A sentence completion procedure as an alternative to the Autobiographical Memory Test for assessing overgeneral memory in non-clinical populations

PubMed Central

Raes, Filip; Hermans, Dirk; Williams, J. Mark G.; Eelen, Paul

2007-01-01

Overgeneral memory (OGM) has been proposed as a vulnerability factor for depression (Williams et al., 2007) or depressive reactivity to stressful life-events (e.g., Gibbs & Rude, 2004). Traditionally, a cue word procedure known as the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT; Williams & Broadbent, 1986) is used to assess OGM. Although frequently and validly used in clinical populations, there is evidence suggesting that the AMT is insufficiently sensitive to measure OGM in non-clinical groups. Study 1 evaluated the usefulness of a sentence completion method to assess OGM in non-clinical groups, as an alternative to the AMT. Participants were 197 students who completed the AMT, the Sentence Completion for Events from the Past Test (SCEPT), a depression measure, and visual analogue scales assessing ruminative thinking. Results showed that the mean proportion of overgeneral responses was markedly higher for the SCEPT than for the standard AMT. Also, overgeneral responding on the SCEPT was positively associated to depression scores and depressive rumination scores, whereas overgeneral responding on the AMT was not. Results suggest that the SCEPT, relative to the AMT, is a more sensitive instrument to measure OGM, at least in non-clinical populations. Study 2 further showed that this enhanced sensitivity is most likely due to the omission of the instruction to be specific rather than to the SCEPT's sentence completion format (as opposed to free recall to cue words). PMID:17613793

A sentence completion procedure as an alternative to the Autobiographical Memory Test for assessing overgeneral memory in non-clinical populations.

PubMed

Raes, Filip; Hermans, Dirk; Williams, J Mark G; Eelen, Paul

2007-07-01

Overgeneral memory (OGM) has been proposed as a vulnerability factor for depression (Williams et al., 2007) or depressive reactivity to stressful life-events (e.g., Gibbs & Rude, 2004). Traditionally, a cue word procedure known as the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT; Williams & Broadbent, 1986) is used to assess OGM. Although frequently and validly used in clinical populations, there is evidence suggesting that the AMT is insufficiently sensitive to measure OGM in non-clinical groups. Study 1 evaluated the usefulness of a sentence completion method to assess OGM in non-clinical groups, as an alternative to the AMT. Participants were 197 students who completed the AMT, the Sentence Completion for Events from the Past Test (SCEPT), a depression measure, and visual analogue scales assessing ruminative thinking. Results showed that the mean proportion of overgeneral responses was markedly higher for the SCEPT than for the standard AMT. Also, overgeneral responding on the SCEPT was positively associated to depression scores and depressive rumination scores, whereas overgeneral responding on the AMT was not. Results suggest that the SCEPT, relative to the AMT, is a more sensitive instrument to measure OGM, at least in non-clinical populations. Study 2 further showed that this enhanced sensitivity is most likely due to the omission of the instruction to be specific rather than to the SCEPT's sentence completion format (as opposed to free recall to cue words).

Correlation and agreement: overview and clarification of competing concepts and measures.

PubMed

Liu, Jinyuan; Tang, Wan; Chen, Guanqin; Lu, Yin; Feng, Changyong; Tu, Xin M

2016-04-25

Agreement and correlation are widely-used concepts that assess the association between variables. Although similar and related, they represent completely different notions of association. Assessing agreement between variables assumes that the variables measure the same construct, while correlation of variables can be assessed for variables that measure completely different constructs. This conceptual difference requires the use of different statistical methods, and when assessing agreement or correlation, the statistical method may vary depending on the distribution of the data and the interest of the investigator. For example, the Pearson correlation, a popular measure of correlation between continuous variables, is only informative when applied to variables that have linear relationships; it may be non-informative or even misleading when applied to variables that are not linearly related. Likewise, the intraclass correlation, a popular measure of agreement between continuous variables, may not provide sufficient information for investigators if the nature of poor agreement is of interest. This report reviews the concepts of agreement and correlation and discusses differences in the application of several commonly used measures.

3D photography is a reliable burn wound area assessment tool compared to digital planimetry in very young children.

PubMed

Gee Kee, E L; Kimble, R M; Stockton, K A

2015-09-01

Reliability and validity of 3D photography (3D LifeViz™ System) compared to digital planimetry (Visitrak™) has been established in a compliant cohort of children with acute burns. Further research is required to investigate these assessment tools in children representative of the general pediatric burns population, specifically children under the age of three years. To determine if 3D photography is a reliable wound assessment tool compared to Visitrak™ in children of all ages with acute burns ≤10% TBSA. Ninety-six children (median age 1 year 9 months) who presented to the Royal Children's Hospital Brisbane with an acute burn ≤10% TBSA were recruited into the study. Wounds were measured at the first dressing change using the Visitrak™ system and 3D photography. All measurements were completed by one investigator and level of agreement between wound surface area measurements was calculated. Wound surface area measurements were complete (i.e. participants had measurements from both techniques) for 75 participants. Level of agreement between wound surface area measurements calculated using an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was excellent (ICC 0.96, 95% CI 0.93, 0.97). Visitrak™ tracings could not be completed in 19 participants with 16 aged less than two years. 3D photography could not be completed for one participant. Barriers to completing tracings were: excessive movement, pain, young age or wound location (e.g. face or perineum). This study has confirmed 3D photography as a reliable alternative to digital planimetry in children of all ages with acute burns ≤10% TBSA. In addition, 3D photography is more suitable for very young children given its non-invasive nature. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Efficiency in Assessment: Can Trained Student Interns Rate Essays as Well as Faculty Members?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Tracy L.; Cochran, Loretta F.; Troboy, L. Kim; Roach, David W.

2012-01-01

What are the most efficient and effective methods in measuring outcomes for assurance of learning in higher education? This study examines the merits of outsourcing part of the assessment workload by comparing ratings completed by trained student interns to ratings completed by faculty. Faculty evaluation of students' written work samples provides…

The development of a cancer genetic-specific measure of coping: the GRACE.

PubMed

Phelps, C; Bennett, P; Jones, H; Hood, K; Brain, K; Murray, A

2010-08-01

Generic measures of coping fail to capture the process of undergoing specific health processes such as cancer genetic risk assessment. The Genetic Risk Assessment Coping Evaluation (GRACE) has been developed to provide greater specificity of measurement. Based upon previous research findings, the GRACE measures the degree of stress associated with 11 recognised sources of stress for individuals undergoing the early stages of cancer genetic risk assessment, and the use of up to eight coping strategies they may elicit. This paper reports preliminary data from the piloting of the GRACE within a randomised trial of a coping intervention. Of the 265 participants who completed and returned their baseline questionnaire (prior to being informed of their level of genetic risk), 257 completed the GRACE. The most highly endorsed sources of stress involved concerns relating to family members, endorsed by over 60% of respondents, and concerns about how the participants would cope if found to be at increased risk (59%). Participants made use of multiple coping strategies across different sources of stress. The most frequently reported coping strategies were emotion-focused, which may reflect the stage of the assessment process. The completion rates for the matrix and specificity of responses provided suggest that the GRACE may be an acceptable measurement tool. Further data collection and validation is ongoing. (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Measuring Up: Online Technology Assessment Tools Ease the Teacher's Burden and Help Students Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roland, Jennifer

2006-01-01

Standards are a reality in all academic disciplines, and they can be hard to measure using conventional methods. Technology skills in particular are hard to assess using multiple-choice, paper-based tests. A new generation of online assessments of student technology skills allows students to prove proficiency by completing tasks in their natural…

Measuring New Media Literacies: Towards the Development of a Comprehensive Assessment Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Literat, Ioana

2014-01-01

This study assesses the psychometric properties of a newly tested self-report assessment tool for media literacy, based on the twelve new media literacy skills (NMLs) developed by Jenkins et al. (2006). The sample (N = 327) consisted of normal volunteers who completed a comprehensive online survey that measured their NML skills, media exposure,…

Emerging concepts in wildfire risk assessment and management (Publ.)

Treesearch

Joe H. Scott; Matthew P. Thompson

2015-01-01

A quantitative measure of wildfire risk across a landscape - expected net change in value of resources and assets exposed to wildfire - was established nearly a decade ago. Assessments made using that measure have been completed at spatial extents ranging from an individual county to the continental United States. The science of wildfire risk assessment and management...

Ecological mitigation measures in English Environmental Impact Assessment.

PubMed

Drayson, Katherine; Thompson, Stewart

2013-04-15

Built development is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss in the UK. Major built developments usually require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be conducted, which frequently includes an Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) chapter. By identifying the flaws in EcIA mitigation measure proposals and their implementation in completed developments, it may be possible to develop measures to reduce biodiversity loss and help meet the UK's EU obligation to halt biodiversity loss by 2020. A review of 112 English EcIAs from 2000 onwards was conducted to provide a broad-scale overview of the information provision and detail of ecological mitigation measures. Audits of seven EIA development case study sites provided finer-scale detail of mitigation measure implementation, and the effectiveness of their grassland and marginal habitat creation and management measures was assessed using standard NVC methodology. Despite higher than expected levels of mitigation measure implementation in completed developments, EcIA mitigation proposal information and detail has seen little improvement since a 1997 review, and the effectiveness of the habitat mitigation measures studied was poor. This suggests that measures to improve ecological mitigation measures are best targeted at ecological consultants. A recommendation for EcIA-specific training of Competent Authorities is also made. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using technology to overcome the language barrier: the Cognitive Assessment for Aphasia App.

PubMed

Wall, Kylie Janine; Cumming, Toby Borland; Koenig, Sebastian Thomas; Pelecanos, Anita Maria; Copland, David Andrew

2018-06-01

We developed and explored the feasibility and user acceptance of the Cognitive Assessment for Aphasia App: a non-immersive virtual reality cognitive assessment for stroke survivors, designed to be inclusive of individuals with aphasia. Participants were assessed on a battery of pen-and-paper cognitive tests and the Cognitive Assessment for Aphasia App. Feasibility was explored by quantifying missing data for test completion, determining user acceptance for the app by measuring participants' preferred testing method, enjoyment and perceived task difficulty and time-taken to complete the test. Sixty-four stroke participants (35 with aphasia, 29 without aphasia) and 32 controls were recruited. Only one participant with aphasia was unable to complete all the Cognitive Assessment for Aphasia App tasks, whereas 13 participants were unable to complete all pen-and-paper tasks. Only 14% of participants preferred the pen-and-paper tests, and preference did not significantly differ between groups. Ninety-five per cent of participants were neutral or enjoyed the app and 4% perceived it to be very difficult. Higher age was negatively associated with user acceptance measures. The study shows preliminary evidence for the Cognitive Assessment for Aphasia App to be a feasible cognitive assessment for stroke survivors with and without aphasia. The app is currently being validated in stroke. Implications for rehabilitation The Cognitive Assessment for Aphasia App is a feasible tool for assessing post-stroke cognition in acute, inpatient rehabilitation and community settings. In research trials examining cognition, individuals with aphasia are often excluded. The Cognitive Assessment for Aphasia App permits the inclusion of these individuals, enhancing generalizability. The Cognitive Assessment for Aphasia App provides an alternative method to assess cognition that is quicker and preferred over standard neuropsychological tests.

Assessing Children's Writing Products: The Role of Curriculum Based Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dockrell, Julie E.; Connelly, Vincent; Walter, Kirsty; Critten, Sarah

2015-01-01

The assessment of children's writing raises technical and practical challenges. In this paper we examine the potential use of a curriculum based measure for writing (CBM-W) to assess the written texts of pupils in Key Stage 2 (M age 107 months, range 88 to 125). Two hundred and thirty six Year three, five and six pupils completed a standardized…

Identification of Commercial Items Risk Factors

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

performance measures, vendors availability of support, testing and managing organizational change . 1. Process Risk Factor: Commercial Standards Military...support, testing and managing organizational change . C. ASSESSING RESULTS Completing the questions and assessing/compiling the results should help...to performance measures, vendors availability of support, testing and managing organizational change . SECTION I Service

Methods for Assessing Sleep in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodge, Danelle; Parnell, Andrea M. N.; Hoffman, Charles D.; Sweeney, Dwight P.

2012-01-01

A literature review completed by Bauer and Blunden (2008) determined that compared to objective measures, subjective assessments of sleep for typically developing children (e.g., parental reports) were of limited utility. No comparable literature review has been undertaken to determine whether subjective measures are appropriate for assessing…

Assessing validity by comparing transition and static measures of dyspnea in patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

PubMed

Smithline, Howard A; Caglar, Selin; Blank, Fidela S J

2010-01-01

This study assessed the convergent validity of 2 dyspnea measures, the transition measure and the change measure, by comparing them with each other in patients admitted to the hospital with acute decompensated heart failure. Static measures of dyspnea were obtained at baseline (pre-static measure) and at time 1 hour and 4 hour (post-static measures). The change measure was calculated as the difference between the pre-static and post-static measures. Transition measures were obtained at time 1 hour and 4 hour. Visual analog scales and Likert scales were used. Both physicians and patients measured the dyspnea independently. A total of 112 patients had complete data sets at time 0 and 1 hour and 86 patients had complete data sets at all 3 time points. Correlations were calculated between the transition measures and static measures (pre-static, post-static, and change measure). Bland-Altman plots were generated and the mean difference and limits of agreement between the transition measures and the change measures were calculated. In general, short-term dyspnea assessment using transition measures and serial static measures can not be used to validate each other in this population of patients being admitted with acute decompensated heart failure. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The role of respiratory measures to assess mental load in pilot selection.

PubMed

Grassmann, Mariel; Vlemincx, Elke; von Leupoldt, Andreas; Van den Bergh, Omer

2016-06-01

While cardiovascular measures have a long tradition of being used to determine operator load, responsiveness of the respiratory system to mental load has rarely been investigated. In this study, we assessed basic and variability measures of respiration rate (RR), partial pressure of end-tidal carbon dioxide (petCO2) as well as performance measures in 63 male pilot candidates during completion of a complex cognitive task and subsequent recovery. Mental load was associated with an increase in RR and a decrease in respiratory variability. A significant decrease was also found for petCO2. RR and respiratory variability showed partial and complete effects of recovery, respectively, whereas petCO2 did not return to baseline level. Overall, a good performance was related to a stronger reactivity in RR. Our findings suggest that respiratory parameters would be a useful supplement to common measures for the assessment of mental load in pilot selection. Practitioner Summary: Respiratory measures are a promising yet poorly investigated approach to monitor operator load. For pilot selection, we assessed respiration in response to multitasking in 63 candidates. Task-related changes as well as covariation with performance strongly support the consideration of respiratory parameters when evaluating reactivity to mental load.

Reliability of a computer-based system for measuring visual performance skills.

PubMed

Erickson, Graham B; Citek, Karl; Cove, Michelle; Wilczek, Jennifer; Linster, Carolyn; Bjarnason, Brendon; Langemo, Nathan

2011-09-01

Athletes have demonstrated better visual abilities than nonathletes. A vision assessment for an athlete should include methods to evaluate the quality of visual performance skills in the most appropriate, accurate, and repeatable manner. This study determines the reliability of the visual performance measures assessed with a computer-based system, known as the Nike Sensory Station. One hundred twenty-five subjects (56 men, 69 women), age 18 to 30, completed Phase I of the study. Subjects attended 2 sessions, separated by at least 1 week, in which identical protocols were followed. Subjects completed the following assessments: Visual Clarity, Contrast Sensitivity, Depth Perception, Near-Far Quickness, Target Capture, Perception Span, Eye-Hand Coordination, Go/No Go, and Reaction Time. An additional 36 subjects (20 men, 16 women), age 22 to 35, completed Phase II of the study involving modifications to the equipment, instructions, and protocols from Phase I. Results show no significant change in performance over time on assessments of Visual Clarity, Contrast Sensitivity, Depth Perception, Target Capture, Perception Span, and Reaction Time. Performance did improve over time for Near-Far Quickness, Eye-Hand Coordination, and Go/No Go. The results of this study show that many of the Nike Sensory Station assessments show repeatability and no learning effect over time. The measures that did improve across sessions show an expected learning effect caused by the motor response characteristics being measured. Copyright © 2011 American Optometric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of a Computerized test of Functional Capacity.

PubMed

Keefe, Richard S E; Davis, Vicki G; Atkins, Alexandra S; Vaughan, Adam; Patterson, Tom; Narasimhan, Meera; Harvey, Philip D

2016-08-01

Regulatory guidance for schizophrenia cognition clinical trials requires that the assessment of cognitive change is accompanied by a functionally meaningful endpoint. However, currently available measures are challenged by resistance to change, psychometric weaknesses, and for interview-based assessments, dependence upon the presence of an informant. The aims of the current study were to: 1) assess the validity, sensitivity, and reliability of the Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT) as a measure of functional capacity; 2) determine the association between performance on the VRFCAT and performance on the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB); and 3) compare the metrics of the VRFCAT with the UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment (UPSA). 167 patients with schizophrenia and 166 healthy controls completed the VRFCAT, UPSA, and the MCCB at baseline. The VRFCAT and UPSA were completed again at follow-up. The VRFCAT, MCCB, and UPSA were very sensitive to impairment in schizophrenia (d=1.16 to 1.22). High test-retest reliability was demonstrated for VRFCAT total completion time and the UPSA total score in patients (ICC=0.81 and 0.78, respectively). The UPSA demonstrated significant practice effects in patients (d=0.35), while the VRFCAT did not (d=-0.04). VRFCAT total completion time was correlated with both UPSA (r=-0.56, p<0.0001 for patients and -0.58, p<0.0001 for controls) and MCCB Composite (r=-0.57, p<0.0001 for patients and -0.68, p<0.0001 for controls). The VRFCAT is a highly reliable and sensitive measure of functional capacity with associations to the UPSA and MCCB. These results provide encouraging support for a computerized functional capacity assessment for use in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validation of a Computerized Test of Functional Capacity

PubMed Central

Keefe, Richard S.E.; Davis, Vicki G.; Atkins, Alexandra S.; Vaughan, Adam; Patterson, Tom; Narasimhan, Meera; Harvey, Philip D.

