Development and psychometric evaluation of the Treatment Adherence Questionnaire for Patients with Combat Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

A modified persian version of the self-stigma of depression scale among the Iranian population: a methodological study in 2023

INTRODUCTION

This cross -sectional research evaluated the psychometric properties of the Self-Stigma of Depression Scale (SSDS) among Iranian people.

METHODS

This methodological study was conducted among 881 people in 2023, Iran. The method of proportional stratified sampling was used to select participants. To evaluate the validity, face, content, construct, convergent, and discriminant were evaluated. The reliability of SSDS was assessed with the McDonald's omega coefficient, Cronbach α coefficient, and test- retest (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient).

RESULTS

In confirmatory factor analysis, the factor loading of all items of SSDS was more than 0.5, and two items had low factor loading. After deleted these items, goodness of fit indexes (such as GFI = 0.945, RMSEA = 0.067, AGFI = 0.917, CFI = 0.941, RFI = 0.905) confirmed the final model with 14 items and four factors of social inadequacy (3 items), help-seeking inhibition (4 questions), self-blame (3 questions), and shame (4 questions). In the reliability phase, for all items of SSDS, Cronbach α coefficient was 0.850, the McDonald omega coefficient was 0.853, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.903.

CONCLUSION

The Persian form of SSDS was approved with 14 items and four factors: social inadequacy, help-seeking inhibition, self-blame, and shame. This tool can be used to check the status of self-stigmatization of depression in different groups.

Evaluation the validity and reliability of persian short form of the literacy of suicide scale (LOSS): a methodological study in 2022

INTRODUCTION

This research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the validity and reliability of Persian short version of the Literacy of Suicide Scale (LOSS) among the general population.

METHODS

This methodological study was conducted to evaluate the validity and reliability of Persian short form of LOSS among the general population, using a sample of 1175 participants in Iran, 2022. Participants were entered to study using method of proportional stratified sampling. The validity of Persian short form of LOSS was checked by four measures of validity: qualitative face validity, qualitative content validity, EFA (exploratory of factor analysis), and CFA (confirmatory factor analysis). The measure of reliability of Persian short form of LOSS was checked by three reliability of McDonald omega coefficient, ICC (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient), and Cronbach's alpha coefficient.

RESULTS

Based on the findings of EFA, 4 components with eigenvalues > 1 were extracted and these 4 factors were able to explain 57.96% of variance. In EFA section, only 1 question was deleted due to entry into the non -relevant sub -scale. Based on the results of CFA, all items had the factor loading greater than 0.4 and none of the items were removed at this stage. In CFA, based the results of goodness-of-fit indexes for example: χ2/df = 2.077, NFI: 0.957, IFI = 0.977, RMSEA = 0.030, GFI: 0.988, and PGFI = 0.569, the final mode was approved with 11 items and 4 factors. In this study for all items, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.739, McDonald omega coefficient was 0.753, and ICC was 0.860. Finally, the Persian short form of LOSS was approved with 11 items and four dimensions of signs/ symptoms with 3 questions, the risk factors with 2 questions, treatment/ prevention with 2 questions, and causes/ triggers with 4 questions.

CONCLUSION

The Persian short form of LOSS with 11 items and four subscales is a valid and reliable scale to survey the suicide literacy status in the general population.

Osteoporosis medication adherence tools: a systematic review

Poor adherence reduces the effectiveness of osteoporosis treatment, resulting in lower bone mineral density and subsequently higher fracture rates. Reliable and practical tools are needed to measure medication adherence. The aim of this systematic review was to find osteoporosis medication adherence measurement tools and assess their applicability. Osteoporosis adherence measurement tools and all their related keywords in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched on 4 December, 2022. After excluding duplicates in the Endnote software, two researchers independently investigated the remaining articles and included all those that used a method for measuring adherence to osteoporosis pharmacotherapy. Articles that did not specify the medications evaluated or if the primary focus was not adherence excluded. Two common measures of adherence, i.e., compliance and persistence were included. Four separate tables were designed, one for direct methods, one for formulas, one for questionnaires, and one for electronic methods of measuring adherence to treatment. Quality assessment was performed for selected articles by the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). A total of 3821 articles were found, of which 178 articles met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In general, five types of methods were observed to measure medication adherence of osteoporosis, including direct methods (n = 4), pharmacy records (n = 17), questionnaires (n = 13), electronic methods (n = 1), and tablet counting (n = 1). The most commonly used adherence measurement tool, based on pharmacy records, was medication possession ratio (MPR). Among questionnaires, Morisky Medication Adherence Scale was mostly used. Our findings show what tools have been used to measure medication adherence in osteoporosis patients. Among these tools, direct methods and electronic methods are the most accurate methods. However, due to their high cost, they are practically not used in measuring osteoporosis medication adherence. Questionnaires are the most popular among them and are mostly used in osteoporosis.

