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PubMed1995

[Psychometric function of stereo disparity in normal persons].

UNLABELLED: The accuracy and efficiency of threshold estimation depend on a priori knowledge of the shape of the psychometric function. Such knowledge is available for contrast detection and visual acuity, but not for disparity detection. METHODS: We studied the psychometric function for disparity detection in 26 visually normal, untrained observers by measuring detection rates over a wide range of disparities. In a two-alternative forced-choice (2AFC) task the subject had to decide whether the right or left of two vertical bars, differing in depth, was closer to them. An S-shaped Weibull function was fitted to each subjects's data using the maximum-likelihood procedure. RESULTS: In 21 of the 26 subjects the psychometric function rose with increasing disparities up to a level of about 100%. Five of the 26 subjects only reached hit rates clearly below 100% (66% to 82%), even at disparities well above the threshold. The mean slpe of the S-shaped psychometric function of disparity detection was much lower (1.2 Weibull units) than that known for visual acuity and contrast detection (about 3.0 Weibull units). The slope differed widely among subjects, but was not related to stereo acuity. CONCLUSION: For accurate and efficient estimation of stereo acuity, the shallow slope of the psychometric function requires more than 100 single trials around the threshold if a 2AFC procedure is used. In addition, several disparities well above the threshold must be presented in order to detect subjects who do not reach a hit rate of 100% at any disparity. Otherwise, stereo acuity would be underestimated in these subjects.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Effect of educational level, gender and age on the performance in a multi-user computerized psychometric test system for use in clinical pharmacological studies.

197 native, drug-free healthy young volunteers performed psychometric tests on a single occasion, using a new multi-user computerized test system which consists of tests of simple reaction time, complex reaction time, vigilance, concentration, motor coordination, short-term memory (word pairs or figures) and abstract language-free reasoning (2 versions). Normality of distribution of all psychometric variables was checked. For the reasoning tests and the memory tests, internal consistency and parallel test reliability were determined. Cross-correlations between the variables and factor analysis were done to evaluate whether different tests measure different brain functions. Multivariate variance analysis was carried out to test the effect of the independent factors school education, gender and age on the performance in the psychometric tests. Subjects with a lower school education level performed worse in the reasoning tests, the concentration test and the memory tests. Females were slower in the coordination test and made fewer correct solutions in the concentration test. Older subjects performed worse in the reasoning tests and had a longer working time in the memory tests than younger ones. The results show the necessity of psychometric screening of volunteers before recruitment for clinical pharmacological psychometric studies in order to reduce-individual variability.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1979

Clinical, psychometric and radiological signs of brain damage in chronic alcoholism.

A total of 34 male inpatients with advanced chronic alcoholism and a clinical picture of impaired working capacity were examined by pneumoencephalography and 29 of them by psychometric tests. All or almost all (depending on the criteria chosen) showed degenerative changes in the cerebrum and about one-third showed degenerative changes in the cerebellum. All 29 patients who were psychometrically investigated showed signs of cerebral dysfunction. The correlation between the single pneumoencephalographic and psychometric variables was at most 0.46 and abnormalities of the third ventricle showed the highest correlation to the psychometric variables. An overall assessment of the degree of degenerative changes in the cerebrum (pneumoencephalographic findings) and the degree of cerebral dysfunction (psychometric findings) resulted in a correlation of r = 0.54 (P less than 0.001).

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Estimation of psychometric functions from adaptive tracking procedures.

