Cross-validation of the very short form of the Physical Self-Inventory (PSI-VS) : invariance across genders, age groups, ethnicities and weight statuses

In a recent review of various physical self-concept instruments, Marsh and Cheng (in press) noted that the very short 12-item version of the French Physical Self-Inventory (PSI-VS) represents an important contribution to applied research but that further research was needed to investigate the robustness of its psychometric properties in new and diversified samples. The present study was designed to answer these questions based on a sample of 1103 normally achieving French adolescents. The results show that the PSI-VS measurement model is quite robust and fully invariant across subgroups of students formed according to gender, weight, age and ethnicity. The results also confirm the convergent validity and scale score reliability of the PSI-VS subscales

Directionality of the associations between psychological empowerment and behavioural involvement : a longitudinal autoregressive cross-lagged analysis

Many cross-sectional studies have suggested that psychological empowerment (PE) - a higher-order motivational construct - is related to employees' in-role and extra-role behavioural involvement (BI). The objective of this study was to assess the directionality of the longitudinal relationships between PE and employees' BI. Based on theories, three alternative causal directions are examined: two unidirectional models (PE → BI, BI → PE) and one reciprocal model including effects in both directions. A total of 818 health care workers completed self-report questionnaires at three time points, equally spaced by a 1-year lag. The results from autoregressive cross-lagged fully latent structural equation models showed that on the construct level, PE significantly predicts subsequent BI, while the reverse causality was not supported. However, the exploration of relationships at the dimension level of PE suggests the existence of reverse and reciprocal relationship between some PE and BI dimensions. Consistent with previous longitudinal studies, levels of PE especially, but also BI, appeared to be very stable over time. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Factor structure and measurement invariance of a short measure of the Big Five personality traits

The main purpose of this study is to assess the factor structure and the measurement invariance of the Mini-International Personality Item Pool (Mini-IPIP; Donnellan, Oswald, Baird, & Lucas, 2006). The Mini-IPIP is a brief instrument evaluating personality traits according to the Big Five models. Two samples were collected comprising nearly 800 participants. Confirmatory factor analyzes revealed a five-factor solution consistent with the Big Five model. Measurement invariance analyses showed that the Mini-IPIP was reasonably invariant across samples, genders and age groups. Overall, results pointed to a satisfactory factorial structure and an adequate invariance of the measure

Measurement invariance of big-five factors over the life span : ESEM tests of gender, age, plasticity, maturity, and la dolce vita effects

This substantive-methodological synergy applies evolving approaches to factor analysis to substantively important developmental issues of how five-factor-approach (FFA) personality measures vary with gender, age, and their interaction. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) conducted at the item level often do not support a priori FFA structures, due in part to the overly restrictive assumptions of CFA models. Here we demonstrate that exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), an integration of CFA and exploratory factor analysis, overcomes these problems with the 15-item Big Five Inventory administered as part of the nationally representative British Household Panel Study (N14,021; age: 15-99 years,Mage 47.1). ESEM fitted the data substantially better and resulted in much more differentiated (less correlated) factors than did CFA. Methodologically, we extended ESEM (introducing ESEM-within-CFA models and a hybrid of multiple groups and multiple indicators multiple causes models), evaluating full measurement invariance and latent mean differences over age, gender, and their interaction. Substantively the results showed that women had higher latent scores for all Big Five factors except for Openness and that these gender differences were consistent over the entire life span. Substantial nonlinear age effects led to the rejection of the plaster hypothesis and the maturity principle but did support a newly proposed la dolce vita effect in old age. In later years, individuals become happier (more agreeable and less neurotic), more self-content and self-centered (less extroverted and open), more laid back and satisfied with what they have (less conscientious, open, outgoing and extroverted), and less preoccupied with productivity

The eating attitudes test-26 revisited using exploratory structural equation modeling

Most previous studies have failed to replicate the original factor structure of the 26-item version of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) among community samples of adolescents. The main objective of the present series of four studies (n = 2178) was to revisit the factor structure of this instrument among mixed gender community samples of adolescents using both exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). First, results from the ESEM analyses provided satisfactory goodness-of-fit statistics and reliability coefficients for a six-factor model of the EAT with 18 items (EAT-18) closely corresponding to the original seven-factor structure proposed for the 40-item version of the EAT. Second, these analyses were satisfactorily replicated among a new sample of community adolescents using CFA. The results confirmed the factor loading and intercept invariance of this model across gender and age groups (i.e.; early and late adolescence), as well as the complete invariance of the EAT-18 measurement model between ethnicities (i.e.; European versus African origins) and across weight categories (i.e.; underweight, normal weight and overweight). Finally, the last study provided support for convergent validity of the EAT-18 with the Eating Disorder Inventory and with instruments measuring global self-esteem, physical appearance, social physique anxiety and fear of negative appearance evaluation

