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PubMed1985

Factor structure and construct validity of the Denman Neuropsychology Memory Scale.

Correlational data on the recently published Denman Neuropsychology Memory Scale (DNMS; Denman, 1984) were subjected to a series of factor analyses. Although a major feature of the DNMS is computation of Verbal, Non-Verbal and Full Scale Memory Quotients, the factor analyses did no support this practice. Since the factor results demonstrated initial support for the construct validity of some of the DNMS subtests, it is recommended that interpretation be based on subtest performance. The present results and suggested future investigations of DNMS construct validity are discussed in relation to current issues in clinical memory assessment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Reliability and validity of a structured interview guide for the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (SIGH-A).

The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, a widely used clinical interview assessment tool, lacks instructions for administration and clear anchor points for the assignment of severity ratings. We developed a Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (SIGH-A) and report on a study comparing this version to the traditional form of this scale. Experienced interviewers from three Anxiety Disorders research sites conducted videotaped interviews using both traditional and structured instruments in 89 participants. A subset of the tapes was co-rated by all raters. Participants completed self-report symptom questionnaires. We observed high inter-rater and test-retest reliability using both formats. The structured format produced similar but consistently higher (+ 4.2) scores. Correlation with a self-report measure of overall anxiety was also high and virtually identical for the two versions. We conclude that in settings where extensive training is not practical, the structured scale is an acceptable alternative to the traditional Hamilton Anxiety instrument.

Anxiety Disorders↗
PubMed1978

Two-dimensional real-time ultrasonic imaging of the heart and great vessels. Technique, image orientation, structure identification, and validation.

Conventional M-mode echocardiography has become established as a diagnostic tool for noninvasive evaluation of cardiovascular diseases. Now the advent of two-dimensional real-time echocardiography has opened a new era of investigation. This paper describes in detail the technique of a complete two-dimensional ultrasonic examination of the heart and great vessels. Four transducer locations were commonly utilized--namely, parasternal, apical, subxiphoid, and suprasternal notch positions. The tomographic sections of the heart obtained along the long and short axes of the heart and great vessels by utilizing the above positions were validated by detailed anatomic and contrast echocardiographic techniques.

Echocardiography↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Diagnosing depression in the medically ill: validity of a lay-administered structured diagnostic interview.

Understanding the validity of structured psychiatric diagnostic interviews in medically ill patients will advance the ability to conduct research into the treatment and management of these disorders in general medical settings. We compared the University of Michigan version of the CIDI (Composite International Diagnostic Interview) for major depression to a clinical gold standard, derived through Spitzer's Longitudinal, Expert, All Data (LEAD) criteria based on the SCID-III-R. A convenience sample of medical inpatients was administered the SCID-III-R and the CIDI for major depression in random order. A physician panel reviewed the SCID interview and other pertinent data and determined whether patients had a lifetime or current (past month) diagnosis of major depression. The CIDI was scored with and without hierarchical exclusions for mania, hypomania, substance use, or medical illness. When the UM-CIDI was scored for a lifetime diagnosis of major depression without hierarchical exclusions, agreement above chance (kappa) was very good (kappa = 0.67) between the CIDI and the physician panel and good (kappa = 0.46) when the UM-CIDI was scored with exclusions. Agreement above chance for diagnosis of a recent disorder was better for UM-CIDI scoring with exclusions (kappa = 0.51) compared to scoring without exclusions (kappa = 0.43). Predictive value-positive was excellent in both scoring versions for a lifetime diagnosis (82%) and good to very good for current depression (46% and 62%). In all cases predictive value-negative was very good to excellent (77-93%). Discordant cases were almost uniformly due to difficulties in attribution of symptoms to medical illnesses. We conclude that the CIDI can perform acceptably as a research instrument to diagnose major depression in medically ill patients, potentially supplemented by clinician review of cases identified by the CIDI with current disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

EUROQUEST--a questionnaire for solvent related symptoms: factor structure, item analysis and predictive validity.

The study evaluates the factor structure and predictive validity of the symptom questionnaire EUROQUEST (EQ) that had been developed with the goal of simplifying the evaluation of health effects associated with long-term solvent exposure. The EQ was added to the normal evaluation procedures for 118 male patients with suspected solvent-induced toxic encephalopathy (TE) referred to seven Swedish clinics of occupational medicine during an 18-month period. EQ was also completed by 239 males from a random sample of 400 Swedish males aged 25-64 years selected from the general population and a sample of 559 occupationally active male spray painters aged 25-64 years. Factor and item analyses of EQ responses were performed. Ordinary least square regression analysis was used to evaluate sensitivity and correlation to evaluate the specificity of EQ and the separate components. Questions concerning memory and concentration symptoms alone showed better sensitivity than the other five EQ dimensions singly or combined for the entire EQ and for a subset of questions approximating Q16, a widely used organic solvent symptom screening questionnaire. However, the diagnosis of TE required information in addition to exposure and responses to EQ and Q16-like questions. The results indicate that the subset of EQ questions concerning memory and concentration might replace the more cumbersome EQ and less sensitive Q16 in screening for TE, although none of the screening instruments alone replaces current clinical diagnostic procedures.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[On the validity of the axis "Structure" of operationalized psychodynamic diagnostics].

