Beyond Difference Scores: Unlocking Insights with Polynomial Regression in Studies on the Effects of Implicit-Explicit Congruency.

The aim of our study was to investigate whether theories of congruence are better tested using polynomial regression analysis, rather than expressing discrepancy between implicit and explicit measures as continuous or categorical difference scores. This paper also aims to make knowledge more accessible by providing a step-by-step explanation of both methods, illustrating differences between them, and making materials openly available for other researchers. In this paper, implicit and explicit measures of self-esteem are used as predictors for depressive symptoms, anxiety, and aggression in a general population sample (N = 135). Explicit self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, implicit self-esteem was measured using the Implicit Association Test, and the Symptom Questionnaire was used to measure depressive symptoms, anxiety, and aggression. The results show those difference score models all imply that the discrepancy between implicit and explicit self-esteem explains depression and anxiety, but not aggression. However, polynomial regression analysis shows that depression and anxiety are not accounted for by the explicit-implicit discrepancy as such, but are foremost explained by explicit self-esteem. Polynomial regression has the potential to evaluate more complex and more detailed hypotheses than what would be possible using statistical approaches based on discrepancy scores. It is therefore recommended for future research aimed at disentangling the roles of explicit and implicit self-esteem in psychological outcomes.

Social identity and health-related behavior: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This paper examined the relationship between social identity and health-related behavior, exploring whether social identities are associated with multiple health-related behaviors or only specific ones, and whether this association varies on the type of social identity, the type of social identity measures or the expected relationship between identity and behavior. In a systematic review and meta-analysis we assessed whether the pattern of findings can be explained by the social identity approach. An extensive literature search was conducted in several databases including EBSCO-host and PubMed, using elaborate search terms related to social identity and health-related behavior. This resulted in 10728 potential articles, with 115 articles (with 248 effect sizes from 133 independent samples, N = 112.112) included in the meta-analysis. We found a small but positive overall association between social identification and health-related behavior, which was present for actual behavior, as well as for intention and attitudes. This association was stronger for health-related social identities, positive health-related behaviors, when the expected relationship was positive and when indirect social identity measures were used. However, not all findings could be explained by the social identity approach, indicating a need for further research to better understand the relationship between social identity and health-related behavior, in order to more effectively incorporate social identity into health interventions.

A Music Therapy Intervention for Refugee Children and Adolescents in Schools: A Process Evaluation Using a Mixed Method Design.

Refugee children and adolescents have often experienced negative or traumatic events, which are associated with stress and mental health problems. A specific music therapy intervention is developed for this group in school settings. The aim of the present study was to set the first steps in the implementation of this intervention. A process evaluation was performed using a mixed method design among refugee children and adolescents (6-17 years) at three different schools in the Netherlands. Interviews were conducted with teachers and music therapists before, at the midpoint, and after the intervention. At these moments, children completed a classroom climate questionnaire and a visual analogue scale on affect. The results indicate that the intervention strengthens the process of social connectedness, resulting in a "sense of belonging". The intervention may stimulate inclusiveness and cultural sensitivity, and may contribute to a safe environment and the ability of teachers to adapt to the specific needs of refugee children. Refugee children and adolescents showed a decrease of negative affect during the intervention. When implementing the intervention in schools, it is important to take into account the initial situation, the prerequisites for the intervention, the professional competence, the experience of music therapists, and the collaboration and communication between the professionals involved.

An Indirect Measure of Implicit Sexual Assertiveness: Reliability and Validity of the Sexual Assertiveness IAT in Young Adults in The Netherlands.

In the present study we investigated the reliability and validity of an Implicit Association Test of sexual assertiveness (the SA-IAT) in a sample of young adults (n = 159). The D600 algorithm was used to calculate implicit sexual assertiveness scores. Explicit sexual assertiveness was measured using a selection of items from the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness. Personality traits were assessed using the revised, short version of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. The internal consistency of the SA-IAT was evaluated based on split-half reliability, and found acceptable with α = 0.61 for the practice trials, and α = 0.70 for the test trials, after correction for attenuation. Convergent and divergent validity were evaluated using correlation analysis. Correlation with explicit sexual assertiveness was found to be low, as expected. Divergent validity of the SA-IAT was evaluated against the personality traits of extraversion, neuroticism, and social desirability. Except for a significant correlation of implicit sexual assertiveness with extraversion in the full sample and the female subsample, implicit sexual assertiveness and personality traits were not found to share variance, as expected.

