Jonathan W. Roberti

Psychometric evaluation of the Children's Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Childrens Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS). A total of 61 children and adolescents, aged 4-18 years, who were diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) participated. Thirty-seven of these children also participated in a second CY-BOCS administration by the same rater an average of 41 days later. Good internal consistency and test-retest reliability were found for the CY-BOCS Obsession and Compulsion Severity Scores and the Total Score. CY-BOCS scores demonstrated strong correlations with clinician-rated measures of impairment, obsessions, and compulsions. In addition, CY-BOCS scores were moderately related to measures of depression, aggressive behavior, and symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but were not significantly related to clinician ratings of tics or self-reports of general anxiety. Findings suggest that the CY-BOCS is a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of childhood obsessions and compulsions.

Reliability and validity of the yale global tic severity scale

To investigate the reliability and validity of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), 28 youth aged 6 to 17 years with Tourettes syndrome (TS) participated in the study. Data included clinician reports of tics and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) severity, parent reports of tics, internalizing and externalizing problems, and child reports of depression and anxiety. All children participated in a 2nd YGTSS administration by the same rater 48 days later. Good internal consistency and stability were found for the YGTSS scores. YGTSS scores demonstrated strong correlations with parent-rated tic severity (r = .58-.68). YGTSS scores were not significantly related to measures of clinician ratings of OCD severity (r = .01-.15), parent ratings of externalizing and internalizing behavior (r = -.07-.20), and child ratings of depression (r = .02-.26) and anxiety (r = -.06 -.28). Findings suggest that the YGTSS is a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of pediatric TS.

Further Psychometric Support for the Sensation Seeking Scale-Form V

In this study, we investigated the psychometric properties of the Sensation Seeking Scale-V (SSS-V; Zuckerman, Eysenck, & Eysenck, 1978). Participants were 498 undergraduate students at a public university. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the SSS-V four-factor structure. In addition, the internal consistency was high and the convergent validity of the SSS-V was supported. These findings replicate research supporting the construct validity and reliability of the SSS-V in a nonclinical college sample.

The Duke Religion Index: A Psychometric Investigation

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Duke Religion Index (DRI) in two separate samples (n1=628, n2=243) of college students enrolled in randomly selected courses. An exploratory factor analysis of the DRI in the first sample supported a one-factor structure. A subsequent confirmatory factor analysis in the second sample confirmed this model. The internal consistency was excellent in both samples. A significant, positive correlation was found between the DRI and a measure of religious beliefs, supporting the convergent validity of the DRI. These findings provide further support for the reliability and construct validity of the DRI.

Psychometric Investigation of the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire—Short-Form

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire—Short Form (SCSRFQ-SF). Participants were 226 undergraduate students (168 female) at a large public university enrolled in randomly selected undergraduate courses. A principal components analysis of the SCSRFQ-SF supported the hypothesized one-factor structure. In addition, the internal consistency was high and the convergent validity of the SCSRFQ-SF was supported with significantly positive relations with the Duke Religion Index. These findings provide initial support for the reliability and construct validity of the SCSRFQ-SF.

Reliability and Validity of the Social Anxiety Scale for Children— Revised for Hispanic Children

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Social Anxiety Scale for Children–Revised (SASC-R) in a sample of 159 predominantly Dominican and Puerto Rican children. Participants were a nonclinical sample of fifth-and sixth-grade children aged 10 to 13 years attending an elementary school located in the Metropolitan New York City area. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the SASC-R three-factor structure. Internal consistencies were acceptable across subscales for gender and grade. Convergent validity of the SASC-R was supported with moderately positive relations through self-report measures of depressive symptomatology and loneliness. These findings provide initial support for the reliability and validity of the SASC-R in Hispanic children.

Alternative Personality Variables and the Relationship to Holland's Personality Types in College Students.

This study examined the relationship of alternative personality systems and vocational interests in a sample of college students. The sample (N = 126) consisted of undergraduate college students who were administered the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI), the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire Brief Form (MPQ-BF), the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ), and the Sensation Seeking scale (SSS-V). It was determined that younger college students generally have undifferentiated vocational profiles. There is, however, a trend for men to be interested in Realistic, Enterprising, and Investigative vocations, whereas women were interested in Social, Enterprising, and Artistic vocations. Men and women had different associations between scores on personality inventories and interests in certain vocations. Finally, significant convergence between similar scales on the instruments was indicated. The findings reveal that the utilization of alternative personality traits and their linkage to vocational interests in clinical settings are vital for merging the two domains.

Psychometric Properties and Factorial Structure of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait Version (STAI-T) in Caribbean University Students

The study investigated the psychometric properties of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory—Trait Scale (STAI-T: Spielberger, 1983) in a Caribbean university student sample. Participants were 415 undergraduate students (75% female) who completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait Version (STAI-T; Spielberger, 1983), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II; Beck, Steer, & Brown, 1996), the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS; Zung, 1965), the Ego Resiliecy-89 (ER-89; Block, 1989), and the Perceived Stress Scale-Ten Item Version (PSS-10; Cohen et al., 1983). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the construct validity of the trait anxiety scale in terms of factor structure, convergent, discriminant, and nomological validities. CFA results revealed that a two-factor solution (trait anxiety absent and trait anxiety present) provided significantly better fit than the one-factor model of trait anxiety. There was clear evidence of convergent validity, discriminant validity, and nomological validity of the scale. Results support the psychometric adequacy of the STAI-T for use with Caribbean university students.