Measurement Invariance and Latent Mean Differences Between American, Spanish and Chinese Adolescents Using the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A).

BACKGROUND: Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent disorders among adolescents (Stein et al., 2017). The main aim of this study was to analyze the equivalence of scores on the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) using structural equation modeling and identify differences in latent means of social anxiety in China, Spain, and the USA. METHOD: Random sampling was used to recruit participants, which included 536 Chinese (46% girls), 1,178 Spanish (55.3% girls) and 866 North American (55.1% girls) adolescents. The participants' ages ranged between 14 and 17 years old. RESULTS: The SAS-A three-factor correlated model of social anxiety remained invariant between the Spanish and North American adolescents, but results could not be replicated in the Chinese adolescents [M2 = ΔS-Bχ² (Δdf, p) = 4732.56 (36, < .01)]. Analyses of latent differences between Spain and the USA showed that Spanish adolescents had higher scores than North Americans for Fear of Negative Evaluation (TS = -9.630; d = .44) and for Social Avoidance and General Anxiety towards people (TS = -2.717; d = .12). CONCLUSIONS: The results are interpreted according to the cultural traits of individualism-collectivism and self-construal, and practical implications are discussed.

Measurement Invariance and Latent Mean Differences Between American, Spanish and Chinese Adolescents Using the Social AnxietyScale for Adolescents (SAS-A) / Análisis de Invarianza y Diferencias de Medias Latentes Entre Adolescentes Americanos, Españoles y Chinos Usando la Escala deAnsiedad Social para Adolescentes (SAS-A)

Background: Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent disorders amongadolescents (Stein et al., 2017). The main aim of this study was to analyzethe equivalence of scores on the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents(SAS-A) using structural equation modeling and identify differences inlatent means of social anxiety in China, Spain, and the USA. Method:Random sampling was used to recruit participants, which included 536Chinese (46% girls), 1,178 Spanish (55.3% girls) and 866 North American(55.1% girls) adolescents. The participants’ ages ranged between 14 and17 years old. Results: The SAS-A three-factor correlated model of socialanxiety remained invariant between the Spanish and North Americanadolescents, but results could not be replicated in the Chinese adolescents[M2 = ΔS-Bχ2 (Δdf, p) = 4732.56 (36, < .01)]. Analyses of latent differencesbetween Spain and the USA showed that Spanish adolescents had higherscores than North Americans for Fear of Negative Evaluation (TS = -9.630;d = .44) and for Social Avoidance and General Anxiety towards people(TS = -2.717; d = .12). Conclusions: The results are interpreted accordingto the cultural traits of individualism-collectivism and self-construal, andpractical implications are discussed.

Antecedentes: la ansiedadsocial es uno de los trastornos con mayor prevalencia en adolescentes(Stein et al., 2017). Así, el propósito principal de este estudio fue analizarla invarianza de la Escala de Ansiedad Social para Adolescentes (SAS-A) mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales y examinar las diferenciasde medias latentes en ansiedad social en adolescentes de China, España y EE.UU. Método: los participantes se seleccionaron a través de muestreoaleatorio: 534 chinos (46% chicas), 1.178 españoles (55,3% chicas) y866 norteamericanos (55,1% chicas), con edades comprendidas entre los14 y 17 años. Resultados: las puntuaciones del modelo de tres factorescorrelacionados de ansiedad social de la SAS-A resultaron invariantesentre adolescentes españoles y norteamericanos, pero estos resultados nofueron replicados en adolescentes chinos [M2 = ΔS-Bχ2 (Δdf, p) = 4732.56(36, < .01)]. El análisis de medias latentes entre España y EE.UU. mostróque los adolescentes españoles manifestaban niveles más altos de Miedoante las evaluaciones negativas (TS = -9.630; d = .44) y Evitación social yansiedad general hacia las personas (TS = -2.717; d = .12).Conclusiones: estos hallazgos fueron interpretados atendiendo al de individualismo-colectivismo y las concepciones culturales de la propia persona, analizandosus implicaciones prácticas.

Early detection of learning difficulties using the BADyG-E2r Battery during primary education.

The aim of the present study was to assess the predictive capacity of several of the most relevant cognitive skills in the academic field that were evaluated using Differential and General Skills Battery(BADyG-E2r). Particular attention was focused on the variables that need to be overcome regarding the curricular objectives related to pass/fail grading as evaluated by the teachers in the instrumental disciplines of Mathematics and Language. The psychometric battery was applied to the 3rd year students in primary education (a total of 512 students) at 4 public schools that were randomly selected in the province of Alicante (Spain). A follow-up of their academic evolution was under taken until the end of primary education. The obtained results show that high scores in Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, and Verbal Syllogisms positively and significantly predict academic success at the end of primary education in the subjects of Language and Mathematics.

Relación entre autoeficacia y autoatribuciones académicas en estudiantes chilenos / Relationship between self-efficacy and academic self-attributions in Chilean students

Se analizó la capacidad predictiva de la autoeficacia académica percibida sobre las altas autoatribuciones académicas en una muestra de 874 estudiantes adolescentes chilenos. Se administraron la Escala de Autoeficacia Percibida Específica de Situaciones Académicas y la Escala de Atribución de Sídney. Los análisis de regresión logística revelaron que la autoeficacia académica fue un predictor estadísticamente significativo de las autoatribuciones a la capacidad y al esfuerzo, independientemente del área de conocimiento. Esta relación de predicción fue positiva en situaciones de éxito y negativa ante situaciones de fracaso. La autoeficacia predijo significativamente las autoatribuciones a causas externas en situaciones de éxito académico, en el área de lenguaje y en la suma de las puntuaciones tanto de lenguaje como de matemáticas.

It was analyzed the predictive ability of perceived academic self-efficacy on high academic self-attributions in a sample of 874 adolescents Chilean students. The Escala de Autoeficacia Percibida Específica de Situaciones Académicas (EAPESA) and the Spanish version of Sydney Attribution Scale (SAS) were administrated. Logistic regression analyses revealed that perceived academic self-efficacy was a statistically significant predictor of selfattributions to ability and effort, regardless of the area of knowledge. This predictive relationship was positive in successful situations, and it was negative in failure situations. Academic self-efficacy only significantly predicted self-attributions to external causes in academic success situations in the language area and the total of the scores both language and mathematics.