Somatic symptom reports in the general population: Application of a bi-factor model to the analysis of change

Jarry T Porsius; Astrid L Martens; Pauline Slottje; Liesbeth Claassen; Joke C Korevaar; Danielle R M Timmermans; Roel Vermeulen; Tjabe Smid

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2015.09.006

Somatic symptom reports in the general population: Application of a bi-factor model to the analysis of change

Jarry T Porsius, Astrid L Martens, Pauline Slottje, Liesbeth Claassen, Joke C Korevaar, Danielle R M Timmermans, Roel Vermeulen, Tjabe Smid

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the latent structure of somatic symptom reports in the general population with a bi-factor model and apply the structure to the analysis of change in reported symptoms after the emergence of an uncertain environmental health risk.

METHODS: Somatic symptoms were assessed in two general population environmental health cohorts (AMIGO, n=14,829 & POWER, n=951) using the somatization scale of the four-dimensional symptom questionnaire (4DSQ-S). Exploratory bi-factor analysis was used to determine the factor structure in the AMIGO cohort. Multi-group and longitudinal models were applied to assess measurement invariance. For a subsample of residents living close to a newly introduced power line (n=224), we compared a uni- and multidimensional method for the analysis of change in reported symptoms after the power line was put into operation.

RESULTS: We found a good fit (RMSEA=0.03, CFI=0.98) for a bi-factor model with one general and three symptom specific factors (musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary). The latent structure was found to be invariant between cohorts and over time. A significant increase (p<.05) was found only for musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal symptoms after the power line was put into operation.

CONCLUSIONS: In our study we found that a bi-factor structure of somatic symptoms reports was equivalent between cohorts and over time. Our findings suggest that taking this structure into account can lead to a more informative interpretation of a change in symptom reports compared to a unidimensional approach.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	378-383
Number of pages	6
Journal	Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume	79
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2015.09.006
Publication status	Published - Nov 2015

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title = "Somatic symptom reports in the general population: Application of a bi-factor model to the analysis of change",

abstract = "OBJECTIVE: To investigate the latent structure of somatic symptom reports in the general population with a bi-factor model and apply the structure to the analysis of change in reported symptoms after the emergence of an uncertain environmental health risk.METHODS: Somatic symptoms were assessed in two general population environmental health cohorts (AMIGO, n=14,829 & POWER, n=951) using the somatization scale of the four-dimensional symptom questionnaire (4DSQ-S). Exploratory bi-factor analysis was used to determine the factor structure in the AMIGO cohort. Multi-group and longitudinal models were applied to assess measurement invariance. For a subsample of residents living close to a newly introduced power line (n=224), we compared a uni- and multidimensional method for the analysis of change in reported symptoms after the power line was put into operation.RESULTS: We found a good fit (RMSEA=0.03, CFI=0.98) for a bi-factor model with one general and three symptom specific factors (musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary). The latent structure was found to be invariant between cohorts and over time. A significant increase (p<.05) was found only for musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal symptoms after the power line was put into operation.CONCLUSIONS: In our study we found that a bi-factor structure of somatic symptoms reports was equivalent between cohorts and over time. Our findings suggest that taking this structure into account can lead to a more informative interpretation of a change in symptom reports compared to a unidimensional approach.",

author = "Porsius, {Jarry T} and Martens, {Astrid L} and Pauline Slottje and Liesbeth Claassen and Korevaar, {Joke C} and Timmermans, {Danielle R M} and Roel Vermeulen and Tjabe Smid",

year = "2015",

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T2 - Application of a bi-factor model to the analysis of change

AU - Porsius, Jarry T

AU - Martens, Astrid L

AU - Slottje, Pauline

AU - Claassen, Liesbeth

AU - Korevaar, Joke C

AU - Timmermans, Danielle R M

AU - Vermeulen, Roel

AU - Smid, Tjabe

PY - 2015/11

Y1 - 2015/11

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the latent structure of somatic symptom reports in the general population with a bi-factor model and apply the structure to the analysis of change in reported symptoms after the emergence of an uncertain environmental health risk.METHODS: Somatic symptoms were assessed in two general population environmental health cohorts (AMIGO, n=14,829 & POWER, n=951) using the somatization scale of the four-dimensional symptom questionnaire (4DSQ-S). Exploratory bi-factor analysis was used to determine the factor structure in the AMIGO cohort. Multi-group and longitudinal models were applied to assess measurement invariance. For a subsample of residents living close to a newly introduced power line (n=224), we compared a uni- and multidimensional method for the analysis of change in reported symptoms after the power line was put into operation.RESULTS: We found a good fit (RMSEA=0.03, CFI=0.98) for a bi-factor model with one general and three symptom specific factors (musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary). The latent structure was found to be invariant between cohorts and over time. A significant increase (p<.05) was found only for musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal symptoms after the power line was put into operation.CONCLUSIONS: In our study we found that a bi-factor structure of somatic symptoms reports was equivalent between cohorts and over time. Our findings suggest that taking this structure into account can lead to a more informative interpretation of a change in symptom reports compared to a unidimensional approach.

AB - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the latent structure of somatic symptom reports in the general population with a bi-factor model and apply the structure to the analysis of change in reported symptoms after the emergence of an uncertain environmental health risk.METHODS: Somatic symptoms were assessed in two general population environmental health cohorts (AMIGO, n=14,829 & POWER, n=951) using the somatization scale of the four-dimensional symptom questionnaire (4DSQ-S). Exploratory bi-factor analysis was used to determine the factor structure in the AMIGO cohort. Multi-group and longitudinal models were applied to assess measurement invariance. For a subsample of residents living close to a newly introduced power line (n=224), we compared a uni- and multidimensional method for the analysis of change in reported symptoms after the power line was put into operation.RESULTS: We found a good fit (RMSEA=0.03, CFI=0.98) for a bi-factor model with one general and three symptom specific factors (musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary). The latent structure was found to be invariant between cohorts and over time. A significant increase (p<.05) was found only for musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal symptoms after the power line was put into operation.CONCLUSIONS: In our study we found that a bi-factor structure of somatic symptoms reports was equivalent between cohorts and over time. Our findings suggest that taking this structure into account can lead to a more informative interpretation of a change in symptom reports compared to a unidimensional approach.

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JO - Journal of Psychosomatic Research

JF - Journal of Psychosomatic Research

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Somatic symptom reports in the general population: Application of a bi-factor model to the analysis of change

Abstract

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