Todd G. Morrison

Short-form measures of diabetes-related emotional distress: the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID)-5 and PAID-1

Aims/hypothesisWe wanted to identify a five-item short form of the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale and a single-item measure for rapid screening of diabetes-related emotional distress.MethodsUsing an existing database of 1,153 patients with diabetes, we conducted a principal-components analysis to identify a set of five items and then conducted a reliability analysis and validity checks. From those five items, we identified the item with the strongest psychometric properties as a one-item screening tool.ResultsWe identified a reliable and valid short version of the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID) comprising five of the emotional-distress questions of the full PAID items (PAID-5, with items 3, 6, 12, 16, 19). The PAID-5 has satisfactory sensitivity (94%) and specificity (89%) for recognition of diabetes-related emotional distress. We also identified a one-item screening tool, the PAID-1 (Question 12: Worrying about the future and the possibility of serious complications), which has concurrent sensitivity and specificity of about 80% for the recognition of diabetes-related emotional distress.Conclusions/interpretationThe PAID-5 and PAID-1 appear to be psychometrically robust short-form measures of diabetes-related emotional distress.

Validation of the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ) in an Internet sample and development and preliminary validation of the CPAQ-8

&NA; This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ) in a mixed chronic pain, Internet sample and sought to develop a valid and reliable short form. Questionnaires were completed by 428 respondents, comprising a sample accessed via the Internet (n = 319) and a sample who completed a paper and pencil version of the measures (n = 109). Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) the two‐factor structure of the CPAQ in the Internet sample was supported, though a good model fit was only achieved following the removal of one item. The resultant 19 item CPAQ demonstrated good reliability and evidence of validity was obtained for this sample. Data from the Internet sample were used to derive an eight‐item short form. The two four‐item factors (activity engagement [AE] and pain willingness [PW]) were confirmed using CFA and found to be invariant across both samples with good scale reliability. Higher CPAQ‐8 and subscale scores were correlated with less depression and anxiety, pain severity and pain interference, and fewer medical visits for pain. Using structural equation modelling both subscales were found to partially mediate the impact of pain severity on pain interference and emotional distress. In this model AE had stronger associations with outcomes while PW accounted for a small portion of the variance in pain interference and anxiety, but not depression. This study confirmed the two‐factor structure of the CPAQ in a mixed chronic pain Internet sample and provides preliminary evidence for the psychometric soundness of the CPAQ‐8.

Psychometric Properties of a Scale Measuring Negative Attitudes Toward Overweight Individuals

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Anti-fat Attitudes Scale (AFAS), a 5-item instrument developed by the authors to measure negative attitudes toward overweight individuals. A total of 4 studies were conducted among Canadian adolescents (n = 1,452) and university students (n = 424). Results suggested that the AFAS possessed a unidimensional factor structure and satisfactory reliability for both men and women. As predicted, men obtained higher scores than women on the AFAS, and antifat attitudes were positively associated with authoritarianism, homonegativity, and political conservatism. Participants who were overweight had lower scores on the AFAS than participants who were thin or average weight. Responses on the AFAS did not appear to be contaminated by social desirability bias.

A meta-analytic assessment of the predictive validity of the quantitative and verbal components of the graduate record examination with graduate grade point average representing the criterion of graduate success

A meta-analytic review was conducted on published studies examining the relationship between performance on the quantitative and verbal components of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE-Q and GRE-V, respectively) and graduate grade point average (GGPA). The weighted average effect sizes (d) for GRE-Q and GRE-V were .445 and .591, respectively, and their resultant correlation coefficients were .22 (GRE-Q and GGPA) and .28 (GRE-V and GGPA), p = n.s. Thus an average of 6.3% of the variance in graduate level academic achievement, as represented by GGPA, was accounted for by performance on the GRE-Q and GRE-V. The utility of this examination in the graduate admissions process is discussed.

Modern and Old-fashioned Homonegativity Among Samples of Canadian and American University Students

The viability of modern homonegativity was examined in two studies using Canadian (N = 374) and American (N = 608) university students as participants. Results suggest that negativity toward sexual minorities grounded in contemporary assertions such as gay men and lesbian women no longer experience discrimination and possess all the rights they need, appears to be distinguishable from old-fashioned negativity, which reflects traditional, moral, and/or religious objections to homosexuality. Invariance analysis revealed that a majority of items designed to assess modern homonegativity had equivalent loadings across the two samples. Results also indicated that American participants were more homonegative than their Canadian counterparts, though this difference was most apparent with old-fashioned homonegativity. The limitations associated with the current series of studies are discussed and directions for future research are articulated.

The construction and validation of the homopositivity scale: an instrument measuring endorsement of positive stereotypes about gay men.