2016-01-01

Regulatory guidance for schizophrenia cognition clinical trials requires that the assessment of cognitive change is accompanied by a functionally meaningful endpoint. However, currently available measures are challenged by resistance to change, psychometric weaknesses, and for interview-based assessments, dependence upon the presence of an informant. The aims of the current study were to: 1) assess the validity, sensitivity, and reliability of the Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT) as a measure of functional capacity; 2) determine the association between performance on the VRFCAT and performance on the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB); and 3) compare the metrics of the VRFCAT with the UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment (UPSA). 167 patients with schizophrenia and 166 healthy controls completed the VRFCAT, UPSA, and the MCCB at baseline. The VRFCAT and UPSA were completed again at follow-up. The VRFCAT, MCCB, and UPSA were very sensitive to impairment in schizophrenia (d = 1.16 to 1.22). High test-retest reliability was demonstrated for VRFCAT total completion time and the UPSA total score in patients (ICC=0.81 and 0.78, respectively). The UPSA demonstrated significant practice effects in patients (d=0.35), while the VRFCAT did not (d=−0.04). VRFCAT total completion time was correlated with both UPSA (r=−0.56, p<0.0001 for patients and −0.58, p<0.0001 for controls) and MCCB Composite (r=−0.57, p<0.0001 for patients and −0.68, p<0.0001 for controls). The VRFCAT is a highly reliable and sensitive measure of functional capacity with associations to the UPSA and MCCB. These results provide encouraging support for a computerized functional capacity assessment for use in schizophrenia. PMID:27091656

Routine outcome measurement in mental health service consumers: who should provide support for the self-assessments?

PubMed

Gelkopf, Marc; Pagorek-Eshel, Shira; Trauer, Tom; Roe, David

2015-06-01

This study examined whether mental health community service users completed outcome self-reports differently when assessments were supervised by internal vs. external staff. The examination of potential differences between the two has useful implications for mental health systems that take upon themselves the challenge of Routine Outcome Measurement (ROM), as it might impact allocation of public resources and managed care program planning. 73 consumers completed the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA), a shortened version of the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS), and a functioning questionnaire. Questionnaires were administered, once using support provided by internal staff and once using support provided by external professional staff, with a one-month time interval and in random order. A MANOVA Repeated Measures showed no differences in outcomes of quality of life and recovery between internal and external support. Functioning scores were higher for the internal support when the internal assessments were performed first. Overall, except for the differences in functioning assessment, outcome scores were not determined by the supporting agency. This might indicate that when measuring quality of life and recovery, different supporting methods can be used to gather outcome measures and internal staff might be a good default agency to do this. Differences found in functioning assessment are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Feasibility of Using Questionnaires and Accelerometers to Measure Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Among Inpatient Adults With Mental Illness.

PubMed

Fraser, Sarah J; Chapman, Justin J; Brown, Wendy J; Whiteford, Harvey A; Burton, Nicola W

2016-05-01

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of using questionnaires and accelerometers to measure physical activity and sedentary behavior among inpatient adults with mental illness. Participants completed a physical activity and sitting time questionnaire and wore an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days. Feasibility was assessed in terms of participant engagement, self-reported ease/ difficulty of completing study components, extreme self-report data values and adherence to accelerometer wear time criteria. Ease/difficulty ratings were examined by level of distress. 177 inpatients were invited to the study, 101 completed the questionnaires and 36 provided valid accelerometry data. Participants found it more difficult to complete sitting time and physical activity questionnaires than to wear the accelerometer during waking hours (z = 3.787, P < .001; z = 2.824, P = .005 respectively). No significant differences were found in ease/ difficulty ratings by level of distress for any of the study components. Extreme values for self-reported sitting time were identified in 27% of participants. Inpatient adults with mental illness can engage with self-report and objective methods of measuring physical activity and sedentary behavior. They were initially less willing to participate in objective measurement, which may however be more feasible than self-report measures.

The assessment of lower face morphology changes in edentulous patients after prosthodontic rehabilitation, using two methods of measurement.

PubMed

Jivănescu, Anca; Bratu, Dana Cristina; Tomescu, Lucian; Măroiu, Alexandra Cristina; Popa, George; Bratu, Emanuel Adrian

2015-01-01

Using two measurement methods (a three-dimensional laser scanning system and a digital caliper), this study compares the lower face morphology of complete edentulous patients, before and after prosthodontic rehabilitation with bimaxillary complete dentures. Fourteen edentulous patients were randomly selected from the Department of Prosthodontics, at the Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania. The changes that occurred in the lower third of the face after prosthodontic treatment were assessed quantitatively by measuring the vertical projection of the distances between two sets of anthropometric landmarks: Subnasale - cutaneous Pogonion (D1) and Labiale superius - Labiale inferius (D2). A two-way repeated measures ANOVA model design was carried out to test for significant interactions, main effects and differences between the two types of measuring devices and between the initial and final rehabilitation time points. The main effect of the type of measuring device showed no statistically significant differences in the measured distances (p=0.24 for D1 and p=0.39 for D2), between the initial and the final rehabilitation time points. Regarding the main effect of time, there were statistically significant differences in both the measured distances D1 and D2 (p=0.001), between the initial and the final rehabilitation time points. The two methods of measurement were equally reliable in the assessment of lower face morphology changes in edentulous patients after prosthodontic rehabilitation with bimaxillary complete dentures. The differences between the measurements taken before and after prosthodontic rehabilitation proved to be statistically significant.

How best to measure implementation of school health curricula: a comparison of three measures.

PubMed

Resnicow, K; Davis, M; Smith, M; Lazarus-Yaroch, A; Baranowski, T; Baranowski, J; Doyle, C; Wang, D T

1998-06-01

The impact of school health education programs is often attenuated by inadequate teacher implementation. Using data from a school-based nutrition education program delivered in a sample of fifth graders, this study examines the discriminant and predictive validity of three measures of curriculum implementation: class-room observation of fidelity, and two measures of completeness, teacher self-report questionnaire and post-implementation interview. A fourth measure, obtained during teacher observations, that assessed student and teacher interaction and student receptivity to the curriculum (labeled Rapport) was also obtained. Predictive validity was determined by examining the association of implementation measures with three study outcomes; health knowledge, asking behaviors related to fruit and vegetables, and fruit and vegetable intake, assessed by 7-day diary. Of the 37 teachers observed, 21 were observed for two sessions and 16 were observed once. Implementation measures were moderately correlated, an indication of discriminant validity. Predictive validity analyses indicated that the observed fidelity, Rapport and interview measures were significantly correlated with post-test student knowledge. The association between health knowledge and observed fidelity (based on dual observation only), Rapport and interview measures remained significant after adjustment for pre-test knowledge values. None of the implementation variables were significantly associated with student fruit and vegetable intake or asking behaviors controlling for pre-test values. These results indicate that the teacher self-report questionnaire was not a valid measure of implementation completeness in this study. Post-implementation completeness interviews and dual observations of fidelity and Rapport appear to be more valid, and largely independent methods of implementation assessment.

Multiple Measures in Assessment: The Requirements and Challenges of Multiple Measures in the California Community Colleges. Adopted Spring 2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, 2014

2014-01-01

Assessing a student's ability to be successful in courses and programs is an important and necessary aspect of student success. Two major practices exist to predict a student's likelihood of succeeding in a course or program: (1) Successful completion of prerequisite or advisory courses (as documented on transcripts) and (2) the assessment for…

Reliability and validity of a nutrition and physical activity environmental self-assessment for child care

PubMed Central

Benjamin, Sara E; Neelon, Brian; Ball, Sarah C; Bangdiwala, Shrikant I; Ammerman, Alice S; Ward, Dianne S

2007-01-01

Background Few assessment instruments have examined the nutrition and physical activity environments in child care, and none are self-administered. Given the emerging focus on child care settings as a target for intervention, a valid and reliable measure of the nutrition and physical activity environment is needed. Methods To measure inter-rater reliability, 59 child care center directors and 109 staff completed the self-assessment concurrently, but independently. Three weeks later, a repeat self-assessment was completed by a sub-sample of 38 directors to assess test-retest reliability. To assess criterion validity, a researcher-administered environmental assessment was conducted at 69 centers and was compared to a self-assessment completed by the director. A weighted kappa test statistic and percent agreement were calculated to assess agreement for each question on the self-assessment. Results For inter-rater reliability, kappa statistics ranged from 0.20 to 1.00 across all questions. Test-retest reliability of the self-assessment yielded kappa statistics that ranged from 0.07 to 1.00. The inter-quartile kappa statistic ranges for inter-rater and test-retest reliability were 0.45 to 0.63 and 0.27 to 0.45, respectively. When percent agreement was calculated, questions ranged from 52.6% to 100% for inter-rater reliability and 34.3% to 100% for test-retest reliability. Kappa statistics for validity ranged from -0.01 to 0.79, with an inter-quartile range of 0.08 to 0.34. Percent agreement for validity ranged from 12.9% to 93.7%. Conclusion This study provides estimates of criterion validity, inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability for an environmental nutrition and physical activity self-assessment instrument for child care. Results indicate that the self-assessment is a stable and reasonably accurate instrument for use with child care interventions. We therefore recommend the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) instrument to researchers and practitioners interested in conducting healthy weight intervention in child care. However, a more robust, less subjective measure would be more appropriate for researchers seeking an outcome measure to assess intervention impact. PMID:17615078

Risk preference shares the psychometric structure of major psychological traits

PubMed Central

Frey, Renato; Pedroni, Andreas; Mata, Rui; Rieskamp, Jörg; Hertwig, Ralph

2017-01-01

To what extent is there a general factor of risk preference, R, akin to g, the general factor of intelligence? Can risk preference be regarded as a stable psychological trait? These conceptual issues persist because few attempts have been made to integrate multiple risk-taking measures, particularly measures from different and largely unrelated measurement traditions (self-reported propensity measures assessing stated preferences, incentivized behavioral measures eliciting revealed preferences, and frequency measures assessing actual risky activities). Adopting a comprehensive psychometric approach (1507 healthy adults completing 39 risk-taking measures, with a subsample of 109 participants completing a retest session after 6 months), we provide a substantive empirical foundation to address these issues, finding that correlations between propensity and behavioral measures were weak. Yet, a general factor of risk preference, R, emerged from stated preferences and generalized to specific and actual real-world risky activities (for example, smoking). Moreover, R proved to be highly reliable across time, indicative of a stable psychological trait. Our findings offer a first step toward a general mapping of the construct risk preference, which encompasses both general and domain-specific components, and have implications for the assessment of risk preference in the laboratory and in the wild. PMID:28983511

Identifying customer-focused performance measures : final report 655.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-10-01

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) completed a comprehensive customer satisfaction : assessment in July 2009. ADOT commissioned the assessment to acquire statistically valid data from residents : and community leaders to help it identify...

When do patient-reported outcome measures inform readmission risk?

PubMed

Hinami, Keiki; Smith, Jennifer; Deamant, Catherine D; DuBeshter, Kayle; Trick, William E

2015-05-01

To characterize changes in patient-reported outcome measures from hospital discharge to assess when they best inform risk of utilization as defined by readmissions or emergency department use. Patients discharged from an urban safety-net hospital. Longitudinal cohort study. We serially administered the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) and the PROMIS Global Health short form assessing General Self-Rated Health (GSRH), Global Physical (GPH), and Mental (GMH) Health at 0, 30, 90, and 180 days from hospital discharge. Time to first utilization from each survey was plotted by dichotomizing our sample on each patient-reported measure, and equivalence of the time-to-event curves was assessed using the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazard models were used to control for available covariates including prior utilization during the study, Charlson score, age, gender, and race/ethnicity. We assessed each measure's effect on the fit of the predictive models using the likelihood ratio test. We recruited 196 patients, of whom 100%, 98%, 90%, and 88% completed each respective survey wave. Participants' mean age was 52 years, 51% were women, 60% were non-Hispanic black, and 21% completed the questionnaires in Spanish. In-hospital assessments revealed high symptom burden and poor health status. In-hospital assessments of GMH and GSRH predicted 14-day reutilization, whereas posthospitalization assessments of MSAS and GPH predicted subsequent utilizations. Each measure selectively improved predictive model fit. Routine measurement of patient-reported outcomes can help identify patients at higher risk for utilizations. At different time points, MSAS, GPH, GMH, and GSRH all informed utilization risk. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine.

Assessment of competence to complete advance directives: validation of a patient centred approach

PubMed Central

Fazel, Seena; Hope, Tony; Jacoby, Robin

1999-01-01

Objective To develop a patient centred approach for the assessment of competence to complete advance directives (“living wills”) of elderly people with cognitive impairment. Design Semistructured interviews. Setting Oxfordshire. Subjects 50 elderly volunteers living in the community, and 50 patients with dementia on first referral from primary care. Main outcome measures Psychometric properties of competence assessment. Results This patient centred approach for assessing competence to complete advance directives can discriminate between elderly persons living in the community and elderly patients with dementia. The procedure has good interrater (r=0.95) and test-retest (r=0.97) reliability. Validity was examined by relating this approach with a global assessment of competence to complete an advance directive made by two of us (both specialising in old age psychiatry). The data were also used to determine the best threshold score for discriminating between those competent and those incompetent to complete an advance directive. Conclusion A patient centred approach to assess competence to complete advance directives can be reliably and validly used in routine clinical practice. Key messagesAdvance directives could potentially be useful for patients with dementia as a means of extending their autonomy when they become incompetentCompetence to complete an advance directive involves understanding possible future clinical situationsVignettes presenting hypothetical medical problems were tested in 100 elderly people, and were found to validly and reliably discriminate between volunteers living in the community and patients with dementiaWe suggest that two clinical vignettes, each followed by a semistructured interview comprising 10 points, can aid in the assessment of competence to complete advance directives PMID:10024254

A content review of cognitive process measures used in pain research within adult populations.

PubMed

Day, M A; Lang, C P; Newton-John, T R O; Ehde, D M; Jensen, M P

2017-01-01

Previous research suggests that measures of cognitive process may be confounded by the inclusion of items that also assess cognitive content. The primary aims of this content review were to: (1) identify the domains of cognitive processes assessed by measures used in pain research; and (2) determine if pain-specific cognitive process measures with adequate psychometric properties exist. PsychInfo, CINAHL, PsycArticles, MEDLINE, and Academic Search Complete databases were searched to identify the measures of cognitive process used in pain research. Identified measures were double coded and the measure's items were rated as: (1) cognitive content; (2) cognitive process; (3) behavioural/social; and/or (4) emotional coping/responses to pain. A total of 319 scales were identified; of these, 29 were coded as providing an un-confounded assessment of cognitive process, and 12 were pain-specific. The cognitive process domains assessed in these measures are Absorption, Dissociation, Reappraisal, Distraction/Suppression, Acceptance, Rumination, Non-Judgment, and Enhancement. Pain-specific, un-confounded measures were identified for: Dissociation, Reappraisal, Distraction/Suppression, and Acceptance. Psychometric properties of all 319 scales are reported in supplementary material. To understand the importance of cognitive processes in influencing pain outcomes as well as explaining the efficacy of pain treatments, valid and pain-specific cognitive process measures that are not confounded with non-process domains (e.g., cognitive content) are needed. The findings of this content review suggest that future research focused on developing cognitive process measures is critical in order to advance our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie effective pain treatment. Many cognitive process measures used in pain research contain a 'mix' of items that assess cognitive process, cognitive content, and behavioural/emotional responses. Databases searched: PsychInfo, CINAHL, PsycArticles, MEDLINE and Academic Search Complete. This review describes the domains assessed by measures assessing cognitive processes in pain research, as well as the strengths and limitations of these measures. © 2016 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

Computerized Self-Administered Measures of Mood and Appetite for Older Adults: The Novel Assessment of Nutrition and Ageing Toolkit.

PubMed

Brown, Laura J E; Adlam, Tim; Hwang, Faustina; Khadra, Hassan; Maclean, Linda M; Rudd, Bridey; Smith, Tom; Timon, Claire; Williams, Elizabeth A; Astell, Arlene J

2018-02-01

The "Novel Assessment of Nutrition and Ageing" (NANA) toolkit is a computerized system for collecting longitudinal information about older adults' health and behavior. Here, we describe the validation of six items for measuring older adults' self-reported mood and appetite as part of the NANA system. In Study 1, 48 community-living older adults (aged 65-89 years) completed NANA measures of their current mood and appetite alongside standard paper measures, on three occasions, in a laboratory setting. In Study 2, 40 community-living older adults (aged 64-88 years) completed daily NANA measures of momentary mood and appetite in their own homes, unsupervised, alongside additional measures of health and behavior, over three 7-day periods. The NANA measures were significantly correlated with standard measures of mood and appetite, and showed stability over time. They show utility for tracking mood and appetite longitudinally, and for better understanding links with other aspects of health and behavior.

An assessment of collections at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Health Sciences Libraries: drug resistance.

