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Running Head: Construct Development, Scale Creation, and Process Analysis Paper 1

Construct Development, Scale Creation, and Process Analysis Paper 8

PSYCH/655

Construct Development, Scale Creation, and Process Analysis Paper

Part I: Construct Development and Scale Creation

The study of anxiety levels in online students measured using the state-trait anxiety inventory.

Construct

The construct that we would like to measure is test anxiety.

Operational Definition

Testing anxiety is a performance anxiety that causes distress to an individual taking a test. And a result of poor performance or failure can result from the pressure caused by this anxiety. We will use the State- Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) as our measurement tool. We want to utilize the self-report in order to gain the presence and severity of current symptoms as well else generally causes individuals to be anxious. And according to National Institute of Health, “the State Anxiety Scale (S-Anxiety) evaluates the current state of anxiety, asking how respondents feel “right now,” using items that measure subjective feelings of apprehension, tension, nervousness, worry, and activation/arousal of the autonomic nervous system. The Trait Anxiety Scale (T-Anxiety) evaluates relatively stable aspects of “anxiety proneness,” including general states of calmness, confidence, and security.” NIH, 2019) Also “Responses for the S-Anxiety scale assess intensity of current feelings “at this moment”: 1) not at all, 2) somewhat, 3) moderately so, and 4) very much so. Responses for the T-Anxiety scale assess frequency of feelings “in general”: 1) almost never, 2) sometimes, 3) often, and 4) almost always.”.

Items Used to Sample the Domain

Five items used to sample the domain:

· Cognitive Concern – Worry

· Illogical/irrational thinking

· Stress/Tension

· “Emotional” reactions (Physiological)

· “Self – Educed” Negative Thoughts

Method of Scaling Appropriate for Domain

The method of paired comparison will be appropriate for the domains in this construct. The participants will be given stimuli in pairs to compare based on the rules of the given in regards to the construct.

Justification for the Scaling Method

This would not be an interview but a self-report instrument instead, using the Spielberger test anxiety inventory (TAI) which is a self-report psychometric scale. As stated by Spielberger (1980) this would be used to “measure individual differences in test anxiety as a situation-specific trait. Based on a Likert Scale, the respondents are asked to report how frequently they experience specific symptoms of anxiety before, during and after examinations, (p. 1)”. “In addition to measuring individual differences in anxiety proneness in test situations, the TAI subscales assess worry and emotionality as major components of test anxiety, (Spielberger, 1980; p. 1)”.

Justification of Instrument

Thus this study uses the self-report method to measure the negative self-focused thoughts, worry and cognitive concern about test performance, emotionality physiological reactions, gender and age. The instrument used is the scale of objective measurement.

Items Formatted into Instrument to Query Respondents

1) Negative self-focused thoughts

a) Physiological

b) Self-proclaimed prophecy

2) Worry - cognitive concern about test performance

a) Feelings of dread

b) Feelings of apprehension

3) Emotionality - physiological reactions

a) Schachter-Singer Theory

b) The fight or flight response

4) Tension

a) Somatic symptoms

b) Over-arousal

5) Test- Irrelevant Thinking

a) Fear of failure

b) Catastrophizing

Interview or Self-Report Justification

This study uses the self-report method to measure the negative self-focused thoughts, worry and cognitive concern about test performance, emotionality physiological reactions, gender and age. The instrument used is the scale of objective measurement.

Part II: Analysis and Justification

Introduction

Construct development and scale creation are significant procedures of statistical investigation in order to calculate particular aspects in a population. Within one's place of work one's WM can be slow, incorrect, or conflicting within the task performance. Employers can use a test to evaluate candidates for positions like bookkeeping. Tests can assist a company and look for an employee's type of performance, (Cohen, & Swerdlik, 2010). A prime objective of the scale development is to generate a valid measure of an underlying construct, (Cohen, & Swerdlik, 2010). A well-constructed scale has good reliability, this is because of internal consistency and the reproducibility over time along with the validity, this would be what is being measured, (Cohen, & Swerdlik, 2010). Moreover, a good scale is simple to administer and to understand. When producing a new questionnaire, tentative scales may or may not be proposed, (Cohen, & Swerdlik, 2010). Throughout this paper, Team C will go into detail regarding the norm in the instrument used, which reliability measures were used, number of individuals the test was given too, the characteristics of the individuals, to whom the instrument was generalized, how validity is established, methods used for the selection, if cut-off scores were established, and how item selection will be evaluated.

Description of Instrument Norm and Reliability Measures Used

The Norm is not a standard of performance; however, it does provide a structure of reference for the test score interpretation, (Cohen, & Swerdlik, 2010). The main objective of a norm development is to level out the irregularities and protect the true shapes within the distributions and the various trends, (Cohen, & Swerdlik, 2010). Reliability establishes how the consistently of the assessment measures the knowledge and can give similar results under an assortment of settings. A measure with high reliability should give consistent outcomes. For this particular assessment, the scale of objective measurement would be used to obtain reliability. It is helpful to measure reliability when it is impractical or undesirable to administer a test twice, (Cohen, & Swerdlik, 2010).

Participants

A total of 150 students will be randomly selected from colleges and high schools within the county to participate in this measure. This sample will include 60 male and 90 female of varying ethnicity. Age and gender will also be a factor, and in addition, the sample will be comprised of seniors in high school as well as first, second and third year students preparing for final exam. Data will be collect a week prior to the participants sitting exam date during their study period.

References