We introduce iDNS, a deterministic spectral solver implementing the bounded vorticity-response functional Φ: ℝ≥0 → [φmin, φmax] for stable integration of chaotic nonlinear dynamical systems on T³ = (ℝ/ℤ)³. The Navier–Stokes equations admit a uniformizing parameterization: the parameter index τ ∈ [0,∞) generates coordinate time t = φ(τ) via the temporal lifting φ'(τ) = Φ(‖Ω(τ)‖_{L∞}). The lifted expression φ'(τ)∂τU + (U · ∇)U + ∇P − νΔU = 0 is not a modification—it is the same equation read in the uniformizing (...) parameter. Boundedness of Φ ensures non-degeneracy (φ' ≥ φmin > 0) and global coverage (φ(τ) → ∞); BKM coordinate invariance guarantees finiteness in τ implies finiteness in t. Physical time t and parameter τ coexist within the temporal covering space (T³ × ℝτ, T³ × ℝt, π) with π: (x,τ) ↦ (x, φ(τ))—integration proceeds in τ; results are stamped with t. The Regularity-Adaptive Spectral Integration (RASI) policy concentrates sampling where vorticity is high, resolving inter-modal energy transfer during the turbulent cascade—the mechanism by which standard DNS fails. Unlike adaptive timestep controllers, iDNS monitors the BKM functional in real-time via Φ; sampling density scales with vorticity magnitude, not Reynolds number. Kolmogorov flow computed stably from Re = 2 × 10⁴ to 10⁸ (0.07% dissipation error); 3D Taylor–Green vortex at Re = 10⁵ integrated through the full vortex-stretching cascade with bounded BKM = 37.1, Kolmogorov k⁻⁵ᐟ³ statistics, and 33.7× speedup—traversing the t ≈ 4.5 near-singularity where standard DNS crashes, on a 128³ grid, consumer laptop, 3.4 days. Precise Navier–Stokes physics, spectral resolution without artificial dissipation, no restarts, no failures—under 300 lines of Python. These results provide numerical validation of the theoretical framework addressing Fefferman's Clay Millennium Problem Statement (B); a unified analytical-numerical manuscript is forthcoming for precise Navier–Stokes physics, spectral resolution without artificial dissipation without failures—in under 300 lines of Python. -/- Data and code: 10.5281/zenodo.17730873. Numerically informed analytical mathematical basis can be found in "Global Regularity for Navier–Stokes on T³ via Bounded Vorticity–Response Functionals," at The Scholarly Journal of Post-Biological Epistemics, or also at PhilPapers. (shrink)

Many research fields concerned with the processing of information contained in human faces would benefit from face stimulus sets in which specific facial characteristics are systematically varied while other important picture characteristics are kept constant. Specifically, a face database in which displayed expressions, gaze direction, and head orientation are parametrically varied in a complete factorial design would be highly useful in many research domains. Furthermore, these stimuli should be standardised in several important, technical aspects. The present article presents the freely (...) available Radboud Faces Database offering such a stimulus set, containing both Caucasian adult and children images. This face database is described both procedurally and in terms of content, and a validation study concerning its most important characteristics is presented. In the validation study, all frontal images were rated with respect to the shown facial expression, intensity of expression, clarity of expression, genuineness of expression, attractiveness, and valence. The results show very high recognition of the intended facial expressions. (shrink)

This paper reports the validation of a 6-item short form of the original 35-item Servant Leadership Behavior Scale, a widely used measure of servant leadership behavior. The holistic perspective of servant leadership and the inclusion of spirituality are two distinctive features of the SLBS relative to other servant leadership measures. Psychometric properties of the SLBS-6 were examined on the basis of seven studies. In the preliminary scale development, the factor structure of the new measure was tested using a combination (...) of all samples. The subsequent seven studies were aimed at building further its construct validity relative to observed variables within the servant leadership nomological network in direct, mediating, and moderating relationships. Analyses of all datasets using MPlus with maximum-likelihood estimation provided support for the 6-item structure and demonstrated its internal consistency reliability, criterion-related validity, and construct validity. As such, the study presents the SLBS-6 as the shortest holistic measure of servant leadership to date that can be used with confidence for research and training purposes. (shrink)

