A Randomized Clinical Trial of Online Social Intelligence Training With Custodial Grandmothers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a self-administered, online Social Intelligence Training (SIT) program aimed at enhancing psychological and relational well-being among a nationwide U.S. sample of custodial grandmothers.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A two-arm randomized clinical trial (RCT) was conducted, where 349 grandmothers raising grandchildren aged 11-18 years were assigned to either SIT or an attention control condition (ACC). Participants self-completed online surveys at baseline and immediately postintervention, in addition to follow-ups at 3-, 6-, and 9-month postintervention. First-order latent difference score models were used to compare SIT to ACC, across all times of measurement, along key indicators of psychological and relational well-being on an intent-to-treat basis.

RESULTS

Although SIT was largely superior to ACC at yielding positive results, it appears that it attenuated longitudinal declines that occurred among ACC participants. SIT also exerted stronger effects on relational than psychological outcomes, with perceived relations with grandchildren being the most positively affected.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Given that the historical time of this RCT unpredictably corresponded with the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, we suspect that SIT helped offset declines in psychological and relational well-being that are widely documented to have resulted from the pandemic. Our overall positive findings support future use of the inexpensive and easily delivered SIT program under normal environmental conditions, with the vulnerable and geographically disperse population of custodial grandmothers.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03239977.

The Impacts of Burn Severity and Frequency on Erosion in Western Arnhem Land, Australia

Wildfires are pivotal to the functioning of many ecosystems globally, including the magnitude of surface erosion rates. This study aims to investigate the relationships between surface erosion rates and wildfire intensity in the tropical north savanna of Australia. The occurrence of fires in western Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia was determined with remotely sensed digital datasets as well as analogue erosion measurement methods. Analysis was performed using satellite imagery to quantify burn severity via a monthly delta normalised burn ratio (dNBR). This was compared and correlated against on-ground erosion measurements (erosion pins) for 13 years. The dNBR for each year (up to +0.4) displayed no relationship with subsequent erosion (up to ±4 mm of erosion/deposition per year). Poor correlation was attributed to low fire severity, patchy burning, significant time between fires and erosion-inducing rainfall. Other influences included surface roughness from disturbances from feral pigs and cyclone impacts. The findings here oppose many other studies that have found that fires increase surface erosion. This accentuates the unique ecosystem characteristics and fire regime properties found in the tropical Northern Territory. Scenarios of late dry season fires with high severity were not observed in this study and require more investigations. Ecosystems such as the one examined here require specialised management practices acknowledging the specific ecosystem functions and processes. The methods employed here combine both analogue and digital sensors to improve understandings of a unique environmental system.

A structural equation modeling approach for modeling variability as a latent variable

Drawing upon recent developments in structural equation modeling, the current study presents an analytical framework for addressing research questions in which, rather than focusing on means, it is intraindividual (or intragroup) variability that is of direct research interest. Beyond merely serving as an alternative to existing multilevel modeling approaches, this framework allows for extensions to accommodate a variety of complex research scenarios by parameterizing variability as a latent variable that can in turn be embedded within a broader covariance and mean structure involving other observed and/or latent variables. The estimation procedures and parameter interpretation for the latent random variability models are discussed. The versatility of the proposed methods is demonstrated through four empirical examples. The Mplus, BUGS, and Stan model syntax for the illustrative examples are supplied to facilitate the application of the methods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

"My Blood, You Know, My Biology Being out There…": Consent and Participant Control of Biological Samples

The widespread and persistent underrepresentation of groups experiencing health disparities in research involving biospecimens is a barrier to scientific knowledge and advances in health equity. To ensure that all groups have the opportunity to participate in research and feel welcome and safe doing so, we must understand how research studies may be shaped to promote inclusion. In this study, we explored the decision to participate in hypothetical research scenarios among African American adults (n = 169) that varied on the basis of four attributes (form of consent, reason for research, institutional affiliation and race of the researcher). Findings indicate that participants were largely willing to contribute to biobanks but significantly preferred opportunities where they had control over the use of their biological samples through tiered or study-specific forms of consent. Broad consent procedures, although common and perhaps preferred by participants with high trust in researchers, may amount to an exclusionary practice.

Prenatal anticipatory stress: Baby preparation and worry scale-revised in the Dutch context

BACKGROUND

Prenatal distress encompasses a range of different emotions, worries, and experiences of stress. The Baby Preparation and Worry Scale (Baby-PAWS) was recently developed to target anticipatory worries during pregnancy about the postnatal period. However, the Baby-PAWS questionnaire was only examined in the United States of America, limiting the questionnaire's generalizability to different countries. To address this issue, we performed a psychometric evaluation of the questionnaire in a Dutch sample and examined associations between the Baby-PAWS questionnaire and established measures of maternal distress (i.e., EPDS, STAI, PRAQ-R) and infant temperament (i.e., IBQ-R).

METHODS

Healthy pregnant women (N = 521) completed questionnaires during their third trimester and postnatally, including the Baby-PAWS and distress measures. A subsample of mothers (N = 194) also reported on infant temperament at 12 weeks postpartum.

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis suggested a four-factor structure for the 16-item questionnaire in our Dutch sample, as compared to the expected three-factor structure found in the original psychometric evaluation with the American sample. The total Baby-PAWS score was related to pre-and postnatal depression, anxiety, stress, and specific scales of infant temperament. American women scored higher on the Baby-PAWS items than Dutch women.

LIMITATIONS

Our participants had higher-than-average socioeconomic status, limiting the generalizability of the findings.

CONCLUSION

The current analyses indicate good validity of the Baby-PAWS in a Dutch sample. Furthermore, our results highlight cross-cultural differences in perinatal mental health and show the importance of examining instrument structure of context-dependent constructs, such as prenatal worries.

Associations between mothers' and fathers' depression and anxiety prior to birth and infant temperament trajectories over the first year of life: Evidence from diagnoses and symptom severity

BACKGROUND

Developmental shifts in infant temperament predict distal outcomes including emerging symptoms of psychopathology in childhood. Thus, it is critical to gain insight into factors that shape these developmental shifts. Although parental depression and anxiety represent strong predictors of infant temperament in cross-sectional research, few studies have examined how these factors influence temperament trajectories across infancy.

