Reliability and Validity of the Mongolian version of affective touch questionnaire

Authors

  • Enkhnaran Tumurbaatar (1) Brain and Mind Research Institute, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Khasbaatar Street 16/2, Bayangol district Ulaanbaatar 16066, Mongolia. (2) Graduate School, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Zorig Street 3, Sukhbaatar district, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8944-9685
  • Oyunsuren Jargalsaikhan Department of Psychology, University of the Humanities, Sukhbaatar square 20/4, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7815-1122
  • Gantsetseg Tumur-Ochir (1) Brain and Mind Research Institute, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Khasbaatar Street 16/2, Bayangol district Ulaanbaatar 16066, Mongolia. (2) Department of Mental Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Zorig Street 3, Sukhbaatar district, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4534-892X
  • Elena Belovol Department of Psychology, Moscow Pedagogical State University, Moscow, Russia. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0285-159X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31117/neuroscirn.v5i2.100

Keywords:

C-tactile system, questionnaire, touch, validation study, Mongolia

Abstract

Communication via the sense of touch has long been perceived as an important aspect of human development, social comfort, and well-being. Human somatosensory system has in fact two tactile sub-modalities, one providing the well-recognized discriminative touch input to the brain, and the second–the affective or emotional input. C-tactile system is hypothesized to represent the neurobiological substrate for affective and rewarding properties of touch. Lower relationship quality is associated with lower resilience to stressors and can lead to increased vulnerability to mental health disorders. Based on the existing work, we know that social touch can increase well-being and lower state-anxiety. Our goal was to prove content validity for the Mongolian version with the factor structure of the original English version of the TEAQ. We translated, and adapted TEAQ for Mongolian language version. Original TEAQ-117 items were used in the pilot study. In the present study, enrolled 204 participants, age varied between 18 and 57 years (26.9±8.8), 57.8% were female. Validated TEAQ-57 items English version was used, and Exploratory factor analysis confirmed 55 items with 6 component structure. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated good consistency and homogeneity of the 6 factor structure of the TEAQ, and satisfactory model fit. Several subscales of the TEAQ revealed positive correlations on quality of life domains, in contrast negative correlations with anxiety and depression. In conclusion, analysed Mongolian version of the TEAQ-55 is a reliable and valid assessment tool of experiences and attitudes towards touch, and similar to component structure for different cultures (Validated British TEAQ-57, and TEAQ-37 RUS). We expected that Mongolian version of the TEAQ might be a helpful tool for screening mental health issues and researchers.

References

Abraira, V. E., & Ginty, D. D. (2013). The sensory neurons of touch. Neuron, 79(4), 618-639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2013.07.051

Andersen, J. F., Andersen, P. A., & Lustig, M. W. (1987). Opposite sex touch avoidance: A national replication and extension. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 11(2), 89-109. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00990960

Andersen, P. A., & Leibowitz, K. (1978). The development and nature of the construct touch avoidance. Environmental Psychology and Nonverbal Behavior, 3(2), 89-106. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01135607

Badura-Brack, A. S., Becker, K. M., McDermott, T. J., Ryan, T. J., Becker, M. M., Hearley, A. R., Heinrichs-Graham, E., & Wilson, T. W. (2015). Decreased somatosensory activity to non-threatening touch in combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychiatry Research, 233(2), 194-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2015.06.012

Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment and loss: Retrospect and prospect. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 52(4), 664-678. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-0025.1982.tb01456.x

Bowlby, J., & World Health, O. (1952). Maternal care and mental health : a report prepared on behalf of the World Health Organization as a contribution to the United Nations programme for the welfare of homeless children / John Bowlby. In (2nd ed.). Geneva: World Health Organization.

Cascio, C. J., Moore, D., & McGlone, F. (2019). Social touch and human development. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 35, 5-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2018.04.009

Cochrane, N. (1990). Physical contact experience and depression. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 82(357, Suppl), 91-91. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1990.tb05345.x

Corrigan, P. W. (2000). Mental health stigma as social attribution: Implications for research methods and attitude change. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 7(1), 48-67. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.7.1.48

Craig, A. D. (2008). Interoception and emotion: A neuroanatomical perspective. In Handbook of emotions, 3rd ed. (pp. 272-292). The Guilford Press.

