Recent research has started to examine the applicability of influential adult models of the maintenance of social anxiety disorder (SAD) to youth. This research is limited by the lack of psychometrically validated measures of underlying constructs that are developmentally appropriate for youth. One key construct in adult models of SAD is maladaptive social-evaluative beliefs. The current study aimed to develop and validate a measure of these beliefs in youth, known as the Report of Youth Social Cognitions (RYSC). The RYSC was developed with a clinical sample of youth with anxiety disorders (N = 180) and cross-validated in a community sample of youth (N = 305). In the clinical sample, the RYSC exhibited a 3-factor structure (negative evaluation, revealing self, and positive impression factors), good internal consistency, and construct validity. In the community sample, the 3-factor structure and the internal consistency of the RYSC were replicated, but the test of construct validity showed that the RYSC had similarly strong associations with social anxiety and depressed affect. The RYSC had good test-retest reliability overall, although the revealing self subscale showed lower temporal stability which improved when only older participants were considered (age ≥9 years). The RYSC in general was also shown to discriminate between youth with and without SAD although the revealing self subscale again performed suboptimally but improved when only older participants were considered. These findings provide psychometric support for the RYSC and justifies its use with youth in research and clinical settings requiring the assessment of maladaptive social-evaluative beliefs. (PsycINFO Database Record
Early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) are proposed to be maladaptive ways of thinking and feeling that develop from adverse experiences and basic needs not being met in childhood or adolescence. Once developed, EMSs increase vulnerability to psychopathology. Psychometric evaluations of EMS measures in children are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the English version of the Schema Inventory for Children (SIC) in a community sample of youth aged 8 to 13 years. The SIC and measures of positive and negative automatic thoughts, social phobia symptoms, and depressed mood were administered to participants. Although a correlated 11-factor model was expected for the SIC, the optimal factor structure was a correlated six-factor model. EMS subscales corresponding to these six factors had acceptable internal consistency, and they had positive associations with the measures of negative automatic thoughts, social phobia symptoms, and depressive mood, as well as negative associations with the measure of positive automatic thoughts. These results indicate that EMSs in children may not be as differentiated as they are in adults. The results provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the English version of the SIC, justifying its use in contexts requiring the assessment of EMSs in children.
Introduction: There may be value to understanding the interests and needs of a journal’s audience, particularly regarding open access publishing (OAP) and behaviours associated with predatory publishing while establishing a new field-specific journal. As a new journal facing potential challenges in the publishing space, the Journal of Natural Health Product Research (JNHPR) undertook a stakeholder and community feedback initiative on publishing research in the field of natural health products (NHPs). This is the first study, to our knowledge, where academic representatives of the journal used this method to examine the knowledge, attitudes, and opinions of its potential audience. Methods: A database of international researchers in the NHP field was built using publicly available online data. Most NHP researchers (n= 1892) were identified by a keyword-based, systematic search, with additional researchers discovered through snowball sampling. A survey was then developed and distributed to all identified researchers to collect their knowledge, attitudes, and opinions about OAP in general and the JNHPR. Results: One hundred sixty-seven NHP researchers completed the survey where most were familiar with OAP and preferred the OAP model over a subscription-based journal. Additionally, responses indicated that OAP is a polarizing subject with both positive and negative perceptions. Positives included wider circulation and the potential for shorter publication times, while negatives included the potential for less rigorous peer-review standards and generally higher costs. Regardless of perceptions on OAP, impact factor, reputation, scope, and indexing were the most valued factors in choosing a journal for submission.Discussion: According to the survey results, as a new field-specific journal, the JNHPR would benefit the NHP research community greatly, connecting NHP researchers globally. The journal succeeds in two areas: its broad scope, which attracts NHP researchers from a variety of disciplines, and its rapid publishing time. Indexing and further reduced publication fees for developing nations were mentioned as areas in need of improvement. Conclusions: This approach may be useful to researchers who wish to launch their own journal in the future to gain a better understanding of their potential audience’s knowledge, attitudes, and opinions, allowing them to better engage and provide for their audience.
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