METHODS

We used latent growth curve modeling to examine whether mothers' and fathers' anxiety and depression, measured in two ways - as diagnostic status and symptom severity - serve as unique predictors of developmental shifts in infant temperament from 3 to 12 months. Participants included mothers (N = 234) and a subset of fathers (N = 142). Prior to or during pregnancy, both parents were assessed for lifetime diagnoses of depression and anxiety as well as current severity levels. Mothers rated their infants' temperament at 3, 6, and 12 months of age.

RESULTS

Mothers' depression and anxiety primarily predicted initial levels of temperament at 3 months. Controlling for mothers' symptoms, fathers' depression and anxiety largely related to temperament trajectories across infancy. Lifetime diagnoses and symptom severities were associated with distinct patterns.

LIMITATIONS

Infant temperament was assessed using a parent-report measure. Including an observational measure would provide a more comprehensive picture of the infants' functioning.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that mothers' and fathers' mental health are uniquely associated with infant temperament development when measured using diagnostic status and/or symptom severity. Future studies should examine whether these temperament trajectories mediate intergenerational transmission of risk for depression and anxiety.

Model-based incremental validity

As an important facet of construct validity, incremental validity has been the focus of many applied investigations across a wide array of disciplines. Unfortunately, traditional methodological approaches for studying incremental validity, typically rooted in multiple regression, have many limitations that can hinder such assessments. In the current work, a strategy based in structural equation modeling is offered that greatly expands researchers' ability to investigate incremental validity of multiple individual predictors or blocks of predictors all within a single structural model. Models for four different research scenarios are presented, where the predictors of focal interest are: (a) individual measured predictors, (b) individual latent predictors, (c) blocks of measured predictors, and (d) blocks of latent predictors. Technical details of model specifications and model constraints are provided, and flexible extensions to other interesting questions (e.g., comparisons across populations) are discussed. Two empirical examples are included to illustrate the application of the proposed methods in different applied settings; complete Mplus and R syntax for both illustrative examples is supplied. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Tailings dams: Assessing the long-term erosional stability of valley fill designs

Tailings is a generic term for waste material from the extraction and processing of minerals and frequently contain mineral and chemical residues. They are usually highly erodible and transportable via fluvial processes. Tailings are commonly stored in 'tailings dams' and such dams are a feature of many mine sites. As they impound water and sediment, tailings dams can be at risk from both catastrophic and gradual failure, especially if unmanaged. A fundamental question for their management is, can tailings dams ever be walk-away structures? Catastrophic failure occurs when there is a large scale rapid structural failure of the dam wall suddenly releasing large volumes of water and sediment. However, over time, there will the increased risk of gradual failure by the slow infilling of the dam and the erosion of the dam wall. Failure can occur where water overtops the dam wall and then incises through the wall due to a loss of freeboard in the dam, a situation which is more likely in legacy tailings dams where they have been filled, vegetated and abandoned. Here, firstly, a computer based landscape evolution model (CAESAR-Lisflood) is employed to assess a hypothetical tailings dam failure by erosion. Secondly, using an idealised example, it is demonstrated that given average climate conditions a dam can be sufficiently robust to last centuries. Thirdly, and longer term it is demonstrated that the tailings can be contained if (a) maintenance is conducted to increase the dam wall height over time or (b) a more robust dam wall is constructed to manage extreme events. However, erosion and infill will continue to reduce the integrity of any structure over time. Therefore, it is highly likely that tailings dams will require continued monitoring and maintenance. The method outlined provides a new tool for assessing any tailings facility for its erosional stability.

The development of place value concepts: Approximation before principles

Place value concepts were measured longitudinally from kindergarten (2017) to first grade (2018) in a diverse sample (n = 279; Mage  = 5.76 years, SD = 0.55; 135 females; 41% Black, 38% White, 8% Asian, 12% Latino). Children completed three syntactic tasks that required an explicit understanding of base-10 symbols and three approximate tasks that could be completed without this explicit understanding. Approximate performance was significantly better in both age groups. A factor analysis confirmed that syntactic and approximate tasks tapped separate latent variables in kindergarten, but not in first grade. Path analyses indicated that only kindergarten approximate performance predicted overall first-grade place value understanding. These findings suggest that explicit understanding of base-10 principles develops from implicit, partial knowledge of multidigit numbers.

Modelling soil organic carbon using vegetation indices across large catchments in eastern Australia

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important soil component. However, examining SOC at the large catchment scale is difficult due to the intensive labour requirements. This study examines SOC distribution at large (>500 km²) catchment scales using field-sampled SOC data and remote sensed vegetation indices located in eastern Australia (Krui River catchment - 562 km²; Merriwa River catchment - 808 km²) on grazing land-use basalt soil. The SOC data obtained was compared to digital elevation model (DEM) derived elevation and insolation data, as well as Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) values corresponding to each sample site. These indices were obtained from the MODIS sensor (Terra/Aqua) and Landsat series satellites. Vegetation Indices (VI) captured immediately prior to sampling demonstrated a poor correlation with SOC. The use of multiple, aggregated, prior VI data sets provided a good match with SOC. The strongest match occurred for Landsat 8 EVI, indicating that VIs with higher spatial and spectral resolution, which can account for atmospheric interference, have the potential to produce more accurate SOC mapping (Krui samples in 2006, R² = 0.31, P < 0.01; Krui sampled in 2014, R² = 0.41, P < 0.01; Merriwa samples in 2015, R² = 0.37, P < 0.01). A sensitivity test for both remote sensing platforms demonstrated that the findings were robust. The results demonstrate that VIs are a reliable surrogate for historical vegetation growth in pasture dominated landscapes and therefore soil carbon inputs allowing for mapping of SOC across large catchment scales. Both Landsat and MODIS produced similar results and demonstrate that SOC can be reliably predicted at the large catchment scale and for different catchments in this environment with RMSE range of 0.79 to 1.06. The method and data can be applied globally and provides a new method for environmental assessment.

Developmental changes in episodic memory across early- to mid-childhood: insights from a latent longitudinal approach

Episodic memory is a cornerstone ability that allows one to recall past events and the spatiotemporal context in which they occur. In an effort to characterise the development of this critical ability, many different tasks have been used independently to assess age-related variations in episodic memory. However, performance on memory tasks is multiply determined, and the extent to which different tasks with varying features relate to each other and represent episodic memory as a latent cognitive construct across childhood is unclear. The present study sought to address this question by exploring the feasibility of using four different laboratory-based tasks to characterise changes in episodic memory ability during early- to mid-childhood in 200 typically developing children (4-8 years). Using longitudinal data and a structural equation modeling framework, results suggest that multiple tests of episodic memory can be utilised to indicate a comparable latent construct of episodic memory ability over this period of development, and that this ability improves consistently between 4 to 8 years. Overall, results highlight that episodic memory measured as a construct increases at a similar rate over early- to mid-childhood and demonstrate the benefits of using multiple laboratory tasks to characterise developmental changes in episodic memory.

