Convergent validity has been used to evaluate the correlation between measurement tools. Delayed discounting has been used in order to determine the impulsivity in a variety of populations. Delayed discounting tasks have historically consisted of long, time consuming surveys. These tasks present participants with questions that relate to smaller sooner, or larger later rewards following various temporal delays. The purpose of the present study was to determine the convergent validity between a brief delayed discounting survey and a long, traditional version of the survey. The traditional survey consisted of 189 questions that contained 7 temporal delays and hypothetical money amounts. The brief survey was created based on the long survey but consisted of only 7 questions. Results from this study indicate that convergent validity did not exist between the two surveys. Keywords: delayed discounting, convergent validity, impulsivity

Temporal discounting can be used to evaluate impulsivity in various populations. One assessment measure that can be used is a monetary choice questionnaire in which individuals are provided with an option to select a specified amount of money now, or a different amount following a temporal delay. This study examines the convergent validity of a long monetary choice questionnaire consisting of 189 questions and a brief monetary choice questionnaire consisting of 7 questions, in which participants can select all of the amounts they would prefer to acquire. The results of this study suggested that there is convergent validity between the two surveys through the use of Pearson’s correlation (r=.648, p< .001) and a paired samples t- test that demonstrated that the difference between the AUC scores was not significant (p=.287). Keywords: discounting, convergent validity, impulsivity, self- control, temporal discounting

Many performance-based assessment tools are available to measure upper extremity function. Most define hand function by the time taken to complete a task. A new computer game-based hand-arm function evaluation (GHA) tool has been developed to quantify fine and gross object manipulations skills. Objective of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability and convergent validity of the GHA assessment tool. Thirty stroke clients with the mean age of 68.41 years were recruited. Test-retest reliability was assessed by Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICCs) and t-test. Convergent validity between GHA and the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) was determined using the Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Most of the GHA outcome measures had moderate to high ICC (0.5-0.9). With scant exceptions, low correlations were observed between GHA measures and WMFT score. The ICC values reflected the complexity of the tasks, more complex task showed lower ICCs values. / October 2016

Students cannot benefit from what they do not experience. Multiple reasons exist for why an intervention may not be delivered as it was designed. In this era of educational accountability and limited dollars to go around, understanding how an intervention is delivered in the classroom is key to understanding program outcomes. In order to assess whether a program has been implemented as intended, an assessment of fidelity is needed. However assessing fidelity is complex given varying conceptual interpretations, which then fosters inconsistent application of methods to measure the construct. Additionally the methods for validating fidelity measures are still unclear. The current study evaluated the reliability and validity of the student Instructional Pedagogical (10 items) and Instructional Student Engagement (15 items) scores for use in assessing teachers' fidelity of implementation on the participant responsiveness component of fidelity. The sample consisted of over 5,000 responses from students and 242 teachers in Mathematics and Science across three school districts and 41 schools to an online fidelity of implementation questionnaire. Given that students were nested within teachers, the data structure was multilevel, which warranted that the psychometric analyses be conducted using a multilevel framework. Instructional Pedagogy is represented by 10 items that measure three factors. Multilevel confirmatory factor analysis was used to test a two-level model that had three factors at the student-level and three factors at the teacher-level. Instructional Student Engagement is represented by 15 items that measure four factors. Multilevel confirmatory factor analysis was used to test a two-level model that had four factors at the student-level and four factors at the teacher-level. The psychometric results of the student questionnaire assessing the student engagement components of fidelity were mixed. Support for the factorial validity of the multilevel student models was mixed, with model fit indicating that some of the measured variables did not load strongly on their respective factors and some of the factors lacked discriminant validity. Lastly, the correlations between students' and teachers' scores for both the observed and latent variables (ranging from -.15 to .72 in math; -.07 to .41 in science) displayed limited convergent validity.

Previous research has demonstrated that individuals with a dual diagnosis often engage in challenging behavior as a means to fulfil their needs and wants. Functional behavioral assessments (FBA) are a way of evaluating these behaviors and creating effective interventions to reduce them and increase socially appropriate alternative behaviors. The present study assessed the convergent validity for three types of FBAs, including the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF) questionnaire, trial-based functional analysis, and traditional functional analysis, for three adults with a dual diagnosis within a day program setting. Results found correspondence between two forms of assessments, the trial-based functional analysis and traditional functional analysis, for one out of the three subjects. Due to a lack of engagement in the targeted behavior for the other two subjects, results were inconclusive. Results of the QABF did not match those of the functional analyses for any of the subjects, suggesting that the assessment should be used with caution. The trial-based functional analysis may be a viable tool for assessing function for the challenging behavior of adults with a dual diagnosis, although it should not be used as a replacement for the traditional functional analysis.

