SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “construct validity”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,063 records · Page 59Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Norwegian versions of the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire and the Oswestry Disability Index.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate reliability and construct validity of the Norwegian versions of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire and the modified Oswestry Disability Index. DESIGN: Translation of two functional status questionnaires and a cross-sectional study of measurement properties. METHODS: The questionnaires were translated and back-translated following the Guillemin criteria. The Norwegian versions were tested for 55 patients with acute low back pain and 50 patients with chronic low back pain. Test-retest with a 2-day interval was performed in a subsample of 28 patients from the chronic sample. Reliability was assessed by repeatability according to Bland and Altman, intraclass coefficient and coefficient of variation. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's alpha. Concurrent construct validity was assessed with correlations between the questionnaires and the SF-36, Disability Rating Index and pain intensity. RESULTS: Repeatability of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire was 4 points, coefficient of variation 15% and intraclass correlation coefficient 0.89, and of the modified Oswestry Disability Index 11, 12% and 0.88, respectively. Internal consistency was 0.94 for both questionnaires. The questionnaires correlated highly with the physical functioning scale of SF-36, moderately with pain, and low with mental scales of the SF-36. CONCLUSION: The reliability and construct validity of the Norwegian versions of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire and the modified Oswestry Disability Index are acceptable for assessing functional status of Norwegian-speaking patients with low back pain.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1999

The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS): scale development, measurement properties, and clinical application. North American Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Research Network.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability, construct validity, and sensitivity to change of the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The LEFS was administered to 107 patients with lower-extremity musculoskeletal dysfunction referred to 12 outpatient physical therapy clinics. METHODS: The LEFS was administered during the initial assessment, 24 to 48 hours following the initial assessment, and then at weekly intervals for 4 weeks. The SF-36 (acute version) was administered during the initial assessment and at weekly intervals. A type 2,1 intraclass correlation coefficient was used to estimate test-retest reliability. Pearson correlations and one-way analyses of variance were used to examine construct validity. Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients were used to examine the relationship between an independent prognostic rating of change for each patient and change in the LEFS and SF-36 scores. RESULTS: Test-retest reliability of the LEFS scores was excellent (R = .94 [95% lower limit confidence interval (CI) = .89]). Correlations between the LEFS and the SF-36 physical function subscale and physical component score were r=.80 (95% lower limit CI = .73) and r = .64 (95% lower limit CI = .54), respectively. There was a higher correlation between the prognostic rating of change and the LEFS than between the prognostic rating of change and the SF-36 physical function score. The potential error associated with a score on the LEFS at a given point in time is +/-5.3 scale points (90% CI), the minimal detectable change is 9 scale points (90% CI), and the minimal clinically important difference is 9 scale points (90% CI). CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: The LEFS is reliable, and construct validity was supported by comparison with the SF-36. The sensitivity to change of the LEFS was superior to that of the SF-36 in this population. The LEFS is efficient to administer and score and is applicable for research purposes and clinical decision making for individual patients.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2005

Quantitative myasthenia gravis score: assessment of responsiveness and longitudinal validity.