Predictors and moderators of treatment efficacy in reducing custodial grandmothers' psychological distress

It is increasingly recommended that hypothesis-generating studies be conducted after initial RCTs in order to identify moderators of differential treatment efficacy on individual outcomes. Such analyses are important because they help clarify the best inclusion and exclusion criteria or choice of stratification for maximizing power in subsequent RCTs, reduce the chances of discarding interventions that may appear to lack efficacy when only average treatment effects are taken into consideration, and facilitate the matching of individual clients to treatment alternatives. We identified predictors and moderators of treatment-related change in psychological distress among custodial grandmothers (n = 343) assigned within a prior RCT to behavior parent training (BPT), cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), or information only control (IOC) conditions. Latent change scores in psychological distress were estimated for each grandmother across pre-test to post-test and pre-test to six months, as indicated by self-reported and clinical ratings of depression and anxiety symptoms. These estimates served as outcomes in classification and regression tree analyses conducted separately within the CBT and BPT conditions to identify predictors of treatment efficacy. Matched groups based upon identified predictors were then formed across all RCT conditions, and Predictor × RCT Condition interactions were computed to test for moderation of differential treatment efficacy. Grandmother age was the only predictor and moderator of BPT efficacy at both measurement points, whereas multifaceted predictors and moderators emerged for CBT which varied by time since treatment.

The mental health implications of COVID-19 for adolescents: Follow-up of a four-wave longitudinal study during the pandemic

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic due to the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). While scientists have moved quickly to study the physical health implications of the disease, less attention has been paid to the negative mental health repercussions. The current study utilized a community sample of adolescents who had recently completed a 2-year, four wave study of adolescent mental health (Wave 1 n = 184, Mage = 13.9 years; 50.3% female). Participants were recontacted to assess their anxiety, depression, and emotion dysregulation symptoms during the pandemic. Latent growth modeling based on four pre-COVID time points indicated the extent to which the fifth (COVID) time point deviated from trend expectations. Results showed that (a) anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher than previous trajectories would have predicted, and (b) deviations from personal trajectories were associated with higher levels of perceived lifestyle impact due to the pandemic. Furthermore, gender-based analyses revealed that financial impacts, lifestyle impacts, and coronavirus fear were differentially associated with symptom increases for male and female participants. The current study is among the first to report that adolescent mental health trajectories have been altered in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. As physical distancing and other safety precautions may be required for several years, it is essential that we gain a deep understanding of how prevention efforts are associated with significant disruptions to youth mental health to bolster youth resilience during these unprecedented times. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

A method for assessing the long-term integrity of tailings dams

Mine tailings are a by-product of the processing of minerals. At most mines they are a waste product that needs to be managed. Tailings composition and properties vary widely and are in most cases highly erodible due to their fine particle size and can contain elevated concentrations of unwanted minerals and process chemicals. Therefore, if released to the environment they can be a significant environmental problem. A common management strategy is to store them in 'tailings dams' where they will remain in perpetuity. Little work has been done to assess the long-term erosional behaviour of tailings dams. Computer based Landscape Evolution Models (LEMs) provide information on erosion rates, type of erosion and where erosion is likely to occur. They can therefore provide guidance on long-term behaviour which allows designs to be tested and improved. Here a LEM, SIBERIA, is used to assess two hypothetical tailings dam designs using different surface covers and climates. The results suggest that a tailings dam that can capture rainfall can erode less than a capped design that must shed any runoff. An embankment with a small and steep catchment has minimal erosion potential and any material eroded from the internal wall of the embankment is deposited internally and provides erosion protection. If the external embankment is maintained then there is potential for long-term encapsulation of tailings. The single biggest issue for the employment of LEMs is that of parameterisation and here assumes (1) a uniform and consistent armour or (2) a consistent and self-sustaining vegetation cover. The modelling and methods here provide a template for tailings dam assessment at other sites globally, and will improve tailings dam design and reduce environmental risk.

Reading Achievement of Deaf Students: Challenging the Fourth Grade Ceiling

Historically it has been reported that deaf students do not achieve age-appropriate outcomes in reading, with this performance often being characterized in terms of a fourth grade ceiling. However, given the shifts in the field during the past 20 years (e.g., widespread implementation of newborn hearing screening, advances in hearing technologies), it would be timely to question whether this continues to serve as a meaningful benchmark. To this end, the purpose of this study was to investigate reading outcomes of a Canadian cohort of school-aged deaf learners (N = 70) who all used listening and spoken language as the primary mode of communication. Specifically, the goal was to establish whether their achievement approached that of their hearing age peers and to identify demographic factors influencing performance (i.e., gender, unilateral/bilateral hearing loss, personal amplification, level of auditory functioning, grade placement, additional disabilities, home language). Results indicate that participants obtained standard scores in the average range on both the Basic Reading and Reading Comprehension clusters of the Woodcock Johnson III-Diagnostic Reading Battery (Woodcock et al., 2004), surpassing the fourth grade reading achievement ceiling often reported for this population.

Modeling longitudinal changes in hippocampal subfields and relations with memory from early- to mid-childhood

The hippocampus has been suggested to show protracted postnatal developmental growth across childhood. Most previous studies during this developmental period have been cross-sectional in nature and have focused on age-related differences in either hippocampal subregions or subfields, but not both, potentially missing localized changes. This study capitalized on a latent structural equation modeling approach to examine the longitudinal development of hippocampal subfields (cornu ammonis (CA) 2-4/dentate gyrus (DG), CA1, subiculum) in both the head and the body of the hippocampus, separately, in 165 typically developing 4- to 8-year-old children. Our findings document differential development of subfields within hippocampal head and body. Specifically, within hippocampal head, CA1 volume increased between 4-5 years and within hippocampal body, CA2-4/DG and subiculum volume increased between 5-6 years. Additionally, changes in CA1 volume in the head and changes in subiculum in the body between 4-5 years related to improvements in memory between 4-5 years. These findings demonstrate the protracted development of subfields in vivo during early- to mid-childhood, illustrate the importance of considering subfields separately in the head and body of the hippocampus, document co-occurring development of brain and behavior, and highlight the strength of longitudinal data and latent modeling when examining brain development.