Executive functioning skills are paramount to our ability to purposefully and successfully mediate our actions within our day-to-day environment. Dysfunction of the executive system can result in a multitude of behavioral manifestations in all stages of life. Increasing evidence supports the use of rating scales to obtain a more comprehensive and ecologically valid understanding of an individual’s executive functioning. The current thesis involves two articles examining the use of behavioral rating scales in the assessment of executive functions. Study 1: In response to a recent proliferation of executive functions rating scales, this article reviews and discusses currently available scales for the assessment of executive functions across the lifespan. Study 2: This study derived an executive functions screener from the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC-2-SRP-COL) for use in young adults and evaluated it against a well-known executive function rating scale (the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version). / Graduate / 0622 / 0632 / eduggan@uvic.ca

The College Adjustment Scales (CAS) are a multidimensional psychological measure designed specifically for use in college and university settings. The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of the College Adjustment Scales (CAS) to function as outcome measures in university counseling centers. Study 1 assessed the ability of the CAS to track change following brief therapy using a nonequivalent control group design. Study 2 assessed the convergent validity of the CAS by correlating two of the nine CAS scales with two established measures. The results of a three-factor MANOV A revealed that the CAS were able to track change very well for undergraduate students. Results for graduate students showed that three of the CAS scales tracked change quite well, two scales did not track change, and four scales did not track change for graduate males. Convergent validity results were mixed for the two scales assessed. The Self-Esteem scale was determined to be a fairly good measure of global self-esteem. The CAS Anxiety scale did not correlate well with an instrument that is a good measure of anxiety characterized by physiological symptoms. Recommendations for future research are discussed.

A necessidade constante de desenvolvimento de competências individuais e organizacionais atrelada a projetos de educação a distância (EAD) expande a possibilidade de acesso a programas de treinamento, formação e qualificação profissionais ofertados por instituições de ensino superior (IES) e outras organizações do sistema produtivo. Nota-se um grande progresso tecnológico cada vez mais disseminado no recente campo da EAD. Porém, essa modalidade de ensino é muito carente de estudos sistemáticos. Variáveis relacionadas ao perfil da clientela necessitam ser mais investigadas, como é o caso dos Estilos de Aprendizagem, que necessita de uma definição mais apurada, especialmente para garantir a qualidade dos instrumentos que se propõem a medir esse construto. Muitas vezes o seu conceito está relacionado com o conceito de Estratégias de Aprendizagem, sem grandes diferenciações entre eles. Além disso, a literatura indica que tais variáveis de características da clientela podem estar relacionadas com a Evasão em cursos na modalidade EAD. Nesse sentido, a presente pesquisa objetivou construir e verificar evidências de validade de um instrumento de medida de Estilos de Aprendizagem, bem como realizar a validade convergente com o instrumento de Estratégias de Aprendizagem, além de propor uma discussão conceitual acerca dos Estilos de Aprendizagem. Ao final desse estudo, o instrumento de Estilos de Aprendizagem foi construído, passou por validação semântica, por juízes e foram verificadas evidências de validade estatística. Foi demonstrado também que os alunos que fizeram mais uso das Estratégias de Aprendizagem Autorregulatórias, bem como das Estratégias Comportamentais e valorizam mais os aspectos do ambiente no quais realiza os seus estudos (ou seja, possuem mais Preferências Ambientais) tendem a não abandonar o curso. A validação convergente entre os instrumentos de Estilos de Aprendizagem e Estratégias de Aprendizagem demonstraram que os instrumentos refletem o histórico de relacionamento entre esses conceitos. Muitos fatores de Estratégias de Aprendizagem se relacionam com o instrumento de Estilos de Aprendizagem. Os resultados também possibilitaram uma definição operacional de Estilos de Aprendizagem no campo da Psicologia Organizacional e do Trabalho (POT). Para pesquisas futuras, recomenda-se o uso de técnicas estatísticas mais robustas, como o uso de Análise Fatorial Confirmatória, bem como a Modelagem de Equações Estruturais, que poderiam mensurar com maior exatidão o quanto os Estilos e as Estratégias de Aprendizagem influenciam a Evasão em Ações Educacionais Ofertadas a Distância em contexto de IES. / The constant need to develop individual and organizational competences linked to e-learning projects expands the possibility of access to professional training and qualification programs offered by higher education institutions (HEIs) and other organizations of the productive system. A great technological progress is becoming increasingly widespread in this recent e-learning field. However, this type of education is very lacking in systematic studies. Variables related to the customer profile needs to be further investigated, like the Learning Styles variable. This last requires a more precise definition, especially to ensure the quality of the instruments used to measure this construct. The Learning Styles concept is often related to the Strategy Styles concept without mentioning the proper differences between them. Besides that, the literature indicates that such costumers characteristics variables may be related to the Evasion in e-learning courses. This research aimed to carry out the conceptual analysis of Learning Styles through the construction and verification of validity evidence of a measuring instrument and the convergent validity with Learning Strategies. The Learning Styles instrument was built, underwent semantic validation by judges and evidence of statistical validity were verified. It was also shown that students who made more use of Self-Regulatory Learning Strategies, as well as Behavioral Strategies and value the aspects of the environment in which they realize its studies (ie, have more Environmental Preferences) tend not to leave the course. The convergent validity between Learning Styles and Learning Strategies instruments showed that the instruments reflect the historical relationship between these concepts. Many aspects of Learning Strategies are also related to the Learning Styles aspects. The results showed an adequate definition of Learning Styles in the field of Organizational and Work Psychology (OWP). For future research, it is recommending the use of more consistent statistical techniques such the Confirmatory Factor Analysis as well as Structural Equation Modeling, which could measure more accurately how the Styles and Learning Strategies influence the Evasion in e-learning in the higher education institutions context.

