Measurement invariance and latent mean differences of the Chinese version physical activity self-efficacy scale across gender and education levels

Background: Self-efficacy has been identified as an important determinant of youth's behavior change including physical activity(PA) participation. However, the dimensionality check of a PA self-efficacy scale has rarely been conducted in China. The current study aims to examine(1) the unidimensionality of a shortened Chinese version of PA self-efficacy scale(S-PASESC);(2) the measurement invariance of S-PASESC across gender and levels of education;(3) the latent factor mean difference between gender and levels of education;(4) the direct effects of self-efficacy on PA by different gender and education levels; and(5) the comparisons of the direct effects of self-efficacy on PA across gender and education levels.Methods: The participants were 5 th through 11 th grade public school students recruited from 7 cities located in different geographic regions of China. The final data include a total of 3003 participants(49.7% boys) who have completed the scales.Results: Confirmatory factor analysis(CFA) test supported the unidimensionality of S-PASESC. The S-PASESC is invariant across gender and 3 levels of education at both configural, full metric, and full scalar levels. Findings from latent mean comparisons showed that boys reported higher PA self-efficacy than girls. Students' perceived PA self-efficacy tend to decrease from elementary to high school. Finally, self-efficacy positively related to PA by groups of different gender and education levels and the relationship between self-efficacy and PA is stronger among middle school boys than girls.Conclusion: Findings suggest S-PASESC is a valid scale for measuring Chinese students' PA self-efficacy.

Confirmatory factor analysis of VISA-P scale and measurement invariance across sexes in athletes with patellar tendinopathy

Background:The Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment–Patella(VISA-P) scale is the most condition-specific patient-reported outcome measure used to assess symptom severity in athletes with patellar tendinopathy.Previous exploratory factor analyses have been conducted to evaluate the scale's dimensionality,with inconsistent results,and the factor structure of the scale remains unclear.The aims of the present study were to determine the factorial structure of the VISA-P scale using confirmatory factor analysis(CFA) and test measurement invariance across sexes.Methods:The study included a convenience sample of 249 Spanish athletes with patellar tendinopathy.CFA was performed to assess factorial validity.Hypothesized 1-and 2-factor models were tested.Measurement invariance across sexes was evaluated via multi-group CFA with several fit indices using EQS 6.1 software.Results:The internal consistency coefficient was 0.74.Several CFA models were examined and the 1-factor model in which errors for Items 7 and8 were correlated showed acceptable fit in terms of comparative fit index(CFI) and goodness-of-fit index(GFI) statistics(CFI = 0.93;GFI = 0.94;standardized root mean square residual = 0.06;root mean square error of approximation = 0.10;90% confidence interval:0.08–0.13).This model was invariant across sexes.Conclusion:The 1-factor model of the Spanish version of the VISA-P scale(VISA-P-Sp) in which errors for Items 7 and 8 were correlated demonstrated relative fit in CFA.Scores obtained via VISA-P-Sp can be compared between men and women without sexes bias.Further studies should examine the VISA-P scale and other single-score patient-reported outcome measures concurrently.

Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Prenatal Attachment Inventory: A Study among Japanese Pregnant Women

Background: Maternal emotional tie towards a foetus is a predictor of later maternal and child’s mental health. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted among 539 first trimester women. It included the Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI), Relationship Questionnaire (RQ), and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The factor structure models derived from exploratory factor analyses were compared by confirmatory factor analyses. Results: A three-factor bifactor model of the PAI was bet fit to the data. The omega coefficients and explained common variance suggested that the influences of three group factors were not negligible. The scores of the three subscales (derived from the three factors) were differently associated with age, gestation week, and adult attachment styles (derived from RQ). They were, however, not correlated with the EPDS scores. Conclusion: The PAI has a model of three groups and one general factor with an excellent fit to the data. The three subscales have construct validity too.

