Abstract
The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children (PANAS-C/P; child and parent versions) yield positive affect (PA) and
negative affect (NA) scales that are clinically useful for identifying youth with anxiety and mood problems. Despite the advantages
that item response theory (IRT) offers relative to classical test theory with respect to shortening test instruments, no studies
to date have applied IRT methodology to the PANAS-C/P scales. In the present study, we thus applied IRT methodology using
a school-based development sample (child sample: N = 799; parent sample: N = 553) and developed a shortened 5-item PA scale
(joyful, cheerful, happy, lively, proud) and a 5-item NA scale (miserable, mad, afraid, scared, sad) for the sake of simultaneously increasing the assessment efficiency of the PANAS-C/P scales while improving the psychometric
properties of the scales. The reduced PA and NA child scales classified relevant diagnostic groups in a separate clinic-referred
validation sample (N = 662) just as well as the original PANAS-C child scales and may be used to help identify youth with
internalizing disorders in need of mental health services.
negative affect (NA) scales that are clinically useful for identifying youth with anxiety and mood problems. Despite the advantages
that item response theory (IRT) offers relative to classical test theory with respect to shortening test instruments, no studies
to date have applied IRT methodology to the PANAS-C/P scales. In the present study, we thus applied IRT methodology using
a school-based development sample (child sample: N = 799; parent sample: N = 553) and developed a shortened 5-item PA scale
(joyful, cheerful, happy, lively, proud) and a 5-item NA scale (miserable, mad, afraid, scared, sad) for the sake of simultaneously increasing the assessment efficiency of the PANAS-C/P scales while improving the psychometric
properties of the scales. The reduced PA and NA child scales classified relevant diagnostic groups in a separate clinic-referred
validation sample (N = 662) just as well as the original PANAS-C child scales and may be used to help identify youth with
internalizing disorders in need of mental health services.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s10862-011-9273-2
- Authors
- Chad Ebesutani, Department of Psychology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea 120-749
- Jennifer Regan, Psychology Department, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Ashley Smith, Psychology Department, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Steven Reise, Psychology Department, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Charmaine Higa-McMillan, Psychology Department, University of Hawaii, Hilo, HI, USA
- Bruce F. Chorpita, Psychology Department, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Journal Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment
- Online ISSN 1573-3505
- Print ISSN 0882-2689