Background Considering the extensive debate that is currently taking place in Spain regarding euthanasia, it is important to examine the attitude of professionals who perform most of their duties at the bedside of these patients and their families. Objectives The aim of the present study was to present an adaptation and validation of the Euthanasia Attitude Scale and to evaluate its psychometric properties among a sample of nursing students in Spain. Research design A cross-sectional study design was conducted. Participants (...) and research context Non-probabilistic sampling was used to recruit 396 Spanish nursing students. Methods A self-report questionnaire, including socio-demographic data and the Euthanasia Attitude Scale, were used for data collection. The psychometric properties of the Euthanasia Attitude Scale were assessed, including reliability and validity. Fit indices of the overall model were computed. Ethical considerations This study was approved by the Hospital Ethical Committee. Students were informed of the aims and procedures and provided written informed consent prior to data collection. Results The factorial solution comprised four domains and the scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha =.878). For the exploratory factor analysis, the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin index of sampling adequacy was.905 and the Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity was 2972.79 (p <.001). The initial factorial solution revealed four factors with eigenvalues of 6.78 for the first factor, 1.90 for the second one, 1.29 for the third, and 1.10 for the fourth factor. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between religiosity and the domains of the Euthanasia Attitude Scale. Discussion This study obtained a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of.88 which is in consonance with the findings reported by other studies whereby none of the items were removed and the initial structure based on four domains was conserved, with a factorial solution that explains 52.79% of the total variance. The displacement of some items of the domain may be explained by certain religious and/or cultural components as, in accordance with other studies, people with firm religious beliefs are more inclined to refuse euthanasia. Conclusion According to the findings of this study, the Euthanasia Attitude Scale is a reliable and valid instrument to measure the attitudes toward euthanasia in a sample of Spanish nursing students. This Spanish adaptation will be valuable in future studies examining the attitude and implication of nurses, understanding that nurses are key figures in the euthanasia debate. (shrink)

It has been argued that the Duhem problem is renewed with computational models since model assumptions having a representational aim and computational assumptions cannot be tested in isolation. In particular, while the Verification and Validation methodology is supposed to prevent such holism, Winsberg argues that verification and validation cannot be separated in practice. Morrison replies that Winsberg overstates the entanglement between the steps. The paper aims at arbitrating these two positions, by stressing their respective validity in relation to (...) domains of application. It importantly argues for an increasing use of formal methods in verification, that makes disentanglement possible. (shrink)

Reidenbach and Robin (1988, 1990) proposed and refined a multidimensional ethics scale. This study replicates and extends their work by examining the generalizability of the scale beyond marketing to accounting, and to subjects from across the United States and other countries. Results indicate that, in general, the scale holds for this different sample and context. However, an additional utilitarian construct emerged in the current study as important for accounting academics in their ethical decision-making. We also found that when we refined (...) Reidenbach and Robin's measure of intention to make a particular choice, a social desirability bias or halo effect was identified. Methodological implications for business ethics research are also presented. (shrink)

This paper presents five studies on the development and validation of a scale of intellectual humility. This scale captures cognitive, affective, behavioral, and motivational components of the construct that have been identified by various philosophers in their conceptual analyses of intellectual humility. We find that intellectual humility has four core dimensions: Open-mindedness (versus Arrogance), Intellectual Modesty (versus Vanity), Corrigibility (versus Fragility), and Engagement (versus Boredom). These dimensions display adequate self-informant agreement, and adequate convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity. In particular, (...) Open-mindedness adds predictive power beyond the Big Six for an objective behavioral measure of intellectual humility, and Intellectual Modesty is uniquely related to Narcissism. We find that a similar factor structure emerges in Germanophone participants, giving initial evidence for the model’s cross-cultural generalizability. (shrink)

