Gerard J. Fogarty

Construct validity of the Profile of Mood States — Adolescents for use with adults

[Abstract]: Objectives: To extend the validation of the Profile of Mood States-Adolescents (POMS-A: J. Sports Sci. 17 (1999) 861–872) from adolescent to adult populations. Design: A strategy of assessing the invariance of the POMS-A factor structure among disparate samples and of testing relationships with concurrent measures was used. Methods: The POMS-A was administered to 2549 participants from four samples: adult athletes prior to competition (n=621), adult student athletes in a classroom (n=656), adolescent athletes prior to competition (n=676), and adolescent students in a classroom (n=596). A subset of 382 adult student athletes was used to test the criterion validity of the POMS-A. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis provided support for the factorial validity of a 24-item, six-factor model using both independent and multi-sample analyses. Relationships between POMS-A scores and previously validated measures, that were consistent with theoretical predictions, supported criterion validity. Conclusion: Evidence was found in support of the psychometric integrity of the POMS-A when extended from adolescent to adult populations.

Safety climate and the theory of planned behavior: towards the prediction of unsafe behavior.

The present study is concerned with the human factors that contribute to violations in aviation maintenance. Much of our previous research in this area has been based on safety climate surveys and the analysis of relations among core dimensions of climate. In this study, we tap into mainstream psychological theory to help clarify the mechanisms underlying the links between climate and behavior. Specifically, we demonstrate the usefulness of Ajzens (1991, 2001) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to understanding violation behaviors in aircraft maintenance. A questionnaire was administered to 307 aircraft maintenance workers. Constructs measured by the survey included perceptions of management attitudes to safety, own attitudes to violations, intention to violate, group norms, workplace pressures, and violations. A model based on the TPB illustrated hypothetical connections among these variables. Path analyses using AMOS suggested some theoretically justifiable modifications to the model. Fit statistics of the revised model were excellent with intentions, group norms, and personal attitudes combining to explain 50% of the variance in self-reported violations. The model highlighted the importance of management attitudes and group norms as direct and indirect predictors of violation behavior. We conclude that the TPB is a useful tool for understanding the psychological background to the procedural violations so often associated with incidents and accidents.

Patient safety during medication administration : The influence of organizational and individual variables on unsafe work practices and medication errors

Medication errors are a leading cause of unintended harm to patients, both in Australia and internationally, and there is now a concerted attempt to identify and correct individual and workplace factors that encourage medication errors. The current study used structural equation modelling to measure organizational climate and to test a model with hypothesized links between climate and unsafe medication administration behaviours. The study also examined the possible mediating role of stress and morale. Data were collected from 176 nurses working in rural areas in Australia. The model provided a reasonable fit to the data with organizational climate accounting for 39% of the variance in individual distress, which in turn explained 7% of the variance in self-reported violations. The only variable that made a direct contribution to errors was violations, which accounted for 24% of the variance in medication errors. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring the state of the whole health system. Deficiencies at the organizational level affect the psychological well-being of hospital employees, and distressed employees are more likely to engage in substandard work practices that ultimately endanger the patients under their care.

Factors Influencing Career Decision Making in Adolescents and Adults.

The structure of the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ) was validated and compared across two age cohorts using Structural Equation Modelling. One hundred and twenty-one upper high school students (78 females, 43 males—mean age 15.92 years) participated in Study 1, while 127 adults (86 females, 41 males—mean age 33.44 years) completed the survey for Study 2. The model confirmed the multidimensional structure of the CDDQ, although five first-order factors provided a better fitting model than the three higher-order factors postulated. The model fit both groups, suggesting that a common pattern of difficulties was experienced by people of different ages, although older career deciders reported fewer difficulties on all CDDQ subscales than did students.

The factor structure of visual imagery and spatial abilities

The main aim of the present study was to examine whether a primary imagery (IM) factor can be identified as a separate dimension of individual differences in the spatial ability domain. A sample of 213 participants was tested. The test battery comprised 26 markers of cognitive ability, 5 self-report visual imagery questionnaires, 7 experimental imagery tasks (accuracy and latency measures), and 2 creative imagery tasks. Confirmatory factor analysis of this data set supported a five-factor oblique model with latent dimensions corresponding to visualisation, speeded rotation, speed of closure, and visual memory spatial primaries, and a combined perceptual speed-closure flexibility factor. Principal axis factor analysis of the visual imagery data set indicated the existence of three first-order IM factors, labelled IM quality (defined by accuracy measures), IM self-report (defined by the self-report measures), and IM speed (defined by latency measures). A second-order confirmatory factor analysis of these constructs suggested that the visual imagery dimensions can be located within the spatial ability domain. The implications of these findings are discussed.

