Translation and validation of the Chinese version of the menstrual distress questionnaire

BACKGROUND

The Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) is a commonly used questionnaire that assesses various symptoms and distress associated with the menstrual cycle in women. However, the questionnaire has not been completely translated into Chinese with rigorous reliability and validity testing.

METHODS

This study translated the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire Form Cycle (MDQC) from English into Chinese: MDQCC in two stages. First, it was translated forward and backward using Jones' model; second, to test the validity and reliability, 210 Chinese-speaking women were recruited through online announcements and posters posted between June 2019 and May 2020. Expert validity, construct validity, convergent validity, and factorial validity were determined using content validity index (CVI), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), composite reliability (CR), and exploratory factor analysis, respectively. For concurrent criterion validity, MDQCC score was compared with three existing pain scales. Reliability was evaluated using internal consistency across items and two-week test-retest reliability over time.

RESULTS

The CVI for content validity was .92. Item-CVI for expert validities among the 46 items ranged from .50 - 1; scale-CVI for the eight subscales, from .87 - 1; ICC, from .650 - .897; and CRs, from .303 - .881. Pearson correlation coefficients between MDQCC and short-form McGill pain questionnaire, present pain intensity, and visual analog scale scores were .640, .519, and .575, respectively. Cronbach's α for internal consistency was satisfactory (.932). ICC for test-retest reliability was .852 for the entire MDQCC.

CONCLUSION

MDQCC was valid and reliable for Mandarin Chinese-speaking women. It can be used to evaluate female psychiatric symptoms related to the menstrual cycle in future work.

Development of the Japanese version of the awareness questionnaire for assessment of self-awareness after acquired brain injury: reliability and validity

BACKGROUND

The evaluation of impaired self-awareness (ISA) after brain injury is not widespread in Japan, and there is a lack of Japanese assessments of self-awareness.

OBJECTIVES

To translate the original version of the Awareness Questionnaire (AQ), an instrument for assessing ISA, into Japanese using a validated method and examine its reliability and validity in inpatients with stroke.

METHODS

This cross-sectional, prospective study enrolled 130 participants. The double-translation process was used to develop the Japanese version of the AQ.

RESULTS

Data were collected from 120 patients. High intra-rater reliability was observed for the patient (Cronbach's α = 0.824) and clinician samples (Cronbach's α = 0.933). High intra- and inter-rater reliability were found for all AQ items [interclass coefficient (ICC) (1, 1) = 0.828, ICC (2, 1) = 0.852, ICC (3, 1) = 0.848]; however, the sub-item analysis revealed only moderate reliability. Validity assessment revealed a low but significant positive correlation (r = 0.209; p < 0.05) between the Japanese version of the AQ and the Japanese version of the Self-Regulation Skills Interview and a low but significant negative correlation (r = 0.197; p < 0.05) between the Japanese version of the AQ and the Mini-Mental State Examination.

CONCLUSIONS

The Japanese version of the AQ was developed and applied to stroke patients, but the concept of post-stroke ISA may differ from ISA after traumatic brain injury, highlighting the need for a stroke-specific version of the AQ.

Reliability and validity of the dynamic risk outcome scales-short version for clients with mild intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning

INTRODUCTION

This study investigated the reliability and validity of the dynamic risk outcome scales-short version (DROS-SV). This instrument is developed to monitor treatment progress using dynamic risk factors in clients with mild intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning and behavioural and/or mental health problems.

METHOD

Data were collected from 264 clients who received Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (FACT), a form of intensive outpatient treatment.

RESULTS

A principal component analysis showed that there were six components explaining 73.9% of the variance. Furthermore, the DROS-SV showed good internal consistency of its subscales and total score (α > 0.78). Correlating the DROS-SV with the Historical and Clinical subscales of the Historical, Clinical and Future-30 indicated convergent and divergent validity.

DISCUSSION

The DROS-SV has good psychometric properties for measuring dynamic risk factors in clients with mild intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning in FACT teams.

Validity and reliability of the Waterlow scale for assessing pressure injury risk in critical adult patients: A multi-centre cohort study

AIM

To evaluate the predictive validity and reliability of the Waterlow scale in critically adult hospitalised patients.

DESIGN

A multi-centre cohort study.

METHODS

This study was conducted in 72 intensive care units (ICUs) in 38 tertiary hospitals in Gansu Province, China. All adults admitted to the ICU for greater than or equal to 24 h without pressure injury (PI) on admission were screened by the Waterlow scale on admission, during ICU stay and ICU discharge from April 2021 to February 2023. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine a potential cut-off value for critical adult hospitalised patients. Cut-off values were then determined using Youden's index, and sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were calculated based on these cut-off values. Test-retest reliability was used to evaluate inter-rater reliability.

RESULTS

A total of 5874 critical patients on admission were included, and 5125 of them were assessed regularly. The area under curve (AUC) was 0.623 (95% CI, 0.574-0.690), with a cut-off score of 19 showing the best balance among sensitivity of 62.7%, specificity of 57.4%, positive predictive value of 2.07% and negative predictive value of 99.08%. The test-retest reliability between the first assessment and the regular assessment was 0.447.

CONCLUSIONS

The Waterlow scale shows insufficient predictive validity and reliability in discriminating critical adults at risk of PI development. To further modify the items of the Waterlow scale, exploring specific risk factors for PI in the ICU and clarifying their impact degree was necessary. Risk predictive models or better tools are inevitable in the future.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Patients or family members supported nurses with PI risk assessment, skin examination and other activities during the inquiry.

The influence of loss to follow-up in autism screening research: Taking stock and moving forward

BACKGROUND

How best to improve the early detection of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the subject of significant controversy. Some argue that universal ASD screeners are highly accurate, whereas others argue that evidence for this claim is insufficient. Relatedly, there is no clear consensus as to the optimal role of screening for making referral decisions for evaluation and treatment. Published screening research can meaningfully inform these questions-but only through careful consideration of children who do not complete diagnostic follow-up.

METHODS

We developed two simulation models that re-analyze the results of a large-scale validation study of the M-CHAT-R/F by Robins et al. (2014, Pediatrics, 133, 37). Model #1 re-analyzes screener accuracy across six scenarios, each reflecting different assumptions regarding loss to follow-up. Model #2 builds on this by closely examining differential attrition at each point of the multi-step detection process.

RESULTS

Estimates of sensitivity ranged from 40% to 94% across scenarios, demonstrating that estimates of accuracy depend on assumptions regarding the diagnostic status of children who were lost to follow-up. Across a range of plausible assumptions, data also suggest that children with undiagnosed ASD may be more likely to complete follow-up than children without ASD, highlighting the role of clinicians and caregivers in the detection process.

CONCLUSIONS

Using simulation modeling as a quantitative method to examine potential bias in screening studies, analyses suggest that ASD screening tools may be less accurate than is often reported. Models also demonstrate the critical importance of every step in a detection process-including steps that determine whether children should complete an additional evaluation. We conclude that parent and clinician decision-making regarding follow-up may contribute more to detection than is widely assumed.

EPIS-RI: Indonesian translation, cultural adaptation and construct validation of an interprofessional identity measure

Interprofessional Education (IPE) as a preparatory stage for Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is overlooked in some low-and middle-income countries, including Indonesia. One of the driving forces behind IPC is the development of Interprofessional Identity (IPI), which has yet to be assessed in the Indonesian context. Our study aims were translating and culturally adapting the Extended Professional Identity Scale (EPIS) and confirming its construct validity. We invited third-year students from three programs (medicine, nursing, and dietetics) without previous IPE experience to participate in the study. Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), we examined the construct validity, analyzed internal consistency, and conducted a Kruskal-Wallis test to identify variations across professions. Of 513 students approached, 335 participated (response rate 65.3%). The CFA showed factor loadings ranging between .59 and .86, while correlations among subscales varied from .55 to .86. All five goodness-of-fit indices were sufficient. The internal consistency of subscales interprofessional belonging, commitment, and beliefs was .82, .84 and .87, respectively, and .90 for the overall scale. Interprofessional belonging and commitment were different among various students (p-value = .009 and .004) and the dietetics students had lower scores than other students. The Indonesian EPIS (EPIS-RI) demonstrated reliability and construct validity.