PubMed

Bergen, P L; Nemec, D

1999-01-01

In December 1997, the authors completed an in-depth collection assessment project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Health Sciences Libraries. The purpose was to develop a framework for future collection assessment projects by completing a multifaceted evaluation of the libraries' monograph and serial collections in the subject area of drug resistance. Evaluators adapted and synthesized several traditional collection assessment tools, including shelflist measurement, bibliography and standard list checking, and citation analysis. Throughout the project, evaluators explored strategies to overcome some of the problems inherent in the application of traditional collection assessment methods to the evaluation of biomedical collections. Their efforts resulted in the identification of standard monographs and core journals for the subject area, a measurement of the collections' strength relative to the collections of benchmark libraries, and a foundation for future collection development within the subject area. The project's primary outcome was a collection assessment methodology that has potential application to both internal and cooperative collection development in medical, pharmaceutical, and other health sciences libraries.

Social Stories in mainstream schools for children with autism spectrum disorder: a feasibility randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Marshall, David; Wright, Barry; Allgar, Victoria; Adamson, Joy; Williams, Christine; Ainsworth, Hannah; Cook, Liz; Varley, Danielle; Hackney, Lisa; Dempster, Paul; Ali, Shehzad; Trepel, Dominic; Collingridge Moore, Danielle; Littlewood, Elizabeth; McMillan, Dean

2016-08-11

To assess the feasibility of recruitment, retention, outcome measures and intervention training/delivery among teachers, parents and children. To calculate a sample size estimation for full trial. A single-centre, unblinded, cluster feasibility randomised controlled trial examining Social Stories delivered within a school environment compared with an attentional control. 37 primary schools in York, UK. 50 participants were recruited and a cluster randomisation approach by school was examined. Participants were randomised into the treatment group (n=23) or a waiting list control group (n=27). Acceptability and feasibility of the trial, intervention and of measurements required to assess outcomes in a definitive trial. An assessment of the questionnaire completion rates indicated teachers would be most appropriate to complete the primary outcome measure. 2 outcome measures: the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS)-2 and a goal-based measure showed both the highest levels of completion rates (above 80%) at the primary follow-up point (6 weeks postintervention) and captured relevant social and behaviour outcomes. Power calculations were based on these 2 outcome measures leading to a total proposed sample size of 180 participant groups. Results suggest that a future trial would be feasible to conduct and could inform the policy and practice of using Social Stories in mainstream schools. ISRCTN96286707; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

A New Standard in Dementia Knowledge Measurement: Comparative Validation of the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale and the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale.

PubMed

Annear, Michael J; Eccleston, Claire E; McInerney, Frances J; Elliott, Kate-Ellen J; Toye, Christine M; Tranter, Bruce K; Robinson, Andrew L

2016-06-01

To compare the psychometric performance of the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale (DKAS) and the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) when administered to a large international cohort before and after online dementia education. Comparative psychometric analysis with pre- and posteducation scale responses. The setting for this research encompassed 7,909 individuals from 124 countries who completed the 9-week Understanding Dementia Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Volunteer respondents who completed the DKAS and ADKS before (n = 3,649) and after (n = 878) completion of the Understanding Dementia MOOC. Assessment and comparison of the DKAS and ADKS included evaluation of scale development procedures, interscale correlations, response distribution, internal consistency, and construct validity. The DKAS had superior internal consistency, wider response distribution with less ceiling effect, and better discrimination between pre- and posteducation scores and occupational cohorts than the ADKS. The 27-item DKAS is a reliable and preliminarily valid measure of dementia knowledge that is psychometrically and conceptually sound, overcomes limitations of existing instruments, and can be administered to diverse cohorts to measure baseline understanding and knowledge change. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

Using Smartphones and Machine Learning to Quantify Parkinson Disease Severity: The Mobile Parkinson Disease Score.

PubMed

Zhan, Andong; Mohan, Srihari; Tarolli, Christopher; Schneider, Ruth B; Adams, Jamie L; Sharma, Saloni; Elson, Molly J; Spear, Kelsey L; Glidden, Alistair M; Little, Max A; Terzis, Andreas; Dorsey, E Ray; Saria, Suchi

2018-03-26

Current Parkinson disease (PD) measures are subjective, rater-dependent, and assessed in clinic. Smartphones can measure PD features, yet no smartphone-derived rating score exists to assess motor symptom severity in real-world settings. To develop an objective measure of PD severity and test construct validity by evaluating the ability of the measure to capture intraday symptom fluctuations, correlate with current standard PD outcome measures, and respond to dopaminergic therapy. This observational study assessed individuals with PD who remotely completed 5 tasks (voice, finger tapping, gait, balance, and reaction time) on the smartphone application. We used a novel machine-learning-based approach to generate a mobile Parkinson disease score (mPDS) that objectively weighs features derived from each smartphone activity (eg, stride length from the gait activity) and is scaled from 0 to 100 (where higher scores indicate greater severity). Individuals with and without PD additionally completed standard in-person assessments of PD with smartphone assessments during a period of 6 months. Ability of the mPDS to detect intraday symptom fluctuations, the correlation between the mPDS and standard measures, and the ability of the mPDS to respond to dopaminergic medication. The mPDS was derived from 6148 smartphone activity assessments from 129 individuals (mean [SD] age, 58.7 [8.6] years; 56 [43.4%] women). Gait features contributed most to the total mPDS (33.4%). In addition, 23 individuals with PD (mean [SD] age, 64.6 [11.5] years; 11 [48%] women) and 17 without PD (mean [SD] age 54.2 [16.5] years; 12 [71%] women) completed in-clinic assessments. The mPDS detected symptom fluctuations with a mean (SD) intraday change of 13.9 (10.3) points on a scale of 0 to 100. The measure correlated well with the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson Disease's Rating Scale total (r = 0.81; P < .001) and part III only (r = 0.88; P < .001), the Timed Up and Go assessment (r = 0.72; P = .002), and the Hoehn and Yahr stage (r = 0.91; P < .001). The mPDS improved by a mean (SD) of 16.3 (5.6) points in response to dopaminergic therapy. Using a novel machine-learning approach, we created and demonstrated construct validity of an objective PD severity score derived from smartphone assessments. This score complements standard PD measures by providing frequent, objective, real-world assessments that could enhance clinical care and evaluation of novel therapeutics.

The value of physical performance measurements alongside assessment of sarcopenia in predicting receipt and completion of planned treatment in non-small cell lung cancer: an observational exploratory study.

PubMed

Collins, Jemima T; Noble, Simon; Chester, John; Davies, Helen E; Evans, William D; Farewell, Daniel; Lester, Jason F; Parry, Diane; Pettit, Rebecca; Byrne, Anthony

2018-01-01

The presence of muscle mass depletion is associated with poor outcomes and survival in cancer. Alongside muscle mass, assessment of muscle strength or physical performance is essential for the diagnosis of sarcopenia. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a prevalent form of cancer with high mortality, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status (PS) is commonly used to assess patients' suitability for treatment. However, a significant proportion of patients with good PS are unable to complete multidisciplinary team (MDT)-planned treatment. Little is known about the ability of objective measurements of physical performance in predicting patients' ability to complete MDT-planned treatment and outcomes in NSCLC. We sought to establish whether physical performance, utilising the short physical performance battery (SPPB), alongside muscle mass measurements, was able to predict receipt and completion of MDT-planned treatment, with a focus on chemotherapy in NSCLC. Participants with NSCLC treated through a single lung cancer MDT and ECOG PS 0-2 were recruited and the following assessed: body composition [bioelectrical impedance (BIA) and whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in a subset], physical performance (SPPB), PS and nutritional status. We recorded receipt and completion of chemotherapy, as well as any adverse effects, hospitalisations, and treatment delays. We included a total of 62 participants with NSCLC, and in 26 of these, the MDT-planned treatment was chemotherapy. Participants with earlier stage disease and weight loss of <10% were more likely to complete MDT-planned treatment (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05). Patients with a higher total SPPB score were more likely to complete more cycles of chemotherapy as well as the full course. Quicker gait speeds and sit-to-stand times were associated with completion of three or more cycles of chemotherapy (all p < 0.05). For every unit increase in SPPB score, there was a 28.2% decrease in adverse events, hospitalisations and delays of chemotherapy (incidence rate ratio 0.718, p = 0.001), whilst ECOG PS showed no correlation with these outcomes. Assessing physical performance by SPPB is quick and simple to do in clinical settings and may give better indication of likely chemotherapy treatment course completion than muscle mass alone and ECOG PS. In turn, this may identify specific targets for early functional intervention and impact on MDT decision-making and prudent use of resources.

Relationships between individual differences in motivation and borderline personality disorder, psychopathy, and maladjustment.

PubMed

Bernard, Larry C

2013-08-01

Two studies investigate relationships between individual differences in motivation and borderline personality disorder, psychopathy, and maladjustment. Participants completed the Brief Assessment of Individual Motives 1--Revised, a measure of 15 putative evolved motives (i.e., "traits of action"). In Study 1, N = 147 adult participants also completed the Borderline Personality Questionnaire and Self-Report Psychopathy III Questionnaire (SRP III). In Study 2, N = 135 college age participants also completed the SRP III and the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62. Regression analyses suggested that individual differences in motivational traits account for moderate amounts of variance in measures of antisocial personality disorder, psychopathy, and maladjustment. They also suggested that lower motivation to engage in cooperative behaviors (e.g., sharing resources and forming coalitions) is related to impaired interpersonal relationships and maladjustment.

Evaluating the parent-adolescent communication toolkit: Usability and preliminary content effectiveness of an online intervention.

PubMed

Toombs, Elaine; Unruh, Anita; McGrath, Patrick

2018-01-01

This study aimed to assess the Parent-Adolescent Communication Toolkit, an online intervention designed to help improve parent communication with their adolescents. Participant preferences for two module delivery systems (sequential and unrestricted module access) were identified. Usability assessment of the PACT intervention was completed using pre-test and posttest comparisons. Usability data, including participant completion and satisfaction ratings were examined. Parents ( N  =   18) of adolescents were randomized to a sequential or unrestricted chapter access group. Parent participants completed pre-test measures, the PACT intervention and posttest measures. Participants provided feedback for the intervention to improve modules and provided usability ratings. Adolescent pre- and posttest ratings were evaluated. Usability ratings were high and parent feedback was positive. The sequential module access groups rated the intervention content higher and completed more content than the unrestricted chapter access group, indicating support for the sequential access design. Parent mean posttest communication scores were significantly higher ( p  <   .05) than pre-test scores. No significant differences were detected for adolescent participants. Findings suggest that the Parent-Adolescent Communication Toolkit has potential to improve parent-adolescent communication but further effectiveness assessment is required.

The effectiveness of substance use measures in the detection of full and partial denial of drug use.

PubMed

Wooley, Chelsea N; Rogers, Richard; Fiduccia, Chelsea E; Kelsey, Katherine

2013-12-01

Appraisals of substance abuse often constitute a key component of psychological assessments affecting both diagnostic and treatment issues. Because of negative consequences, many substance users engage in outright denials and marked minimization regarding their drug use. Psychological measures, especially those with transparent items, are highly vulnerable to this denial. To address this response style, indirect items are often included on substance use measures to identify those who deny their use. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of complete and partial denial on the Drug Abuse Screening Test-20, Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-3, and Drug Use Screening Inventory-Revised. Partial denial refers to the disacknowledgement of drug-related impairment interfering in multiple domains of a client's functioning. The study used a mixed within- and between-subjects design with 102 inpatient substance users. Each participant completed the study under two conditions: a disclosing condition and an experimental condition (either complete denial or partial denial). Results show partial denial is distinctly different from complete denial across three self-report substance use measures. Importantly, substance users engaging in these denial conditions were often undetected by these measures. Contrary to expectations, subtle scales with indirect item content were only minimally more effective than the face valid scales alone for the assessment of denied drug use.

Telephone-based Assessments to Minimize Missing Data in Longitudinal Depression Trials: A Project IMPACTS Study Report

PubMed Central

Claassen, Cindy; Kurian, Ben; Trivedi, Madhukar H.; Grannemann, Bruce D.; Tuli, Ekta; Pipes, Ronny; Preston, Anne Marie; Flood, Ariell

2012-01-01

Purpose Missing data in clinical efficacy and effectiveness trials continue to be a major threat to the validity of study findings. The purpose of this report is to describe methods developed to ensure completion of outcome assessments with public mental health sector subjects participating in a longitudinal, repeated measures study for the treatment of major depressive disorder. We developed longitudinal assessment procedures that included telephone-based clinician interviews in order to minimize missing data commonly encountered with face-to-face assessment procedures. Methods A pre-planned, multi-step strategy was developed to ensure completeness of data collection. The procedure included obtaining multiple pieces of patient contact information at baseline, careful education of both staff and patients concerning the purpose of assessments, establishing good patient rapport, and finally being flexible and persistent with phone appointments to ensure the completion of telephone-based follow-up assessments. A well-developed administrative and organizational structure was also put in place prior to study implementation. Results The assessment completion rate for the primary outcome for 310 of 504 subjects who enrolled and completed 52 weeks (at the time of manuscript) of telephone-based follow-up assessments was 96.8%. Conclusion By utilizing telephone-based follow-up procedures and adapting our easy-to-use pre-defined multi-step approach, researchers can maximize patient data retention in longitudinal studies. PMID:18761427

The Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality for Youth (SNAP-Y): a new measure for assessing adolescent personality and personality pathology.

PubMed

Linde, Jennifer A; Stringer, Deborah; Simms, Leonard J; Clark, Lee Anna

2013-08-01

The Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality-Youth Version (SNAP-Y) is a new, reliable self-report questionnaire that assesses 15 personality traits relevant to both normal-range personality and the alternative DSM-5 model for personality disorder. Community adolescents, 12 to 18 years old (N = 364), completed the SNAP-Y; 347 also completed the Big Five Inventory-Adolescent, 144 provided 2-week retest data, and 128 others completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent. Outpatient adolescents (N = 103) completed the SNAP-Y, and 97 also completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent. The SNAP-Y demonstrated strong psychometric properties, and structural, convergent, discriminant, and external validities. Consistent with the continuity of personality, results paralleled those in adult and college samples using the adult Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality-Second Edition (SNAP-2), from which the SNAP-Y derives and which has established validity in personality-trait assessment across the normal-abnormal continuum. The SNAP-Y thus provides a new, clinically useful instrument to assess personality traits and personality pathology in adolescents.

Measures for Assessing Student Attitudes toward Older People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Xiaoping; Bryant, Christina; Boldero, Jennifer

2011-01-01

Measuring medical and allied health students' attitudes towards older people has been identified as an important research area. The present study compared the use of implicit and explicit attitude measures. Sixty-five undergraduates completed one explicit measure, the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA), (Fraboni, Saltstone, & Hughes, 1990) and one…

Developing an Internet- and Mobile-Based System to Measure Cigarette Use Among Pacific Islanders: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

PubMed

Pike, James Russell; Xie, Bin; Tan, Nasya; Sabado-Liwag, Melanie Dee; Orne, Annette; Toilolo, Tupou; Cen, Steven; May, Vanessa; Lee, Cevadne; Pang, Victor Kaiwi; Rainer, Michelle A; Vaivao, Dorothy Etimani S; Lepule, Jonathan Tana; Tanjasiri, Sora Park; Palmer, Paula Healani

2016-01-07

Recent prevalence data indicates that Pacific Islanders living in the United States have disproportionately high smoking rates when compared to the general populace. However, little is known about the factors contributing to tobacco use in this at-risk population. Moreover, few studies have attempted to determine these factors utilizing technology-based assessment techniques. The objective was to develop a customized Internet-based Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) system capable of measuring cigarette use among Pacific Islanders in Southern California. This system integrated the ubiquity of text messaging, the ease of use associated with mobile phone apps, the enhanced functionality offered by Internet-based Cell phone-optimized Assessment Techniques (ICAT), and the high survey completion rates exhibited by EMA studies that used electronic diaries. These features were tested in a feasibility study designed to assess whether Pacific Islanders would respond to this method of measurement and whether the data gathered would lead to novel insights regarding the intrapersonal, social, and ecological factors associated with cigarette use. 20 young adult smokers in Southern California who self-identified as Pacific Islanders were recruited by 5 community-based organizations to take part in a 7-day EMA study. Participants selected six consecutive two-hour time blocks per day during which they would be willing to receive a text message linking them to an online survey formatted for Web-enabled mobile phones. Both automated reminders and community coaches were used to facilitate survey completion. 720 surveys were completed from 840 survey time blocks, representing a completion rate of 86%. After adjusting for gender, age, and nicotine dependence, feeling happy (P=<.001) or wanting a cigarette while drinking alcohol (P=<.001) were positively associated with cigarette use. Being at home (P=.02) or being around people who are not smoking (P=.01) were negatively associated with cigarette use. The results of the feasibility study indicate that customized systems can be used to conduct technology-based assessments of tobacco use among Pacific Islanders. Such systems can foster high levels of survey completion and may lead to novel insights for future research and interventions.

