Browsing by Author "Roemer A"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9

A cross-country network analysis of disease infodemics: Looking through the lens of the COVID-19 pandemic
(Elsevier Ltd, 2025-02-27) Adu P; Popoola T; Iqbal N; Roemer A; Medvedev ON; Simpson CR
Infodemics surrounding pandemics and epidemics have persisted for centuries and continue to impede efforts to promote high vaccination coverage. We explored the complex interplay between COVID-19 vaccination attitudes and COVID-19-related infodemics across Germany, Ghana, India, and New Zealand using the novel network analysis. We conducted an online cross-sectional survey and recruited 1822 participants from the general populations of India (n = 411), New Zealand (n = 413), Ghana (n = 523), and Germany (n = 413) to complete COVID-19 infodemic measures and demographics questions. Predictors of less favourable COVID-19 vaccination attitudes included the apocalypse-related infodemic in India, compared to all countries, as well as the not harmful belief of COVID-19 in New Zealand, compared to India and Germany, and in Ghana compared to India. COVID-19 origin-related infodemics were found to positively impact COVID-19 vaccination attitudes in Ghana and New Zealand only. The most influential infodemics in each of the countries studied-Ghana, New Zealand, Germany, and India-were the beliefs in bioweapons, 5G technology, apocalypse, and bat consumption, respectively. Across all countries, there were consistent strong positive connections between the infodemics. Our results suggest that country-specific infodemics significantly impact COVID-19 vaccination attitudes, with variations observed between nations. While the infodemics can reinforce each other and complicate public health efforts during pandemics, understanding the interactions between the central infodemic in each country and others can aid in developing more effective strategies to counter their influences. This highlights the importance of targeted public health interventions that address the unique dynamics of local infodemics during pandemics, epidemics, and Pathogen X outbreaks.
A Scoping Review of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Assessment and Diagnosis: Tools, Practices, and Sex Bias
(Springer Nature, 2025-08-07) Crocker SL; Roemer A; Strohmaier S; Wang GY; Medvedev ON
Objectives: Accurately diagnosing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is challenging due to the overlap of symptoms with other mental health conditions. This scoping review evaluated the dependability and accuracy of prevalent diagnostic scales and investigates potential obstacles to ADHD assessment diagnosis including potential sex bias. Method: Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, 11 widely used diagnostic scales were identified and included. All scales were evaluated based on their psychometric quality and alignment with DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Results: The Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale emerged as the most reliable among the 11 scales, with the Symptom Checklist-4 ranking as the least reliable. No single assessment tool was adequate for ADHD diagnosis; additional testing was required for accurate conclusions. The literature revealed sex and age biases in some of the assessments. It was discovered that girls were diagnosed with ADHD less often than boys, yet their likelihood of misdiagnosis was notably lower. Conclusions: This review emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive, multi-method assessment approaches for accurate ADHD diagnosis, as no single tool demonstrated sufficient diagnostic precision. Effective clinical assessment design must incorporate strong psychometric measures, address sex-based diagnostic disparities, and emphasize the importance of evaluating behavioural changes over time and their functional impact across settings.
A-HERO: Integrating Authenticity into the Psychological Capital Model
(Springer Nature, 2024-08-01) Sutton A; Roemer A
Authenticity was proposed as a potential addition to the Psychological Capital construct several years ago, but the PsyCap model has not yet been expanded. We review the theoretical and empirical support for the inclusion of authenticity and test this proposal in two studies. Study 1 examines the structural model of A-HERO (Authenticity, Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, Optimism) as an extended representation of the PsyCap construct. Study 2 tests the extent to which A-HERO may explain well-being. CFA demonstrates that the addition of authenticity provides slight improvement in overall PsyCap model fit. Hierarchical regression shows that the addition of authenticity to the PsyCap model improves the explanation of well-being, with beta values of comparable size to optimism and greater than efficacy. We therefore recommend that authenticity be included in PsyCap to provide a more holistic understanding of personal resources and to enable the further identification of interactions and potential synergies amongst A-HERO components.
