Search Results (3,581)

Background: This study aims to psychometrically validate the abbreviated version of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) in Peruvian nurses, evaluating its convergent validity through its association with perceived stress and empathy. Methods: A cross-sectional psychometric study was conducted in 374 Peruvian nurses to evaluate the psychometric properties of CD-RISC-10 through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Furthermore, concurrent validity was assessed through correlational analysis using Spearman’s rho coefficient to evaluate the relationships among resilience, perceived stress, and empathy. Results: The CFA supported the predominantly one-dimensional model showing an adequate fit when the residual covariance between Items 4 and 7 was specified after correlating the residuals of Items 4 and 7 (CFI = 0.978, TLI = 0.971, RMSEA = 0.080, and SRMR = 0.044). Ordinal Cronbach’s alpha of 0.89 and McDonald’s omega of 0.81 were obtained. Concurrent validity showed significant correlations with perceived stress (rho = −0.53, p < 0.001) and empathy (rho = 0.31, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The CD-RISC-10 has adequate psychometric properties in Peruvian nurses. Future studies are needed to evaluate its factorial invariance between clinical specialties and establish normative thresholds. Full article

Computer-based assessments generate rich process data that captures examinees’ interactions with test items. Using process data from the U.S. PISA 2012 computer-based mathematics assessment sample, this study applied recurrent neural networks to predict item-level correctness and assessment-level latent proficiency. The analysis also examines the impact of expert-engineered features, levels of architectural complexity, action variability, and score variability on model performance. At the item level, most models achieved AUC values around 0.80, indicating good predictive performance. Moderate correlations were observed between latent proficiency from 30 items and predictions based on process data from a subset of items (n = 10). For item-level models, adding expert-engineered features reduces training time and may improve predictive performance with low action variability. For the assessment-level models, adding expert-engineered features improved performance. Model complexity, including model type (i.e., standard RNN, GRU, and LSTM), number of nodes, and number of layers, had little effect on accuracy and efficiency. Moreover, items with greater action variability were associated with better model performance. The findings suggest that simple neural network architectures are sufficient for modeling process data with limited action variability and that combining action sequences with expert-engineered features improves accuracy, efficiency, and interpretability. Full article

Background: Quality-of-life (QoL) assessment has become an essential component of outcome evaluation in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS), particularly in interventions with functional implications for breathing, sleep, and oro-facial performance. Existing instruments often lack specificity for the postoperative OMFS population. This study aimed to develop and psychometrically validate the OMFS-QoL-18 questionnaire, a condition-oriented patient-reported outcome measure designed for postoperative assessment. Methods: A cross-sectional validation study was conducted on 226 adult patients evaluated 6–12 months after orthognathic or function-oriented OMFS procedures. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, and reproducibility using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) based on a two-way random-effects model with absolute agreement. The internal structure of the instrument was explored through an exploratory dimensionality analysis using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), including Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) testing and Bartlett’s test of sphericity. Descriptive statistics were calculated for item and domain scores. Results: The OMFS-QoL-18 demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.789; standardized α = 0.783) and satisfactory reproducibility (ICC = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.74–0.87). The exploratory dimensionality analysis suggested a multidimensional structure, with five components explaining 67.1% of the total variance. Item clustering was broadly consistent with the predefined conceptual domains, including respiratory comfort, sleep quality, daytime function, oro-maxillofacial function, and global satisfaction. Given the use of PCA as a component-based method, these findings are interpreted as preliminary evidence of dimensional organization rather than confirmation of latent constructs. Conclusions: The OMFS-QoL-18 demonstrated good internal consistency and preliminary evidence of a coherent factor structure. These findings support its use as a promising condition-specific instrument, pending further validation studies. Further multicenter and longitudinal validation studies are warranted to confirm structural stability and responsiveness over time. Full article

