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Validity of the MMPI Personality Disorder scales (MMPI-PD).

The MMPI Personality Disorder scales, developed by Morey, Waugh, and Blashfield (1985), were validated on an inpatient population by comparing 104 patients' MMPI-PD scores with the MCMI and with DSM-III-R diagnosis. Conservative significance levels were used to ensure more valid conclusions. Schizoid, Avoidant, Dependent, Histrionic, and Narcissistic scales were correlated significantly. Passive-Aggressive, Schizotypal, and Borderline scales did not correlate with corresponding MCMI scales. The MMPI-PD nonoverlapping scales were most effective in predicting diagnosis, specifically the Personality Disorder NOS, Eccentric and Borderline groups. The overlapping scales were not as effective in predicting diagnosis, but best predicted the Eccentric and Borderline groups. This study provides support for the validity of specific scales and circumscribed diagnostic utility for both measures.

Adult↗

Molecular, cellular and histological changes in skin from a larval to an adult phenotype during bony fish metamorphosis.

Developmental models for skin exist in terrestrial and amphibious vertebrates but there is a lack of information in aquatic vertebrates. We have analysed skin epidermal development of a bony fish (teleost), the most successful group of extant vertebrates. A specific epidermal type I keratin cDNA (hhKer1), which may be a bony-fish-specific adaptation associated with the divergence of skin development (scale formation) compared with other vertebrates, has been cloned and characterized. The expression of hhKer1 and collagen 1alpha1 in skin taken together with the presence or absence of keratin bundle-like structures have made it possible to distinguish between larval and adult epidermal cells during skin development. The use of a flatfish with a well-defined larval to juvenile transition as a model of skin development has revealed that epidermal larval basal cells differentiate directly to epidermal adult basal cells at the climax of metamorphosis. Moreover, hhKer1 expression is downregulated at the climax of metamorphosis and is inversely correlated with increasing thyroxin levels. We suggest that, whereas early mechanisms of skin development between aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates are conserved, later mechanisms diverge.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The impact of Eysenck's extraversion-introversion personality dimension on prospective memory.

Prospective memory (PM) is memory for future events. PM is a developing area of research (e.g., Brandimonte, Einstein & McDaniel, 1996) with recent work linking personality types and their utilisation of PM (Goschke & Kuhl, 1996; Searleman, 1996). The present study compared 28 extraverts and 28 introverts on their short- and long-term prospective memory using the Prospective Memory Scale developed by Hannon, Adams, Harrington, Fries-Dias & Gibson (1995). The main finding was that extraverts reported significantly fewer errors on short- and long-term PM than introverts, and this difference could not be explained in terms of the number of strategies used to support prospective remembering. These findings are discussed in relation to differences between the personality types.

Adolescent↗

Psychopathology and language behavior in schizophrenics.

Verbal samples of 30 schizophrenics were analyzed using the Social Alienation--Personal Disorganization (Schizophrenic) Scale developed by Gottschalk and Gleser (1969). The psychopathological status of all patients had been assessed in a semistandardized interview (Present State Examination, Wing et al., 1974). A relatively close relationship was found between 'productive' or 'plus' symptoms and syndromes of psychosis and the scores on the content analytic scale. On the other hand, no significant relationship existed with the 'minus' symptomatology and no relationship with the 'residual syndrome' and the neurotic syndromes. The Schizophrenic Scale may allow a sufficiently reliable estimate of the degree of psychosis. There was no significant effect attributable to sociodemographic factors and to the course of illness (disregarding the duration of the present hospitalization).

Adult↗

The effects of infantile malnutrition on behavioral development: a follow-up study.

Thirty-one children and young adults who had been severely malnourished in infancy due to intestinal disease, were compared with sibling controls for psychometric intelligence, academic performance as judged by teacher ratings, and developmental history as judged by parental questionnaires. Older members of the sample were also examined on the Lincoln-Oseretzky Motor Development Scale and by a brief psychiatric interview. There were no significant differences between patients and controls on any outcome measure. Furthermore, previously malnourished individuals were performing at or above age equivalent norms on all psychological tests. The findings suggest that the adverse behavioral effects of severe infantile malnutrition observed in children below the age of 5 yr are, to a large extent, compensated during development when the children are raised in supportive home and school environments.