Developing an Internet- and Mobile-Based System to Measure Cigarette Use Among Pacific Islanders: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

PubMed Central

Tan, Nasya; Sabado-Liwag, Melanie Dee; Orne, Annette; Toilolo, Tupou; Cen, Steven; May, Vanessa; Lee, Cevadne; Pang, Victor Kaiwi; Rainer, Michelle A; Vaivao, Dorothy Etimani S; Lepule, Jonathan Tana; Tanjasiri, Sora Park; Palmer, Paula Healani

2016-01-01

Background Recent prevalence data indicates that Pacific Islanders living in the United States have disproportionately high smoking rates when compared to the general populace. However, little is known about the factors contributing to tobacco use in this at-risk population. Moreover, few studies have attempted to determine these factors utilizing technology-based assessment techniques. Objective The objective was to develop a customized Internet-based Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) system capable of measuring cigarette use among Pacific Islanders in Southern California. This system integrated the ubiquity of text messaging, the ease of use associated with mobile phone apps, the enhanced functionality offered by Internet-based Cell phone-optimized Assessment Techniques (ICAT), and the high survey completion rates exhibited by EMA studies that used electronic diaries. These features were tested in a feasibility study designed to assess whether Pacific Islanders would respond to this method of measurement and whether the data gathered would lead to novel insights regarding the intrapersonal, social, and ecological factors associated with cigarette use. Methods 20 young adult smokers in Southern California who self-identified as Pacific Islanders were recruited by 5 community-based organizations to take part in a 7-day EMA study. Participants selected six consecutive two-hour time blocks per day during which they would be willing to receive a text message linking them to an online survey formatted for Web-enabled mobile phones. Both automated reminders and community coaches were used to facilitate survey completion. Results 720 surveys were completed from 840 survey time blocks, representing a completion rate of 86%. After adjusting for gender, age, and nicotine dependence, feeling happy (P=<.001) or wanting a cigarette while drinking alcohol (P=<.001) were positively associated with cigarette use. Being at home (P=.02) or being around people who are not smoking (P=.01) were negatively associated with cigarette use. Conclusions The results of the feasibility study indicate that customized systems can be used to conduct technology-based assessments of tobacco use among Pacific Islanders. Such systems can foster high levels of survey completion and may lead to novel insights for future research and interventions. PMID:26743132

The variability in Oxford hip and knee scores in the preoperative period: is there an ideal time to score?

PubMed

Quah, C; Holmes, D; Khan, T; Cockshott, S; Lewis, J; Stephen, A

2018-01-01

Background All NHS-funded providers are required to collect and report patient-reported outcome measures for hip and knee arthroplasty. Although there are established guidelines for timing such measures following arthroplasty, there are no specific time-points for collection in the preoperative period. The primary aim of this study was to identify whether there was a significant amount of variability in the Oxford hip and knee scores prior to surgical intervention when completed in the outpatient clinic at the time of listing for arthroplasty or when completed at the preoperative assessment clinic. Methods A prospective cohort study of patients listed for primary hip or knee arthroplasty was conducted. Patients were asked to fill in a preoperative Oxford score in the outpatient clinic at the time of listing. They were then invited to fill in the official outcome measures questionnaire at the preoperative assessment clinic. The postoperative Oxford score was then completed when the patient was seen again at their postoperative follow up in clinic. Results Of the total of 109 patients included in this study period, there were 18 (17%) who had a worse score of 4 or more points difference and 43 (39.4%) who had an improvement of 4 or more points difference when the scores were compared between time of listing at the outpatient and at the preoperative assessment clinic. There was a statistically significant difference (P = 0.0054) in the mean Oxford scores. Conclusions The results of our study suggest that there should be standardisation of timing for completing the preoperative patient-reported outcome measures.

A novel tool for naturalistic assessment of behavioural dysregulation after traumatic brain injury: A pilot study.

PubMed

McKeon, Ashlee; Terhorst, Lauren; Skidmore, Elizabeth; Ding, Dan; Cooper, Rory; McCue, Michael

2017-01-01

This study aimed to develop a novel tool for measuring behavioural dysregulation in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) using objective data sources and real-world application and provide preliminary evidence for its psychometric properties. Fourteen adults with TBI receiving services at a local brain injury rehabilitation programme completed multiple assessments of behaviour and followed by a series of challenging problem-solving tasks while being video recorded. Trained clinicians completed post-hoc behavioural assessments using the behavioural dysregulation ratings scale, and behavioural event data were then extracted for comparison with self-report measures. Subject matter experts in neurorehabilitation were in 100% agreement that preliminarily, the new tool measured the construct of behavioural dysregulation. Construct validity was established through strong convergence with 'like' measures and weak correlation with 'unlike' measures. Substantial inter-rater reliability was established between two trained clinician raters. This study provides preliminary evidence supporting the use of a new precision measurement tool of behaviour in post-acute TBI that has the capability to be deployed naturalistically where deficits truly manifest. Future large-scaled confirmatory psychometric trials are warranted to further establish the utility of this new tool in rehabilitation research.

Measuring the impact of complete streets projects : preliminary field testing : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-01

This report describes a field study that sought to assess the impact of Complete Streets (CS) projects in Buffalo, NY. Multiple data collection tools were deployed to capture a diversity of impacts on 8 street corridors where CS projects have been im...

Ecological Momentary Assessment of Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: Relationships to Effort Based Decision Making and Reinforcement Learning

PubMed Central

Moran, Erin K.; Culbreth, Adam J.; Barch, Deanna M.

2017-01-01

Negative symptoms are a core clinical feature of schizophrenia, but conceptual and methodological problems with current instruments can make their assessment challenging. One hypothesis is that current symptom assessments may be influenced by impairments in memory and may not be fully reflective of actual functioning outside of the laboratory. The present study sought to investigate the validity of assessing negative symptoms using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Participants with schizophrenia (N=31) completed electronic questionnaires on smartphones four times a day for one week. Participants also completed Effort-Based Decision Making and Reinforcement Learning (RL) tasks to assess the relationship between EMA and laboratory measures, which tap into negative symptom relevant domains. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed that clinician-rated and self-report measures of negative symptoms were significantly related to negative symptoms assessed via EMA. However, working memory moderated the relationship between EMA and retrospective measures of negative symptoms, such that there was a stronger relationship between EMA and retrospective negative symptom measures among individuals with better working memory. We also found that negative symptoms assessed via EMA were related to poor performance on the Effort task, while clinician-rated symptoms and self-reports were not. Further, we found that negative symptoms were related to poorer performance on learning reward contingencies. Our findings suggest that negative symptoms can be assessed through EMA and that working memory impairments frequently seen in schizophrenia may affect recall of symptoms. Moreover, these findings suggest the importance of examining the relationship between laboratory tasks and symptoms assessed during daily life. PMID:27893230

Marker or mediator? The effects of adolescent substance use on young adult educational attainment

PubMed Central

King, Kevin M.; Meehan, Barbara T.; Trim, Ryan S.; Chassin, Laurie

2007-01-01

Aims We tested the effects of adolescent substance use on college attendance and completion by young adulthood in the context of the behavioral and familial risk factors that influence substance use. Design, setting and participants Longitudinal data were collected from a community sample of children of alcoholics (248) and matched controls (206) at three adolescent assessments (μage = 13–15) and a long-term follow-up in young adulthood (μage = 25). Measurements College attendance and degree completion by age 25 were self-reported in young adulthood. During adolescence, self-reports of alcohol and drug use were assessed with log-transformed quantity/frequency measures; substance use risk factors [e.g. parental monitoring, externalizing and internalizing symptoms and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version III (DSM-III) diagnosis of parental alcoholism] were assessed by both self- and parent-report, and adolescent reading achievement was assessed using a standardized assessment of reading achievement (Wide Range Achievement Test). Findings Using growth curve modeling, we found that mean levels and growth in adolescent substance use mark, or identify, those adolescents who are at risk for reduced odds of attending and completing college. Moreover, adolescent substance use was not merely a marker of risk, in that growth in drug use (but not alcohol use) significantly mediated the effects of parental alcoholism and early externalizing behavior on later college completion, partially explaining the effects of these risk factors on college completion. Conclusions The current study provides evidence for both the marker and the mediator hypotheses, and identifies multiple pathways to higher educational attainment. The findings point to the importance of studying the effects of adolescent substance use in a broader developmental context of its correlated risk factors to specify more effectively the key pathways to later developmental outcomes. PMID:17156172

Adolescents' Observations of Parent Pain Behaviors: Preliminary Measure Validation and Test of Social Learning Theory in Pediatric Chronic Pain.

PubMed

Stone, Amanda L; Walker, Lynn S

2017-01-01

Evaluate psychometric properties of a measure of adolescents’ observations of parental pain behaviors and use this measure to test hypotheses regarding pain-specific social learning. We created a proxy-report of the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Behavior–Short Form (PPB) for adolescents to report on parental pain behaviors, which we labeled the PPB-Proxy. Adolescents (n = 138, mean age = 14.20) with functional abdominal pain completed the PPB-Proxy and a parent completed the PPB. Adolescents and their parents completed measures of pain and disability during the adolescent’s clinic visit for abdominal pain. Adolescents subsequently completed a 7-day pain diary period. The PPB-Proxy moderately correlated with the PPB, evidencing that adolescents observe and can report on parental pain behaviors. Both the PPB-Proxy and PPB significantly correlated with adolescents’ pain-related disability. Parental modeling of pain behaviors could represent an important target for assessment and treatment in pediatric chronic pain patients.

Assessment of Age-Related Differences in Functional Capacity Using the Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT)

PubMed Central

Atkins, A.S.; Stroescu, I.; Spagnola, N.B.; Davis, V.G.; Patterson, T.D.; Narasimhan, M.; Harvey, P.D.; Keefe, R.S.E.

2015-01-01

Clinical trials for primary prevention and early intervention in preclinical AD require measures of functional capacity with improved sensitivity to deficits in healthier, non-demented individuals. To this end, the Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT) was developed as a direct performance-based assessment of functional capacity that is sensitive to changes in function across multiple populations. Using a realistic virtual reality environment, the VRFCAT assesses a subject's ability to complete instrumental activities associated with a shopping trip. The present investigation represents an initial evaluation of the VRFCAT as a potential co-primary measure of functional capacity in healthy aging and preclinical MCI/AD by examining test-retest reliability and associations with cognitive performance in healthy young and older adults. The VRFCAT was compared and contrasted with the UPSA-2-VIM, a traditional performance-based assessment utilizing physical props. Results demonstrated strong age-related differences in performance on each VRFCAT outcome measure, including total completion time, total errors, and total forced progressions. VRFCAT performance showed strong correlations with cognitive performance across both age groups. VRFCAT Total Time demonstrated good test-retest reliability (ICC=.80 in young adults; ICC=.64 in older adults) and insignificant practice effects, indicating the measure is suitable for repeated testing in healthy populations. Taken together, these results provide preliminary support for the VRFCAT as a potential measure of functionally relevant change in primary prevention and preclinical AD/MCI trials. PMID:26618145

The measurement of threat orientations.

PubMed

Thompson, Suzanne C; Schlehofer, Michèle M; Bovin, Michelle J

2006-01-01

To develop measures of 3 threat orientations that affect responses to health behavior messages. In Study 1, college students (N = 47) completed items assessing threat orientations and health behaviors. In Study 2, college students and community adults (N = 110) completed the threat orientation items and measures of convergent and discriminant validity. In Study 1, the control-based, denial-based, and heightened-sensitivity-based threat orientation scales demonstrated good internal consistency and correlated with engagement in health behaviors. In Study 2, the convergent and discriminant validity of the 3 measures was established. The 3 scales have good internal reliability and construct validity.

Errors on the Trail Making Test Are Associated with Right Hemispheric Frontal Lobe Damage in Stroke Patients

PubMed Central

Kopp, Bruno; Rösser, Nina; Tabeling, Sandra; Stürenburg, Hans Jörg; de Haan, Bianca; Karnath, Hans-Otto; Wessel, Karl

2015-01-01

Measures of performance on the Trail Making Test (TMT) are among the most popular neuropsychological assessment techniques. Completion time on TMT-A is considered to provide a measure of processing speed, whereas completion time on TMT-B is considered to constitute a behavioral measure of the ability to shift between cognitive sets (cognitive flexibility), commonly attributed to the frontal lobes. However, empirical evidence linking performance on the TMT-B to localized frontal lesions is mostly lacking. Here, we examined the association of frontal lesions following stroke with TMT-B performance measures (i.e., completion time and completion accuracy measures) using voxel-based lesion-behavior mapping, with a focus on right hemispheric frontal lobe lesions. Our results suggest that the number of errors, but not completion time on the TMT-B, is associated with right hemispheric frontal lesions. This finding contradicts common clinical practice—the use of completion time on the TMT-B to measure cognitive flexibility, and it underscores the need for additional research on the association between cognitive flexibility and the frontal lobes. Further work in a larger sample, including left frontal lobe damage and with more power to detect effects of right posterior brain injury, is necessary to determine whether our observation is specific for right frontal lesions. PMID:26074673

Assessing Children's Homework Performance: Development of Multi-Dimensional, Multi-Informant Rating Scales.

PubMed

Power, Thomas J; Dombrowski, Stefan C; Watkins, Marley W; Mautone, Jennifer A; Eagle, John W

2007-06-01

Efforts to develop interventions to improve homework performance have been impeded by limitations in the measurement of homework performance. This study was conducted to develop rating scales for assessing homework performance among students in elementary and middle school. Items on the scales were intended to assess student strengths as well as deficits in homework performance. The sample included 163 students attending two school districts in the Northeast. Parents completed the 36-item Homework Performance Questionnaire - Parent Scale (HPQ-PS). Teachers completed the 22-item teacher scale (HPQ-TS) for each student for whom the HPQ-PS had been completed. A common factor analysis with principal axis extraction and promax rotation was used to analyze the findings. The results of the factor analysis of the HPQ-PS revealed three salient and meaningful factors: student task orientation/efficiency, student competence, and teacher support. The factor analysis of the HPQ-TS uncovered two salient and substantive factors: student responsibility and student competence. The findings of this study suggest that the HPQ is a promising set of measures for assessing student homework functioning and contextual factors that may influence performance. Directions for future research are presented.

Assessing Children’s Homework Performance: Development of Multi-Dimensional, Multi-Informant Rating Scales

PubMed Central

Power, Thomas J.; Dombrowski, Stefan C.; Watkins, Marley W.; Mautone, Jennifer A.; Eagle, John W.

2007-01-01

Efforts to develop interventions to improve homework performance have been impeded by limitations in the measurement of homework performance. This study was conducted to develop rating scales for assessing homework performance among students in elementary and middle school. Items on the scales were intended to assess student strengths as well as deficits in homework performance. The sample included 163 students attending two school districts in the Northeast. Parents completed the 36-item Homework Performance Questionnaire – Parent Scale (HPQ-PS). Teachers completed the 22-item teacher scale (HPQ-TS) for each student for whom the HPQ-PS had been completed. A common factor analysis with principal axis extraction and promax rotation was used to analyze the findings. The results of the factor analysis of the HPQ-PS revealed three salient and meaningful factors: student task orientation/efficiency, student competence, and teacher support. The factor analysis of the HPQ-TS uncovered two salient and substantive factors: student responsibility and student competence. The findings of this study suggest that the HPQ is a promising set of measures for assessing student homework functioning and contextual factors that may influence performance. Directions for future research are presented. PMID:18516211

The promise of wearable sensors and ecological momentary assessment measures for dynamical systems modeling in adolescents: a feasibility and acceptability study.

PubMed

Brannon, Erin E; Cushing, Christopher C; Crick, Christopher J; Mitchell, Tarrah B

2016-12-01

Intervention development can be accelerated by using wearable sensors and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to study how behaviors change within a person. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a novel, intensive EMA method for assessing physiology, behavior, and psychosocial variables utilizing two objective sensors and a mobile application (app). Adolescents (n = 20) enrolled in a 20-day EMA protocol. Participants wore a physiological monitor and an accelerometer that measured sleep and physical activity and completed four surveys per day on an app. Participants provided approximately 81 % of the expected survey data. Participants were compliant to the wrist-worn accelerometer (75.3 %), which is a feasible measurement of physical activity/sleep (74.1 % complete data). The data capture (47.8 %) and compliance (70.28 %) with the physiological monitor were lower than other study variables. The findings support the use of an intensive assessment protocol to study real-time relationships between biopsychosocial variables and health behaviors.

Accuracy of Tympanic Temperature Measurement in Firefighters Completing a Simulated Structural Firefighting Task.

PubMed

Keene, Toby; Brearley, Matt; Bowen, Beth; Walker, Anthony

2015-10-01

In the course of their duties, firefighters risk heat stroke and other medical conditions due to exertion in high-temperature environments. Infrared tympanic temperature measurement (TTym) is often used by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to assess the core body temperature of firefighters. The accuracy of TTym in this setting has been called into question. Hypothesis/Problem This study aimed to examine the accuracy of TTym for core body temperature assessment at emergency firefighting events compared with gastrointestinal temperature measurement (TGI) as measured by ingestible thermometers. Forty-five (42 male, three female) professional urban firefighters from an Australian fire service completed two 20-minute work periods in a 100°C (± 5°C) heat chamber while wearing personal protective clothing (PPC) and breathing apparatus (weighing approximately 22 kg). Measurements were taken immediately before entering, and on exiting, the heat chamber. Tympanic temperature was assessed by an infrared tympanic thermometer and TGI was measured by ingestible sensor and radio receiver. Complete data were available for 37 participants. Participant temperatures were higher on exiting the heat chamber than at baseline (TTym: 35.9°C (SD=0.7) vs 37.5°C (SD=0.8); TGI: 37.2°C (SD=0.4) vs 38.6°C (SD=0.5)). Tympanic temperature underestimated TGI on average by 1.3°C (SD=0.5) before entering the chamber and by 1.0°C (SD=0.8) following the exercise. Using pooled data, the average underestimation was 1.2°C (SD=0.7). Tympanic thermometers cause an unreliable measure of core body temperature for firefighters engaged in fire suppression activities. Accurate and practical measures of core body temperature are required urgently.