A Cross-cultural Examination of the Noise-sensitivity Scale-short Form:Measurement Invariance Testing between the US and Chinese Samples

Unwanted sound that is unpleasant or disruptive to hear, often interpreted as noise, is a widespread environmental pollutant. Similar to other environmental pollutants, this noise incurs a variety of costs to society. Numerous negative health impacts are linked to increases in noise exposure,such as increased cardiovascular risk;and sleep

Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Japanese Version of the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale

Background: Bonding disorders affect the growth and development of infants. In Japan, the Japanese version of the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS-J) is widely used for early detection of bonding disorders. Repeated use of a questionnaire has problems of reduced validity. In order to correctly detect bonding disorders at multiple time points, it is necessary to confirm the measurement invariance of the scale. Baba et al. reported that invariance of the MIBS-J factor structure could only be obtained by abridging the scale into three items. Purpose: The aim of this study was to 1) confirm the factor structure and measurement invariance of the MIBS-J between two measurement times and 2) to examine factors that can be used without being affected by measurement time in order to identify item that contribute to measure met invariance. Methods: We analysed the data of 1049 and 878 mothers with a neonate collected in two waves: 5 days (Wave 1) and 1 month postpartum (Wave 2). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on the data randomly divided into two groups in each wave. Results: The three-item model (MIBS-J items 1, 6, and 8) was most accepted. Measurement invariance and structural invariance were confirmed in the model. This was consistent with Baba et al.’s model. Conclusion: The three MIBS-J items showed measurement invariance and structural invariance in Japanese mothers during 1 month postpartum.

Measurement invariance of maternal ratings of ADHD symptoms across clinic referred children’s with and without ADHD

The study examined the measurement invariance (configural,metric,scalar,and error variances) and factor mean scores equivalencies of a modified version of the Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHDSymptoms and Normal Behavior Scale (SWAN-M) across ratings provided by mothers of clinic-referred children and adolescents,diagnosed with (N = 666) and without (N = 202) ADHD. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of these ratings provided support for the bi-factor model of ADHD [orthogonal general and specific factors for inattention (IA) and hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI) symptoms]. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the bi-factor model supported full measurement invariance. Findings also showed that for latent mean scores,the ADHD group had higher scores than the non-ADHD group for the ADHD general and IA specific factors. The findings indicate that observed scores (based on maternal ratings of the SWAN-M) are comparable,as they have the same measurement properties. The theoretical,psychometric and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.

Validity,reliability,and measurement invariance of an adapted short version of the HIV stigma scale among perinatally HIV infected adolescents at the Kenyan coast

Background:There is a dearth of instruments that have been developed and validated for use with children living with HIV under the age of 17 years in the Kenyan context.We examined the psychometric properties and measure-ment invariance of a short version of the Berger HIV stigma scale administered to perinatally HIV-infected adolescents in a rural setting on the Kenyan coast.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among 201 perinatally HIV-infected adolescents aged 12-17 years between November 2017 and October 2018.A short version of the Berger HIV stigma scale(HSS-40)containing twelve items(HSS-12)covering the four dimensions of stigma was evaluated.The psychometric assessment included exploratory factor analysis,confirmatory factor analysis(CFA),and multi-group CFA.Additionally,scale reliability was evaluated as internal consistency by calculating Cronbach’s alpha.Results:Evaluation of the reliability and construct validity of the HSS-12 indicated insufficient reliability on three of the four subscales.Consequently,Exploratory Factor Analysis(EFA)was conducted to identify problematic items and determine ways to enhance the scale’s reliability.Based on the EFA results,two items were dropped.The Swahili version of this new 10-item HIV stigma scale(HSS-10)demonstrated excellent internal consistency with a Cronbach alpha of 0.86(95%confidence interval(CI)0.84-0.89).Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated that a unidimensional model best fitted the data.The HSS-10 presented a good fit(overall Comparative Fit Index=0.976,Tucker Lewis Index=0.969,Root Mean Square Error of Approximation=0.040,Standardised Root Mean Residual=0.045).Additionally,multi-group CFA indicated measurement invariance across gender and age groups at the strict invariance level asΔCFI was≤0.01.Conclusion:Our findings indicate that the HSS-10 has good psychometric properties and is appropriate for evaluat-ing HIV stigma among perinatally HIV-infected adolescents on the Kenyan coast.Further,study results support the unidimensional model and measurement invariance across gender and age groups of the HSS-10 measure.