Food noise refers to persistent and intrusive thoughts about food that may interfere with daily functioning, emotional well-being, and eating behaviors. Although the construct has gained increasing attention in clinical and research contexts, no psychometrically sound tools are currently available in Italian to assess food noise. Therefore, the present study aimed to translate, adapt, and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Food Noise Questionnaire (FNQ). A total of 1087 participants (mean age 37.45 ± 10.35 years; 50.6% female) were enrolled in the investigation. Participants completed the Italian version of the FNQ, along with a convergent measure of food-related preoccupation and self-report measures of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and perceived stress. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a unidimensional factor structure for the FNQ, with salient standardized factor loadings (range = 0.803–0.919) and strong internal-consistency reliability (categorical ω = 0.917). Evidence of convergent validity was provided by strong associations with food-related preoccupation (r = 0.831, p < 0.001), whereas discriminant validity was supported by smaller, yet significant, correlations with anxiety, depression, and perceived stress (r range = 0.350 to 0.417, p < 0.001). In addition, configural, metric, and scalar invariance across gender was established within a multi-group framework. These findings provide evidence for the FNQ as a reliable and valid measure of food noise in the Italian adult population, demonstrating robust psychometric properties and gender-invariant measurement. Full article

Understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying consumer loyalty behavior constitutes a central challenge for the behavioral sciences. Despite growing research on experiential marketing, limited attention has been directed toward understanding the conditional cognitive mechanisms that determine when and how consumption experiences translate into stable loyalty patterns, particularly in emerging market contexts where consumer behavior dynamics differ substantially from those in mature economies. The present study examines how experiential processing influences the formation of behavioral loyalty patterns, considering the moderating role of cognitive value evaluation. A quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional design was employed with a sample of 500 consumers from retail businesses in Pueblo Nuevo, Peru. The instruments demonstrated adequate psychometric properties (α > 0.88; AVE > 0.50). The results of the moderation analysis using PROCESS Model 1 revealed that the model explains 79.9% of the variance in loyalty behavior (R² = 0.799, p < 0.001). The interaction effect was significant (B = 0.10, p < 0.001), confirming that cognitive value evaluation moderates the relationship between experiential processing and behavioral loyalty. Simple slopes analysis showed that the effect of experiential processing on loyalty intensifies as perceived value increases, ranging from B = 0.56 at low levels to B = 0.77 at high levels. The Johnson–Neyman criterion identified the transition point at 14.80. These findings contribute to consumer behavior theory by demonstrating that consumption experiences require a favorable cognitive evaluation to translate into stable behavioral loyalty patterns, with implications for Sustainable Development Goal 8 concerning sustainable economic growth. These results advance consumer behavior theory by providing an integrative moderating framework applicable beyond the Peruvian context, and offer retail managers a diagnostic tool for calibrating experiential strategies based on consumer value perception thresholds. Full article

Background/Objectives: To evaluate construct (convergent and divergent) validity and conduct confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) Wellness Assessment (NWA) tool. Methods: A cross-sectional survey validation study utilizing secondary data. We assessed Spearman correlations between NWA and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), NWA and Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) and NWA and Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) scores to determine construct validity. A CFA was conducted to test the appropriateness of a three-factor model for NWA. Results: Data from 149 participants were used to assess construct validity and from 180 participants for CFA. Both correlations between NWA mental wellness domain and SF-36 mental component scores and between NWA emotional/spiritual wellness domain and SF-36 emotional well-being scores were 0.61 (p < 0.001 for both). The correlation between NWA physical wellness domain and SF-36 physical component score was −0.06 (p = 0.45). The correlations of NWA with GLTEQ overall and with health contribution scores were 0.26 and 0.30, respectively (p < 0.001 for both). The correlations of all NWA domain and MFIS subscale scores ranged between −0.42 and −0.25 (p < 0.05). The CFA model’s comparative fit index was 0.90. Conclusions: The NWA physical wellness domain did not demonstrate strong convergent validity, as mental and emotional/spiritual wellness domains did. All domains showed strong divergent validity, and CFA showed evidence supporting a three-factor model. Future efforts will emphasize refining and reevaluating the physical wellness domain until it achieves strong psychometric properties. Full article

