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PubMed1995

Sexual sensation seeking and Sexual Compulsivity Scales: reliability, validity, and predicting HIV risk behavior.

Two studies are presented that evaluate newly developed scales of sensation seeking and sexual compulsivity. Results showed that the scales were reliable and correlated with convergent and divergent measures in expected directions in samples of both gay men (N = 296) and inner city low-income men and women (N = 158). Consistent with theories of sensation seeking, the scales corresponded to an attraction toward a range of sexual practices, including increased frequencies of unprotected intercourse and a greater number of sexual partners. As expected, sexual compulsivity was not related to variety and novelty in sexual practices, but was associated with lower levels of self-esteem and resistance to adopting sexual risk-reducing strategies. However important differences were observed between the gay men and heterosexual samples; scales correlated with substance use only among gay men, and sexual compulsivity was related to a range of sexual practices only among heterosexuals. The sensation seeking and Sexual Compulsivity Scales were therefore reliable, appeared valid, and useful in predicting sexual risk behaviors.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Development of a scale to assess the compliance of hypertensive patients.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of the "Compliance of Hypertensive Patients" scale (=CHPS), and assessment of its reliability and validity. Previous scales incorporate only activity in health regimens as indicators of hypertensive patients' compliance. The "Compliance of Hypertensive Patients" scale was developed to incorporate other indicators of compliance also, such as intention, responsibility and collaboration. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 103 patients, in five health care centres in Finland. Dimensionality was explored using principal component analysis and internal consistency was estimated according to a standard item analysis approach and Theta coefficient. Validity was assessed using face validity, content validity and criterion-related validity (through the use of concurrent validity). The data supported five subscales, labelled: lifestyle, intention, attitude, responsibility and smoking. Inter-item correlations ranged from 0.24 to 0.61 and corrected item-total correlations from 0.32 to 0.67, across subscales. The Theta coefficient demonstrated good internal consistency. This scale forms a useful starting point in the development of a reliable and valid tool to assess compliance of hypertensive patients, based on several indicators.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

The Assessment of Goal Commitment: A Measurement Model Meta-Analysis.

Goals are central to current treatments of work motivation, and goal commitment is a critical construct in understanding the relationship between goals and performance. Inconsistency in the measurement of goal commitment hindered early research in this area but the nine-item, self-report scale developed by Hollenbeck, Williams, and Klein (1989b), and derivatives of that scale, have become the most commonly used measures of goal commitment. Despite this convergence, a few authors, based on small sample studies, have raised questions about the dimensionality of this measure. To address the conflicting recommendations in the literature regarding what items to use in assessing goal commitment, the current study combines the results of 17 independent samples and 2918 subjects to provide a more conclusive assessment by combining meta-analytic and multisample confirmatory factor analytic techniques. This effort reflects the first combined use of these techniques to test a measurement model and allowed for the creation of a database substantially larger than that of previously factor analyzed samples containing these scale items. By mitigating sampling error, the results clarified a number of debated issues that have arisen out of previous small sample factor analyses and revealed a five-item scale that is unidimensional and equivalent across measurement timing, goal origin, and task complexity. It is recommended that this five-item scale be used in future research assessing goal commitment. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1977

Assessing depressive symptoms in five psychiatric populations: a validation study.

Data from five psychiatric populations and a community sample are presented on the CES-D, 20-item self-report depression symptom scale developed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies. Results show that the scale is a sensitive tool for detecting depressive symptoms and change in symptoms over time in psychiatric populations, and that it agrees quite well with more lengthy self-report scales used in clinical studies and with clinician interview ratings. Although a symptom scale cannot differentiate between diagnositc groups, the CES-D has demonstrated its validity as a screening tool for detecting depressive symptoms in psychiatric populations.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1988

Patient satisfaction with primary medical care. Evaluation of sociodemographic and predispositional factors.