Psychometric Properties of Two Implicit Associations Tests measuring Adult Attachment.

Adult attachment style has consequences for mental health, interpersonal functioning and emotion regulation. This occurs partly deliberately, also referred to as explicit, and partly on an automatic level outside of conscious awareness, also referred to as implicit. Whereas explicit adult attachment can be assessed with self-report instruments, measurement of implicit adult attachment requires indirect methods. This paper describes the psychometric properties of two Implicit Association Tests measuring general adult attachment in a population sample. The study evaluated the reliability and the validity of the Avoidant Attachment IAT (ANX-IAT) and the Anxious Attachment IAT (AVOID-IAT). Validity was evaluated against self-report measures of adult attachment style (RQ), psychopathology (SQ-48), and well-being (MHC-SF). The split-half reliabilities of both IATs were good; the test-retest reliability of the ANX-IAT was adequate; however the AVOID-IAT had low test-retest reliability. Both IATs did not explain variance in psychopathology additional to explicit measures. The AVOID-IAT showed added value over explicit measurement of avoidant attachment in explaining variance in well-being, particularly regarding emotional and psychological well-being. The ANX-IAT did not explain variance in any measure of well-being additional to the explicit measure of anxious attachment. Our findings provide a basis from which more valid IATs measuring general adult attachment can be developed. Furthermore, they suggest that implicit avoidant attachment might be related to well-being, particularly emotional and psychological well-being. However, further research is needed to investigate the role of implicit general adult attachment in mental health and to optimize the two IATs in terms of validity before clinical use is recommended.

Is Fear of Harm (FoH) in Sports-Related Activities a Latent Trait? The Item Response Model Applied to the Photographic Series of Sports Activities for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture (PHOSA-ACLR).

Background: Fear of Harm (FoH) predicts return to sports in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR) and can be assessed using the Photographic Sports Activities for ACLR (PHOSA-ACLR). This study was conducted to determine whether FoH assessed using the PHOSA-ACLR is a latent trait, and to analyze differences in PHOSA-ACLR in athletes with or without an ACL rupture. Methods: Three convenience samples completed the PHOSA-ACLR: (1) ACLR patients (n = 58; mean age 25.9 years; range 17-56; SD = 8.2; 43% male); (2) first year Physical Therapy (PT) students (n = 169; mean age = 19.2; SD = 2.0; 48% male), and (3) junior football players (n = 30; mean age = 18.3; range 17-20; SD = 3.2; 94% males). ACLR patients additionally reported functioning and Fear of Movement. PHOSA-ACLR items were analyzed with Item Response Theory using the Graded Response Model (GRM). Differences between three groups of participants were analyzed using Univariate Analysis of Variance. Results: Data fitted the two-parameter GRM, and therefore the items of the PHOSA-ACLR constitute a latent trait. There was a significant difference between the three groups in PHOSA-ACLR after controlling for age and gender (F (2, 255) = 17.1, p < 0.001). PT students reported higher levels of FoH compared to either ACLR patients or healthy soccer players. Conclusions: PHOSA-ACLR items constitute a latent trait of FoH for ACLR-specific movements. Contrary to expectations, PHOSA-ACLR is higher in first year physiotherapy students compared to patients rehabilitating from ACLR, and healthy junior soccer players.

Improving Teachers' Comprehension of Curriculum-Based Measurement Progress-Monitoring Graphs.

The authors examined three instructional approaches for improving teachers' curriculum-based measurement (CBM) graph comprehension, each differing in the extent to which reading the data, interpreting the data, and linking the data to instruction were emphasized. Participants were 164 elementary school teachers who were randomly assigned to one of three CBM instructional approaches or a control condition. Instruction was delivered via videos. Prior to and after receiving instruction, teachers completed a CBM graph-comprehension task. They also evaluated the instructional videos. Teachers in the three instructional groups improved more in CBM graph comprehension than control teachers. Improvements were seen primarily in interpreting and linking the data to instruction, two important but difficult aspects of CBM graph comprehension. Differences between the instructional groups were found for interpreting the data. Teachers evaluated the videos positively. Results indicate that teachers' CBM graph comprehension can be improved via video instruction. Implications for teaching teachers to implement CBM are discussed.

