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Self-reports on mental health problems of youth with moderate to borderline intellectual disabilities.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent to which the Youth Self-Report (YSR) can be used to assess emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents with intellectual disabilities (IDs). METHOD: In 2003, 281 11- to 18-year-olds with IDs (IQ > or =48) completed the YSR in an interview, and in 1993, 1,047 non-ID adolescents completed the YSR themselves. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The ID sample was split into lower (IQ 48-69) and higher (IQ > or =70) IQ groups. Cronbach's alpha values of the YSR scales and (intraclass) correlation coefficients between and within YSR and CBCL scale scores were calculated to determine parent-adolescent agreement and YSR construct validity, which were compared between samples. Mean YSR scale scores were compared between adolescents with ID with and without psychiatric symptoms. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha, parent-adolescent agreement, and indications of construct validity were about similar in all samples, although discriminant validity was somewhat weaker in the lower IQ group. Mean scale scores were 1.5 to 2.0 times higher for ID adolescents with psychiatric symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The YSR seems applicable in youth with an IQ > or =48. Further research is needed to refine and confirm these findings and the factor structure of the YSR in adolescents with ID and to differentiate between adolescents with moderate and mild IDs.

Adolescent↗

Measuring psychosocial recovery after traumatic brain injury: psychometric properties of a new scale.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the psychometric properties of the Sydney Psychosocial Reintegration Scale (SPRS), an instrument developed to quantify disability and handicap in persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: Descriptive correlational study. SETTING: Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit and Brain Injury Outpatient Clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Two samples, a "subacute" group (n = 20) and a "long-term" group (n = 40), were studied to examine responsiveness (subacute group), reliability, and validity (long-term group) of the SPRS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The SPRS is a 12-item questionnaire measuring three domains of everyday living commonly disrupted after severe TBI: occupational activities, interpersonal relationships, and independent living skills. PROCEDURE: Patients in the subacute group were rated with the SPRS by a clinician at admission to the rehabilitation unit and again three months later or at discharge from the unit (whichever occurred first). For individuals from the long-term group attending the outpatient clinic, a close relative was interviewed with the SPRS and other validating measures. The SPRS was readministered one month later. RESULTS: Internal consistency of the SPRS was high (alpha coefficient = .90), as was agreement between raters and stability over a one-month period (r(i) = .95 and .90, respectively). Reliability and stability coefficients for the three domains of the scale were also high, ranging from.86 to.94 for reliability and.77 to.93 for stability. Preliminary evidence for construct validity was established with a number of standard instruments, with evidence of both convergent and discriminant construct validity from the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP). The SPRS was sensitive to group differences on the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and to changes occurring during the period of active recovery. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the SPRS has sound psychometric properties, being a reliable, stable, sensitive, and valid instrument. It is potentially useful in both clinical and research settings.

Activities of Daily Living↗

The Family Relationship Index: validity data.

The Family Relationship Index (FRI) is a self-report measure that provides an overall index of the quality of the family environment, as well as subscores that reflect family cohesion, expressiveness, and conflict. The current study is based on 53 families who had approached a family service agency for counseling and who had completed an FRI measure prior to intake. The construct validity of the FRI scores was evaluated by comparing them to measures of family functioning provided by experienced family therapists as part of the intake process. Support for the construct validity of the composite index and two of the subscores, Family Cohesion and Family Conflict, was obtained.

Adult↗

The PedsQL Brain Tumor Module: initial reliability and validity.