OBJECTIVES: As part of the concurrent validity, we aimed to empirically study the association between the axis IV (structure) of the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics (OPD) and corresponding constructs, which were assessed byself-report measures. METHODS: The structural level of 132 psychiatric inpatients was related to the findings of the Borderline-Personality-Inventary (BPI) and the Toronto-Alexithymia-Scale (TAS-20). RESULTS: Analyses of variances indicated that patients with a good structural level scored lower on the BPI and its subscales than those with a low level. However, posthoc comparisons revealed that significant differences were only found between the good and the moderate or the low level respectively. There was no association between the structure and alexithymia. CONCLUSIONS: Despite some methodological limitations our findings point at a satisfactory validity of the axis "structure" of the OPD. However, its limited ability to discriminate between patients with a moderate and a low level of structural integration needs further attention.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Validation of an objective structured clinical examination in psychiatry.

PURPOSE: To examine the validity of a psychiatry clerkship's objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). METHOD: In 1996, 33 clinical clerks and 17 psychiatry residents at the University of Toronto participated in an eight-station OSCE evaluated by psychiatrist-examiners using binary checklists and global ratings. Prior to the OSCE, communication course instructors were asked to rank the clerks on interviewing ability, and faculty supervisors were asked to identify the OSCE stations on which the clerks were likely to do well or poorly. RESULTS: Mean OSCE scores were significantly higher for the residents than for the clerks on global ratings but not on checklists. The communication instructors accurately predicted the clerks' rankings on the global scores but not their scores on the checklists. The faculty supervisors predicted with moderate accuracy the clerks' success on the OSCE stations as measured by the checklists but not by the global ratings. The residents rated the OSCE scenarios as highly realistic. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence of construct and concurrent validity together with high ratings of realism suggest that a psychiatry OSCE can be a valid assessment of clerks' clinical competence.

Clinical Clerkship↗
PubMed1990

Cross-validation of the factor structure of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale.

The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) is a self-report measure of the alexithymia construct. In previous studies with college students, the TAS demonstrated excellent psychometric properties including a 4-factor structure theoretically congruent with the alexithymia construct. The present study attempted to cross-validate the factor structure of the TAS with samples of normal adults, psychiatric outpatients and college students. Congruence coefficients comparing the similarity of the factor structures for these three samples indicated good congruence for all four factors. The results provide further support for the validity of both the TAS and the alexithymia construct. In addition, the results provide evidence of the applicability of the scale to normal adult and clinical samples.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Validation of an objective structured assessment of technical skill for surgical residents.

PURPOSE: This study examined the concurrent validity of the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OSATS), a new test of technical skill for general surgery residents. METHOD: Twelve residents (six in their senior, or fifth, year and six in their junior, or third, year) at the University of Toronto in 1994-95 were ranked within level of training according to their OSATS marks and by surgical faculty. Correspondence between OSATS and faculty rankings was assessed using Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The correlations between test scores and faculty rankings were generally high for the senior residents but low for the junior residents. CONCLUSION: Scores on the OSATS accurately reflect the independent opinions of faculty regarding the technical skills of senior residents, suggesting that it is a valid measure of technical skill for these individuals. The scores did not, however, reproduce faculty rankings of the junior residents. Whether this was a failing of the OSATS or the faculty rankings requires further study.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1990

Reliability and validity of the objective structured clinical examination in assessing surgical residents.

The purpose of this research was to assess reliability and construct validity of the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) for evaluating the clinical skills of surgical residents. Reliability refers to precision of the examination and construct validity to the degree to which the examination can discriminate between different levels of training. Twenty-seven second postgraduate year surgical residents took a 38-station OSCE representing seven surgical specialties and that tested history-taking, physical examination, problem-solving, technical skills, and attitudes. A couplet methodology was used wherein a patient encounter was followed by written questions aimed at testing problem-solving and patient management capabilities. Thirty-six standardized patients were trained and 36 surgeons served as examiners marking from structured checklists. Overall reliability, Cronbach's alpha, was 0.89. Construct validity was examined by comparing the scores of the residents with those of a group of graduates of foreign medical schools applying for a "pre-internship" program. For 17 of 19 stations that both groups took, the residents performed significantly better (p less than 0.01). Individual station validity was significant for 32 of 38 stations (r = 0.36 to 0.82, p less than 0.05). The examinations took 3.83 hours at a cost of $5,293 (Canadian dollars). The OSCE has been shown to be a reliable method of assessing clinical skills of surgical residents, construct validity has been established, and inter-item validity confirmed. Reliabilities achieved exceed those traditionally required for both acceptance and promotion decisions.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1989

Validity, reliability, and factor structure of the Anorectic Cognitions Questionnaire.