Stability of vocational interests after recent spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Krause, James S; Clark, Jillian M R

2014-08-01

We sought to identify the stability of vocational interests among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) first assessed during inpatient rehabilitation. Initial assessments were completed during inpatient rehabilitation an average of 50 days after SCI onset (n = 521). Follow-up measures, collected by mail, were obtained an average of 16.6 months postinjury (n = 190) and 29.1 months postinjury (n = 296). Participants (n = 135) completed all 3 assessments. Participants completed the 1994 Strong Interest Inventory (Campbell, 1971; Harmon, Hansen, Borgen, & Hammer, 1994), Form T317, a 317-item measure of vocational interests. Comparison of scale means across 3 times of measurement indicated significant changes in 2 of 6 general occupational themes (GOT), 8 basic interest scales (BIS), and 2 special scales (leadership style, risk taking/adventure). With 1 exception, a linear trend indicating an increase in reported interests accounted for observed relationships. An age by time interaction occurred with 1 GOT and 3 BIS. The average stability coefficient was 0.61 for the GOT, 0.59 for the BIS, and 0.70 for the special scales. The average coefficients were somewhat lower for the oldest participants. Interests do not appear to be static when first measured during inpatient rehabilitation after SCI. Rather, they evolve with average increases on select themes more compatible with the limitations of SCI. Stability coefficients suggest that interests are likely to change more than indicated in earlier studies.

Attitudes toward Overweight Individuals among Fitness Center Employees: An Examination of Contextual Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dimmock, James A.; Hallett, Bree E.; Grove, J. Robert

2009-01-01

Our study assessed implicit and explicit evaluations of overweight individuals among a sample of fitness center employees (N = 70). Participants completed a general demographics questionnaire and an explicit, self-report Antifat Attitudes Test (AFAT). Participants also completed two Implicit Association Tests (IATs) to measure implicit attitudes…

A Multidimensional Assessment of Children in Conflictual Contexts: The Case of Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okech, Jane E. Atieno

2012-01-01

Children in Kenya's Kisumu District Primary Schools (N = 430) completed three measures of trauma. Respondents completed the "My Worst Experience Scale" (MWES; Hyman and Snook 2002) and its supplement, the "School Alienation and Trauma Survey" (SATS; Hyman and Snook 2002), sharing their worst experiences overall and specifically…

A dissociation of objective and subjective workload measures in assessing the impact of speech controls in advanced helicopters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vidulich, Michael A.; Bortolussi, Michael R.

1988-01-01

Among the new technologies that are expected to aid helicopter designers are speech controls. Proponents suggest that speech controls could reduce the potential for manual control overloads and improve time-sharing performance in environments that have heavy demands for manual control. This was tested in a simulation of an advanced single-pilot, scout/attack helicopter. Objective performance indicated that the speech controls were effective in decreasing the interference of discrete responses during moments of heavy flight control activity. However, subjective ratings indicated that the use of speech controls required extra effort to speak precisely and to attend to feedback. Although the operational reliability of speech controls must be improved, the present results indicate that reliable speech controls could enhance the time-sharing efficiency of helicopter pilots. Furthermore, the results demonstrated the importance of using multiple assessment techniques to completely assess a task. Neither the objective nor the subjective measures alone provided complete information. It was the contrast between the measures that was most informative.

Most efficient questionnaires to measure quality of life, physical function, and pain in patients with metastatic spine disease: a cross-sectional prospective survey study.

PubMed

Paulino Pereira, Nuno Rui; Janssen, Stein J; Raskin, Kevin A; Hornicek, Francis J; Ferrone, Marco L; Shin, John H; Bramer, Jos A M; van Dijk, Cornelis Nicolaas; Schwab, Joseph H

2017-07-01

Assessing quality of life, functional outcome, and pain has become important in assessing the effectiveness of treatment for metastatic spine disease. Many questionnaires are able to measure these outcomes; few are validated in patients with metastatic spine disease. As a result, there is no consensus on the ideal questionnaire to use in these patients. Our study aim was to assess whether certain questionnaires measuring quality of life, functional outcome, and pain (1) correlated with each other, (2) measured the construct they claim to measure, (3) had good coverage-floor and ceiling effects, (4) were reliable, and (5) whether there were differences in completion time between them. This is a prospective cross-sectional survey study from three outpatient clinics (two orthopedic oncology clinics and one neurosurgery clinic) from two affiliated tertiary hospital care centers. We included 100 consecutive patients with metastatic spine disease between July 2014 and February 2016. We excluded non-English-speaking patients. The following questionnaires were given in random order: Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) or Neck Disability Index (NDI), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function, PROMIS Pain Intensity, EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), and the Spine Oncology Study Group Outcome Questionnaire (SOSG-OQ). We used exploratory factor analysis-correlating questionnaires with an underlying mathematically derived trait-to assess if questionnaires measured the same concept. Coverage was assessed by floor and ceiling effects, and reliability was assessed by standard error of measurement as a function of ability. Differences in completion times were tested using the Friedman test. Questionnaires measured the construct they were developed for, as demonstrated with high correlations (>0.7) with the underlying trait. A floor effect was present in the PROMIS Pain Intensity (7.0%), ODI or NDI (4.0%), and the PROMIS Physical Function (1.0%) questionnaires. A ceiling effect was present in the EQ-5D questionnaire (6.0%). The SOSG-OQ had no floor or ceiling effect. The PROMIS Physical Function and PROMIS Pain Intensity proved to be the most reliable, whereas the EQ-5D was the least reliable. Completion time differed among questionnaires (p<.001) and was shortest for the PROMIS Pain Intensity (median 24 seconds) and PROMIS Physical Function (median 42 seconds). In patients with metastatic spine disease, we recommend the SOSG-OQ for measuring quality of life, the PROMIS Physical Function for measuring physical function, and the PROMIS Pain Intensity for measuring pain. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Measuring Recovery in Elite Rugby Players: The Brief Assessment of Mood, Endocrine Changes, and Power

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shearer, David A.; Kilduff, Liam P.; Finn, Charlotte; Jones, Rhys M.; Bracken, Richard M.; Mellalieu, Stephen D.; Owen, Nic; Crewther, Blair T.; Cook, Christian J.

2015-01-01

Purpose: There is demand in applied sport settings to measure recovery briefly and accurately. Research indicates mood disturbance as the strongest psychological predictor of mental and physical recovery. The Brief Assessment of Mood (BAM) is a shortened version of the Profile of Mood States that can be completed in less than 30 s. The purpose of…

Changes in University Students after Joining a Service Leadership Program in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shek, Daniel T. L.; Lin, Li

2016-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a 4.5-day service leadership program for students from Chinese universities using objective outcome evaluation. The participants were assessed before and after the program, with two post-test measurements (immediate assessment and assessment 12 days after the completion of class learning). At pretest and…

Linking the Pennsylvania PSSA Assessments to NWEA MAP Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Evaluation Association, 2016

2016-01-01

Northwest Evaluation Association™ (NWEA™) is committed to providing partners with useful tools to help make inferences from the Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®) interim assessment scores. Recently, NWEA completed a concordance study to connect the scales of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) reading and math with those of the…

Alcohol assessment among college students using wireless mobile technology.

PubMed

Bernhardt, Jay M; Usdan, Stuart; Mays, Darren; Martin, Ryan; Cremeens, Jennifer; Arriola, Kimberly Jacob

2009-09-01

This study used a two-group randomized design to assess the validity of measuring self-reported alcohol consumption among college students using the Handheld Assisted Network Diary (HAND), a daily diary assessment administered using wireless mobile devices. A convenience sample of college students was recruited at a large, public university in the southeastern United States and randomized into two groups. A randomly assigned group of 86 students completed the daily HAND assessment during the 30-day study and a Timeline Followback (TLFB) at 30-day follow-up. A randomly assigned group of 82 students completed the paper-and-pencil Daily Social Diary (DSD) over the same study period. Data from the daily HAND assessment were compared with the TLFB completed at follow-up by participants who completed the HAND using 95% limits of agreement analysis. Furthermore, individual growth models were used to examine differences between the HAND and DSD by comparing the total drinks, drinking days, and drinks per drinking day captured by the two assessments over the study period. Results suggest that the HAND captured similar levels of alcohol use compared with the TLFB completed at follow-up by the same participants. In addition, comparisons of the two study groups suggest that, controlling for baseline alcohol use and demographics, the HAND assessment captured similar levels of total drinks, drinking days, and drinks per drinking day as the paper-and-pencil DSD. The study findings support the validity of wireless mobile devices as a daily assessment of alcohol use among college students.

An assessment of collections at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Health Sciences Libraries: drug resistance.

PubMed Central

Bergen, P L; Nemec, D

1999-01-01

In December 1997, the authors completed an in-depth collection assessment project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Health Sciences Libraries. The purpose was to develop a framework for future collection assessment projects by completing a multifaceted evaluation of the libraries' monograph and serial collections in the subject area of drug resistance. Evaluators adapted and synthesized several traditional collection assessment tools, including shelflist measurement, bibliography and standard list checking, and citation analysis. Throughout the project, evaluators explored strategies to overcome some of the problems inherent in the application of traditional collection assessment methods to the evaluation of biomedical collections. Their efforts resulted in the identification of standard monographs and core journals for the subject area, a measurement of the collections' strength relative to the collections of benchmark libraries, and a foundation for future collection development within the subject area. The project's primary outcome was a collection assessment methodology that has potential application to both internal and cooperative collection development in medical, pharmaceutical, and other health sciences libraries. PMID:9934527

Comparing Multi-Informant Assessment Measures of Parental Monitoring and Their Links with Adolescent Delinquent Behavior

PubMed Central

Augenstein, Tara M.; Thomas, Sarah A.; Ehrlich, Katherine B.; Daruwala, Samantha; Reyes, Shelby M.; Chrabaszcz, Jeffrey S.; De Los Reyes, Andres

2016-01-01

SYNOPSIS Objective Parents’ poor monitoring of adolescents’ whereabouts and activities is commonly linked to adolescents’ increased engagement in delinquent behaviors. Yet, different domains of parental monitoring (parental monitoring behaviors vs. parental knowledge) and reports from multiple informants (parent vs. adolescent) may vary in their links to delinquent behavior. Design Seventy-four parental caregivers and 74 adolescents completed survey measures of parental monitoring and knowledge, and adolescents completed self-report surveys of delinquent behavior. Results We observed low-to-moderate magnitudes of correspondence between parent- and adolescent-reports of parental monitoring behaviors and parental knowledge. Adolescent self-reported delinquent behavior related to parent and adolescent reports of parental monitoring behaviors and parental knowledge, with adolescents who self-reported engagement in delinquent behaviors evidencing lower levels of parental knowledge and higher levels of poor monitoring compared to adolescents who did not self-report engagement in delinquent behaviors. Adolescent self-reported engagement in delinquent behaviors evidenced stronger links to parental monitoring when based on adolescent reports of monitoring (relative to parent reports), whereas stronger links held between adolescent self-reported delinquent behavior and parental knowledge when based on parent reports of knowledge (relative to adolescent reports). Conclusions Links between monitoring and adolescents’ delinquent behavior vary by the kind of monitoring measure completed as well as the informant completing the measure. These findings inform measurement selection in research and clinical assessments of parental monitoring and adolescent delinquent behavior. PMID:27482171

Quantitative echocardiographic measures in the assessment of single ventricle function post-Fontan: Incorporation into routine clinical practice.

PubMed

Rios, Rodrigo; Ginde, Salil; Saudek, David; Loomba, Rohit S; Stelter, Jessica; Frommelt, Peter

2017-01-01

Quantitative echocardiographic measurements of single ventricular (SV) function have not been incorporated into routine clinical practice. A clinical protocol, which included quantitative measurements of SV deformation (global circumferential and longitudinal strain and strain rate), standard deviation of time to peak systolic strain, myocardial performance index (MPI), dP/dT from an atrioventricular valve regurgitant jet, and superior mesenteric artery resistance index, was instituted for all patients with a history of Fontan procedure undergoing echocardiography. All measures were performed real time during clinically indicated studies and were included in clinical reports. A total of 100 consecutive patients (mean age = 11.95±6.8 years, range 17 months-31.3 years) completed the protocol between September 1, 2014 to April 29, 2015. Deformation measures were completed in 100% of the studies, MPI in 93%, dP/dT in 55%, and superior mesenteric artery Doppler in 82%. The studies were reviewed to assess for efficiency in completing the protocol. The average time for image acquisition was 27.4±8.8 (range 10-62 minutes). The average time to perform deformation measures was 10.8±5.5 minutes (range 5-35 minutes) and time from beginning of imaging to report completion was 53.4±13.7 minutes (range 27-107 minutes). There was excellent inter-observer reliability when deformation indices were blindly repeated. Patients with a single left ventricle had significantly higher circumferential strain and strain rate, longitudinal strain and strain rate, and dP/dT compared to a single right ventricle. There were no differences in quantitative indices of ventricular function between patients <10 vs. >10 years post-Fontan. Advanced quantitative assessment of SV function post-Fontan can be consistently and efficiently performed real time during clinically indicated echocardiograms with excellent reliability. © 2016, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Development of the Alpha-Omega Completed Sentence Form (AOCSF): An Instrument to Aid in the Measurement, Identification, and Assessment of an Individual's "Adaptational Approach(es)" to the Stressful Event of Death and Related Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Ronald; And Others

The Alpha Omega Completed Sentence Form (AOCSF) was developed to identify and measure a person's adaptational approaches to information concerning their own death or the possible death of a significant other. In contrast to the Kubler-Ross stage theory, the adaptational approach recognizes a person's capacity to assimilate new information which…

Mindfulness meditation in aphasia: A case report.

PubMed

Laures-Gore, Jacqueline; Marshall, Rebecca Shisler

2016-04-06

Despite the potential behavioral and neurological benefits of Mindfulness Meditation (MM), its use in treating stroke related communication disabilities appears to be underexplored. Specifically, aphasia, a language disorder resulting from stroke, may be amenable to the benefits of MM because of the observed attention problems often underlying the language symptoms. The current paper presents a case report of an adult with aphasia who was trained in MM. An adult with aphasia completed a five-day mindfulness training, and was assessed on measures of language, attention, and physiological measures of cortisol and heart rate variability. She completed four assessments: two baseline measures, immediately post training, and one week post training (maintenance). Overall, changes were observed in both psychophysiological measures (heart rate and heart rate variability) and behavioral measures (word productivity, phrase length, word generation, decreased impulsivity, and increased attention). Given the psychophysiological and behavioral changes observed in this individual, further exploration of the influence of MM in the treatment of post-stroke aphasia is warranted.

Autonomy and Relatedness in Inner-City Families of Substance Abusing Adolescents.

PubMed

Samuolis, Jessica; Hogue, Aaron; Dauber, Sarah; Liddle, Howard A

2006-01-01

This study examined parent-adolescent autonomous-relatedness functioning in inner-city, ethnic minority families of adolescents exhibiting drug abuse and related problem behaviors. Seventy-four parent-adolescent dyads completed a structured interaction task prior to the start of treatment that was coded using an established autonomous-relatedness measure. Adolescent drug use, externalizing, and internalizing behaviors were assessed. Parents and adolescents completed assessment instruments measuring parenting style and family conflict. Confirmatory factor analysis found significant differences in the underlying dimensions of parent and adolescent autonomous-relatedness in this sample versus previous samples. It was also found that autonomous-relatedness was associated with worse adolescent symptomatology and family impairment. Results based on both self-report and observational measures contribute to the understanding of key family constructs in this population and provide insight for both researchers and the treatment community.

Autonomy and Relatedness in Inner-City Families of Substance Abusing Adolescents

PubMed Central

Samuolis, Jessica; Hogue, Aaron; Dauber, Sarah; Liddle, Howard A.

2010-01-01

This study examined parent-adolescent autonomous-relatedness functioning in inner-city, ethnic minority families of adolescents exhibiting drug abuse and related problem behaviors. Seventy-four parent-adolescent dyads completed a structured interaction task prior to the start of treatment that was coded using an established autonomous-relatedness measure. Adolescent drug use, externalizing, and internalizing behaviors were assessed. Parents and adolescents completed assessment instruments measuring parenting style and family conflict. Confirmatory factor analysis found significant differences in the underlying dimensions of parent and adolescent autonomous-relatedness in this sample versus previous samples. It was also found that autonomous-relatedness was associated with worse adolescent symptomatology and family impairment. Results based on both self-report and observational measures contribute to the understanding of key family constructs in this population and provide insight for both researchers and the treatment community. PMID:20376203

The Effect of Plan Type and Comprehensive Medication Reviews on High-Risk Medication Use.

PubMed

Almodovar, Armando Silva; Axon, David Rhys; Coleman, Ashley M; Warholak, Terri; Nahata, Milap C

2018-05-01

In 2007, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) instituted a star rating system using performance outcome measures to assess Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) and Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) providers. To assess the relationship between 2 performance outcome measures for Medicare insurance providers, comprehensive medication reviews (CMRs), and high-risk medication use. This cross-sectional study included Medicare Part C and Part D performance data from the 2014 and 2015 calendar years. Performance data were downloaded per Medicare contract from the CMS. We matched Medicare insurance provider performance data with the enrollment data of each contract. Mann Whitney U and Spearman rho tests and a hierarchical linear regression model assessed the relationship between provider characteristics, high-risk medication use, and CMR completion rate outcome measures. In 2014, an inverse correlation between CMR completion rate and high-risk medication use was identified among MAPD plan providers. This relationship was further strengthened in 2015. No correlation was detected between the CMR completion rate and high-risk medication use among PDP plan providers in either year. A multivariate regression found an inverse association with high-risk medication use among MAPD plan providers in comparison with PDP plan providers in 2014 (beta = -0.358, P < 0.001) and 2015 (beta = -0.350, P < 0.001), the CMR completion rate in 2015 (beta = -0.221, P < 0.001), and enrollee population size in 2015 (beta = -0.203, P = 0.001). This study found that MAPD plan providers and higher CMR completion rates were associated with lower use of high-risk medications among beneficiaries. No outside funding supported this study. Silva Almodovar reports a fellowship funded by SinfoniaRx, Tucson, Arizona, during the time of this study. The other authors have nothing to disclose.