Can Psychopathy Be Adaptive at Work? Development and Application of a Work Focused Self- and Other-Report Measure of the Triarchic Psychopathy Model
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2020-06-02) Sutton A; Roche M; Stapleton M; Roemer A
Psychopathy may have both adaptive and maladaptive effects at work but research into workplace psychopathy is constrained by the lack of short, work-relevant measures that can be used for both self- and other-report. We adapt the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM) for this purpose and distinguish the (mal)adaptive effects of psychopathy at work in two time-lagged survey samples. Sample 1 consisted of managers reporting their psychopathic traits and work outcomes (well-being, engagement, burnout and job performance). Sample 2 reported on their managers’ psychopathic traits and leadership styles (servant and abusive supervision) and their own work outcomes. The TriPM (Work) is a reliable, valid, 21-item measure of triarchic psychopathy at work with self- and other-report forms. Using this measure, we demonstrate that the triarchic model’s boldness trait is related to servant leadership and predicts improved well-being and performance while meanness and disinhibition are related to abusive supervision and predict increased burnout.
Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Application of the One-Parameter Item Response Model to the Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale (SCBCS)
(Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature, 2025-09-22) Adu P; Popoola T; Iqbal N; Roemer A; Collings S; Aspin C; Medvedev ON; Simpson CR; Medvedev ON; Krägeloh CU
Objectives International research has consistently demonstrated the positive impact of compassion towards others on both physical and mental well-being, with significant implications for mindfulness practice. Based on this evidence, we aimed to adapt the Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale (SCBCS) into German while simultaneously conducting a cross-cultural validation and enhancing its measurement precision using Rasch methodology across samples from Germany, Ghana, India, and New Zealand. Method We applied the unrestricted Partial Credit Model to analyze data from a randomly selected subsample of 500 participants, drawn from a total convenience sample of 1822 individuals recruited from the general populations of Germany, Ghana, India, and New Zealand. Results Our initial analysis of the SCBCS showed significant misfit to the Rasch model (χ2(30) = 58.48, p < 0.001), which was successfully addressed by testlet creation resulting in satisfactory model fit (χ2(24) = 24.80, p = 0.09). This included strict unidimensionality, strong reliability (Person Separation Index = 0.81), and invariance across personal factors, such as country, educational levels, sex, and age. We then developed an algorithm for transforming ordinal scores to interval-level data to enhance the accuracy of the SCBCS. The scale demonstrated sound divergent and convergent validity. Conclusions Our study has validated both the German and English versions of the SCBCS using Rasch methodology. The precision of measuring compassion towards others using the two versions of the SCBCS can be further enhanced by applying the ordinal-to-interval transformation tables developed in this paper.
Enhancing the Precision of the Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF) with Rasch Methodology
(Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature, 2024-10-28) Adu P; Popoola T; Bartholomew E; Iqbal N; Roemer A; Jurcik T; Collings S; Aspin C; Medvedev ON; Simpson CR
Objectives: Precise measurement of self-compassion is essential for informing well-being–related policies. Traditional assessment methods have led to inconsistencies in the factor structure of self-compassion scales. We used Rasch methodology to enhance measurement precision and assess the psychometric properties of the Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF), including its invariance across Ghana, Germany, India, and New Zealand. Method: We employed the Partial Credit Rasch model to analyse responses obtained from 1000 individuals randomly selected (i.e. 250 from each country) from a total convenience sample of 1822 recruited from the general populations of Germany, Ghana, India, and New Zealand. Results: The initial identification of local dependency among certain items led to a significant misfitting of the SCS-SF to the Rasch model (χ2 (108) = 260.26, p < 0.001). We addressed this issue by merging locally dependent items, using testlets. The solution with three testlets resulted in optimal fit of the SCS-SF to the Rasch model (χ2 (27) = 23.84, p = 0.64), showing evidence of unidimensionality, strong sample targeting (M = 0.20; SD = 0.72), and good reliability (Person Separation Index = 0.71), including invariance across sociodemographic factors. We then developed ordinal-to-interval conversion tables based on the Rasch model’s person estimates. The SCS-SF showed positive correlations with measures of compassion towards others, optimism, and positive affect, alongside negative associations with psychological distress and negative affect. Conclusions: The current study supports the reliability, as well as the structural, convergent, and external validity of the SCS-SF. By employing the ordinal-to-interval conversion tables published here, the precision of the measure is significantly enhanced, offering a robust tool for investigating self-compassion across different cultures.
