Juan C. Marzo

Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents: factorial invariance and latent mean differences across gender and age in Spanish adolescents.

Little is known about the factorial invariance across gender and age for self-report measures of social anxiety in adolescence. This study examined the factorial invariance and latent mean differences of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) across gender and age groups in 1570 Spanish adolescents (54% girls), ranging in age from 14 to 17 years. Equality of factor structures was compared using multi-group confirmatory factor analyses. Measurement invariance for the correlated three-factor model of the SAS-A was found across gender and age samples. Analyses of latent mean differences revealed that girls exhibited higher means than boys on two SAS-A subscales, Fear of Negative Evaluation and Social Avoidance and Distress-New (SAD-New). In addition, on the SAD-New subscale, the structured means significantly diminished from 14-year olds to 16- and 17-year olds and from 15-year olds to 17-year olds. Findings are discussed in terms of the use of the SAS-A with Spanish adolescents.

Factorial Invariance of the Questionnaire About Interpersonal Difficulties for Adolescents Across Spanish and Chinese Adolescent Samples

Abstract The factor structure of the Questionnaire about Interpersonal Difficulties for Adolescents was examined across gender and ethnicity in samples of Spanish and Chinese adolescents using multigroup confirmatory factor analyses. Partial invariance was observed across gender in the Spanish sample and across ethnic groups. Measurement invariance was found across gender in the Chinese sample.

Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents Factorial Invariance Across Gender and Age in Hispanic American Adolescents

Social anxiety is a common psychological disorder that often emerges during adolescence and is associated with significant impairment. Efforts to prevent social anxiety disorder require sound assessment measures for identifying anxious youth, especially those from minority backgrounds. We examined the factorial invariance and latent mean differences of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) across gender and age groups in Hispanic American adolescents (N = 1,191; 56% girls; 15-18 years) using multigroup confirmatory factor analyses. Results indicated that the factorial configuration of the correlated three-factor model of the SAS-A was invariant across gender and age. Analyses of latent mean differences revealed that boys exhibited higher structured means than girls on the Social Avoidance and Distress–General (SAD-General) subscale. On all SAS-A subscales, Fear of Negative Evaluation, Social Avoidance and Distress-New, and SAD-General, estimates of the structured means decreased with adolescent age. Implications for further research and clinical practice are discussed.

Psychometric properties of the School Anxiety Inventory-Short Version in Spanish secondary education students

BACKGROUND The School Anxiety Inventory (SAI) can be applied in different fields of psychology. However, due to the inventorys administration time, it may not be useful in certain situations. To address this concern, the present study developed a short version of the SAI (the SAI-SV). METHOD This study examined the reliability and validity evidence drawn from the scores of the School Anxiety Inventory-Short Version (SAI-SV) using a sample of 2,367 (47.91% boys) Spanish secondary school students, ranging from 12 to 18 years of age. To analyze the dimensional structure of the SAI-SV, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were calculated for SAI-SV scores. RESULTS A correlated three-factor structure related to school situations (Anxiety about Aggression, Anxiety about Social Evaluation, and Anxiety about Academic Failure) and a three-factor structure related to the response systems of anxiety (Physiological Anxiety, Cognitive Anxiety, and Behavioral Anxiety) were identified and supported. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability were determined to be appropriate. CONCLUSIONS The reliability and validity evidence based on the internal structure of SAI-SV scores was satisfactory.

Psychometric Properties and Factorial Structure of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) in Spanish Adolescents

The Spence Childrens Anxiety Scale is an instrument widely applied in the assessment of the most common anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. This study examines its psychometric properties and the factorial structure in a large community sample of Spanish-speaking adolescents (N = 1,374) aged 13 to 17 years. The scale demonstrated strong internal consistency and good convergent and discriminant validity. Factor analysis confirmed the 6-factor original model, providing a good fit of the data for the Spanish sample. The good psychometric properties support its use by clinicians and researchers, adding evidence to the international empirical support for this measure.