Assessing physical functioning on pain management programmes: the unique contribution of directly assessed physical performance measures and their relationship to self-reports

PubMed Central

Guildford, Beth J; Jacobs, Clair M; Daly-Eichenhardt, Aisling; Scott, Whitney; McCracken, Lance M

2016-01-01

Physical functioning is a recommended outcome domain for pain management programmes. It can be assessed by self-report and by direct assessment of performance. Although physical performance measures may provide unique and useful information about patient functioning over and above self-report measures, it is not entirely clear which of the many possible performances to assess. This study investigated a battery of three directly assessed physical performance measures and their relationship to three currently used self-report measures of general health and functioning. The three performance measures were sensitive to treatment; patients performed significantly better on all three measures following completion of the pain management programme. The three performance measures were shown to represent a single underlying dimension, and there was a significant degree of overlap between them. The performance measures were shown to be relevant in explaining variation in the self-report measures, as well as to offer a clinically relevant different dimension of assessment to self-report. Future research could focus on developing performance-based measures that capture quality of movement and that are sensitive to relevant processes of therapeutic change. PMID:28386404

Psychometric properties of three measures assessing advanced theory of mind: Evidence from people with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Chen, Kuan-Wei; Lee, Shih-Chieh; Chiang, Hsin-Yu; Syu, Ya-Cing; Yu, Xiao-Xuan; Hsieh, Ching-Lin

2017-11-01

Patients with schizophrenia tend to have deficits in advanced Theory of Mind (ToM). The "Reading the mind in the eyes" test (RMET), the Faux Pas Task, and the Strange Stories are commonly used for assessing advanced ToM. However, most of the psychometric properties of these 3 measures in patients with schizophrenia are unknown. The aims of this study were to validate the psychometric properties of the 3 advanced ToM measures in patients with schizophrenia, including: (1) test-retest reliability; (2) random measurement error; (3) practice effect; (4) concurrent validity; and (5) ecological validity. We recruited 53 patients with schizophrenia, who completed the 3 measures twice, 4 weeks apart. The Revised Social Functioning Scale-Taiwan short version (R-SFST) was completed within 3 days of first session of assessments. We found that the intraclass correlation coefficients of the RMET, Strange Stories, and Faux Pas Task were 0.24, 0.5, and 0.76. All 3 advanced ToM measures had large random measurement error, trivial to small practice effects, poor concurrent validity, and low ecological validity. We recommend that the scores of the 3 advanced ToM measures be interpreted with caution because these measures may not provide reliable and valid results on patients' advanced ToM abilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Integration of a Clinical Pharmacist into an Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Outpatient Clinic.

PubMed

DiScala, Sandra Lee; Onofrio, Sarah; Miller, Maura; Nazario, Mitchell; Silverman, Michael

2017-11-01

The primary objective of this quality improvement (QI) project was to determine if the Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Outpatient Clinic (IPCOC) at the West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center offered improved symptom assessment and palliative care treatment outcomes. Secondary objectives were to identify, classify, and resolve medication problems and calculate the number of pharmacist recommendations accepted by prescribing providers. An IPCOC was created by selecting disciplines for a core group including a nurse practitioner, clinical pharmacist, social worker, chaplain, and physician. Consult referrals were recruited by providing educational sessions. The patient assessments were completed using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System: (revised version; ESAS-R). The clinical pharmacist classified and resolved drug-related problems. The pharmacy resident telephoned veterans for completion of the "Patient Assessment: Overall Satisfaction with Outpatient Palliative Care Clinic." Seventeen consults were received, 6 patients were excluded, and 11 were seen in clinic. One (9%) of 11 patients met the outcomes measure of system assessment documentation in the past year. At completion, 11 (100%) of 11 patients met the outcomes data measure. The Patient Satisfaction Assessment revealed veterans strongly agree to recommend the IPCOC. The clinical pharmacist identified 20 drug-related problems, made 16 recommendations, had a 93.7% implementation rate, and facilitated implementation of medication changes. This QI project demonstrates that an IPCOC improved symptom assessment and palliative care outcomes in addition to resolution of medication prescribing issues in veterans with advanced cancer by integration of a clinical pharmacist into the core team.

Development of Measures to Assess Personal Recovery in Young People Treated in Specialist Mental Health Services.

PubMed

John, Mary; Jeffries, Fiona W; Acuna-Rivera, Marcela; Warren, Fiona; Simonds, Laura M

2015-01-01

Recovery has become a central concept in mental health service delivery, and several recovery-focused measures exist for adults. The concept's applicability to young people's mental health experience has been neglected, and no measures yet exist. Aim The aim of this work is to develop measures of recovery for use in specialist child and adolescent mental health services. On the basis of 21 semi-structured interviews, three recovery measures were devised, one for completion by the young person and two for completion by the parent/carer. Two parent/carer measures were devised in order to assess both their perspective on their child's recovery and their own recovery process. The questionnaires were administered to a UK sample of 47 young people (10-18 years old) with anxiety and depression and their parents, along with a measure used to routinely assess treatment progress and outcome and a measure of self-esteem. All three measures had high internal consistency (alpha ≥ 0.89). Young people's recovery scores were correlated negatively with scores on a measure used to routinely assess treatment progress and outcome (r = -0.75) and positively with self-esteem (r = 0.84). Parent and young persons' reports of the young person's recovery were positively correlated (r = 0.61). Parent report of the young person's recovery and of their own recovery process were positively correlated (r = 0.75). The three measures have the potential to be used in mental health services to assess recovery processes in young people with mental health difficulties and correspondence with symptomatic improvement. The measures provide a novel way of capturing the parental/caregiver perspective on recovery and caregivers' own wellbeing. No tools exist to evaluate recovery-relevant processes in young people treated in specialist mental health services. This study reports on the development and psychometric evaluation of three self-report recovery-relevant assessments for young people and their caregivers. Findings indicate a high degree of correspondence between young person and caregiver reports of recovery in the former. The recovery assessments correlate inversely with a standardized symptom-focused measure and positively with self-esteem. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Efficacy of a Virtual Reality Commercial Gaming Device in Upper Limb Recovery after Stroke: A Randomized, Controlled Study.

PubMed

Kong, Keng-He; Loh, Yong-Joo; Thia, Ernest; Chai, Audrey; Ng, Chwee-Yin; Soh, Yan-Ming; Toh, Shirlene; Tjan, Soon-Yin

2016-10-01

To compare the efficacy of a virtual reality commercial gaming device, Nintendo wii (NW) with conventional therapy and customary care in facilitating upper limb recovery after stroke. Randomized, controlled, single-blinded study. Tertiary rehabilitation center. 105 subjects admitted to in inpatient rehabilitation program within 6 weeks of stroke onset. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups of upper limb exercises: (1) NW gaming; (2) conventional therapy; (3) control. NW gaming and conventional therapy were provided fourtimes a week for 3 weeks. The main outcome measure was Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) of upper limb function. Secondary outcome measures included Action Research Arm Test, Functional Independence Measure, and Stroke Impact Scale. These measures were assessed at baseline, completion of intervention (week 3) and at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after completion of intervention. The primary outcome measure was the change in FMA scores at completion of intervention. The mean age was 57.5±9.8 years, and subjects were enrolled at a mean of 13.7±8.9 days after stroke. The mean baseline FMA score was 16.4±14.2. There was no difference in FMA scores between all 3 groups at the end of intervention, and at 4 and 8 weeks after completion of intervention. Similar findings were also noted for the secondary outcome measures. Twelve sessions of augmented upper limb exercises via NW gaming or conventional therapy over a 3-week period was not effective in enhancing upper limb motor recovery compared to control.

PRISM: Enmeshment of illness and self-schema.

PubMed

Denton, Fiona; Sharpe, Louise; Schrieber, Leslie

2004-01-01

The Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM) is a recently developed tool purported to assess burden of suffering due to illness. The nature of the PRISM task suggests a conceptual link to the illness self-schema construct hypothesised to be present in some individuals with chronic illness. This study investigates the relationship between PRISM and schema as measured by cognitive bias. 43 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) completed an information-processing task involving endorsement of positive and negative illness words as descriptors of themselves, followed by free recall of the words. The outcome measures were endorsement and recall bias for negative illness words. Patients also completed the PRISM task and were assessed on other physical and psychological variables. PRISM did not correlate significantly with age, depression, functional impairment or disease activity. In a multiple regression analysis, only recall bias made an independent contribution to PRISM. Illness self-schema appears to play a significant role in determining the way in which SLE patients complete the PRISM task. This is discussed in light of a schema enmeshment model recently proposed in the cognitive bias literature. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

Assessment of an interactive voice response system for identifying falls in a statewide sample of older adults.

PubMed

Albert, Steven M; King, Jennifer; Keene, Robert M

2015-02-01

Interactive voice response (IVR) systems offer great advantages for data collection in large, geographically dispersed samples involving frequent contact. We assessed the quality of IVR data collected from older respondents participating in a statewide falls prevention program evaluation in Pennsylvania in 2010-12. Participants (n=1834) were followed up monthly for up to 10 months to compare respondents who completed all, some, or no assessments in the IVR system. Validity was assessed by examining IVR-reported falls incidence relative to baseline in-person self-report and performance assessment of balance. While a third of the sample switched from IVR to in-person calls over follow-up, IVR interviews were successfully used to complete 68.1% of completed monthly assessments (10,511/15,430). Switching to in-person interviews was not associated with measures of participant function or cognition. Both self-reported (p<.0001) and performance assessment of balance (p=.05) at baseline were related to falls incidence. IVR is a productive modality for falls research among older adults. Future research should establish what level of initial personal research contact is optimal for boosting IVR completion rates and what research domains are most appropriate for this kind of contact. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of the insomnia severity index as a web-based measure.

PubMed

Thorndike, Frances P; Ritterband, Lee M; Saylor, Drew K; Magee, Joshua C; Gonder-Frederick, Linda A; Morin, Charles M

2011-01-01

Although the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) is already administered online, this frequently used instrument has not been validated for Web delivery. This study compares online and paper-and-pencil ISI versions completed by participants in a randomized controlled trial testing an Internet-delivered intervention for insomnia. Forty-three adults with insomnia completed both ISI versions during pre- (Assessment 1) and post-intervention (Assessment 2). Correlations between total scores of both versions were significant (rs ≥ .98, ps < .001). For both ISI versions, internal consistency was acceptable (Assessment 1, α = .61; Assessment 2, α ≥ .88). Among participants not receiving the parent study intervention, correlations between 1 format at Assessment 1 and the alternative format at Assessment 2 were generally significant (rs = .26-.82). Together, findings suggest the ISI can be delivered online.

The Feasibility of Real-Time Intraoperative Performance Assessment With SIMPL (System for Improving and Measuring Procedural Learning): Early Experience From a Multi-institutional Trial.

PubMed

Bohnen, Jordan D; George, Brian C; Williams, Reed G; Schuller, Mary C; DaRosa, Debra A; Torbeck, Laura; Mullen, John T; Meyerson, Shari L; Auyang, Edward D; Chipman, Jeffrey G; Choi, Jennifer N; Choti, Michael A; Endean, Eric D; Foley, Eugene F; Mandell, Samuel P; Meier, Andreas H; Smink, Douglas S; Terhune, Kyla P; Wise, Paul E; Soper, Nathaniel J; Zwischenberger, Joseph B; Lillemoe, Keith D; Dunnington, Gary L; Fryer, Jonathan P

Intraoperative performance assessment of residents is of growing interest to trainees, faculty, and accreditors. Current approaches to collect such assessments are limited by low participation rates and long delays between procedure and evaluation. We deployed an innovative, smartphone-based tool, SIMPL (System for Improving and Measuring Procedural Learning), to make real-time intraoperative performance assessment feasible for every case in which surgical trainees participate, and hypothesized that SIMPL could be feasibly integrated into surgical training programs. Between September 1, 2015 and February 29, 2016, 15 U.S. general surgery residency programs were enrolled in an institutional review board-approved trial. SIMPL was made available after 70% of faculty and residents completed a 1-hour training session. Descriptive and univariate statistics analyzed multiple dimensions of feasibility, including training rates, volume of assessments, response rates/times, and dictation rates. The 20 most active residents and attendings were evaluated in greater detail. A total of 90% of eligible users (1267/1412) completed training. Further, 13/15 programs began using SIMPL. Totally, 6024 assessments were completed by 254 categorical general surgery residents (n = 3555 assessments) and 259 attendings (n = 2469 assessments), and 3762 unique operations were assessed. There was significant heterogeneity in participation within and between programs. Mean percentage (range) of users who completed ≥1, 5, and 20 assessments were 62% (21%-96%), 34% (5%-75%), and 10% (0%-32%) across all programs, and 96%, 75%, and 32% in the most active program. Overall, response rate was 70%, dictation rate was 24%, and mean response time was 12 hours. Assessments increased from 357 (September 2015) to 1146 (February 2016). The 20 most active residents each received mean 46 assessments by 10 attendings for 20 different procedures. SIMPL can be feasibly integrated into surgical training programs to enhance the frequency and timeliness of intraoperative performance assessment. We believe SIMPL could help facilitate a national competency-based surgical training system, although local and systemic challenges still need to be addressed. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

An initial investigation into the validity of a computer-based auditory processing assessment (Feather Squadron).

PubMed

Barker, Matthew D; Purdy, Suzanne C

2016-01-01

This research investigates a novel method for identifying and measuring school-aged children with poor auditory processing through a tablet computer. Feasibility and test-retest reliability are investigated by examining the percentage of Group 1 participants able to complete the tasks and developmental effects on performance. Concurrent validity was investigated against traditional tests of auditory processing using Group 2. There were 847 students aged 5 to 13 years in group 1, and 46 aged 5 to 14 years in group 2. Some tasks could not be completed by the youngest participants. Significant correlations were found between results of most auditory processing areas assessed by the Feather Squadron test and traditional auditory processing tests. Test-retest comparisons indicated good reliability for most of the Feather Squadron assessments and some of the traditional tests. The results indicate the Feather Squadron assessment is a time-efficient, feasible, concurrently valid, and reliable approach for measuring auditory processing in school-aged children. Clinically, this may be a useful option for audiologists when performing auditory processing assessments as it is a relatively fast, engaging, and easy way to assess auditory processing abilities. Research is needed to investigate further the construct validity of this new assessment by examining the association between performance on Feather Squadron and objective evoked potential, lesion studies, and/or functional imaging measures of auditory function.

Comparative Effects of Antihistamines on Aircrew Mission Effectiveness under Sustained Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

measures consist mainly of process measures. Process measures are measures of activities used to accomplish the mission and produce the final results...They include task completion times and response variability, and information processing rates as they relate to unique task assignment. Performance...contains process measures that assess the Individual contributions of hardware/software and human components to overall system performance. Measures

The Virtual Peg Insertion Test as an assessment of upper limb coordination in ARSACS patients: a pilot study.

PubMed

Gagnon, Cynthia; Lavoie, Caroline; Lessard, Isabelle; Mathieu, Jean; Brais, Bernard; Bouchard, Jean-Pierre; Fluet, Marie-Christine; Gassert, Roger; Lambercy, Olivier

2014-12-15

This paper introduces a novel assessment tool to provide clinicians with quantitative and more objective measures of upper limb coordination in patients suffering from Autosomal Recessive Spastic Ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS). The Virtual Peg Insertion Test (VPIT) involves manipulating an instrumented handle in order to move nine pegs into nine holes displayed in a virtual environment. The main outcome measures were the number of zero-crossings of the hand acceleration vector, as a measure of movement coordination and the total time required to complete the insertion of the nine pegs, as a measure of overall upper limb performance. 8\\9 patients with ARSACS were able to complete five repetitions with the VPIT. Patients were found to be significantly less coordinated and slower than age-matched healthy subjects (p<0.01). Performance of ARSACS patients was positively correlated with the Nine-Hole Peg Test (r=0.85, p<0.01) and with age (r=0.93, p<0.01), indicative of the degenerative nature of the disease. This study presents preliminary results on the use of a robotics and virtual reality assessment tool with ARSACS patients. Results highlight its potential to assess impaired coordination and monitor its progression over time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PERFORMANCE OF A COMPUTER-BASED ASSESSMENT OF COGNITIVE FUNCTION MEASURES IN TWO COHORTS OF SENIORS

PubMed Central

Espeland, Mark A.; Katula, Jeffrey A.; Rushing, Julia; Kramer, Arthur F.; Jennings, Janine M.; Sink, Kaycee M.; Nadkarni, Neelesh K.; Reid, Kieran F.; Castro, Cynthia M.; Church, Timothy; Kerwin, Diana R.; Williamson, Jeff D.; Marottoli, Richard A.; Rushing, Scott; Marsiske, Michael; Rapp, Stephen R.