Matrix reasoning tests are frequently used to measure intelligence and identify gifted students across domains. To date, there is limited evidence on the usefulness of contextualised tasks for identifying domain-specific giftedness. In the current study, matrix reasoning tasks tailored to biological contexts were developed and validated for students in grades 3–6. The tasks were evaluated across two research cycles, involving a total of N = 895 students (n₁ = 470; n₂ = 425). An item analysis based on item response theory indicated acceptable item parameters and fit indices for the final item pool. Correlation analyses revealed moderate-to-strong associations with IQ, assessed via abstract matrix reasoning, as well as with domain-specific achievement in biological inquiry processes. A known-groups comparison revealed that students identified as gifted in biology outperformed a comparison group of peers, providing preliminary known-groups validity evidence for the developed tasks. Overall, the matrix reasoning tasks tailored to biology showed acceptable psychometric properties, demonstrated positive correlations with achievement in biological inquiry, and the study provided initial evidence of their usefulness for identifying gifted students in biology. Full article

Image communication represents a fundamental domain of human experience that intersects cognitive neuroscience, educational psychology, and visual communication theory. The increasing digitalization of contemporary society has amplified the importance of visual literacy, defined as the ability to interpret, use, and create visual media. While neuroscientific research highlights the brain’s proficiency in processing visual information, significant gaps remain in understanding the underlying psychological mechanisms and their practical applications in educational contexts. This study proposes a multidisciplinary research design to systematically analyze these psychological dimensions. The research will integrate cognitive, perceptual, and pedagogical perspectives to understand how visual representations influence learning. The methodological design includes a multi-method approach combining experimental analysis, ethnographic observation, and psychometric evaluation on a stratified sample of 240 participants (aged 16–25) divided into three groups: high school students (n = 80), university students (n = 80), and young professionals (n = 80). The proposed methodology will utilize eye-tracking to analyze visual perception patterns, integrated with semantic differential methods to evaluate cognitive and affective associations with visual imagery. The expected results should clarify how the effectiveness of image communication depends on the coherence between technical and semantic aspects of visual imagery. The research aims to contribute to the theoretical framework of educational neuroscience, offering empirical evidence for optimizing teaching strategies based on multimodal visual communication. Full article

Background: Family caregivers remain closely involved in communication, care planning, and shared decision-making in long-term care (LTC) facilities. In this context, the quality of the relationship between family caregivers and professional staff may influence trust, collaboration, and satisfaction with care. However, few instruments have been specifically adapted to assess caregiver–staff relationship quality in Taiwanese LTC settings. Objectives: This study aimed to culturally adapt and preliminarily validate the Family Caregiver Relationship Quality (FCRQ) Scale for use in Taiwanese LTC facilities. Methods: A cross-sectional psychometric validation study was conducted with 205 primary family caregivers recruited from 20 LTC facilities in Taiwan. The original Relationship Quality Scale was adapted to the LTC context through contextual revision, expert review, bilingual verification, and pilot testing. Psychometric evaluation included confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency assessment, convergent validity, and structural equation modelling with Bollen–Stine bootstrap correction to address potential non-normality. Results: The initial 16-item model required refinement, and three items with low standardized factor loadings were removed. The revised 13-item model met the prespecified fit criteria and showed acceptable internal consistency and convergent validity. The retained items reflected three conceptually related domains of relationship quality: trust, commitment, and satisfaction. Overall, the findings provided preliminary psychometric support for the adapted scale in Taiwanese LTC settings. Conclusions: The adapted FCRQ Scale may be a useful tool for assessing caregiver–staff relationship quality in Taiwanese long-term care facilities, particularly in the context of shared decision-making and family-centred care. Nevertheless, the findings should be interpreted as preliminary, and further validation in larger and more diverse samples is needed before broader clinical or research application. Full article