BACKGROUND: Brain tumors (BT) are second only to acute lymphoblastic leukemia as the most prevalent form of pediatric cancer, with BT 5-year survival rates approaching 70%. With increased survival, quality of life has emerged as an essential health outcome. This investigation examines the internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Brain Tumor Module. METHODS: The PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales, PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, and PedsQL Brain Tumor Module were administered to 99 families. The average age of the 56 boys and 43 girls was 9.76 years (range=2-18 years). The sample included children with tumors located in the posterior fossa/brainstem (N=62, 62.6%), supratentorial (N=15, 15.2%), and midline (N=22, 22.2%). Children were on treatment (N=46, 46.5%), off treatment<12 months (N=19, 19.2%), or off treatment>12 months/long-term survivor (N=34, 34.3%). Treatment included radiation (N=61, 61.6%), surgery (N=83, 83.8%), chemotherapy (N=87, 87.9%), and bone marrow transplant (N=5, 5.1%). RESULTS: Internal consistency reliability was demonstrated for the 24-item PedsQL Brain Tumor Module (average alpha=0.78-0.92, parent proxy-report, n=99; average alpha=0.76-0.87, child self-report, n=51). Construct validity for the PedsQL Brain Tumor Module was supported through an analysis of the intercorrelations with the Generic Core Scales and Fatigue Scale. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide support for the measurement properties of the PedsQL Brain Tumor Module.

Adolescent↗

Validity and utility of the Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors for Korean community-dwelling elderly with or without stroke.

The social environmental barriers are considered to be important because the "social participation" of people with impairments would be facilitated by the prevention and reduction of environmental barriers. The Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF) is one of the few scales to assess the environmental barriers. In this study, we developed the Korean version of CHIEF and evaluated its construct validity and utility in a sample of Korean community-dwelling elderly with or without stroke. We evaluated the construct validity of the CHIEF by testing the original five-factor structure using a confirmatory factor analysis in 400 elderly in Seoul, Korea. The utility of the CHIEF was then assessed by examining the relationships between individual characteristics, Barthel Index and perceived environmental barriers, measured by the CHIEF, using a structural equation modeling approach. The confirmatory factor analysis result demonstrated the validity of a second-order factor model of the CHIEF comprising the five factors as first-order factors. The perceived environmental barrier was a second-order factor when provided acceptable fit indices after two modifications. The structural equation modeling indicates that perceived environmental barriers are significantly related to activities of daily life but not age, gender, and the episode of stroke. The CHIEF is useful in measuring environmental factors for Korean older adults with or without stroke.

Aged↗

Measuring quality of sedation in adult mechanically ventilated critically ill patients. the Vancouver Interaction and Calmness Scale. Sedation Focus Group.

There are no reliable, valid, and responsive scales to measure the quality of sedation in adult critically ill patients. Our objective was to develop a summated rating scale with these properties and to define the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). We developed and tested the scale in an 18-bed medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) (12-bed acute and 6-bed subacute unit). Following identification of relevant domains and item derivation, 116 observations were made on 38 patients; psychometric properties and interrater reliability were assessed to allow item reduction. The final scale consisted of two five-item subscales quantifying calmness and interaction along a continuum from 5 to 30 points. Interrater reliability was 0.89 and 0.90; internal consistency was 0. 95 for both subscales. To test construct validity, MCID, and responsiveness 302 observations were made on 54 patients. Construct validity: calmness score vs. need for further intervention to make the patient calm (R = -0.82, P < 0.001); interaction score discriminated between acute vs. subacute units, mean scores 15.28 +/- 8.26 vs. 23.54 +/- 7.42, mean difference 8.27 (95% CI - 10.32 to -6.22); MCID - 2.2 and 2.5 for the calmness and interaction subscales; Guyatt's responsiveness statistics - 1.4 and 2.3. The Vancouver Interaction and Calmness Scale (VICS) is reliable, valid, and responsive.

Adult↗

Do human values reflect job decisions and prosocial and antisocial behavior? A contribution towards validating the Austrian Value Questionnaire by group comparisons.

