Formative Versus Reflective Measurement: An Illustration Using Work–Family Balance

Evaluating interpersonal discrimination and depressive symptoms as partial mediators of the effects of education on cognition: Evidence from the Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR)

INTRODUCTION

Education is correlated with positive health outcomes, but associations are sometimes weaker among African Americans. The extent to which exposure to discrimination and depressive symptoms attenuates the education-cognition link has not been investigated.

METHODS

Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR) participants (n = 764; average age 69 years) completed the Spanish and English Neuropsychological Assessment Scales. We assessed everyday and major lifetime discrimination and depressive symptoms as mediators of education effects on cognition using G-estimation with measurement error corrections.

RESULTS

Education was correlated with greater major lifetime and everyday discrimination but lower depressive symptoms. Accounting for discrimination and depressive symptoms slightly reduced the estimated effect of education on cognition. The estimated total effect of graduate education (vs 

DISCUSSION

Education has robust effects on later-life cognition after controlling multiple mediating pathways and offsetting mechanisms.

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Key Words

• African Americans
• cognition
• depression
• discrimination
• education
• psychosocial stress

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MESH Headings

• Aged
• Humans
• Black or African American
• Cognition
• Depression/psychology
• Educational Status
• Healthy Aging
• Racism/ethnology
• Racism/psychology

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Grants

• R01 AG066132 NIA NIH HHS
• R01 AG050782 NIA NIH HHS
• RF1 AG050782 NIA NIH HHS
• P30 AG072972 NIA NIH HHS
• R00 AG073457 NIA NIH HHS

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Affiliation(s)

Dakota W. Cintron Center for Health and Community, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
Camilla Calmasini Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
Lisa L. Barnes Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA Department of Neurology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
Dan M. Mungas Department of Neurology, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, USA
Rachel A. Whitmer Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
Chloe W. Eng Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
Paola Gilsanz Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
Kristen M. George Department of Neurology, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, USA Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
Rachel Peterson Department of Neurology, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, USA Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
M. Maria Glymour Center for Health and Community, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

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COVID-19 Effects on Environmentally Responsible Behavior: A Social Impact Perspective from Latin American Countries

The aim of the research is to examine the relationships between the following variables (a) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), composed of Attitudes (ATT), Subjective Norms (SN), and Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC); and (b) Consciousness (EC) on the dependent variable Environmentally Responsible Purchase Intention (ERPI) from the perspective of the Latin American consumer in a pandemic. Currently, the literature on the relationships proposed in the explanatory model is still scarce at a theoretical and practical level, without empirical evidence in Latin America. The data collection is from 1624 voluntary responses from consumers in Chile (n = 400), Colombia (n = 421), Mexico (n = 401), and Peru (n = 402) collected through online surveys. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) and multi-group to test invariance analysis and the moderating effects, we can determine the relationship between the variables in the proposed model, generating evidence from Latin American countries. The empirical analysis verified that Attitude (ATT), Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC), and Environmental Consciousness (CE) have a positive and significant effect on Environmentally Responsible Purchase Intention (ERPI). The results also show that the generation variable presents invariance. Therefore, the groups are not different at the model level for the generation variable, becoming relevant to the difference at the path level. Therefore, the results of this study become a relevant contribution, indicating a moderating effect on the generation variable. This research provides insights for understanding Latin American consumers, and managerial implications are also provided for developing strategies to promote sustainable consumption.

Development and Preliminary Validation of the Pandemic Avoidance and Concern Scales (PACS)

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to radical disruptions to the routines of individuals and families, but there are few psychometrically assessed measures for indexing behavioural responses associated with a modern pandemic. Given the likelihood of future pandemics, valid tools for assessing pandemic-related behavioral responses relevant to mental health are needed. This need may be especially salient for studies involving families, as they may experience higher levels of stress and maladjustment related to school and business closures. We therefore created the Pandemic Avoidance and Concern Scales (PACS) to assess caregivers’ and youths’ adjustment to COVID-19 and future pandemics. Concern and Avoidance factors derived from exploratory factor analyses were associated with measures of internalizing symptoms, as well as other indices of pandemic-related disruption. Findings suggest that the PACS is a valid tool for assessing pandemic-related beliefs and behaviors in adults and adolescents. Preliminary findings related to differential adjustment between caregivers and youths are discussed.