The assessment of emotional distress experienced by people with an intellectual disability: a study of different methodologies

The assessment of emotional disorders such as anger, depression and stress among people with an intellectual disability has traditionally used one of three methodologies: ratings by a significant other, a clinical interview or self-report. Despite the widespread use of all three methodologies, there is little research into their equivalence. This paper assesses the convergence among these three approaches for 147 people with a mild or moderate intellectual disability across the affective domains of anger, depression and stress. The results showed the overlap among the three methods to be consistently low, although limited convergence was found between self-report and clinical interview. Ratings by work supervisors discriminated least clearly between anger, depression and stress while self-report was the most discriminating between these three overlapping but conceptually distinct states. Suggestions are made for ongoing research into the methodologies of assessing affective states among people with an intellectual disability.

Abilities involved in performance on competing tasks

Abstract It has been suggested that situations requiring the division of attention between competing activities can tap abilities which are central to cognitive functioning. This paper attempted to determine whether there are identifiable characteristics in the single tests that will help to predict changes in general factor loading when they are presented as components of competing tasks. The framework for the study was provided by the theory of fluid (Gf) and crystallized (Gc) intelligence. A battery of single and competing tasks was presented to 126 subjects. The competing tasks represented a variety of within and across factor combinations from different levels of the Gf/Gc hierarchy. Modality of presentation was also varied in some combinations. The results indicate that single and competing tasks measure the same broad ability of the Gf/Gc theory and that general factor loadings can decrease as well as increase in the competing task situation. There is also evidence that these tendencies depend, to some extent, on the degree to which the tasks require the same cognitive factors or use the same sensory modalities. Overall, it is assumed that competing tasks do make greater demands on general ability but that, unless the requirements of the single tests themselves are relatively small, performance breakdown, with an accompanying decrease in general factors loadings, is the likely outcome.

Validation of a questionnaire to measure mathematics confidence, computer confidence, and attitudes towards the use of technology for learning mathematics

This study reports on the validation of a questionnaire designed to measure general mathematics confidence, general confidence with using technology, and attitudes towards the use of technology for mathematics learning. A questionnaire was administered to 289 students commencing a tertiary level course on linear algebra and calculus. Scales formed on the basis of factor analysis demonstrated high internal consistency reliability and divergent validity. A repeat administration confirmed the earlier psychometric findings as well as establishing good test-retest reliability. The resulting instrument can be used to measure attitudinal factors that mediate the effective use of technology in mathematics learning.

Validation of the factor structure of the interactions with disabled persons scale

The Interactions with Disabled Persons Scale (IDP; Gething, 1991b) is designed to measure attitudes towards people with a disability. Factor analysis of the 20-item scale has identified six relatively stable and correlated factors tapping different aspects of discomfort during contact with people with disabilities (Gething, 1992, 1994). The present study investigated the factor structure of the IDP scale using 2,850 pre-service teachers from six universities in Australia and South Africa. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the six-factor model fitted the data from both the Australian and South African samples. A two-factor solution reported by MacLean and Gannon (1995) was rejected. Further analysis of subscales formed from these factors showed that scores were weakly related to gender, previous contact with people with disabilities, and length of full-time employment prior to commencing study.

Differences between Values of Australian Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Students

In this study, the Values Questionnaire developed by Schwartz and Bilsky was used to examine differences in the values held by a group of Aboriginal university students and a group of non-Aboriginal students studying at an Australian university. Results indicated that the Aboriginal group placed greater emphasis on values associated with Tradition, Conformity, and Security and significantly less emphasis on values associated with Achievement, Self-direction, Stimulation, Hedonism, and Benevolence. These data, in conjunction with a separate analysis of the ten highest ranked values for each group, support the view that the main differences between the groups lie in values serving collective (Aboriginal) as opposed to individual (non-Aboriginal) interests. These findings are consistent with previous research on the worldview of traditional Aboriginal people, and they suggest that even among younger, more Westernised representatives of this culture collective values are likely to be strong determinants of behaviour.