As patient satisfaction has been demonstrated to influence certain health-related behaviors (e.g., compliance with medical regimens and use of medical services), research has attempted to identify its key determinants. Although the influence of patient characteristics often has been studied, attention has been focused on sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age and sex) rather than attitudinal or situational factors (e.g., confidence in the medical care system and feelings of internal control) that may predispose one toward satisfaction with care received. Data to test the relative importance of these types of determinants were collected in a general household survey of 400 persons. The patient satisfaction scale developed and tested by Roghmann and his colleagues using nonmetric multidimensional scaling was used. Multiple regression analysis was performed on the data. Results show that certain predispositional factors (confidence in the community's medical care system, having a regular source of care, and being satisfied with life in general) are more important predictors of patient satisfaction than patient's age, sex, race, educational attainment, or income.

Consumer Behavior↗

PubMed1988

Predicting repetition of deliberate self-harm: a review of the literature in the light of a current study.

Three hundred and sixty-five patients exhibiting deliberate self-harm (DSH) were rated for DSH repetition on the six-item predictive scale of Buglass & Horton and on a five-point predictive scale developed from a previous study by the author. The Buglass & Horton scale was more sensitive and more specific overall and for female patients, but the five-point scale predicted better for males, especially those aged under 35. The results are discussed in relation to previous work on the prediction of DSH repetition.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Children of alcoholic parents: health, growth, mental development and psychopathology until school age. Results from a prospective longitudinal study of children from the general population.

Of 640 women who paid their first visit to the two maternal welfare centres in a new Stockholm suburb during one prospective year, 532 (85%) were interviewed with regard to 41 stress factors forming a "life stress score" (LSS). The interviews were supplemented with data from hospital, social welfare and police records concerning the expectant mother and the father. The 532 mothers were divided into three groups according to the degree of psychosocial stress (group 1 (n = 194) without psychosocial stress; group 2 (n = 171) with severe psychosocial stress; and group 3 (n = 167) in an intermediate group). In group 2, there were 23 mothers and 51 fathers in 64 families known to suffer from alcoholism/heavy drinking at the time of the first interview and these comprised our study group. The pregnancies and deliveries in the families were investigated with prospective methods. There were 497 liveborn children of whom 54 were born into families known for alcoholism/heavy drinking. The physical health and development of the children was followed by prospective data from the child welfare centers. Data concerning psychological development and psychiatric health of the child were obtained by interviewing the mother and evaluating the child during visits at home at one and four years of age. At one year of age, 452 of the children (226 boys, 226 girls) and at four to five years of age, 412 of the children (202 boys, 210 girls), were evaluated using the Griffiths' Development Scales. Findings from these evaluations form the basis for comparison of development of children from alcoholic/heavy drinking parents with all other children. For 388 children, data were available from all examinations up to the end of the fourth year, including 38 children (12 boys, 26 girls) in the study group and 350 other children (183 boys, 167 girls). The present findings indicate that children of alcoholic parents in the general population who were followed from pregnancy up to the end of their fourth year have a higher risk of pre- and postnatal death, and have poorer mental development and more symptoms of a psychopathological child psychiatric nature (DSM-III) than other children. Differences related to physical development during infant years disappeared during the observation time. With regard to mental development over a longer period, it appears that factors related to the parent's addictions and the child's sex (i.e. male child) are more important than pediatric risk factors in the form of a score of reduced optimality.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Change in adaptive behaviour of severely and profoundly mentally handicapped adults in different residential settings.

A demographic sample of 28 severely and profoundly mentally handicapped adults with a mental age of four years and below were assessed on Part 1 of the Adaptive Behavior Scale (ABS) at three points 18 months apart. The Griffiths Mental Development Scales and Reynell Developmental Language Scales were also conducted at the first and last assessment points. The subjects were resident in either a small community-based home, the parental home or other residential institutions. The small-home group showed the greatest adaptive behaviour change particularly in the areas of independent functioning, domestic skills and self-direction and on the scale total. Although reservations are expressed on the accuracy of assessment, the ABS data and the comparative result received some validation from the mental age and language assessments. Gains were independent of subject characteristics. The study adds to the literature showing adaptive behaviour gains arising from transfer from institutional to more normal residential environments. However, in attributing the results found to the general characteristics of the residential settings, the explicit programming emphasis of the small-home service should not be overlooked.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1980

Alprazolam, a new type anxiolytic in neurotic patients. A pilot study.

