Social network responses to victims of potentially traumatic events: A systematic review using qualitative evidence synthesis.

Background: A substantial number of qualitative studies examined how adult victims of potentially traumatic events (PTEs) experienced support provided by family members, friends, colleagues, and other significant others in the informal network. Importantly, the large majority of qualitative studies focused on the perceived support of victims of specific events such as sexual offences, partner violence, homicide, accidents and disasters. Although it is likely that across specific PTEs there are similarities as well as differences in experienced support from the informal network, to date no systematic review synthesized the results of qualitative studies on support from the informal network following various types of PTEs.

Measurement Equivalence and Convergent Validity of a Mental Health Rating Scale.

Emotional and behavioral problems among children and adolescents may be studied using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, containing five subscales, based on ratings by parents, teachers, or adolescents themselves. We investigate two measurement issues using data from a longitudinal sample of 8,806 participants aged 7 to 9 years and 11 to 13 years from the Bergen Child Study in Bergen, Norway. First, convergent validity of parent and teacher ratings is studied using a multitrait-multimethod approach.

Using the realist perspective to link theory from qualitative evidence synthesis to quantitative studies: Broadening the matrix approach.

Background: This study describes an approach for the use of a specific type of qualitative evidence synthesis in the matrix approach, a mixed studies reviewing method. The matrix approach compares quantitative and qualitative data on the review level by juxtaposing concrete recommendations from the qualitative evidence synthesis against interventions in primary quantitative studies. However, types of qualitative evidence syntheses that are associated with theory building generate theoretical models instead of recommendations.

Collinear Latent Variables in Multilevel Confirmatory Factor Analysis: A Comparison of Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Estimations.

Because variables may be correlated in the social and behavioral sciences, multicollinearity might be problematic. This study investigates the effect of collinearity manipulated in within and between levels of a two-level confirmatory factor analysis by Monte Carlo simulation. Furthermore, the influence of the size of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and estimation method; maximum likelihood estimation with robust chi-squares and standard errors and Bayesian estimation, on the convergence rate are investigated.

Updated meta-analysis of classical fear conditioning in the anxiety disorders.

The aim of the current study was twofold: (1) to systematically examine differences in fear conditioning between anxiety patients and healthy controls using meta-analytic methods, and (2) to examine the extent to which study characteristics may account for the variability in findings across studies. Forty-four studies (published between 1920 and 2013) with data on 963 anxiety disordered patients and 1,222 control subjects were obtained through PubMed and PsycINFO, as well as from a previous meta-analysis on fear conditioning (Lissek et al.).

Measurement equivalence in mixed mode surveys.

Surveys increasingly use mixed mode data collection (e.g., combining face-to-face and web) because this controls costs and helps to maintain good response rates.

Analyzing indirect effects in cluster randomized trials. The effect of estimation method, number of groups and group sizes on accuracy and power.

Cluster randomized trials assess the effect of an intervention that is carried out at the group or cluster level. Ajzen's theory of planned behavior is often used to model the effect of the intervention as an indirect effect mediated in turn by attitude, norms and behavioral intention. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is the technique of choice to estimate indirect effects and their significance.

Facing off with Scylla and Charybdis: a comparison of scalar, partial, and the novel possibility of approximate measurement invariance.

Measurement invariance (MI) is a pre-requisite for comparing latent variable scores across groups. The current paper introduces the concept of approximate MI building on the work of Muthén and Asparouhov and their application of Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling (BSEM) in the software Mplus. They showed that with BSEM exact zeros constraints can be replaced with approximate zeros to allow for minimal steps away from strict MI, still yielding a well-fitting model.

A Meta-View of Multivariate Statistical Inference Methods in European Psychology Journals.

We investigated the extent and nature of multivariate statistical inferential procedures used in eight European psychology journals covering a range of content (i.e., clinical, social, health, personality, organizational, developmental, educational, and cognitive).

Determinants of seclusion after aggression in psychiatric inpatients.

Some aggressive incidents in psychiatric wards result in seclusion, whereas others do not. We used the Staff Observation Aggression Scale-Revised and the mental health trust's database to identify determinants that predicted seclusion after aggression. These consisted of demographic, diagnostic, contextual, and aggression characteristics and were analyzed in a multilevel logistic regression.

Robustness of parameter and standard error estimates against ignoring a contextual effect of a subject-level covariate in cluster-randomized trials.

In experimental research, it is not uncommon to assign clusters to conditions. When analysing the data of such cluster-randomized trials, a multilevel analysis should be applied in order to take into account the dependency of first-level units (i.e.

Do implementation intentions help to eat a healthy diet? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the empirical evidence.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether implementation intentions are an effective tool to help people put their intentions to eat a healthy diet into practice. Additionally, it was investigated whether the quality of the outcome measures and the quality of the control conditions that are used in these studies influence implementation intentions' effectiveness.