Oh No! They Cut My Funding! Using "Post Hoc" Planned Missing Data Designs to Salvage Longitudinal Research

Having one's funding cut in the course of conducting a longitudinal study has become an increasingly real challenge faced by developmental researchers. The main purpose of the current work is to propose "post hoc" planned missing (PHPM) data designs as a promising solution in such difficult situations. This study discusses general guidelines that can be followed to search for viable PHPM designs within a given budget restriction. Illustrative examples across different longitudinal research contexts are provided, each showing how PHPM data designs can help salvage longitudinal studies when an unexpected funding cut occurs mid-study. With the illustrative examples, the article also shows how developmental researchers can conveniently identify viable designs using the R package simPM.

Baby preparation and worry scale (Baby-PAWS): Instrument development and psychometric evaluation

BACKGROUND

The Baby Preparation and Worry Scale (Baby-PAWS) addresses expectant mothers' anticipatory worries regarding the transition to parenthood, focusing on practical concerns (i.e., ability to care for the infant, securing childcare, personal wellbeing, and partner involvement).

AIMS

The present study describes measurement development, psychometric evaluation, and predictive and concurrent validity of Baby-PAWS, administered during pregnancy.

STUDY DESIGN

We used a repeated-measures design, with anonymous self-report obtained during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and at 2 months postpartum.

SUBJECTS

Healthy pregnant women (N = 276) completed Baby-PAWS and measures of depression, general anxiety, and pregnancy-specific anxiety. Demographic, pregnancy, and birth-related information (e.g., complications, gestational age) was also obtained. At postpartum follow-up, the majority (n = 154) met inclusion criteria and provided data on themselves and their infants.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Prenatally, we examined correlations between Baby-PAWS and established measures of general anxiety, pregnancy-specific anxiety, and depression. Postnatally, Baby-PAWS scores were used to predict maternal depression, anxiety, and infant temperament.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Two factor-analytic techniques indicated a three-factor structure, with internal consistency for all three components and the overall scale. We labeled the three factors: Self and Partner Worry, Non-parental Childcare Worry, and Baby Caregiving Worry, based on item content. Higher Baby-PAWS scores were associated with greater anxiety and depression in the third trimester. Predictive links with postpartum anxiety/depression symptoms and infant temperament were observed for the overall Baby-PAWS score and Self and Partner Worry factor. Although this instrument requires further evaluation, it offers promising utility in research and clinical settings.

Effects of grazing exclusion on soil organic carbon: Hillslope and soil profile results (an Australian example)

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an essential component of the soil-landscape system. It is well recognised that SOC can reduce under some agricultural management practices. In recent years a concerted effort has been undertaken to increase SOC by employing different landscape management practices. Here we compare SOC in a grazing environment to that of an area where cattle have been excluded for over ten years using both a hillslope and whole of soil profile sampling strategy. Surface SOC concentrations (determined by cores) were significantly higher inside the exclusion area when compared to that outside demonstrating a rapid increase in SOC. Whole soil profile (to bedrock) assessment found that SOC decreased with depth both inside and outside of the shelterbelt. While SOC decreased with depth, there were significantly higher surface concentrations inside the exclusion area compared to outside. At depths >20 cm, SOC became increasingly homogenous for both datasets with little difference observed. The results suggest that the influence of the exclusion area on SOC accumulation at the site was only within the top 10-20 cm of the soil profile. The results highlight the importance of soil depth in quantifying SOC within the soil profile and SOC sequestration potential for sites at depth.

"I'm a Little More Trusting": Components of Trustworthiness in the Decision to Participate in Genomics Research for African Americans

AIMS

This study sought to explore the decision to participate in genomics research for African American individuals. Our overall goal was to explore (1) the attributes that significantly contribute to willingness to participate in genomics research; (2) how these attributes are interpreted (what is their meaning?); (3) how trustworthiness is estimated in the decision to participate in research (i.e., what are the symbolic representations or heuristics of trustworthiness in decision-making?); and (4) how participants see factors to counterweigh each other.

METHODS

We sought a methodology that would afford exploration of the compensatory nature of decision-making where some choice attributes may be weighed differently than others as well as the use of heuristics (shortcuts to estimate key concepts in the mentally taxing task of decision-making) for concepts such as trustworthiness. We used a qualitative story deck to create hypothetical research scenarios with variable attributes (i.e., researcher race/ethnicity; institutional affiliation; research goal; and biospecimen requested) to determine how individuals find and interpret information to make decisions about research participation. These semi-structured interviews (n = 82) were conducted in African American barbershops in Baltimore City and Prince George's County, Maryland.

RESULTS

Quantitative and qualitative analysis was completed. Findings include that, even in the absence of interpersonal connection, trustworthiness can be communicated through multiple factors, such as (1) shared values with researchers and (2) familiarity. Conversely, (1) ambiguity, especially regarding the use of biospecimens, (2) negative reputations, and (3) perceptions of "hidden agendas" were associated with a lower willingness to participate. However, the alignment of participant and research goals was weighed more heavily in decisions than other factors.

CONCLUSION

This study finds that negatively assessed characteristics in research design do not result in automatic rejections of participation. Negative assessments can be mitigated by emphasizing the multiple factors that communicate trustworthiness in the consent process, which may improve rates of research participation.

Is prenatal maternal distress context-dependent? Comparing United States and the Netherlands

BACKGROUND

Maternal anxiety and depression symptoms during pregnancy can compromise a woman's well-being and affect offspring development. The present study represents a comparison of maternal late-pregnancy internalizing symptoms (i.e., depression and anxiety) between the United States of America (US) and the Netherlands. We hypothesized that women in the US would report higher levels of anxiety and depression during pregnancy compared to their Dutch counterparts, both on individual symptom indicators and overall latent distress, due to more favorable policies/accessible services relevant to perinatal health in the Netherlands.

METHODS

Pregnant women were recruited at two comparable sites in the Netherlands (n = 327) and the US (n = 228). Measures included self-reports of internalizing distress and key covariates (i.e., parity, gestational, and maternal age).

RESULTS

Expectant mothers in the US reported higher depressive and anxiety symptoms compared to their Dutch counterparts. Results were consistent across individual internalizing symptom indicators and the overall latent prenatal distress means computed for US and Dutch samples, with an estimated large effect size for the latter after controlling for covariates.

