Simple construct evaluation with latent class analysis: An investigation of Facebook addiction and the development of a short form of the Facebook Addiction Test (F-AT)

Development and Validation of an Index to Measure and Quantify Pet-Related Barriers to Healthcare Access and Utilization

Issues such as inadequate transportation, language barriers, being uninsured, and living in geographic locations with poor service availability can prevent people from accessing necessary healthcare. In addition, approximately 60% of the US population has pets, which can also create barriers to healthcare that are related to pet caregiving responsibilities and concerns about pet welfare, particularly when they have inadequate social and economic resources. This study introduces a new index to measure pet-related barriers to healthcare: the Pet-Related Barriers to Healthcare Index (PRBH). We first describe the development of the index based on previous literature and expert consultation. Next, we evaluate the psychometric properties of the index in a sample of 219 pet-owning people with HIV in Florida. We use three validation approaches: 1) confirmatory factor analysis to test the hypothesized two-factor structure of the PRBH measure and to compare the fit of this model with alternative models, 2) assessment of construct validity for the PRBH factors with validated measures of commitment to pets, comfort derived from pets, and social support from people, and 3) latent class analysis to identify underlying patterns of endorsement of items. Additionally, we assessed differences in index scores by sociodemographic characteristics. Our results indicate that 1) a modified 2-factor model that split items based on item phrasing fit the data best: one factor measured previously experienced barriers, while the other factor measured anticipated future barriers. This factor structure was further supported by the results of the latent class analysis; 2) Poorer social support from people was associated with higher endorsement of both factors; and 3) Twenty percent of the participants were characterized by high endorsement of the index items. The use of the PRBH in research and clinical settings is an important step in standardizing the quantification of this construct, identifying populations most at risk for pet-related barriers to their healthcare and moving toward systematized support services for those groups and their animal companions.

Co-Occurrence, Predictors, and Related Aggressive Behaviors of Cognitive and Emotional Relative Deprivation Based on Latent Class Analysis

Given the frequent occurrence of relative deprivation among adolescents and its negative effects, this study investigated relative deprivation among adolescents using a person-centered statistical technique (n = 1196; 565 girls). Latent class analysis identified three groups: low cognitive and emotional relative deprivation (Class 1, 33.78% of adolescents), high cognitive and low emotional relative deprivation (Class 2, 37.79% of adolescents), and high cognitive and emotional relative deprivation (Class 3, 28.43% of adolescents). Adolescents with low income and without parental accompaniment were more likely to be assigned to Classes 3 and 2. Compared with Class 1, Classes 3 and 2 had significant positive predictive effects on physical aggression, relational aggression, and overall aggressive behavior. The classes of relative deprivation influenced both physical and relational aggression, but not verbal aggression. Based on these findings, demographic characteristics and latent classes of relative deprivation should be considered together when developing interventions for aggressive behaviors.

A longitudinal investigation on problematic Facebook use, psychological distress and well-being during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic

The social isolation and the subsequent, increased use of Social Networking Sites due to the COVID-19 pandemic have had an impact on subjective well-being around the world. The present longitudinal study examined whether changes in psychological distress and well-being during the Italian second wave of the pandemic differ among people with different levels of Problematic Facebook Use (PFU). A total of 493 participants (M_age = 24.55 ± 7.25; 80.3% females) completed measures of passive use of Facebook, social comparison orientation on Facebook, fear of missing out, psychological distress (depressive symptoms and fear of COVID-19 pandemic) and well-being across three waves. Latent class analysis (LCA) categorized participants into three groups with different PFU levels: healthy users, moderate PFU users, and high PFU users. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) showed that the between-person level (class membership) accounted for most of the variability in psychological distress and well-being. No significant changes were found in psychological distress and well-being over time, but the High PFU users showed greater levels of psychological distress and lower levels of well-being at each time point. The findings of this study suggest that the relationship between PFU, psychological distress and well-being may reflect trait-like time-invariant differences between individuals rather than state-like changes.

A short form of the Crisis in Family Systems (CRISYS) in a racially diverse sample of pregnant women

Assessing stressful life events in large-scale epidemiologic studies is challenged by the need to measure potential stressful events in a reasonably comprehensible manner balanced with burden on participants and research staff. The aim of this paper was to create a short form of the Crisis in Family Systems-Revised (CRISYS-R) plus 17 acculturation items, a measure that captures contemporary life stressors across 11 domains. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to segment the sample of 884 women from the PRogramming of Intergenerational Stress Mechanisms (PRISM) study experiencing different patterns of exposure to stressful events and identify items from each domain that best discriminate between individuals with different patterns of stressful-event exposures (high vs. low stress exposure). The results from the LCA, in conjunction with the expert opinions provided by the original developers of the CRISYS, yielded a 24-item item short form (CRISYS-SF) with at least one question from each of the original domains. Scores on the 24-item CRISYS-SF had high correlations with scores on the 80-item CRISYS.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-021-02335-w.

