Víctor B. Arias

General and specific attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder factors of children 4 to 6 years of age: An exploratory structural equation modeling approach to assessing symptom multidimensionality.

We tested first-order factor and bifactor models of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to adequately summarize the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, (DSM-IV-TR) symptoms observed in a Spanish sample of preschoolers and kindergarteners. Six ESEM and CFA models were estimated based on teacher evaluations of the behavior of 638 children 4 to 6 years of age. An ESEM bifactor model with a central dimension plus 3 specific factors (inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity) showed the best fit and interpretability. Strict invariance between the sexes was observed. The bifactor model provided a solution to previously encountered inconsistencies in the factorial models of ADHD in young children. However, the low reliability of the specific factors casts doubt on the utility of the subscales for ADHD measurement. More research is necessary to clarify the nature of G and S factors of ADHD.

Bifactor Models of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): An Evaluation of Three Necessary but Underused Psychometric Indexes.

Background: In the past decade, the bifactor model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been extensively researched. This model consists of an ADHD general dimension and two specific factors: inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. All studies conclude that the bifactor is superior to the traditional two-correlated factors model, according to the fit obtained by factor analysis. However, the proper interpretation of a bifactor not only depends on the fit but also on the quality of the measurement model. Objective: To evaluate the model-based reliability, distribution of common variance and construct replicability of general and specific ADHD factors. Method: We estimated expected common variance, omega hierarchical/subscale and H-index from standardized factor loadings of 31 ADHD bifactor models previously published. Results and Conclusion: The ADHD general factor explained most of the common variance. Given the low reliable variance ratios, the specific factors were difficult to interpret. However, in clinical samples, inattention acquired sufficient specificity and stability for interpretation beyond the general factor. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.

A new scale for the measurement of quality of life in children with intellectual disability

BACKGROUND Children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities make up a group which is in urgent need of an adequate operationalisation of the quality of life construct, not only to improve individual personal outcomes but also to develop and implement evidence based practices. For that reason, and with the aim of answering the growing demand for an adequate evaluation instrument for this group, the KidsLife scale was developed. METHOD This research provides evidence of the reliability and validity of the scale, which is composed of 96 items spread over eight subscales, and completed by a third-party respondent. The validation sample comprised 1060 people with intellectual disability, with ages ranging from 4 to 21 years old (M=13.51; SD=5.04). RESULTS The results suggest that the eight quality of life domains assessed on the scale are reliable (Cronbachs alpha ranging from 0.812 to 0.949). The evidence of the validity of the construct provided by Confirmatory Factor Analysis also demonstrated adequate indexes of fit for the eight-domain model. DISCUSSION Future lines of research which may use the KidsLife Scale are suggested and discussed.

Validity Evidence Based on Internal Structure of Scores of the Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version Short (EQ-i: YV-S) in a Chinese Sample:

Given the lack of any Chinese instrument validated for emotional intelligence (EI) among adolescents, the purpose of this study was to explore new sources of validity evidence drawn from scores on the Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version Short (EQ-i: YV-S) in a sample of Chinese adolescents. The sample was composed of 406 adolescents (236 girls). Results support the multidimensionality of the EQ-i: YV-S, but its hierarchical structure did not receive empirical support. Three of the four main subscales (all but interpersonal) had acceptable reliability indices. In addition, although the impact of the Positive Impression subscale on responses to the main scales was generally low, the effect is not ignorable, and its impact should be modeled in further investigations of the EQ-i: YV-S. Finally, four main subscales of EQ-i: YV-S showed significant power in the prediction of general self-concept and moderate temporal stability. The findings provide overall support for the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of EQ-i: YV-S.

Hierarchy and Psychometric Properties of ADHD Symptoms in Spanish Children: An Application of the Graded Response Model

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnostic criteria assume that the 18 symptoms carry the same weight in an Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and bear the same discriminatory capacity. However, it is reasonable to think that symptoms may differ in terms of severity and even in the reliability with they represent the disorder. To test this hypothesis, the aim of this study was to calibrate in a sample of Spanish children (age 4–7; n = 784) a scale for assessing the symptoms of ADHD proposed by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, IV-TR within the framework of Item Response Theory. Samejima’s Graded Response Model was used as a method for estimating the item difficulty and discrimination parameters. The results showed that ADHD subscales (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity / Impulsivity) had good psychometric properties and had also a good fit to the model. However, relevant differences between symptoms were observed at the level of severity, informativeness and reliability for the assessment of ADHD. This finding suggests that it would be useful to identify the symptoms that are more important than the others with regard to diagnosing ADHD.