Dem Fachkräftemangel das Handwerk legen

Zusammenfassung. Der Fachkräftemangel stellt besonders im Handwerk große Anforderungen an die Führungskräfte. Um Führungskräfte im Handwerk bei der mitarbeiterorientierten Führung zu unterstützen, wurde ein Instrument zur bedürfnisorientierten Arbeitsanalyse (MotivSORT) entwickelt und pilotiert. Mit MotivSORT befragen Führungskräfte die Mitarbeitenden zu 15 Arbeitsmerkmalen auf den Dimensionen (1) Wichtigkeit und (2) Ausprägung im Arbeitsalltag. Die Validität und Akzeptanz von MotivSORT wurde in zwei Studien mit Mitarbeitenden im Handwerk ( N1 = 51; N2 = 203) untersucht. Eine Überprüfung des formativen Messmodells zeigte Konvergenzvalidität und erwartungskonforme Zusammenhänge zwischen der Ausprägung bedürfnisbezogener Arbeitsmerkmale und Indikatoren der Mitarbeitendenbindung (z. B. Arbeitszufriedenheit, affektive Bindung, Kündigungsabsicht). Zudem zeigte sich eine hohe Akzeptanz von MotivSORT seitens der Mitarbeitenden auf den Dimensionen Nützlichkeit, Einfachheit der Anwendung, Arbeitsplatzrelevanz und Nutzungsabsicht. MotivSORT wird aktuell in der Betriebsberatung der Handwerkskammern Rheinland-Pfalz zur mitarbeiterorientierten Führung sowie Organisationsdiagnose implementiert. Perspektivisch wird die Anwendung auf weitere Branchen und organisational relevante Themen wie Personalauswahl und Veränderungsprozesse erweitert.

A configurational approach to understanding the drivers of mobile phone usage in developing countries

While mobile technologies adoption has been largely examined by IS research, the symbolic meanings related to these technologies and the role they play in the adoption of mobile technologies in developing countries has been neglected. Thus, we examine the effects of symbolic drivers (extended self, uniqueness and status gain), experiential (flow) and functional drivers (ease of use, usefulness) on mobile technologies usage by applying the fuzzy-set configurational approach (fsQCA). Survey responses were collected from 430 inhabitants from Ghana. The results show six configurations in which different combinations of symbolic meanings with traditional adoption factors lead to mobile phone usage. These multiple configurations reveal that there is not a single optimal feature that leads to mobile phone adoption in developing countries but rather a blend of features, depending on different combinations of symbolic, experiential and functional variables.

A systematic review of measures assessing mental health professionals' perspectives of recovery

Recovery is internationally recognized as a concept to improve the well-being of consumers. Compared with the numerous measures assessing consumer perspectives of recovery, only a few measures have been developed to assess Mental Health Professionals' (MHPs) perspectives of recovery to inform practice. The present study aims to systematically review the literature to identify existing measures designed to assess MHPs' perspectives of recovery and evaluate their psychometric properties, and the methodological considerations of the design and use of these measures. We searched literature across eight electronic databases: MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PsyArticles, CINAHL, Scopus, EMBASE, and Google scholar. We identified 2631 articles across all databases. Of these, 40 articles met the inclusion criteria, which comprised 14 original measures assessing mental health recovery and 26 articles reassessing the psychometric properties of the original 14 measures. Our results suggested that while there are existing measures for assessing MHPs' perspectives of recovery, only a few of these measures met standard evaluation criteria for psychometric properties. Specifically, the validation of the identified measures is still in its infancy. For example, the easiness of applying the measures differs among the studies, and only a few of the measures fully involved consumers in the scale development phase. The implication of the findings for future use and development of recovery measures in mental health practice and research are discussed and recommended.

Witnessing Acute Stress Reaction in Team Members: The Moderating Effect of Peer-Based Training

Individuals who witness team members exhibiting symptoms of an acute stress reaction (ASR) in the middle of a high-stress operational event may be negatively affected; ASR-related training may moderate this impact. In the present study, 560 Israeli soldiers were surveyed about ASR exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, public stigma, and whether they had received ASR-related training. This training, called YaHaLOM, is a Hebrew acronym that outlines steps for managing ASR in team members. Controlling for combat exposure, greater exposure to ASR symptoms was associated with more overall PTSD symptoms, PTSD cluster symptoms, and public stigma. YaHaLOM training buffered these relationships for PTSD, intrusion and avoidance symptoms, and public stigma. The findings suggest that such training may help teams in high-risk occupations better manage ASR exposure.

