Measurement theory and practice defines how well we can measure the most important constructs in ... more Measurement theory and practice defines how well we can measure the most important constructs in the health behavior field. This article reviews the sequential process of measurement development that builds upon both theory and evidence, as well as building toward the future of measurement development. Some basic measurement theory and concepts are reviewed, including types of reliability and validity. The process of scale development and selection is described in some detail with clear advise for choosing measures and criteria for selecting items and scales. Finally two different examples of theory-based measurement development are described in detail: one of an alcohol expectancy scale grounded in Social Learning Theory, and the other of scales assessing confidence in remaining quit and temptation to smoke, grounded in the Transtheoretical model conceptualization of self efficacy. These examples illustrate two different ways that measurement development efforts can produce good sc...
Advance care planning (ACP) is a key component of high-quality end-of-life care but is underused.... more Advance care planning (ACP) is a key component of high-quality end-of-life care but is underused. Interventions based on models of behaviour change may fill an important gap in available programmes to increase ACP engagement. Such interventions are designed for broad outreach and flexibility in delivery. The purpose of the Sharing and Talking about My Preferences study is to examine the efficacy of three behaviour change approaches to increasing ACP engagement through two related randomised controlled trials being conducted in different settings (Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centre and community). Eligible participants are 55 years or older. Participants in the community are being recruited in person in primary care and specialty outpatient practices and senior living sites, and participants in the VA are recruited by telephone. In the community, randomisation is at the level of the practice or site, with all persons at a given practice/site receiving either computer-tailored feedb...
Families, systems & health : the journal of collaborative family healthcare, 2018
Although integrated primary care (IPC) is growing, several barriers remain. Better understanding ... more Although integrated primary care (IPC) is growing, several barriers remain. Better understanding of behavioral health professionals' (BHPs') readiness for and engagement in IPC behaviors could improve IPC research and training. This study developed measures of IPC behaviors and stage of change. The sample included 319 licensed, practicing BHPs with a range of interests and experience with IPC. Sequential measurement development procedures, with split-half cross-validation were conducted. Exploratory principal components analyses (N = 152) and confirmatory factor analyses (N = 167) yielded a 12-item scale with 2 factors: consultation/practice management (CPM) and intervention/knowledge (IK). A higher-order Integrated Primary Care Behavior Scale (IPCBS) model showed good fit to the data, and excellent internal consistencies. The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) on the IPCBS demonstrated significant large-sized differences across stage and behavior groups. The IPCBS d...
The fourteen-factor Processes of Change Scale for Sun Protection assesses behavioral and experien... more The fourteen-factor Processes of Change Scale for Sun Protection assesses behavioral and experiential strategies that underlie the process of sun protection acquisition and maintenance. Variations of this measure have been used effectively in several randomized sun protection trials, both for evaluation and as a basis for intervention. However, there are no published studies, to date, that evaluate the psychometric properties of the scale. The present study evaluated factorial invariance and scale reliability in a national sample (N = 1360) of adults involved in a Transtheoretical model tailored intervention for exercise and sun protection, at baseline. Invariance testing ranged from least to most restrictive: Configural Invariance (constraints only factor structure and zero loadings); Pattern Identity Invariance (equal factor loadings across target groups); and Strong Factorial Invariance (equal factor loadings and measurement errors). Multi-sample structural equation modeling test...
American journal of health promotion : AJHP, Jan 26, 2016
Anxiety is the most common and costly mental illness in the United States. Reducing avoidance is ... more Anxiety is the most common and costly mental illness in the United States. Reducing avoidance is a core element of evidence-based treatments. Past research shows readiness to address avoidance affects outcomes. Investigating avoidance from a transtheoretical model (TTM) perspective could facilitate tailored approaches for individuals with low readiness. This study developed and examined psychometric properties of TTM measures for addressing anxiety-based avoidance. Cross-sectional survey. Community centers, online survey. Five hundred ninety-four individuals aged 18 to 70 with clinically significant anxiety. Overall Anxiety Severity Questionnaire, stages of change, decisional balance, and self-efficacy. The sample was randomly split into halves for principal component analyses (PCAs) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) to test measurement models. Further analyses examined relationships between constructs. For decisional balance, PCA indicated two 5-item factors (pros and cons). ...
