George K. Makini

Prediction of anxiety disorders using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for multiethnic adolescents

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) in predicting DSM-III-R anxiety disorders based on the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC, Version 2.3) and using Asian/Pacific Islander adolescents. An overall prevalence rate of 9.19% for generalized anxiety disorder, overanxious disorder, or social phobia was consistent with past studies. As hypothesized, STAI negatively worded (i.e., Factor 2) items were better predictors than positively stated (i.e., Factor 1) items. The STAI State mean was a better predictor of concurrent DISC anxiety disorders as compared to STAI State Factors I or 2. In contrast, the STAI Trait Factor 2 (negatively worded) composite was the best predictor for nonconcurrent DISC anxiety disorders as compared to STAI Trait Factor 1 or the overall STAI Trait subscale. Satisfactory predictive-validity values were obtained when using the STAI State mean and Trait Factor 2 composite. Implications of these findings are discussed, including using the STAI as a screening measure for ethnically diverse adolescents.

Psychiatric symptoms of Hawaiian adolescents

The purpose of this study was to examine the interrelationship of depressive symptoms with symptoms of anxiety, aggression, and substance abuse in Native Hawaiian adolescents. A total of 1,819 Native Hawaiian students were recruited from three high schools as part of the initial phase of an ongoing, 4-year, longitudinal, cross-sequential study. Psychiatric symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), Spielbergers State Anxiety Inventory (SAI), Braver Aggression Dimension Scale (BADS), and Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-Abbreviated (SASSI-A). Scales were standardized for this minority population. Depressive symptoms were strongly associated with symptoms of anxiety and aggression but only weakly associated with self-reported substance abuse. Girls had substantially higher scores than boys on all scales. Ninth graders reported more aggressive symptoms than did 12th graders. The educational level of the adolescents main caregiver was not associated with symptoms reported in any of the scales. Native Hawaiian adolescents report similar symptoms and symptom clusters as do adolescents on the mainland U.S. However, Native Hawaiian adolescent girls report a greater number of symptoms in all categories when compared to boys. This distinguishes them from most mainland adolescent populations.

Demographic and Social Variables Associated with Psychiatric and School-Related Indicators for Asian/Pacific-Islander Adolescents

Background: Factors associated with Asian/Pacific-Islander adolescent adjustment is a greatly neglected research area. Aims: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relation between demographic, social and adjustment measures based on a large-scale investigation of Asian/Pacific-Islander youths. Method: A total of 2577 adolescents were surveyed across 4 public schools in Hawai‘i during the 1992-1993 school year. Results: Three social variables (number of relatives frequently seen, family support and friends’ support) exhibited statistically significant but low correlations. Family support had the highest negative association with the four psychiatric symptoms (depression, anxiety, aggression, substance use). Friends’ support was inconsistently associated with the adjustment measures, and the number of relatives frequently seen resulted in negligible effects. In contrast, demographic variables, especially ethnicity, played a much greater role in the association with the four school-related measures (grade-point average, absences, suspensions, conduct infractions). Discussion: For Asian/Pacific-Islander youths, the quality of the social supports, including family relations, may be particularly important in the adolescents’ adjustment. When examining school-related outcomes, demographic variables, with particular emphases on ethnicity and culture, must be considered. When developing and implementing prevention and intervention services and programs, consideration of family and ethnic-cultural influences should be taken into account, with further research needed in several related domains: other SES influences, life stressors, migration-generational effects, ethnic identity, self-concept indicators and socio-political aspects.

Equivalencies Regarding the Measurement and Constructs of Self-Esteem and Major Life Events in an Asian-Pacific Islander Sampler.

Construct, scalar, and functional measurement equivalencies of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and Major Life Events checklist (MLE) and the constructs assessed were investigated across groups differentiated on Hawaiian/part-Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian (e.g., Caucasian, Filipino, Hispanic, Japanese, and mixed/2 or more) ethnicity and gender. Initial results from maximum likelihood factoring with promax rotation showed that RSES negatively worded Item 5 loaded with the positively worded Items 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7 on 1 of 2 factors for Hawaiian/part-Hawaiian female participants. Similarly, negatively worded Item 8 and the same positively worded items comprised 1 of 2 factors for non-Hawaiian male participants. For the other 2 Ethnicity x Gender groups, factors were respectively comprised of the 5 positively and 5 negatively worded RSES items. Construct equivalence or simple (2-factor) structure underlying the RSES was indicated across the 4 groups after Items 5 and 8 were excluded from a subsequent factoring procedure. Simple structure showed that Factor 1 comprised the positively worded Items 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7, and the remaining negatively worded Items 3, 9, and 10 loaded on Factor 2. Scalar equivalence of the self-esteem and major life events measures was supported by the statistical nonsignificance of the Major Life Events x Ethnicity x Gender interaction effect in multiple regression models. The consistency in the absolute size and direction of the intercorrelations between overall self-esteem, self-esteem Factors 1 and 2, and major life events variables indicated the functional equivalence of respective measures and constructs assessed. Measurement equivalency findings concerning the RSES and MLE, the constructs measured, and their utility versus caution against their use in multiethnic studies were discussed.

Association between Actual and Self-Reported Grades for Ethnically Diverse Asian/Pacific Islander Adolescents

response bias (e.g. non-response, recall difficulties, confusion, acquiescence, social desirability, demand characteristics, faking, deviation [giving unusual responses]; Anastasi, 1988; Fowler, 1988; Lonner and Ibrahim, 1989; Nunnally and Bernstein, 1994). A critical issue from a methodological and psychometric perspective is the validity of self-reports, including how demographic variables (e.g. ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status [SES]) are associated with and influence the validity of these self-report data. As one example of response bias, social desirability involves responding in a manner that is socially acceptable, the way that most people are thought to respond, or the way that is perceived to reflect best on the respondent (Cozby, 1997). Although the literature on social desirability and different ethnic groups consists of mixed results (e.g. no discrepancy found between Canadian v. Japanese samples, Heine and Lehman, 1995), demographic and cross-cultural differences have been reported. For instance, Ross and Mirowsky (1984) found greater occurrence of socially desirable responding by individuals of Hispanic ancestry (those residing in Texas and Mexico) as compared with European-Americans. In addition, these investigators found that those of lower SES and those who were older provided more socially desirable responses. These researchers theorised that social groups that are relatively powerless (e.g. those low in SES, with minority status, who have not culturally integrated well into the dominant culture) or that emphasise the importance of proper image, conformity, and avoidance of shame will more likely provide socially desirable responses. Further, socially desirable responding should not necessarily be viewed as a negative trait, but may entail an adaptive strategy in light of the individual’s circumstances. In the fields of education and psychology one of the most utilised measures of academic achievement is the grade earned on a school course, which has been quantified across multiple courses into the grade-point average (GPA; 0 to 4·0 scale). Despite the apparent usefulness of self-reported grades (SRGs; e.g. Kleiber and Malik, 1989; Lall and Schandler, 1991; Reynolds and Miller, 1989; Rienzi et al., 1992; Roig and DeTommaso, 1995), this measure has been employed considerably less, perhaps simply owing to easier access to and A cual nd selfported gdes or A siaPacific Isnder adoscents