Acquisition of dental skills in preclinical technique courses: influence of spatial and manual abilities

Sixty years of research have not added up to a concordant evaluation of the influence of spatial and manual abilities on dental skill acquisition. We used Ackerman's theory of ability determinants of skill acquisition to explain the influence of spatial visualization and manual dexterity on the task performance of dental students in two consecutive preclinical technique courses. We measured spatial and manual abilities of applicants to Hamburg Dental School by means of a multiple choice test on Technical Aptitude and a wire-bending test, respectively. Preclinical dental technique tasks were categorized as consistent-simple and inconsistent-complex based on their contents. For analysis, we used robust regression to circumvent typical limitations in dental studies like small sample size and non-normal residual distributions. We found that manual, but not spatial ability exhibited a moderate influence on the performance in consistent-simple tasks during dental skill acquisition in preclinical dentistry. Both abilities revealed a moderate relation with the performance in inconsistent-complex tasks. These findings support the hypotheses which we had postulated on the basis of Ackerman's work. Therefore, spatial as well as manual ability are required for the acquisition of dental skills in preclinical technique courses. These results support the view that both abilities should be addressed in dental admission procedures in addition to cognitive measures.

Development and validation of the Myasthenia Gravis Impairment Index

Objective:

We aimed to develop a measure of myasthenia gravis impairment using a previously developed framework and to evaluate reliability and validity, specifically face, content, and construct validity.

Methods:

The first draft of the Myasthenia Gravis Impairment Index (MGII) included examination items from available measures enriched with newly developed, patient-reported items, modified after patient input. International neuromuscular specialists evaluated face and content validity via an e-mail survey. Test–retest reliability was assessed in stable patients at a 3-week interval and interrater reliability was evaluated in the same day. Construct validity was assessed through correlations between the MGII and other measures and by comparing scores in different patient groups.

Results:

The first draft was assessed by 18 patients, and 72 specialists answered the survey. The second draft had 7 examination and 22 patient-reported items. Field testing included 200 patients, with 54 patients completing the reliability studies. Test–retest reliability of the total score was good (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.92; 95% confidence interval 0.79–0.94), as was interrater reliability of the examination component (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.81; 95% confidence interval 0.79–0.94). The MGII correlated well with comparison measures, with higher correlations with the MG–activities of daily living (r = 0.91) and MG-specific quality of life 15-item scale (r = 0.78). When assessing different patient groups, the scores followed expected patterns.

Conclusions:

The MGII was developed using a patient-centered framework of myasthenia-related impairments and incorporating patient input throughout the development process. It is reliable in an outpatient setting and has demonstrated construct validity. Responsiveness studies are under way.

A critical review of scoring options for clinical measurement tools

BACKGROUND

The aim of this paper is twofold: (1) to describe the fundamental differences between formative and reflective measurement models, and (2) to review the options proposed in the literature to obtain overall instrument summary scores, with a particular focus on formative models.

METHODS

An extensive literature search was conducted using the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and ABI/INFORM, using "formative" and "reflective" as text words; relevant articles' reference lists were hand searched.

RESULTS

Reflective models are most frequently scored by means of simple summation, which is consistent with the theory underlying these models. However, our review suggests that formative models might be better summarized using weighted combinations of indicators, since each indicator captures unique features of the underlying construct. For this purpose, indicator weights have been obtained using choice-based, statistical, researcher-based, and combined approaches.

CONCLUSION

Whereas simple summation is a theoretically justified scoring system for reflective measurement models, formative measures likely benefit from the use of weighted scores that preserve the contribution of each of the aspects of the construct.

Toward a theory of dispersed leadership in teams: Model, findings, and directions for future research

This paper addresses a new perspective how leadership can be conceptualized in times of dispersed and team working structures. The dispersed leadership theory in teams proposes three distinguishing types of leadership, which include interactional leadership exerted by leaders; team leadership provided by team members; and structural leadership influenced by work and organizational factors (i.e., task, organizational structures, and customers). It is assumed that these three types of leadership simultaneously exert influence on follower’s attitudes and behaviors in teams. We outline the theory, review empirical evidence based on the model and discuss the strengths and limitations. In conclusion, we discuss relevant emerging topics for future studies.