The evaluation of treatment fidelity has become increasingly important as the demand for evidence... more The evaluation of treatment fidelity has become increasingly important as the demand for evidence-based practice grows. The purpose of the present study is to describe the psychometric properties of two measures of treatment fidelity that can be used by therapists and supervisors - one for group-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and one for combined Substance Education and Twelve-Step Introduction (SET) for adolescent substance use. At the end of group sessions (CBT n=307; SET n=279), therapists and supervisors completed an evaluation measure assessing adherence to certain core components of the intervention. The supervisor version of the fidelity measure also included items for rating the level of competency the therapist demonstrated when providing each component of the intervention. Results from split-half cross-validation analyses provide strong support for an 11-item, three-factor CBT fidelity measure. Somewhat less consistent but adequate support for a nine-item, two-fa...
Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, 2016
Increasing numbers of adults, particularly college students, are misusing prescription stimulants... more Increasing numbers of adults, particularly college students, are misusing prescription stimulants primarily for cognitive/academic enhancement, so it is critical to explore whether empirical findings support neurocognitive benefits of prescription stimulants. Previous meta-analytic studies have supported small benefits from prescription stimulants for the cognitive domains of inhibitory control and memory; however, no meta-analytic studies have examined the effects on processing speed or the potential impairment on other domains of cognition, including planning, decision-making, and cognitive perseveration. Therefore, the present study conducted a meta-analysis of the available literature examining the effects of prescription stimulants on specific measures of processing speed, planning, decision-making, and cognitive perseveration among healthy adult populations. The meta-analysis results indicated a positive influence of prescription stimulant medication on processing speed accura...
Individual differences in verbal ability measured by Verbal Scholastic Aptitude Test score and im... more Individual differences in verbal ability measured by Verbal Scholastic Aptitude Test score and imagery ability measured by Betts' Questionnaire Upon Mental Imagery and Marks' Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire were determined. The latter two were positively correlated, and neither correlated with the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Subjects high in verbal ability and high in imagery independently increased paired-associate recall over those low in verbal ability and imagery when the Marks scale was used as the measure of imagery. Paivio's dual-coding hypothesis was generally supported, and the conceptual-peg function of concrete stimuli was especially beneficial to subjects of low verbal ability and high imagery. The Marks scale was superior to the shortened Betts scale for predicting the effects of ability to image on recall for these 4 groups of 20 subjects each.
Http Dx Doi Org 10 3200 Bmed 35 2 57 66, Aug 7, 2010
This study explored the motivational factors that influence individuals across the stages of chan... more This study explored the motivational factors that influence individuals across the stages of change for exercise. The authors compared physically active nonsmokers with physically active smokers in a college student population. Half of regular exercisers identified themselves as smokers. Compared with their nonsmoking peers, young smokers have higher rates of physical and emotional distress. Those participants who exercise and do not smoke are more likely to exhibit intrinsic factors for exercise. Undergraduate psychology students (N = 614) completed an Internet survey on exercise and smoking behavior as well as motivational factors for exercise. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed that intrinsic motivational factors for exercise were significantly higher for the active nonsmokers than for the active smokers. Interventions promoting consistent exercise and smoking abstinence should continue to be directed toward young adults, focusing on fostering intrinsic motivational factors for exercise.
Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, May 31, 1991
... Prochaska, James O.; Rossi, Joseph S.; Wilcox, Nancy S. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration,... more ... Prochaska, James O.; Rossi, Joseph S.; Wilcox, Nancy S. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, Vol 1(2), Jun 1991, 103-120. ... such problems as smoking cessation, weight control, alcohol abuse, psychological distress, and a variety of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental ...