Randomized controlled trials comparing gastric bypass, gastric band, and sleeve gastrectomy: A systematic review examining validity and applicability to wider clinical practice

Consideration of how applicable the results of surgical trials are to clinical practice is important to inform decision-making. Randomized controlled trials comparing at least two surgical interventions (of gastric bypass, gastric band, and sleeve gastrectomy) for severe and complex obesity were examined using the PRagmatic Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary-2 tool, to consider how applicable the trial results are to clinical practice, and the Risk of Bias 2 tool, to examine validity. MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL databases were searched for studies published between November 2013 and June 2021, and 15 were identified. Using the PRagmatic Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary-2 tool, three were classified as pragmatic, with good applicability to clinical practice. Ten had more explanatory domains but did include some pragmatic characteristics, and two were predominantly explanatory. This was due to some trial design features that would not be considered applicable to the wider clinical setting, including being single-centered, having prescribed intervention delivery methods, and intensive follow-up regimens. Only two trials had low risk of bias, of which one was considered pragmatic. Three had high risk of bias. Overall, few trials in bariatric surgery are pragmatic with low risk of bias. Well-designed pragmatic trials are needed to inform practice and reduce research waste.

Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Arabic version of HIT-6 questionnaire in patients with migraine indicated for preventive therapy: A multi-center study

BACKGROUND

The Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) is an important patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) in migraine prevention trials.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to (i) assess the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of HIT-6 in Arabic-speaking patients experiencing migraine, and (ii) evaluate the responsiveness of HIT-6 following migraine preventive therapy.

METHODS

In this prospective study, patients with migraine (n = 145) were requested to fill out a headache diary, the Arabic version of HIT-6, and Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) at two time points (baseline and 3 months after initiation of prophylactic treatment). Some respondents (n = 73) were requested to fill out HIT-6 again 1 week from the baseline for test-retest reliability. The intensity of migraine headache attacks was evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). An anchor-based method was used to establish the minimal important change (MIC) value and responsiveness of HIT-6.

RESULTS

The total scores of HIT-6 were significantly correlated to a fair degree with MIDAS (r = 0.41), as well as VAS (r = 0.53), and monthly migraine days (r = 0.38) at the baseline while at the follow-up (after 3 months), the correlations were of moderate degree with MIDAS scores (r = 0.62) and monthly migraine days (r = 0.60; convergent validity). Reliability estimates of the Arabic HIT-6 were excellent (Cronbach's α = 0.91 at baseline and 0.89 at follow-up). The average measure interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) value for the test-retest reliability was 0.96 (95% confidence interval = 0.94-0.98, p < 0.001). The HIT-6 total score is sensitive to change, being significantly reduced after prophylactic treatment compared to before (effect size = 1.5, standardized response mean = 1.3). A reduction from baseline of 4.5 on HIT-6 showed the highest responsiveness to predict improvement with an area under the curve equal to 0.66, sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 45%, and significance at 0.021. Changes in the HIT-6 total score were positively correlated with changes in monthly migraine days (r = 0.40) and VAS scores (r = 0.69) but not with changes in the score of MIDAS (r = 0.07).

CONCLUSION

The Arabic version of HIT-6 is valid, reliable, and sensitive to detect clinical changes following migraine prophylactic treatment with a MIC of 4.5 points.

Psychometric evaluation of the early postnatal questionnaire for Swedish population

BACKGROUND

Previously developed instruments measuring the quality of postnatal care, based on women's experiences and views, are mainly country-specific which makes it important to have studies for specific populations. The aim of this study was to explore validity and reliability evidence of a previously developed postnatal questionnaire for women living in Sweden.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study based on self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire included the Early Postnatal Questionnaire (EPQ), and was administered to 1061 women who gave birth in two regional hospitals in Swedish during 2017. Validity evidence of the EPQ was undertaken using principal component analysis. Regarding reliability, Cronbach's alpha was used.

RESULTS

The questionnaire was returned by 483 postnatal women. The analysis resulted in three components: Information, Postnatal Environment and Caring Relationship. The Cronbach alpha values of the components ranged from 0.762 to 0.879. Foreign-born women scored higher (more positively) in all three components, compared to women born in Sweden.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that the instrument EPQ is a psychometrically useful tool, suitable for both research and clinical settings. The three-component structure provides researchers with the opportunity to conduct a more detailed exploration of various aspects of postnatal care to develop postnatal care. Further studies focusing on foreign-born women's experiences of postnatal care are warranted.

Reliability and validity of a novel mobile-based automatic battery of cognitive tests in healthy young Chinese adults

PURPOSE

To evaluate the reliability and validity of a newly developed computerized Automated Battery of Cognitive Tests in healthy individuals without cognitive impairments or psychiatric disorders.

METHODS

From April 20 to July 1, 2023, 142 healthy individuals in Beijing and Tangshan, China were assessed using the Automated Battery of Cognitive Tests. After a 3-week interval, 36 participants were randomly selected for retesting. The assessment also included administration of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status and the Automated Battery of Cognitive Tests to 59 participants.

RESULTS

The Automated Battery of Cognitive Tests consists of 16 subtests. Internal consistency reliability was 0.75. The test-retest reliability for each factor ranged from 0.337 to 0.850 (p < 0.05). The criterion-related validity, as measured by correlation with the total Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status score, was 0.748 (p < 0.001). The cumulative variance contribution rate is 70.109%. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good model fit.

CONCLUSIONS

The computerized Automated Battery of Cognitive Tests is a cognitive self-assessment tool with good reliability and validity. It can evaluate multiple aspects of cognitive performance in healthy individuals and is suitable for self-administration through remote access via Internet.

The concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of a submaximal exercise test in adolescents with autism

PURPOSE

There is a need for valid and reliable clinical assessment tools to assess cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels in adolescents with autism. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of the Astrand-Rhyming Test (ART) in this population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

45 adolescents with autism aged 12-18 years (n = 32 males, 14.47 ± 1.79 years) performed the ART twice (test-retest reliability) and completed a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) (concurrent validity). Reliability parameters included Pearson correlations, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), standard error of measurements (SEM), minimal detectable changes (MDC), coefficients of variation, paired sample t-tests, linear regressions and Bland-Altman plots. The concurrent validity was evaluated with Pearson correlations, ICCs, paired sample t-tests, linear regressions and Bland-Altman plots.

RESULTS

Strong test-retest reliability (r = 0.84-0.85, ICC = 0.84-0.85) was found for the ART, but the wide limits of agreement intervals suggest the presence of substantial variability. The large SEM (4.73-5.08 mL/kg/min) and MDC (13.20-14.07 mL/kg/min) values suggest lower absolute reliability. Moderate to strong levels of association (r = 0.74-0.75) and agreement (ICC = 0.59-0.66) were found between estimated (ART1) and measured (CPET) VO2 max levels, but significant systematic differences (5.71-8.82 mL/kg/min) were observed.

CONCLUSION

The ART is an accessible and promising method to monitor submaximal CRF levels over time but is less appropriate to estimate maximal CRF levels in this population.

FreDESS: a clinical tool for perceptual evaluation of stuttering

AIM

Stuttering is a communication disorder that involves both manifest speech disfluencies and associated symptoms. The purpose of the present study was to introduce an easily administered and ecologically valid assessment tool designed for perceptual evaluation of stuttered speech, FreDESS (frequency of stuttering events, duration of events, effort, secondary behaviours, and severity). More specifically, we wanted to study its reliability and validity.

METHOD

Video recordings of conversations with 38 people who stutter (PWS), 19 females and 19 males aged 13-25, were assessed by three speech language pathologists (SLP). Inter- and intrajudge reliability was estimated with intraclass correlation, standard error of measurement, and agreement between listeners. Internal consistency for the FreDESS parameters was estimated with Cronbach's alpha (α). To test the validity of FreDESS, the relationships between the average estimated parameters of frequency, duration, secondary behaviours, and severity of FreDESS and the Stuttering Severity Instrument (SSI-3), were analysed using intraclass correlation.

RESULTS

The interjudge reliability was good, especially for the frequency, duration, and severity parameters (90 per cent + agreement given 1 scale point difference). All parameters of the FreDESS had strong intrajudge reliability (ICC = 0.86-0.94) and the overall internal consistency was high (α = 0.98). The average ratings on the two assessment scales were in line with each other (r = 0.90-0.96), indicating high concurrent validity.

