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PubMedDate not supplied

Development of a population-based questionnaire to explore psychosocial determinants of screening for memory loss and Alzheimer Disease.

Alzheimer disease research has focused on detecting the earliest signs of cognitive decline and efforts are ongoing to develop biomarkers and cognitive measures that reliably distinguish between nondemented and demented individuals. However, little is known about factors that may directly or indirectly influence screening behavior of older community-dwelling adults. We describe an iterative process for the development and formative evaluation of a questionnaire about dementia knowledge and screening behaviors in older adults to understand the psychosocial factors underlying intention to obtain dementia screening to profile individuals manifesting intention to undergo dementia screening compared to those who will not. The Behavioral Model of Health Services Use was used as a conceptual framework for a questionnaire with constructs from the Health Belief Model, Theory of Reasoned Action and Self-Efficacy. After pretesting, we used a random dialing strategy to test our questionnaire on a final sample of 1024 older Missourians. Internal consistency and construct validity were examined. Pretesting identified several potential problems that were improved with rewording. Cronbach alpha was greater than 0.6 (range 0.62 to 0.92) in all but one construct testing dementia knowledge, suggesting good to excellent internal consistency. Convergent (construct) validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis. All constructs but 3 demonstrated good validity. Addressing these issues will allow researchers to identify unique characteristics based on age, race, sex, socioeconomic differences and geographic location, and characterize barriers to screening programs to more effectively develop targeted community-based interventions.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Family-of-origin expressiveness: measurement, meaning, and relationship to alexithymia.

The need for research instruments to assess the impact of affective expressiveness within the family is evident, yet few appear to be adequately designed for this purpose. In this article, we present two studies addressing this need. In the first study, the original 40-item Family-of-Origin Scale was administered to 416 students to determine those items that constitute the factor structure. This instrument was designed to assess perceived levels of health in the family of origin but has unsubstantiated construct validity. Results from a confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the instrument has one major factor, and results from five other studies provide evidence supporting the construct validity. Face validity of this 22-item construct indicates that it assesses an individual's perceived level of global expressive atmosphere within his or her family of origin. In the second study, the new Family-of-Origin Expressive Atmosphere Scale and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale were administered to 295 students. Students' self-reported expressive atmospheres in their family-of-origin scores were significantly correlated with the total scores of alexithymia and each of the three factors: impaired ability to identify feelings, impaired ability to describe feelings, and externally oriented thinking processes. No significant gender differences were found.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

A validity study of the posture and fine motor assessment of infants.

This study investigated the concurrent and construct validity of the Posture and Fine Motor Assessment of Infants (PFMAI) (Case-Smith, 1991). The subjects were 90 infants, 65 of whom were healthy and full-term and 25 of whom were premature and had medical risk factors. Concurrent validity was investigated through administration of the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (Folio & Fewell, 1983) and the PFMAI (n = 25). Strong positive correlations resulted between the Peabody Gross Motor scale and PFMAI Posture scale and between the Peabody Fine Motor scale and PFMAI Fine Motor scale. Concurrent validity was also measured through correlation scores on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Bayley, 1969) with scores on the PFMAI. The correlations between the Bayley Motor scale and the PFMAI Posture scale and between the Bayley Mental scale and the PFMAI Fine Motor scale were high. Construct validity was estimated through an evaluation of how accurately the PFMAI discriminated between the premature subjects and the full-term subjects. A discriminant analysis indicated that the PFMAI accurately classified 78% of the subjects as being either premature or full-term (i.e., 80% of the full-term subjects and 72% of the premature subjects). When the premature subjects were categorized as low-risk or high-risk according to their medical histories, the PFMAI accurately classified 66.7% of the total subject population as full-term, low-risk premature, or high-risk premature. These results indicate that the PFMAI has the adequate reliability and validity necessary for use as a clinical and a research instrument.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Brain Damage, Chronic↗

PubMed1987

The derivation and validation of six Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale clusters.

The purpose of this research was twofold. First, to determine if eight Multidimensional Health Locus of Control types hypothesized by Wallston and Wallston (1982) existed. Second, to assess the reliability, validity, and clinical utility of the control types. Two investigations were conducted based on research procedures designed for the discovery of clusters. The first study involved the derivation and replication of MHLC clusters with a sample of 400 healthy undergraduate men and women. The results of Study 1 suggested the existence of six MHLC clusters: pure internal; double external; pure chance; yea sayer; nay sayer, and believer in control. The sample for Study 2 consisted of 90 female undergraduate and graduate students. The six-cluster solution was replicated in this second cross-validation study. Furthermore, construct validity of the clusters was established through computer simulation. Finally, relationships between clusters and the Krantz Health Opinion Survey suggested the clusters have a theoretical as well as a empirical foundation. The implications of these findings for clinical practice, for the development of the health locus of control construct, and for future research on the MHLC Scale are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Construction and validation of an ego integrity status interview.