LIMITATIONS

Despite their relatively large sizes, our samples were limited in their representativeness of the two cultures and mechanisms contributing to observed differences were not examined.

CONCLUSIONS

Pregnant women in the US reported higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms than women in the Netherlands. Implications concern perinatal policy and clinical services (e.g., emotional health support provided to mothers).

Modeling development of frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry: Sex differences and links with temperament

Asymmetric patterns of frontal brain electrical activity reflect approach and avoidance tendencies, with stability of relative right activation associated with withdrawal emotions/motivation and left hemisphere activation linked with approach and positive affect. However, considerable shifts in approach/avoidance-related lateralization have been reported for children not targeted because of extreme temperament. In this study, dynamic effects of frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) power within and across hemispheres were examined throughout early childhood. Specifically, EEG indicators at 5, 10, 24, 36, 48, and 72 months-of-age (n = 410) were analyzed via a hybrid of difference score and panel design models, with baseline measures and subsequent time-to-time differences modeled as potentially influencing all subsequent amounts of time-to-time change (i.e., predictively saturated). Infant sex was considered as a moderator of dynamic developmental effects, with temperament attributes measured at 5 months examined as predictors of EEG hemisphere development. Overall, change in left and right frontal EEG power predicted declining subsequent change in the same hemisphere, with effects on the opposing neurobehavioral system enhancing later growth. Infant sex moderated the pattern of within and across-hemisphere effects, wherein for girls more prominent left hemisphere influences on the right hemisphere EEG changes were noted and right hemisphere effects were more salient for boys. Largely similar patterns of temperament prediction were observed for the left and the right EEG power changes, with limited sex differences in links between temperament and growth parameters. Results were interpreted in the context of comparable analyses using parietal power values, which provided evidence for unique frontal effects.

Using classification and regression tree analysis to explore parental influenza vaccine decisions

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Influenza poses a public health threat for children and adults. The CDC recommends annual influenza vaccination for children <18 years, yet vaccine uptake remains low for children (57.9%) and adults (37.1%). Given that parental decision-making is key in childhood vaccine uptake, there is a critical need to understand vaccine hesitancy among parents who decide not to vaccinate their children. This study aims to explore predictors of children's influenza vaccine status given parental vaccination status and examine the factors that contribute to concordance or discordance between parental and children's vaccine uptake.

METHODS

Classification and regression tree (CART) analyses were used to identify drivers of parental decisions to vaccinate their children against influenza. Hierarchy and interactions of these variables in predicting children's vaccination status were explored.

RESULTS

From a nationally representative sample of non-Hispanic Black and White parents who completed an online survey (n = 328), the main factors influencing parents' decisions to vaccinate their children were vaccine behavior following physician recommendation, knowledge of influenza recommendations for children, influenza vaccine confidence and disease risk. Among unvaccinated parents, the greatest concordance was observed among parents who usually do not get vaccinated following physician recommendation and had lower knowledge of recommendations for influenza vaccination for children. The greatest discordance was observed among unvaccinated parents who had lower hesitancy about recommended vaccines.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding drivers of parental decisions to vaccinate themselves and their children can provide insights on health communication and provider approaches to increase influenza vaccine coverage and prevent influenza related mortality.

The effectiveness of helping skills training for undergraduate students: Changes in ethnocultural empathy

Using the Scale of Ethnocultural Empathy, we examined pre-post changes in empathy directed toward people from different racial/ethnic cultural groups than one's own for 189 undergraduate students from 20 sections of helping skills classes. We hypothesized that racial minority students and women would score higher than their respective counterparts in ethnocultural empathy at the beginning of the semester. We also expected that White students would grow more than racial minority students in ethnocultural empathy by the end of the semester. Using latent growth modeling, we found that racial minority women tended to report significantly higher initial levels than racial minority men and White students on all dimensions of ethnocultural empathy. In addition, race predicted ethnocultural empathy changes by the end of the semester, such that White women and men on average showed (a) more growth on the Empathic Feeling and Expression subscale than did racial minority women and men and (b) more growth on the Empathic Perspective Taking subscale than did racial minority women. Findings suggest that helping skills training may be particularly effective for helping White students gain empathic understanding and expression for individuals from different racial/ethnic backgrounds. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Prenatal SSRI antidepressant use and maternal internalizing symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum: Exploring effects on infant temperament trajectories for boys and girls

BACKGROUND

The severity and treatment of depression/anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum has important implications for maternal and child well-being. Yet, little is known about prenatal SSRI use and early child socioemotional development. This study explores effects of prenatal SSRI exposure, and pre- and postnatal internalizing symptoms on trajectories of infant temperament, identifying potential differences for boys and girls.

METHODS

Using latent growth models, sex differences in infant temperament trajectories from 3- to 10-months were examined in relation to prenatal and postpartum internalizing symptoms and prenatal SSRI exposure among 185 mother-infant dyads.

RESULTS

For girls, prenatal internalizing symptoms were associated with greater initial distress to limitations, and lower duration of orienting, smiling/laughter, and soothability. Postnatal symptoms predicted slower decreases in girls' duration of orienting. SSRI exposure predicted decreases in distress to limitations and slower increases in smiling and laughter. For boys, maternal internalizing symptoms did not generally affect temperament profiles. SSRI exposure was associated with higher initial activity level and slower declines in distress to limitations.

LIMITATIONS

Only parent-report indicators of infant temperament across 10 months of infancy were provided. Maternal internalizing symptoms were measured at discrete times during pregnancy and postpartum, with no analysis of changes in symptoms across time.

CONCLUSIONS

Prenatal SSRI treatment, and both prenatal and postpartum internalizing symptoms, exert unique effects on infant temperament. Overall, the present study suggests sex-dependent fetal programming effects that should be further evaluated in future research. Results have implications for perinatal mental health treatment and perceived impacts on child socioemotional development.

