201 The Professional Counselor | Volume 13, Issue 3 Test-Retest Reliability To examine the stability of the new 16-item OQ scores over time, we assessed test-retest reliability over a 30-day interval using bivariate correlation (Pallant, 2016). Results yielded strong correlation coefficients between pre-OQ scores and post-OQ scores: (a) OQ Total Scores, r = .781, p < .001; (b) Factor 1, r = .782, p < .001; (c) Factor 2, r = .742, p < .001; and (d) Factor 3, r = .681, p < .001. The 18-item OQ scores also demonstrated significant support for test-retest reliability over a 30-day interval: (a) OQ Total Scores, r = .721, p < .001; (b) Factor 1, r = .658, p < .001; (c) Factor 2, r = .712, p < .001; and (d) Factor 3, r = .682, p < .001. Discussion We found that the current factor structure of the OQ-45.2 poorly fits the sample population of economically vulnerable individuals. Our preliminary results support Rice and colleagues’ (2014) claim: because of the unique stressors economically vulnerable individuals face, the OQ-45.2 does not adequately capture their psychological distress. The lack of support for the OQ-45.2’s current structure (i.e., three-factor oblique) creates doubt clinically when assessing clients’ distress. Therefore, we explored alternative structural models proposed by Bludworth and colleagues (2010) using a CFA, and subsequently an EFA, to reexamine the factor structure of the OQ-45.2. The EFA resulted in a 16-item, three-factor solution with our sample, indicating marginal support for the validity and reliability of the items for this brief model of the OQ, meaning that this model lacked reliability (i.e., ability to produce similar results consistently) and validity (i.e., ability to actually measure what it intends to measure: distress). In social science research, total variance explained of 60% is adequate (Hair et al., 2010); therefore, the three-factor model that approaches 60% could be acceptable, indicating that this model captures more than half or more than chance of the construct distress for this population. Still, additional research is needed to support the factor structure with a similar population of low-income, diverse individuals. Economically vulnerable individuals experience unique stressors (Karney & Bradbury, 2005), and brief assessments are best practices (Beidas et al., 2015). Therefore, we encourage other researchers to reexamine the use of this brief version of the OQ with a sample of economically vulnerable individuals or develop a new instrument that may more accurately capture psychological distress in economically disadvantaged individuals. Also, the 16-item model results differ from the original OQ-45.2 in that we were unable to find support for the social role factor with our sample population. We hypothesize this finding is largely due to the economic stressors this population faces (e.g., unreliable transportation, food scarcity, housing needs). Anecdotally, some participants commented during the initial intake session that several items (e.g., specifically items on the social role factor relating to employment) were not relevant to their situation because of under- or unemployment. Further, reducing OQ-45.2 to a 16-item assessment may provide a more user-friendly version requiring less time for respondents and more efficient use of clinical time; however, without further research, the current authors are hesitant to support its clinical use with this population of economically vulnerable individuals. Similar to previous researchers (e.g., Kim et al., 2010; Rice et al., 2014), we also found evidence for the need for a substance use factor (e.g., Factor 3) in the 18-item abbreviated model; however, this model deviated from the original OQ-45.2. The findings of this study support the need for professional counselors to assess substance use as part of psychological distress, whether it be implementing the 18-item version of the OQ or adding an additional assessment that has greater reliability and validity of its items with this population.
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