Erikson's theory regarding the existence of an Ego Integrity versus Despair crisis in old age was tested using an interview derived from Whitbourne and Weinstock's application of Marcia's status construct to the ego integrity crisis. Four integrity statuses were defined: integrity achieving, dissonant (in crisis), foreclosed (avoiding crisis), and despairing. These statuses were reliably (80%) identified among forty elderly community-dwelling men and women through the forty-five-minute semistructured interview. Moreover, predicted differences among the four statuses were observed on questionnaire measures assessing reminiscing activity, death attitudes and preparation, psychological well-being, and questionnaire scales of Stages 6 through 8 of Erikson's theory. The pattern of differences suggested that integrity achieving and foreclosed samples differed mainly regarding their degree of introspection regarding the past, but that both appeared to have a high degree of psychological well-being. Dissonant individuals appeared to be unhappy and stressed, but this was seen as a temporary state in contrast to the more chronic nature of the despairing's low sense of psychological well-being. The validity of the integrity status construct and the interview designed to measure it have, therefore, been supported, and provide the basis for suggested refinements within Erikson's description of the Ego Integrity versus Despair stage.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

Measuring subjective quality of life following spinal cord injury: a validation study of the assistive technology device predisposition assessment.

PURPOSE: Assesses the validity of a subset of items of the Assistive Technology Device Predisposition Assessment (ATD PA) as a measure of quality of life (QOL) for persons with new spinal cord injury. METHOD: Subjects completed the ATD PA QOL subset, Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) while in acute rehabilitation. The internal reliability of the QOL subset of the ATD PA was assessed. Concurrent validity of the ATD PA's QOL subset with the SWLS and construct validity with the BSI depression subscale was assessed using Spearman correlations. Subjects were recruited while acute rehabilitation inpatients in a general hospital and consisted of twenty persons with newly acquired SCI (10 males and 10 females). RESULTS: Significant positive correlations between the ATD PA's QOL subset and SWLS (and significant negative correlations with the BSI depression subscale) suggest the QOL subset has concurrent and construct validity. CONCLUSIONS: The ATD PA's QOL subset appears to be a valid measure and, thus, it can be useful both in identifying subjective quality of life and predispositions to AT use early in rehabilitation.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Comparison of the validity and sensitivity to change of 5 activity indices in systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the construct validity and sensitivity to change of the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), Lupus Activity Index (LAI), British Isles Lupus Assessment Group index (BILAG), and the European Consensus Lupus Activity Measure (ECLAM). METHODS: Twenty-three patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were examined prospectively every 2 weeks for up to 40 weeks. Nineteen patients completed all 20 assessments. At each assessment, each of the 5 activity indices was scored, along with physicians' and patients' global assessments of SLE activity. Construct validity was determined by the strength of correlations between changes over time in each activity index and changes in physician and patient global assessments. Sensitivity to change was determined by the magnitude of change in each index over the 2 week interval of greatest change in the physician or patient global assessments, and calculated as standardized response means (SRM; mean change/standard deviation of change). Thirteen patients were also examined monthly by a second physician who was blinded to previous scores on the activity indices and to the patient global assessments. RESULTS: Patients had substantial changes in SLE activity during the study. Changes in each activity index were correlated with changes in the physician global assessment (SLAM r = 0.54; SLEDAI r = 0.52; LAI r = 0.75; BILAG r = 0.61; ECLAM r = 0.65; all p < 0.0001). Correlations were somewhat lower with the blinded physician assessment (SLAM r = 0.42; SLEDAI r = 0.12; LAI r = 0.30; BILAG r = 0.28; ECLAM r = 0.32). The SLAM was the only index that was positively correlated with changes in the patient global assessment (r = 0.22; p < 0.0001). Sensitivity to change was greatest for the LAI (SRM = 0.74) and the ECLAM (SRM = 0.75) and smallest for the SLEDAI (SRM = 0.48) when the physician global assessment was used as the standard. Sensitivity to change was greatest for the SLAM (SRM = 0.61) and the BILAG (SRM = 0.57) and smallest for the SLEDAI (SRM = -0.01) when the patient global assessment was used as the standard. CONCLUSION: Each index is a valid measure of SLE activity. The SLAM captures patients' assessments better than the other indices, perhaps because it assesses the patients' subjective complaints to a greater extent. Estimates of sensitivity to change varied with the standard used, but the SLEDAI was least sensitive to change. Larger studies are indicated to further compare the sensitivity to change of these indices.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Assessing support networks: stability and evidence for convergent and divergent validity.