CONCLUSION

The FreDESS scale for the assessment of stuttered speech may be a valuable tool in clinical and research contexts. It is a valid and more time-efficient assessment instrument than the more commonly used SSI.

Fostering Digital Life Skills Through Social Media With Adolescents in 6 German States: Protocol for an Accessibility Study According to the RE-AIM Framework

BACKGROUND

Social media is essential in the lives of adolescents, with 97% of US teenagers engaging daily. While it facilitates communication, learning, and identity development, it also poses risks like harmful content exposure and psychological distress, particularly for adolescents in their critical developmental stage. Teaching digital life skills innovatively counters these risks, adapting traditional competencies such as decision-making, problem-solving, creative and critical thinking, communication, interpersonal skills, self-awareness, empathy, and emotional and stress management to digital challenges.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluates the accessibility of the "leduin" program, a novel intervention designed to impart digital life skills through Instagram. The program aims to leverage social media's educational potential, focusing on effective strategies to engage adolescents. Emphasizing accessibility is crucial, as it determines the program's overall impact.

METHODS

The leduin program, developed through intervention mapping, applies behavior change techniques via social media for 9th and 10th graders. It is a 14-week spaced learning curriculum with daily sessions <5 minutes. Emphasizing the "reach" aspect of the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) model, the recruitment targets diverse educational settings across 6 German states, aiming for inclusivity. Recruitment will involve schools, youth centers, and therapeutic facilities. The study seeks at least 128 participants, a calculated minimum to detect medium-sized effects in the quasi-experimental design and explore varying engagement levels and program responses. Data collection includes preintervention, postintervention, and 6-month follow-up surveys, using multilevel regression, latent growth models, and qualitative analysis to extensively assess reach and gain first insights on effectiveness, acceptance, implementation, and maintenance. The study aims to reveal key factors influencing program participation and interaction; a detailed analysis of engagement patterns will reveal the effectiveness of the recruitment strategies and barriers to participation. Additionally, initial indications of the program's impact on life skills, social media-related skills, health status, risk behaviors, and academic performance will be analyzed.

RESULTS

Recruitment was planned from May 2023 until the beginning of the leduin program in October 2023. As of March 2024, we have recruited 283 participants.

CONCLUSIONS

The leduin program stands as an innovative and essential initiative in adolescent health promotion, harnessing the power of social media to teach important digital life skills. This study highlights the critical role of accessibility in the success of social media interventions. Effective adolescent engagement strategies are imperative, as they dictate the overall impact of such interventions. The insights gained from this study will be instrumental in shaping future programs, laying groundwork for a subsequent, more comprehensive cluster-randomized controlled trial. The study's design acknowledges the limitations of the current quasi-experimental approach, including the anticipated sample size and the absence of a control group, and aims to provide a foundational understanding for future research in this field.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien DRKS00032308; https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00032308.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/51085.

"Encephalapp Stroop": Validity and reliability of a smartphone app to measure cognitive performance in physically active subjects

This study aimed to analyze the validity and reliability of a smartphone app (i.e., Encephalapp Stroop) to measure cognitive performance. Ten physically active individuals (mean age: 25.2 ± 4.3 years) participated in three laboratory visits. In a randomized sequence, subjects completed cognitive assessments using the app and a computer separately. The response times from 100 measurements for congruent and incongruent stimuli were compared between the two devices (app and computer) using the intraclass correlation coefficient, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (r), Cronbach's alpha (α), and Bland-Altman plots. There was excellent agreement between the computerized Stroop and the app version for response times for congruent (ICC = 0.806, p < 0.001; Bland-Altman bias = 41.3 ± 56.4 ms, p < 0.001) and incongruent stimuli (ICC = 0.755, p < 0.001; Bland-Altman bias = 76.4 ± 75.1 ms, p < 0.001). In comparison to the computerized version, the app demonstrated a moderate correlation for response times of congruent (r = 0.678, p < 0.001) and incongruent (r = 0.623, p < 0.001) stimuli. The results of the present study indicate that the response times of congruent and incongruent stimuli can be easily, accurately, and reliably evaluated using a mobile app.

Validity of Major Osteoporotic Fracture Diagnoses in the Danish National Patient Registry

Objective

To evaluate the validity of diagnosis codes for Major Osteoporotic Fracture (MOF) in the Danish National Patient Registry (NPR) and secondly to evaluate whether the fracture was incident/acute using register-based definitions including date criteria and procedural codes.

Methods

We identified a random sample of 2400 records with a diagnosis code for a MOF in the NPR with dates in the year of 2018. Diagnoses were coded with the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). The sample included 2375 unique fracture patients from the Region of Southern Denmark. Medical records were retrieved for the study population and reviewed by an algorithmic search function and medical doctors to verify the MOF diagnoses. Register-based definitions of incident/acute MOF was evaluated in NPR data by applying date criteria and procedural codes.

Results

The PPV for MOF diagnoses overall was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.98;0.99) and PPV=0.99 for the four individual fracture sites, respectively. Further, analyses of incident/acute fractures applying date criteria, procedural codes and using patients' first contact in the NPR resulted in PPV=0.88 (95% CI: 0.84;0.91) for hip fractures, PPV=0.78 (95% CI: 0.74;0.83) for humerus fractures, PPV=0.78 (95% CI: 0.73;0.83) for clinical vertebral fractures and PPV=0.87 (95% CI: 0.83;0.90) for wrist fractures.

Conclusion

ICD-10 coded MOF diagnoses are valid in the NPR. Furthermore, a set of register-based criteria can be applied to qualify if the MOF fracture was incident/acute. Thus, the NPR is a valuable and reliable data source for epidemiological research on osteoporotic fractures.

Validation of the Turkish version of the Neurological Fatigue Index for Stroke

INTRODUCTION

Post-stroke fatigue is an often overlooked problem that hinders recovery. Therefore, stroke patients should be evaluated for fatigue during the recovery period. This study aimed to adapt the Neurological Fatigue Index for Stroke (NFI-Stroke) into the Turkish language.

METHODS

This methodological study was carried out on 110 stroke patients admitted to a university hospital in Istanbul. In addition to the NFI-Stroke, Functional Independence Measure, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, modified-Rankin Scale, Fatigue Severity-Scale, and Stroke Self Efficacy Questionnaire were used to collect data.

RESULTS

Since the linguistic validity study of the scale has already been carried out, only psychometric properties were evaluated. The items in the scale were grouped under two factors. The Cronbach`s alpha coefficient was found to be 0.96 for the physical sub-dimension and 0.84 for the cognitive sub-dimension. Item-total correlation coefficients were found between 0.74-0.91 for the physical sub-dimension, and 0.82-0.91 for the cognitive sub-dimension. The test-retest evaluation confirmed the consistency of the responses to the scale against time. The scale was correlated with other scales used in the study as expected.

CONCLUSIONS

The NFI-Stroke will be useful in clinical practice in assessment of fatigue, which may affect the adaptation of patients to rehabilitation.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Bahasa Malaysia Version of the Lymphedema Functioning, Disability, and Health Questionnaire for Upper Limb Lymphedema in Patients with Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema

Background: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is the most prevalent comorbidity that occurs following breast cancer treatments and has negative impact on the patients' quality of life (QoL). The Lymphedema Functioning, Disability, and Health Questionnaire for Upper Limb Lymphedema (Lymph-ICF-UL) is a valid and reliable instrument in assessing the QoL of patients with BCRL. However, the Bahasa Malaysia (BM) version is not available yet. This study aimed to translate the Lymph-ICF-UL into BM and to evaluate its validity and reliability. Methods and Results: A forward-backward translation was performed based on Sousa's guideline, and then, the face, content, construct validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were tested. Face validity was assessed by five patients, and content validity was evaluated by six experts. Then, construct validity and internal validity were assessed in 107 patients. Finally, test-retest reliability was analyzed in 21 patients. Two items were eliminated following suggestions from the patients and experts. All patients found the scoring system and items clear and relevant. The results showed sufficient content validity index and modified kappa statistics value. Confirmatory factor analysis showed acceptable fit indices. Cronbach's alpha values ranged from 0.67 to 0.95, intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.88 to 0.99, standard error measurement was 2.29-6.15, and the Bland-Altman plot showed an agreement between two test occasions. Conclusion: These results suggested that the Lymph-ICF-UL BM has good validity and reliability in evaluating the QoL of patients with BCRL in Malaysia.