Because adaptive tracking procedures are designed to avoid stimulus levels far from a target threshold value, the psychometric function constructed from the trial-by-trial data in the track may be accurate near the target level but a poor reflection of performance at levels far removed from the target. A series of computer simulations was undertaken to assess the reliability and accuracy of psychometric functions generated from data collected in up-down adaptive tracking procedures. Estimates of psychometric function slopes were obtained from trial-by-trial data in simulated adaptive tracks and compared with the true characteristics of the functions used to generate the tracks. Simulations were carried out for three psychophysical procedures and two target performance levels, with tracks generated by psychometric functions with three different slopes. The functions reconstructed from the tracking data were, for the most part, accurate reflections of the true generating functions when at least 200 trials were included in the tracks. However, for 50- and 100-trial tracks, slope estimates were biased high for all simulated experimental conditions. Correction factors for slope estimates from these tracks are presented. There was no difference in the accuracy and reliability of slope estimation due to target level for the adaptive track, and only minor differences due to psychophysical procedure. It is recommended that, if both threshold and slope of psychometric functions are to be estimated from the trial-by-trial tracking data, at least 100 trials should be included in the tracks, and a three- or four-alternative forced-choice procedure should be used. However, good estimates can also be obtained using the two-alternative forced-choice procedure or less than 100 trials if appropriate corrections for bias are applied.

Attention↗

PubMed1984

Social support and social network scales: a psychometric review.

Social support and social network scales were reviewed from a psychometric perspective. A sample of 29 behavioral science studies were selected from social support and social network articles published between 1967 and 1982. Each study was classified according to psychometric issues of scaling, reliability, and validity. The review was motivated by the hypothesis that many social support and social network scales are developed without complete utilization of existing measurement technology. Results of this review confirm this hypothesis. Limited availability of basic psychometric data for such scales attenuates theory development and research efficiency. Researchers in this field are encouraged to increase the availability of basic psychometric information for social support and social network scales.

Humans↗

PubMed1995

Psychometrically matched tasks for assessment of hemispheric asymmetries of function.

One of the best methods for studying subtle lateralizing signs of brain dysfunction is the use of psychometrically matched tasks. The current study reports the development and psychometric matching of two pairs of measures of language and visual-spatial functioning. We expanded and modified four existing neuropsychological measures in order to develop tasks with a wide range of item difficulty that could be administered to subjects with impaired attention or extreme fatigue. Using 413 subjects, a Word Finding and a Dot Localization task were matched on their distribution of item difficulty and item-scale correlations. Measures of Similarities and Line Orientation were matched similarly. The psychometric matching for both pairs of tests was cross-validated using an additional 413 subjects. The matched measures of Word Finding and Dot Localization have been used in several studies to date and have proven valuable for identifying subtle lateralized impairment that might otherwise be obscured by psychometric artifacts.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1980

Clovoxamine and fluvoxamine-2 biogenic amine re-uptake inhibiting antidepressants: quantitative EEG, psychometric and pharmacokinetic studies in man.

In a double-blind placebo-controlled study, the encephalotropic, psychotropic, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of 2 new substances, clovoxamine (a 5-HT and NE re-uptake inhibitor) and fluvoxamine (a selective 5-HT inhibitor) were investigated utilizing quantitative pharmaco-EEG, psychometric and blood level analyses. Ten normal volunteers received randomized and in weekly intervals oral single doses 50 mg, 75 mg and 125 mg clovoxamine, 75 mg fluvoxamine, placebo and as reference drug 75 mg imipramine. Quantitative EEG, psychometric data, pulse, blood pressure, side effects and pharmacokinetic data were studied at the hours 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8. Plasma levels of both substances peaked in the 4th to 6th hour and declined slowly thereafter. Digital computer period analysis of the EEG demonstrated after clovoxamine only minor changes characterized by an increase of fast beta-activities suggesting slight activating qualities of the drug. On the other hand 75 mg fluvoxamine and especially 75 mg imipramine produced marked CNS changes characterized by a concomitant increase of slow and fast activities and a decrease of alpha-activity. However, 75 mg fluvoxamine induced less augmentation of slow activity than imipramine indicating less sedative properties of fluvoxamine than the standard reference drug. Psychometric tests demonstrated after 50 and 75 mg clovoxamine and 75 mg fluvoxamine an increase in attention, attention variability, concentration, CFF and after-effect in the Archimedean Spiral (indicating central activation), further an improvement in mood and affectivity as compared with placebo, while 125 mg clovoxamine and 75 mg imipramine produced an increase in reaction time, deterioration of mood and affect and psychomotor activity. The latter changes were observed also after other antidepressants in normals. Pharmacodynamic investigations regarding dose-efficacy and time-efficacy relations based on both EEG and psychometric parameters revealed that 75 mg imipramine was the most effective compound, followed by 75 mg fluvoxamine and 125 mg, 75 mg and 50 mg clovoxamine. The peak effect of clovoxamine and fluvoxamine was observed around the 6th hour, while 75 mg imipramine was maximally observed around the 6th hour, while 75 mg imipramine was maximally effective between the 2nd and the 4th hours. Side effects were minimal after clovoxamine (interestingly euphoria in 3 subjects), while tiredness was seen in 5 out of 10 subjects after 75 mg fluvoxamine and in 8 out of 10 subjects after 75 mg imipramine. There were no clinically relevant changes in pulse, systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