This paper presents two studies on the development and validation of a ten-item scale of epistemic vice and the relationship between epistemic vice and misinformation and fake news. Epistemic vices have been defined as character traits that interfere with acquiring, maintaining, and transmitting knowledge. Examples of epistemic vice are gullibility and indifference to knowledge. It has been hypothesized that epistemically vicious people are especially susceptible to misinformation and conspiracy theories. We conducted one exploratory and one confirmatory observational survey study (...) on Amazon Mechanical Turk among people living in the United States (total N = 1737). We show that two psychological traits underlie the range of epistemic vices that we investigated: indifference to truth and rigidity. Indifference manifests itself in a lack of motivation to find the truth. Rigidity manifests itself in being insensitive to evidence. We develop a scale to measure epistemic vice with the subscales indifference and rigidity. The Epistemic Vice Scale is internally consistent; has good convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity; and is strongly associated with the endorsement of misinformation and conspiracy theories. Epistemic vice explains additional variance in the endorsement of misinformation and conspiracy theories over and above demographic and related psychological concepts and shows medium to large effect sizes across outcome measures. We demonstrate that epistemic vice differs from existing psychological constructs, and show that the scale can explain individual differences in dealing with misinformation and conspiracy theories. We conclude that epistemic vice might contribute to “postfactive” ways of thinking. (shrink)

BackgroundUsing an effective method for evaluating Institutional Review Board (IRB) performance is essential for ensuring an IRB’s effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance with applicable human research standards and organizational policies. Currently, no empirical research has yet been published in China evaluating IRB performance measures by the use of a standardized tool. This study was therefore conducted to develop a Chinese version of the IRB Researcher Assessment Tool (IRB-RAT), assess the psychometric properties of the Chinese version (IRB-RAT-CV), and validate the tool for (...) use in China.MethodsIn this cultural adaptation, cross-sectional validation study, the IRB-RAT-CV was developed through a back-translation process and then distributed to 587 IRB staff members and researchers in medical institutions and schools in Hunan Province that review biomedical and social-behavioral research. Data from the 470 valid questionnaires collected from participants was used to evaluate the reliability, content validity, and construct validity of the IRB-RAT-CV.ResultsParticipants’ ratings of their ideal and actual IRB as measured by the IRB-RAT-CV achieved Cronbach's alpha 0.989 and 0.992, Spearman-Brown coefficient 0.964 and 0.968, and item-total correlation values ranging from 0.631 to 0.886 and 0.743 to 0.910, respectively.ConclusionThe IRB-RAT-CV is a linguistically and culturally applicable tool for assessing the quality of IRBs in China. (shrink)

This chapter clarifies the concept of validation of computer simulations by comparing various definitions that have been proposed for the notion. While the definitions agree in taking validation to be an evaluationEvaluation, they differ on the following questions: What exactly is evaluated—results from a computer simulation, a model, a computer codeCode? What are the standardsStandard of evaluationEvaluation––truthTruth, accuracyAccuracy, and credibilityCredibility or also something else? What type of verdict does validation lead to––that the simulation is such and such (...) good, or that it passes a testTest defined by a certain threshold? How strong needs the case to be for the verdict? Does validation necessarily proceed by comparing simulation outputsOutput with measured dataData? Along with these questions, the chapter explains notions that figure prominently in them, e.g., the concepts of accuracy and credibility. It further discusses natural answers to the questions as well as arguments that speak in favor and against these answers. The aim is to obtain a better understandingUnderstanding of the options we have for defining validation and how they are related to each other. (shrink)