Alprazolam is a new type triazolobenzodiazepine anxiolytic agent. 115 neurotic patients were treated with alprazolam for 4 weeks in an open label study. The daily dose of alprazolam ranged from 0.4 to 3.2 mg (average: 1.4 mg). 73% of the subjects experienced a slight to remarkable improvement. A particularly high improvement rate was observed in patients with initially severe sleep disturbances. No serious side effects were noted. Comparative characteristics of neurotic patients with insomnia (insomnia neurotic patients) were investigated and the validity of the PNRS-D (Psychoneurotic Rating Scale developed by the authors) in comparison with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale is discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Cross-validation and extension of the MMPI-A IMM scale.

Seventy-five female and 76 male college undergraduates participated in a cross-validation of the IMM scale, developed for the MMPI-A. These participants completed the IMM scale which was scored in two ways: one used the regular MMPI-A score, IMMA, and the other, IMM2, was based on the subset of these items that also appear in the MMPI-2. They also completed a gender-appropriate version of the Washington University Sentence Completion Test (WUSCT) and a brief biographical questionnaire. High inter-rater reliability (.80) was established for scoring the WUSCT for ego developmental level based on the most recent version of the scoring format. Statistically significant correlations were found between ego level scores and both the IMMA and the IMM2 scales. Means and standard deviations on both IMM scales for the males and females in the MMPI-A and the MMPI-2 restandardization samples, respectively, were obtained.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

[Point systems for evaluating coma in patients with injuries of the central nervous system (CNS)].

Paper reviews various coma scales which are used to monitor consciousness after sustaining severe injuries of CNS. Glasgow Coma Scale, at present the most frequently used, was compared to recently developed scales, which are more useful for monitoring persistent comas, allows to evaluate discrete changes in patient's state more precisely and to predict the outcome. The necessity of evoked potentials' measurements, such as Trigeminal-Auditory Glasgow (Coma Scale) has been stressed.

Brain Injuries↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Stress identification and coping patterns in patients on hemodialysis.

The types and severity of stressors and methods of coping with stress were assessed for 35 patients on hemodialysis. Coping was measured with a tested scale and stress was evaluated with a scale developed for the study. Test-retest reliability of the stressor scale was satisfactory (rs = .71). Results indicated that stressors experienced by the hemodialysis patient can be measured with an objective tool; psychosocial stressors have an impact equal to that of physiological stressors. Fluid restriction was ranked as the highest psychosocial stressor and the top physiological stressors were muscle cramps and fatigue. Patients on dialysis for one to three years indicated the greatest amount of stress. Patients used problem-oriented coping methods significantly more than affective-oriented methods (t [34] = 7.06), p greater than .001). Optimism and controlling the situation were the two most common coping methods, and putting the problem out of one's mind and blaming someone else were the least important coping tools.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1989

A new approach to the measurement of cognitive deficits in dementia.

Although scales developed for use with the general population and those developed for use with patients with dementia provide important assessment tools, there are certain questions that might best be answered by cognitive scales that span the range of difficulty from that of the healthy older adult through that of the patient with mild to moderate dementia. To address this need, six cognitive scales are being constructed by using data from both healthy older adult and probable Alzheimer populations in item development and analysis. It is anticipated that these scales will be useful in addressing questions about patterns of deficits in dementias of different etiologies, progression or improvement of function in demented patients, and relationships between cognition and other variables in cognitively impaired patients.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Preventing pressure sores in oncology patients.

This project addresses staff nurses' concerns about the development of hospital-acquired pressure sores in cancer patients. The Braden Scale and the National Pressure Sore Advisory Panel Staging System were pilot tested. The incidence of hospital-acquired pressure sores was 8% and a mean Braden score of 16 was sufficiently sensitive (82%) and specific (84%) for use with our patient population. Eighty-two percent (9/11) of the patients with a score of 16 on the Braden Scale developed a pressure sore that day. The model of pressure sore development constructed by Braden and Bergstrom (1987) was used to guide the development of a pressure sore prevention protocol. The pilot test of this protocol over 6 months showed no decline in the incidence of hospital-acquired pressure sores and a reduction in the sensitivity and specificity of the Braden Scale. Possible explanations for this finding and revisions to the protocol are suggested.

Humans↗

PubMed1994

Development of pigmented scales on rat skin: relation to age, sex, strain, and hormonal effect.