The Lancashire Quality of Life Profile: modification and psychometric evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Although widely used in Europe, the conceptual and psychometric qualities of the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile (LQoLP) have not been thoroughly examined. Four issues need attention: coverage, scale construction, systematic missing data, and psychometric properties. METHOD: Concept mapping was used to examine the coverage, and exploratory factor analysis to examine the empirical scale structure of the LQoLP. Data of 518 long-term patients from ten different mental health care settings were used. Modifications to the LQoLP were proposed on the basis of these findings, and its psychometric properties were tested. Thirty-one respondents participated in a test-retest reliability study (T1-T2: 2 weeks). RESULTS: The modified LQoLP covers the quality of life-concept in a more comprehensive manner. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability and validity are good. CONCLUSIONS: The modified version of the LQoLP now covers ten domains, paying specific attention to patients' definition of quality of life (autonomy, coping, self-worth). Domains are now based on factor analysis. The problem of systematic missing data is solved. Psychometric properties are good. Because of moderate alphas, two domains need further investigation.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Citalopram dose-response revisited using an alternative psychometric approach to evaluate clinical effects of four fixed citalopram doses compared to placebo in patients with major depression.

RATIONALE: Among the many problems in interpreting dose-response studies with antidepressants are the psychometric problems in the identification of true antidepressive effect versus true adverse drug effect. OBJECTIVES: This study is a re-examination of a dose-response trial with citalopram in order to examine the explanatory ability of using strict psychometric dimensions to measure the wanted and unwanted drug effects of different doses compared to placebo. METHODS: The antidepressive response was measured after 2 and 6 weeks of therapy with the depression subscales of the HAM-D and on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Scale (MADRS). The patient-reported Symptom Checklist (SCL) sub-scales for depression and anxiety were also examined. Subjective side-effects were measured on serotonin-specific items of the SCL. Effect size statistics were used to measure the antidepressive effect (an effect size of 0.30 equals a drug superiority over placebo of 15-20%). Side effects were statistically analysed using baseline-adjusted scores of the individual symptoms. RESULTS: The psychometric analysis of the outcome scales showed that the full HAM-D(17), the SCL-56 and the SCL side-effect subscale were multidimensional scales, while the HAM-D and MADRS subscales as well as the SCL-anxiety subscale were most homogeneous, indicating that their total scores are sufficient statistics. When the scales were used as well as the individual serotonin-specific SCL side-effect symptoms, the results showed that after 2 weeks of therapy a clinical response (effect side over 0.30) was only seen for the SCL-anxiety subscale in the citalopram doses of 40 mg and 60 mg daily. After 6 weeks of therapy response to even 10 mg and 20 mg was seen in the HAM-D and MADRS subscales and in the SCL-anxiety subscale, however, with lower effect sizes than found for 40 mg and 60 mg citalopram daily. The dose of 20 mg citalopram induced side-effects comparable with those seen for 40 mg and 60 mg, while 10 mg was not different from placebo. This was further confirmed by the fact that more patients dropped out on 20 mg than on 10 mg citalopram daily, due to adverse events. CONCLUSION: This psychometric re-examination of a citalopram dose-response trial has shown that the pure antidepressive or antianxiety effects can be observed after 6 weeks of therapy even in a dose of 10 mg daily. However, both 10 mg and 20 mg daily had lower effect sizes than 40 mg and 60 mg daily. At a dose level of 20 mg daily, side effects are more pronounced initially than at 10 mg daily; this should be taken into account clinically when evaluating the overall benefit of the drug. For a highly serotonin-specific drug such as citalopram, both wanted and unwanted effects are dose-related.