Curriculum-Based Measurement progress data: Effects of graph pattern on ease of interpretation.

Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) is a system for monitoring the progress of and evaluating instructional program effectiveness for students with learning difficulties. Although a large amount of research has been conducted on CBM, little has focused on the interpretation and use of the data for instructional decision-making, despite the fact that it is data use that leads to performance gains. In this study, we examine factors affecting the interpretation of CBM data. Specifically, we examine the effect of CBM graph patterns on ease of graph interpretation. Thirty college/university students completed a two-part study in which they viewed various slope-to-goal and slope-to-slope patterns of CBM-graphed data and answered decision-making questions. Response times and accuracy were measured. Results revealed that graph patterns differed in terms of ease of interpretation. Differences depended on the type of question. Implications for interpretation and use of CBM data for decision-making are discussed.

Apathy: Risk Factor for Mortality in Nursing Home Patients.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prognostic value of apathy for mortality in patients of somatic (SC) and dementia special care (DSC) nursing home (NH) units. DESIGN: Longitudinal design, secondary analyses of a 2-year, cluster-randomized trial with six measurements, approximately 4 months in between. SETTING: SC and DSC-units of Dutch NHs. PARTICIPANTS: NH-patients of seventeen SC-units (n = 342) and sixteen DCS-units (n = 371). MEASUREMENTS: Data were available for 713 NH-patients, 266 of whom died during the study. Apathy was assessed using the 10-item Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES-10) and applied as categorical variable using known cut-off scores as well as dimensional variable. Additionally, depressive symptoms were assessed using the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. RESULTS: Mixed effects cox models using the coxme package in R revealed a higher risk of mortality between two measurements, if apathy was present (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.77; 95% confidence interval (CI] = 1.35-2.31, P < .001). Results remained significant (HR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.23-2.19, P < .001) when controlled for depressive symptoms. DSC-units and SC-units did not differ (P > .05) in the effect of apathy on mortality. Male gender (HR = 1.67; 95% CI = 1.23-2.27, P < .001), and higher age in years (HR = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.04-1.08, P < .001) were also predictors of mortality. Regarding apathy as a dimensional construct, one standard deviation increase of AES-10 scores was associated with a 62% increase of mortality risk (HR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.40-1.88, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Apathy was associated with mortality over a 4-month period in NH patients, even when controlling for depression. These data suggest that screening and treatment strategies for apathy should be developed for this patient population.

Validation of Assessment for Learning Questionnaires for teachers and students.

BACKGROUND: Assessment can be a powerful force in promoting student learning. Still, few measures exist to gauge Assessment for Learning (AFL) in the classroom. Literature on AFL suggests that it encompasses both a monitor to track student progress as well as a scaffold to show or help students recognize in what areas they need to improve. AIMS: Based on a review of recent attempts to measure the AFL, we constructed Assessment for Learning Questionnaires for Teachers (TAFL-Q) and for students (SAFL-Q) for evaluating perceptions regarding AFL practices in classrooms using matching items. SAMPLE: The total sample included 1,422 students (49% girls, 51% boys) and 237 teachers (43% females, 57% males) in lower vocational secondary education. METHODS: The 28-item questionnaires were examined by means of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using EQS on one random half of the sample. The CFA was cross-validated on the second half. Measurement invariance tests were conducted to compare the students and teacher versions of the questionnaires. RESULTS: CFA revealed a stable second-order two-factor structure that was cross-validated: perceived monitoring, and perceived scaffolding subsumed under a common factor: AFL. Tests for measurement invariance showed that the parallel constructs were measured similarly for both students and teachers. CONCLUSION: The TAFL-Q and SAFL-Q capture the construct AFL in two subscales: Monitoring and Scaffolding, and allows for comparisons between teacher and student perceptions. The instruments can be useful tools for teachers and students alike to identify and scrutinize assessment practices in classroom.