The overall address of the present thesis is the relationship between being ‘on fire’ and burning out. More specifically, the thesis focused largely on two representations of involvement in work (work engagement and Type A behavior) and their respective relationships to burnout. Another pervasive theme was construct validity in assessing burnout and work engagement. These themes were addressed in four empirical studies, conducted in a sample of health-care workers (Study I) and a sample of information communication technology consultants (Studies II, III, and IV). Study I aimed to extend the previously preliminary support for the construct validity of the Swedish version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The objective of Study II was the discriminant validity of the Utrecht Work engagement Scale (UWES) against the theoretically adjacent constructs job involvement and organizational commitment. Another objective was the translation and evaluation of a Swedish version of the UWES. In Study III, the aim was to investigate (cross-sectional) association between Type A behavior, work engagement and burnout. Study III had two foci: 1) whether Type A behavior interacts with job factors to affect burnout and work engagement, and 2) the associations between the main components of Type A behavior (achievement-striving and irritability/impatience) and burnout as well as work engagement. Study IV concerned the longitudinal relationships between Type A behavior and burnout, and between work engagement and burnout. The results presented in this dissertation supported the construct validity of Swedish versions of the MBI and the UWES. It was further indicated that emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (or cynicism) constitute the core aspects of burnout, and that work engagement was more prominently associated with lack of health complaints than job involvement and organizational commitment. Type A behavior was found to be associated with burnout and work engagement in cross-sectional data, however different aspects of Type A behavior appeared to have somewhat different association with burnout and work engagement respectively. The achievement-striving aspect of Type A behavior was related primarily to work engagement, whereas irritability was associated with less engagement and more burnout complaints. No indications of an interaction between Type A behavior and job stress were found. The most important finding of Study IV was that change in Type A behavior was unrelated to change in burnout across time (one-year interval). Furthermore, Study IV supported the notion that work engagement and burnout are bipolar opposites and constitute a work well-being continuum. To conclude, the present thesis suggests that burnout should be viewed as an erosion of intrinsic, affective engagement in work occurring when intrinsic motivation is frustrated by job stress. To avoid conceptual confusion, burnout should be distinguished form exhaustion syndrome however it should be acknowledged that burnout may have negative impact on health. The present study indicated that Type A behavior is unrelated to the specific burnout reaction, a finding that needs to be replicated before generalizability can be assumed. However, it was assumed that Type A behavior represents an instrumental approach to work, further corroborating that burnout is a specific construct referring to the draining of a specific energetic and affective state. This does not imply that Type A behavior is unrelated to health deterioration – most plausibly, Type A behavior generates exhaustion and fatigue from over-exertion of energy. Both research and practice would benefit from exploring how work engagement may best be enhanced using job redesign.

Racism has been identified as a profoundly traumatic and a psychologically damaging experience affecting Black people (Harrell, 2000; White & Parham, 1990; Williams & Williams-Morris, 2000). It has been theorized that one of the most devastating effects racial oppression (i.e. racism and discrimination) is the internalization of that oppression (Bailey, Chung, Williams, & Singh, 2006; Speight, 2007). Speight (2007) argued that an understanding of racism would be incomplete without considering how it is internalized. Internalized racial oppression is the process through which Black people consciously and unconsciously internalize and accept the dominant White culture’s oppressive actions and beliefs towards Black people, while at the same time rejecting an African worldview and cultural motifs (Bailey, Chung, Williams, & Singh, 2006). Internalized racial oppression is believed to adversely affect the psychological health of Black people. This study examined the construct validity of the Internalized Racial Oppression Scale (IROS; Bailey et al., 2006) through the use of confirmatory factor analysis and social desirability. Additionally, this study investigated internalized racial oppression as a predictor of the endogenous factors of Psychological Distress, Psychological Well-Being, Personal Self-Esteem, Collective Self-esteem, and Life Satisfaction through the use of latent variable path analysis. It was hypothesized that, similar to racial oppression; greater levels of internalized racial oppression will predict greater psychological distress, lower psychological well-being, lower personal self-esteem, lower collective self-esteem, and lower satisfaction with life among Black college students. Three hundred seventy Black students (Cohort 1 = 102, Cohort 2 = 268) participated in this study. Cohort 1 consisted of students recruited from a predominately White university in the Southeastern region of the United States. Cohort 2 consisted of a national sample of students. Participants from Cohort 1 completed a pencil and paper survey, while the participants from Cohort 2 completed a survey via online. The results supported the factorial structure of the IROS. Further, the results found that the IROS was a predictor of psychological distress, psychological well-being, collective self-esteem, and satisfaction with life. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Despite decades of interest in the organizational and managerial factors that influence an individual s attachment to the organization, very little is known about the personal characteristics that may influence an individual s interpersonal relations at work and attachment to the organization. In the context of a changing workplace, in which greater importance is being placed on worker interpersonal skills and organizational commitment, individual differences in adult attachment styles represent a potentially important determinant of intrapersonal and interpersonal criteria as well as organizational commitment. The purpose of this research was to empirically validate a work-related measure of adult attachment and to examine the criterion-related validity of this measure for work outcomes and organizational commitment.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) has been previously conceptualized as an extreme variant of normal personality traits, captured by continuous indices. A previous study successfully developed and validated a self-report BPD measure, the Minnesota Borderline Personality Disorder Scale (MBPD). I conducted two studies aimed at providing further validation for this measure. Results from Study 1 (clinical sample of substance users) indicated that MBPD exhibited strong positive correlations with measures of convergent validity (self-report and diagnostic measures). Additionally, the MBPD showed similar correlations with external correlates as those of the convergent validity measures, in addition to incremental utility in predicting these external correlates above and beyond negative affect. Third, a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that diagnostic accuracy of the MBPD was excellent for differentiation between BPD and non-BPD individuals. Likewise, Study 2 (non-clinical sample of undergraduate students followed over 6 months) showed strong correlations with an index of convergent validity (self-report measure), similar correlations with external correlates as that of the convergent validity index, and incremental predictive utility. Finally, in this study, the MBPD exhibited high rank-order stability, but significant mean-level and individual-level change over time. These data suggests that these scales are measuring the same latent construct of BPD, providing further evidence for the construct validity of the MBPD.

The National Research Council (NRC) outlines an assessment design framework in Knowing What Students Know. This framework proposes the integration of three components in assessment design that can be represented by a triangle, with each corner representing: cognition, or model of student learning in the domain; observation, or evidence of competencies; and interpretation, or making sense of this evidence. This triangle representation signifies the idea of a need for interconnectedness, consistency, and integrated development of the three elements, as opposed to having them as isolated from each other. Based on the recommendations for research outlined in the NRC's assessment report, this dissertation aims to conduct a dimensionality analysis of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) mathematics items. PISA assesses 15-year olds' skills and competencies in reading, math, and science literacy, implementing an assessment every three years since 2000. PISA's mathematics assessment framework, as proposed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), has a multidimensional structure: content, processes, and context, each having three to four sub-dimensions. The goal of this dissertation is to show how and to what extent this complex multidimensional nature of assessment framework is reflected on the actual tests by investigating the dimensional structure of the PISA 2003, 2006, and 2009 mathematics items through the student responses from all participating OECD countries, and analyzing the correspondence between the mathematics framework and the actual items change over time through these three implementation cycles. Focusing on the cognition and interpretation components of the assessment triangle and the relationship between the two, the results provide evidence addressing construct validity of PISA mathematics assessment. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used for a dimensionality analysis of the PISA mathematics items in three different cycles: 2003, 2006, and 2009. Seven CFA models including a unidimensional model, three correlated factor (1-level) models, and three higher order factor (2-level) models were applied to the PISA mathematics items for each cycle. Although the results did not contradict the multidimensionality, stronger evidence was found to support the unidimensionality of the PISA mathematics items. The findings also showed that the dimensional structure of the PISA mathematics items were very stable across different cycles. / text