Data on important methodological problems in assessing support networks is presented. Stability (over 1 year) and construct validity were examined in two groups of mothers of preschool children. One group of mothers had children with a physical handicap (n = 25); the other group had normally developing children (n = 44). When their children were 4 years of age and again at 5 years of age, mothers' support networks were assessed with the Pattison Psychosocial Kinship Inventory (a semistructured interview) and a log diary. Results indicated considerable stability in mothers' support networks over the 1-year period. In addition, agreement across methods was fairly high despite marked differences in format, providing evidence for the construct of support networks. Further evidence for construct validity was provided by generally low correlations between support network variables and other measures of social ecology. Findings were roughly similar for both groups of mothers indicating general replicability of findings.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed2001

Validation of the SADL questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: To cross-validate the psychometric characteristics of the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life (SADL) questionnaire (Cox & Alexander, 1999), and to explore the SADL's construct validity. DESIGN: Thirteen private practice Audiology clinics each distributed SADL questionnaires, by mail, to 20 adults who had recently obtained hearing aids. The completed questionnaires were returned to a central site and subject anonymity was assured. There were 196 usable responses. RESULTS: Psychometric characteristics of the items were found to be very similar to those reported previously. Thus, the internal validity of the instrument was strongly supported. The assumption that the SADL quantifies satisfaction by assessing its components was evaluated by examining the relationship between SADL scores and scores on a traditional single-item satisfaction measure. A logical and statistically significant relationship was seen between the two measures, thereby supporting the construct validity of both types of data. For private-pay clients, satisfaction scores were very similar to the interim norms published by Cox and Alexander (1999). However, clients whose hearing aids were partly or fully purchased by insurance or benefits programs tended to be more satisfied than interim norms for third-party pay clients derived 5 yr ago. For most types of clients, there was a tendency toward more satisfaction in the Negative Features subscale than observed in our previous research. CONCLUSIONS: Both construct and internal validity of the SADL questionnaire were supported by this research. The previously published interim norms appear to be mostly appropriate for private-pay clients, but might require adjustment in the Negative Features subscale. Further research is needed to explore the relationship between satisfaction and device purchase issues (third-party versus private pay).

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Validity of the TEMPA for the measurement of upper limb function in multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate concurrent and construct validity of the TEMPA (Test d'Evaluation de la performance des Membres Supérieurs des Personnes Agées) in patients with upper limb dysfunction due to multiple sclerosis. SUBJECTS: Forty-three patients with upper limb dysfunction due to multiple sclerosis. DESIGN: Patients performed upper limb tests and were assessed on measures of functional independence. SETTING: National Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Melsbroek, Belgium. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: TEMPA, Jebsen Handfunction Test, Nine Hole Peg Test, Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and activities of daily living (ADL) self-questionnaire. RESULTS: The correlation between TEMPA and Jebsen Handfunction and the Nine Hole Peg test respectively is good (0.56-0.87) and high (0.79-0.9). The correlation between TEMPA and the FIM and ADL self-questionnaire was moderate (0.44-0.61) although mostly higher than the correlation between the Jebsen Handfunction and the Nine Hole Peg test respectively and the measures of functionality (0.22-0.55/0.1-0.47). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data supporting the concurrent validity of the TEMPA with the Jebsen Handfunction and the Nine Hole Peg Test in patients with multiple sclerosis. The results suggest construct validity of the TEMPA for the measurement of functionality during activities of daily life in patients with upper limb dysfunction due to multiple sclerosis.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2005

Reliability and validity of the Swedish version of the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS).

Fatigue is a complex phenomenon that, for those not affected, is hard to understand. To achieve better assessments, caregivers need reliable and valid tools. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of the Swedish version of the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS) among working-aged individuals diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as in a comparative group randomly selected from the general population in the same geographical area. Both individuals with MS (n=161) and individuals recruited from the general population (n=194) participated in the study. A questionnaire was used for the data collection. The data were analysed using non-parametric statistical methods. Reliability of FIS was addressed by item-to-item and item-to-total correlations. Concurrent validity was tested for by analysing correlations between the FIS and general questions, and construct validity by investigation of differences in the FIS scores between known groups. The FIS was found to be homogenous, with item-to-total correlation coefficients of 0.42 < or = s < or = .86 (p <0.001), reflecting the instrument's reliability. The correlations between the FIS and the general questions confirm its concurrent validity, 0.27 < or = s < or = .84 (p <0.001). The differences in FIS scores between known groups demonstrate its construct validity. Furthermore, the FIS showed the ability to discriminate between groups of individuals with differences in perceived impact of fatigue.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2005

Validity of an instrument assessing oral health problems in people with Down syndrome.