Examining and Comparing the Validity and Reproducibility of Scales to Determine the Variety of Vegetables Consumed: Validation Study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have reported that vegetable variety reduces the risk for noncommunicable diseases independent of the amount consumed.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine and compare the validity and reproducibility of several scales to determine vegetable variety.

METHODS

In total, 23 nutrition students in Japan reported their vegetable intake over the past month using a self-administered questionnaire between July and August 2021. Specifically, four scales were used: (1) a single question regarding the number of vegetables consumed (scale A); (2) a scale containing 9 vegetable subgroups included in the brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire (scale B); (3) a scale containing 19 vegetable items included in a self-administered diet history questionnaire (scale C); and (4) a scale containing 20 vegetable items from the Ranking of Vegetable Consumers in Japan, which was analyzed based on a report on the National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan (scale D). Scale validity was assessed by correlation with the number of vegetables consumed, which was collected from dietary records for 7 consecutive days. Reproducibility was assessed by test-retest reliability.

RESULTS

Regarding the validity of the 4 scales, significant correlations were found between scales C (ρ=0.51) and D (ρ=0.44) with vegetable variety based on dietary records, but scales A (ρ=0.28) and B (ρ=0.22) were not significantly correlated. Reproducibility showed a significant correlation in scale B (ρ=0.45) and strong correlations in scales C (ρ=0.73) and D (ρ=0.75).

CONCLUSIONS

The scales for vegetable items have acceptable validity and reproducibility compared to the scales that used a single question or vegetable subgroup and, therefore, may determine the variety of vegetables consumed.

Ecological validity of common behavioral decision making tasks: evidence across two samples

BACKGROUND

Clinicians and scholars routinely use behavioral decision tasks to assess real-world decision making capabilities. However, many common behavioral decision making tasks lack data on the extent to which they predict real-world risky behaviors. Across two pre-registered studies, and two timepoints, we assessed decision making abilities using common behavioral tasks and predicted participants' real-world risky decision making from task performance.

METHOD

In Study 1, 918 Mechanical Turk (MTurk) workers completed three decision making tasks in addition to assessments of real-world risk behavior: preventive health behaviors, COVID-19 vaccination status, and virtual social distancing task performance. In Study 2, 221 college student participants completed the Study 1 tasks plus additional assessments of decision making and real world risk and protective behaviors.

RESULTS

Across both studies, the selected behavioral decision tasks rarely predicted real world behavior and, when they did, the relationship was weak at best.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that these behavioral decision making tasks may not be good predictors of real world risky behavior at present, with some evidence that the specificity of the behavior being assessed matters (i.e. the closer the task was to the specific behavior being predicted), calling for additional ecological validity research, with a greater variety of tasks in the future.

Validity and reliability of the Sitting Assessment Scale in cerebral palsy

AIM

The aim of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Sitting Assessment Scale (SAS) in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP).

METHODS

The study included 34 individuals with a diagnosis of spastic CP. Individuals were evaluated with the Gross Motor Function Classification System and the Manual Ability Classification System. SAS and Trunk Control Measurement Scale (TCMS) were applied to the participants. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to determine the intraobserver and interobserver reliability of the scale scored by three different physiotherapists at two different time intervals. Internal consistency was calculated with Cronbach's ⍺ coefficient. The fit between SAS and TCMS for criterion-dependent validity was evaluated using Pearson Correlation Analysis.

RESULTS

According to the GMFCS level, 79.41% of the children were mildly (Level I-II), 14.71% were moderately affected (level III), and 5.88% were severely affected (level IV). Intra > observer and interobserver reliability values of SAS were extremely high (ICCinterrater > 0.923, ICCintrarater > 0.930). It was observed that the internal consistency of SAS had high values (Cronbach ⍺test > 0.822, Cronbach ⍺retest > 0.804). For the criterion-dependent reliability; positive medium correlations found between SAS with Total TCMS Static Sitting Balance (r = 0.579, p < 0.001), with TCMS Selective Movement Control (r = 0.597, p < 0.001), with TCMS Dynamic Reaching (r = 0.609, p < 0.001), and with TCMS Total (r = 0.619, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

SAS was found to have high validity and reliability in children with CP. In addition, the test-retest reliability of the scale was also high. SAS is a practical tool that can be used to assess sitting balance in children with CP.

The Development and Evaluation of the Kinesthetic Motor Imagery of Pelvic Floor Muscle Contraction Questionnaire (KMI-PFQ) in Spanish Women

Practitioners have begun using motor imagery (MI) for preventing and treating some pelvic floor disorders. Due to requirements for imagining before performing a MI intervention and because there are few instruments available for assessing this specific ability in the pelvic floor musculature, we sought to develop and test a new MI questionnaire, the Kinesthetic Motor Imagery of Pelvic Floor Muscle Contraction Questionnaire (KMI-PFQ). We focused in this study on the development and analysis of the instrument's factorial structure and internal reliability in a participant sample of 162 healthy Spanish women (M age = 20.1, SD = 2.2 years). We developed and evaluated the KMI-PFQ's psychometric properties, finding it to have good internal consistency, with Cronbach's α = .838, ω coefficient = .839, and an intraclass correlation coefficient = .809, with two factors ("ability" and "mental effort") explaining 58.36% of response variance. The standard error of measurement was 3.58, and the minimal detectable change was 9.92. No floor or ceiling effects were identified. There was also good convergent validity as seen by statistically significant positive correlations between KMI-PFQ scores and the revised-Movement Image Questionnaire and Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire. There were no statistically significant correlations between KMI-PFQ scores and the Orientation to Life Questionnaire. The KMI-PFQ is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring kinesthetic ability to feel/imagine pelvic floor muscle contractions in healthy Spanish women.

Psychometric properties and cut-off scores for the Swedish version of the Negative Acts Questionnaire: The full scale and short version

The present study investigates the psychometric properties and cut-off scores of a Swedish version of the Negative Acts Questionnaire, the most frequently used instrument to measure exposure to workplace bullying. Based on a probability sample of the Swedish workforce (n = 1853), we investigate the validity of both the full version (NAQ-R) and the short version (SNAQ). We suggest optimal cut-offs for the NAQ-R and SNAQ, and for the subscales measuring work- and person-related bullying. Based on the cut-off scores we provide estimates of prevalence in a Swedish context. The factor structure and psychometric properties are comparable to the Norwegian original and the English versions of the instrument. We also tested the criterion validity using 11 outcome and antecedent variables to bullying, and all provided support for its validity. The identified cut-off scores differentiate clearly when tested against the 11 variables used to test criterion validity in the study. The results showed that the Swedish version of the NAQ-R, including the SNAQ, is a valid measure of workplace bullying. To our knowledge, this study is the first study presenting statistical cut-offs for the NAQ-R subscales as well as investigating both the NAQ-R and the SNAQ simultaneously. The present study also provides some criticism against and suggestions for improving the NAQ-R, aiming to capture even more of the overall experience of exposure, ability to defend oneself, overall duration, and on- and offline exposure.

Assessment of clinical validity of KPG index for 3D classification of impacted maxillary canines by cone beam computed tomography in patients

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of this study was to assess the validity of the KPG index in predicting the difficulty of treatment involving impacted maxillary canines. The secondary objective was to assess the reliability and reproducibility of the index.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on 96 maxillary impacted canines (MIC) in 60 patients aged 13-35 years. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were used to predict the treatment difficulty of MIC using the KPG index. Patient case files were assessed for the actual difficulty encountered in treating MIC. Cohen's kappa correlation coefficient was used for intra-observer reliability and Kendell's W test was used for inter-observer reliability. Spearman's correlation coefficient test was used to assess the correlation between predicted and actual treatment.

RESULTS

Easy and moderately difficult cases exhibited a moderate correlation between actual and predicted treatment outcomes, whereas difficult cases displayed a weak correlation. The perfect correlation was observed exclusively in extremely difficult cases. The intra-observer reliability for assessing CBCT scans using the KPG guide was found to be 0.88, and the inter-rater reliability was 0.94.

