The Thai version of the PSS-10: An Investigation of its psychometric properties

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Among the stress instruments that measure the degree to which life events are perceived as stressful, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is widely used. The goal of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a Thai version of the PSS-10 (T-PSS-10) with a clinical and non-clinical sample. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and the factorial structure of the scale were tested.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total sample of 479 adult participants was recruited for the study: 368 medical students and 111 patients from two hospitals in Northern Thailand. The T-PSS-10 was used along with the Thai version of State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Thai Version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Thai Depression Inventory (TDI).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) yielded 2 factors with eigenvalues of 5.05 and 1.60, accounting for 66 percent of variance. Factor 1 consisted of 6 items representing "stress"; whereas Factor 2 consisted of 4 items representing "control". The item loadings ranged from 0.547 to 0.881. Investigation of the fit indices associated with Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimation revealed that the two-factor solution was adequate [<it>χ</it>²= 35.035 (<it>df </it>= 26, N = 368, <it>p </it>< 0.111)]; Goodness-of-Fit Index (GFI) = 0.981; Root Mean Square Residual (RMR) = 0.022; Standardized Root Mean square Residual (SRMR) = 0.037, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.989; Normed Fit Index (NFI) = 0.96, Non-Normed Fit Index (NNFI) = 0.981, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.031. It was found that the T-PSS-10 had a significant positive correlation with the STAI (<it>r </it>= 0.60, <it>p </it>< 0.0001), and the TDI (<it>r </it>= 0.55, <it>p </it>< 0.0001); and was significantly negatively correlated with the RSES (<it>r </it>= -0.46, <it>p </it>< 0.0001, N = 368). The overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.85. The ICC was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.72 and 0.88) at 4 week-retest reliability.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The Thai version of the PSS-10 demonstrated excellent goodness-of-fit for the two factor solution model, as well as good reliability and validity for estimating the level of stress perception with a Thai population. Limitations of the study are discussed.</p

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY TRAITS AND THE INNER STRENGTHS

Background: Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality questionnaire (ZKA-PQ) measures five psychobiologically based personality factors (activity, aggression, extraversion, neuroticism, and sensation seeking). The inner strength (from the ten perfections based on Theravada Buddhism) deems positive character, which includes truthfulness, perseverance, wisdom, generosity, morality (five precepts), mindfulness and meditation, patience and endurance, equanimity, determination, and loving kindness measured by the strength-based inventory (SBI). Our aim was to unfold the relationship between ZKA factors and SBI. Methods: 642 Thai (age mean = 28.27, SD = 10.61) individuals (males 26.2%, females 73.8%) filled out our questionnaire battery: (1) Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality questionnaire - 200 items, 20 facets, five factors: Aggressiveness, Sensation Seeking, Activity, Extraversion, Neuroticism. (Cronbach alphas: 0.88, 0.81, 0.83, 0.89, 0.91 for AG, SS, AC, EX, NEU, respectively). (2) Strength-based inventory - 10 items, measuring 10 inner strength (Cronbach alpha: 0.68). Pearson correlation, neural network modelling and person-oriented methodology (model-based clustering) were conducted for analysis. Results: Our correlational results revealed that inner strengths are negatively related to Aggression (r=-0.44**), Neuroticism (r=-0.43**), Sensation seeking (r=-0.16**), whereas positively related to Extraversion (r=0.37**) and Activity (r=0.24**). Highest correlations were found between AG and patience (-0.43**) and NEU and perseverance (r=-0.40**), both with negative sign. According to neural network modelling Activity was most related to Perseverance, Aggression to lack of Patience, Neuroticism to lack of Perseverance and Equanimity, Sensation Seeking to lack of Morality. Extraversion was most weakly related to inner strengths, but it was related to all other personality dimensions. Model based clustering revealed four typical personality profiles: resilients (41.8%), extraverted undercontrollers (29.0%), introverted undercontrollers (10.6%) and overcontrolled (18.6%). Results showed that resilients had highest inner strength levels, whereas overcontrolled ones had the lowest. Conclusion: Negative traits are, as expected, conversely related with strength, while positive traits (extraversion and activity) are positively related with strength. Our results confirm that resilient personality pattern can be linked to the inner strengths measured by SBI scale, which was based on 10 Buddhist perfections. Further results should be addressed how increase in inner strength can be related to changes in biologically based personality dimensinos towards the resilient pattern

Quantum chaos for nonstandard symmetry classes in the Feingold-Peres model of coupled tops

We consider two coupled quantum tops with angular momentum vectors $\mathbf{L}$ and $\mathbf{M}$. The coupling Hamiltonian defines the Feinberg-Peres model which is a known paradigm of quantum chaos. We show that this model has a nonstandard symmetry with respect to the Altland-Zirnbauer tenfold symmetry classification of quantum systems which extends the well-known threefold way of Wigner and Dyson (referred to as `standard' symmetry classes here). We identify that the nonstandard symmetry classes BD$I_0$ (chiral orthogonal class with no zero modes), BD$I_1$ (chiral orthogonal class with one zero mode) and C$I$ (antichiral orthogonal class) as well as the standard symmetry class A$I$ (orthogonal class). We numerically analyze the specific spectral quantum signatures of chaos related to the nonstandard symmetries. In the microscopic density of states and in the distribution of the lowest positive energy eigenvalue we show that the Feinberg-Peres model follows the predictions of the Gaussian ensembles of random-matrix theory in the appropriate symmetry class if the corresponding classical dynamics is chaotic. In a crossover to mixed and near-integrable classical dynamics we show that these signatures disappear or strongly change.Comment: 15 page

Predictors of depressive symptoms in older adults living in care homes in Thailand

Background: Thai culture traditionally abhors elders living in care homes due to the belief that this represents a dereliction of filial piety by their children, thus care homes are stigmatized as the domain of poor older adults with no family. This may impact negatively on psychological wellbeing of residents, although little is known about the key factors influencing depressive symptoms. Therefore, this study explores factors associated with depressive symptoms, internalised stigma, self-esteem, social support and coping strategies among older adults residing in care homes in Thailand. Method/Design: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted with 128 older residents recruited from two care homes in Northeast Thailand. Data were collected using the 15-Item Thai Geriatric Depression Scale, Internalised Stigma of Living in a Care Home Scale, Thai Version of Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Thai Version of Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Coping Strategies Inventory Short-Form. Results: Depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with internalised stigma, self-esteem and social support (r= 0.563, -0.574 and -0.333) (p< 0.001), respectively. Perceived internalised stigma of living in a care home was the strongest predictor of care home residents reporting depressive symptoms (odds ratio=9.165). Discussion: Older adults who perceived high internalised stigma of living in a care home were over nine times as likely to report experiencing depressive symptoms. Efforts to decrease or prevent perceived internalised stigma might help to reduce depressive symptoms. Interventions might include media collaboration, educational interventions in the care home setting and organising social activities for residents and their families