Antidepressive Agents↗

PubMed2005

Psychometric testing of the Impact of Event Scale-Chinese Version (IES-C) in oral cancer patients in Taiwan.

GOALS OF WORK: No culturally relevant instrument exists to assess the impact of cancer on patients in Taiwan. Therefore, this two-phase study was undertaken to (1) develop a Chinese version of the Impact of Event Scale (IES), (2) examine its psychometric properties, and (3) use the IES-Chinese version (IES-C) to assess the impact of cancer in newly diagnosed oral cancer patients in Taiwan. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The psychometric properties of the 15-item IES-C were tested in 106 newly diagnosed oral cancer patients and analyzed by descriptive statistics, test-retest reliability, Pearson's correlation, and principal component analysis. MAIN RESULTS: The results showed that (1) the IES-C has satisfactory content validity and feasibility; (2) overall internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was 0.91 with values of 0.91 and 0.81 for intrusion and avoidance, respectively; (3) overall test-retest reliability (3-day interval) was 0.97; (4) two clearly identified factors explained 55.97% of the variance; (5) satisfactory construct validity was supported by both factor analysis and theoretically supported correlation analysis (significant correlations between the total IES-C and its subscales as well as anxiety and depression); and (6) oral cancer patients had relatively higher IES-C scores than previously reported. CONCLUSION: These results support the IES-C as an instrument with satisfactory psychometric properties and ease of use in clinical settings. They also suggest that more attention should be paid to the impact on patients of a new diagnosis of oral cancer. Further testing of the IES-C in different cancer populations is suggested to validate its psychometric properties.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

[Psychometric investigation of Tyrolean patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon].

Primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP) is provoked by digital vasospasm induced by cold and emotional strain. By use of established psychometric test instruments (Freiburger Aggressionsfragebogen (FAF), Fragebogen zur Abschätzung psychosomatischen Krankheitserlebens (FAPK), Stressverarbeitungsfragebogen (SVF 120)) we examined the patients' ways of dealing with aggression and distress as well as their experience of psychosomatic illness. In all psychometric tests performed there were no statistically significant differences between the patients and the controls, indicating that patients with PRP depict no specific ways of dealing with aggression and distress, and do not experience psychosomatic illness. The subgroup of patients with affective disorders and the subgroup of patients with impaired psychological well-being, displayed a 'depressive style' of dealing with life events. Patients with major physical complaints of symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon showed either an inability or a propensity to deny aggression. Patients with impaired psychological well-being tended to complain more often about severe physical symptoms associated with Raynaud's phenomenon. Psychometric testing in patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon cannot be recommended without additional psychiatric diagnostic. In patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon and psychiatric comorbidity psychometric testing can additionally provide useful clinical information.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Correlation between P50 suppression and psychometric schizotypy among non-clinical Japanese subjects.