The internet is now the primary mode of information exchange worldwide. Online health information-seeking behavior (e-HISB) has become a prevalent practice, especially among parents concerned with their children's health, creating both opportunities and risks. Objective: The present study aims to translate and culturally adapt the CHIRPI questionnaire into Greek and conduct a comprehensive psychometric validation, including analyses of internal consistency, test-retest reliability (temporal stability), and inter-rater reliability. The adapted tool is further pilot-tested for its utility in measuring parental internet (...) use concerning child health information. Methods: The translation, validation, and pilot study of the questionnaire were conducted in accordance with internationally recommended procedures. CHIRPI was translated into Greek using forward-backward translation and was culturally adapted. A pilot sample of 105 parents (children aged 0-10) participated. The majority of participants were mothers (66.7%), aged 31-40 years, residing in urban areas, and they held tertiary or postgraduate degrees. Internal consistency was measured with Cronbach's alpha, test-retest reliability with the ICC, and inter-rater reliability with the kappa coefficient. Item responses were also analyzed in relation to demographic factors. Results: The CHIRPI Greek version demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.91; all subscales had α values greater than 0.70). Test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.632-1.000) and inter-rater reliability (kappa = 0.615-1.000) indicated moderate [...]. Conclusions: The CHIRPI Greek version is a valid and reliable tool for assessing parental online health information-seeking behavior related to children's health among Greek-speaking populations. As the first standardized tool in Greek, it fills a critical methodological gap in eHealth research. (shrink)

Although current literature demonstrates how parents benefit from parent empowerment programs, the development of a quantitative measure of parent empowerment has garnered limited attention in parenting research. The goal of this research was therefore to develop and validate a quantitative measure for the assessment of practitioners’ attitudes and competence in parent empowerment. In the process of item generation, the qualitative findings derived from four studies in relation to the perceived outcomes and experiences in parent empowerment were synthesized in the first (...) stage. In the second stage, a list of narratives that articulated different themes of parent empowerment was generated, which resulted in an item pool containing 28 items. In the third stage, the research team converted the 28 items into a survey instrument. In the fourth stage, a first-scale validation study was conducted to explore the factor structure of the initial 28-item questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis on the first sample of 366 practitioners yielded a twofold factor structure with 17 items, including practitioners’ attitudes in parent empowerment and practitioners’ competence in parent empowerment. In the final stage, a second-scale validation study was undertaken to verify the fit of the twofold factor structure. A confirmatory factor analysis on the second sample of 170 practitioners demonstrated a good model fit. The results of reliability tests for the whole scale and two subscales also indicate satisfactory internal consistency. The Parent EmpowermentviaTransformative Learning Questionnaire (PETLQ) was thus developed and confirmed as a scale with sufficient factorial validity and internal consistency to be used for assessing parenting practitioners’ attitudes and competence in parent empowerment and for evaluating the effectiveness of parent empowerment programs. (shrink)

This paper presents preliminary validation results using neurobiological and behavioral indicators for the transition mechanism from Implicit Resonance to Explicit Resonance, a core step within the 10-step model of Judgemental Philosophy aimed at a comprehensive understanding of the judgment process. The 10-step model explains the entire judgment process, from sensory input to social normatization, as a multi-layered system, emphasizing the importance of the process by which the foundation of judgment possibility (Implicit Resonance) leads to the execution of judgment (Explicit (...) Resonance). This study utilized specific participant data from the OpenNeuro ds003061 dataset to analyze the relationship between the EEG P300 component and participants' conscious awareness responses. The ROC AUC for predicting conscious awareness based on P300 amplitude was 0.91, and the average delay between the onset of P300 and conscious awareness responses was measured at approximately 254 ms. These results show that the P300 component predicts participants' conscious awareness with high accuracy and that the time delay between brain activity and behavior is consistent with the P300 latency reported in the literature. This suggests that the transition from Implicit Resonance to Explicit Resonance proposed in the 10-step model of Judgemental Philosophy can be empirically approached through the relationship between neurobiological and behavioral indicators. (shrink)