Over the past few years, workers have been confronted with increasing pressures at work and at home. This is mainly the result of the growing number of dual-earner couples as well as changes and pressures in the nature of the workplace. Workers are challenged to manage multiple roles in both their work and home domains. Recently, a new measuring instrument was developed to measure work-home interaction, namely the Survey Work-Home Interaction - Nijmegen (SWING). This instrument measures both the direction of influence (work-to-home and home-to-work) and the quality of influence (negative vs. positive). The objectives of this study were firstly to determine the construct validity and reliability of the Survey Work-Home Interaction - Nijmegen (SWING), and secondly to determine the prevalence of work-home interaction in various demographic groups in the nursing environment. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Random samples (N = 363) were taken from hospital nursing staff in Johannesburg, Klerksdorp, Krugersdorp, Potchefstroom and Pretoria. The SWING and a biographical questionnaire were administered. Structural equation modelling (SEM), Cronbach alpha coefficients, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to reach the objectives. SEM showed that a four-factor model, which measures negative work-home interference, positive work-home interference, negative home-work interference and positive home-work interference, fitted the data best. Cronbach alpha coefficients showed that all four factors were reliable. Regarding the prevalence of work-home interaction among different demographic groups, the results indicated that there were statistically significant differences between demographic groups based on race, educational level, type of position, flexibility of arrangements at the workplace as well as between full-time and part-time work. Recommendations for future research are made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

BACKGROUND: Radical prostatectomy is the surgical procedure performed on men with clinically localized prostate cancer. In recent years, radical prostatectomy quality indicators have been recommended, but the feasibility and validity for many of these listed surgical quality indicators have yet to be examined. We tested the convergent construct validity of these quality indicators by assessing their associations with hospital volume, a variable repeatedly associated with the quality of surgical care, for prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy. OBJECTIVES: (1) To assess variations in quality indicators by hospital volume; and (2) To investigate whether certain explanatory variables account for some of the variation observed in Objective 1. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study using medical chart review data that had already been collected as part of a parent study. The study population consisted of a stratified random sample of prostate cancer patients diagnosed between 1990 and 1998 in Ontario, who were treated by radical prostatectomy with curative intent within six months of diagnosis (n = 645). The feasibility of using this data to assess a number of quality indicators was explored, and where possible, variables were developed for analysis. Ultimately, detailed analyses were performed for the quality indicators: total blood transfusions of three units or greater, length of hospital stay, and use of non-nerve-sparing surgical technique. RESULTS: Even using high-quality chart data, it was not feasible to evaluate all of the quality indicators that were explored. For blood transfusions of three units or greater, length of hospital stay, and use of non-nerve-sparing surgical technique, worse outcomes were generally apparent with decreasing hospital volume, both before and after adjusting for the effect of explanatory variables. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated convergent construct validity for three quality indicators (blood transfusions, length of hospital stay, and non-nerve-sparing surgery). If their validity is further demonstrated in future studies, these indicators could be used for quality assessment and could provide feedback to surgeons, surgical department heads, hospital administrators, and quality councils by suggesting areas for quality improvement in surgical care, such that future outcomes can be optimized. / Thesis (Master, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2007-08-23 17:53:33.166

There continues to be doubt regarding the validity of laboratory aggression paradigms. This paper provides an investigation of the construct validity of one prominent aggression task, the Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP), within a Multitrait Multimethod Matrix (MTMM) methodology. Participants consisted of 151 male undergraduate psychology students with a median age of 19 years old (M=19.45, SD = 2.03). Participants completed self-report and behavioral measures of aggression, impulsivity, and pro-social behavior which were analyzed using a Correlated Trait – Correlated Method Confirmatory Factor Analysis model. Results supported the construct validity of the MTMM model and the TAP. This study provides one of the only a priori tests of construct validity for the TAP and provides a basis for additional validation studies using this methodology.