Cuming, S., & Rapee, R. M. (2010). Social anxiety and self-protective communication style in close relationships. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48(2), 87-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2009.09.010

Deethardt, J. F., & Hines, D. G. (1983). Tactile communication and personality differences. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 8(2), 143-156. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00987000

Duhn, L. (2010). The importance of touch in the development of attachment. Advances in Neonatal Care, 10(6), 294-300. https://doi.org/10.1097/ANC.0b013e3181fd2263

Eng, W., Heimberg, R. G., Hart, T. A., Schneier, F. R., & Liebowitz, M. R. (2001). Attachment in individuals with social anxiety disorder: The relationship among adult attachment styles, social anxiety, and depression. Emotion, 1(4), 365-380. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.1.4.365

Epstein, J., Santo, R. M., & Guillemin, F. (2015). A review of guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation of questionnaires could not bring out a consensus. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 68(4), 435-441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2014.11.021

Field, T., Diego, M. A., Hernandez-Reif, M., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (2004). Massage therapy effects on depressed pregnant women. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 25(2), 115-122. https://doi.org/10.1080/01674820412331282231

Field, T., Ironson, G., Scafidi, F., Nawrocki, T., Goncalves, A., Burman, I., Pickens, J., Fox, N., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (1996). Massage therapy reduces anxiety and enhances eeg pattern of alertness and math computations. International Journal of Neuroscience, 86(3-4), 197-205. https://doi.org/10.3109/00207459608986710

Finch, H. (2006). Comparison of the performance of varimax and promax rotations: factor structure recovery for dichotomous items. Journal of Educational Measurement, 43(1), 39-52. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3984.2006.00003.x

Guerrero, L. K., & Andersen, P. A. (1991). The waxing and waning of relational intimacy: touch as a function of relational stage, gender and touch avoidance. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 8(2), 147-165. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407591082001

Häfner, H., Maurer, K., Löffler, W., der Heiden, W. a., Hambrecht, M., & Schultze-Lutter, F. (2003). Modeling the early course of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 29(2), 325-340. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.schbul.a007008

Heslin, R., Nguyen, T. D., & Nguyen, M. L. (1983). Meaning of touch: The case of touch from a stranger or same sex person. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 7(3), 147-157. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00986945

Jones, S. E., & Brown, B. C. (1996). Touch attitudes and behaviors, recollections of early childhood touch, and social self-confidence. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 20(3), 147-163. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02281953

Jourard, S. M. (1966). An exploratory study of body-accessibility. British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 5(3), 221-231. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8260.1966.tb00978.x

Kaiser, M. D., Yang, D. Y.-J., Voos, A. C., Bennett, R. H., Gordon, I., Pretzsch, C., Beam, D., Keifer, C., Eilbott, J., McGlone, F., & Pelphrey, K. A. (2015). Brain mechanisms for processing affective (and nonaffective) touch are atypical in autism. Cerebral Cortex, 26(6), 2705-2714. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhv125

Kalueff, A. V., & Tuohimaa, P. (2005). The grooming analysis algorithm discriminates between different levels of anxiety in rats: potential utility for neurobehavioural stress research. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 143(2), 169-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2004.10.001

Kashdan, T. B., Doorley, J., Stiksma, M. C., & Hertenstein, M. J. (2017). Discomfort and avoidance of touch: new insights on the emotional deficits of social anxiety. Cognition and Emotion, 31(8), 1638-1646. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2016.1256867

Khajehei, M. (2016). Parenting challenges and parents' intimate relationships. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 26(5), 447-451. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2015.1083509

Khaleque, A. (2004). Intimate adult relationships, quality of life and psychological adjusment. Social Indicators Research, 69(3), 351-360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-004-1543-x

Lamb, M. E. Mary D. Salter Ainsworth, Mary C. Blehar, Everett Waters, and Sally Wall. Hillsdale, N.J., Erlbaum, (1980). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation. Infant Mental Health Journal, 1(1), 68-70. https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0355(198021)1:1<68::AID-IMHJ2280010110>3.0.CO;2-3

Löken, L. S., Wessberg, J., Morrison, I., McGlone, F., & Olausson, H. (2009). Coding of pleasant touch by unmyelinated afferents in humans. Nature Neuroscience, 12, 547-548. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2312

Lumpkin, E. A., & Caterina, M. J. (2007). Mechanisms of sensory transduction in the skin. Nature, 445(7130), 858-865. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05662