CONCLUSION

The KPG index displayed 87%, 71%, 50% and 100% validity in easy, moderately difficult, difficult, and extremely difficult cases, respectively. This index showed good reliability and reproducibility. However, it is imperative to consider a multitude of other factors, including the patient's age, presence of associated root resorption in adjacent teeth, and duration of treatment, to make an informed decision between surgical exposure and extraction.

Erratum: Addendum: Validation of the digital health literacy assessment among the university students in China

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1294183.].

The Psychometric Properties of the Positive and Negative Suicidal Ideation Scale among Portuguese Young Adults

Preventing suicide has been a worldwide imperative for the last decade. Accurately assessing suicide risk is the first step towards prevention, and access to reliable tools that measure risk factors is essential to achieve this goal. The Positive And Negative Suicidal Ideation (PANSI) scale is a validated brief suicidal ideation scale that could prove useful to this goal due to its ability to measure both suicide risk and protective factors. The PANSI scale has been adapted to various languages and cultures across various clinical and non-clinical populations. Despite this, no Portuguese has been produced yet. The present study aimed to validate a Portuguese version of PANSI by evaluating its psychometric properties in a sample of 259 young adults. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the PANSI showed good psychometric properties (TLI = 0.95), good reliability for positive ideation (α = 0.84), and excellent reliability for negative ideation (α = 0.96). The scale also showed good discriminative ability through prediction of a previous suicide attempt and good construct validity in both subscales. The Portuguese adaptation of the PANSI scale is a reliable measure of positive and negative suicidal ideation that could prove useful in both clinical and research settings.

The Turkish minimum dataset for chronic low back pain research: a cross-cultural adaptation of the National Institutes of Health Task Force Research Standards

BACKGROUND

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has produced a minimal data set to promote more accurate and consistent reporting of clinical trials, facilitating easier comparison of research on low back pain patients worldwide. The NIH-minimal dataset has not been previously translated into Turkish, and its features are currently unknown. This study aimed to adapt the NIH-Minimal Data Set into Turkish and investigate its validity and reliability in Turkish-speaking patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

METHODS

In the study, 245 patients with CLBP were included. Test-retest and internal consistency analyzes were performed to evaluate the reliability of the NIH-minimal dataset. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2,1) value was used to assess test-retest analysis. Cronbach's alpha value was calculated for internal consistency. Total impact scores of the NIH-minimal dataset were compared with total scores of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) to assess construct validity. The minimal detectable change (MDC95) was calculated based on the standard error of measurement (SEM95).

RESULTS

The NIH-Minimal Data Set was found to have high test-retest reliability (ICC2,1 = 0.928) and high internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.905). The NIH-minimal dataset correlated well with RMDQ and ODI (r = 0.750 and 0.810, respectively). There were no floor or ceiling effects. Also, SEM95 and MDC95 for the total score were 4.57 and 12.55, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Considering all these data, it was concluded that the Turkish version of the NIH-minimal dataset is a valid and reliable outcome measure for evaluating patients with CLBP.

Psychometric testing of the Thai version of Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory version 2

AIM

To assess the psychometric properties of the Thai version of Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory version 2 (CC-SC-CII-v2) among primary caregivers of individuals with any single or multiple chronic illnesses.

BACKGROUND

The instrument encompasses three scales that evaluate Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care (CC-SC) Maintenance, Monitoring and Management.

METHODS

The English version CC-SC-CII-v2 was translated and adapted for Thai context, and a cross-sectional multicenter study involved 430 caregivers from 16 primary care centres in Thailand. Structural validity, internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability were examined.

RESULTS

The original two-factor CC-SC Maintenance scale required a re-specified model for good fit, while the CC-SC Monitoring and CC-SC Management scales fit well. The simultaneous model of three scales demonstrated satisfactory fit. The CC-SC Maintenance and CC-SC Management scales both had a composite reliability index of 0.85, with omega coefficients of 0.86 and 0.83, respectively. CC-SC Monitoring had an alpha coefficient of 0.89. The intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.84 to 0.91, indicating good test-retest reliability.

CONCLUSION

The Thai CC-SC-CII-v2 is a valid and reliable instrument that can provide clinicians and investigators with an evaluation of the contributions of caregivers to the self-care of patients with chronic illnesses.

Is the 5-Minute Time-Trial Cycling Test a Valid Predictor of Maximal Oxygen Uptake? An External Cross-Validation Study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to cross-validate a recently proposed equation for the prediction of maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O2max) in cycling exercise by using the average power output normalized by the body mass from a 5-minute time trial (RPO5-min) as the independent variable. Further, the study aimed to update the predictive equation using Bayesian informative prior distributions and meta-analysis.

METHODS

On different days, 49 male cyclists performed an incremental graded exercise test until exhaustion and a 5-minute time trial on a stationary cycle ergometer. We compared the actual V˙O2max with the predicted value obtained from the RPO5-min, using a modified Bayesian Bland-Altman agreement analysis. In addition, this study updated the data on the linear regression between V˙O2max and RPO5-min, by incorporating information from a previous study as a Bayesian informative prior distribution or via meta-analysis.

RESULTS

On average, the predicted V˙O2max using RPO5-min underestimated the actual V˙O2max by -6.6 mL·kg-1·min-1 (95% credible interval, -8.6 to -4.7 mL·kg-1·min-1). The lower and upper 95% limits of agreement were -17.2 (-22.7 to -12.3) and 3.8 (-1.0 to 9.5) mL·kg-1·min-1, respectively. When the current study's data were analyzed using the previously published data as a Bayesian informative prior distribution, the accuracy of predicting sample means was found to be better when compared with the data combined via meta-analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed equation presented systematic bias in our sample, in which the prediction underestimated the actual V˙O2max. We provide an updated equation using the previous one as the prior distribution, which could be generalized to a greater audience of cyclists.

Evaluating the Validity and Measurement Invariance of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Among Canadian Nurses

Background and Purpose: The patient health questionnaire 9 item (PHQ-9) is a widely used self-reported measure for screening depressive symptoms. This study aims to examine measurement invariance and psychometric properties of the PHQ-9 for screening depressive symptoms in nurses across different nursing roles, gender, and workplace sector. Methods: The study is a secondary analysis of pre-COVID and COVID-19 survey data from 4,176 nurses and 3,238 nurses in British Columbia. Data from the PHQ-9 tested the assumption of unidimensionality, reliability, and presence of differential item functioning (DIF). Results: The PHQ-9 showed excellent internal consistency (r = .9) and a unidimensional factor structure. PHQ-9 items were free of DIF across nursing roles, gender, and workplace sector. Conclusions: This study supported the valid use of the PHQ-9 as a screening tool for depressive symptoms among nurses.

Turkish Adaptation of the Frailty Index for Elders: A Methodologic Study

Background and Purpose: Frailty is an important problem in the aging process and can be prevented or delayed when detected at an early stage. Therefore, appropriate measurement tools are needed to determine frailty. The study aimed to adapt the Frailty Index for Elders (FIFE) into Turkish.Methods: Data were collected from 300 older individuals between January and April 2023. Rasch analysis was used to evaluate the construct validity. The KR-20 reliability coefficient of the factor items was evaluated and interpreted for internal consistency.Results: The reliability coefficient of the scale was .98, item separation (item separation index) was 7.62, and item reliability was .98. The content validity, based on the opinions of seven experts, was found as .85. In general, the relationship between the total scores of the individuals in the first application and the scores of the individuals in the second application was .92.Conclusions: It was concluded that the seven-item single-factor FIFE was a valid and reliable tool to measure the frailty of older individuals living in Turkey.

Using enrollment records to evaluate self-reports of monthly coverage in the redesigned current population survey health insurance module

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the veracity of self-reports of month-level health insurance coverage in the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS).

DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING

The CHIME (Comparing Health Insurance Measurement Error) study used health insurance enrollment records from a large regional Midwest insurer as sample for primary data collection in spring 2015.

STUDY DESIGN

A sample of individuals enrolled in a range of public and private coverage types (including Medicaid and marketplace) was administered the CPS health insurance module, which included questions about month-level coverage, by type, over a 17-18-month time span. Survey data was then matched to enrollment records covering that same time frame, and concordance between the records and self-reports was assessed.

DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS

Sample was drawn by the insurer's informatics specialists and Census Bureau interviewers conducted the survey. Following data collection, updated enrollment records were matched to the survey data to produce a person-level file of coverage by type at the month-level.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

For 91% of the overall sample, coverage status and type were reported accurately for at least 75% of observed months. Results varied somewhat by stability of coverage. Among those who were continuously covered throughout the 17-18 month observation period (which comprised 64% of the overall sample), that level of reporting accuracy was observed for 94% of the sample; for those who had censored spells (34% of the overall sample), the figure was 87%; and among those with gaps and/or changes according to the records (2% of the overall sample), for 82% of the group at least 75% of months were reported accurately.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that reporting accuracy of month-level coverage in the CPS is high and that the survey could become a valuable new data source for studying the dynamics of coverage, including the Medicaid unwinding.

Translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the Arabic version of the king's Parkinson's disease pain scale

PURPOSE

Pain in Parkinson's disease (PD) is a highly prevalent non-motor symptom occurring in this population. The King's PD Pain Scale (KPPS) was developed to assess pain in people with PD. This study aimed to provide a cross-cultural adaptation and translation of the KPPS into the Arabic language (A-KPPS), and to investigate the construct and convergent validity, internal consistency, and reliability of the translated scale.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The English KPPS was translated into Arabic and back-translated into English by an independent translation team. The Arabic version was tested in 103 native Arabic speaking PD patients. We assessed construct validity, convergent validity, and test-retest reliability of the A-KPPS using factor analysis method, comparison with other valid and reliable measures, and using intra-class correlations, respectively.

RESULTS

The A-KPPS had three main factors "somatic pain", "visceral and burning pain" and "orofacial pain", rather than the original four factors scale. The A-KPPS correlated with measures of disease motor severity, depression, anxiety, quality of life and pain (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the A-KPPS total score had high test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.9).

CONCLUSIONS

The A-KPPS demonstrated moderate to good validity and reliability. The A-KPPS can facilitate the assessment and treatment of pain in Arabic-speaking people with PD worldwide.

The Oxford Face Matching Test: Short-form alternative

A recently published test of face perception, the Oxford Face Matching Test, asks participants to make two judgements: whether two faces are of the same individual and how perceptually similar the two faces are. In this study, we sought to determine to what extent the test can be shortened by removing the perceptual similarity judgements and whether this affects test performance. In Experiment 1, participants completed two versions of the test, with and without similarity judgements, in separate sessions in counterbalanced order. The version without similarity judgements took approximately 40% less time to complete. Performance on the matching judgements did not differ across versions and the correlation in accuracy across the two versions was comparable with the originally reported test-retest reliability value. Experiment 2 validated the version without similarity judgements against other measures, demonstrating moderate relationships with other face matching, memory, and self-report face perception measures. These data indicate that a test version without the similarity judgements can substantially reduce administration time without affecting test performance.

Effects of Reference Group Instructions on Big Five Trait Scores

People responding to personality questionnaires rate themselves by comparing themselves to some reference group, but this reference group is typically not specified. In this study, we examined the differences between Big Five trait scores when people responded to trait questionnaires without a specified reference group, as is typical in personality assessment, and when they were asked to compare themselves to people in general, close others, people their age, people their same gender, their ideal self, or their past self. We found that personality scores tended to be more adaptive for between-person comparisons than for within-person comparisons. We also found that unprompted instructions produced mildly higher scores across all traits. There were few differences among between-person reference group conditions. Men rated themselves as slightly more agreeable when comparing themselves to other men. Implications for basic and applied personality assessment are discussed.

Performance of key physical tests for temporomandibular disorder via telehealth: Establishing validity and reliability

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals sought healthcare virtually. Physiotherapy is integral in managing temporomandibular disorders (TMDs); therefore, establishing how key physical tests can be appropriately adapted to telehealth is paramount.

OBJECTIVES

To establish the validity and reliability of telehealth (specifically videoconferencing) assessments against in-person assessments on a battery of TMD physical tests.

METHOD

A repeated-measures study design was undertaken. Thirty-six adult participants (19 healthy and 17 TMD) underwent concurrent temporomandibular joint (TMJ) physiological movement measurements via videoconferencing and in-person as per standard clinical practice. Inclusion criteria included the presence of central incisors and no significant comorbidities precluding a safe telehealth examination. Participants with TMD completed seven additional pain provocation physical tests.

RESULTS

Agreement between telehealth and in-person physiological movement measures was excellent (ICC >0.90, 95% CI: 0.53 to >0.99). Inter- and intra-rater reliability for telehealth measures indicated excellent reliability (ICC >0.97, 95% CI: 0.91 to >0.99). Exact agreement between telehealth and in-person for provocation tests ranged between 58.8% and 94.1%. Fourteen of the twenty-six individual measures produced substantial to near perfect agreement (PABAK = 0.65-0.88), seven produced moderate agreement (PABAK = 0.53), while five produced poor to fair agreement (PABAK = 0.18-0.29).

CONCLUSION

There is high level of agreement between telehealth and in-person measurements of TMJ physiological movement and pain provocation tests.

Validity and reliability of the Persian version of the WH-Question comprehension test in children With autism

Questions form essential components of everyday speech; therefore, it is appropriate to evaluate children with autism to understand what they are asking during the daily conversation. A proper tool is required to assess questions formed through interrogative pronouns (what are commonly known as Wh-questions). The present study investigates the validity and reliability of the WH-Question comprehension test in children with autism. A sample of 52 neurotypical children were recruited from nursery and primary schools, and a sample of 28 children with autism were recruited from different centers for children with autism. The WH-Comprehension test was translated into Persian according to the international test commission (ITC) guideline. The reliability of the test was determined by test-retest and Cronbach's alpha approach. The face validity of the Persian version of the "WH-Comprehension test" was confirmed. The CVR for the test was equal to 0.85%, and the CVI was equal to 0.89%. Furthermore, the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) for the total score was equal to 0.95, and Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient was calculated as 0.92. The results indicate that the translated WH-Comprehension test has acceptable validity and reliability within the sampled Persian groups and can be a helpful research tool.

Investigation of the validity and reliability of the short physical performance battery in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Practical, applicable, valid, and reliable tools are needed to assess physical performance in patients with Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) in a variety of settings, including routine clinical assessment, research studies, and community-based programs.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) among patients with TKA.

METHODS

We included 45 patients who underwent TKA surgery (mean age 68.89 ± 9.26). The SPPB, Timed up and go (TUG) test and, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Knee Score were administered to the patients. SPPB was performed twice on the same day with 1 h rest.

RESULTS

The ICC(2,1) coefficient, MDC95 and SEM values were 0.97, 1.02 and 0.37 respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient of the SPPB with the TUG and HSS was -.78, and 0.74 respectively.

CONCLUSION

SPPB has excellent reliability, and strong validity in assessing physical performance in patients with TKA. SPPB can identify even minimal detectable difference in physical performance and can be reliably used to monitor patient outcomes in the postoperative period for a comprehensive assessment of TKA in many physical performance domains, including balance, walking speed, and lower extremity strength.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

NCT06201637.

Development of Flood Preparedness Behavior Scale: A Methodological Validity and Reliability Study

BACKGROUND

Floods are the most frequent natural disasters with a significant share of their mortality. Preparedness is capable of decreasing the mortality of floods by at least 50%. This paper aims to present the psychometric properties of a scale developed to evaluate the behavior of preparedness to floods in Sudan and similar settings.

METHODS

In this methodological scale development study, experts assessed the content validity of the items of the developed scale. Data were collected from key persons of 413 households living in neighborhoods affected by the 2018 floods in Kassala City in Sudan. A pre-tested questionnaire of sociodemographic data and the Flood Preparedness Behavior Scale (FPBS) were distributed to the participants' houses and recollected. Construct validity of the scale was checked using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Internal consistency of the scale was checked using Cronbach's alpha. Test-retest reliability was assessed by Pearson's correlation coefficient. Item analyses and tests of significance of the difference in the mean scores of the highest and lowest score groups were carried out to ensure discriminatory power of the scale items.