The Austrian Value Questionnaire was developed on the basis of the Lexical Approach to account for specific facets of values in Austrian culture. It comprises 54 items, constituting five scales, Intellectualism, Harmony, Religiosity, Materialism, and Conservatism, and 13 subscales. To assess construct validity, hypotheses on human values were derived from the literature and tested in Austrian samples of Catholic priests and nuns (n=30, 8 women, M age=52.6 yr.), community servants (n=30, all men, M age=21.4 yr.), and students of psychology (n=33, 19 women, M age=23.8 yr.) and economics (n=33, 18 women, M age=23.8 yr.), prisoners (n=40, 9 women, M age=34.9 yr.), and drivers who had been fined for driving while intoxicated (n=35, 5 women, M age=34.6 yr.). Participants were volunteers. Previous and more recent findings from the USA, Canada, Germany, and Switzerland provided similar results for community servants, students of economics, prisoners, and intoxicated drivers, and thus, the hypotheses for these groups were largely confirmed. Most earlier findings for priests and nuns and students of psychology were not replicated, however. Taking into account that values may change over time and variously in different cultures, the results pose an argument for the construct validity of the newly developed questionnaire.

Adult↗

Quality of life in osteoporosis: reliability, consistency, and validity of the Osteoporosis Assessment Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the reliability, consistency, and clinical utility of the Osteoporosis Assessment Questionnaire (OPAQ), an AIMS2 based self-assessment questionnaire. METHODS: Reliability of individual questions, scales, and domains were evaluated in 40 subjects by test-retest and intraclass correlation coefficients and internal consistency by Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was evaluated by disease state. The relationships between domains and scales were modeled by confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS: Mean kappa (79 questions) and intraclass correlation (18 health scales) coefficients were 0.58+/-0.16 (mean+/-SD) and 0.82+/-0.07, respectively. Internal consistency was greater than 0.8 in all but 3 scales. Construct validity was confirmed. Patients with hip fracture recorded lower OPAQ scores than patients with vertebral fracture. Correlation and confirmatory factor analyses grouped the 18 health scales into 7 domains. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that OPAQ is a reliable, consistent, and valid instrument capable of distinguishing hierarchy of functional loss in disease states in osteoporosis.

Aged↗

The Level of Expressed Emotion Scale: a new measure of expressed emotion.

The Level of Expressed Emotion (LEE) scale was developed to provide an index of the perceived emotional climate in a person's influential relationships. Unlike existing measures, the scale was constructed on the basis of a conceptual framework described by expressed emotion theorists. In addition to providing an overall score, the 60-item scale assesses the following four characteristic attitudes or response styles of significant others: Intrusiveness, emotional response, attitude toward illness, and tolerance/expectations. The scale underwent extensive psychometric development procedures: (1) theoretically based item generation; (2) pilot testing with normal and psychiatric populations to select the final items; and (3) construct validation within a schizophrenic population. The results were quite favorable and indicate that the LEE scale has sound psychometric properties of internal consistency; reliability; independence from sex, age, and amount of contacts; and construct validity.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Muscle tone: objective evaluation of the static component at the wrist.

A device measuring the flexion of the hand from an extended position was evaluated as a technique for assessing the passive component of muscle tone. Wrist measurements of 23 individuals, ten able-bodied, eight with spastic and five with flaccid wrists, were collected for three days of each week for three weeks, to determine the interrater, test-retest reliability, and construct validity of the device. Findings demonstrated high interrater reliability, inadequate test-retest reliability for single daily score comparisons, but an acceptable level of test-retest reliability for composite weekly score comparisons. Construct validity was supported since measurements of the involved limbs of individuals with spastic and flaccid wrists and the able-bodied group were significantly different from each other. This technique may provide useful objective information for therapists.

Adolescent↗

Validation of the cancer needs questionnaire (CNQ) short-form version in an ambulatory cancer setting.

The short-form Cancer Needs Questionnaire (CNQ) is a self-administered cancer-specific questionnaire designed to assess patients' needs across several domains. The purpose of this study is to further evaluate its internal consistency and construct validity, in a group of ambulatory patients with cancer. Four hundred and fifty patients with a variety of cancer types participated. Factor analysis reproduced five domains: psychological; health information; physical and daily living; patient care and support; and interpersonal communication needs. Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.94 to 0.77, indicating substantial consistency across items grouped in the five domains. A priori predictions regarding convergent and contrasting groups construct validity were explored using bivariate relationships between domains of the short-form CNQ, the EORTC QLQC-30 and Beck Depression Inventory (short-form), with support provided for most of the predictions. The current study provides supportive evidence that the short-form CNQ is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the needs of patients with cancer in an ambulatory care setting.

