Why People Die by Suicide

For the statistical consultant working with social science researchers the estimation of reliability and validity is a task frequently encountered. Measurement issues differ in the social sciences in that they are related to the quantification of abstract, intangible and unobservable constructs. In many instances, then, the meaning of quantities is only inferred. Let us begin by a general description of the paradigm that we are dealing with. Most concepts in the behavioral sciences have meaning within the context of the theory that they are a part of. Each concept, thus, has an operational definition which is governed by the overarching theory. If a concept is involved in the testing of hypothesis to support the theory it has to be measured. So the first decision that the research is faced with is \" how shall the concept be measured? \" That is the type of measure. At a very broad level the type of measure can be observational, self-report, interview, etc. These types ultimately take shape of a more specific form like observation of ongoing activity, observing video-taped events, self-report measures like questionnaires that can be open-ended or close-ended, Likert-type scales, interviews that are structured, semi-structured or unstructured and open-ended or close-ended. Needless to say, each type of measure has specific types of issues that need to be addressed to make the measurement meaningful, accurate, and efficient. Another important feature is the population for which the measure is intended. This decision is not entirely dependent on the theoretical paradigm but more to the immediate research question at hand. 6/14/2016 2 A third point that needs mentioning is the purpose of the scale or measure. What is it that the researcher wants to do with the measure? Is it developed for a specific study or is it developed with the anticipation of extensive use with similar populations? Once some of these decisions are made and a measure is developed, which is a careful and tedious process, the relevant questions to raise are \" how do we know that we are indeed measuring what we want to measure? \" since the construct that we are measuring is abstract, and \" can we be sure that if we repeated the measurement we will get the same result? \". The first question is related to validity and second to reliability. Validity and reliability are two important characteristics of behavioral measure and are referred to as …

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Validity and reliability.

Integrating psychological and neurobiological considerations regarding the development and maintenance of specific Internet-use disorders: An Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model.

Between 50 and 80% of the patients diagnosed with schizophrenia have been shown to be partially or totally lacking insight into the presence of their mental disorder. Although a causal chain connecting poor insight with poor treatment adherence and thus with poorer outcome and functioning is straight forward, numerous studies investigating correlates and long-term impact of insight have provided differing results. In addition, higher levels of insight in schizophrenia have been associated with depression and hopelessness, but the causal direction of the relationship is unclear and the data are inconclusive. The current study provides a critical review of 88 studies on the assessment of insight and its impact on symptoms and functioning. Studies published by June 2006 were selected using a keyword search for English peer-reviewed articles in the databases PsycINFO and MEDLINE. The majority of studies support the assumption that insight is associated with adherence during treatment phase, but the association with long-term adherence remains unclear. Insight correlates with better long-term functioning, but this might be explained by its association with symptoms. There is a positive cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between insight and depression, but the underlying processes need further clarification. In the concluding discussion, the problems relating to definition and study designs are considered responsible for many of the inconclusive findings. Suggestions for further research are derived.

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Correlates and Long-Term Consequences of Poor Insight in Patients With Schizophrenia. A Systematic Review

The present study examined excessive Internet use of Taiwanese adolescents and a psychological aspect of users, sensation seeking, thus to differentiate motivation of Internet dependents and non-dependents. Seven hundred and fifty three Taiwanese high school students were selected using cluster sampling and 88 of them were categorized as Internet dependent users. Results indicated that Internet dependents spent more time on-line than non-dependents. While Internet dependents perceived significantly more negative Internet influences on daily routines, school performance, and parental relation than non-dependents, both Internet dependents and non-dependents viewed Internet use as enhancing peer relations. Making friends through the Internet has become a popular activity among adolescents, potentially leading to its excessive use. Internet dependents scored significantly higher on overall sensation seeking and disinhibition than Internet non-dependents. However, both groups did not differ in the life experience seeking subscale and thrill and adventure seeking subscale. This finding contradicts that of Lavin, Marvin, McLarney, Nola, and Scott [CyberPsychol. Behav. 2 (2000) 425]. Possible reasons for this discrepancy and for the relation between Internet dependence and disinhibition in Taiwanese adolescents are also discussed.

Sensation Seeking and Internet Dependence of Taiwanese High School Adolescents

The aim of the current study is to validate the Turkish version of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS). Participants were assessed across the CAS, Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS) and Fear of COVID-19 Scale. We surveyed 1023 Turkish native speakers who participated online. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the factor structure of the CAS was satisfactory. The scale was internally consistent with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.80. Positive correlations of the CAS with the OCS and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale demonstrated adequate convergent validity. These findings suggest that the CAS is a valid and reliable measure to assess the severity of dysfunctional coronavirus related anxiety.

Measuring anxiety related to COVID-19: A Turkish validation study of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale.

