteem, thereby accomplishing the goal of validating S-IPP30. This proposed modification of the two items requires further validation using a new sample to ensure its appropriateness and effectiveness in measuring the intended constructs

Long-term effects of allergen sensitization and exposure in adult asthma: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: : We investigated the effects of sensitization and exposure to common domestic allergens on longitudinal changes in lung function and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. METHODS: : Subjects attended 2 visits that were 4 years apart. Skin prick testing was performed and household dust samples were collected for quantification of mite, dog, and cat allergens at baseline. Measurements of lung function, exhaled nitric oxide, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness were completed at both visits. RESULTS: : Dust samples were collected in 165 of the 200 subjects completing both visits. Mean length of follow-up was 47 months. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness, measured at both visits in 86 subjects, deteriorated in those exposed to high mite allergen levels compared with those not exposed [mean (95% CI) doubling dose change PD20 = -0.44 (-1.07 to 0.19) vs 0.82 (0.27 to 1.36)], but improved in those exposed to high dog allergen levels compared with those not exposed [1.10 (0.33 to 1.86) vs 0.10 (-0.39 to 0.58)]. The associations were significant in the multivariate models. Cat allergen exposure was not associated with any changes in lung function, exhaled nitric oxide, or bronchial hyperresponsiveness. CONCLUSIONS: : In a 4-year prospective cohort of persons with asthma, exposure to high levels of dust mite allergens at baseline was associated with a subsequent increase in bronchial hyperresponsiveness