Factor Structure and Longitudinal Invariance of the CES-D across Diverse Residential Backgrounds in Chinese Adolescents

Background:Valid and reliable measures of depressive symptoms are crucial for understanding risk factors,outcomes,and interventions across rural and urban settings.Despite this need,the longitudinal invariance of these measures over time remains understudied.This research explores the structural components of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale(CES-D)and examines its consistency across various living environments and temporal stability in a cohort of Chinese teenagers.Method:In the initial phase,1,042 adolescents furnished demographic details and undertook the CES-D assessment.After a three-month interval,967 of these participants repeated the CES-D evaluation.The study employed Confirmatory factor analysis(CFA)to scrutinize the scale’s structural integrity.We investigated factorial invariance by conducting a twopronged CFA:one comparing urban vs.rural backgrounds,and another contrasting the results from the initial assessment with those from the follow-up.Results:The CES-D demonstrated adequate reliability in both rural and urban high school student samples.The preliminary four-factor model applied to the CES-D demonstrated a good fit with the collected data.Invariance tests,including multigroup analyses comparing rural and urban samples and longitudinal assessments,confirmed the scale’s invariance.Conclusions:The results suggest that the CES-D serves as a reliable instrument for evaluating depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents.Its applicability is consistent across different living environments and remains stable over time.

Remote Sensing, Model-Derived and Ground Measurements of Snow Water Equivalent and Snow Density in Alaska

Snow water equivalent (SWE) is important for investigations of annual to decadal-scale changes in Arctic environment and energy-water cycles. Passive microwave satellite-based retrieval algorithm estimates of SWE now span more than three decades. SWE retrievals by the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observation System (AMSR-E) onboard the NASA-Aqua satellite ended at October 2011. A critical parameter in the AMSR-E retrieval algorithm is snow density assumed from surveys in Canada and Russia from 1940s-1990s. We compare ground SWE measurements in Alaska to those of AMSR-E, European Space Agency GlobSnow, and GIPL model. AMSR-E SWE underperforms (is less than on average) ground SWE measurements in Alaska through 2011. Snow density measurements along the Alaska permafrost transect in April 2009 and 2010 show a significant latitude-gradient in snow density increasing to the Arctic coast at Prudhoe Bay. Large differences are apparent in comparisons of our measured mean snow densities on a same snow cover class basis March-April 2009-2011 Alaska to those measured in Alaska winter 1989-1992 and Canadian March-April 1961-1990. Snow density like other properties of snow is an indicator of climate and a non-stationary variable of SWE.

GL（n, R）-Equivalence of a Pair of Curves in Terms of Invariants

In this paper, the generator set of R 〈 x1,x2 〉G is obtained in according to the group G = Gl（n,R）. The conditions of G = Gl（n, R） -equivalence of a pair of curves are found in terms of G = Gl（n, R）-invariants. And the independence of GL（n, R） -invariants is shown.

Compressive Measurement Identification of Linear Time-Invariant System Application in DC Motor

In traditional system identification (SI), actual values of system parameters are concealed in the input and output data;hence, it is necessary to apply estimation methods to determine the parameters. In signal processing, a signal with N elements must be sampled at least N times. Thus, most SI methods use N or more sample data to identify a model with N parameters;however, this can be improved by a new sampling theory called compressive sensing (CS). Based on CS, an SI method called compressive measurement identification (CMI) is proposed for reducing the data needed for estimation, by measuring the parameters using a series of linear measurements, rather than the measurements in sequence. In addition, the accuracy of the measurement process is guaranteed by a criterion called the restrict isometric principle. Simulations demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of CMI in an underdetermined case. Further, the dynamic process of a DC motor is identified experimentally, establishing that CMI can shorten the identification process and increase the prediction accuracy.