Childhood obesity is a growing global health problem with significant biomechanical and psychosocial consequences. While many studies have examined these domains separately, few integrate postural abnormalities, psychophysical functioning, and lifestyle factors within a single framework. This narrative review synthesises the literature published between 2005 and 2025 to summarise current evidence and identify research gaps. The findings indicate that overweight and obesity increase the risk of musculoskeletal deviations such as genu valgum, flat feet, and increased lumbar lordosis, as well as altered gait biomechanics and reduced motor competence. Excess body weight is also associated with lower self-esteem, negative body image, depressive symptoms, and reduced health-related quality of life in children and adolescents. These outcomes appear to be influenced by modifiable lifestyle factors, including parental health behaviours, sleep patterns, and screen time, although reported associations remain inconsistent. Notably, few studies address biomechanical, psychological, and environmental factors simultaneously, which limits the understanding of their interactions. To address this gap, a prospective observational study of 250–300 children aged 7–17 years is proposed. The study will combine objective postural assessments, validated psychometric tools, and lifestyle analyses at baseline and after a 12–14-month follow-up. This integrated approach aims to identify postural compensation patterns, psychosocial risk trajectories, and modifiable behavioural predictors associated with childhood obesity, supporting the development of early preventive and interdisciplinary interventions. Full article

This paper introduces SNAP (Structure, Narrative, Activation, Process, Next), a multidimensional clinical reflection tool supporting psychotherapists in systematically attending to phenomenological, relational, and process-oriented dimensions. SNAP integrates Gestalt therapy, complex systems theory, and the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework, comprising 73 items across five dimensions. A pilot acceptability and perceived utility study (N = 20 psychotherapists) used a retrospective pre-post design in which participants provided retrospective pre-exposure and post-exposure ratings for each item. Post-exposure ratings were higher overall than retrospective pre-exposure ratings (T2: M = 6.69, SD = 0.54 vs. T1: M = 6.02, SD = 0.70; mean difference +0.67; Hedges’ g = 0.28, Cohen’s d = 0.29; 15/73 items p < 0.05 uncorrected; 2/73 after Benjamini-Hochberg FDR correction). The largest descriptive contrasts were observed in phenomenological dimensions: Next (g = 0.61), Activation (g = 0.49), Narrative (g = 0.43), and Process-Therapist (g = 0.41). Structural bio-psycho-social dimensions showed minimal contrasts (d = −0.02 to 0.15). Absolute post-exposure ratings were high across items (89% rated 6/9 or above), supporting good acceptability and perceived usefulness within this sample. These preliminary findings support SNAP as a promising, positively perceived framework for clinical reflection. Larger-sample psychometric validation is warranted. Full article

Background/Objectives: The attachment framework has been used to understand individuals’ development and the emergence of difficulties in specific contexts and developmental stages. The Vulnerable Attachment Style Questionnaire (VASQ) is a brief self-report measure initially designed to assess adult attachment as a vulnerability factor for the development of depression. The present study aimed to examine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the VASQ in a sample of adolescents living in residential care and to provide preliminary evidence for a revised version of the instrument in this population. Methods: A total of 438 youths, aged 12 to 18 years (M = 15.34), completed the questionnaire. Data were randomly split to conduct independent exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Results: A three-factor model, consisting of two types of insecurity (ambivalent and avoidant) and a proximity-seeking dimension, emerged as the best-fitting solution. This revised structure involved removing several items while maintaining acceptable psychometric properties and meaningful associations with psychological adjustment. Concurrent validity was assessed by examining youth psychological adjustment, and positive correlations emerged as expected. Conclusions: The findings provide preliminary support for a shortened, restructured version of the VASQ for adolescents in residential care. Rather than confirming the original factorial structure, the results highlight the need to consider population-specific adaptations of the instrument. This version may have potential utility in clinical or intervention contexts and underscores the need to train institutional workers to develop competencies tailored to this population. Full article