Role of psychological empowerment in the reduction of burnout in Canadian healthcare workers

In this study, we investigated the role of psychological empowerment as a protective factor for burnout among workers exposed to work-related stressors (e.g. daily hassles, overload, job changes). A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted, with a convenience sample of 401 healthcare workers. Hierarchical multiple regressions were performed to test main and moderating effects of empowerment cognitions. Results revealed partial support for the hypotheses. Only the job meaningfulness cognition exerts a beneficent main effect on all burnout symptoms beyond the effect of stressors. Some moderating effects differing according to burnout dimensions were also found. Most interestingly, high levels of empowerment cognitions accentuate the effect of change-related resources in the reduction of emotional exhaustion. Because psychological empowerment has beneficial effects, organizations could rely on different strategies to enhance it

Gender differences in psychosocial determinants of university students’ intentions to buy fair trade products

This study examined gender differences in university students’ intentions to buy fair trade (FT) products through the lens of the moral norm extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Data were obtained from 782 students at the University of Luxemburg. Results of structural equation analysis indicated that the inclusion of moral norms increased the explained variance in behavioural intentions from 62 to 69.4%. Compared to men, women reported more favourable attitude, higher moral obligation, and stronger intentions toward buying FT products. Moderating analyses showed that the attitude–intentions relationship was stronger for men, whereas the perceived behavioural control–intentions relationship was stronger for women. The implications of the moderation analysis are that sustainability professionals seeking to encourage university students’ intentions to buy FT products should develop gender-targeted interventions: for men, more emphasis should be placed on attitude toward buying FT products (i.e., the advantages of adopting this behaviour), and for women, more emphasis should be placed on perceived behavioural control (e.g., factors that facilitate the purchase of FT products)

Physical self-concept and disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors in French athlete and non-athlete adolescent girls : direct and indirect relations

This study aims to investigate the direct and indirect associations between physical self-subdomains, physical self-worth, global self-worth, and disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors among French non-elite athlete and non-athlete adolescent girls. A sample of adolescent girls including 50 ballet dancers, 41 basketball players, and 47 non-athletes was used in this study. Data obtained from the ballet dancer and basketball player subsamples revealed significant, sample-specific as well as common, direct relations between global and physical self-perceptions and disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors, as well as significant indirect relations (via global self-worth and physical self-worth) between specific physical self-perceptions and disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors. In contrast, no association was found between global and physical self-perceptions in the sample of non-athlete adolescent girls

Prevalence and sport-related predictors of disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors : moderating effects of sex and age

Very few studies examined the prevalence and sport-related predictors of disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors (DEABs) among adolescents involved in sport practice, and their results are mixed and inconclusive. These inconsistencies are most likely due to their methodological heterogeneity and to the fact that none of these studies took into consideration the potentially relevant characteristics of the sport practice context. This study attempts to answer this limitation among French adolescents not involved or involved in various sports contexts defined based on their organization, leanness-centration, and competitive level. Participants were 335 adolescents involved in sport practice, and 435 adolescents not involved in any form of regular sport practice. The DEABs were measured using the Eating Attitudes Test-26. Global results do not showed any significant association between the status of the participants and DEAB. However, these results drastically changed when we considered the potential moderating role of sex and age on these relations. Indeed, sports involvement in general, and involvement in leanness and competitive sports were found to exert sex- and age-differentiated effects on the risks of presenting clinically significant levels of DEAB. This study suggests the importance of monitoring, preventive, and early intervention mechanisms within the context of practice, particularly for adolescent girls

Directionality of the relationships between global self-esteem and physical self components in anorexic outpatient girls : an in-depth idiographic analysis

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the directionality of the observed relationships between global self-esteem and the physical self components in anorexic outpatient girls over a 140-day period. Nine anorexic outpatients (Mage = 18.50, s.d. age = 2.58; MBody Mass Index = 16.74, s.d.Body Mass Index = 2.04) completed daily a short version of the physical self-inventory between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. This instrument assessed with a 10-cm visual analog scale global self-esteem and physical self-perceptions (i.e. physical self-worth, physical condition, sport competence, body attractiveness, and physical strength). Cross-correlations analyses were used. The results showed highest coefficients between dimensions at lag 0. The direction of the relationships between global self-esteem and physical self components in anorexic outpatients mostly corresponded to a reciprocal hypothesis. This suggests that a positive or negative change in global self-esteem or sub-domains of physical self perceptions affected rapidly (in less than a day) the proximal domain or sub-domains of the hierarchical physical self-concept structure