Child Behavior↗

Validity of the Hamilton Rating Scale for depression.

In 26 depressed patients, a high correlation (0-89) was found between the Hamilton score and a psychiatrist's global rating and between the change (0-68) in these ratings during treatment. The Hamilton scale was able to differentiate at the o-01 level four degrees of severity based on the global rating. Limiting the range of severity measured was found to lower significantly the correlation between the ratings. A prospective examination of a six-item sub-scale of the Hamilton scale developed by Beck and associates failed to confirm its claimed improvement in sensitivity or validity.

Depression↗

The impact of supervisors' cognitive styles on the quality of research supervision in management education.

BACKGROUND: An aspect of teaching and learning that has been seriously overlooked in higher education is the process of research supervision. High failure rates for research dissertations in the social sciences have been partly attributed to student dissatisfaction with supervision and poor student-supervisor relationships. One personality variable that has been shown to be partly responsible for shaping the effectiveness of supervisory relationships is cognitive style. AIMS: The study examined the effects of supervisor cognitive style on the quality of supervision for students undertaking a research project in the field of management education. SAMPLE: Both parties in each of 118 supervisor-student dyads within a university business school in the UK participated in the study. METHOD: Data were collected using the Cognitive Style Index to measure subjects on the analytic-intuitive dimension of cognitive style. A self-developed Thurstone attitude scale was used to measure students' perceptions of the quality of supervision. The scale's validity was assured by making extensive use of subjects' (N = 100) judgments from the population of interest in the scale's development. A second parallel scale was developed to test the instrument's reliability characteristics. RESULTS: Findings revealed that students perceived the quality of supervision to increase significantly with the degree to which supervisors were analytic in their cognitive style. Students whose supervisors were more analytic also achieved significantly higher grades for their dissertations. CONCLUSIONS: Whilst there may be many factors influencing interpersonal relationships of this nature, this study demonstrated the potential relevance of cognitive style, which may prove to be a fertile area for further investigation.

Adult↗

Minding morale of institutional markets.

The definition of the term SOCIAL LIFE FEELING is offered to denote or connote a sentiment about the social world or an affect-state that comes from socializing in that world. A review of the literature in SOCIOLOGY indicates that there is an abundance of predilection among sociologists in measuring and assessing How People Feel About Society and Their Place in Society. The selection of TWELVE SOCIAL LIFE FEELING SCALES developed by Karl F. Schuessler is based on their established reliability, their ease of use, and their embodiment in covering concepts pertaining to both a person's outlook on society (cynical, pessimistic, fatalistic) and his or her frame of mind in society (demoralized, estranged, alienated). The present report is based on SLFS11 or FEELINGS OF DEMORALIZATION in Urban and Rural settings. This scale gives the subjects an opportunity to express whether they are marking time, finding it difficult to be optimistic, surmising the world as too complicated, viewing their physical condition to be good, or taking pleasure in their achievements, and so and so forth. A random sample of 398 students drawn from an urban and a rural campus was personally administered a questionnaire included in Appendix A. The data so obtained were subjected to statistical analyses through MINITAB software. High scores present a view of self as useless, helpless, aimless; low scores on the other hand, rules out such an admission of self as useless. It appears that this scale comes closest to approximating the concept of morale and its denotation of demoralization and despair. Persons of high morale have high hopes and great expectations and intend to persevere. Persons of low morale have little hope in their efforts being counted and would presumably stop trying. It is important to note that the items in this scale have principally determined the morale of older people. In this study we have attempted to find its utility in investigating undergraduate students representing the backbone of the American Society. From an empiricist's perspective, the MEAN scores for intergroup comparisons ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE for intragroup comparisons have been provided. Marketing implications of and the strategy development for the findings have been advanced.

