Date of Graduation
8-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Statistics and Analytics (MS)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Statistics and Analytics
Advisor/Mentor
Robinson, Samantha E.
Committee Member
Petris, Giovanni G.
Second Committee Member
Zhang, Qingyang
Third Committee Member
Chakraborty, Avishek A.
Keywords
Conditional Inference Trees; Confirmatory Factor Analysis; Differential Item Functioning; Scale Validation; Sexual Minority Adolescents; Shame and Pride
Abstract
A number of existing studies indicate that there is some correlation between pride and shame and various behavioral health outcomes like anxiety, depression, and self-harm in the general population. Research also confirms that this relationship is true among sexual minorities as well. This study sets itself up to interrogate this assertion vis-à-vis sexual minority adolescents (SMAs). Consequently, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and differential item functioning (DIF) detection analysis were performed on the 35-item Sexual Minority Identity Emotion Scale (SMIES) for SMAs. A tree-based modeling technique, specifically conditional inference trees (CIT), was then employed to explore and make predictions about the likelihood of the occurrence of different behavioral health outcomes using the SMIES and demographic information, namely, sex, age, and gender. The behavioral health outcomes were measured using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, the 4-item Center for Epidemiological Studies ‑ Depression Scale, as well as questions on alcohol consumption, marijuana use, suicide/self-harm attempts, and use of prescription pain relievers without medical authorization. Findings from the study show that the items in the SMIES can be grouped into four subscales, namely, pride concepts, pride goals, shame concepts and shame goals. The DIF detection analysis also suggests that no DIF exists across any of the variables. The results from the CIT also suggest that the SMIES could be useful in predicting anxiety, depression and suicide/self-harm attempts among SMAs which corroborates the existing literature.
Citation
Tettey-Tawiah, H. K. (2024). A Two-Part Validation Study of the Sexual Minority Identity Emotion Scale. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/5427