The Equivalence between Bergman Metric and Einstein-Kahler Metric on the Cartan-Hartogs Domain of the Fourth Type

In this paper, we discuss the invariant complete metric on the Cartan-Hartogs domain of the fourth type. Firstly, we find a new invariant complete metric, and prove the equivalence between Bergman metric and the new metric; Secondly, the Ricci curvature of the new metric has the super bound and lower bound; Thirdly,we prove that the holomorphic sectional curvature of the new metric has the negative supper bound; Finally, we obtain the equivalence between Bergman metric and Einstein-Kahler metric on the Cartan-Hartogs domain of the fourth type.

Convergence of Invariant Measures of Truncation Approximations to Markov Processes

Let Q be the Q-matrix of an irreducible, positive recurrent Markov process on a countable state space. We show that, under a number of conditions, the stationary distributions of the n × n north-west corner augmentations of Q converge in total variation to the stationary distribution of the process. Two conditions guaranteeing such convergence include exponential ergodicity and stochastic monotonicity of the process. The same also holds for processes dominated by a stochastically monotone Markov process. In addition, we shall show that finite perturbations of stochastically monotone processes may be viewed as being dominated by a stochastically monotone process, thus extending the scope of these results to a larger class of processes. Consequently, the augmentation method provides an attractive, intuitive method for approximating the stationary distributions of a large class of Markov processes on countably infinite state spaces from a finite amount of known information.

Research on the measurement of belt speed by video in coal mine based on improved template matching algorithm

In order to improve the intelligence of video monitoring system of belt and make up the deficiency of higher failure rate and bad real-time performance in the traditional systems of measurement of belt speed, according to the fact that the light of coal mine is uneven, the strength of light changes greatly, the direction of belt movement is constant, and the position of camera was fixed, various algorithms of speed measurement by video were studied, and algorithm for template matching based on sum of absolute differences （SAD） and correlation coefficient was proposed and improved, besides, the tracking of feature regions was realized. Then, a camera calibration method using the invariance of the cross-ratio was adopted and the real-time measurement of belt speed by the hardware platform based on DM642 was realized. Finally, experiment results show that this method not only has advantages of high precision and strong anti-jamming capability but also can real-time reflect the changes of belt speed, so it has a comprehensive applicability.

UNIQUENESS, ERGODICITY AND UNIDIMENSIONALITY OF INVARIANT MEASURES UNDER A MARKOV OPERATOR

Let X be a compact metric space and C（X） be the space of all continuous functions on X. In this article, the authors consider the Markov operator T ： C（X）N C（X）N defined by for any f = （f1,f2,… ,fN）, where （pij） is a N x N transition probability matrix and {wij } is an family of continuous transformations on X. The authors study the uniqueness, ergodicity and unidimensionality of T＊-invariant measures where T＊ is the adjoint operator of T.

INVARIANT MEASURE,RATIO LIMITS AND MARTIN BOUNDARY

In this article the notion of quasi symmetry is introduced.It is proved that the quasi symmetry is equivalent to the uniqueness of invariant measure of Lévy processes in some sense.Moreover,the relationship between ratio limits and invariant measures is studied.

Invariant measures for the strong-facilitated exclusion process

Consider a generalized model of the facilitated exclusion process, which is a onedimensional exclusion process with a dynamical constraint that prevents the particle at site x from jumping to x+1 (or x-1) if the sites x-1, x-2 (or x+1, x+2) are empty. It is nongradient and lacks invariant measures of product form. The purpose of this paper is to identify the invariant measures and to show that they satisfy both exponential decay of correlations and equivalence of ensembles. These properties will play a pivotal role in deriving the hydrodynamic limit.

Remove Bertrand＇s Paradox by Means of Invariant Measure

By means of invariant measure, Bertrand's paradox was removed.

CONVERGENCE OF INVARIANT MEASURES FOR MULTIVALUED STOCHASTIC DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

This article is concerned with the weak convergence of invariant measures asso- ciated with multivalued stochastic differential equations in the finite dimensional space.

Invariant measures for planar piecewise isometries

In this paper,we discuss the invariant measures for planar piecewise isometries.It is shown that the Hausdorff measure restricted to an almost invariant set with respect to the Hausdorff measure is invariant.