Adolescent↗

Empowerment in people with a mental illness: reliability and validity of the Swedish version of an empowerment scale.

Empowerment has become a widespread concept in various social policy contexts referring to different marginalized groups. Empowerment has also been focused within the mental health field although little empirical research exists. The aim of the present study was to investigate internal consistency and construct validity of the Swedish version of an empowerment scale developed for people with a mental illness, Making Decisions. Ninety-two persons were subject to an interview also comprising assessments of quality of life, needs for care, psychiatric symptoms, psychosocial functioning, aspects of the social network, rejection experiences and attitudes of devaluation/discrimination towards people with mental illness. The results showed that the overall scale and the subscales had a good internal consistency, except for the subscale power-powerlessness. A factor analysis revealed two superordinate factors, self-esteem and activism and community and power, with a satisfactory internal consistency. These two factors showed a good construct validity with expected associations to validation measures. Stigma was most markedly associated with self-esteem and activism, and a higher level of education was most strongly associated with community and power. In conclusion, the Swedish version Making Decisions may well be used in further studies of empowerment among people with a mental illness.

Follow-Up Studies↗

Measuring functional disability in early rheumatoid arthritis: the validity, reliability and responsiveness of the Recent-Onset Arthritis Disability (ROAD) index.

OBJECTIVE: Disability has been identified as a core outcome measure in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study was to test the Recent-Onset Arthritis Disability (ROAD) questionnaire for validity, reliability and responsiveness in Italian patients with early RA. METHODS: The psychometric properties of ROAD were tested in 159 patients with early RA, mean age 54.7 (+/- 8.8), 74.3% women, mean disease duration 14.5 months (+/- 1.9 months). All completed the ROAD, the Medical Outcomes Study SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36), the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and the patient global assessment (PGA) of functional disability twice, in order to test for validity and responsiveness. Of the 159 patients who completed the health status instruments on two occasions, 121 were included in the responsiveness analyses. The test-retest reliability of the ROAD questionnaire was calculated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and the Bland and Altman method on 77 patients who completed the questionnaire twice over an interval of one week. Construct validity was assessed using Spearman's correlations, while responsiveness was evaluated by 3 different methods: (1) effect size (the mean difference between the baseline scores and thefollow-up scores divided by the standard deviation of the baseline scores); (2) standardized response mean (the mean change in scores divided by the standard deviation of the change in scores); (3) receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: ROAD fulfilled the established criteria for validity, reliability and responsiveness. In comparison with the SF-36, the expected correlations were found when comparing items measuring similar constructs, thus supporting the convergent construct validity. Significant correlations were seen between ROAD scores and HAQ scores (rho = 0.372), SF-36 physical component summary (PCS) (rho = -0.413), PGA functional disability (rho = 0.417), pain (rho = 0.639), Ritchie index (rho = 0.357), number of swollen joints (rho = 0.387), patient and physician assessment of disease activity (rho = 0.467 and 0.323, respectively), and Disease Activity Score (rho = 0.476). Test-retest reliability was satisfactory, with ICCs of 0.927 (upper extremity function), 0.892 (lower extremity function), and 0.851 (activity of daily living/work). Bland-Altman plots confirmed this finding. The results of responsiveness analysis indicate that the ROAD subscales were slightly more sensitive to perceived change in functional disability than those of HAQ, SF-36 PCS, and PGA offunctional disability. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the ROAD index is a reliable, valid and responsive tool for measuring physical functioning in patients with early RA, and is suitable for use in clinical trials and daily clinical practice. Its generalizability and utility for assessing aggressive treatment and functional outcomes must now be evaluated in broader settings.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

Longitudinal assessment of quality of life in acute psychiatric inpatients: reliability and validity.

