New Psychometric Evidence of the Grief Impairment Scale (GIS) in People Who Have Experienced the Death of a Loved One From a Network Psychometric Approach in Two Latin American Countries.

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Grief Impairment Scale (GIS) using a network psychometric model. A total of 1048 individuals from Peru and El Salvador participated. A network psychometric model was used to determine internal structure, reliability, and cross-country invariance. The results indicate that the GIS items were grouped into a single network structure through Exploratory Graph Analysis. Reliability was estimated by structural consistency, and it was found that when replicating the network structure within an empirical dimension, a single network structure was consistently obtained, and all items remained stable. Furthermore, the network structure was invariant, thus functioning similarly across the different country groups. In conclusion, the GIS presented solid psychometric evidence of validity based on its internal structure, reliability, and cross-country invariance. Therefore, the GIS is a psychometrically sound measure of functional impairment symptoms due to grief for Peruvian and Salvadoran individuals.

Psychometric network analysis of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) in Paraguayan general population.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety are two of the most prevalent and disabling mental disorders worldwide, both in the general population and in outpatient clinical settings. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) based on network analysis metrics. METHODS: A total of 911 Paraguayans (23.71% women and 76.29% men; mean age 31.25 years, SD = 10.63), selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling, participated in the study. Network analysis was used to evaluate the internal structure, reliability, and measurement invariance between men and women. RESULTS: The results revealed that the PHQ-4 is a unidimensional measure through Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA). Reliability, through structural consistency, identified that 100% of the time, only a single dimension was obtained, and all items remained stable, as they were always replicated within the empirical dimension. The unidimensional structure has shown evidence of configural invariance; therefore, the network structure functioned equally among the different sex groups. CONCLUSION: The PHQ-4 presented optimal preliminary evidence of validity based on its internal structure, reliability, and invariance between sexes. Therefore, it may be useful as an accurate and brief measure of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the Paraguayan context.

New psychometric evidence from the Revised Mental Health Inventory (R-MHI-5) in Peruvian adolescents from a network psychometrics approach.

BACKGROUND: Mental health is an aspect that has been relegated in recent years, prioritizing physical health care. However, there are more and more mental problems and disorders worldwide. In this context, adolescents are considered at risk for developing psychological difficulties due to the important transition stage they are going through. Given this, an adequate measurement of mental health in the adolescent population is necessary. This research aims to evaluate the internal structure and estimate the reliability of the R-MHI-5. METHOD: The sample covered 662 adolescents (55.2% men and 44.7% women) aged 12 to 17 years (M = 14.5; SD = 1.6). RESULTS: Exploratory graph analysis revealed a two-dimensional structure encompassing well-being and psychological distress. Furthermore, confirmatory factor analysis results indicated that a model with two related factors demonstrated superior fit indices (CFI = 0.99; TLI = 0.99; SRMR = 0.04; RMSEA = 0.101) in comparison to a one-dimensional model (CFI = 0.85; TLI = 0.71; SRMR = 0.23; RMSEA = 0.451). Additionally, adequate values were found in the reliability of the dimensions. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the R-MHI-5 is an instrument with robust psychometric evidence from the perspective of the EGA and CFA, providing adequate evidence of reliability and validity so that it can be used effectively in future research and prevention and intervention processes. Furthermore, our study is the first to provide psychometric evidence of the scale from a media approach in Peruvian adolescents.

Meaning of life questionnaire (MLQ) in peruvian undergraduate students: study of its psychometric properties from the perspective of classical test theory (CTT).

BACKGROUND: The study of the meaning of life is essential since it plays a protective role in the mental health of university students. However, no studies have shown the adequate psychometric functioning of the MLQ in Latin American university students. For this reason, this research aims to evaluate the internal structure using CTT models, obtain evidence of validity based on the relationship with other variables, perform factorial invariance according to gender, and estimate the reliability of the MLQ. METHODS: A sample of 581 Peruvian undergraduate students of both sexes (29.5% men and 70.5% women) between the ages of 18 and 35 (M = 22.6; SD = 3.3) was collected. Along with the MLQ, other instruments were applied to measure satisfaction with life (SWLS), subjective well-being (WBI), and depression (PHQ-9). RESULTS: In the present study was evidenced that the model of two related factors of nine items presents better adjustment indices (RMSEA = .075; SRMR = .059; CFI = .97; TLI = .96) compared to other models. Also, it was shown that the factorial structure of the MLQ is strictly invariant for the group of men and women. It was also shown that the presence of meaning was positively related to satisfaction with life (.63) and well-being (.60) and negatively to depression (- .56). In contrast, the search for meaning was not significantly related to life satisfaction (- .05) and well-being (- .07); but yes, to depression (.19). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the MLQ from the perspective of CTT has shown adequate evidence of reliability and validity. Therefore, it could be used in future studies and evaluation and intervention processes. In addition, the study provides the first evidence of the psychometric functioning of the scale in university students from Latin America.