School Anxiety Inventory–Short Version Factorial Invariance and Latent Mean Differences Across Gender and Age in Spanish Adolescents

This study examined the factorial invariance and latent mean differences of the School Anxiety Inventory–Short Version across gender and age groups for 2,367 Spanish students, ranging in age from 12 to 18 years. Configural and measurement invariance were found across gender and age samples for all dimensions of the School Anxiety Inventory–Short Version.

Relationship between sociometric types and academic achievement in a sample of compulsory secondary education students / Relación entre tipos sociométricos y rendimiento académico en una muestra de estudiantes de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria

Abstract The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between sociometric types, behavioural categories and academic achievement in a sample of 1,349 compulsory secondary education students (51.7% boys), ranging in age from 12 to 16 years. The students’ sociometric identification was performed by using the Programa Socio and academic performance was measured by school marks provided by teachers in the subjects of Spanish language, mathematics and average academic performance. The results show that sociometric types were significant predictors of academic achievement, as students who were rated positively by their peers (popular, leaders, collaborators and good students) were more likely to have high academic achievement (in mathematics, Spanish language and average academic achievement) than students rated negatively by peers (rejected-aggressive, rejected-shy, neglected and bullies).

Construct Validity of the Portuguese Version of the Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale

Background and Purpose: This study aims to validate the resilience scale developed by Wagnild and Young for the Portuguese population. Methods: The instrument validation was conducted with a sample of 313 adults attending the Higher Institute of Educational Sciences, of which 62.3% were female and 37.7% male, between 18 and 58 years old. Results: Three factors were decided upon: life satisfaction, planning-discipline, and independence, and there was a positive average correlation between the three factors. The confirmatory factor analysis showed excellent comparative fit index and root mean square error of approximation values, so we conclude that the model has an excellent fit. Also, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient used for internal consistency values reported good values. Conclusions: Overall, the key global indicators of the model’s fit and reliability analysis express their quality for Portuguese population.

Spanish Validation of the School Anxiety Scale—Teacher Report (SAS-TR)

This study aimed to examine the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the School Anxiety Scale-Teacher Report (SAS-TR) in a community sample of 315 Spanish children aged 5 to 12 years. Thirty-seven teachers from eleven schools completed the SAS-TR and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for each child. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original two-factor structure, but a better fit model was obtained after removing four items. The scale was found to have high internal consistency (α = 0.91) and satisfactory test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.87) for the Spanish sample. Convergent validity was supported by positive significant correlations between the SAS-TR and the Emotional Symptoms subscale of the SDQ. Lower correlations between the SAS-TR and the SDQ Conduct Problems subscale supported the divergent validity. Overall, the findings suggest that the Spanish version of the SAS-TR is a reliable and valid instrument for teachers to assess anxiety in Spanish children.

Estilo interpersonal controlador y percepción de competencia en educación superior

espanolEl objetivo de este estudio fue crear y validar la Escala de Estilo Controlador y comprobar su relacion con la percepcion de competencia del estudiante en educacion superior. Para ello se utilizo una muestra de 276 estudiantes universitarios espanoles con una media de edad de 22 anos a los que se les midio el estilo controlador y la necesidad psicologica basica de competencia academica. Los resultados del analisis factorial confirmatorio, analisis de consistencia interna y estabilidad temporal fueron adecuados. El estilo controlador no presento relacion con la competencia percibida. Este estudio ha permitido proporcionar una escala valida y fiable que puede ser utilizada para medir el estilo interpersonal de tipo controlador del docente en educacion superior. EnglishThe aim of this study was to create and validate the Scale of Style Controller and check its relationship with perceived competence of students in higher education. For this purpose a sample of 276 Spanish university students with a mean age of 22 years who were measured style controller and basic psychological need of academic competence was used. The results of confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency and temporal stability were adequate. The controller style was not related to perceived competence. This study has enabled to provide a valid and reliable scale that can be used to measure interpersonal style controller type of teaching in higher education.