Abstract Social scientists appear to focus on negative beliefs about, and attitudes toward, gay men and lesbian women. This emphasis, though understandable in view of the widespread oppression of gay and lesbian individuals, is somewhat myopic because it ignores what might be referred to as the positive dimension of stereotypes. Although such a concept may appear oxymoronic, it is widely recognized that individuals may endorse a mixture of positive and negative stereotypes toward stigmatized groups such as African Americans and women. The purpose of the current series of studies (Study l, iV= 212; Study 2, N= 105) was to devise an instrument measuring endorsement of positive stereotypes about gay men (Homopositivity Scale; HPS). Two versions of the HPS (of varying length) were evaluated, with scale scores on both appearing to be internally consistent and factorially distinct from scales measuring negative stereotypes and prejudices about gay men. These studies also suggest that females are more likely than males to endorse positive stereotypes about gay men, and that such endorsement is negatively associated with need for uniqueness and need for cognition, and positively associated with media contact and benevolent sexism. The limitations of the two studies are outlined and the importance of assessing positive stereotypes about gay men in conjunction with oft-examined homonegativity is discussed.

Chronic pain in adults with an intellectual disability: prevalence, impact, and health service use based on caregiver report.

&NA; This study examined chronic pain in adults with an intellectual disability (ID), in terms of its prevalence, impact on physical and psychological functioning, and treatments used. Questionnaires were distributed to 2378 primary caregivers (caregivers) of community‐dwelling adults with an ID. The questionnaires were used to gather data on demographics, general health, nature of pain, impact of pain, treatment, and health‐related decision making. Responses were received from 753 caregivers (31.6% response rate). Caregivers reported that 15.4% of this sample was experiencing chronic pain, for an average of 6.3 years. Significantly more females than males were reported to experience chronic pain, although age, communication ability, and level of ID were not found to be associated with the presence of pain. However, the presence of pain was associated with cerebral palsy, physical disability, and reports of challenging behaviour. A significant proportion of individuals with chronic pain also experienced limitations in several aspects of daily living, and more than 78% of caregivers reported that the service user had become upset or distressed by pain. More than 80% of service users were receiving some form of treatment for their pain, with most seeing a family physician and using analgesics as the primary form of pain treatment. Results indicate that chronic pain is a significant problem for persons with an ID, with a proportion of service users living with daily pain for many years and experiencing limitations in daily functioning, emotional well‐being, and quality of life. The caregivers (caregivers) of 753 persons with an intellectual disability reported that chronic pain affected 15% of those in their care, with increased prevalence of pain among females with a co‐occurring physical disability. Chronic pain may significantly affect the quality of life of individuals with an intellectual disability.

Psychometric properties of the Revised Male Body Attitudes Scale among Irish men.

The psychometric properties of a revised version of the Male Body Attitudes Scale (Tylka, Bergeron, & Schwartz, 2005) were investigated using two independent online samples of Irish men (ns=241 and 253, respectively). Exploratory factor analyses suggested that a 15-item, 3-factor solution representing mens attitudes toward their body fat, muscularity, and height best described the data. The internal consistency and construct validity of scores on the Revised Male Body Attitudes Scale suggest that this measure holds promise as an indicant of mens attitudes toward their physical appearance. Limitations and strengths associated with the current research are discussed and directions for future research are outlined.

A comparison of polyamorous and monoamorous persons: are there differences in indices of relationship well-being and sociosexuality?

A convenience sample of 284 self-identified polyamorous and monoamorous men and women were compared on various psychometrically sound indices of relationship well-being (e.g. intimacy and trust) as well as sociosexuality. Results indicated that both polyamorous men and women evidenced greater levels of intimacy in comparison to their monoamorous counterparts. Polyamorous men also reported stronger attitudinal and behavioural sociosexuality (i.e. more favourable attitudes towards uncommitted/casual sexual activity and a greater number of casual sexual partners). These differences remained statistically significant, even when controlling for socio-demographic variables such as age, income, educational attainment and sexual orientation.

Buff, Tough, and Rough: Representations of Muscularity in Action Motion Pictures

Although the muscular mesomorphic body may be the most common one appearing in mass media, the prevalence of muscularity and the ways in which this body is coded characterologically in motion pictures have not been investigated. To examine this topic, a content analysis was conducted on a random sample of top-grossing action films from 1980 to 2006. Results demonstrate that actors in this genre have shown a parallel trend toward increasing leanness and muscularity over the last several decades. As well, in comparison to their less muscular counterparts, those with muscular physiques were more likely to be romantically involved, evidenced higher levels of aggression, experienced more positive outcomes, and were more likely to be objectified.