and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study pu... more and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
Advertising research has indicated that a high degree of sexism toward women occurs in magazine a... more Advertising research has indicated that a high degree of sexism toward women occurs in magazine and television advertising. However, the design of such marketing studies is different from the designs typically used in most psychological research. An experimental approach was used for a study in which 137 college students rated 10 control and 10 "sexist" target magazine advertisements for appeal and perceived sexism and completed the Attitudes toward Women Scale (AWS). Females found target ads to be more sexist than males, although both sexes rated target ads as much more sexist than control ads. There were no sex differences in ratings of the appeal of control ads. Females rated target ads as less appealing than control ads. High sexism ratings of the target ads were associated with low appeal ratings. Additionally, females displayed more liberal attitudes on the AWS than did males. The findings suggest that social desirability factors may have influenced ratings on the AWS and sexism scale, but not the appeal ratings. (Author/JAC)
A crucial assumption for a measure is that it is factorially invariant; that is, the measurement ... more A crucial assumption for a measure is that it is factorially invariant; that is, the measurement model is the same in different subgroups and across different occasions. The invariance of the short form of the decisional balance inventory was investigated using data from a representative sample of smokers (N = 4144). Separate analyses evaluated the invariance across two levels of gender (male and female), four levels of education (grade school, high school, college, and graduate school), two levels of race (white and black), four levels of age (18-25, 26-35, 36-50, and 50+), and across four assessment occasions. The results indicated that the decisional balance inventory demonstrated strong factorial invariance across the four demographic variables and across assessments.
The Self-Efficacy Scale for Sun Protection consists of two correlated factors with three items ea... more The Self-Efficacy Scale for Sun Protection consists of two correlated factors with three items each for Sunscreen Use and Avoidance. This study evaluated two crucial psychometric assumptions, factorial invariance and scale reliability, with a sample of adults(N=1356)participating in a computer-tailored, population-based intervention study. A measure has factorial invariance when the model is the same across subgroups. Three levels of invariance were tested, from least to most restrictive: (1) Configural Invariance (nonzero factor loadings unconstrained); (2) Pattern Identity Invariance (equal factor loadings); and (3) Strong Factorial Invariance (equal factor loadings and measurement errors). Strong Factorial Invariance was a good fit for the model across seven grouping variables: age, education, ethnicity, gender, race, skin tone, and Stage of Change for Sun Protection. Internal consistency coefficient Alpha and factor rho scale reliability, respectively, were .84 and .86 for Sunsc...
Measurement theory and practice defines how well we can measure the most important constructs in ... more Measurement theory and practice defines how well we can measure the most important constructs in the health behavior field. This article reviews the sequential process of measurement development that builds upon both theory and evidence, as well as building toward the future of measurement development. Some basic measurement theory and concepts are reviewed, including types of reliability and validity. The process of scale development and selection is described in some detail with clear advise for choosing measures and criteria for selecting items and scales. Finally two different examples of theory-based measurement development are described in detail: one of an alcohol expectancy scale grounded in Social Learning Theory, and the other of scales assessing confidence in remaining quit and temptation to smoke, grounded in the Transtheoretical model conceptualization of self efficacy. These examples illustrate two different ways that measurement development efforts can produce good sc...
Advance care planning (ACP) is a key component of high-quality end-of-life care but is underused.... more Advance care planning (ACP) is a key component of high-quality end-of-life care but is underused. Interventions based on models of behaviour change may fill an important gap in available programmes to increase ACP engagement. Such interventions are designed for broad outreach and flexibility in delivery. The purpose of the Sharing and Talking about My Preferences study is to examine the efficacy of three behaviour change approaches to increasing ACP engagement through two related randomised controlled trials being conducted in different settings (Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centre and community). Eligible participants are 55 years or older. Participants in the community are being recruited in person in primary care and specialty outpatient practices and senior living sites, and participants in the VA are recruited by telephone. In the community, randomisation is at the level of the practice or site, with all persons at a given practice/site receiving either computer-tailored feedb...
Families, systems & health : the journal of collaborative family healthcare, 2018
Although integrated primary care (IPC) is growing, several barriers remain. Better understanding ... more Although integrated primary care (IPC) is growing, several barriers remain. Better understanding of behavioral health professionals' (BHPs') readiness for and engagement in IPC behaviors could improve IPC research and training. This study developed measures of IPC behaviors and stage of change. The sample included 319 licensed, practicing BHPs with a range of interests and experience with IPC. Sequential measurement development procedures, with split-half cross-validation were conducted. Exploratory principal components analyses (N = 152) and confirmatory factor analyses (N = 167) yielded a 12-item scale with 2 factors: consultation/practice management (CPM) and intervention/knowledge (IK). A higher-order Integrated Primary Care Behavior Scale (IPCBS) model showed good fit to the data, and excellent internal consistencies. The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) on the IPCBS demonstrated significant large-sized differences across stage and behavior groups. The IPCBS d...