The Gratitude Questionnaire-Six Item Form (GQ-6; McCullough et al., 2002) is a well-established instrument for measuring gratitude. Recently, the Multi-Component Gratitude Measure (MCGM) was developed as a more holistic approach (Morgan et al., 2017). While the GQ-6 mainly focuses on the emotional component of gratitude, the MCGM encompasses conceptual, attitudinal and behavioral aspects. As of today, there is no validated German measure for gratitude. In order to close that research gap, the present study focused on validating the German versions of (...) the GQ-6 (GQ-6-G) and of the MCGM (MCGM-G). In addition, multi-group comparisons were conducted to test for cultural measurement invariance. Construct validity was tested similar to original validation studies of the two scales focusing on affect, well-being, empathy, anxiety and depression. The online survey was completed in random order by 508 participants. The one-factor model of the GQ-6-G and the hierarchical structure of the MCGM-G could be replicated. However, model fit of the Gratitude Questionnaire was significantly better after eliminating one item (GQ-5-G). Multi-group comparisons revealed cultural measurement invariance was established for the GQ-5-G and partial measurement invariance for five of six factors of the MCGM-G, respectively. Reliability analyses revealed good internal consistency for both instruments and measures for criterion-related and discriminant validity have shown hypothesized relationships. Thus, the GQ-5-G and the MCGM-G are two instruments with good reliability and validity for measuring gratitude in Germany. (shrink)

Background and rationale Clinicians often encounter a variety of ethical challenges in their routine clinical practice, and it varies across healthcare and cultural settings of their practice. Despite of this, there are no clear-cut available guidelines concerning the right course of action in a given ethically challenging situation. A validated instrument that could capture the health care providers’ (HCP’s) viewpoints in this regard is lacking from Indian settings. Thus, the current study aimed at developing an instrument to assess the HCP’s (...) perspective regarding different ethically challenging situations encountered in the Indian settings. Methods The questionnaire was developed by involving 15 medical experts. A mixed-method approach, Delphi-technique, and online survey were used for item generation and validation. Results The questionnaire comprised of 11 items (accounts 57% variance; having an α = 0.68) representing four factors: health-resource constraints, medical responsibility of the HCP, obtaining patients/family members’ consent for the treatment, and treatment beyond the standard protocol. The gender and clinical disciplines of the participants were related to their level of endorsement for various domains of the ECCS-Q. Conclusions Ethical challenges in the clinical practice fall in different clusters. The clinicians’ course of action in such situations have many socio-demographic and professional determinants. Future studies are warranted to investigate these phenomena. (shrink)

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be (...) preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. (shrink)

In this important new book in the IPPP series, a group of leading thinkers in psychiatry, psychology, and philosophy offer alternative perspectives that address both the scientific and clinical aspects of psychiatric validation, emphasizing throughout their philosophical and historical considerations.

BackgroundMoral distress is an increasingly studied phenomenon in nursing science and ethics. It refers to the psychological discomfort experienced when an individual is prevented from acting on a course of action that they recognize as ethically correct. Nurses who work in intensive care are at high risk of experiencing moral distress.Various instruments to assess moral distress, most recently Epstein et al.’s measure of moral distress for health care professionals (MMD-HP), have been developed. At present, there is no validated German language (...) version of the instrument for assessing moral distress in Germany.Therefore, this study aimed, at (1) translating and linguistically validating the instrument, as well as (2) psychometrically validating it among intensive care nurses in Germany.MethodsAccording to the ISPOR (International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research) guidelines, the MMD‑HP was translated, linguistically validated, and psychometrically tested. The German version of the moral distress thermometer (MDT) and the German Nursing Workload Scale (NWS) were used to measure the construct validity of the translated instrument. Institutional ethics review boards of two universities approved the study protocols.ResultsA total of 187 questionnaires of intensive care nurses remained for analysis after listwise deletion. The mean sum‑score was 106.9 (± 62) (minimum = 3, maximum = 325; range = 0–400). Criterion validity was supported by a high positive correlation between the German version of the MMD‑HP and the validated German-language moral distress thermometer (ρ = 0.598, p = 0.001, n = 168). Factor analyses revealed a four‑factor solution with correlating factors for the German version. The instrument showed high reliability (ωH = 0.91, 95 % CI = 0.88–0.93). ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate that the German adaptation of the MMD-HP shows potential for measuring moral distress among intensive care nurses in Germany. In addition, its psychometric properties preliminarily support its reliability and validity in this cultural context. Further independent validation studies are needed to provide support for the proposed four-factor model. (shrink)