AIM: The aim of this study was to validate a proxy measure of oral health designed to be completed by the English-speaking parents of people with Down syndrome (DS) aged four years or more. METHODOLOGY: Items were generated through literature review, interviews with parents of people with DS and professional experts and through frequency testing. Data were gathered from one population-based and two clinic-based samples for the separate aspects of validation. Validation consisted of evaluation of: i) internal reliability of the domain structure through Cronbach's alpha; ii) criterion validity against clinical indicators and a clinician's evaluation of some items; iii) construct validity involving an age-matched comparison of domain scores between people with DS and non-DS siblings, and within the DS group by health status indicators; and iv) test-retest reliability through the generation of intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: A 20-item instrument with four domains (communication, eating, parafunction and symptoms) was developed. Cronbach's alpha by domain was 0.5-0.8. Indicators of criterion validity for domains against clinical indicators (Spearman's coefficient 0.1-0.4) and parent-rated items against clinician-rated items (weighted Kappa 0.1-0.8) were varied as anticipated. Indicators of construct validity (differences with non-DS siblings and correlations with medical status within the DS group) were excellent. Test-retest reliability was good (ICC range 0.64-0.84). CONCLUSION: These data suggest the test instrument is valid as a descriptive, discriminative, proxy English language measure of oral health problems in people with DS aged four years or more.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Design, construction, and validation of a large capacity rodent magnetic field exposure laboratory.

A magnetic field exposure laboratory has been constructed to support National Toxicology Program studies for the evaluation of the toxicity and carcinogenicity of pure, linearly polarized, 60 Hz magnetic fields in rodents. This dual corridor, controlled access facility can support the simultaneous exposure of 1200 rats and 1200 mice. The facility contains fully redundant electrical and environmental control systems and was constructed using non-metallic materials to maintain low levels of background (ambient), stray, and cross-talk magnetic fields. The exposure module design provides for large uniform exposure volumes with good control of stray and cross-talk fields, while allowing the use of roll-around cage racks for simplified animal husbandry. Stray fields and cross-talk have been further reduced by the inclusion of "steering coils" in each exposure module. Ambient 60 Hz fields (less cross-talk) in all exposure rooms are <0.1 microT (1 mG), and static magnetic fields have been mapped extensively. Magnetic field strength, waveform, temperature, relative humidity, light intensity, noise level, vibration, and air flow in all animal holding areas are tightly regulated, and are monitored continuously during all studies. Field uniformity in the animal exposure volumes is better than -/+l0%; a systematic program of cage, rack, and room rotation controls for possible positional effects within the exposure system. Magnetic fields are turned on and off over multiple cycles to prevent the induction of transients associated with abrupt field level changes. Total harmonic distortion is <3% at all field strengths. The facility has been used to study magnetic field bioeffects in rodent model systems in experiments ranging in duration from 8 weeks to 2 years.

Air Movements↗

PubMed2003

The multidimensional scale of independent functioning: a new instrument for measuring functional disability in psychiatric populations.

The Multidimensional Scale of Independent Functioning (MSIF) is a new instrument for rating functional disability in psychiatric outpatients. The MSIF differs from other disability rating scales by providing discrete ratings of (1) role responsibility, (2) presence and level of support, and (3) performance quality. The MSIF, which consists of a semistructured interview and detailed rating anchors, was validated in 114 psychiatric outpatients. The instrument had good criterion, discriminative, interrater, and construct validity. Correlations between comparable ratings on the Social Adjustment Scale II (SAS II) ranged from 0.78 to 0.86. Nevertheless, redundancy analysis using canonical correlation demonstrated that, although the two instruments overlap, the MSIF contains information that is not contained in the SAS II. Furthermore, there was only modest shared variance with conceptually non-overlapping subscales in the SAS II. Interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients) ranged from 0.74 to 1.00 for global and subscale scores. MSIF subscales performed as expected with respect to external validators such as hours of employment, earned income, supported versus nonsupported employment and housing, and mainstream versus nonmainstream educational status. MSIF global ratings were modestly correlated with IQ and psychopathology ratings, consistent with reports in the literature. Construct validity, estimated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, was 0.72. The MSIF is a promising new instrument designed to circumvent several limitations with existing functional outcome instruments for longitudinal studies, intervention research, and services research.