Development and psychometric properties of the social adjustment scale for youth cancer survivors in South Korea

Objective

We developed a new scale-the Social Adjustment Scale for Youth Cancer Survivors-and examined its psychometric properties.

Methods

In the scale's development stage, preliminary items were constructed based on the results of a concept analysis of the hybrid model, literature review, and interviews. These items were then reviewed through content validity and cognitive interviews. In the validation stage, 136 survivors were recruited from two children's cancer centers in Seoul, South Korea. An exploratory factor analysis was performed to identify a set of constructs, and validity and reliability were tested.

Results

Starting with 70 items constructed through literature review and interviews with youth survivors, the final scale comprised 32 items. The exploratory factor analysis identified four domains-namely, role achievement in one's present position, harmony in relationships, disclosure and acceptance of cancer history, and preparation and expectation for future roles. Correlations with quality of life indicated good convergent validity (r ​= ​0.82, P ​< ​0.001). The Cronbach's α of the overall scale was 0.95, indicating excellent internal consistency; and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.94 (P ​< ​0.001), suggesting high test-retest reliability.

Conclusions

The Social Adjustment Scale for Youth Cancer Survivors exhibited acceptable psychometric properties in measuring the social adjustment of youth cancer survivors. It can be used to identify youths facing difficulty in adjusting to society after treatment and to investigate the effect of interventions implemented to promote social adjustment among youth cancer survivors. Future research is needed to examine the applicability of the scale in patients across diverse cultural backgrounds and healthcare systems.

Translation and psychometric evaluation of a Persian version of the functional assessment staging scale (I-FAST) in older patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease in Iran

The Functional Assessment Staging procedure is a clinical instrument which has been designed for staging Alzheimer's disease (AD) from the stage of no deficits to the pre-clinical stage of subjective deficits, to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), to the stages of AD. This study examined the psychometric properties and the validity of the Persian version of the FAST (I-FAST) in an elderly outpatient population in Iran. We conducted a validation study of the FAST scale at the two referral centers for dementia and cognitive disorders in Tehran, Iran. The participants consisted of subjects with normal cognition, MCI and AD. The scores of the Persian version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Persian version of the I-FAST were examined. Demographic variables were also collected. The diagnosis of MCI was made based on Petersen criteria and AD based on the McKhann et al. criteria by a neurologist with expertise in dementia. Data was collected from 219 participants. A total of 54.7% of the sample was female and their mean age was 72.54 ± 8.88 years. The area under the ROC curve was calculated 0.952 and 0.982. The I-FAST had a sensitivity of 92.2% and specificity of 98.0% for the differentiation of normal cognition from MCI. The sensitivity of the I-FAST for discrimination of subjects with AD from MCI was 99.0% and the specificity was 93.7%. The I-FAST showed good psychometric characteristics in the discrimination of MCI from both normal elderly and patients with Alzheimer's. The I-FAST is also a sensitive and accurate instrument for staging persons at risk for MCI and Alzheimer's, relatively free of the confounding effects of education, culture and language in comparison with the MMSE.

Translation and psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Elderly People (HoNOS65+)

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Persian version of Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Elderly People (HoNOS65+) in Iran's elderly population.

METHODS

The scale English version translated to Persian using a forward and backward translation method. The scale was filled for two elderly population groups (inpatient and outpatients) (N = 300). Simultaneously with HoNOS+65, the Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI) was completed. Two separate therapists were filled HoNOS+65 for thirty-one patients (inter-rater reliability test). In general, content validity, consistency, confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), convergent validity, and criterion validity were examined.