Adult↗

The PedsQL in pediatric rheumatology: reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Generic Core Scales and Rheumatology Module.

OBJECTIVE: The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) is a modular instrument designed to measure health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children and adolescents ages 2-18 years. The 23-item PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales are multidimensional child self-report and parent proxy-report scales developed as the generic core measure to be integrated with the PedsQL disease-specific modules. The 22-item PedsQL 3.0 Rheumatology Module was designed to measure pediatric rheumatology-specific HRQOL. This study was undertaken to demonstrate the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales and the PedsQL 3.0 Rheumatology Module in pediatric rheumatology. METHODS: The 4 PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales (physical, emotional, social, and school functioning) and the 5 PedsQL 3.0 Rheumatology Module scales (pain and hurt, daily activities, treatment, worry, and communication) were administered to 231 children and 244 parents (271 subjects accrued overall) recruited from a pediatric rheumatology clinic. RESULTS: Internal consistency reliability for the PedsQL Generic Core total scale score (alpha = 0.91 for child self report, alpha = 0.93 for parent proxy report), physical health summary score (alpha = 0.87 for child self report, alpha = 0.89 for parent proxy report), and psychosocial health summary score (alpha = 0.86 for child self report, alpha = 0.90 for parent proxy report) were acceptable for group comparisons. The Rheumatology Module scales also demonstrated acceptable reliability for group comparisons (alpha = 0.75-0.86 for child self report, alpha = 0.82-0.91 for parent proxy report). Validity was demonstrated using the known-groups method. The PedsQL distinguished between healthy children and children with rheumatic diseases as a group. The responsiveness of the PedsQL was demonstrated through patient change over time as a result of clinical intervention. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales and the PedsQL 3.0 Rheumatology Module in pediatric rheumatology.

Adolescent↗

Internalized stigma predicts erosion of morale among psychiatric outpatients.

Stigma in society causes harm to people with severe mental illness (SMI) and internalized stigma represents its psychological point of impact. We evaluated the extent of internalized stigma in a sample of outpatients with SMI, using the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) Scale, developed with consumer input. About a third of the sample reported high levels of internalized stigma. We tested whether internalized stigma predicted increased depressive symptoms and reduced self-esteem at 4-month follow-up, controlling for baseline levels. Depression was predicted by Alienation, Stereotype Endorsement, Social Withdrawal Scales and total ISMI score. Reduced self-esteem was predicted by Alienation. ISMI results were stronger than those for the widely used Devaluation-Discrimination Scale. The finding that alienation further reduces morale speaks to the difficulty of pulling oneself out of this type of vicious cycle without assistance.

Ambulatory Care↗

Measuring neonatal intensive care unit-related parental stress.

AIMS: This paper reports a study: (1) to determine the validity and reliability of the Parent Stressor Scale:Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (PSS:NICU) for use with United Kingdom (UK) parents; (2) compare UK scores with those from a contemporary reference sample from the United States (US), (3) to identify the sources of greatest NICU-related stressors for parents and (4) to identify demographic or situational factors influencing NICU-related parental stress. BACKGROUND: Evaluation of the adequacy of nursing care and psychosocial support services for parents of ill infants in the NICU requires valid and reliable measures of parental stress. The PSS:NICU is a well-validated scale developed in the US to measure NICU-related parental stress. However, it has not been tested in the UK. METHODS: Consecutive samples of parents (n = 257) of infants in nine UK NICUs and two reference US units completed the PSS:NICU and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Scale approximately 1 week after admission. Psychometric properties of the PSS:NICU, including internal consistency reliability and construct, concurrent and predictive validity, were evaluated. RESULTS: PSS:NICU scores were similar in the UK and US samples and high internal consistency reliability was found for all metrics (e.g. Overall Stress: 0.94 for both samples). A three-factor principal components solution accounted for 66% of the variance in the scores, with the items grouped into the three a priori scales specified in the PSS:NICU (Infant Behaviour and Appearance, Parental Role Alterations, and Sights and Sounds). Stress Occurrence and Overall Stress were moderately correlated with State Anxiety in both samples (r = 0.46-0.61, P < 0.001). Thirty-one per cent of the variance in Stress Occurrence in the UK sample was explained by State Anxiety, infant severity of illness score, parent gender, and less frequent visitation. CONCLUSIONS: The PSS:NICU demonstrated appropriate psychometrics in a large sample of parents from diverse NICUs in the UK. These findings support its wider use in research and clinical practice to identify parental distress and evaluate the effectiveness of nursing care and psychosocial support services for parents.

