Exploring the stability of HEXACO-60 structure and the association of gender, age, and social position with personality traits across 18 countries.

OBJECTIVES: The present paper tests the cross-national stability of the HEXACO-60 structure across 18 countries from four continents. Gender and age differences across countries will be examined. Finally, this is the first study to explicitly analyze the relationships between the HEXACO and social position. METHOD: Ten thousand two hundred and ninety eight subjects (5,410 women and 4,888 men) from 18 countries and 13 languages were analyzed. Confirmatory factor analysis techniques were used to test configural, metric and scalar invariance models. Congruence coefficients with the original structure of the HEXACO-60 were computed for every culture. Effect sizes of gender, age, and social position factors across countries were also computed. RESULTS: HEXACO-60 demonstrates configural and metric invariance, but not scalar invariance. Congruence coefficients show a great equivalence in almost all countries and factors. Only Emotionality presents a large gender difference across countries. No relevant effect of age is observed. A profile of high scores on Honesty-Humility, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience, and low scores on Emotionality increases the likelihood of achieving a higher social position, although the effect sizes are small. CONCLUSIONS: HEXACO-60 is a useful instrument to conduct personality trait research and practice around the world. Implications of gender, social position, and country differences are discussed.

Multicultural Validation of the Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality Questionnaire Shortened Form (ZKA-PQ/SF) Across 18 Countries.

The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality Questionnaire shortened form (ZKA-PQ/SF) in 18 cultures and 13 languages of different African, American, Asian, and European cultures and languages. The results showed that the five-factor structure with 20 facets replicated well across cultures with a total congruence coefficient of .97. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) resulted in adequate fit indices for the five factors based on the comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI; >.90), and RMSEA (.031-.081). A series of CFA to assess measurement invariance across cultures resulted in adequate CFIs and TLIs for configural and metric invariance. However, factors did not show scalar invariance. Alpha internal consistencies of five factors ranged between .77 (Sensation Seeking) and .86 (Neuroticism). The average alpha of the 20 facets was .64 with a range from .43 (SS4) to .75 (AG1). Nevertheless, alpha reliabilities were lower in some facets and cultures, especially for Senegal and Togo. The average percentage of the variance explained based on the adjusted R2 was 2.9%, 1.7%, and 5.1% for age, sex, and, cultures, respectively. Finally, multidimensional scaling suggested that geographically or culturally close cultures share mean profile similarities.

The Adaptation and Validation of an Arabic Version of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (A-CSDD).

BACKGROUND: Depression is a major disorder that can be ttriggering, exacerbating, or co-occurring with dementia symptoms. Its assessment is paramount to achieve diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic decisions. The Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) is purposely designed to address clinically this issue. OBJECTIVE: To examine the reliability and validity of an Arabic version of the CSDD (A-CSDD) in the Tunisian population. METHODS: Fifty-seven participants took part in this study: 20 as a control group (NC), 18 as dementia patients with depression (DD), and 19 as depressed patients without dementia (DND); all patients met the DSM IV criteria for depression and/or dementia. A translated, back-translated and adapted Arabic version of the CSDD was administered in parallel with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), the non-cognitive part of the Alzheimer's disease Assessment Scale, and the Mini-Mental State Examination. RESULTS: The A-CSDD had good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.85) and high test-retest reliability (Rho = 0.897, p < 0.001). The A-CSDD had excellent discriminatory power to diagnose depression in dementia patients (AUC = 0.90, p < 0.001) and good concurrent validity with the GDS (Rho = 0.70, p < 0.001). A principal component analysis with varimax rotation, performed on the DD group, led to a configuration of five factors explaining 75% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that this Arabic-Tunisian version of the A-CSDD is reliable and valid for diagnosing depression in an elderly Tunisian population with dementia and can be used in clinical and research settings.

An Arabic Version of the Cognitive Subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-Cog): Reliability, Validity, and Normative Data.

The Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale's cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog) is the most widely used instrument for screening cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. The aim of the present study was to develop an Arabic version of this scale (A-ADAS-Cog), examine its psychometric properties (reliability and validity), and provide normative data. The A-ADAS-Cog), an Arabic version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (A-MMSE), and a Standardized Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) were administered to three Tunisian groups: 124 normal controls (NC), 33 patients with non-Alzheimer dementia (N-AD), and 25 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The A-ADAS-Cog scores were significantly affected by age and education. A correction table was constructed to control these effects. The results showed that the A-ADAS-Cog has good internal consistency and reliability (α= 0.82 for AD). The test-retest reliability of the A-ADAS-Cog was stable over time (r = 0.97). An evaluation of the construct validity of the A-ADAS-Cog using principal component analysis led to a solution with three factors (memory, language and praxis), which explained 72% of the variance. The concurrent validity of the A-ADAS-Cog was established using the A-MMSE score (r = -0.86), CDR Sum of Boxes score (CDR-SB; r = 0.87), and global CDR score (CDR-Global; r = 0.74). Finally, the A-ADAS-Cog has an excellent discriminating power in the diagnosis of AD (ROC area = 0.92). A cut-off score of 10 (sensitivity = 84% and specificity = 91%) is indicated for the screening of the AD. Overall, the results indicated that the A-ADAS-Cog is psychometrically reliable and valid and provides promising results for screening of dementia in Arabic speaking patients.

The Development of the Dementia Screening Battery-100: Instrument Presentation, Reliability, and Construct Validity.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The screening of dementia in non-Westerners has so far relied on translations and adaptations of reputed instruments. Other efforts focused on developing culturally appropriate tests or tests in touch with new developments in the field. This study presents the rationale behind the construction of a new dementia screening test: the Dementia Screening Battery-100 (DSB-100). METHODS: The DSB-100 was administered to 46 demented individuals and 159 healthy matched controls. All demented participants met the DSM-IV criteria for dementia. The healthy controls showed no cognitive impairment and were independent in activities of daily living. The DSB-100 was administered as part of a larger neuropsychological assessment to collect additional indices on the severity of patients' dementia, depression, and frontal dysfunctions. The same information was used for comparisons with DSB-100 scores. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis suggested that age and education, but not the variable sex, are essential in predicting cognitive performance. Construct validation yielded 4 factors, namely attention-visuospatial factors, memory, language, and executive functions. The results showed that the DSB-100 has a high interrater reliability and an acceptable overall internal homogeneity. CONCLUSION: These results validate the DSB-100 and suggest its appropriateness for dementia screening in Tunisian elderly and possibly elderly people from other cultures with modifications to some subscales.

Psychological and Psychosocial Consequences of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis among Women in Tunisia: Preliminary Findings from an Exploratory Study.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) makes it the most widespread parasitic disease in Tunisia and the Arab world. Yet, few studies have addressed its psychological and psychosocial effects. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychosocial impact of ZCL scars among Tunisian women. METHODS: We conducted an exploratory study, we administered Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R), World Health Organization Quality Of Life-26 (WHOQOL-26) and Psoriasis Life Stress Inventory (PLSI) to a group of girls and women with ZCL scar in the region of Sidi Bouzid. This group was randomly selected from volunteers who came to primary health care facilities to seek for treatment for any pathology. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics showed that the collected scores from the three scales exhibit heterogeneous distributions: IPQ-R (M = 63.6, SD = 15.6), PSLI (M = 9.5, SD = 6.7), WHOQOL-Physical (M = 63, SD = 12.9), WHOQOL-Psychological (M = 52.6, SD = 11.1), WHOQOL-Social (M = 61.8, SD = 17.5), and WHOQOL-Environmental (M = 47.8, SD = 13.3). The correlation analyses performed on Inter and intra-subscales showed that the emotional representations associated with ZCL were correlated with the loss of self-esteem and feelings of inferiority (r = 0.77, p<0.05). In addition, high education level and the knowledge about ZCL are positively correlated with cognitive and emotional representation in the IPQ-R (r = 0.33, p<0.05). "Rejection experiences" and the "anticipation and avoidance of stress" were respectively negatively correlated with age (r = -0.33, p<0.05 and r = -0.31, p<0.05). Correlations between the scores on IPQ-R domains and PLSI factors were significant. The results showed that anticipation of rejection and avoidance of stress are strongly correlated with a negative perception of ZCL. Quality of life scores were not correlated with either age, education level, time of illness, or the number of facial or body scars. However, the correlations between quality of life scores and the multiple IPQ-R domains were all insignificant. Finally, there was a negative correlation between the scores on the perceived quality of social life and the knowledge about ZCL (r = -0.34, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This makes it vital to strengthen preventive health education. Conducting studies on ways to establish a holistic support system for managing ZCL, a system that covers the psychological challenges and the barriers it causes to women's social and professional integration, is a vital first step.