Latent Growth Models with Floors, Ceilings, and Random Knots

In longitudinal/developmental studies, individual growth trajectories are sometimes bounded by a floor at the beginning of the observation period and/or a ceiling toward the end of the observation period (or vice versa), resulting in inherently nonlinear growth patterns. If the trajectories between the floor and ceiling are approximately linear, such longitudinal growth patterns can be described with a linear piecewise (spline) model in which segments join at knots. In these scenarios, it may be of specific interest for researchers to examine the timing when transition occurs, and in some occasions also to examine the levels of the floors and/or ceilings if they are not known and fixed. In the current study, we propose a reparameterized piecewise latent growth curve model so that a direct estimation of the random knots (and, if needed, a direct estimation of random floors and ceilings) is possible. We derive the model reparameterization using a 4-step structured latent curve modeling approach. We provide two illustrative examples to demonstrate how the proposed reparameterized models can be fitted to longitudinal growth data using the popular SEM software Mplus and we supply the full coding for applied researchers' reference.

Differences in soil organic carbon and soil erosion for native pasture and minimum till agricultural management systems

There is considerable debate over how different agricultural management systems such as minimum tillage and grazing affect soil organic carbon (SOC), soil nitrogen (SN) concentrations and soil erosion over the long-term. In this study SOC, SN and erosion characteristics were compared over a ten year period for two neighbouring sites with longstanding but different land management strategies; one cropped under a minimum tillage (MT) regime and one used for grazing on largely native pasture. Both sites (Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia) shared the same soil type (Euchrozem) and climate. SOC and SN were both found to be ~50% higher at the grazing site while erosion was found to be significantly greater (an order of magnitude) at the cropping site despite the application of MT practices. No discernible link between erosion and either SOC, SN or C:N was evident. While both sites have temporally constant SOC, SN and C:N, the MT site offers scope for increased SOC sequestration.

Time to criterion latent growth models

Latent growth models, a special class of longitudinal models within the broader structural equation modeling (SEM) domain, provide researchers a framework for investigating questions about change over time; yet rarely is time itself modeled as a focal parameter of interest. In the current article, rather than treating time purely as an index of measurement occasions, the proposed Time to Criterion (T2C) model draws from Preacher and Hancock's (2012) latent growth model reparameterization guidelines to model individual variability (i.e., to treat as a random effect) in one's time to achieve a criterion level of a given outcome. As such, the T2C model also allows researchers to model predictors and distal outcomes of time, as well as benefiting more generally from the flexibility afforded by being embedded within the broader SEM framework to accommodate such real-world data issues as missingness, complex error structures, nonnormality, and nested data. In this study we derive T2C from the linear latent growth model and discuss model assumptions and interpretation. By illustrating the model using real data, we demonstrate both its utility for applied research and its implementation in conventional SEM software. We also discuss and illustrate an extension of the model for nonlinear growth. Overall, the T2C model presents a novel and interpretable growth parameterization for further understanding processes of change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The Role of Health Literacy in Family Planning Use among Senegalese Women

Health communication has contributed to an increase in family planning use through education and mass media as a means to increase health literacy. In this research, we investigate health literacy as an auxiliary component of health communication. We test the validity of the Health Literacy Skills Framework by examining the correlation of health literacy indicators to family planning use among Senegalese women in the 2014 Demographic Health Survey. We found that increased family planning use was most strongly associated with hearing family planning messages through television and radio. Other health literacy indicators, including access to printed family planning messaging, textual literacy, and knowledge of ovulatory cycles did not strengthen family planning use, even when performing a subgroup analysis of women who could read. The implications are that the Health Literacy Skills framework can measure health literacy's ability (assessed through proxy indicators of health literacy) to predict modern family planning use among Senegalese women and that audio and visual health literacy measures are most strongly associated with increased family planning use.

The effect of measurement quality on targeted structural model fit indices: A comment on Lance, Beck, Fan, and Carter (2016)

Lance, Beck, Fan, and Carter (2016) recently advanced 6 new fit indices and associated cutoff values for assessing data-model fit in the structural portion of traditional latent variable path models. The authors appropriately argued that, although most researchers' theoretical interest rests with the latent structure, they still rely on indices of global model fit that simultaneously assess both the measurement and structural portions of the model. As such, Lance et al. proposed indices intended to assess the structural portion of the model in isolation of the measurement model. Unfortunately, although these strategies separate the assessment of the structure from the fit of the measurement model, they do not isolate the structure's assessment from the quality of the measurement model. That is, even with a perfectly fitting measurement model, poorer quality (i.e., less reliable) measurements will yield a more favorable verdict regarding structural fit, whereas better quality (i.e., more reliable) measurements will yield a less favorable structural assessment. This phenomenon, referred to by Hancock and Mueller (2011) as the reliability paradox, affects not only traditional global fit indices but also those structural indices proposed by Lance et al. as well. Fortunately, as this comment will clarify, indices proposed by Hancock and Mueller help to mitigate this problem and allow the structural portion of the model to be assessed independently of both the fit of the measurement model as well as the quality of indicator variables contained therein. (PsycINFO Database Record

Social media use and influenza vaccine uptake among White and African American adults

Influenza vaccination rates in the U.S. remain low at 41% among adults over 18 years according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2016 data. Reasons for the low rate vary and include factors such as risk perception, vaccine hesitancy, and access to health care. This cross-sectional study sought to examine the relationship between social media use and influenza vaccine uptake among a sample of White and African Americans over 18 years of age. Using bivariate, and unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression tests, this study examined the relationship among social media use, social media as a source of health information, and influenza vaccination status in 2015. Our results indicate that users of Twitter (OR4.41, 95%CI: 1.43-13.60) and Facebook (OR 1.66, 95%CI: 1.01-2.72) as sources of health information were more likely to be vaccinated in comparison to users who do not use Twitter or Facebook as a source of health information. These findings have implications for the potential of using social media platforms to disseminate influenza vaccine information and encourage users to get vaccinated annually.