We prospectively tested the quantitative myasthenia gravis score (QMG) for responsiveness and longitudinal construct validity in 53 patients with myasthenia gravis. Index of responsiveness was high. Longitudinal construct validity was confirmed by the correlation between changes in QMG and manual muscle testing and by a difference in QMG changes across patients that were clinically unchanged, improved, or worse between two visits. Our results support QMG use for assessing clinical change in trials.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Virtual reality applied to procedural testing: the next era.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the construct validity of a virtual reality-based upper gastrointestinal endoscopy simulator as a tool for the skills training of residents. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Previous studies have demonstrated the relevance of virtual reality training as an adjunct to traditional operating room learning for residents. The use of specific task trainers, which have the ability to objectively analyze and track user performance, has been shown to demonstrate improvements in performance over time. Using this off-line technology can lessen the financial and ethical concerns of using operative time to teach basic skills. METHODS: Thirty-five residents and fellows from General Surgery and Gastrointestinal Medicine were recruited for this study. Their performance on virtual reality upper endoscopy tasks was analyzed by computer. Assessments were made on parameters such as time needed to finish the examination, completeness of the examination, and number of wall collisions. Subjective experiences were queried through questionnaires. Users were grouped according to their prior level of experience performing endoscopy. RESULTS: Construct validation of this simulator was demonstrated. Performance on visualization and biopsy tasks varied directly with the subjects' prior experience level. Subjective responses indicated that novice and intermediate users felt the simulation to be a useful experience, and that they would use the equipment in their off time if it were available. CONCLUSIONS: Virtual reality simulation may be a useful adjunct to traditional operating room experiences. Construct validity testing demonstrates the efficacy of this device. Similar objective methods of skills evaluation may be useful as part of a residency skills curriculum and as a means of procedural skills testing.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of disease-specific and a generic quality of life measure in patients with bronchial asthma.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life is being increasingly recognized as an important outcome in chronic and terminal illnesses. There are few publications from India on the characteristics of the instrument that measures quality of life in clinical trials. We describe a method for choosing an appropriate instrument in a randomized trial. METHODS: We selected thirty-two patients with bronchial asthma randomly and evaluated them to compare the validity and responsiveness of the disease-specific quality of life instrument in asthma (AQL) and the generic quality of life instrument, 'Sickness impact profile' (SIP), to detect changes in their health status. Validity was determined by a priori constructs (construct validation) and the responsive coefficient was calculated by determining the relationship to the 'minimal significant change in asthma score' and the 'variability' seen in this change in stable patients. RESULTS: The constructs used in validating the scores were that the change in quality of life score would correlate (i) highly with change in self-assessment of the disease (r > 0.7), (ii) moderately with change in physician assessment of the disease (r > 0.5), and (iii) minimally with change in peak flow reading (r > 0.3). We found both instruments to have good construct validity. The responsiveness coefficients noted for AQL and SIP were 1.8 (CI 0.65-3) and 0.7 (CI 0.3-1.2), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Though both AQL and SIP were valid measures of quality of life, AQL is likely to be more capable of detecting smaller changes in the health status of patients with bronchial asthma and hence was chosen as the instrument in the proposed clinical trial.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Effort-limited treadmill walk test: reliability and validity in subjects with postpolio syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the reliability and construct validity of an effort-limited treadmill walk test to measure functional ability in subjects with postpolio syndrome in an outpatient postpolio clinic. DESIGN: Functioning and distance walked on a treadmill to a Borg "hard" effort level were measured three times, a week apart, by two blinded raters in 15 subjects with postpolio syndrome, aged 37-67 yrs, with new weakness, fatigue, and pain but with no other cause of symptomatology or condition-limiting walking. One rater tested them twice. Fatigue activity level, mobility, and health-related quality of life (Medical Outcome Study Short Form Health Survey [SF-36]) defined functioning. Generalizability correlation coefficients determined intrarater, test-retest and interrater reliability. The correlations relating the distance walked and functioning determined construct validity. RESULTS: Reliability for generalizability correlation coefficients were: intrarater, 0.91; test-retest, 0.85; and interrater, 0.58. Interrater reliability improved to 0.91 with adherence to a standardized protocol. Validity was established with correlations between the distance walked and SF-36 physical component score (0.66), physical role (0.60), bodily pain (0.60), and vitality (0.55). CONCLUSIONS: The treadmill walk test provides a reproducible and valid measure of ability in persons with postpolio syndrome with a single rater, but a standardized protocol is essential for reliability.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Construction and validation of a clinical diagnostic-therapeutic guide for the hospitable management of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus].

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a diagnostic-therapeutic guideline (DTG) for the management of hospitalized diabetic patients, and apply it to a sample of medical files. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The DTG was constructed and then validated by a consensus of internist physicians, afterwards it was applied to a sample of 97 randomly selected medical files of diabetic patients discharged from a internal medicine service. Hospitalization time, studies requested, average glycemia, glycemic prior to the discharge, time for to achieve glycemic control and mortality were compared at different percentages of the DTG's application. The results were analyzed by U of Mann-Whitney and ANOVA of Kruskal-Wallis. RESULTS: The intra-class correlation coefficient among the physicians for the guide validation was 0.94, with minimal modifications of content and format. The time, in hours, to achieve glycemic control was minor with a higher application percentage of the complete guide, p < 0.001, and also of the therapeutic domain, p = 0.05. The last glycemic prior to the discharge was lower with a higher application than 75% of the diagnostic domain, p < 0.001. A higher application percentage of the entire guide was found in living subjects more than in deceased subjects, p = 0.001, and also of the therapeutic domain, p = 0.008, and of the diagnostic domain p = 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: A higher level of application of the DTG is associated with a shorter time to achieve glycemic control, lower glycemic prior to the discharge and lower mortality.