Demography↗

PubMed1979

Measurement of assertive behavior: construct and predictive validity of self-report, role-playing, and in-vivo measures.

Examined the predictive validity and construct equivalence of the three major procedures used to measure assertive behavior: Self-report, behavioral role-playing, and in-vivo assessment. Seventy-five Ss, who spanned the range of assertiveness, completed two self-report measures of assertiveness, the Rathus Assertiveness Scale (RAS) and the College Self-Expression Scale (CSES); two scales from the Endler S-R Inventory of General Trait Anxiousness, the interpersonal and general anxiety scales; eight role-playing situations that involved the expression of positive and negative assertiveness; and a telephone in-vivo task. In general, the study revealed the following: (1) assertiveness measures are task-dependent in that there was more overlap within task than between tasks; (2) there is a moderate degree of correspondence between self-report and role-playing measures, although this was true only for negative assertion; (3) positive and negative assertion do not appear to have the same topography of responding; and (4) there appears to be no consistent relationship between the in-vivo measure and any other type of assertiveness measure.

Anxiety↗

PubMed2005

Instruments for measuring patient satisfaction with pharmacy services in the spanish language.

AIM OF THE REVIEW: The purpose of this paper is to identify and evaluate instruments used to assess patient satisfaction with pharmacy services available in the Spanish language, and specifically those designed to assess pharmaceutical care provided in community pharmacies. METHOD: A literature search was conducted in seven databases, using keywords: "patient satisfaction" and "Spanish" with and without the term "pharmacy". Publications that described the development or translation and/or adaptation of a questionnaire to assess patient satisfaction with pharmacy services in the Spanish language were retained. Publications were excluded if they were abstracts from conferences, reviews, letters or notes. The criteria used also excluded manuscripts where patient satisfaction was not assessed with a questionnaire. Instruments were evaluated according to evidence of the psychometric properties considered relevant: content validity, reliability and construct validity. RESULTS: While 83 publications describing instruments to measure patient satisfaction with health care services in the Spanish language were identified, only two pertained to satisfaction with pharmacy services. Both assessed patient satisfaction with pharmaceutical care. One questionnaire, developed in Spanish only, includes four dimensions that comprehensively assessed pharmaceutical care practice; however, its reliability was only partially evaluated. The other questionnaire was developed in both Spanish and English. It was considered narrower in scope, assessing satisfaction with the pharmacist only. However, evidence was provided that the two versions of the questionnaire were reliable, valid and linguistically equivalent. CONCLUSION: A comprehensive, reliable, and valid instrument for assessing patient satisfaction with pharmaceutical care in community pharmacies in the Spanish language is not yet available. The two published questionnaires that we have identified are a beginning, further research and development is needed.

Community Pharmacy Services↗

PubMed1992

The measurement of attitudes towards and beliefs about pain.

This study compared the psychometric properties of two scales designed to measure attitudes towards and beliefs about pain. The Survey of Pain Attitudes (Revised) SOPA(R) (Jensen and Karoly 1987) and the Pain Beliefs and Perceptions Inventory (PBPI) (Williams and Thorn 1989) were examined in terms of internal consistency, discriminant validity, factor structure, construct validity and sensitivity to age and gender effects. Results provided strong support for the SOPA(R) as a useful measurement tool for use with patients with chronic low back pain. Further work is suggested for the PBPI, as the reported factor structure was not replicated. Discussion centered around the possible reasons for this finding, with issues such as the possible orientation of different treatment facilities, the possible differences in attitudes between patients with different types of pain, and the possible influence of length of years in pain or the receipt of workers compensation payments being considered.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Low Back Pain Rating scale: validation of a tool for assessment of low back pain.

Low Back Pain Rating scale is an index scale which includes measurements of pain intensity, disability, and physical impairment. The scale was designed to monitor the outcome of clinical trials of low back pain treatment. It has been validated in 58 patients following first-time discectomy. The scale rating can be rapidly carried out and requires no special aids. With slight modification it can be used in office and telephone interviews, as well as postal questionnaires. These modifications only slightly reduce the quantity of information gathered. In the study, a high rater agreement (97.7%) was found without level difference between two observers using the scale. The validation process included: construct validity, criterion-related validity and item bias, relative to Global Assessments pronounced by the patient and an experienced clinician. Low Back Pain Rating scale hs been shown to be valid and reliable in the assessment of low back pain.

Adult↗