Testing the middle response categories 'Not sure', 'In between' and '?' in polytomous items

The first aim of this study is to test two assumptions of integer scoring (the assumption of ordered response categories, and the assumption of ordered thresholds). We tested these assumptions using a set of items extracted from the social boldness scale of the 16PF questionnaire that were presented with three different middle response categories: «Not sure», «In between» and «?». The second aim was to compare a 3-point response scale with a dichotomous response scale in terms of the information function and correlations with external criteria. The sample was composed of 816 undergraduate students. The results obtained showed that both assumptions were met only when the middle response category was «In between». The results also revealed that a 3-point response scale including «In between» provided more information than a dichotomous response scale. Both scales showed similar correlations with the considered external criteria. Análisis de las categorías de respuesta central «No estoy seguro», «Término medio» y «?» en ítems politómicos. El primer objetivo de este estudio fue poner a prueba dos supuestos del procedimiento de puntuación de ítems politómicos mediante asignación de números enteros: a) el supuesto de categorías de respuesta ordenadas, y b) el supuesto de umbrales ordenados. Se utilizó un conjunto de ítems de la escala de atrevimiento social del test 16PF que fueron presentados con tres categorías de respuesta intermedia diferentes: «No estoy seguro», «Término medio» y «?». El segundo objetivo fue comparar una escala de respuesta politómica de tres alternativas con una dicotómica en términos de información y correlaciones con criterios externos. La muestra se componía de 816 estudiantes universitarios. Los dos supuestos sólo se cumplieron cuando la categoría central fue «Término medio». La escala de tres alternativas de respuesta con «Término medio» como la categoría central, ofreció más información que una escala dicotómica. Las correlaciones de ambas escalas con los criterios externos considerados fueron similares

Do gender and educational level predict vaccination? The mediating role of attitudes towards vaccines and fear of COVID-19

Given that the relationship between educational level, gender, and the fact of getting vaccinated does not seem to be clear, the aim of this research has been to verify if the beliefs towards vaccines and the fear of COVID-19 are mediating this relationship in a general Spanish sample of 761 participants. A logistic regression with latent variables was estimated using Mplus. The results showed that there is no direct effect of gender or educational level on vaccination but both, fear of COVID-19 and attitudes towards vaccines, act as mediators. Specifically, people with university studies show higher scores in trust of vaccine benefits, which in turn is a good predictor of getting vaccinated or not. So that having university studies and confidence in vaccines better predict getting vaccinated. Furthermore, being a woman with high levels of fear of COVID-19, as well as having up to higher education and showing high levels of fear of COVID-19, better predict getting vaccinated. However, this is a non-probabilistic sample, and similar studies should be carried out with a representative sample of the Spanish population and of another countries, in which the rate of people vaccinated against other viruses is declining. This study reports the importance of a model including mediating variables when analyzing the influence of sociodemographic variables on deciding to get vaccinated or not, because this kind of model allow the detection of specific groups with low probability of vaccination, which would allow the design of specific strategies

The Fear of Covid-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in Spain: Adaptation and Confirmatory Evidence of Construct and Concurrent Validity

Fear of the coronavirus has important implications on mental health. In western countries, a significant degree of vaccination has been achieved, but in Spain, less than 75% of the population has received both doses. The current situation is still seen as a threat by many people. Therefore, it is important to have reliable and valid measurement instruments to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the population. In this study, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale has been adapted to Spain, and its psychometric properties have been studied in a Spanish sample using Structural Equation Modeling. This methodology allows obtaining more reliable estimates, regardless of the measurement scale of the variables. The unifactorial structure was confirmed. The correlations with Neuroticism were statistically significant, and the concurrent validity structural equation model yielded good fit indices. However, neither age nor belonging to a risk group directly predict fear of the coronavirus in this sample, but gender and neuroticism are direct predictors. Likewise, neuroticism mediates the relationship between age and fear of COVID-19, and between gender and fear of COVID-19. So being young and being a woman show high scores on neuroticism, leading to their most intense fear of COVID-19. With this reliable and valid measurement instrument, it will be possible to assess the degree of fear of the coronavirus in the Spanish population and improve psychological inter ventions

Creencias que pueden impedir que la hipnosis sea una técnica útil para la salud: un estudio exploratorio con muestra cubana.

Los avances en la investigación sobre la hipnosis clínica permiten tener información sobre las áreas de eficacia de esta técnica coadyuvante a tratamientos médicos y psicológicos. La investigación empírica revela, así mismo, que la iatrogenia que puede asociarse a la hipnosis no se genera por una cualidad intrínseca de ella, si no por un mal uso por parte del terapeuta y por las creencias erróneas que se mantienen sobre ella. Especialmente destacan las creencias de la hipnosis como la maquina de la verdad o como forma de acceso a información reprimida/disociada en el inconsciente, ya que favorecen el desarrollo de falsos recuerdos. Nuestro estudio muestra que en Cuba la hipnosis es una técnica aceptada ampliamente, pero sobre la que se mantienen las creencias más iatrógenas, con lo que se corre el riesgo de difundir una hipnosis poco eficaz incluso perjudicial

Adaptation and study of the psychometric properties of the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire, in a Spanish university students sample

The aim of this work is to present the adaptation and study of the psychometric properties of the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire (B-YAACQ) in a sample of 323 Spanish Psychology students, of which 74.3% are women. The items were back-translated following the International Test Commission (ITC) standards, and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted by means of the Mplus program, using the Weighted Least Squares Means and Variances adjusted (WLSMV) extraction method and the polychoric correlation matrix. Goodness of fit of the CFA showed satisfactory results on the one-dimensional model, and all the factor loadings were adequate and statistically significant. The internal consistency and the homogeneity indices of the instrument are good. The questionnaire also presents good evidence of criterion validity and differential validity. With this instrument, the consequences derived from alcohol consumption in Spanish young people could be evaluated with precision, which will allow to propose more adjusted interventions to the real needs to prevent alcohol consumption

The functioning of central categories Middle Level and Sometimes in graded response scales: Does the label matter?