Consensus↗

PubMed1984

Validity of patient management problems re-examined.

Newble et al. (1982) examined the construct validity of one Patient Management Problem (PMP) with groups of subjects with varied levels of medical competence, ranging from fourth-year medical students to post-intern medical registrars and consultant physicians. The present study reanalysed their data using analysis of variance followed by Scheffé a postiori comparisons of the mean scores for each group. Results suggest virtually no difference among the various groups' performances on this particular PMP, in contrast to the assertion of Newble et al. (1982) that 'the most competent groups (the post-interns) generally scored less well on the calculated indices than the senior students and interns'. While Newble et al. (1982) maintained that their findings do not show the PMP to be a valid test of competence, the present analysis suggests that their study was not an adequate test of the construct validity of PMPs due to lack of power and insufficient sample size. An alternative interpretation of this data is presented, along with implications for medical education and future research.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1989

The Parental Stressor Scale: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

This article details the development of an instrument designed to assess the impact of certain environmental stressors in the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) on parents of hospitalized children. A theoretical framework based on stress theory and developed by the authors provided the framework for this project. This 62-item scale assessing seven dimensions of the PICU environment was developed in three stages. The first phase in the development of the instrument established the sampling domain of the items, supported content validity, conceptualized the dimensions, developed the scaling, and helped support stability over time. In the second phase of the project, the instrument was administered to 165 parents of children recently discharged from four midwestern ICUs to further evaluate reliability and validity. Results of factor analysis, internal consistency reliability, and construct validity analyses were used to revise the instrument. In the third phase of the project, the revised instrument was administered to 510 parents while their children were in one of five pediatric ICUs. Factor analysis provided seven orthogonal, invariant factors. An alpha coefficient of .95 was obtained for the total instrument; subscale coefficients ranged from .72 to .99 providing support for internal consistency and construct validity.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Validation of a vertical visual analogue scale as a measure of clinical dyspnea.

The purpose of this study was to validate a vertical visual analogue scale (VVAS) as a measure of clinical dyspnea. Concurrent validity was demonstrated by having asthmatics score their dyspnea intensity on both a VVAS and a horizontal visual analogue scale (HVAS), and then measuring their peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). Correlation between the VVAS and HVAS was r = .97; between the VVAS and the PEFR, correlation was r = -.85, demonstrating the concurrent validity of the VVAS as a measure of dyspnea. Construct validity then was established, using the contrasted-groups approach with repeated measures. Both asthmatics and those with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) rated their dyspnea on the VVAS during times of severe and little airway obstruction. The dyspnea ratings at times of severe versus low obstruction were found to be different for both the asthmatic and COPD subjects. The VVAS was shown to have both concurrent and construct validity as a measure of dyspnea.

Asthma↗

PubMed2003

New approaches to modeling bipolar disorder.