Major, B. (1981). Gender Patterns in Touching Behavior. In: Mayo, C., Henley, N.M. (eds) Gender and Nonverbal Behavior. Springer Series in Social Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5953-4_2

Mazur, A. (1977). Interpersonal spacing on public benches in "contact" vs. "noncontact" cultures. The Journal of Social Psychology, 101(1), 53-58. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1977.9923983

McDaniel, E., & Andersen, P. (1998). International patterns of interpersonal tactile communication: a field study. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 22, 59-75. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022952509743

McGlone, F., Wessberg, J., & Olausson, H. (2014). Discriminative and affective touch: sensing and feeling. Neuron, 82(4), 737-755. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2014.05.001

Merenda, P. F. (2006). An overview of adapting educational and psychological assessment instruments: past and present. Psychological Reports, 99(2), 307-314. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.99.2.307-314

Montesi, J. L., Conner, B. T., Gordon, E. A., Fauber, R. L., Kim, K. H., & Heimberg, R. G. (2013). On the relationship among social anxiety, intimacy, sexual communication, and sexual satisfaction in young couples. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 42(1), 81-91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-9929-3

Pinto-Gouveia, J., Cunha, M. I., & do Céu Salvador, M. (2003). Assessment of social phobia by self-report questionnaires: the social interaction and performance anxiety and avoidance scale and the social phobia safety behaviours scale. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 31(3), 291-311. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465803003059

Remland, M. S., Jones, T. S., & Brinkman, H. (1995). Interpersonal distance, body orientation, and touch: effects of culture, gender, and age. The Journal of Social Psychology, 135(3), 281-297. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1995.9713958

Suvilehto, J. T., Glerean, E., Dunbar, R. I., Hari, R., & Nummenmaa, L. (2015). Topography of social touching depends on emotional bonds between humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112(45), 13811-13816. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1519231112

Triscoli, C., Croy, I., & Sailer, U. (2019). Depression predicts interpersonal problems partially through the attitude towards social touch. Journal of Affective Disorders, 246, 234-240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.12.054

Trotter, P., Belovol, E., McGlone, F., & Varlamov, A. (2018a). Validation and psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Touch Experiences and Attitudes Questionnaire (TEAQ-37 Rus). PLoS One, 13(12), e0206905. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206905

Trotter, P. D., McGlone, F., Reniers, R., & Deakin, J. F. W. (2018b). Construction and validation of the touch experiences and attitudes questionnaire (teaq): a self-report measure to determine attitudes toward and experiences of positive touch. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 42(4), 379-416. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10919-018-0281-8

Vallbo, A. B., & Johansson, R. S. (1984). Properties of cutaneous mechanoreceptors in the human hand related to touch sensation. Human Neurobiology, 3(1), 3-14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6330008

Vallbo, A. B., Olsson, K. A., Westberg, K. G., & Clark, F. J. (1984). Microstimulation of single tactile afferents from the human hand. Sensory attributes related to unit type and properties of receptive fields. Brain, 107 ( Pt 3), 727-749. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/107.3.727

Vieira, A. I., Ramos, A. V., Cavalheiro, L. M., Almeida, P., Nogueira, D., Reis, E., Nunes, M. V., & Castro-Caldas, A. (2016). Reliability and validity of the european portuguese version of the social touch questionnaire. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 40(4), 363-377. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10919-016-0239-7

Voncken, M. J., & Bögels, S. M. (2008). Social performance deficits in social anxiety disorder: Reality during conversation and biased perception during speech. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 22(8), 1384-1392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2008.02.001

Wilhelm, F. H., Kochar, A. S., Roth, W. T., & Gross, J. J. (2001). Social anxiety and response to touch: incongruence between self-evaluative and physiological reactions. Biological Psychology, 58(3), 181-202. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-0511(01)00113-2

Willis, F. N., & Hofmann, G. E. (1975). Development of tactile patterns in relation to age, sex, and race. Developmental Psychology, 11(6), 866-866. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.11.6.866

Downloads

Published

2022-04-19

How to Cite

Tumurbaatar, E., Jargalsaikhan, O., Tumur-Ochir, G., & Belovol, E. (2022). Reliability and Validity of the Mongolian version of affective touch questionnaire . Neuroscience Research Notes, 5(2), 100. https://doi.org/10.31117/neuroscirn.v5i2.100