The present study evaluates the extent to which central categories explicitly labeled as being in the middle of the other response categories, specifically Middle Level and Sometimes, function as expected according to the integer scoring system. The assumptions are tested by means of Bock's Nominal Model in two 5-response scales. Results show that the assumption of the ordering of the response categories is met for all the items. The ordering of thresholds is satisfied for all but one item with the central category Middle Level . Results are compared with those obtained when middle categories are not explicitly labeled as being in the middle of the other response categories, as in the case of Not Sure , Undecided or

Impact of reading a scientific journal issue about hypnosis on the beliefs and attitudes towards hypnosis among psychologists

The goal of this study was to examine the influence of receiving scientific information about hypnosis over Spanish psychologists" beliefs and attitudes toward hypnosis. The Valencia Scale on Attitudes and Beliefs toward Hypnosis-Therapist (VSABH-T) was administered to 2434 Spanish psychologists. A retest and a second retest were carried out,and between these testing administrations a monograph issue focused on hypnosis was published in a journal that all members of the Spanish Psychological Association received. Results indicated that psychologists who read this monograph, in general terms, changed their misconceptions about hypnosis for correct beliefs and their negative attitudes toward hypnosis for positive ones. Moreover, the VSABH-T was useful for detecting changes in psychologists" beliefs and attitudes toward hypnosis. RESUMEN: El objetivo de este estudio es conocer la influencia de adquirir información científica referida a la hipnosis sobre las creencias y actitudes hacia la misma de los psicólogos colegiados españoles. Para ello se aplicó la Escala de Valencia de Actitudes y Creencias hacia la Hipnosis-Terapeuta (EVACH-T) a una muestra de 2434 colegiados en dos ocasiones, y una tercera más, ésta última tras publicarse un monográfico sobre hipnosis en la revista Papeles del Psicólogo, recibida por todos los colegiados. Los resultados indicaron que aquellos psicólogos que leyeron dicho monográfico cambiaron, en general, sus creencias erróneas por otras más ajustadas, y sus actitudes negativas por otras más positivas hacia la hipnosis. Asimismo, la EVACH-T es sensible a los cambios en las actitudes y creencias de los psicólogos hacia la hipnosis

Análisis y comparación de las propiedades psicométricas de una medida monoítem de la tensión laboral

En la literatura no se encuentran estudios que comparen las propiedades psicométricas de medidas monoítem y multiítem de un mismo constructo. Esto puede ser debido a que prevalece el criterio razonable de que es siempre más adecuado utilizar medidas multiítem. Por ello, el objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar y comparar las propiedades psicométricas de una medida monoítem y tres medidas multiítem de la tensión laboral: el Job Related Tension Index de Kahn et al. (1964), el Anxiety Stress Questionnaire de House y Rizzo (1972) y el Cuestionario de Tensión T3/15, elaborado por Meliá et al. (1987) en nuestro contexto cultural. Se ha estudiado la validez convergente y de constructo de la medida monoítem, y se ha realizado un análisis factorial confirmatorio de las cuatro medidas de tensión mediante el programa LISREL VII, para comprobar el grado en que la varianza observada en cada una de ellas se debe a variabilidad en el constructo tensión laboral. La medida monoítem se ha revelado como una medida de la tensión que presenta una buena validez convergente y de constructo, al mismo tiempo que ha mostrado una alta fiabilidad, mayor incluso que la de otras medidas empleadas con frecuencia por los investigadores en el ámbito organizacional. This study replicates Espejo's (1993) research on the Job Anxiety Questionnaire's factorial structure in a multioccupational sample (n=142). Moreover, the psychometric properties of the hypothesized subscales have been studied. On the one hand, the results show that, in the current study, the hypothesized factor structure presents a lightly worse fit, to the observed data (RMSR = 0.114). On the other hand, the factor loadings in both studies show that the behavioral items are the most unstable. Finally, the results about internal consistency and construct validity are consistent with those reparted by Espejo (1993). Whereas internal consistency for the cognitive and physiological subscales is satisfactory in both studies, internal consistency for the behavioral subscale is moderate. Finally the correlation pattern found between the three subscales and some job-related variables as role conflict, role clarity and job satisfaction, is very similar to that obtained by Espejo. In all, these correlational results provide empirical support for the construct validity of the subscales

Two dimensions of emotions in sports: Construction and validation of an assessment tool

The present work aims at the description of the evidence of construct validity and internal consistency of the"Instrument for Sport Competition Emotions" (INECOD), newly created instrument that evaluates the perception of physiological and cognitive dimensions of emotion during the competition. Using a sample of 411 athletes from nine disciplines, obtein a three-dimensional factor structure (positive affect, negative affect and anxiety) in the two subscales. The results confirm the evidence of construct validity (explained variance of 59.8% and 62.3%) and reliability (from α = .538 and .822) presenting a tool that can be used in sport populations, and should be confirmed in future works