Adult↗

Physical and mental development in 4-6-year-old triplets.

A total of 21 families with complete sets of triplets, born within 200 km of Stockholm, were invited to participate in a follow-up study with the aim of assessing the physical and mental development of their triplets at 4-6 years of age. Four families declined to participate in the study and thus the study group consisted of 17 sets of triplets who were born at 33-36 gestational weeks from 1986 to 1989. Mean birth weight was 2104 g (range 1310-2670 g) for the boys and 1882 g (range 1290-2590 g) for the girls. At birth, none of the 51 triplets showed any malformations. No asphyxia or other major complications were noted to have occurred at delivery. The children were examined in their homes with a neurological examination and the Griffiths mental development scales (GMDS). No major physical disabilities were found. In a group of triplets born small for dates, the total GMDS score and most of the subscale scores were significantly lower than for their siblings. In contrast to what has been found in singletons and twins, the differences in mental development between triplet boys and girls were not significant. On the whole, physical and mental development did not differ from what has been found in twins and singletons of the same age and with the same birth weight.

Child↗

Suicide risk scales: do they help to predict suicidal behaviour?

Fifteen rating scales for the estimation of suicide risks are reviewed. The report focuses on methods of scale development and validation. Problems of predictive accuracy, and ways of improving the prediction of suicidal behaviour are discussed.

Depressive Disorder↗

Behavioral changes in pediatric intensive care units.

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to compare the frequency and severity of manifestations of anxiety, depression, delirium, and withdrawal in pediatric patients hospitalized in intensive care unit vs ward settings and to evaluate the impact of preexisting psychopathologic disorders on the expression of these symptoms. RESEARCH DESIGN: Prospective patient series. SETTING: Tertiary care pediatric center. PATIENTS: Forty-three subjects aged 6 to 17 years hospitalized in either the pediatric or cardiovascular intensive care unit (n = 18) or on the general wards (n = 25) were recruited to participate. Subjects were excluded if their parents were unavailable for diagnostic interview or if they could not answer interview questions themselves. SELECTION PROCEDURES: Consecutive sample. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The Hospital Observed Behavior Scale, developed for this study, was used to describe objectively subjects' manifestations of anxiety, depression, delirium, and withdrawal. The Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents and Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents-Parents were used to determine the presence of preexisting psychopathologic disorders. As measured by the Hospital Observed Behavior Scale, subjects in the intensive care unit exhibited apprehension, anxiety, detachment, sadness, and weeping more often than did patients in the ward. Behavior was also significantly influenced by severity of illness, duration of hospitalization, number of previous hospitalizations, and presence of a preexisting anxiety or mood disorder. We found the Hospital Observed Behavior Scale to have good interrater reliability. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that critically ill children in the intensive care unit, children with prolonged or repeated hospitalizations, and children with preexisting anxiety and mood disorders are at greater risk than other hospitalized pediatric patients for psychological trauma and/or behavior problems that may warrant psychiatric intervention. The Hospital Observed Behavior Scale is a reliable tool to quantitate behaviors in hospitalized children.

Adolescent↗

Revised multicultural perspective index and measures of depression, life satisfaction, shyness, and self-esteem.