The fourteen-factor Processes of Change Scale for Sun Protection assesses behavioral and experien... more The fourteen-factor Processes of Change Scale for Sun Protection assesses behavioral and experiential strategies that underlie the process of sun protection acquisition and maintenance. Variations of this measure have been used effectively in several randomized sun protection trials, both for evaluation and as a basis for intervention. However, there are no published studies, to date, that evaluate the psychometric properties of the scale. The present study evaluated factorial invariance and scale reliability in a national sample (N = 1360) of adults involved in a Transtheoretical model tailored intervention for exercise and sun protection, at baseline. Invariance testing ranged from least to most restrictive: Configural Invariance (constraints only factor structure and zero loadings); Pattern Identity Invariance (equal factor loadings across target groups); and Strong Factorial Invariance (equal factor loadings and measurement errors). Multi-sample structural equation modeling test...
American journal of health promotion : AJHP, Jan 26, 2016
Anxiety is the most common and costly mental illness in the United States. Reducing avoidance is ... more Anxiety is the most common and costly mental illness in the United States. Reducing avoidance is a core element of evidence-based treatments. Past research shows readiness to address avoidance affects outcomes. Investigating avoidance from a transtheoretical model (TTM) perspective could facilitate tailored approaches for individuals with low readiness. This study developed and examined psychometric properties of TTM measures for addressing anxiety-based avoidance. Cross-sectional survey. Community centers, online survey. Five hundred ninety-four individuals aged 18 to 70 with clinically significant anxiety. Overall Anxiety Severity Questionnaire, stages of change, decisional balance, and self-efficacy. The sample was randomly split into halves for principal component analyses (PCAs) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) to test measurement models. Further analyses examined relationships between constructs. For decisional balance, PCA indicated two 5-item factors (pros and cons). ...
The evaluation of treatment fidelity has become increasingly important as the demand for evidence... more The evaluation of treatment fidelity has become increasingly important as the demand for evidence-based practice grows. The purpose of the present study is to describe the psychometric properties of two measures of treatment fidelity that can be used by therapists and supervisors - one for group-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and one for combined Substance Education and Twelve-Step Introduction (SET) for adolescent substance use. At the end of group sessions (CBT n=307; SET n=279), therapists and supervisors completed an evaluation measure assessing adherence to certain core components of the intervention. The supervisor version of the fidelity measure also included items for rating the level of competency the therapist demonstrated when providing each component of the intervention. Results from split-half cross-validation analyses provide strong support for an 11-item, three-factor CBT fidelity measure. Somewhat less consistent but adequate support for a nine-item, two-fa...
Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, 2016
Increasing numbers of adults, particularly college students, are misusing prescription stimulants... more Increasing numbers of adults, particularly college students, are misusing prescription stimulants primarily for cognitive/academic enhancement, so it is critical to explore whether empirical findings support neurocognitive benefits of prescription stimulants. Previous meta-analytic studies have supported small benefits from prescription stimulants for the cognitive domains of inhibitory control and memory; however, no meta-analytic studies have examined the effects on processing speed or the potential impairment on other domains of cognition, including planning, decision-making, and cognitive perseveration. Therefore, the present study conducted a meta-analysis of the available literature examining the effects of prescription stimulants on specific measures of processing speed, planning, decision-making, and cognitive perseveration among healthy adult populations. The meta-analysis results indicated a positive influence of prescription stimulant medication on processing speed accura...