2013-01-01

Background Computer-administered assessment of cognitive function is being increasingly incorporated in clinical trials, however its performance in these settings has not been systematically evaluated. Design The Seniors Health and Activity Research Program (SHARP) pilot trial (N=73) developed a computer-based tool for assessing memory performance and executive functioning. The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Seniors (LIFE) investigators incorporated this battery in a full scale multicenter clinical trial (N=1635). We describe relationships that test scores have with those from interviewer-administered cognitive function tests and risk factors for cognitive deficits and describe performance measures (completeness, intra-class correlations). Results Computer-based assessments of cognitive function had consistent relationships across the pilot and full scale trial cohorts with interviewer-administered assessments of cognitive function, age, and a measure of physical function. In the LIFE cohort, their external validity was further demonstrated by associations with other risk factors for cognitive dysfunction: education, hypertension, diabetes, and physical function. Acceptable levels of data completeness (>83%) were achieved on all computer-based measures, however rates of missing data were higher among older participants (odds ratio=1.06 for each additional year; p<0.001) and those who reported no current computer use (odds ratio=2.71; p<0.001). Intra-class correlations among clinics were at least as low (ICC≤0.013) as for interviewer measures (ICC≤0.023), reflecting good standardization. All cognitive measures loaded onto the first principal component (global cognitive function), which accounted for 40% of the overall variance. Conclusion Our results support the use of computer-based tools for assessing cognitive function in multicenter clinical trials of older individuals. PMID:23589390

The Relation Between Inattentive and Hyperactive/Impulsive Behaviors and Early Mathematics Skills.

PubMed

Sims, Darcey M; Purpura, David J; Lonigan, Christopher J

2016-08-01

Despite strong evidence that inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors are associated with mathematical difficulties in school-age children, little research has been conducted to examine the link between these constructs before the start of formal education. The purpose of this study was to examine how different manifestations of inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors, as measured by different assessment tools, are related to early mathematics skills in preschoolers. Eighty-two preschool children completed a measure of early mathematics and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT). Teachers rated children's behaviors using the Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-15 Item. Sixty-five of these children completed mathematics assessments 1 year later. Teacher ratings of inattention were uniquely related to concurrent early mathematics skills, whereas CPT errors were uniquely predictive of early mathematics skills 1 year later. Findings have implications for the understanding and assessment of behavior problems that are associated with early mathematics difficulties. © The Author(s) 2012.

Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Family Assessment Instrument in Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siu, Andrew M. H.; Shek, Daniel T. L.

2005-01-01

This paper reports evidence on the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Chinese Family Assessment Instrument (C-FAI), an instrument developed to assess family functioning in Chinese populations. A convenience sample of 1,462 adolescents from junior secondary schools completed the C-FAI and measures of parent-adolescent conflict.…

Personality change of officer cadets in the Canadian Forces.

PubMed

Bradley, J Peter; Nicol, Adelheid A M

2003-12-01

The present research assessed the extent to which 46 officer cadets' personalities changed as a result of spending four years in a military academic institution. Four personality variables were examined, Surgency, Achievement, Conscientiousness, and Internal Control. Given the nature of the military environment and training, we hypothesized that individuals' scores on these scales would increase with time. Analysis indicated scores on all four scales decreased. A confound occurred as in the first administration of the measure participants were completing the measure as part of a selection procedure whereas in the second one participants completed measures voluntarily.

Estimating the Reliability of Single-Item Life Satisfaction Measures: Results from Four National Panel Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucas, Richard E.; Donnellan, M. Brent

2012-01-01

Life satisfaction is often assessed using single-item measures. However, estimating the reliability of these measures can be difficult because internal consistency coefficients cannot be calculated. Existing approaches use longitudinal data to isolate occasion-specific variance from variance that is either completely stable or variance that…

An Empirical Assessment of the Effects of Affective Response in the Measurement of Organizational Climate.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schnake, Mel E.

1983-01-01

Examined whether an affective response affects the dimensionality of perceptual measures of organizational climate, in a study of 8,938 employees who completed an organizational climate questionnaire and a measure of job satisfaction. Results suggested that partialing job satisfaction out of responses improved the dimensionality of the climate…

An implicit non-self-report measure of attitudes to speeding: development and validation.

PubMed

Hatfield, Julie; Fernandes, Ralston; Faunce, Gavin; Job, R F Soames

2008-03-01

Speeding is a major contributor to road trauma and attitudes toward speeding are hypothesised to be a key determinant of the behaviour. Attitudinal research is limited by reliance on self-report measures and the attendant possibility of reporting biases. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) aims to measure attitudes without reliance on self-report, by assessing the association between a target-concept and an evaluation, in terms of reaction time for compatible versus non-compatible pairings. The present research aimed to develop and evaluate an IAT to measure attitudes to speeding. Forty-five licensed drivers completed the speed-related IAT, and drove a driving simulator. Participants also completed a questionnaire that assessed self-reported attitudes to speeding, and several variables theoretically related to attitudes, including speeding behaviour. Observed IAT results suggested that attitudes toward speeding are negative, and were generally consistent with results derived from the simulated driving and self-reported behaviours, beliefs, and attitudes. Thus, the speed-related IAT appears to be a valid measure of attitudes toward speeding, which might be used to measure attitudes in road safety research without reliance on self-report.

Validation of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Short Forms for Use in Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

PubMed

Jones, Jordan T; Carle, Adam C; Wootton, Janet; Liberio, Brianna; Lee, Jiha; Schanberg, Laura E; Ying, Jun; Morgan DeWitt, Esi; Brunner, Hermine I

2017-01-01

To validate the pediatric Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System short forms (PROMIS-SFs) in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a clinical setting. At 3 study visits, childhood-onset SLE patients completed the PROMIS-SFs (anger, anxiety, depressive symptoms, fatigue, physical function-mobility, physical function-upper extremity, pain interference, and peer relationships) using the PROMIS assessment center, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) legacy measures (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire, Simple Measure of Impact of Lupus Erythematosus in Youngsters [SMILEY], and visual analog scales [VAS] of pain and well-being). Physicians rated childhood-onset SLE activity on a VAS and completed the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000. Using a global rating scale of change (GRC) between study visits, physicians rated change of childhood-onset SLE activity (GRC-MD1: better/same/worse) and change of patient overall health (GRC-MD2: better/same/worse). Questionnaire scores were compared in support of validity and responsiveness to change (external standards: GRC-MD1, GRC-MD2). In this population-based cohort (n = 100) with a mean age of 15.8 years (range 10-20 years), the PROMIS-SFs were completed in less than 5 minutes in a clinical setting. The PROMIS-SF scores correlated at least moderately (Pearson's r ≥ 0.5) with those of legacy HRQoL measures, except for the SMILEY. Measures of childhood-onset SLE activity did not correlate with the PROMIS-SFs. Responsiveness to change of the PROMIS-SFs was supported by path, mixed-model, and correlation analyses. To assess HRQoL in childhood-onset SLE, the PROMIS-SFs demonstrated feasibility, internal consistency, construct validity, and responsiveness to change in a clinical setting. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

Jamie's Ministry of Food: quasi-experimental evaluation of immediate and sustained impacts of a cooking skills program in Australia.

PubMed

Flego, Anna; Herbert, Jessica; Waters, Elizabeth; Gibbs, Lisa; Swinburn, Boyd; Reynolds, John; Moodie, Marj

2014-01-01

To evaluate the immediate and sustained effectiveness of the first Jamie's Ministry of Food Program in Australia on individuals' cooking confidence and positive cooking/eating behaviours. A quasi- experimental repeated measures design was used incorporating a wait-list control group. A questionnaire was developed and administered at baseline (T1), immediately post program (T2) and 6 months post completion (T3) for participants allocated to the intervention group, while wait -list controls completed it 10 weeks prior to program commencement (T1) and just before program commencement (T2). The questionnaire measured: participants' confidence to cook, the frequency of cooking from basic ingredients, and consumption of vegetables, vegetables with the main meal, fruit, ready-made meals and takeaway. Analysis used a linear mixed model approach for repeated measures using all available data to determine mean differences within and between groups over time. All adult participants (≥18 years) who registered and subsequently participated in the program in Ipswich, Queensland, between late November 2011- December 2013, were invited to participate. In the intervention group: 694 completed T1, 383 completed T1 and T2 and 214 completed T1, T2 and T3 assessments. In the wait-list group: 237 completed T1 and 149 completed T1 and T2 assessments. Statistically significant increases within the intervention group (P<0.001) and significant group*time interaction effects (P<0.001) were found in all cooking confidence measures between T1 and T2 as well as cooking from basic ingredients, frequency of eating vegetables with the main meal and daily vegetable intake (0.52 serves/day increase). Statistically significant increases at T2 were sustained at 6 months post program in the intervention group. Jamie's Ministry of Food Program, Australia improved individuals' cooking confidence and cooking/eating behaviours contributing to a healthier diet and is a promising community-based strategy to influence diet quality.

Jamie's Ministry of Food: Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of Immediate and Sustained Impacts of a Cooking Skills Program in Australia

PubMed Central

Flego, Anna; Herbert, Jessica; Waters, Elizabeth; Gibbs, Lisa; Swinburn, Boyd; Reynolds, John; Moodie, Marj

2014-01-01

Objective To evaluate the immediate and sustained effectiveness of the first Jamie's Ministry of Food Program in Australia on individuals' cooking confidence and positive cooking/eating behaviours. Methods A quasi- experimental repeated measures design was used incorporating a wait-list control group. A questionnaire was developed and administered at baseline (T1), immediately post program (T2) and 6 months post completion (T3) for participants allocated to the intervention group, while wait -list controls completed it 10 weeks prior to program commencement (T1) and just before program commencement (T2). The questionnaire measured: participants' confidence to cook, the frequency of cooking from basic ingredients, and consumption of vegetables, vegetables with the main meal, fruit, ready-made meals and takeaway. Analysis used a linear mixed model approach for repeated measures using all available data to determine mean differences within and between groups over time. Subjects All adult participants (≥18 years) who registered and subsequently participated in the program in Ipswich, Queensland, between late November 2011- December 2013, were invited to participate. Results In the intervention group: 694 completed T1, 383 completed T1 and T2 and 214 completed T1, T2 and T3 assessments. In the wait-list group: 237 completed T1 and 149 completed T1 and T2 assessments. Statistically significant increases within the intervention group (P<0.001) and significant group*time interaction effects (P<0.001) were found in all cooking confidence measures between T1 and T2 as well as cooking from basic ingredients, frequency of eating vegetables with the main meal and daily vegetable intake (0.52 serves/day increase). Statistically significant increases at T2 were sustained at 6 months post program in the intervention group. Conclusions Jamie's Ministry of Food Program, Australia improved individuals' cooking confidence and cooking/eating behaviours contributing to a healthier diet and is a promising community-based strategy to influence diet quality. PMID:25514531

Measuring policy and related effects of a health impact assessment related to connectivity.

PubMed

Bias, Thomas K; Abildso, Christiaan G

2017-02-01

Health Impact Assessments are an important tool to help policymakers perceive the potential positive and negative contributions of decisions to public health. While they have been increasingly used in the United States, studies have not examined intermediate effects. Using key stakeholder interviews, this manuscript examines policy outcomes and other related effects of the HIA 21months after completing a Health Impact Assessment Report around connectivity policy. Further, it reflects on the measurement of these effects as part of the monitoring and evaluation stage of the Health Impact Assessment process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The use of routine outcome measures in two child and adolescent mental health services: a completed audit cycle

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Routine outcome measurement (ROM) is important for assessing the clinical effectiveness of health services and for monitoring patient outcomes. Within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in the UK the adoption of ROM in CAMHS has been supported by both national and local initiatives (such as government strategies, local commissioning policy, and research). Methods With the aim of assessing how these policies and initiatives may have influenced the uptake of ROM within two different CAMHS we report the findings of two case-note audits: a baseline audit conducted in January 2011 and a re-audit conducted two years later in December 2012-February 2013. Results The findings show an increase in both the single and repeated use of outcome measures from the time of the original audit, with repeated use (baseline and follow-up) of the Health of the Nation Outcome Scale for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA) scale increasing from 10% to 50% of cases. Re-audited case-notes contained more combined use of different outcome measures, with greater consensus on which measures to use. Outcome measures that were applicable across a wide range of clinical conditions were more likely to be used than symptom-specific measures, and measures that were completed by the clinician were found more often than measures completed by the service user. Conclusions The findings show a substantial improvement in the use of outcome measures within CAMHS. These increases in use were found across different service organisations which were subject to different types of local service priorities and drivers. PMID:24139139

A Measure of Burnout for Business Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, Daniel W.

2010-01-01

The author surveyed 163 business students representing all business majors from a major state university. Participants completed a questionnaire utilizing a modified version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The data were factor analyzed to assess its basic underlying structure, and each burnout component was assessed for reliability. Results…

The Roles of Experience, Gender, and Individual Differences in Statistical Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Nadia; Hughes, Jeffrey; Fugelsang, Jonathan

2017-01-01

We examine the joint effects of gender and experience on statistical reasoning. Participants with various levels of experience in statistics completed the Statistical Reasoning Assessment (Garfield, 2003), along with individual difference measures assessing cognitive ability and thinking dispositions. Although the performance of both genders…

Identifying Creativity during Problem Solving Using Linguistic Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skalicky, Stephen; Crossley, Scott A.; McNamara, Danielle S.; Muldner, Kasia

2017-01-01

Creativity is commonly assessed using divergent thinking tasks, which measure the fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration of participant output on a variety of different tasks. This study assesses the degree to which creativity can be identified based on linguistic features of participants' language while completing collaborative…

76 FR 22409 - Nationwide Cyber Security Review (NCSR) Assessment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-21

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY [Docket No. DHS-2011-0012] Nationwide Cyber Security Review (NCSR...), National Cyber Security Division (NCSD), Cyber Security Evaluation Program (CSEP), will submit the... for all levels of government to complete a cyber network security assessment so that a full measure of...

Assessment of legibility and completeness of handwritten and electronic prescriptions

PubMed Central

Albarrak, Ahmed I; Al Rashidi, Eman Abdulrahman; Fatani, Rwaa Kamil; Al Ageel, Shoog Ibrahim; Mohammed, Rafiuddin

2014-01-01

Objectives To assess the legibility and completeness of handwritten prescriptions and compare with electronic prescription system for medication errors. Design Prospective study. Setting King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Subjects and methods Handwritten prescriptions were received from clinical units of Medicine Outpatient Department (MOPD), Primary Care Clinic (PCC) and Surgery Outpatient Department (SOPD) whereas electronic prescriptions were collected from the pediatric ward. The handwritten prescription was assessed for completeness by the checklist designed according to the hospital prescription and evaluated for legibility by two pharmacists. The comparison between handwritten and electronic prescription errors was evaluated based on the validated checklist adopted from previous studies. Main outcome measures Legibility and completeness of prescriptions. Results 398 prescriptions (199 handwritten and 199 e-prescriptions) were assessed. About 71 (35.7%) of handwritten and 5 (2.5%) of electronic prescription errors were identified. A significant statistical difference (P < 0.001) was observed between handwritten and e-prescriptions in omitted dose and omitted route of administration category of error distribution. The rate of completeness in patient identification in handwritten prescriptions was 80.97% in MOPD, 76.36% in PCC and 85.93% in SOPD clinic units. Assessment of medication prescription completeness was 91.48% in MOPD, 88.48% in PCC, and 89.28% in SOPD. Conclusions This study revealed a high incidence of prescribing errors in handwritten prescriptions. The use of e-prescription system showed a significant decline in the incidence of errors. The legibility of handwritten prescriptions was relatively good whereas the level of completeness was very low. PMID:25561864

Development and Psychometric Assessment of the Measure of Globalization Influence on Health Risk (MGIHR) Among Mexican Women with Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Nodora, Jesse N; Carvajal, Scott C; Robles-Garcia, Rebeca; Agraz, Francisco Páez; Daneri-Navarro, Adrian; Meza-Montenegro, Maria Mercedes; Gutierrez-Millan, Luis Enrique; Martinez, Maria Elena

2015-08-01

Lacking in the literature are data addressing the extent to which changes in reproductive and lifestyle factors predispose women in developing nations to higher breast cancer rates, and the degree to which these are due to globalization influences. This article describes the development and psychometric assessment of an instrument intended to measure global, predominantly U.S., influences on breast cancer risk profile among women residing in Mexico. Using investigator consensus and a focus group methodology, the Measure of Globalization Influence on Health Risk (MGIHR) was developed and completed by 341 women. Psychometric analysis support the use of an 11-item Consumerism and Modernity scale and 7-item Reproductive Control and Gender Role scale. The MGIHR is a valid and reliable instrument for understanding changing lifestyle and reproductive factors for breast cancer risk and may provide a more complete understanding of breast cancer development and needed interventions.

Impact of sleep on executive functioning in school-age children with Down syndrome.

PubMed

Esbensen, A J; Hoffman, E K

2018-06-01

Sleep problems have an impact on executive functioning in the general population. While children with Down syndrome (DS) are at high risk for sleep problems, the impact of these sleep problems on executive functioning in school-age children with DS is less well documented. Our study examined the relationship between parent-reported and actigraphy-measured sleep duration and sleep quality with parent and teacher reports and neuropsychology assessments of executive functioning among school-age children with DS. Thirty school-age children with DS wore an actigraph watch for a week at home at night. Their parent completed ratings of the child's sleep during that same week. Children completed a neuropsychology assessment of their inhibitory control, ability to shift and working memory. Their parents and teachers completed rating scales to assess these same constructs of executive functioning. Parent reports of restless sleep behaviours on the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), but not actigraph-measured sleep period or efficiency, were predictive of parent reports of concerns with inhibitory control, shifting and working memory, and of teacher reports of inhibitory control. No measure of sleep was predictive of executive functioning as measured by the neuropsychology assessment. The study findings corroborate the preliminary literature that parent-reported sleep problems are related to executive functioning in school-age children with DS, particularly in the area of inhibitory control across home and school. These findings have implications for understanding contributing factors to academic performance and school behaviour in school-age children with DS. © 2018 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Condom Use Among High-Risk Adolescents: Testing the Influence of Alcohol Use on the Relationship of Cognitive Correlates of Behavior

PubMed Central

Bryan, Angela; Rocheleau, Courtney A.; Robbins, Reuben N.; Hutchison, Kent E.

