Although hypochondriasis is associated with the costly use of unnecessary medical resources, this mental health problem remains largely neglected. A lack of clear conceptual models and valid measures has impeded accurate assessment and hindered progress. The Multidimensional Inventory of Hypochondriacal Traits (MIHT) addresses these deficiencies…

Longitudinal validity of Brief Symptom Inventory subscales was examined in a sample (N = 318) with schizophrenia-related illness measured at baseline and every 6 months for 3 years. Nonlinear factor analysis of items was used to test graded response models (GRMs) for subscales in isolation. The models varied in their within-time and between-times…

This study provides new knowledge about the factor structure of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12; D. Goldberg, 1972) through the application of confirmatory factor analysis to longitudinal data, thereby enabling investigation of the factor structure, its invariance across time, and the rank-order stability of the factors. Two…

A historicodevelopmental model of acquisition order of words was applied to 175 words comprising the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test--Revised. A structural equation model demonstrates that the combination of date of entry into English, word length, polysemy, and frequency of use account for a substantial proportion of variance of acquisition…

Using 2 different samples of smokers, the authors developed and cross-validated a Spanish, brief version of the Questionnaire of Smoking Urges (QSU; S. T. Tiffany & D. J. Drobes, 1991). The smokers in Study 1 (N = 245) and Study 2 (N = 225) were from the province of Alicante, Spain. In both samples, a 2-factor model provided an excellent fit for a…

Two versions of the Smoking Consequences Questionnaire for adults were developed and tested with 407 smokers and nonsmokers. The version with probability items appeared to have greater construct validity than the version with subjective expected utility items. The scale reflects the refinement of smokers' outcome expectancies with experience. (SLD)

This article reports on the generalizability, reliability, and construct validity of the Parent Situation Inventory (PSI), a role-play measure of coping skills in parents experiencing problems from an adolescent's drug and alcohol use. Generalizability was robust (.80) and alternate form and test-retest reliability were satisfactory. PSI…

Smith's article "On Construct Validity: Issues of Method and Measurement" is a fine tribute to L. J. Cronbach and P. E. Meehl (1955) that clarifies the current state and future directions in the understanding of construct validity. Construct validity is a dynamic process, and fit indices need to be used at the service of understanding, not in…

Examination of the available literature regarding the development of the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Criminal Adjudication (MacCAT-CA) reveals 2 theoretical factor structures on which the MacCAT-CA was based: one in which 3 lower-order constructs are proposed (understanding, reasoning, appreciation) and one in which 2 higher-order…

Social anxiety disorder and social anxiety are highly prevalent psychological conditions in youth. Because of the known risks associated with the spectrum of social anxiety in youth, early detection with valid and reliable assessment measures is imperative. Self-report measures have become the most widely used method of assessment for child and…

The construct validity of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP) was studied. The IIP was used to categorize 104 patients reporting interpersonal distress into 4 problem quadrants. Results offer broad support for the convergent validity of the IIP and offer knowledge about interpersonal problems and the psychotherapy context. (SLD)

Construct validity and diagnostic utility of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition, Freedom from Distractibility Scale (FFD) was studied with a sample of 40 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Results support the construct validity of the FFD but cast doubt on its diagnostic utility. (SLD)

Relations between the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Psychopathology Five (PSY-5), and the Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Openness Personality Inventory (NEO-PI) and its revision (NEO-PI-R) were studied for 170 community adults and 57 clinical patients. Correlations between the instruments showed meaningful relations between the two…

This study examined the effects of defensive responding on the prediction of institutional misconduct among male inmates (N = 349) who completed the Personality Assessment Inventory (L. C. Morey, 1991). Hierarchical logistic regression analyses demonstrated significant main effects for the Antisocial Features (ANT) scale as well as main effects…

The development of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A) scales to measure the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5), a model of personality, is reported. Preliminary scales were refined with the MMPI-A normative sample of 1,620 and a clinical sample of 713 adolescents, and their construct validity was supported. (SLD)