Enhancing the utility of the problem gambling severity index in clinical settings: Identifying refined categories within the problem gambling category

BACKGROUND

The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) was intended for use in epidemiological research with gamblers across the continuum of risk. Its utility within clinical settings, where the majority of clients are problem gamblers, has been brought into question.

AIMS

(1) Identify refined categories for the problem gambling category of the PGSI in help-seeking gamblers; (2) Validate these categories using the Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (G-SAS); (3) Explore the relationship of these categories with indices of gambling and help-seeking behaviour.

METHODS

Secondary data analysis of help-seeking problem gamblers from the Australian online gambling counselling/support service (Gambling Help Online [GHO]) from October 2012 to December 2015 (n = 5,881) and trial data evaluating an Australian online self-directed program for gambling (GamblingLess; n = 198). Both datasets included the PGSI, gambling frequency and expenditure. The GamblingLess dataset also included the G-SAS and help-seeking behaviour.

RESULTS

A Latent Class Analysis, using GHO data, identified a 2-class solution. Multiple analytical methods identified a cut-off value of ≥ 19 distinguishing this 2-class solution (low problem severity: Median = 16; high problem severity: Median = 23). High problem severity gamblers had increased odds of being categorised in the higher GSAS category, greater gambling expenditure and having sought face-to-face support. The refined categories were not associated with gambling frequency, distance-based or self-directed help-seeking.

CONCLUSION

These findings are consistent with a stepped-care approach, whereby individuals with higher severity may be better suited to more intensive interventions and individuals with lower severity could commence with less intensive interventions and step-up to intensive interventions.

Development and Validation of a Short-Form Internet Overuse Screening Questionnaire for Adults

AIMS

The aim of the current study was to develop and validate a short-form of the internet overuse screening questionnaire (IOS-Qs).

METHODS

A total of 571 adults were recruited from a representative, stratified, and multistage cluster sample. Among participants, 188 and 383 were used in the development and validation of the IOS-Qs, respectively.

RESULTS

Experts' ratings and Rasch model analyses led to the selection of 8 items from the IOS-Qs; latent-class analysis using these 8 items revealed an estimated prevalence of 8.6% (33 out of 383) of problematic internet over-users. Problematic internet over-users were positively associated with a 1-year prevalence rate of any mental disorder (OR 3.08, p = 0.008), mood disorder (OR 7.11, p = 0.003), and depressive disorder (OR 5.22, p = 0.016). The receiver operating characteristic curves identified an optimal cutoff score of 9.5 for differentiating problematic internet over-users from unproblematic internet users with 94% sensitivity and 94% specificity.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the IOS-Qs was valid, and items including social isolation were crucial to the brief distinction of at-risk internet users. Because of its brevity, the questionnaire can be effectively administered as a large-scale survey.

Facebook Usage and Life Satisfaction

Social networking sites (SNS), such as Facebook, attract millions of users worldwide by offering highly interactive social communications. Although this has many advantages, previous research has suggested there are also drawbacks (e.g., stalking, addiction, invasion of privacy). The question, therefore, arises as to whether Facebook - currently the largest social network - makes us more satisfied with our lives. In two independent samples (Study 1: N = 2,272; Study 2: N = 1,459), Facebook users were neither more satisfied with their lives compared to non-Facebook users, nor were Facebook users with more online friends more satisfied compared to those with fewer online friends. On the contrary, Facebook usage duration was negatively associated with life satisfaction, even after controlling for age and sex differences (Study 1: r = -0.11, Study 2: r = -0.18). Although in general positive effects would have been expected because Facebook should enhance possibilities for social communication and connection, either null-finding or negative associations were found. Results are discussed in light of possible addiction-supporting features of Facebook, which are reflected in Facebook usage patterns (e.g., higher mean duration of Facebook usage per week, larger number of logins to Facebook).

The Impact of Facebook Use and Facebook Intrusion on Cognitive Control: Effect in Proactive and Reactive Control

More and more people are using social networking sites, with Facebook being one of the most popular. So far, most of the research on using Facebook has focused on emotional, social, and personality-related factors and few studies have investigated the phenomenon from a cognitive perspective. The aim of our study was, therefore, to identify relationships between cognitive control and Facebook intrusion, with regard to proactive and reactive modes of cognitive control. The study was also designed to investigate the effects of neutral and Facebook-related context. The subjects (N = 80 young adults, M_age = 21.13 years; SD = 1.60) were divided into two groups based on their level of Facebook intrusion. The Facebook Intrusion Scale was used for selection. Using the AX-continuous performance task, we found that subjects with high Facebook intrusion showed more reactive control than their low Facebook intrusion peers. We also demonstrated that all subjects showed less proactive control in a Facebook-related context than in a neutral context. The results were interpreted in the light of the dual mechanism of cognitive control model.