A randomized clinical trial of interventions for improving well-being in custodial grandfamilies

Despite the rising cultural phenomenon of grandparents parenting grandchildren on a full-time basis due to problems within the birth parent generation, intervention studies with these families have been scarce, methodologically flawed, and without conceptual underpinnings. We conducted a randomized clinical trial (RCT) with 343 custodial grandmothers recruited from across 4 states to compare the effectiveness of behavioral parent training (BPT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and information-only control (IOC) conditions at lowering grandmothers' psychological distress, improving their parenting practices, and reducing the internalizing and externalizing difficulties of target grandchildren between ages 4 and 12. These outcomes were derived conceptually from the family stress model and modeled as latent constructs with multiple indicators. Each RCT condition was fully manualized and delivered across 10 sessions within groups led jointly by trained professionals and peer facilitators in community settings. Multidomain second-order latent difference score models were performed on a full intent-to-treat basis to compare the 3 RCT conditions on changes in the above outcomes from baseline to postintervention and from baseline to 6 months postintervention. In general, while CBT and BPT interventions were both superior to IOC at both times of measurement on most outcomes, they differed little from each other. Effect sizes were generally in the moderate to large range and similar to those found in prior studies of BPT and CBT with traditional birth parents. We conclude from this research that evidence-based interventions focusing on appropriate skill development and behavioral change can yield positive outcomes within custodial grandfamilies. (PsycINFO Database Record

Using phantom variables in structural equation modeling to assess model sensitivity to external misspecification

External misspecification, the omission of key variables from a structural model, can fundamentally alter the inferences one makes without such variables present. This article presents 2 strategies for dealing with omitted variables, the first a fixed parameter approach incorporating the omitted variable into the model as a phantom variable where all associated parameter values are fixed, and the other a random parameter approach specifying prior distributions for all of the phantom variable's associated parameter values under a Bayesian framework. The logic and implementation of these methods are discussed and demonstrated on an applied example from the educational psychology literature. The argument is made that such external misspecification sensitivity analyses should become a routine part of measured and latent variable modeling where the inclusion of all salient variables might be in question. (PsycINFO Database Record

Protracted hippocampal development is associated with age-related improvements in memory during early childhood

The hippocampus is a structure that is critical for memory. Previous studies have shown that age-related differences in specialization along the longitudinal axis of this structure (i.e., subregions) and within its internal circuitry (i.e., subfields) relate to age-related improvements in memory in school-age children and adults. However, the influence of age on hippocampal development and its relations with memory ability earlier in life remains under-investigated. This study examined effects of age and sex on hippocampal subregion (i.e., head, body, tail) and subfield (i.e., subiculum, CA1, CA2-4/DG) volumes, and their relations with memory, using a large sample of 4- to 8-year-old children. Results examining hippocampal subregions suggest influences of both age and sex on the hippocampal head during early childhood. Results examining subfields within hippocampal head suggest these age effects may arise from CA1, whereas sex differences may arise from subiculum and CA2-4/DG. Memory ability was not associated with hippocampal subregion volume but was associated with subfield volume. Specifically, within the hippocampal head, relations between memory and CA1 were moderated by age; in younger children bigger was better, whereas in older children smaller was superior. Within the hippocampal body, smaller CA1 and larger CA2-4/DG contributed to better memory performance across all ages. Together, these results shed light on hippocampal development during early childhood and support claims that the prolonged developmental trajectory of the hippocampus contributes to memory development early in life.

The Family Stress Model as it Applies to Custodial Grandfamilies: A Cross Validation

There is scant research on how the parenting practices of custodial grandmothers affect the psychological adjustment of grandchildren in their care. Yet, the findings from a handful of prior studies suggest the relevance of the Family Stress Model (FSM) to these caregivers. The present study further tested the FSM with baseline data from 343 custodial grandmothers (Mage= 58.5 years) enrolled in a clinical trial of the efficacy of interventions for improving the well-being of their families. Not only was this "help-seeking" sample atypical of prior FSM studies, but also unique to the present study was our addition of multiple parenting practices, self-reported and clinical ratings of grandmothers' distress, and reports of grandchildren's internalizing and externalizing difficulties from grandchildren and grandmothers. Mplus 7.31 was used to test a model where the effect of grandmother distress on grandchildren's internalizing and externalizing difficulties was hypothesized to be indirect through five distinct parenting practices. The findings regarding both the measurement and structural models fit the observed data well, and invariance was largely found across grandchildren's gender and age (4-7 vs. 8-12). Although grandchildren's self-reported internalizing and externalizing difficulties were unrelated to grandmothers' distress and parenting practices, the grandmothers' reports of these outcomes were generally related to their own distress and parenting practices as hypothesized. However, considerable variation was found across the five parenting practices in terms of their relationships to the other FSM constructs. We conclude that data from multiple informants and measures of assorted parenting practices are essential to future research and practice.

Soil erosion predictions from a landscape evolution model - An assessment of a post-mining landform using spatial climate change analogues

Landscape Evolution Modelling (LEM) technologies provide a means by which it is possible to simulate the long-term geomorphic stability of a conceptual rehabilitated landform. However, simulations rarely consider the potential effects of anthropogenic climate change and consequently risk not accounting for the range of rainfall variability that might be expected in both the near and far future. One issue is that high resolution (both spatial and temporal) rainfall projections incorporating the potential effects of greenhouse forcing are required as input. However, projections of rainfall change are still highly uncertain for many regions, particularly at sub annual/seasonal scales. This is the case for northern Australia, where a decrease or an increase in rainfall post 2030 is considered equally likely based on climate model simulations. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate a spatial analogue approach to develop point scale hourly rainfall scenarios to be used as input to the CAESAR - Lisflood LEM to test the sensitivity of the geomorphic stability of a conceptual rehabilitated landform to potential changes in climate. Importantly, the scenarios incorporate the range of projected potential increase/decrease in rainfall for northern Australia and capture the expected envelope of erosion rates and erosion patterns (i.e. where erosion and deposition occurs) over a 100year modelled period. We show that all rainfall scenarios produce sediment output and gullying greater than that of the surrounding natural system, however a 'wetter' future climate produces the highest output. Importantly, incorporating analogue rainfall scenarios into LEM has the capacity to both improve landform design and enhance the modelling software. Further, the method can be easily transferred to other sites (both nationally and internationally) where rainfall variability is significant and climate change impacts are uncertain.

The influence of social norms on flu vaccination among African American and White adults

Adult influenza vaccination rates remain suboptimal, particularly among African Americans. Social norms may influence vaccination behavior, but little research has focused on influenza vaccine and almost no research has focused on racially-specific norms. This mixed methods investigation utilizes qualitative interviews and focus groups (n = 118) and national survey results (n = 1643) to assess both descriptive and subjective norms surrounding influenza vaccination. Qualitative results suggest a perceived descriptive norm that 'about half' of the population gets vaccinated. Participants describe differing norms by race and vaccine behavior. Quantitative results confirm a perceived descriptive norm that 40-60% of the population gets vaccinated. Both African Americans and Whites accurately identified race-specific vaccination rates relative to the general population. Individuals who report that a majority of people around them want them to be vaccinated were significantly more likely to be vaccinated, suggesting subjective norms are influential for both White and African American adults. While perceived descriptive norms are somewhat accurate (mirroring the actual influenza vaccination rate), emphasizing a suboptimal vaccination rate may not be beneficial. Health promotion efforts, particularly those targeting African Americans, may benefit from focusing on subjective norms and encouraging friends and family members to talk about the benefits of influenza vaccination.