Over the past few years, workers have been confronted with increasing pressures at work and at home. This is mainly the result of the growing number of dual-earner couples as well as changes and pressures in the nature of the workplace. Workers are challenged to manage multiple roles in both their work and home domains. Recently, a new measuring instrument was developed to measure work-home interaction, namely the Survey Work-Home Interaction - Nijmegen (SWING). This instrument measures both the direction of influence (work-to-home and home-to-work) and the quality of influence (negative vs. positive). The objectives of this study were firstly to determine the construct validity and reliability of the Survey Work-Home Interaction - Nijmegen (SWING), and secondly to determine the prevalence of work-home interaction in various demographic groups in the nursing environment. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Random samples (N = 363) were taken from hospital nursing staff in Johannesburg, Klerksdorp, Krugersdorp, Potchefstroom and Pretoria. The SWING and a biographical questionnaire were administered. Structural equation modelling (SEM), Cronbach alpha coefficients, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to reach the objectives. SEM showed that a four-factor model, which measures negative work-home interference, positive work-home interference, negative home-work interference and positive home-work interference, fitted the data best. Cronbach alpha coefficients showed that all four factors were reliable. Regarding the prevalence of work-home interaction among different demographic groups, the results indicated that there were statistically significant differences between demographic groups based on race, educational level, type of position, flexibility of arrangements at the workplace as well as between full-time and part-time work. Recommendations for future research are made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Thesis (MComm)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Organisasies bestaan om skaars produksiefaktore te verander na bemarkbare goedere en dienste. Aangesien organisasies deur mense bedryf en bestuur word, is hierdie instellings grotendeels afhanklik van hul menslike produksiefaktor om hul hoofdoel te bereik, nl. om hul wins te vergroot. Organisasies poog om geskikte werknemers aan te stel wat sal voldoen aan die vereistes van 'n spesifieke pos of dit selfs sal oortref. In 'n werkswêreld wat konstant verander, vereis tegnologie en die kenmerke van die werkswêreld dat hierdie persone deurgaans ontwikkel word om by te bly met verandering. Personeelkeuring en –ontwikkeling is dus kritieke bedrywighede van die Bedryfsielkundige en Menslike Hulpbronpraktisyn. Die Takseersentrum is 'n gewilde meetinstrument wat dikwels gebruik word vir die doel van keuring of ontwikkeling. Hierdie gewilde assesseringsmetode word hoog aangeskryf vir sy vermoë om toekomstige werksprestasie te voorspel. Takseersentrums wat gebruik word vir keuring doeleindes, toon inkrementele geldigheid bo meetinstrumente van persoonlikheid sowel as kognitiewe vaardigheidstoetse. Al word takseersentrums internasionaal en hier in Suid-Afrika dikwels gebruik, word hulle ook dikwels gekritiseer op grond van die vraag of hulle werklik die dimensies meet wat hulle veronderstel is om te meet. Die konstrukgeldigheid van takseersentrums word dikwels bevraagteken aangesien lae diskriminante en konvergerende geldigheid, sowel as hardnekkige oefeningseffekte, navorsingsbevindinge oorheers. Hierdie vraag is die beweegrede vir die huidige studie. Die doel met hierdie studie is om die konstrukgeldigheid van 'n ontwikkelingstakseersentrum te ondersoek. 'n Geriefsteekproef is gebruik om die navorsing te doen. Die data is verskaf deur 'n private konsultasie maatskappy in die vorm van die takseersentrumtellings van 202 persone wat in 'n eendaagse sentrum geassesseer is. Die sentrum is ontwikkel vir 'n Suid-Afrikaanse bankinstelling en het drie hoofdoelwitte, nl. om kandidate te identifiseer vir die rol van 'n nuwe posbeskrywing, om werknemers na meer topaslike rolle te verskuif en om toekomstige ontwikkelingsgeleenthede vir alle deelnemers te verskaf. Twaalf vaardighede is deur vier verskillende oefeninge geëvalueer. Verskeie beperkinge is opgelê deur die aard van die geriefsteekproef deurdat die navorser geen invloed op die ontwerp van die takseersentrum gehad het nie. Die aanvanklike twaalf vaardighede kon nie afsonderlik ontleed word nie en moes gevolglik as subdimensies in hul onderskeie globale faktore gekombineer word. Dit het gelei tot vier enkeldimensie (ED) metingsmodelle wat eers ondersoek moes word om gesigswaarde van konstrukgeldigheid te bewys voordat oefeninge by die bestaande modelle gevoeg kon word. Die vier afsonderlike oefeninge is in een globale oefeningseffek saamgevoeg. As gevolg van die ontoereikende getal indikators in die datastel kon net twee van die vier ED-modelle oefeninge insluit en dit het gelei tot twee enkeldimensie-, enkeloefening-metingsmodelle (EDEO). Inter-itemkorrelatsies is in SPSS bereken, gevolg deur bevestigende faktorontleding van elke afsonderlike metingsmodel in EQS wat gebruik is om die interne struktuur van die dimensies te bestudeer. Met een dimensie as uitsondering, impliseer die uitslae van die CFA dat die indikators van die takseersentrum (d.w.s. gedragsbeoordelings) nie daarin slaag om die onderliggende dimensie te weerspieël soos dit veronderstel was om te doen nie. Nadat die saamgestelde oefeningseffek byvoeg is, het slegs een van die twee dimensies geloofwaardige uitslae met buitengewoon goeie modelpassing en parameterskattings wat dui op dimensie- eerder as oefeningseffekte. As gevolg van hierdie bevindings word die geldigheid van die ontwikkelingsterugvoer wat elke deelnemer na die evaluering ontvang het, ernstig in twyfel getrek. Met die uitsondering van een dimensie se resultate, bevestig die resultate van hierdie studie vorige navorsingsbevindinge. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Organisations exist by transforming scarce factors of production into goods and services. Since organisations are run and managed by people, these institutions are largely dependent on their human production factor to achieve their main goal of maximising profits. Organisations strive to appoint suitable employees who will meet, even exceed, the requirements of a particular job position. In a constantly evolving world of work, advancing technology and inherent features of the modern working environment necessitate ongoing development of these individuals in order to keep up with the changes. Personnel selection and development are therefore crucial activities of the Industrial Psychologist and Human Resource Practitioner. The Assessment Centre (AC) is a popular measuring instrument that is often used for either selection or development purposes. This popular method of assessment has received a great degree of praise for its ability to predict future job performance. ACs have also shown incremental validity over and above both personality and cognitive ability measuring instruments when used for selection purposes. Nevertheless, despite the frequent use of ACs both internationally and locally in South Africa, ACs have been widely criticised on the basis of whether they actually measure the dimensions that they intend to measure. The question has often been asked whether ACs are construct valid, since low discriminant- and convergent validity, as well as persistent exercise effects, seem to dominate research findings. This question serves as the driving force of the present study. The aim of this study is to examine the construct validity of a development assessment centre (DAC). A convenience sample was used to pursue the research objective. The data was received from a private consultant company in the form of the AC ratings of 202 individuals who were assessed in a one-day DAC. The DAC was developed for a South African banking institution and had three main purposes, namely to identify candidates who fit the role of a new job position, to reposition employees into more appropriate roles, and to provide future development opportunities to all participants. Twelve competencies were assessed by four different exercises. Several limitations were imposed by the nature of the convenience sample since the researcher did not have an influence on the design of the AC. The initial twelve competencies were not represented by a sufficient number of indicators and could consequently not be statistically analysed on an individual level. These dimensions therefore had to be used as sub-dimensions to be combined within their respective global (second-order) factors. This resulted in four single trait (ST) measurement models that had to be investigated first to provide face value of construct validity before adding exercises into the existing models. The four separate exercises were integrated into one global exercise effect. The insufficient number of indicators within the data set brought about only two of the four ST models to be examined for any existing exercise effects. The result was two single trait, single exercise (STSE) measurement models. Inter-item correlations were calculated in SPSS, followed by confirmatory factor analysis on each respective measurement model in EQS used to study the internal structure of the dimensions. With one dimension as the exception, the results of the CFA imply that the DAC's indicators (i.e. behavioural ratings) in each second-order factor, fail to reflect the underlying dimension, as it was intended to do. When adding the conglomerated exercise effect, only one of the two dimensions had plausible results with good model fit and parameter estimates that leaned towards dimension and not exercise effects. Based on these findings, serious doubt is placed on the validity of the developmental feedback provided to each participant after the completion of the DAC. With one dimension as the exception, the present study's results corroborate previous research findings on the construct validity of ACs.