Methods: Twenty three empirical studies investigating the effect of implementation intentions on eating behavior were included.

Intraindividual variability in adolescents' perceived relationship satisfaction: the role of daily conflict.

A daily diary method was used to examine the daily dynamics of adolescent conflict and perceived relationship satisfaction with mothers, fathers, and best friends among a sample of 72 Dutch adolescents (M = 15.59 years). Multilevel analyses revealed that perceived relationship satisfaction with mothers, fathers, and best friends was lower on days on which conflict occurred with mothers, fathers, and best friends than on days on which no conflict occurred.

Clustering of health-compromising behavior and delinquency in adolescents and adults in the Dutch population.

Objective: This study investigates the clustering of a broad range of health-compromising and delinquent behaviors. We examine whether these behaviors belong to a single but broad cluster, 'risk-taking behavior', and whether the nature and degree of clustering in adolescents differs from that in adults.

Method: A representative sample (N=4395) of the Dutch population aged 12 to 40 (overall response rate 67%), was asked about various health-compromising behaviors, such as alcohol consumption, smoking, illegal drug use, unsafe sexual behavior, physical inactivity, poor nutrition (such as skipping breakfast and not eating fruit and vegetables), poor sleep behavior, unlawful traffic behavior, and delinquent and aggressive behavior.

The health-related quality of life of obese persons seeking or not seeking surgical or non-surgical treatment: a meta-analysis.

Background: This meta-analysis examined differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between seekers of surgical and non-surgical treatment, and non-treatment seekers, over and above differences that are explained by weight, age, and gender.

Methods: Our literature search focused on the 'Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite' (IWQOL-Lite) and the 'Short Form-36' (SF-36) questionnaires. Included were studies published between 1980 and April 2006 providing pre-treatment descriptive statistics of adult overweight, obese or morbidly obese persons.

Deployment-related stress and trauma in Dutch soldiers returning from Iraq. Prospective study.

Background: Some questionnaire studies have shown increased mental health problems, including probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in soldiers deployed to Iraq.

Aims: To test prospectively whether such problems change over time and whether questionnaires provide accurate estimates of deployment-related PTSD compared with a clinical interview.

Methods: Dutch infantry troops from three cohorts completed questionnaires before deployment to Iraq (n=479), and about 5 months (n=382, 80%) and 15 months (n=331, 69%) thereafter.

Theory of mind in schizophrenia: meta-analysis.

Background: Mentalising impairment (an impaired ability to think about people in terms of their mental states) has frequently been associated with schizophrenia.

Aims: To assess the magnitude of the deficit and analyse associated factors.

Method: Twenty-nine studies of mentalising in schizophrenia (combined n=1518), published between January 1993 and May 2006, were included to estimate overall effect size.

Variation in long-term care needs assessors' willingness to support clients' requests for admission to a residential home: a vignette study.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine what client, needs assessor, and agency factors explain variation in decision making by long-term care needs assessors concerning clients requesting admission to a residential home.

Method: Hypothetical case vignettes were sent to needs assessors allocating services for the elderly. Multilevel logistic regression analysis provided random and fixed effects.

Daily negative interactions and mood among patients and partners dealing with multiple sclerosis (MS): the moderating effects of emotional support.

Negative interactions with intimate partners may have adverse consequences for well-being, especially for individuals dealing with chronic illness. However, it is not clear whether negative interactions affect both dimensions of positive and negative well-being and factors that may moderate this effect have not been well-described. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between daily received negative responses from the partner and end-of-day positive and negative mood in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their intimate partners.

Binge eating and exercise behavior after surgery for severe obesity: a structural equation model.

Objective: The current study sought to find indications for the appropriateness of a model in which eating patterns and exercise beliefs influence binge eating and physical exercise, respectively, that, in turn, influence outcome after gastric banding for severe obesity.

Method: Participants were 157 patients (144 females, 13 males) who completed questionnaires approximately 34 months (range = 8-68 months) after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB).

Results: Our data showed a well-fitting model in which external and emotional eating were associated with outcome through binge eating.

Styles of emotion regulation and their associations with perceived health in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis face the challenge of adjusting to adverse health consequences and accompanying emotions. Styles of emotion regulation may affect health.

Purpose: The objective is to examine associations between styles of emotion regulation and perceived health, consisting of psychological well-being, social functioning, physical functioning, and disease activity.

Reliability of the Dutch Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI).

Objective: To evaluate the reliability of the Dutch version of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI), an instrument for measuring functional status (capability and performance in self-care, mobility and social function) of young children using parent interviews.

Design: Inter-interviewer reliability was studied after scoring audiotaped interviews by a second researcher. For test-retest reliability the same parent was interviewed twice within three weeks; in inter-respondent reliability both parents of a child were interviewed independently within a few days.