Modeling in animals is an invaluable tool in exploring the pathophysiology of human diseases and developing better therapies. Models can be generated using a variety of pharmacological, behavioral, and genetic approaches, but they all require extensive subsequent validation. Ideally, validation should be based on the following 3 axes: face validity (commonalties between the behavioral features of the model and of the human disorder being modeled), predictive validity (the specificity and degree to which drugs that are effective in humans have a corresponding effect in the model), and construct validity (a possible common mechanistic theory that can explain both the model and the human disorder being modeled). Most existing models for psychiatric disorders were developed from a face validity starting point, wherein a researcher noticed the appearance of a rodent behavior that was similar to a human pathological behavior and subsequently undertook investigations of predictive and construct validity. Some representative models developed in this manner include the hyperactivity (spontaneous or pharmacologically induced), sensitization, and sleep-deprivation models. In this review, we critically appraise the existing animal models for bipolar disorder, emphasizing their strengths and limitations. Furthermore, we discuss the technological advances that have led to an increased awareness of the roles of signal transduction pathways and neurotrophic cascades in the pathophysiology and treatment of bipolar disorder. New construct validity-driven models focusing on signaling pathways include models based on perturbations of G proteins, phosphoinositide signaling, and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascades. These new models hold much promise in delineating the underlying pathophysiology of bipolar disorder and for the development of novel, improved therapeutics. Psychopharmacology Bulletin.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Development and validation of a French obesity-specific quality of life questionnaire: Quality of Life, Obesity and Dietetics (QOLOD) rating scale.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a new health related quality of life (HRQOL) questionnaire specific to obesity and its management. METHODS: This study was in two parts. The first (Study 1) consisted of the creation of a new tool derived from the American "Impact of Weight on Quality of Life Questionnaire" (IWQOL, 74 items) by adding to it a 17 items specific complementary module. This initial questionnaire (91 items) was reduced so as to obtain a questionnaire adapted to socio-cultural factors of obesity and dietary weight management in France. The objective of the second (Study 2) was to validate this final questionnaire by evaluating its psychometric properties: construction validity, internal reliability, concurrent validity in relation to a generic questionnaire, the SF-12, clinical validity by studying the effects of age, gender and body mass index (BMI), and reproducibility. RESULTS: The results of Study 1, obtained in 128 obese patients (mean age: 42.5 12.1, BMI: 34.5 2.8 kg/m2, women: 83.6%) enabled reduction of the 91 questionnaire items to 36, grouped into 5 dimensions: physical impact, psycho-social impact, sex life, comfort with food and diet experience. Two hundred and twelve patients (mean age: 43.3 12.2, BMI: 35.8 7.4 kg/m2, women: 77.7%) were included in Study 2, among whom 75 filled out the questionnaire twice at a one week interval. Analyses enabled verification of the construction validity and internal reliability (Cronbach alpha > 0.7) of the questionnaire as well as its concurrent validity in relation to summarized SF-12 scores and its clinical validity. The "physical impact" dimension was significantly influenced by BMI and age, the dimensions "sex life" and "diet experience" by the factors gender and BMI, while "psycho-social impact" was influenced by the 3 factors cited. Its reproducibility was also deemed satisfactory (intra-class correlation coefficient > 0.8). CONCLUSION: This new questionnaire, called the "Echelle Qualité de Vie, Obésité et Diététique (EQVOD)"/"Quality of Life, Obesity and Dietetics (QOLOD)" rating scale is sufficiently reliable and reproducible to be used in clinical practice. It is a simple tool adapted to socio-cultural factors of obesity in France, enabling taking into account of the effects of dietary management on the HRQOL of obese people.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2005

Validation of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ 11-14).

While the use of adult oral-health-related quality-of-life (OHRQoL) measures in supplementing clinical indicators has increased, that for children has lagged behind, because of the difficulties of developing and validating such measures for children. This study examined the construct validity of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ(11-14)) in a random sample of 12- and 13-year-old New Zealanders. It was hypothesized that children with more severe malocclusions or greater caries experience would have higher overall (and subscale domain) CPQ(11-14) scores. Children (N = 430) completed the CPQ(11-14) and were examined for malocclusion (Dental Aesthetic Index) and dental caries. There was a distinct gradient in mean CPQ(11-14) scores by malocclusion severity, but there were differences across the four subscales. Children in the worst 25% of the DMFS distribution had higher CPQ(11-14) scores overall and for each of the 4 subscales. The construct validity of the CPQ(11-14) appears to be acceptable.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Measures of social support: assessment of validity.

The evidence of construct validity that resulted from conjoint testing of two measures of social support, the Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ85) and the Cost and Reciprocity Index (CRI) is presented. Both instruments were used with two samples of adults, 333 who were part of a large health project and 99 who participated in a methodological study. The PRQ85 and CRI appear to tap the construct of support yet are not highly redundant. Both tools demonstrated similar curves of relationships to external criteria. Dissimilar patterns of relationships with negative mood states indicated an area of need for future study.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Development and validation of the Perinatal Nursing Self-Efficacy Scale.

Self-efficacy, a central construct of Bandura's social cognitive theory, provided the framework for developing a measure of perinatal nursing knowledge and skills. The 24-item Perinatal Nursing Self-efficacy Scale (PNSE) encompasses knowledge and skills required of nurses practicing in family-centered single room maternity care (SRMC) settings. Response data from 188 registered nurses were evaluated to assess the reliability and construct validity of the instrument. The instrument demonstrated strong factorial validity and subscales derived from the factor analysis generated high alpha reliabilities. A MANOVA produced results consistent with the propositions of self-efficacy theory and supported construct validity. Since self-efficacy expectations are situation specific and have significant predictive value, they provide both an important adjunct to needs assessment data for educational planning and helpful baseline data for outcome evaluation of perinatal nursing educational programs and transitions to SRMC settings.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Validity and reliability of portfolio assessment of competency in a baccalaureate dental hygiene program.