The link between P50 suppression and psychometric schizotypy was previously reported in non-clinical English-speaking subjects; however, whether a similar relationship exists within a different ethnic sample is unknown. Furthermore, whether such a relationship can also be accounted for by such basic personality characteristics as extraversion or neuroticism has not yet been reported. In the present study, we investigated the correlations of P50 suppression with psychometric schizotypy, and with extraversion or neuroticism among non-clinical Japanese. Subjects were 34 healthy volunteers. The auditory P50 potential was obtained using a paired stimulus paradigm. Psychometric schizotypy was assessed using schizotypal personality questionnaire (SPQ). Extraversion and neuroticism were assessed using Maudsley personality inventory (MPI). P50 suppression correlated not only with total SPQ score, but also with extraversion and with neuroticism. However, the partial correlation analysis revealed a significant partial correlation of P50 suppression with SPQ when controlled for extraversion or neuroticism, and a non-significant partial correlation of P50 suppression with extraversion or neuroticism when controlled for SPQ. When subjects were divided into two subgroups according to the mean SPQ score, the degree of P50 suppression was lower in the high than in the low SPQ scorers. Our results indicate that P50 suppression is one of the neurobiological substrates underlying psychometric schizotypy, and that this relationship cannot be accounted for by measures of extraversion or neuroticism.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Reliability and validity of the PORPUS, a combined psychometric and utility-based quality-of-life instrument for prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Although utility-based quality-of-life instruments are often used in economic evaluations and psychometric instruments in treatment evaluations, these are complementary approaches to assessing outcomes. In this study we developed and tested these two forms of quality-of-life instruments, both based on a single, validated, health classification system. OBJECTIVES: To assess the measurement properties (reliability and validity) of two newly developed psychometric and utility-based instruments for assessing outcomes associated with prostate cancer. METHODS: 141 men with cancer of the prostate (CaP), treated with radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, and/or chemotherapy were assessed with both instruments and other standard psychometric and utility-based instruments. RESULTS: Analyses indicate the test instruments are reliable and valid. Full-scale correlations between the instruments and standard instruments indicate validity, as do correlations of key subscales, and an evaluation of linear associations with the UCLA-Prostate Cancer Symptom Scales. CONCLUSION: Evidence from this study supports the reliability and construct validity of the tested instruments. Prostate cancer outcomes can now be assessed by a combination of psychometric and utility-based methods, allowing a ready comparison of derived outcomes.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

A discussion on the role of clinimetrics and the misleading effects of psychometric theory.

BACKGROUND: Psychometric theory is the basis for the development of assessment instruments in psychiatric research. METHODS: It has produced a number of variable methods for improving the validity and reliability of clinical assessment. However, the psychometric model appears to be largely inadequate in the clinical setting because of its lack of sensitivity to change and its quest for homogeneous components. RESULTS: Clinimetrics offers a viable integration to psychometrics, both from a conceptual and a methodologic viewpoint. CONCLUSION: Without such integration, psychometric rules and methods may lead to misleading effects in clinical research both in psychiatry and medicine.

Humans↗

PubMed2005

Psychometric and cognitive validation of a social capital measurement tool in Peru and Vietnam.

Social capital is a relatively new concept which has attracted significant attention in recent years. No consensus has yet been reached on how to measure social capital, resulting in a large number of different tools available. While psychometric validation methods such as factor analysis have been used by a few studies to assess the internal validity of some tools, these techniques rely on data already collected by the tool and are therefore not capable of eliciting what the questions are actually measuring. The Young Lives (YL) study includes quantitative measures of caregiver's social capital in four countries (Vietnam, Peru, Ethiopia, and India) using a short version of the Adapted Social Capital Assessment Tool (SASCAT). A range of different psychometric methods including factor analysis were used to evaluate the construct validity of SASCAT in Peru and Vietnam. In addition, qualitative cognitive interviews with 20 respondents from Peru and 24 respondents from Vietnam were conducted to explore what each question is actually measuring. We argue that psychometric validation techniques alone are not sufficient to adequately validate multi-faceted social capital tools for use in different cultural settings. Psychometric techniques show SASCAT to be a valid tool reflecting known constructs and displaying postulated links with other variables. However, results from the cognitive interviews present a more mixed picture with some questions being appropriately interpreted by respondents, and others displaying significant differences between what the researchers intended them to measure and what they actually do. Using evidence from a range of methods of assessing validity has enabled the modification of an existing instrument into a valid and low cost tool designed to measure social capital within larger surveys in Peru and Vietnam, with the potential for use in other developing countries following local piloting and cultural adaptation of the tool.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Clinimetric and psychometric strategies for development of a health measurement scale.

