There is a need for a psychometrically robust questionnaire measuring medical practitioner compassion in healthcare. Without such a measure, competence on this construct cannot be assessed, nor can the effectiveness of interventions designed to enhance compassion be determined. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a self-assessment measure of medical practitioner compassion competence (the Medical Practitioner Compassion Competency Questionnaire [MPCCQ]). The MPCCQ was administered to a sample of 234 medical practitioners in South Africa. They represented three healthcare system levels, namely, the primary level (healthcare centres and clinics), the secondary level (district and regional hospitals) and the tertiary level (central, specialised and sub-specialist hospitals). The quantitative data were analysed with statistical packages, namely, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 and LISREL 8.8, and structural equation modelling was used to fit the MPCCQ measurement model and structural model. Dimensionality and item analyses returned generally positive results. Fit statistics and criteria used to judge the fit of the models included Chi-square (χ2), goodness of fit index (GFI), adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), root mean square residual (RMR) and the standardised root mean square residual (SRMR). The results provided an excellent model fit for both the measurement and comprehensive LISREL models. The MPCCQ, measurement and structural model parameter estimates supported the position that the design intention underpinning the MPCCQ succeeded.ContributionThe statistical evidence generated thus far failed to refute the position that the MPCCQ shows construct validity, thus paving the way for the cautious utilisation of the instrument in healthcare and medical education institutions.

This study contributes by highlighting the importance of considering omitted responses in MAT, emphasising their impact on estimated ability levels and the validity of test inferences, thus informing fairer assessment practices and enhancing the reliability of educational measurements.

This study examines the generalisability of the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale Version 3 (UCLA-LS3) in a South African sample of young adults. In particular, it examined the normative data, reliability, and factor structure of this scale. The participants were young adults (N = 337) who were randomly sampled from a university population and they responded to the UCLA Loneliness Scale. It was found that the sample had higher loneliness scores than those reported in the literature, potentially suggesting that loneliness may be a significant mental health concern amongst this group. Women reported higher levels of loneliness than men. Reliability analysis (Cronbach’s alpha) and analysis of the influence of individual items on the mean, variance, and alpha demonstrated that UCLA-LS3 had highly satisfactory internal consistency in the sample. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test four conceptualisations of the factor structure of UCLA-LS3: a one-factor model, a correlated three-factor model, a bifactor model with two subscales, and a bifactor model with three subscales. Notably, CFA demonstrated that the two bifactor models are a better fit than the one-factor and correlated three-factor models and that the bifactor model with three subscales is marginally a better fit than the bifactor model with two subscales. Ancillary bifactor analysis confirmed the dimensionality of the scale as sufficient variance was accounted for by the three subscales, after the variance attributable to the total scale was partitioned out. Therefore, UCLA-LS3 is best conceptualised as comprising of three subscales (isolation, relational connectedness, collective connectedness), in addition to a total scale.

Depression is a global concern as with an estimated 300 million individuals worldwide experiencing depression. In South Africa, the prevalence rate of depression is estimated at 9.7% of the population. With the increase in mobile internet usage in South Africa, an online depression screening tool could provide opportunities for the screening of depression symptoms aiding access to mental health interventions. This project identified an open access tool for screening depression, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale – Revised (CESD-R), and adapted it for online use by the adult South African population. This study followed on from the adaptation phase on the CESD-R and aimed to determine the content validity of the adapted CESD-R for online use in South Africa using the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) methodology. The study followed a two-phased design. Study one utilised a qualitative approach, where 50 experts commented on the content validity of the tool. The results were used to further adapt the tool which resulted in a 20-item depression screening tool. Study two followed a quantitative design in order to establish the content validity in terms of determining the Content Validity Ratios, Item-Content Validity Index as well as the Kappa Statistic of the 20 items. Based on these statistics, 19 of the 20 items were retained. Overall, the adapted online depression screening tool displays good content validity and holds potential as a screening tool where access to mental health may be limited.

The empirically developed English comprehension test (ECT) was created for organisational and educational purposes to assess verbal reasoning. The initial version of the ECT had an associated time limit of 45 min, which required individuals to complete it within the specified time, while the later version of the ECT had no time limit. The ECT’s two test versions – a timed and an untimed version – were piloted as part of the development and validation of the ECT. The purpose of this article was to explore the internal consistency of the two test versions and compare the reliability of the timed and untimed versions of the ECT. This study was conducted to establish whether reliability was affected by the different time limit-related requirements. The sample size for ECT version 1.2 was 597 and ECT version 1.3 comprised 882 individuals. The methods used for comparison in this article involved a graphical display of performance relating to both test versions and an exploration of the times recorded for the untimed test version. A reliability analysis was performed to evaluate the internal consistency of the two test versions. The performance of individuals in the untimed and timed versions of the ECT was similar based on the average minimum and maximum scores. The Cronbach’s alpha indicated that verbal reasoning was measured consistently for the two test versions. This result suggested that time did not negatively affect the reliability of the test.

Purpose - This study aimed at the establishment of the psychometric properties of the UWES-17 itemed factorial structure. This was done by examining the similarities and differences in terms of model fit of the tri-factor model to a one-factor model. Design/methodology/approach - Using a cross-sectional design, confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the 17-item uni-dimensional and the 17-item tri-factor UWES respectively on a sample of 323 Education Assistants (professional teachers) in Uganda. Findings - The study confirmed an 11 item tri-factor UWES-Ug as a reliable and parsimonious factor structure within this cohort.Research limitations/implications - The sample was restricted to teachers and this limits the generalisability of the findings.Practical implications - On account of these results, the study sample evidently attests to the fact that work engagement is best represented as a tri-factor construct in Ugandan context. This study contributes to theory by confirmation of the three-factor structure of work engagement in developing countries through use of perceptual data from a Ugandan sample. Originality/value - This is a pioneer empirical study that validates the UWES 17 itemed scale in Uganda.

No abstract available.

Cognitive emotion regulation plays an important role in how people manage stressful life events. Some strategies are adaptive, while others are maladaptive and linked to several forms of psychopathology. The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ)-short form measures an individual’s proclivity to use different strategies in response to longer term stressors. The CERQ-short was developed in the Netherlands, and although it has been standardised in several countries, it is yet to be validated for use in South Africa. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the CERQ-short within the South African context. The study was conducted at a large urban university in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The above was considered on the basis of a reliability analysis and an investigation into the confirmatory factor structure of the CERQ-short using data from a group of urban South African university students (n = 1904). With some exceptions, results indicated acceptable reliability for the scales ranging between 0.58 and 0.82. Confirmatory factor analysis found reasonable support for a basic nine-factor model. The measurement properties of the CERQ-short were found to be weaker in South Africa compared to that reported in its country of origin. But it was nonetheless found to hold promise for use in our multicultural and multilingual context. In particular, it may be useful for research studies where brevity is called for.