Detecting faking-good response style in personality questionnaires with four choice alternatives

Deliberate attempts to portray oneself in an unrealistic manner are commonly encountered in the administration of personality questionnaires. The main aim of the present study was to explore whether mouse tracking temporal indicators and machine learning models could improve the detection of subjects implementing a faking-good response style when answering personality inventories with four choice alternatives, with and without time pressure. A total of 120 volunteers were randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups and asked to respond to the Virtuous Responding (VR) validity scale of the PPI-R and the Positive Impression Management (PIM) validity scale of the PAI via a computer mouse. A mixed design was implemented, and predictive models were calculated. The results showed that, on the PIM scale, faking-good participants were significantly slower in responding than honest respondents. Relative to VR items, PIM items are shorter in length and feature no negations. Accordingly, the PIM scale was found to be more sensitive in distinguishing between honest and faking-good respondents, demonstrating high classification accuracy (80–83%).

A-230 Symptom Validity and MMPI-2-RF Somatic/Cognitive Scales

Objective In addition to the standard validity scales, the MMPI-2-RF Somatic/Cognitive Scales (SCS) are associated with symptom validity in veteran and epilepsy samples. The Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) is a self-report questionnaire with an embedded symptom validity index (Validity-10) developed by examining endorsement on atypical neurological items. The current study examined relationships among symptom validity and SCS in a physical medicine and rehabilitation sample. Method Participants underwent outpatient evaluation with the MMPI-2-RF and NSI among other measures. Cases with invalid MMPI-2-RF (TRIN or VRIN>79; Cannot Say>14) were excluded (n = 5). The sample (N = 120) was 43% female and 96% white with average age and education of 41 (SD = 13) and 14 (SD = 2) years, respectively. A linear regression model was examined with Valdity-10 as outcome and SCS as predictors. Participants were grouped by Validity-10 cutoff (>18). SCS were examined with receiver operating characteristic analysis and compared to the MMPI-2-RF Symptom Validity Scale (FBS). Results A regression model predicting Validity-10 was significant (p < .001; R-squared = .51). Gastrointestinal complaints and neurologic complaints (NUC) scales made independent contributions with standardized beta-weights of .18 and .43, respectively. Twenty-seven percent of participants scored above cutoff on the Validity-10. NUC showed area under the curve (AUC) of .78 predicting Validity-10 status, which was not significantly different from the FBS AUC of .81. A NUC cutoff of 91 or higher showed 34% sensitivity and 93% specificity. Conclusion MMPI-2-RF SCS are associated with symptom validity as determined by the NSI Validity-10. In this rehabilitation sample, NUC was comparable to FBS in classifying participants grouped by symptom validity.

An Investigation of Academic Self-Efficacy Perceptions of Primary Mathematics Teacher Candidates

The aim of this study was to investigate the academic self-efficacy perceptions of primary school mathematics teacher candidates according to different variables. For this purpose, the “Academic Self-Efficacy Scale”, which was developed by Jerusalem and Schwarz (1981) to measure the academic self-efficacy beliefs of mathematics teacher candidates, which was adapted to Turkish by Yılmaz, Gürçay and Ekici (2007) and validated by the reliability and validity scale, were used as data collection tools. The study was conducted in the fall semester of 2017-2018 academic year. The sample of the study consists of 157 teacher candidates studying at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of the Elementary Mathematics Teaching Program of the Faculty of Education at a state university. Independent sample t-test and ANOVA were used for the analysis of collected information. As a results of data analysis, student’s academic self efficacy perceptions were found generally high. In addition, it was concluded that the mean scores of academic self-efficacy perceptions of mathematics teachers did not show a statistically significant difference according to their gender and grade level, but there was a significant difference between the age, whether they willingly chose what they are studying or not and mathematics achievement groups.

Assessment of Trauma Symptoms in Toddlers and Preschoolers Living in Poverty

A first-line screening instrument, the Preschool Inventory of Trauma Symptoms (PITS), was developed to assess trauma symptoms with a diverse sample of 150 toddlers and preschoolers ( M = 2.49 years; SD = 1.12). Items reflected the current trauma literature, assessment measures, and diagnostic criteria for very young children. A principal component analysis produced a 34-item, four-factor model: Arousal and Hyper-Reactivity, Fearful Attachment, Intrusion and Re-Experiencing, and Avoidance and Negative Cognition and Mood. One validity scale, Response Style, was also developed. All scales significantly correlated ( r = .45 to .81; p < .01) with preestablished trauma measures and demonstrated adequate internal consistency (α = .68 − .87). A receiver operating characteristics curve analysis identified a cut-score with good discrimination ability (.88), sensitivity (.81), and specificity (.81). In a preliminary pilot study, PITS also was found to be sensitive to trauma symptom change following participation in an evidence-based trauma informed treatment program. A copy of the PITS is included in the Appendix for free use by qualified professionals.

Engaging patients and caregivers in establishing research priorities for aortic dissection

Objectives: The aim of this study was to establish the top 10 research uncertainties in aortic dissection together with the patient organization Aortic Dissection Association Scandinavia using the James Lind Alliance concept. Methods: A pilot survey aiming to identify uncertainties sent to 12 patients was found to have high content validity (scale content validity index = 0.91). An online version of the survey was thereafter sent to 30 patients in Aortic Dissection Association Scandinavia and 45 caregivers in the field of aortic dissection. Research uncertainties of aortic dissection were gathered, collated and processed. Results: Together with research priorities retrieved from five different current guidelines, 94 uncertainties were expressed. A shortlist of 24 uncertainties remained after processing for the final workshop. After the priority-setting process, using facilitated group format technique, the ranked final top 10 research uncertainties included diagnostic tests for aortic dissection; patient information and care continuity; quality of life; endovascular and medical treatment; surgical complications; rehabilitation; psychological consequences; self-care; and how to improve prognosis. Conclusion: These ranked top 10 important research priorities may be used to justify specific research in aortic dissection and to inform healthcare research funding decisions.

The Conscientious Responders Scale Helps Researchers Verify the Integrity of Personality Questionnaire Data

The Conscientious Responders Scale is a five-item embeddable validity scale that differentiates between conscientious and indiscriminate responding in personality-questionnaire data (CR & IR). This investigation presents further evidence of its validity and generalizability across two experiments. Study 1 tests its sensitivity to questionnaire length, a known cause of IR, and tries to provoke IR by manipulating psychological reactance. As expected, short questionnaires produced higher Conscientious Responders Scale scores than long questionnaires, and Conscientious Responders Scale scores were unaffected by reactance manipulations. Study 2 tests concerns that the Conscientious Responders Scale’s unusual item content could potentially irritate and baffle responders, ironically increasing rates of IR. We administered two nearly identical questionnaires: one with an embedded Conscientious Responders Scale and one without the Conscientious Responders Scale. Psychometric comparisons revealed no differences across questionnaires’ means, variances, interitem response consistencies, and Cronbach’s alphas. In sum, the Conscientious Responders Scale is highly sensitive to questionnaire length—a known correlate of IR—and can be embedded harmlessly in questionnaires without provoking IR or changing the psychometrics of other measures.