Breaking down the monolith: Understanding flu vaccine uptake among African Americans

Black adults are significantly less likely to be immunized for seasonal influenza when compared to Whites. This persistent disparity contributes to increased influenza-related morbidity and mortality in the African American population. Most scholarship on vaccine disparities has compared Whites and Blacks. Employing Public Health Critical Race Praxis, this study seeks to shift the focus to explore differences within the Black population. Utilizing a nationally-representative 2015 survey of US Black adults (n = 806), we explore differences by gender, age, income, and education across vaccine-related measures (e.g., perceived risk, knowledge, attitudes) and racial factors (e.g. racial salience, racial fairness, perceived discrimination). We also explore differences by vaccine behavior in the past five years among those who vaccinate every year, most years but not all, once or twice, and never. Greater frequency of flu vaccine uptake was associated with better self-reported vaccine knowledge, more positive vaccine attitudes, more trust in the flu vaccine and the vaccine process, higher perceived disease risk, lower perceived risk of vaccine side effects, stronger subjective and moral norms, lower general vaccine hesitancy, higher confidence in the flu vaccine, and lower perceived barriers. Logistic regression results highlighted other significant differences among the groups, emphasizing areas to target for improved vaccination rates. We find great diversity within the Black community related to influenza immunization decisions, highlighting the need to “break down the monolith” in future research.

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Empirically tested differences within the Black population for flu vaccine behavior.

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Detected significant differences in past vaccine behavior by age, gender, income, and education.

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Focus on past behavior to move adults along the continuum to increase vaccination.

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Highlights diversity within the Black population, often missing from comparative studies.

Determinants of influenza vaccination among high-risk Black and White adults

BACKGROUND

Adults with chronic conditions are at much greater risk of influenza-related morbidity and mortality, yet flu vaccine uptake remains suboptimal. Research focused on the high-risk population has been limited, particularly related to racial disparities in vaccination. We explore a broad range of demographic, racial, and psychosocial factors to identify predictors of vaccination among high-risk adults, with a focus on identify differences between Black and White adults.

METHODS

We conducted an online survey in March 2015, utilizing international research firm GfK's KnowledgePanel, for a nationally representative sample of Black and White adults (≥18, USA) and limited analysis adults with high-risk of influenza-related complications. Using two-way ANOVA, we assessed demographic, racial, and psychosocial predictors across vaccine uptake in the past five years and across racial group.

RESULTS

424 (52.2%) Black and 388 (47.8%) White respondents with high-risk complications completed the survey. 383 (47.3%) reported vaccination annually, 99 (12.2%) most years, 104 (12.9%) once/twice, and 223 (27.6%) never.ANOVA confirmed significant differences in vaccine behavior for most demographic predictors (except education), all racial factors (including racial fairness, experiences of discrimination, etc.), and most psychosocial factors (including vaccine attitudes, trust in the vaccine, etc.). ANOVA confirmed significant differences for most factors by race. We observed significant interaction effects between race and vaccine behavior for subjective social status, access to medical care, knowledge of vaccine recommendations, vaccine attitudes, perceived side effect risks, descriptive norms, subjective norms, flu vaccine hesitancy, and flu vaccine confidence, thus implying racial differences in the connection between vaccine uptake and key demographic, racial, and psychosocial factors.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a novel examination of flu vaccine behavior among high-risk Blacks and Whites that identified factors influencing vaccine uptake.We found significant differences by race. Health care professionals can use this information to more effectively target high-risk adults during flu season.

Determinants of trust in the flu vaccine for African Americans and Whites

Trust is thought to be a major factor in vaccine decisions, but few studies have empirically tested the role of trust in adult immunization. Utilizing a 2015 national survey of African American and White adults (n = 1630), we explore multiple dimensions of trust related to influenza immunization, including generalized trust, trust in the flu vaccine, and trust in the vaccine production process. We find African Americans report lower trust than Whites across all trust measures. When considering demographic, racial, and ideological predictors, generalized trust shows statistically significant effects on both trust in the flu vaccine and trust in the vaccine process. When controlling for demographic, racial, and ideological variables, higher generalized trust was significantly associated with higher trust in the flu vaccine and the vaccine process. When controlling for generalized trust, in addition to the baseline covariates, psychosocial predictors (i.e. risk perception, social norms, knowledge) are significant predictors of trust in flu vaccine and trust in the vaccine process, with significant differences by race. These findings suggest that trust in vaccination is complex, and that significant differences in trust between White and African American adults may be contributing to disparities in influenza immunization.

Positive Affectivity and Fear Trajectories in Infancy: Contributions of Mother-Child Interaction Factors

Fear and positive emotionality were considered in a growth modeling context. Mothers, primarily Caucasian (91.9%) and of middle socioeconomic status, participated in play interactions with infants at 4 months (N = 148). Infant fear and positive affectivity were evaluated at 6, 8, 10, and 12 months of age. A linear trajectory was superior in explaining growth for parent report and observation-based indicators of positive affectivity and parent report of fearfulness; a piecewise model explained the nonlinear growth of observation-based fear. Responsiveness in mother-infant interactions emerged as a significant predictor of the fear trajectory, with higher sensitivity predicting lower levels of observed fear. Reciprocity, tempo, emotional tone, and intensity of mother-infant interactions also made significant contributions to temperament development; however, analyses addressing these were exploratory.

The Effect of Extreme Response and Non-extreme Response Styles on Testing Measurement Invariance

Extreme and non-extreme response styles (RSs) are prevalent in survey research using Likert-type scales. Their effects on measurement invariance (MI) in the context of confirmatory factor analysis are systematically investigated here via a Monte Carlo simulation study. Using the parameter estimates obtained from analyzing a 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study data set, a population model was constructed. Original and contaminated data with one of two RSs were generated and analyzed via multi-group confirmatory factor analysis with different constraints of MI. The results indicated that the detrimental effects of response style on MI have been underestimated. More specifically, these two RSs had a substantially negative impact on both model fit and parameter recovery, suggesting that the lack of MI between groups may have been caused by the RSs, not the measured factors of focal interest. Practical implications are provided to help practitioners to detect RSs and determine whether RSs are a serious threat to MI.