Development of brownish scales on the skin was examined in seven inbred strains of laboratory rats, Rattus norvegicus (F344, WM, WF, LOU, BUF, ACI, and LEJ rats) up to 104 weeks old. Pigmented scales appeared mainly on the dorsum of the body but also on the perineum and the tail. The distribution of the scales changed with age and showed sex and strain differences. In males of all seven strains except F344, the scales on the dorsal region appeared at puberty then gradually developed and spread extensively in a strain-dependent pattern, until the rats were of adult age. The coloring gradually decreased with further aging. However, in F344 rats, the coloring did not spread after puberty, and in adult rats, it was partial and very weak. Among female rats, scales appeared only in LEJ rats when they were of adult and old age. Gonadectomy in WM and WF rats caused fading of the dorsal scales in males but slightly induced coloring in females. Androgen administration to the gonadectomized rats increased the pigmented scales in both sexes of both strains. In F344 rats, however, skin color was hardly changed by gonadectomy and/or the subsequent androgen administration in either sex. In F344 male rats, the testosterone concentration in serum was not significantly lower than that of WM and WF male rats. These results indicate that the development of brownish scales on rat skin is dependent on age, sex, strain, and androgen, and it is suggested that the ability producing the scales is genetically poor in the F344 strain.

Aging↗

PubMed2002

Methodological quality of WHO medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use.

The use of consensus recommendations and clinical guidelines is now widespread in industrialized countries and is becoming more common in developing countries. As guidance documents have become more influential, their methodological rigor has come under closer scrutiny. Using two independently developed scales, we assessed the methodological quality of an important set of guidelines developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The consensus recommendation document called Improving Access to Quality Care in Family Planning: Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use has become the basis for national guidelines in dozens of countries. We compared the quality of the WHO guidelines to that of over 300 previously assessed, published guidelines. In most categories of quality, the WHO document exceeded the mean scores for other published guidelines. We discuss these comparisons, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the WHO guidelines.

Contraception↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Validation of the French version of the Fecal Incontinence Quality-of-Life (FIQL) scale.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this multicenter study was to validate the French version of the fecal incontinence quality-of-life scale (FIQL scale) developed in the Unites States of America. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The FIQL scale has 29 items in four scales: lifestyle, coping/behavior, depression/self-perception and embarrassment. Each item is scored from 1 to 4, with poorest quality-of-life scored 1. An average is calculated for each scale. After linguistic validation of the questionnaire, the French version of the FIQL scale was tested twice, at day 0 and day 7, by 100 patients with fecal incontinence (FI). Construction validity, internal reliability, clinical validity and reproducibility were analysed. RESULTS: Analysis of convergent validity of the French version of the FIQL scale showed very good correlation between items and the corresponding scale for lifestyle (0.50-0.79) and depression/self-perception (0.44-0.74), good correlation for coping/behavior (0.31-0.70) and weak correlation for embarrassment (0.30-0.40). Valid discrimination was observed for 24 of the 29 items. Internal reliability was good for each scale (alpha Cronbach between 0.78 and 0.92). Scores determined with the FIQL scale were significantly correlated with Wexner FI scores, demonstrating the clinical validity of the instrument. Reproducibility, evaluated in patients whose FI was unchanged between day 0 and day 7, was good with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.80 (embarrassment) to 0.93 (lifestyle). CONCLUSIONS: The linguistic and psychometric evaluation demonstrated the validity of the French version of the FIQL scale. This standardized instrument is now available for clinical use in France for quality-of-life assessment in patients with FI.

Adult↗

PubMed1980

Indirect self-destructive behavior in the elderly nursing home patient.

The incidence of indirect self-destructive behavior (ISDB) is explored in a sample of 99 male, predominantly elderly nursing home patients, using a rating scale (ISDB Scale) developed by the authors in a previous study. Scores from the ISDB Scale are correlated with psychological test material, background information, and other descriptive data for the sample of patients. Findings indicate that the use of ISDB in the elderly patient group is associated with direct suicide potential, dissatisfaction with the treatment program and with life in general, confused reasoning and judgment, poor prognosis for discharge, the absence of religious commitment, and significant losses in the patient's life. It appears from the findings that ISDB serves as an alternative form of suicide for many of these patients.

Aged↗