RESULTS

Experts agreed on the scale items. Construct validity of the scale was achieved using EFA by removing 34 items and retaining 25 items that were structured in three factors, named as: measures to be done before, during, and after a flood. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the construct obtained by EFA. The loadings of the items on their factors in both EFA and CFA were all > 0.3 with significant associations and acceptable fit indices obtained from CFA. The three factors were found to be reliable in terms of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficients for all factors were > 0.7) and test-retest reliability coefficient. In item analysis, the corrected total item correlations for all the items were > 0.3, and significant differences in the means of the highest and lowest score groups indicated good item discrimination power.

CONCLUSION

The developed 25 items scale is an instrument which produces valid and reliable measures of preparedness behavior for floods in Sudan and similar settings.

Reliability and validity of a parent-reported screening tool for disordered eating in children and young people with type 1 diabetes

BACKGROUND

There is a high prevalence and complex overlap between type 1 diabetes (T1D) and disordered eating. However, screening for disordered eating in children and young people (CYP) with T1D is not routinely conducted, with reluctance reported by both professionals and parents. This study aimed to validate a parent-reported version of a validated disordered eating screening tool for CYP with T1D (the Diabetes Eating Problems Survey-Revised; DEPS-R).

METHODS

The existing DEPS-R was adapted for parental use. Eighty-nine parents of CYP with T1D aged 11-14 years completed the parent-reported DEPS-R and other questionnaires related to demographics, child eating behaviours and parental well-being. CYP of parents were invited to participate, with 51 CYP completing the validated CYP-reported DEPS-R for comparison.

RESULTS

The parent-reported DEPS-R demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.89). Moderate to good inter-rater reliability was found between the parent-reported DEPS-R and CYP-reported DEPS-R (ICC 0.746, 95% CI = 0.554-0.855, p < 0.001), indicating good convergent validity. Construct validity with hypothesised variables, including specific eating behaviours, diabetes-related distress, well-being, CYP BMI, gender and parental worry about CYP disordered eating, suggested validity of the measure. However, some hypothesised variables did not significantly correlate with the parent-reported DEPS-R as expected.

CONCLUSIONS

The parent-reported DEPS-R has demonstrated good reliability and validity, and it may provide clinical benefit by increasing screening and early detection of disordered eating in CYP with T1D. Whilst novel and providing stepped increase in our knowledge, these findings would benefit from further validation (e.g. in a larger sample and responsiveness).

Translation, validity and reliability of the pain attitudes and beliefs scale for physiotherapists in French

BACKGROUND

The Pain Attitudes and Beliefs Scale for Physiotherapists (PABS-PT) questionnaire evaluates manual therapists' biomedical and biopsychosocial beliefs regarding the management of chronic low back pain. Its usage in clinical settings is an important step in the implementation of national guidelines and policies to improve patient management.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to translate the PABS-PT questionnaire into French, to adapt it culturally, and to conduct a psychometric analysis.

DESIGN

Qualitative and cross-sectional study.

METHOD

The translation process followed published guidelines with cross-cultural validation by an expert committee. We followed a forward and backward translation procedure and an expert committee, including the original author of the questionnaire and a linguistics expert ensuring good cultural adaptation, issued a finalised version. Psychometric analysis of the French version of the questionnaire was conducted among 390 French manual therapists in two phases. The first phase evaluated structural validity as well as external validity compared with the TSK and BBQ questionnaires. Then, reliability and scalability were analysed. The second phase evaluated test-retest reproducibility by sending the same questionnaire 3 months later.

RESULTS

The validity study revealed three subscales: the classic biomedical subscale and two subscales for biopsychosocial beliefs (aetiology of pain and physical activity). With 21 items in total for the PABS-PT-FR, the structural validity scores were good (BM: alpha = 0.82, H = 0.38; Physical Activity: alpha = 0.62, H = 0.32; Aetiology of Pain: alpha = 0.55, H = 0.29).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a validated tool to assess French physiotherapists' and, more generally, healthcare providers' beliefs about chronic low back pain, with a new insight into the BPS subscale internal construct.

Psychometric properties of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in individuals with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): a systematic review

PURPOSE

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is used to assess anxiety and depression in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); however, its measurement properties lack critical appraisal. We aimed to summarize and critically appraise the validity, reliability, and responsiveness of the HADS in COPD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Five electronic databases were searched. The Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guidelines were used to assess the methodological and evidence quality in the selected studies.

RESULTS

Twelve studies assessed the psychometric properties of the HADS-Total and its subscales HADS-Anxiety and HADS-Depression in COPD. High-quality evidence supported the structural and criterion validity of the HADS-A, the internal consistency of the HADS-T, HADS-A, and HADS-D with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.73-0.87, and before-after treatment responsiveness of HADS-T and its subscales (minimal clinically important difference = 1.4-2; effect size = 0.45-1.40). Moderate-quality evidence supported the test-retest reliability of the HADS-A and HADS-D with excellent coefficient values of 0.86-0.90.

CONCLUSIONS

The HADS-A is recommended for use in individuals with stable COPD. The lack of high-quality evidence on the validity of the HADS-D and HADS-T prevented drawing robust conclusions about their clinical utility in COPD.

A brief version of the Scale of Emotional Development - Short

BACKGROUND

The Scale of Emotional Development - Short (SED-S) captures the level of emotional development in persons with a disorder of intellectual development (DID) with 200 items on five developmental levels. The study aims to develop a brief version of the SED-S.

METHODS

Based on item analysis (proportions, χ2 -test, Spearman's ρ and corrected item-total correlation), a brief version of the SED-S was developed in a sample of 224 adults with a DID (n1 ) and validated in a second independent matched sample (n2  = 223).

RESULTS

Item reliability ranged per item set from Cronbach's α = 0.835 to 0.924. Weighted kappa resulted in κω  = 0.743 (P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval = 0.690-0.802). Overall agreement of the brief version with the original SED-S was PO  = 0.7. The brief version of the SED-S showed weaknesses in distinguishing level 2 from the adjacent levels.

CONCLUSIONS

The brief version of the SED-S showed good reliability and moderate to good validity results. Items of phase 2 and, to some degree, of phase 5 should be revised to further improve the psychometric properties of the scale.

Self-Efficacy in Nepali Adults With Musculoskeletal Pain: Measurement Properties of Hard-Copy and Online Versions of the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire

The Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) is commonly used in pain self-efficacy research. Yet its Nepali translation is unavailable, limiting the ability to conduct cross-cultural research on the role of self-efficacy in musculoskeletal pain and its management. This study aimed to 1) translate and culturally adapt the 10-item (PSEQ-10) and 2-item (PSEQ-2) versions of the PSEQ into Nepali, 2) evaluate their measurement properties in Nepali adults with musculoskeletal pain, and 3) evaluate whether the type of administration (ie, hard-copy vs online) affected their measurement properties. The measurement properties of different administrations of the Nepali PSEQ-10 and PSEQ-2 were evaluated in 180 Nepali adults (120 hard-copy and 60 online administrations) with musculoskeletal pain. We conducted confirmatory factor analyses and estimated the measures' internal consistencies, test-retest reliabilities, and smallest detectable changes using standard error of measurement. We planned to conclude that the measures were valid if ≥ 75% of the validity hypotheses were supported. The results supported unidimensionality for the Nepali PSEQ-10. The Nepali PSEQ-2 and PSEQ-10 evidenced excellent internal consistencies (Cronbach alphas = .90-.95) and good to excellent test-retest reliabilities (intraclass correlation coefficient = .61-.85) for both administrations. Construct validity (r's ≥ .20) and concurrent validity (r's ≥ .83) were supported, as hypothesized. Both hard-copy and online administrations of the Nepali PSEQ-2 and PSEQ-10 are similar, reliable, and valid ways to assess self-efficacy in Nepali adults with musculoskeletal pain. The findings should facilitate telehealth and cross-cultural research on pain self-efficacy in Nepal. PERSPECTIVE: This is the first Nepali adaptation of a self-efficacy scale with testing of measurement properties for hard-copy and online administrations. It will facilitate the assessment of pain self-efficacy in clinical practice and research and facilitate a deeper cross-cultural understanding of the role of self-efficacy in musculoskeletal pain.