Introduction and Aims.Aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of relapse with impulsivity, novelty seeking (NS) and craving during 12 month follow up after inpatient treatment in male alcohol dependents.



Design and Methods.Among 156 consecutively admitted male alcohol dependents, 102 were examined by face to face interview 12 months after discharge from hospital. Patients were investigated with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, version 11 (BIS-11), the NS dimension of the Temperament and Character Inventory, the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) and Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test at the end of 12 months.



Results.Among 102 alcohol-dependent inpatients 61.8% (n = 63) were considered as relapsed to alcohol use during 12 month follow up. Sociodemographic variables did not differ between relapsed and non-relapsed groups. Mean scores of BIS-11 and NS and subscales of these scales were higher in relapsed group than non-relapsed group. BIS-11 and NS and their subscales were positively correlated with each other. PACS was also positively correlated with these scales and their subscales. Only exception was ‘exploratory excitability’ (NS1) subscale of NS, which did not differ between groups and did not correlate with PACS or BIS-11. Extravagance (NS3) and BIS-11 non-planning impulsiveness (NPI) scores were associated with craving in Stepwise Linear Regression model. Only NS3 showed an association with relapse in the first Forward Wald logistic regression model. When severity of craving was included in the second model, as an independent variable, it was also associated with relapse additional to NS3.



Discussion and Conclusions.Both impulsivity and NS seem to be related with craving and relapse. Particularly, NS3 may be related with relapse both directly and indirectly via craving, whereas NPI may be related with relapse only indirectly via craving. Thus severity of craving may be a final pathway to relapse in these relationships of NS3 and NPI with relapse. These findings suggest that impulsivity, NS and craving are important variables to predict outcome and also for the treatment plan.[Evren C, Durkaya M, Evren B, Dalbudak E, Cetin R. Relationship of relapse with impulsivity, novelty seeking and craving in male alcohol-dependent inpatients. Drug Alcohol Rev 2012;31:81–90]

Relationship of relapse with impulsivity, novelty seeking and craving in male alcohol-dependent inpatients.

Self-mutilation in substance-dependent patients and relationship with childhood abuse and neglect, alexithymia and temperament and character dimensions of personality

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of Internet addiction (IA) risk with the severity of borderline personality features, childhood traumas, dissociative experiences, depression and anxiety symptoms among Turkish university students. A total of 271 Turkish university students participated in this study. The students were assessed through the Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), the Borderline Personality Inventory (BPI), the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-28), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The rates of students were 19.9% (n=54) in the high IA risk group, 38.7% (n=105) in the mild IA risk group and 41.3% (n=112) in the group without IA risk. Correlation analyses revealed that the severity of IA risk was related with BPI, DES, emotional abuse, CTQ-28, depression and anxiety scores. Univariate covariance analysis (ANCOVA) indicated that the severity of borderline personality features, emotional abuse, depression and anxiety symptoms were the predictors of IAS score, while gender had no effect on IAS score. Among childhood trauma types, emotional abuse seems to be the main predictor of IA risk severity. Borderline personality features predicted the severity of IA risk together with emotional abuse, depression and anxiety symptoms among Turkish university students.

The severity of Internet addiction risk and its relationship with the severity of borderline personality features, childhood traumas, dissociative experiences, depression and anxiety symptoms among Turkish university students.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociation and a history of childhood trauma on quality of life (QoL) among men with alcohol dependency. A consecutive series of alcohol-dependent men (N=156) admitted to an inpatient treatment unit were screened using the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale, the Dissociative Experiences Scale, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. QoL was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36-item health survey. Fifty (32.1%) patients had lifetime diagnosis of PTSD. Besides problems related to severity of alcohol use, the lifetime PTSD group was impaired on several physical and mental components of QoL. While the lifetime PTSD group and remaining patients did not differ on reports of childhood trauma and dissociation, in lifetime PTSD group, dissociative patients had higher scores of childhood emotional abuse than those of the non-dissociative patients. In multivariate covariance analysis, both dissociation and lifetime PTSD predicted impairment in physical functioning, general health, vitality, and mental health components of QoL. Among alcohol-dependent men with lifetime PTSD, a history of childhood emotional abuse contributes to impairment of QoL through its relationship with dissociation.

Bilge Evren

Papers

Measuring anxiety related to COVID-19: A Turkish validation study of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale.

Relationship of relapse with impulsivity, novelty seeking and craving in male alcohol-dependent inpatients.

Self-mutilation in substance-dependent patients and relationship with childhood abuse and neglect, alexithymia and temperament and character dimensions of personality

The severity of Internet addiction risk and its relationship with the severity of borderline personality features, childhood traumas, dissociative experiences, depression and anxiety symptoms among Turkish university students.

Lifetime PTSD and quality of life among alcohol-dependent men: Impact of childhood emotional abuse and dissociation