In recent years, meta-analytic reviews have estimated validities for the use of personality scales in the prediction of job performance from an array of empirical studies. A variety of personality measures were used in the original studies, and procedures and decisions concerning the categorization of these measures into Big Five personality factors have differed among reviewers. An underlying assumption of meta-analysis is that the predictors across included studies are essentially the same, as is the criterion. If this is not the case, then problems arise for both theoretical reasons and practical applications. If predictors that are not highly correlated are combined in a meta-analysis, then the theoretical understanding of antecedents and consequents of the predictors will be clouded. Further, combining predictors that are not essentially the same may obscure different relations between predictors and criteria, that is, test may operate as a moderator. To meet the assumption of similarity, systematic methods of categorizing personality scales are advised. Two indicators of scale commensurability are proposed: 1) high correlations among predictor scales and 2) similar patterns of correlations between predictor scales and job-related criteria. In the current study, the similarity of the most commonly used personality scales in organizational contexts was assessed based on these two indicators. First, meta-analyses of correlations between scales were conducted. Second, subgroup meta-analyses of criterion-related validity were examined, with specific personality scale and criterion as moderators. Correlations between criterion-related validity and certain sample characteristics were also conducted to determine if sample characteristics act as moderators of validity. Additionally, an examination of personality scale reliabilities was conducted. Results reveal that assumptions of similarity among personality measures may not be entirely met. Whereas meta-analyzed reliability and criterion-related validity coefficients seldom differed greatly, scales of the "same" construct were only moderately correlated in many cases. Although these results suggest that previous meta-analytic results concerning reliability and criterion-related validity are generalizable across tests, questions remain about the similarity of personality construct conceptualization and operationalization. Further research into comprehensive measurement of the predictor space is suggested.