The impact of motives for Facebook use on Facebook addiction among ordinary users in Jordan

BACKGROUND

Facebook has become the most popular social networking site with more than 2.07 billion monthly active users. However, this popularity has its pains too reflected by some addictive behavior among its users. Although researchers have recently started to examine the factors that influence Facebook addiction, little research examined the links between motives for Facebook use and Facebook addiction. These studies mainly concentrate on students too. Also, little research has explored this issue among general public in general and among people in Jordan in particular.

AIMS

This study therefore examined the impact of motives for Facebook use on Facebook addiction among ordinary users in Jordan.

METHOD

A sample of 397 ordinary users is employed to achieve the study objective.

RESULTS

Results showed that 38.5% of the participants were addicted to Facebook. Facebook addiction was significantly associated with six motives, namely exhibitionism and companionship, entertainment, escapism and passing time, social curiosity, relationships formation and relationships maintenance.

CONCLUSION

Among these six motives, escapism and passing time, exhibitionism and companionship, and relationships maintenance were the strong predictors of Facebook addiction.

Distinct patterns of Internet and smartphone-related problems among adolescents by gender: Latent class analysis

Background and objectives The ubiquitous Internet connections by smartphones weakened the traditional boundaries between computers and mobile phones. We sought to explore whether smartphone-related problems differ from those of computer use according to gender using latent class analysis (LCA). Methods After informed consents, 555 Korean middle-school students completed surveys on gaming, Internet use, and smartphone usage patterns. They also completed various psychosocial instruments. LCA was performed for the whole group and by gender. In addition to ANOVA and χ² tests, post-hoc tests were conducted to examine differences among the LCA subgroups. Results In the whole group (n = 555), four subtypes were identified: dual-problem users (49.5%), problematic Internet users (7.7%), problematic smartphone users (32.1%), and "healthy" users (10.6%). Dual-problem users scored highest for addictive behaviors and other psychopathologies. The gender-stratified LCA revealed three subtypes for each gender. With dual-problem and healthy subgroup as common, problematic Internet subgroup was classified in the males, whereas problematic smartphone subgroup was classified in the females in the gender-stratified LCA. Thus, distinct patterns were observed according to gender with higher proportion of dual-problem present in males. While gaming was associated with problematic Internet use in males, aggression and impulsivity demonstrated associations with problematic smartphone use in females. Conclusions An increase in the number of digital media-related problems was associated with worse outcomes in various psychosocial scales. Gaming may play a crucial role in males solely displaying Internet-related problems. The heightened impulsivity and aggression seen in our female problematic smartphone users requires further research.

Type D personality, stress coping strategies and self-efficacy as predictors of Facebook intrusion

Recently, Facebook has become one of the most popular social networking sites. People use it more and more often. A number of studies have recently addressed the issue of excessive Facebook use, showing this phenomenon to be a spreading problem. The main aim of the present study was to examine whether Type D personality, self-efficacy and coping strategies are related to Facebook intrusion. The participants were 882 students of Polish universities, all of them Facebook users (72% women, mean age: 22.25 years, SD =2.06). We used the Facebook Intrusion Questionnaire, the Facebook Intensity Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, and the Type D Scale. We applied the pen-and-paper procedure. Our results indicate that emotion-oriented and avoidance-oriented strategies of coping in stressful situations are predictors of Facebook intrusion and Facebook intensity. The relations between both Facebook intrusion and intensity and social inhibition are significant only when emotion-oriented coping strategy is controlled. The knowledge of whether coping strategies in stressful situations, such as focus on emotions or avoidance, are related to Facebook intrusion might be useful for clinical purposes.

Cultural and Personality Predictors of Facebook Intrusion: A Cross-Cultural Study

The increase in the number of users of social networking sites (SNS) has inspired intense efforts to determine intercultural differences between them. The main aim of the study was to investigate the cultural and personal predictors of Facebook intrusion. A total of 2628 Facebook users from eight countries took part in the study. The Facebook Intrusion Questionnaire, the Ten-Item Personality Inventory, and the Singelis Scale were used. We found that two variables related to Country were significantly related to Facebook intrusion: uniqueness (negatively) and low context (positively); of the personality variables, conscientiousness, and emotional stability were negatively related to the dependent variable of Facebook intrusion across different countries, which may indicate the universal pattern of Facebook intrusion. The results of the study will contribute to the international debate on the phenomenon of SNS.