RESULTS

Using exploratory factor analysis, three factors were extracted. Inter-rater reliability in some items has a slight agreement. Content validity ratio (0.75) and index (0.90) were calculated for each item. Cronbach's alpha total score was 0.82. According to the largest modification indices, CFA showed satisfactory fit indices. The convergent validity between HoNOS +65 and CGI was (r = 0/71, sig = 0.000). Finally, the optimal cut-off point was achieved 13. Sensitivity and specificity for the HoNOS +65 were 88.89% and 81.16%, respectively, with the Youden index of 0.7005.

CONCLUSION

The Persian version of HoNOS65+ has high reliability, validity, specificity, and sensitivity in multidimensional assessment of Iranian geriatric mental health.

Development and Validation of the Knowledge and Attitude Scale Toward COVID-19 Pandemic Breaking Transmission Chain (KA-C) Among Iranian Population

Objectives: We aimed to develop a scale and evaluate this scale's validity and reliability to measure factors affecting people's knowledge and attitudes toward the pandemic breaking transmission chain. Methods: This exploratory mixed-method study was carried out in two phases: (1) item generation using literature reviews and interviews and, (2) item reduction by psychometric assessments of the developed scale. The face, content, construct (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis), convergent, and discriminant validity of the scale were assessed in the Iranian population (n = 500) from March to June 2020. The Composite Reliability (CR) and the internal consistency correlation coefficient were estimated. Results: The Knowledge and Attitude Scale Toward COVID-19 Pandemic Breaking Transmission Chain (KA-C) among the Iranian population included 18 items. Two factors with a whole variance of 66.05% were identified by exploratory factor analysis. Factors were labeled as "health literacy" and "home health empowerment." The confirmatory factor analysis showed the goodness of fit. The CR of the scale for first and second factors were 0.965 and 0.833 receptively. The scale's internal consistency correlation coefficient was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.960 and 0.823, average interitem correlation = 0.643 and 0.635, McDonald's omega = 0.963 and 0.829, for the first and second factor, receptively). Conclusion: The KA-C scale can be exerted to screen the people's knowledge and attitude about the COVID-19 pandemic breaking the transmission chain as a valid and reliable scale for further policymaking, health care providers, and for a multi-dimensional psychosocial assessment of the pandemic period.

Psychometric Properties of a Questionnaire on Brucellosis Prevention Behaviors Based on the PRECEDE Model Among Rural Farmers and Their Family Members

Introduction

Brucellosis is one of the most prevalent diseases in Torbate Heidarieh, Iran; it is a common disease between human and animals. The present study aimed to review the psychometric properties of a questionnaire on brucellosis prevention behaviors based on the PRECEDE model among rural farmers and their family members (PRECEDE-QBPB).

Materials and Methods

The study was a combination of qualitative and quantitative stages. In the qualitative stage, an 86-item questionnaire including interviews with 30 farmers, their family members and other effective people, as well as literature review, was designed. In the quantitative stage, psychometric properties of the PRECEDE-QBPB including the face, content, and constructs validities, as well as reliability measurement of the questionnaire were evaluated. Item impact, content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) for all items were calculated. Besides, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was done to evaluate the construct’s validity; AMOS 20 was used for this purpose. In this stage, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 500 rural farmers and their family members. To estimate the internal consistency of this questionnaire, Cronbach’s alpha was used for each variable. Further, descriptive statistics and Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin and Bartlett’s test of sphericity were used to describe the characteristics of the participants and collect samples, respectively.

Results

Based on the results of face validity and content validity (CVR, CVI and CFA 9), 19 and 22 items were removed, respectively, leaving the final questionnaire with 36 items and eight subscales including knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, social support, enabling factors, environmental factors, behavioral factors, and reinforcing factors. The Cronbach’s coefficient alpha was calculated for the total questionnaire (α= 0.92, 0.69–0.87 for subscales). The evaluation of model fit indices showed that all indices confirmed the suitability of the final model fit; therefore, the questionnaire has suitable construct validity.

Conclusion

A questionnaire, as a valid tool, was designed in the present study. Healthcare providers, policymakers, planners, researchers may use this tool to find a comprehensive understanding of enabling, reinforcing, environmental and behavioral factors that affect brucellosis before implementing health education and health promotion programs.