Myths and methodologies: Assessment of dynamic cerebral autoregulation by the mean flow index

The mean flow index-usually referred to as Mx-has been used for assessing dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) for almost 30 years. However, concerns have arisen regarding methodological consistency, construct and criterion validity, and test-retest reliability. Methodological nuances, such as choice of input (cerebral perfusion pressure, invasive or non-invasive arterial pressure), pre-processing approach and artefact handling, significantly influence mean flow index values, and previous studies correlating mean flow index with other established dCA metrics are confounded by inherent methodological flaws like heteroscedasticity, while the mean flow index also fails to discriminate individuals with presumed intact versus impaired dCA (discriminatory validity), and its prognostic performance (predictive validity) across various conditions remains inconsistent. The test-retest reliability, both within and between days, is generally poor. At present, no single approach for data collection or pre-processing has proven superior for obtaining the mean flow index, and caution is advised in the further use of mean flow index-based measures for assessing dCA, as current evidence does not support their clinical application.

Psychometric properties of the Fonseca Anamnestic Index (FAI) for temporomandibular disorders: Turkish version, responsiveness, reliability, and validity study

PURPOSE

Many assessment tools have been proposed for use in clinical practice and research on individuals with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). It aimed to translate the Fonseca Anamnestic Index into Turkish (FAI/T) and examine the responsiveness, reliability and validity of the FAI/T in this study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two hundred forty-nine individuals (207 female/42 male) with TMD were included in this study according to the RDC/TMD (muscle disorders, disc displacement, arthralgia and mixed disorders (muscle disorders and disc displacement)). Reliability was evaluated with test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and reproducibility. Validity was assessed with structural validity, construct validity, content validity, and face validity. In addition, responsiveness and floor and ceiling effects were also examined.

RESULTS

The ICC value (0.906) and Cronbach's α (0.951) of the (FAI/T) were excellent. Following Explarotary Factor Analysis, two factors were extracted, accounting for 51.859% of the total variation. Structural validity, construct validity, content validity, and face validity analyses proved the validity of the FAI/T. The responsiveness analysis showed that the Turkish FAI and its subscales were able to detect change over time.

CONCLUSIONS

The FAI/T has shown excellent reliability and good validity. The FAI/T can assess the symptoms of Turkish-speaking persons with TMD.Clinical Trials registration number: NCT04274985.

Validity, feasibility, and effectiveness of a voice-recognition based digital cognitive screener for dementia and mild cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older Chinese adults: A large-scale implementation study

INTRODUCTION

We investigated the validity, feasibility, and effectiveness of a voice recognition-based digital cognitive screener (DCS), for detecting dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a large-scale community of elderly participants.

METHODS

Eligible participants completed demographic, cognitive, functional assessments and the DCS. Neuropsychological tests were used to assess domain-specific and global cognition, while the diagnosis of MCI and dementia relied on the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale.

RESULTS

Among the 11,186 participants, the DCS showed high completion rates (97.5%) and a short administration time (5.9 min) across gender, age, and education groups. The DCS demonstrated areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUCs) of 0.95 and 0.83 for dementia and MCI detection, respectively, among 328 participants in the validation phase. Furthermore, the DCS resulted in time savings of 16.2% to 36.0% compared to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montral Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).

DISCUSSION

This study suggests that the DCS is an effective and efficient tool for dementia and MCI case-finding in large-scale cognitive screening.

HIGHLIGHTS

To our best knowledge, this is the first cognitive screening tool based on voice recognition and utilizing conversational AI that has been assessed in a large population of Chinese community-dwelling elderly. With the upgrading of a new multimodal understanding model, the DCS can accurately assess participants' responses, including different Chinese dialects, and provide automatic scores. The DCS not only exhibited good discriminant ability in detecting dementia and MCI cases, it also demonstrated a high completion rate and efficient administration regardless of gender, age, and education differences. The DCS is economically efficient, scalable, and had a better screening efficacy compared to the MMSE or MoCA, for wider implementation.

Validity and reliability study of the Turkish version of the Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale

AIMS

The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale (SHIS) among a sample of Turkish university students.

METHODS

This study was conducted with 291 university students. The SHIS was evaluated in terms of language equivalence, validity and the reliability. Content validity was assessed with the content validity index (CVI). Construct validity was determined by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). A Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was used for the analysis of internal consistency, a Pearson's correlation coefficient was used for parallel form reliability, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used for the test-retest technique.

RESULTS

The CVI of the SHIS was between 0.80 and 1.00. When the results of the CFA were examined, the factor loadings of all items were above 0.50. A statistically significant moderate positive correlation was found between the SHIS and the Sense of Coherence (SOC) scores for parallel form reliability (r = 0.489). Within the scope of the test-retest analysis, an ICC = 0.762 was determined (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The findings obtained from this validity and reliability study carried out on a sample of Turkish university students showed that the SHIS was both valid and reliable.

The Validity of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures of Quality of Life in Palliative Care: A Systematic Review

Importance: A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found that palliative care was not associated with improvement in quality of life (QOL) in terminal noncancer illness. Among potential reasons for a null effect, it is unclear if patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) measuring QOL were derived or validated among populations with advanced life-limiting illness (ALLI). Objective: To systematically review the derivation and validation of QOL PROMs from a recent meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) of palliative care interventions in people with terminal noncancer illness. Evidence Review: EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO were searched from inception to January 8, 2023 for primary validation studies of QOL PROMs in populations with ALLI, defined as adults with a progressive terminal condition and an estimated median survival of less than or equal to one year. The primary outcome was the proportion of PROMs that were derived or validated in ≥1 ALLI population. Findings: Twenty-one unique studies of derivation (n = 13) and validation (n = 11, 3 studies evaluated both) provided data on 9657 participants (mean age 63 years, 50% female) across 15 unique QOL PROMs and subscales. Among studies of validation, 9 were in people with cancer (n = 2289, n = 5 PROMs), 1 in neurodegenerative disease (n = 23, n = 1 PROM), and 1 with mixed diseases (n = 248, n = 1 PROM). Across 15 QOL PROMs and subscales, 47% (n = 7) were derived or validated in an ALLI population. The majority of these seven PROMs were exclusively derived or validated among people with cancer (57%, n = 4). QOL PROMs such as Quality of Life at End of Life, EuroQoL-5 Dimension 5-level, and 36-item Short Form Survey demonstrated validity in more than one terminal noncancer illness. Conclusions: Most QOL PROMs that measured the effect of palliative care on QOL in RCTs were neither derived nor validated in an ALLI population. These findings raise questions about the inferences that palliative care does not improve QOL among people with terminal noncancer illness.

Psychometric Support for a Brazilian Version of the Multidimensional Assessment of Teamwork in Sport (MATS-B)

In this study, we investigated psychometric support for a version of the Multidimensional Assessment of Teamwork in Sport (MATS) that would be suitable for Brazilian athletes. Four translators participated in the back-translation of this instrument from English to Portuguese, two specialists synthesized the Portuguese and English back-translation versions, and 10 experts assessed the questionnaire items and judged their content validity. To evaluate structural validity, we performed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). We evaluated internal item reliability with a sample of 447 athletes who completed the adapted measure (the MATS-B). Finally, 202 other athletes completed both the MATS-B and a second measure of collective efficacy (CEQS-B) to provide external validity correlates. With these data, the MATS-B now provides valid and reliable data supporting its use with Brazilian athletes in an adapted assessment tool that aligns with the conceptual framework of teamwork in sports.

The Bivalent Shape Task in a Dutch primary school population: A pilot study for a first psychometric assessment

OBJECTIVE

The Bivalent Shape Task (BST) tests the ability to suppress interfering information. The purpose of this study was to assess some psychometric properties of the BST in 5-11-year-old children, using multilevel analysis.

METHODS

The present study was initiated in a Dutch primary school in October 2019. The BST was administered as part of a larger neuropsychological assessment. The outbreak of Covid-19 and the subsequential lockdown in the Netherlands led to a premature termination of the study in March 2020. Data of 38 children were available. This dataset was analyzed and labeled as pilot.

RESULTS

Significant main effects of age, time components, levels, correct answer, and several interactions were found on the reaction time in the predicted direction. Random effects could also be modeled. A final statistical combination model is described.

CONCLUSION

Despite the small study sample, it seems to be justified to conclude that the BST is a potentially valuable instrument to test interference suppression in 5-11-year-old children. In the analysis of the BST, multilevel analysis has proven to be very rewarding. Since the present study only examined a small part of reliability and validity aspects, further psychometric research is desired.