In a 2002 publication, Mowrer and McCarver reported weak but significant correlations (r =.24) between scores on the Multicultural Perspective Index and scores on Neugarten, Havighurst, and Tobin's 1961 Life Satisfaction Index-A and the Life Satisfaction Scale developed in 1985 by Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin. Using 382 undergraduate students the present study reduced the Index from 42 to 29 items based on each item's correlation with total items. An additional 104 undergraduate students then completed the modified 29-item version, Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale, Cheek and Buss's Shyness Scale, the Self-rating Depression Scale by Zung, and the Neugarten, et al. Life Satisfaction Index-A. Scores on the modified Index were negatively correlated with those on the Depression and Shyness scales and positively correlated with scores on the Self-esteem and Life Satisfaction scales (p< .05).

Adolescent↗

Use of a standardized menopause symptom rating scale in a sample of women with physical disabilities.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the psychometric properties of a menopause symptom rating scale developed on nondisabled women in a sample of women polio survivors with physical disabilities. DESIGN: The 25-item Menopause Symptom List (MSL) was administered to 190 women between ages 40 and 65 not taking hormone or estrogen therapy. Factor analysis, bivariate correlation, and analysis of variance were performed to determine the scale's underlying structure, construct validity, and association with menopausal status. RESULTS: Factor analysis revealed four factors: (1) psychological, (2) somatic-sensory, (3) somatic-sleep, and (4) vasomotor. Factors 1 and 3 were associated with postpolio sequelae, self-rated health, positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, and perceived stress. Factor 2 was associated with postpolio sequelae, basic activities of daily living, self-rated health, negative affect, life satisfaction, and perceived stress. Factor 4 was associated with postpolio sequelae, self-rated health, negative affect, and perceived stress. Comparison by menopause status found Factors 1 and 3 significantly differed between groups (F(2,181) = 6.68 and 4.17, respectively; P = 0.02). Contrary to expectations, vasomotor factor severity was not distinguished by menopause status. CONCLUSIONS: Menopause symptom scales standardized on nondisabled women should be used cautiously with women with physical disabilities. Associations between construct validity measures and menopause symptomatology suggest a complex relationship between physical disability and menopause.

Adult↗

Patient-physician fit: an exploratory study of a multidimensional instrument.

BACKGROUND: Patients face difficulty selecting physicians because they have little knowledge of how physicians' behaviors fit with their own preferences. OBJECTIVE: To develop scales of patient and physician behavior preferences and determine whether patient-physician fit is associated with patient satisfaction. DESIGN: Two cross-sectional surveys of patients and providers. SETTING: Ambulatory clinics at a university medical center. Participants. Eight general internists, 14 family physicians, and 193 patients. MEASUREMENTS: Two instruments were developed to measure 6 preferences for physician behaviors: 1) considering nonmedical aspects of the patient's life, 2) familiarity with herbal medicine, 3) physician decision making, 4) providing information, 5) considering the patient's religion, and 6) treating what the patient perceives as his or her problem. Patients reported how they would prefer physicians to behave, and physicians reported how they preferred to behave. Patients also rated satisfaction with their physician. RESULTS: Post hoc tests found that as a group, patients scored higher than physicians in preference for the physician to provide information and lower in preference for considering nonmedical aspects of the patient's life and religious beliefs. As hypothesized, preference differences accounted for significant variance in satisfaction in overall tests (19% in the family medicine patients and 25% in internal medicine patients). Greater satisfaction was associated with fit between patient and physician preferences for physician decision making (in the internal medicine patients) and with fit in providing information and consideration of religion (in family medicine patients) CONCLUSIONS: Patients often prefer behaviors other than how their physicians prefer to behave. Preference fit is associated with enhanced patient satisfaction. Physicians should attend to whether patients want religion and other nonmedical aspects of their lives considered. Health plans may wish to provide tools to help patients choose physicians by fit.

Academic Medical Centers↗

[Drive and Mode Scale for the quantification of affective states].

The Drive and Mood Scale, used in chronopsychometric studies for evaluating dimensions of Affective State, is presented. This instrument is based upon the ESTA Scale developed by Supprian and complemented on the basis of the experience gathered during research projects conducted with the Spanish version.

Affect↗