In response to the severe lack of leadership assessment tools in the Chinese context, the Service Leadership Behavior Scale was developed based on the Service Leadership Model proposed by Po Chung, the co-founder of DHL International. Utilizing responses from 4,486 Hong Kong undergraduates, this paper reports the findings of a validation study on the Short-Form Service Leadership Behavior Scale (SLB-SF-65). Previous findings based on exploratory factor analysis revealed a six-factor 48-item solution (SLB-SF-48). With the removal of ten items, confirmatory (...) factor analysis showed that the final 38-item scale (SLB-SF-38) possessed excellent psychometric properties and factorial stability based on multigroup invariance analyses. The SLB-SF-38 also exhibited excellent reliability and convergent validity. Overall speaking, the present study underscored the utility of the SLB-SF-38 as an objective assessment instrument of service leadership behavior in the education, research and personnel training contexts. (shrink)

Pictures of facial expressions of emotion are used in a wide range of experiments. The last decade has seen an increase in the number of studies presenting local sets of emotion stimuli. However, only a few existing sets contain pictures of Latin Americans, despite the growing attention emotion research is receiving in this region. Here we present the development and validation of the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Expresiones de Emociones Faciales (UNCEEF), a Facial Action Coding System (FACS)-verified set of (...) pictures of Argentineans expressing the six basic emotions, plus neutral expressions. FACS scores, recognition rates, Hu scores, and discrimination indices are reported. Evidence of convergent validity was obtained using the Pictures of Facial Affect in an Argentine sample. However, recognition accuracy was greater for UNCEEF. The importance of local sets of emotion pictures is discussed. (shrink)

Ethical conflicts are arising as a result of the growing complexity of clinical care, coupled with technological advances. Most studies that have developed instruments for measuring ethical conflict base their measures on the variables ‘frequency’ and ‘degree of conflict’. In our view, however, these variables are insufficient for explaining the root of ethical conflicts. Consequently, the present study formulates a conceptual model that also includes the variable ‘exposure to conflict’, as well as considering six ‘types of ethical conflict’. An instrument (...) was then designed to measure the ethical conflicts experienced by nurses who work with critical care patients. The paper describes the development process and validation of this instrument, the Ethical Conflict in Nursing Questionnaire Critical Care Version (ECNQ-CCV). (shrink)

Precise measurements of well-being would be of profound societal importance. Yet, the sceptical worry that we cannot use social science instruments and tests to measure well-being is widely discussed by philosophers and scientists. A recent and interesting philosophical argument has pointed to the psychometric procedures of construct validation to address this sceptical worry. The argument has proposed that these procedures could warrant confidence in our ability to measure well-being. The present paper evaluates whether this type of argument succeeds. The (...) answer is that it depends on which methodological background assumptions are motivating the sceptical worry to begin with. We show this by doing two things. First, we clarify (a) the different types of well-being theories involved in the science of well-being, and (b) the general methodological dimensions of well-being theorising. Second, we apply these distinctions and argue that construct validation is an unsuccessful response to measurement scepticism if this scepticism is motivated by a form of methodological non-naturalism. In the light of this, the overall point of the paper is that philosophers and scientists, when discussing measurement of well-being, should explicate their deeper methodological commitments. We further suggest that making such explicit commitments might present philosophers with a dilemma. (shrink)