Clinimetrics and psychometrics, two accepted methods for developing multiitem health measurement scales, have fundamentally different aims and methods that have seldom been compared and never prospectively. The purpose of this study was to determine whether these two methodologies provided comparable scales in the development of an upper extremity disability measure. Psychometric analysis involved field testing a 70-item questionnaire on 407 patients. Equidiscriminatory item total correlation (EITC) was used to select the top 30 items. Clinimetric testing used the mean importance and severity ratings of the 70 items by 76 patients to select the top 30 items. Clinimetric and psychometric analyses were performed independently. Cronbach's alpha was 0.97 for the top 30 items selected by EITC and 0.96 for the items selected based on patient's ratings. The two scales (after clinician modification to improve face validity) shared 16 items in common (P=0.10). The intraclass correlation coefficient of the patient scores on the two 30-item scales was 0.93 before clinician input and 0.97 after. The mean (and standard deviation) difference between scales was 9.1 (8.8) before and 1.7 (5.2) after clinician input. A scale developed with a clinimetric strategy can measure a complex (so-called heterogeneous) clinical phenomenon (thought to be composed of several patient attributes) but still fulfill psychometric criteria for "homogeneity." Thus, these strategies for the development of health measurement scales, which have been considered potentially opposite or conflicting, may be complementary.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Ethno-psychometric evaluation of the General Health Questionnaire in rural China.

BACKGROUND: Most mental health research tools are developed in Western, urban contexts. Few studies have evaluated the applicability of these research tools in rural populations of non-Western countries. We examined the cultural acceptance and psychometric performance of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) in China's rural villages. METHOD: Ethnographic investigations were conducted to assess the cultural applicability of self-report rating scales among villagers. This was followed by a survey of 1401 rural residents, randomly selected from 48 villages of Shandong province using stratified multistage cluster sampling. The respondents were administered the GHQ and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). RESULTS: The GHQ, when administered by trained interviewers, was culturally acceptable to rural residents. The scale had good psychometric properties in the study population. The area under the curve was 0.86. At a cut-off of 1/2, the sensitivity and specificity were 80.6% and 79.3% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The ethno-psychometric evaluation showed that the GHQ was both culturally valid and psychometrically sound in the Chinese rural context.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

The role of psychometric data in predicting inpatient mental health service utilization.

Inpatient mental health readmission rates have increased dramatically in recent years, with a subset of consumers referred to as revolving-door patients. In an effort to reduce the financial burden associated with these patients and increase treatment efficacy, researchers have begun to explore factors associated with increased service utilization. To date, predictors of increased service usage are remarkably discrepant across studies. Further exploration, therefore, is needed to better explicate the relevance of "traditional" predictors and also to identify alternate strategies that may assist in predicting rehospitalization. One method that may be helpful in identifying patients at high risk is the development of a psychometric screening procedure. As a means to this end, the present study was designed to assess the potential usefulness of psychometric data in predicting mental health service utilization. The sample consisted of 131 patients hospitalized during an index period of 8 months at an acute-care psychiatric hospital. Number of readmissions was recorded in a 9 month post-index period. Measures completed during the index admission included the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-Anchored (BPRS-A), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results indicated that psychometric data accounted for significant variance in predicting past, present and future mental health service utilization. The BPRS-A, SCL-90-R, and BDI show particular promise as time efficient psychometric screening instruments that may better enable practitioners to identify patients proactively who are at increased risk for rehospitalization. Implications are discussed with regard to patient-treatment matching and discharge planning.

Adult↗