O8.1. EXAMINING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PSYCHOTIC EXPERIENCES AND SUICIDAL IDEATION IN ADOLESCENTS USING A NETWORK APPROACH

Abstract Background Suicide is the second cause one of the leading causes of death in young individuals. Timely and adequate identification of individuals with suicidal ideation could prevent from suicidal behavior. Psychotic experiences (PE) have been shown to increase levels of suicidal ideation (SI) in the general population. Therefore, detailed investigation of the relationship of PE and SI is relevant. However, the exact nature of the relationship between these two phenomena remains unclear, which is intensely debated nowadays. Given both the high complexity of SI and behavior and the fact that its expression has a trans-diagnostic nature, a fruitful approach to gain new insights about its relationships with psychiatric symptoms might be the application of network analysis, which could be helpful to elucidate specific associations existing between PE and SI. Methods A specific type of network analysis, the Ising model, was used to examine connections between dichotomized questions on psychotic experiences and suicidal ideation in a cross-sectional study with 1685 adolescents from the general population aged 13–18 years. To assess psychotic experiences, we used an item generation deductive method (Hinkin, 1995) of two pre-existing scales that we adapted in previous studies: the Brief Self-report Questionnaire for Screening Putative Pre-psychotic States (BQSPS; Liu et al., 2013), and the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences—Positive scale (CAPE-P15; Capra et al., 2013). The questionnaire encompassed 15 items addressing the following dimensions: perceptual anomalies (PA; 3 items); bizarre experiences (BE; 6 items); social anxiety (SA; 3 items); and negative symptoms (NS; 3 items). Suicidal ideation (SI) was assessed by six items of the Columbia–Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS; Posner et al., 2011), adapted for being used as a self-report questionnaire. Severity of SI was rated on a 6-point ordinal scale in which 1 = wish to be dead, 2 = nonspecific active suicidal thoughts, 3 = thoughts about how to commit suicide, 4 = suicidal thoughts and intentions, 5 = suicidal thought with detailed plan, and 6 = intentions to conduct plan. Results SI was mostly connected to the PE domains perceptual anomalies (PA) and bizarre experiences (BE), which have higher strength values in the network. Central nodes within these domains, as indexed by higher centrality measures (strength and betweenness) were: auditory experiences (PA1: hearing voices when you are alone), persecutory ideation (BE1: feelings of being persecuted; BE2: conspiracy against you), and social anxiety (SA) (SA1: I cannot get close to people). Discussion Through a network analytic approach, our results add new insights to previous findings concerning the associations between psychotic experiences and suicidal ideation, suggesting that perceptual anomalies (mainly auditory experiences), social anxiety (being distant to people), and bizarre experiences (paranoid beliefs) are connected in a meaningful way to suicidal ideation in a network of symptoms in a sample of non-help-seeking adolescents. Given the potential advantages of the network analysis to study psychopathology and suicidal behavior, its usage can contribute to a better understanding of the nature of the complex relationships between these phenomena. Future network analysis studies should include additional symptom domains to analyze whether the associations between PE and suicidal behavior are undifferentiated; are specifically and independently associated, regardless of antecedents of mental disorders; or if the associations are not specific, but merely reflect a higher underlying risk of suicidal behavior as a function of psychiatric symptoms or mental distress.

Are Type, Frequency, and Daily Time Equally Valid Estimators of Support Needs in Children With Intellectual Disability? A Multitrait–Multimethod Analysis of the Supports Intensity Scale for Children (SIS-C)

Support needs represent the intensity of support required by a person with a disability in order to take part in the activities related to normative human functioning. The Supports Intensity Scale for Children (SIS-C) is possibly the most promising tool for assessing and designing individualized support programs in children with intellectual disability. The SIS-C measures support needs across 61 activities, each one assessed along three methods: type of support, frequency, and daily time during which support is to be given. We investigated the impact of method effects in the SIS-C through a bifactor approach to the analysis of multitrait–multimethod matrices. The results suggest that neither intensity nor frequency scales produced method effects that significantly distorted the measurement of support needs. However, the daily support time method had substantial undesirable effects on five of the seven subscales of support needs. Considerations about support needs assessment and future modifications of the scale are discussed.