Background This study aimed to validate the Competence Assessment Tool for Advance Directives (CAT-AD), designed to support the assessment and clinical judgment of an individual’s competence to complete an advance directive, particularly in cases of cognitive impairment such as early-stage dementia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the CAT-AD, based on the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment framework. The study was conducted in two memory clinics, focusing on patients with cognitive impairments. Thirty-one memory clinic patients with varying (...) levels of cognitive impairment participated. The CAT-AD assesses four subscales: Understanding, Appreciation, Reasoning, and Expressing a choice. These subscales were tested for their ability to predict clinical judgments of competence. Divergent validity was assessed against measures of cognitive impairment, depression, health literacy, and education level. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s α. Results All CAT-AD subscales significantly predicted competence, with higher scores increasing the likelihood (odds ratio 2.5–6.9) of being judged competent. Subscales were unrelated to depression or education, suggesting the CAT-AD assesses a distinct construct. All subscales correlated with health literacy, and only Reasoning and Appreciation did not predict cognitive impairment. Internal consistency was satisfactory (Cronbach’s α > 0.70). Conclusion The CAT-AD is a reliable and valid tool for assessing competence to complete an advance directive. Future research should expand its validation across different legal standards and clinical settings to enhance its generalizability. (shrink)

ABSTRACT This article documents the adaptation, piloting and validation of a measure of teachers’ ethical sensitivity. To create the test, we modified a measure from dentistry drawing on literature in teacher professional ethics and drew on the expertise of professional ethics scholars and practitioners. Based on the results of Rasch analysis combined with traditional approaches to psychometric validation, the instrument was found to be a valid and reliable means of discerning levels of ethical sensitivity within the group of (...) participants. However, participants’ lack of ethical sensitivity as revealed by overall low scores, we contend, lends credence to concerns that teacher education programs may not be adequately preparing future teachers to meet expectations in connection with the ethical dimensions of the profession. In conclusion, we call for further research on pre- and in-service teachers’ capacity to perceive, reason about and react appropriately to ethical situations encountered at work. (shrink)

Background: Ethical issues pose challenges for nurses who are increasingly caring for patients in complicated situations. Ethical sensitivity is a prerequisite for nurses to make decisions in the best interest of their patients in daily practice. Currently, there is no tool for assessing ethical sensitivity in Chinese language, and no empirical studies of ethical sensitivity among Chinese nurses. Research objectives: The study was conducted to translate the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire–Revised Version (MSQ-R) into Chinese and establish the psychometric properties of the (...) Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire–Revised Version into Chinese (MSQ-R-CV). Research design: This research was a methodological and descriptive study. Participants and research context: MSQ-R was translated into Chinese using Brislin’s model, and the Translation Validity Index was evaluated. MSQ-R-CV was then distributed along with a demographic questionnaire to 360 nurses working at tertiary and municipal hospitals in Changsha, China. Ethical considerations: This study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards of Yale University and Central South University. Findings: MSQ-R-CV achieved Cronbach’s alpha 0.82, Spearman-Brown coefficient 0.75, significant item discrimination (p < 0.001), and item-total correlation values ranging from 0.524 to 0.717. A two-factor structure was illustrated by exploratory factor analysis, and further confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. Chinese nurses had a mean total score of 40.22 ± 7.08 on the MSQ-R-CV, and sub-scores of 23.85 ± 4.4 for moral responsibility and strength and 16.37 ± 3.75 for sense of moral burden. Discussion: The findings of this study were compared with studies from other countries to examine the structure and meaningful implications of ethical sensitivity in Chinese nurses. Conclusion: The two-factor MSQ-R-CV (moral responsibility and strength, and sense of moral burden) is a linguistically and culturally appropriate instrument for assessing ethical sensitivity among Chinese nurses. (shrink)