This study examined the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of Lehman's Quality of Life Interview (QOLI) as an outcome measure on 981 acutely ill psychiatric inpatients assessed longitudinally at admission and discharge. Patients were stratified into five diagnostic (DX) (depressed bipolar, depressed unipolar, schizophrenia, mania, and other diagnoses) and two substance use disorder (SA) strata (with and without concurrent substance abuse/dependence) based on DSM-III-R criteria. There was good replication of the factor structure, excellent internal consistency, overall and within DX and SA groups. Intercorrelations showed that the functional and satisfaction indices measure unique aspects of the quality of life. The construct consistency of the QOLI was dependent upon psychiatric diagnosis and life domain. Intercorrelations of functional and satisfaction indices for patients with depression were greater than for manic patients. We demonstrated strong consistency of construct validity for family and social relation domains, but not safety or leisure activities. Construct validity was shown to hold longitudinally. Analyses of DX and SA group differences on satisfaction and functional indices of the 8 life domains supported discriminative validity: Depressed patients reported the most dissatisfaction, followed by schizophrenic patients, and manic patients reported the greatest satisfaction in most life domains. Patients with concurrent substance abuse generally reported less satisfaction and lower quality of life than patients without a dual diagnosis. Examination of longitudinal changes in satisfaction indicated the QOLI is responsive to changes in global life, leisure activities, living situation, and social relations from hospital admission to discharge (an average of 2 weeks). This study supports the use of the QOLI as an outcome measure to assess quality of life in acutely ill hospitalized psychiatric patients.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Validity and reliability of the family inventory of needs (FIN): measuring the care needs of families of advanced cancer patients.

Two studies balanced qualitative and quantitative data to provide evidence of satisfactory validity and reliability of the Family Inventory of Needs (FIN). The FIN is designed to measure the importance of care needs of families of advanced cancer patients (FIN-Importance of Care Needs subscale) and the extent to which families perceive that their care needs have been met (FIN-Fulfillment of Care Needs subscale). The first study involved development of the instrument and testing for clarity, apparent internal consistency (non-quantitative assessment of homogeneity of content), and content validity using a panel of six experts (family members of advanced cancer patients). The FIN met or exceeded the preset criteria specified used in this phase of testing. The second study of the project used 109 family members of advanced cancer patients from three hospice programs to test the FIN for internal consistency and construct validity. Internal consistency of the FIN-Importance of Care Needs subscale as measured by Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .83 without redundancy. Construct analysis was assessed using factor analysis techniques. An inability to extract a substantively meaningful minimum number of factors, together with the fact that a theta reliability coefficient of .85 was obtained (only .02 higher than the alpha coefficient), suggested that the items were parallel supporting the conclusion that the subscale is unidimensional. Support for the construct validity of the FIN-Importance of Care Needs subscale was also obtained using predictive modeling. The internal structure of the FIN-Fulfillment of Care Needs subscale was assessed using cluster analysis. Results suggested that the subscale is a unidimensional one. Overall, the FIN met the preset reliability and validity criteria providing promising evidence for the instrument's sound psychometric properties for use in research and clinical settings.