This study examined the validity and reliability of portfolio assessment using Messick's unified framework of construct validity. Theoretical and empirical evidence was sought for six aspects of construct validity. Seven faculty raters evaluated twenty student portfolios using a primary trait analysis scoring rubric. A significant relationship (r = .81-.95; p < .01) between the seven subscales in the scoring rubric demonstrates measurement of a common construct. There was a significant relationship between portfolios and GPA (r = .70; p < .01) and the NBDHE (r = .60; p < .01). The relationship between portfolios and the Central Regional Dental Testing Service (CRDTS) examination was both weak and nonsignificant (r = .19; p > .05). A fully crossed, two-facet generalizability (G) study design was used to examine reliability. ANOVA demonstrated that the greatest source of variance was the scoring rubric itself, accounting for 78 percent of the total variance. The smallest source of variance was the interaction between portfolio and rubric (1.15 percent). Faculty rater variance accounted for only 1.28 percent of total variance. A phi coefficient of .86, analogous to a reliability coefficient in classical test theory, was obtained in the decision study by increasing the subscales to fourteen and decreasing faculty raters to three. In conclusion, the pattern of findings from this study suggests that portfolios can serve as a valid and reliable measure for assessing student competency.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Quality assessment and improvement in group psychotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: The authors sought a practical means of monitoring and evaluating group psychotherapy, using existing clinical resources, for purposes of quality improvement and education on a large general hospital psychiatric service. METHOD: Monitoring indicators were developed which addressed 1) the integration of group psychotherapy into treatment planning and 2) the competence and technique of group psychotherapists. The second indicator was assessed by skilled observers using a newly constructed Group Psychotherapy Rating Scale in direct observation of group psychotherapy sessions. The rating scale was examined for interrater reliability and, as a measure of construct validity, for its ability to distinguish the performance of professional staff therapists from that of trainees. RESULTS: The indicators provided useful monitors of the use and quality of group psychotherapy. The rating scale had satisfactory interrater reliability and construct validity. The immediate constructive educational critique given by the observers of the therapy groups was highly valued by group therapists. CONCLUSIONS: The monitoring and evaluation program proved to be a practical, positive, and inexpensive means of assuring and improving the quality of group psychotherapy in a clinical setting.

Humans↗

PubMed2006

An analysis of the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire using the Rasch measurement model.

BACKGROUND: Bullying is a problem in schools in many countries. There would be a benefit in the availability of a psychometrically sound instrument for its measurement, for use by teachers and researchers. The Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire has been used in a number of studies but comprehensive evidence on its validity is not available. AIMS: To examine the conceptual design, construct validity and reliability of the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ) and to provide further evidence on the prevalence of different forms of bullying behaviour. SAMPLE: All 335 pupils (160 [47.8%] girls; 175 [52.2%]) boys, mean age 11.9 years [range 11.2-12.8 years]), in 21 classes of a stratified sample of 7 Greek Cypriot primary schools. METHOD: The OBVQ was administered to the sample. Separate scales were created comprising (a) the items of the questionnaire concerning the extent to which pupils are being victimized; and (b) those concerning the extent to which pupils express bullying behaviour. Using the Rasch model, both scales were analysed for reliability, fit to the model, meaning, and validity. Both scales were also analysed separately for each of two sample groups (i.e. boys and girls) to test their invariance. RESULTS: Analysis of the data revealed that the instrument has satisfactory psychometric properties; namely, construct validity and reliability. The conceptual design of the instrument was also confirmed. The analysis leads also to suggestions for improving the targeting of items against student measures. Support was also provided for the relative prevalence of verbal, indirect and physical bullying. As in other countries, Cypriot boys used and experienced more bullying than girls, and boys used more physical and less indirect forms of bullying than girls. CONCLUSIONS: The OBVQ is a psychometrically sound instrument that measures two separate aspects of bullying, and whose use is supported for international studies of bullying in different countries. However, improvements to the questionnaire were also identified to provide increased usefulness to teachers tackling this significant problem facing schools in many countries.

Child↗