Individual differences in verbal ability measured by Verbal Scholastic Aptitude Test score and im... more Individual differences in verbal ability measured by Verbal Scholastic Aptitude Test score and imagery ability measured by Betts' Questionnaire Upon Mental Imagery and Marks' Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire were determined. The latter two were positively correlated, and neither correlated with the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Subjects high in verbal ability and high in imagery independently increased paired-associate recall over those low in verbal ability and imagery when the Marks scale was used as the measure of imagery. Paivio's dual-coding hypothesis was generally supported, and the conceptual-peg function of concrete stimuli was especially beneficial to subjects of low verbal ability and high imagery. The Marks scale was superior to the shortened Betts scale for predicting the effects of ability to image on recall for these 4 groups of 20 subjects each.
Http Dx Doi Org 10 3200 Bmed 35 2 57 66, Aug 7, 2010
This study explored the motivational factors that influence individuals across the stages of chan... more This study explored the motivational factors that influence individuals across the stages of change for exercise. The authors compared physically active nonsmokers with physically active smokers in a college student population. Half of regular exercisers identified themselves as smokers. Compared with their nonsmoking peers, young smokers have higher rates of physical and emotional distress. Those participants who exercise and do not smoke are more likely to exhibit intrinsic factors for exercise. Undergraduate psychology students (N = 614) completed an Internet survey on exercise and smoking behavior as well as motivational factors for exercise. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed that intrinsic motivational factors for exercise were significantly higher for the active nonsmokers than for the active smokers. Interventions promoting consistent exercise and smoking abstinence should continue to be directed toward young adults, focusing on fostering intrinsic motivational factors for exercise.
Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, May 31, 1991
... Prochaska, James O.; Rossi, Joseph S.; Wilcox, Nancy S. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration,... more ... Prochaska, James O.; Rossi, Joseph S.; Wilcox, Nancy S. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, Vol 1(2), Jun 1991, 103-120. ... such problems as smoking cessation, weight control, alcohol abuse, psychological distress, and a variety of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental ...
and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study pu... more and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
Advertising research has indicated that a high degree of sexism toward women occurs in magazine a... more Advertising research has indicated that a high degree of sexism toward women occurs in magazine and television advertising. However, the design of such marketing studies is different from the designs typically used in most psychological research. An experimental approach was used for a study in which 137 college students rated 10 control and 10 "sexist" target magazine advertisements for appeal and perceived sexism and completed the Attitudes toward Women Scale (AWS). Females found target ads to be more sexist than males, although both sexes rated target ads as much more sexist than control ads. There were no sex differences in ratings of the appeal of control ads. Females rated target ads as less appealing than control ads. High sexism ratings of the target ads were associated with low appeal ratings. Additionally, females displayed more liberal attitudes on the AWS than did males. The findings suggest that social desirability factors may have influenced ratings on the AWS and sexism scale, but not the appeal ratings. (Author/JAC)
A crucial assumption for a measure is that it is factorially invariant; that is, the measurement ... more A crucial assumption for a measure is that it is factorially invariant; that is, the measurement model is the same in different subgroups and across different occasions. The invariance of the short form of the decisional balance inventory was investigated using data from a representative sample of smokers (N = 4144). Separate analyses evaluated the invariance across two levels of gender (male and female), four levels of education (grade school, high school, college, and graduate school), two levels of race (white and black), four levels of age (18-25, 26-35, 36-50, and 50+), and across four assessment occasions. The results indicated that the decisional balance inventory demonstrated strong factorial invariance across the four demographic variables and across assessments.
The Self-Efficacy Scale for Sun Protection consists of two correlated factors with three items ea... more The Self-Efficacy Scale for Sun Protection consists of two correlated factors with three items each for Sunscreen Use and Avoidance. This study evaluated two crucial psychometric assumptions, factorial invariance and scale reliability, with a sample of adults(N=1356)participating in a computer-tailored, population-based intervention study. A measure has factorial invariance when the model is the same across subgroups. Three levels of invariance were tested, from least to most restrictive: (1) Configural Invariance (nonzero factor loadings unconstrained); (2) Pattern Identity Invariance (equal factor loadings); and (3) Strong Factorial Invariance (equal factor loadings and measurement errors). Strong Factorial Invariance was a good fit for the model across seven grouping variables: age, education, ethnicity, gender, race, skin tone, and Stage of Change for Sun Protection. Internal consistency coefficient Alpha and factor rho scale reliability, respectively, were .84 and .86 for Sunsc...
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