Adult↗

Reliability and validity of the Assessment of Daily Activity Performance (ADAP) in community-dwelling older women.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The Assessment of Daily Activity Performance (ADAP) test was developed, and modeled after the Continuous-scale Physical Functional Performance (CS-PFP) test, to provide a quantitative assessment of older adults' physical functional performance. The aim of this study was to determine the intra-examiner reliability and construct validity of the ADAP in a community-living older population, and to identify the importance of tester experience. METHODS: Forty-three community-dwelling, older women (mean age 75 yr +/-4.3) were randomized to the test-retest reliability study (n=19) or validation study (n=24). The intra-examiner reliability of an experienced (tester 1) and an inexperienced tester (tester 2) was assessed by comparing test and retest scores of 19 participants. Construct validity was assessed by comparing the ADAP scores of 24 participants with self-perceived function by the SF-36 Health Survey, muscle function tests, and the Timed Up and Go test (TUG). RESULTS: Tester 1 had good consistency and reliability scores (mean difference between test and retest scores (DIF), -1.05+/-1.99; 95% confidence interval (CI), -2.58 to 0.48; Cronbach's alpha (alpha) range, 0.83 to 0.98; intraclass correlation (ICC) range, 0.75 to 0.96; Limits of Agreement (LoA), -2.58 to 4.95). Tester 2 had lower reliability scores (DIF, -2.45+/-4.36; 95% CI, -5.56 to 0.67; alpha range, 0.53 to 0.94; ICC range, 0.36 to 0.90; LoA, -6.09 to 10.99), with a systematic difference between test and retest scores for the ADAP domain lower-body strength (-3.81; 95% CI, -6.09 to -1.54), ADAP correlated with SF-36 Physical Functioning scale (r=0.67), TUG test (r=-0.91) and with isometric knee extensor strength (r=0.80). CONCLUSIONS: The ADAP test is a reliable and valid instrument. Our results suggest that testers should practise using the test, to improve reliability, before applying it to clinical settings.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Construction and validation of a prognostic model across several studies, with an application in superficial bladder cancer.

Many models for clinical prediction (prognosis or diagnosis) are published in the medical literature every year but few such models find their way into clinical practice. The reason may be that since in most cases models have not been validated in independent data, they lack generality and/or credibility. In this paper we consider the situation in which several compatible, independent data sets relating to a given disease with a time-to-event endpoint are available for analysis. The aim is to construct and evaluate a single prognostic model. Building a multivariable model from the available prognostic factors is accomplished within the Cox proportional hazards framework, stratifying by study. Non-linear relationships with continuous predictors are modelled by using fractional polynomials. To assess the discrimination or separation of a survival model, we use the D statistic of Royston and Sauerbrei. D may be interpreted as the separation (log hazard ratio) between the survival distributions for two independent prognostic groups. To evaluate the generality of a prognostic model across the data sets, we propose 'internal-external cross-validation' on D: each study is omitted in turn, the model parameters are estimated from the remaining studies and D is evaluated in the omitted study. Because the linear predictor of a survival model tells only part of the story, we also suggest a method for investigating heterogeneity in the baseline distribution function across studies which involves fitting completely specified, flexible parametric survival models (Royston and Parmar). Our final models combine the prognostic index (obtained with stratification by study) with the pooled baseline survival distribution (estimated parametrically). By applying this methodology, we construct two prognostic scores in superficial bladder cancer. The simpler of the two scores is more suited to clinical application. We show that a three-group prognostic classification scheme based on either score produces well-separated survival curves for each of the data sets, despite identifiable heterogeneity among the baseline distribution functions and to a lesser extent among the prognostic indexes for the individual studies.

Adult↗

Applying the transtheoretical model to regular moderate exercise in an overweight population: validation of a stages of change measure.

BACKGROUND: The overweight population may benefit from Transtheoretical Model-based interventions focusing on regular moderate exercise. Current stages of change measures assessing regular moderate exercise specific to an overweight population (BMI > or =25) are lacking. This study examined the validity of a staging algorithm for moderate exercise for the purposes of healthy weight management. METHODS: A sample of 670 healthy adults (mean age 50.9 +/- 15.0; mean BMI 30.6 +/- 5.5; 53% female; 93% Caucasian) completed a questionnaire that included demographics, self-reported levels of exercise, and constructs from the Transtheoretical Model (TTM). Analyses of variance and follow-up tests were used to assess the concurrent and construct validity of the staging algorithm. RESULTS: The staging algorithm discriminated those in the action stages from those in the preaction stages for the moderate- and strenuous-intensity categories (P < 0.001). The constructs of pros and cons (P < 0.001) and confidence (P < 0.001) differed across the stages. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to demonstrating good concurrent and construct validity for the stages of change measure, the patterns found across the stages of change were consistent with the theoretical predictions of the TTM and replicated the patterns observed in previous studies.

Adult↗