Burnout is a psychological concept that have got much attention since it was first defined in the middle of the 1970s. Although the definition of burnout differ there is consensus about exhaustion as the most important part of the concept. Burnout have also been in focus in sport psychology research. Mostly athletes have been studied but interest the coach profession have also been of interest. Research on coach burnout have mostly been directed towards demographic variables, organizational issues, behaviors and emotions and more holistic perspectives covering larger models or theories. The aims with this thesis was to try to fill some of the knowledge gaps from earlier coach burnout research with three studies. Study 1 aimed to study subjective experiences associated with perceived causes and symptoms of burnout and the subsequent recovery process. Eight elite soccer coaches who previously had been troubled with high scores of the exhaustion was interviewed. We found two burnout profiles that matched the coaches’ perceived causes of burnout. The first was associatedwith problems in handling the performance culture itself and the second had to do with the overall situation, including workload, family and health. Our findings describe coach burnout as stemming from a combination of issues, related to both home and work. When combined with work overload, coaches who have problems handling the performance culture in elite sports, and who lack the tools to enhance recovery, are particularly vulnerable to burnout. Study 2 focused on evaluating three self-report burnout measures that are available for researchers to use. Our analysis included Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) and Coach Burnout Questionnaire (CBQ). The main findings were that there are psychometric problems with all three measures and that MBI and OLBI cover similar definitions of burnout and CBQ cover somewhat different dimensions. Of the three methods that were tested CBQ seem to be most suitable for the coaching context. However, CBQ also have several problems and other burnout measures need to be evaluated in the coach context. Study 3 focused on the associations between workaholic tendencies and combining coaching job with having a family or a spouse, which can be a stressor since the work situation and family situation can be hard to combine. The main findings were that work seem to interfere more with family life than family life interfere with working live. Further workaholic tendencies and exhaustion was not associated. When interpreting the aggregated results from the thesis there are two main findings. First, the way coach burnout has been measured until now is unsatisfying. Although the development of a coach specific measure (CBQ) is promising, further development is needed, both when it comes to the theoretical aspects of the burnout construct and psychometric issues. Second, the symptoms and perceived causes in coach burnout is highly individual and makes burnout a very personal experience. Future research should focus on both the origins as well as the measurement of thisdetrimental concept. / Utbrändhet är ett psykologiskt begrepp som har fått mycket uppmärksamhet sedan den först introducerades i mitten av 1970-talet. Även om synen på vad utbrändhet är skiljer sig åt finns en enighet om att utmattning är huvudsymptomet. Utbrändhet har studerats inom idrottspsykologisk forskning sedan början av 1980-talet. Mestadels har intresset legat på idrottare men intresse har också riktats mot tränaryrket. Forskning om tränares utbrändhet har främst intresserat sig för demografiska variabler, organisationens påverkan, beteenden och känslor samt mer övergripande modeller eller teorier som täcker flera områden. Syftet med denna avhandling var att försöka fylla en del av de kunskapsluckor som funnits i tidigare forskning med tre studier. Studie 1 syftade till att studera tränares subjektiva upplevelser av utmattning kopplat till upplevda orsaker och symptom av utbrändhet samt vägen tillbaka från utbrändhet. Åtta elitfotbollstränare som tidigare hade haft problem med utmattning intervjuades. Huvudresultatet i studien var att det fanns två sätt att uppfatta utbrändhetsprocessen. Antingen såg man miljön runt elitfotbollen som den stora orsaken eller så upplevdes hela livssituationen med små stressande händelser kopplade till arbetsbelastning, familj och hälsa som problematiska. Studie 2 fokuserade på att utvärdera tre frågeformulär som är lämpliga i en tränarkontext. I analysen ingår Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), som oftast använts, Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) och Coach Burnout Questionnaire (CBQ). De viktigaste resultaten var att det dels finns problem med alla tre samt att MBI och OLBI täcker liknande definitioner av utbrändhet medan CBQ mäter lite andra aspekter. Slutsatsen från studien är att CBQ verkar passa bäst för den kontext där idrottstränare arbetar även om CBQ också har en del problematiska inslag. Studie 3 fokuserade på arbetsnarkomani och att kombinera tränarjobb med familjeliv har ett samband med utmattning. Huvudresultaten i studie 3 var att det framförallt verkar vara arbetet som störa familjelivet än familjelivet som stör arbetslivet. Ytterligare fanns inget statistiskt stöd att arbetsnarkomani skulle ha ett samband med utmattning. När det sammanlagda resultatet från hela avhandlingen tolkas utifrån vilken ny kunskap denna avhandling tillför finns två huvudbidrag. Det första är att problemen med de frågeformulär som hittills använts för att mäta utbrändhet har lyfts upp. Även om det är lovande att det utvecklats ett idrottsspecifikt formulär finns tillgängligt så finns det både teoretiska och mättekniska aspekter som behöver utvecklas. Det andra bidraget är att de symptom som ingår i upplevelsen av utbrändhet verkar vara olika för olika individer. Framtida forskning bör fokusera både på hur teoretiska och mättekninska aspekter av utbrändhetsbegreppet.