Perceived organisational support and well-being: The role of psychological capital as a mediator
(AOSIS, 2018-10-01) Roemer A; Harris C
Orientation: Today’s competitive work environment requires organisations and employees to successfully cope with challenges to maintain healthy levels of well-being. It is, therefore, imperative to investigate which organisational and psychological factors contribute to well-being in employees. Research purpose: This study served to analyse whether psychological capital (PsyCap) mediates the relationship between perceived organisational support (POS) and well-being. Motivation for the study: In light of the positive psychology movement, this study aimed to investigate how positive constructs actively contribute to employee well-being. Knowledge of organisational and psychological factors that enhance well-being in employees will be of great benefit to organisations that aim to create positivity in the workplace in order to avoid the negative consequences of work-related stress and a toxic work environment. Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional, non-experimental design, applying convenience and snowball sampling, was used to recruit 159 South African employees who completed an online survey that assessed the constructs under investigation. Main findings: It was found that POS, PsyCap and well-being are positively correlated to one another. Moreover, hierarchical regression analyses revealed that PsyCap fully mediates the relationship between POS and well-being. Practical/managerial implications: These findings imply that organisations should be committed to target their employees’ PsyCap to enhance well-being in their workforce. Contribution/value-add: The findings show that it is not sufficient just to provide organisational support to enhance well-being. Organisations also need to acknowledge the important role of their employees’ PsyCap to ensure that they are well equipped to deal with challenges in the workplace while maintaining healthy levels of well-being.
Political polarization and wellbeing: Investigating potential intrapersonal harm From affective polarization
(Ubiquity Press, 2025-12-01) McMurtrie B; Roemer A; Philipp M; Hebden R; Williams M
Affective polarization—antipathy towards members of one’s political out-group—may pose challenges to social cohesion and personal wellbeing. Prior studies have suggested that one’s affective polarization may cause intrapersonal harm as well as interpersonal harm. It has been associated with reduced social support, increased stress, and worse physical health. This pre-registered study investigated the intrapersonal harm of affective polarization using a six-wave longitudinal survey (N = 470). Affective polarization, social support, perceived stress, and self-rated health were measured fortnightly for three months preceding the 2024 US presidential election. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models were employed to investigate the within-person effects of affective polarization on these indicators of wellbeing. Contrary to hypotheses, none of the hypothesized cross-lagged effects were significant, suggesting that changes in affective polarization did not predict changes in social support, stress, or health. However, cross-sectional analyses did reflect past findings, showing that higher levels of affective polarization were associated with lower social support, greater stress, and worse health. We additionally found evidence for perceived stress causing moderate increases in affective polarization. Stable differences by political orientation were also observed in our sample, with liberals reporting higher affective polarization and stress, lower social support, and worse health. Despite the lack of significant effects, potentially due to limitations such as sample size and measurement constraints, our findings underscore the importance of further investigations with appropriate robust designs to clarify the relationship between affective polarization and wellbeing. These results challenge the assumption that affective polarization directly drives declines in wellbeing.
Validation and Cultural Adaptation of the Motors of COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance Scale (MoVac-COVID19S) in German
(Hogrefe, 2023-12-01) Adu P; Popoola T; Roemer A; Collings S; Aspin C; Medvedev ON; Simpson CR
Background: Context-specific standardized psychometric instruments are essential for ensuring valid and reliable assessment of health outcomes across diverse populations to aid the advancement of research and health-related interventions. However, instruments measuring attitudes toward vaccinations are lacking in the extant literature. Therefore, we performed a cross-cultural adaptation of the Motors of COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance Scale (MoVac-COVID19S) in Germany. Method: During the months of June and July 2022, 475 individuals aged 18 years and older from the general population of Germany participated in an online cross-sectional survey. Participants responded to five demographic questions, a measure of COVID-19 vaccine uptake willingness, and the MoVac-COVID19S. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) fit indices were used to evaluate the factor structures of the MoVac-COVID19S. Results: The CFA revealed that all examined factor structures of both the 9-item and 12-item versions of the MoVac-COVID19S were acceptable among the sample. Overall, CFI, GFI, and TLI values were higher than 0.95; RMSEA and SRMR values were all less than 0.08 for all the estimated models. The one-factor model of the 9-item version of the MoVac-COVID19S exhibited best fits indices compared to the one-factor and four-factor structures of the 12-item version of the scale. The bifactor model revealed that the general factor explained a higher percentage of the Explained Common Variance (ECV; ranging from 55% to 94%) in the majority of the items, compared to the specific factors. The scale was found to demonstrate convergent validity with related measures. Conclusion: The German version of the MoVac-COVID19S should be considered a unidi-mensional rather than a multidimensional measure. Although the 9-item version of the scale performed better among the sample compared to the 12-item version, the overall scores of both versions were found to be valid and reliable measures of attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccinations. The MoVac-COVID19S has the potential to be adapted for assessing attitudes toward any future vaccination programs. Limitations: While our study sampled only the general German population, the criticisms of CFA warrant further research using advanced methods, such as the Rasch model, and subgroups.