Background/Objectives: Adequate nutrition in older adults is essential to maintaining health, functionality, and quality of life, particularly in long-term care hospitals (HACLEs). Previous studies suggest that dissatisfaction with hospital food is linked to longer stays, more complications, and negative perceptions of care. Given these concerns, this study aimed to assess patients’ experiences with hospital food over a 15-year period in a HACLE in Spain, identify key influencing factors, and validate an updated PREM (Patient Reported Experience Measure) tool for food services. Methods: A retrospective, observational, repeated cross-sectional study was conducted using annual PREM surveys administered between 2011 and 2025 to patients on oral diets. Psychometric validation of the updated 8-item version (2024) was conducted. Results: Out of 1618 surveys, 1540 were included in the final analysis. The updated PREM showed strong internal consistency (α = 0.85, ω = 0.87), a two-factor structure (food quality and service conditions), and adequate model fit. Perceptions worsened after a catering company change in 2022 but improved following the implementation of new food distribution carts in 2025. The PREM total score showed a strong positive association with the global satisfaction item, providing supportive evidence based on a closely related anchor measure (Spearman’s rho = 0.80, 95% CI 0.77–0.82; p < 0.001). Scores differed significantly by diet type: patients receiving a pureed diet reported the highest average satisfaction score, followed by those on a soft diet and a regular diet. The group on a soft diet excluding foods that pose a choking hazard had the lowest mean score. Conclusions: The validated PREM scale is a reliable tool to monitor patient experience with hospital food. It enables early detection of quality issues and supports targeted improvements. Routine use in long-term care settings may foster personalized, patient-centered nutrition strategies and enhance care quality. Full article

Understanding individuals’ connection to nature is crucial for promoting sustainable attitudes and behaviors. The environmental identity (EID) scale, widely used to assess this connection, plays a key role in environmental research; however, its cross-cultural application requires rigorous psychometric validation. Although the revised 14-item EID scale has demonstrated good reliability, questions remain regarding its dimensionality and the potential influence of acquiescence due to exclusively positive worded items. This study examined both issues in Portuguese samples. In Study 1, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test the factorial structure. Results supported a two-factor model with correlated dimensions: Restorative Connection to Nature (RCN) and Ecological Identity (EI), rather than a strictly unidimensional solution. In Study 2 acquiescence was assessed by comparing the original version with a balanced version that included partially reverse-worded items. Item distributions, factor loadings, and reliability were analyzed. The balanced version did not improve control of acquiescence; instead, reversed-worded items showed weaker loadings, lower explanation variance, and method effects, suggesting increased measurement bias. Overall, the findings support the robustness of the revised 14-item EID scale in Portugal while indicating that environmental identity is better conceptualized as a bidimensional construct portraying both reflective connection and identity-based engagement with nature. The results also highlight the limitations of reverse-worded items as a strategy for reducing response bias in value-laden constructs. Full article

Background and Objectives: Poor sleep is common in community and primary-care settings, yet very brief sleep measures suitable for routine use remain limited. We developed and evaluated the five-item Promoting Evaluation and Awareness of Comfort in Sleep (PEACE) scale and examined its associations with well-being and fatigue. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional, clinician-mediated online survey, 312 community-dwelling adults in Italy who were not receiving active treatment for major diseases completed PEACE, the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), and a short fatigue questionnaire. The sample was stratified and split into exploratory and confirmatory subsamples for factor analyses. Results: Factor analyses supported the use of a single total score and showed acceptable reliability. Results were broadly similar in women and men, with no evidence of item-level bias, although some model-comparison indices were mixed. Higher PEACE scores were associated with better well-being and lower fatigue. Adding PEACE to a model predicting well-being from body mass index and sex increased explained variance from 4.0% to 11.5%. Conclusions: PEACE is a brief sleep-quality measure with promising initial psychometric properties. In this sample, it was associated with well-being and fatigue and may add information beyond body mass index and sex in community and primary-care settings. Full article