Assessment, Statistics, and Research

Understanding Degrees of Freedom (df) Degrees of freedom (df) is a statistical idea that tells us how many values in a dataset are free to vary once certain calculations—like a mean—are already set. Think of it as the number of independent pieces of information you actually have when you’re trying to estimate something about a larger population (Sutton, 2020). Reference: Sutton, G. W. (2020). Applied statistics: Concepts for counselors (2nd ed.). Sunflower. ***** A Psychology Example: Measuring Change After an Intervention Imagine a psychologist wants to know whether a new therapeutic intervention boosts self‑esteem. They measure self‑esteem for 10 participants before the intervention and again afterward. To analyze the results, they use a dependent samples t‑test (paired samples t‑test). This test compares two related sets of scores—like “before” and “after” scores from the same people. For this test, degrees of freedom are:  df = n - 1 With 10 participants:   df = ...

AI image Suttong.com 2025 Scale overview: The Spiritual Abuse Questionnaire-Short Form is a 4-item self-report instrument developed by Griffin and her colleagues (2025). Participants rate each item on a 4-point scale of agreement.  The SAQ‑SF is a short, psychometrically sound measure for identifying potential experiences of spiritual abuse. It shows strong internal consistency, moderate short‑term stability, and distinctiveness from general mental health or religiosity measures (Sutton, 2025, July 27). Cite Post Sutton, G. W. (2025, July 27). Spiritual Abuse Questionnaire-Short Form by Griffin et al. Assessment, Statistics, and Research. 2025.  https://statistics.suttong.com/2025/07/spiritual-abuse-questionnaire-short-form.html [ Read more about Spiritual or Religious Abuse.] Sponsor. Reference for using scales in research: Buy Creating Surveys on GOOGLE BOOKS   AMAZON         ___________________ Authors : Kaelyn R. Griffin and others (2025) – ...

Assessment name: Utrecht Gender Dysphoria Scale-Gender Spectrum (UGDS-GS) Scale overview: The revised UGDS-GS is an 18-item instrument using gender-neutral language. Researchers can use this updated measure with a person of any gender identity and expression. Authors : Jenifer K. McGuire and others. See McGuire et al. (2020) below. Response Type: Five-point rating scale of agreement. Scale items-Examples 1. I prefer to behave like my affirmed gender. 2. Every time someone treats me like my assigned sex I fell hurt. Psychometric properties The UGDS-GS was evaluated in three gender groups: cisgender, binary transgender, and nonbinary/genderqueer. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis are included in the article indicating that the current 18-item scale is better than an earlier version. Item means and SDs are in Table 2. Availability : See Table 1 of McGuire et al. (2020) for a list of the 18 items. Author contact: jmcguire@umn.edu References for the scale 1. Mc...