Several authors have hypothesized cognitive distortion as central to the psychopathology of anorexia nervosa and bulimia. However, there have been few investigations of these hypotheses. Equally as important, psychometrically sound devices for assessing these cognitions are notably lacking. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the psychometric characteristics of the Anorectic Cognitions Questionnaire (MAC). This study reports on initial item development, initial concurrent validity, factor structure, initial item refinement, and internal consistency. Results indicated that the MAC has good concurrent validity, three theoretically defined factors were empirically supported, and the scale is internally consistent.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Reliability and validity of an objective structured clinical examination for assessing the clinical performance of residents.

Clinical performance of residents should be assessed as reliably and validly as possible. This study investigated the reliability and validity of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) for assessing clinical performance of internal medicine residents. Residents were required to take a 17-patient OSCE in their first and second year. Reliability of the OSCE was 0.40. Validity studies indicated second-year students were significantly better than third-year students for five of six OSCE skill scores; first-year students were significantly better for three scores. Resident's scores for diagnosis, plan, and total significantly increased on their second OSCE. Generally faculty overall ratings of residents' clinical performance did not correlate with OSCE scores. American Board of Internal Medicine certifying examination scores were consistently positively correlated only with diagnosis. This 17-case OSCE is a feasible method for obtaining moderately reliable, valid data not available from other sources about the clinical performance of residents. More cases should be added to increase its reliability.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2002

Standardization of the behavioral and emotional rating scale: factor structure, reliability, and criterion validity.

The present study reports on the standardization of the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale and examines its factor structure, reliability, and criterion validity. Data on a national sample of children without disabilities (n = 2,176) and children with emotional and behavioral disorders (n = 861) were collected. Analysis of the data from the first sample identified five factors: interpersonal strengths, family involvement, intrapersonal strength, school functioning, and affective development. The factors appeared to be highly stable and reliable (.79 to .99). No statistically significant age or gender differences were noted, although females were rated higher on each factor and the overall score. The second sample was rated significantly lower than the first across the factors and total score. The article discusses future research issues and practical implications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

On the validity of an Augmented Structured Interview for measuring subcomponents of the Type A behavior pattern.

This study was designed to provide validity data for the Augmented Structured Interview (ASI), which has been developed to measure subcomponents (as opposed to the global) Type A behavior pattern (TABP). Eighty subjects from a large private southwestern medical center were administered a self-report measure of the TABP (the Jenkins Activity Survey--JAS) and the ASI. Forty of the subjects were being treated for post-infarction coronary heart disease (CHD). The remaining forty subjects did not possess documented CHD. The obtained ratings for all the six ASI-measured Type A subcomponents were significantly higher for the CHD than for the non-CHD group. A discriminant functions analysis revealed that the ASI was superior to the JAS in correctly classifying CHD and non-CHD subjects. These outcomes are interpreted as providing initial support for the validity of the ASI.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Cross-cultural validity of the Miami Structured Interview--1 for type A in children: the American-Hellenic Heart Study.

The Miami Structured Interview--1 was developed (1) to assess Type A behaviour in a broader age range of children than tested with previous interviews, and (2) for cross-cultural studies. This study examined the validity of the Miami Structured Interview--1 for assessing Type A behavior in 507 American and Greek preadolescent (ages 7-11) and adolescent (ages 12-16) boys. The interview was scored on voice stylistics such as speed of speech, word emphasis, and latency of response. Validity was tested using the Matthews Youth Test for Health (MYTH), a teacher rating scale of Type A behaviors. Interview determined Type A's received significantly higher MYTH scores than non Type A's for American adolescents (p less than 0.05), Greek preadolescents (p less than 0.01), and Greek adolescents (p less than 0.05). The interview also identified extreme groups of Type A's and Type B's for American adolescents (p less than 0.01) and Greek preadolescents (p less than 0.05). The findings support the cross-cultural validity of the Miami Structured Interview--1 and the Type A construct for children. Limitations of the Miami Structured Interview--1 are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

[The validity, reliability and factor structure of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI)].

PURPOSE: The Brief Symptom Inventory is an instrument used in psychopathological evaluations. The standardization study of the instrument was carried out previously in a sample of university students (mean age=21.02) by the authors (Sahin & Durak, 1994). The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether the psychometric characteristics obtained for that sample were also valid for adolescents. METHOD: The sample consisted of a total of 559 adolescents (287 female and 272 male), randomly chosen from different socio-economic backgrounds, living in different neighbourhoods in Ankara. The other instruments used for validation were the Social Comparison Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Trait Anxiety Scale, and the Life Satisfaction Scale. RESULT: The factor analyses revealed five factors whose item distribution matched very closely that of the previous study on university students. The alpha coefficients of the factor subscale ranged between .70 (for depression) and .88 (for somatization). The correlation coefficients of the factor subscale with the other instruments ranged between -.45 (p<.001) and .71 (p<.001). The current study also contains the results of the analyses in terms of the demographic variables and the three index scores that can be obtained from the inventory. DISCUSSION: The findings concerning the factorial structure and concurrent validity of the BSI with the criterion measures show that the instrument can be used with adolescents as well. The factorial structure obtained with the current adolescent sample is very similar to the one obtained with the university sample (Sahin & Durak, 1994). The researchers think that the same factor subscale can be used with adolescent samples as well.

English Abstract↗