Stress in health care is affected by moral factors. When people are prevented from doing ‘good’ they may feel that they have not done what they ought to or that they have erred, thus giving rise to a troubled conscience. Empirical studies show that health care personnel sometimes refer to conscience when talking about being in ethically difficult everyday care situations. This study aimed to construct and validate the Stress of Conscience Questionnaire (SCQ), a nine-item instrument for assessing stressful situations (...) and the degree to which they trouble the conscience. The items were based on situations previously documented as causing negative stress for health care workers. Content and face validity were established by expert panels and pilot studies that selected relevant items and modified or excluded ambiguous ones. A convenience sample of 444 health care personnel indicated that the SCQ had acceptable validity and internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha exceeded 0.83 for the overall scale). Explorative factor analysis identified and labelled two factors: ‘internal demands’ and ‘external demands and restrictions’. The findings suggest that the SCQ is a concise and practical instrument for use in various health care contexts. (shrink)

This paper offers an analysis of the DSM validation method, focusing on the role that non-empirical factors play in resolving forms of indeterminacy that cannot be settled by validator evidence alone. It begins by reconstructing the historical development and institutionalization of the DSM validation method, showing that although it emerged as an attempt to ground the classification of mental disorders in empirical evidence rather than in a priori preconceptions or contextual influences, it nonetheless came to rely on extra-empirical (...) considerations at several crucial stages and was, in its very design, shaped by them.The paper addresses this tension by drawing on the concept of a decision point developed in the literature on science and values. By identifying a series of decision points that arise both in the application of the validation method to particular diagnostic categories and in the process of designing and developing the method itself, it argues that the incorporation of value judgments and metaphysical presuppositions constitutes a necessary and epistemically pertinent element that enabled the validation method to take shape and, when applied to specific categories, allows the validation process to move beyond its initial stages and reach a determinate conclusion. (shrink)

Empirical agreement is often used as an important criterion when assessing the validity of scientific models. However, it is by no means a sufficient criterion as a model can be so adjusted as to fit available data even though it is based on hypotheses whose plausibility is known to be questionable. Our aim in this paper is to investigate into the uses of empirical agreement within the process of model validation.

Interdisciplinary research collaboration is crucial for addressing complex global challenges, and measuring researchers' perceptions of it is vital. The Perception of Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration (PIRC) Scale was meticulously developed and validated in this study to enable researchers to assess these perceptions comprehensively. The scale was developed in line with the team science theory. This cross-sectional study involved concept analysis, face and content validity, item pretesting, and pilot testing. A panel of eight specialists from relevant fields meticulously reviewed the items in (...) the instrument, and their inputs and suggestions were followed to refine the instrument, resulting in a 64-item questionnaire. A sample of 1,932 academic staff members with interdisciplinary research experience were selected from six universities in South-South Nigeria for a pilot study. A simple random sampling technique was employed in selecting these participants. Exploratory factor analysis yielded six underlying dimensions within the PIRC Scale, such as: "challenges of Interdisciplinary Disciplinary Research (IDR) collaboration," "IDR collaborative experiences," "motivations for IDR collaboration," "benefits of IDR collaboration," "career impact of IDR collaboration," and "IDR team dynamics." Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed this structure and revealed the bifactor model as the best-fitting model over the unidimensional, oblique and higher-order models. Utilising the Fornell-Larcker approach, strong convergent and discriminant validity was established across all dimensions, with Average Variance Extracted (AVE) above .50 and the square root of the AVE for all factors being greater than the correlation coefficients of each factor with other factors. Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega values exceeded the acceptable threshold of 0.70, with item-total correlation analyses further supporting the reliability of each sub-scale and the overall instrument. In conclusion, the PIRC scale can be valuable for researchers, institutions, and policymakers to assess and enhance interdisciplinary research collaboration. It can empower stakeholders to obtain useful information about researchers' perceptions of interdisciplinary research, promote effective collaboration, allocate resources efficiently, and foster innovation. (shrink)