2005-01-01

The goal of this study was the exploration of distal effects of alcohol use on condom use. Criminally involved adolescents completed an initial measure of attitudes, beliefs, and prior behavior. Of the 300 who completed the initial measurement, 267 (89%) completed a behavioral assessment 6 months later. Analyses validated a theoretical model of condom use intentions and indicated that intentions and attitudes measured at baseline were significant predictors of condom use behavior 6 months later. Neither alcohol use nor alcohol problems moderated relationships among model variables or the influence of intentions and attitudes on behavior. The findings do not support a distal role for alcohol use in altering the cognitive correlates of condom use intentions and behavior among high-risk adolescents. PMID:15755227

Assessing Graduate Sustainability Capability Post-Degree Completion: Why Is It Important and What Are the Challenges?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandri, Orana; Holdsworth, Sarah; Thomas, Ian

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to highlight both the need for measurement of graduate capabilities post-degree completion and the challenges posed by such a task. Higher education institutions provide an important site of learning that can equip future professionals with capabilities to manage and respond to complex sustainability…

Effect of Instructional Strategies and Individual Differences: A Meta-Analytic Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Rose M.; Dwyer, Francis

2005-01-01

This meta-analytic study is unique and significant in that all the 1,341 learners in 11 studies completed the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT), interacted with the same instructional module, and completed the same five criterion tests measuring different types of educational objectives. Studies varied in presentation mode and type of independent…

Diet Measurement in Vietnamese Youth: Concurrent Reliability of a Self-Administered Food Frequency Questionnaire.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiecha, John M.; And Others

1994-01-01

Vietnamese high school students completed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and completed daily diet reports for seven weeks. Data from the FFQ were compared to the food reports. The results indicated a few simple FFQ items, particularly for indicator foods such as rice, were reliable for dietary assessment for that population. (SM)

An Exploration of the Effects of Skin Tone on African American Life Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breland, Alfiee M.; Collins, Wanda; Damico, Karen Lowenstein; Steward, Robbie; King, Jennifer

This study surveys African Americans to assess perceptions of and life experiences with the issue of skin tone. Thirty-seven African American adults agreed to complete a survey packet and participate in a semi-structured focus group discussion. Participants completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure, the Skin…

Understanding and Measuring Health Care Insecurity

PubMed Central

Tomsik, Philip E.; Smith, Samantha; Mason, Mary Jane; Zyzanski, Stephen J.; Stange, Kurt C.; Werner, James J.; Flocke, Susan A.

2015-01-01

Purpose To define the concept of “health care insecurity,” validate a new self-report measure, and examine the impact of beginning care at a free clinic on uninsured patients’ health care insecurity. Methods Consecutive new patients presenting at a free clinic completed 15 items assessing domains of health care insecurity (HCI) at their first visit and again four to eight weeks later. Psychometrics and change of the HCI measure were examined. Results The HCI measure was found to have high internal consistency (α=0.94). Evidence of concurrent validity was indicated by negative correlation with VR-12 health-related quality of life physical and mental health components and positive correlation with the Perceived Stress Scale. Predictive validity was shown among the 83% of participants completing follow-up: HCI decreased after beginning care at a free clinic (p<.001). Conclusion Reliably assessing patient experience of health care insecurity is feasible and has potential to inform efforts to improve quality and access to care among underserved populations. PMID:25418245

Evaluating cognition in individuals with Huntington disease: Neuro-QoL cognitive functioning measures.

PubMed

Lai, Jin-Shei; Goodnight, Siera; Downing, Nancy R; Ready, Rebecca E; Paulsen, Jane S; Kratz, Anna L; Stout, Julie C; McCormack, Michael K; Cella, David; Ross, Christopher; Russell, Jenna; Carlozzi, Noelle E

2018-03-01

Cognitive functioning impacts health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for individuals with Huntington disease (HD). The Neuro-QoL includes two patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures of cognition-Executive Function (EF) and General Concerns (GC). These measures have not previously been validated for use in HD. The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Neuro-QoL Cognitive Function measures for use in HD. Five hundred ten individuals with prodromal or manifest HD completed the Neuro-QoL Cognition measures, two other PRO measures of HRQOL (WHODAS 2.0 and EQ5D), and a depression measure (PROMIS Depression). Measures of functioning The Total Functional Capacity and behavior (Problem Behaviors Assessment) were completed by clinician interview. Objective measures of cognition were obtained using clinician-administered Symbol Digit Modalities Test and the Stroop Test (Word, Color, and Interference). Self-rated, clinician-rated, and objective composite scores were developed. We examined the Neuro-QoL measures for reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and known-groups validity. Excellent reliabilities (Cronbach's alphas ≥ 0.94) were found. Convergent validity was supported, with strong relationships between self-reported measures of cognition. Discriminant validity was supported by less robust correlations between self-reported cognition and other constructs. Prodromal participants reported fewer cognitive problems than manifest groups, and early-stage HD participants reported fewer problems than late-stage HD participants. The Neuro-QoL Cognition measures provide reliable and valid assessments of self-reported cognitive functioning for individuals with HD. Findings support the utility of these measures for assessing self-reported cognition.

Assessment of Caregiver Inventory for Rett Syndrome

PubMed Central

Lane, Jane B.; Salter, Amber R.; Jones, Nancy E.; Cutter, Gary; Horrigan, Joseph; Skinner, Steve A.; Kaufmann, Walter E.; Glaze, Daniel G.; Neul, Jeffrey L.; Percy, Alan K.

2017-01-01

Rett syndrome (RTT) requires total caregiver attention and leads to potential difficulties throughout life. The Caregiver Burden Inventory, designed for Alzheimer disease, was modified to a RTT Caregiver Inventory Assessment (RTT CIA). Reliability and face, construct, and concurrent validity were assessed in caregivers of individuals with RTT. Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables and t-tests or Wilcoxon two-sample tests for continuous variables were utilized. Survey completed by 198 caregivers; 70 caregivers completed follow-up assessment. Exploratory factor analysis revealed good agreement for Physical Burden, Emotional Burden, and Social Burden. Internal reliability was high (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.898). RTT CIA represents a reliable and valid measure, providing a needed metric of caregiver burden in this disorder. PMID:28132121

Resident learning across the full range of core competencies through a transitions of care curriculum.

PubMed

Pavon, Juliessa M; Pinheiro, Sandro O; Buhr, Gwendolen T

2018-01-01

The authors developed a Transitions of Care (TOC) curriculum to teach and measure learner competence in performing TOC tasks for older adults. Internal medicine interns at an academic residency program received the curriculum, which consisted of experiential learning, self-study, and small group discussion. Interns completed retrospective pre/post surveys rating their confidence in performing five TOC tasks, qualitative open-ended survey questions, and a self-reflection essay. A subset of interns also completed follow-up assessments. For all five TOC tasks, the interns' confidence improved following completion of the TOC curriculum. Self-confidence persisted for up to 3 months later for some but not all tasks. According to the qualitative responses, the TOC curriculum provided interns with learning experiences and skills integral to performing safe care transitions. The TOC curriculum and a mixed-method assessment approach effectively teaches and measures learner competency in TOC across all six Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competency domains.

Availability of data for monitoring noncommunicable disease risk factors in India

PubMed Central

Dandona, Rakhi; Dandona, Lalit

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective To examine the availability of data measuring noncommunicable disease (NCD) risk factor indicators from household surveys conducted in India from 2000 to 2009. Methods Questionnaires and publications used in household surveys were identified through internet and PubMed searches and examined to determine which core NCD risk factor indicators recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for NCD monitoring were being measured. Surveys with a sample size of 5000 or more were included to ensure a certain level of precision. The completeness of core indicator measurement and the geographical representativeness of the surveys were assessed. Findings Twenty six surveys met the inclusion criteria. Among the WHO-recommended core behavioural risk factor indicators, those monitoring tobacco use were measured completely in national and subnational surveys; those assessing dietary intake and physical inactivity were measured only in subnational surveys, and those assessing alcohol use were not measured at all. Among WHO-recommended core biological risk factors, only body mass index was measured in national and subnational surveys, whereas blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and blood cholesterol were measured only in subnational surveys. Due to the use of non-standard indicator definitions, measurement of core indicators in some of the national and subnational surveys was incomplete. Conclusion The availability of data on core risk factor indicators to monitor the increasing burden of NCDs is inadequate in India. These indicators using standardized definitions should be included in the periodic national household health surveys to provide data at the national and disaggregated levels. PMID:22271961

Voice outcomes after concurrent chemoradiotherapy for advanced nonlaryngeal head and neck cancer: a prospective study.

PubMed

Paleri, Vinidh; Carding, Paul; Chatterjee, Sanjoy; Kelly, Charles; Wilson, Janet Ann; Welch, Andrew; Drinnan, Michael

2012-12-01

The voice impact of treatment for nonlaryngeal head and neck primary sites remains unknown. We conducted a prospective study of a consecutive sample of patients undergoing chemoradiation for nonlaryngeal head and neck cancer. The Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) was completed, and voice recordings were made at 3 time-points. Of 42 recruited patients, 34 completed the measures before and in the early posttreatment phase (mean 16.5 weeks), while 21 patients were assessed at the final time-point (mean, 20.4 months). VoiSS scores showed statistically significant progressive deterioration in the total score (p = .02) and impairment subscale (p < .0001) through to the final assessment. Acoustic measures and perceptual ratings deteriorated significantly (p < .001) in the early posttreatment weeks and improved at the final assessment, but not to the baseline. Interrater agreement was excellent for expert measures. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first prospective study to show that chemoradiation therapy for nonlaryngeal head and neck cancer has a significant effect on the patients' self-reported voice quality, even in the long term. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Use of a mobile device by nursing home residents for long-term care comprehensive geriatric self-assessment: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Huang, Fanpin; Chang, Polun; Hou, I-Ching; Tu, Ming-Hsiang; Lan, Chung-Fu

2015-01-01

Long-term-care comprehensive geriatric assessments, such as the Minimum Data Set 3.0, are used to evaluate the clinical, psychological, and personal status of residents in long-term-care nursing facilities. Nursing staff conducts assessment interviews, thereby increasing the workload of nurses and the cost of patient care. This study explored the ability of nursing home residents to use two different mobile devices for a geriatric self-assessment. Study participants were residents of long-term-care nursing homes. A modified Minimum Data Set 3.0 was converted to a format for use with a 6-inch mobile pad and a 3.7-inch mobile smartphone. The survey completion rate and the response time were measured. A Technology Assessment Model questionnaire analyzed the participants' experience. All participants were able to use a 6-inch pad, with an average completion rate of 92.9% and an average time for completion of 21 minutes. Only 20% of the participants could complete the assessment with the 3.7-inch smartphone. The participants found the 6-inch pad easier to use than the 3.7-inch smartphone. This exploratory study suggests that nursing home residents are able to use a mobile device to perform a geriatric self-assessment and delineates the importance of the ergonomics of the device.

Gaining the PROMIS perspective from children with nephrotic syndrome: a Midwest pediatric nephrology consortium study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background and objectives Nephrotic syndrome (NS) represents a common disease in pediatric nephrology typified by a relapsing and remitting course and characterized by the presence of edema that can significantly affect the health-related quality of life in children and adolescents. The PROMIS pediatric measures were constructed to be publically available, efficient, precise, and valid across a variety of diseases to assess patient reports of symptoms and quality of life. This study was designed to evaluate the ability of children and adolescents with NS to complete the PROMIS assessment via computer and to initiate validity assessments of the short forms and full item banks in pediatric NS. Successful measurement of patient reported outcomes will contribute to our understanding of the impact of NS on children and adolescents. Design This cross-sectional study included 151 children and adolescents 8-17 years old with NS from 16 participating institutions in North America. The children completed the PROMIS pediatric depression, anxiety, social-peer relationships, pain interference, fatigue, mobility and upper extremity functioning measures using a web-based interface. Responses were compared between patients experiencing active NS (n = 53) defined by the presence of edema and patients with inactive NS (n = 96) defined by the absence of edema. Results All 151 children and adolescents were successfully able to complete the PROMIS assessment via computer. As hypothesized, the children and adolescents with active NS were significantly different on 4 self-reported measures (anxiety, pain interference, fatigue, and mobility). Depression, peer relationships, and upper extremity functioning were not different between children with active vs. inactive NS. Multivariate analysis showed that the PROMIS instruments remained sensitive to NS disease activity after adjusting for demographic characteristics. Conclusions Children and adolescents with NS were able to successfully complete the PROMIS instrument using a web-based interface. The computer based pediatric PROMIS measurement effectively discriminated between children and adolescents with active and inactive NS. The domain scores found in this study are consistent with previous reports investigating the health-related quality of life in children and adolescents with NS. This study establishes known-group validity and feasibility for PROMIS pediatric measures in children and adolescents with NS. PMID:23510630

A comparison of two delivery modalities of a mobile phone-based assessment for serious mental illness: native smartphone application vs text-messaging only implementations.

PubMed

Ainsworth, John; Palmier-Claus, Jasper E; Machin, Matthew; Barrowclough, Christine; Dunn, Graham; Rogers, Anne; Buchan, Iain; Barkus, Emma; Kapur, Shitij; Wykes, Til; Hopkins, Richard S; Lewis, Shôn

2013-04-05

Mobile phone-based assessment may represent a cost-effective and clinically effective method of monitoring psychotic symptoms in real-time. There are several software options, including the use of native smartphone applications and text messages (short message service, SMS). Little is known about the strengths and limitations of these two approaches in monitoring symptoms in individuals with serious mental illness. The objective of this study was to compare two different delivery modalities of the same diagnostic assessment for individuals with non-affective psychosis-a native smartphone application employing a graphical, touch user interface against an SMS text-only implementation. The overall hypothesis of the study was that patient participants with sewrious mental illness would find both delivery modalities feasible and acceptable to use, measured by the quantitative post-assessment feedback questionnaire scores, the number of data points completed, and the time taken to complete the assessment. It was also predicted that a native smartphone application would (1) yield a greater number of data points, (2) take less time, and (3) be more positively appraised by patient participant users than the text-based system. A randomized repeated measures crossover design was employed. Participants with currently treated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (Fourth Edition) schizophrenia or related disorders (n=24) were randomly allocated to completing 6 days of assessment (four sets of questions per day) with a native smartphone application or the SMS text-only implementation. There was then a 1-week break before completing a further 6 days with the alternative delivery modality. Quantitative feedback questionnaires were administered at the end of each period of sampling. A greater proportion of data points were completed with the native smartphone application in comparison to the SMS text-only implementation (β = -.25, SE=.11, P=.02), which also took significantly less time to complete (β =.78, SE= .09, P<.001). Although there were no significant differences in participants' quantitative feedback for the two delivery modalities, most participants reported preferring the native smartphone application (67%; n=16) and found it easier to use (71%; n=16). 33% of participants reported that they would be willing to complete mobile phone assessment for 5 weeks or longer. Native smartphone applications and SMS text are both valuable methods of delivering real-time assessment in individuals with schizophrenia. However, a more streamlined graphical user interface may lead to better compliance and shorter entry times. Further research is needed to test the efficacy of this technology within clinical services, to assess validity over longer periods of time and when delivered on patients' own phones.

A Comparison of Two Delivery Modalities of a Mobile Phone-Based Assessment for Serious Mental Illness: Native Smartphone Application vs Text-Messaging Only Implementations

PubMed Central

Palmier-Claus, Jasper E; Machin, Matthew; Barrowclough, Christine; Dunn, Graham; Rogers, Anne; Buchan, Iain; Barkus, Emma; Kapur, Shitij; Wykes, Til; Hopkins, Richard S; Lewis, Shôn

2013-01-01

Background Mobile phone–based assessment may represent a cost-effective and clinically effective method of monitoring psychotic symptoms in real-time. There are several software options, including the use of native smartphone applications and text messages (short message service, SMS). Little is known about the strengths and limitations of these two approaches in monitoring symptoms in individuals with serious mental illness. Objective The objective of this study was to compare two different delivery modalities of the same diagnostic assessment for individuals with non-affective psychosis—a native smartphone application employing a graphical, touch user interface against an SMS text-only implementation. The overall hypothesis of the study was that patient participants with sewrious mental illness would find both delivery modalities feasible and acceptable to use, measured by the quantitative post-assessment feedback questionnaire scores, the number of data points completed, and the time taken to complete the assessment. It was also predicted that a native smartphone application would (1) yield a greater number of data points, (2) take less time, and (3) be more positively appraised by patient participant users than the text-based system. Methods A randomized repeated measures crossover design was employed. Participants with currently treated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (Fourth Edition) schizophrenia or related disorders (n=24) were randomly allocated to completing 6 days of assessment (four sets of questions per day) with a native smartphone application or the SMS text-only implementation. There was then a 1-week break before completing a further 6 days with the alternative delivery modality. Quantitative feedback questionnaires were administered at the end of each period of sampling. Results A greater proportion of data points were completed with the native smartphone application in comparison to the SMS text-only implementation (β = -.25, SE=.11, P=.02), which also took significantly less time to complete (β =.78, SE= .09, P<.001). Although there were no significant differences in participants’ quantitative feedback for the two delivery modalities, most participants reported preferring the native smartphone application (67%; n=16) and found it easier to use (71%; n=16). 33% of participants reported that they would be willing to complete mobile phone assessment for 5 weeks or longer. Conclusions Native smartphone applications and SMS text are both valuable methods of delivering real-time assessment in individuals with schizophrenia. However, a more streamlined graphical user interface may lead to better compliance and shorter entry times. Further research is needed to test the efficacy of this technology within clinical services, to assess validity over longer periods of time and when delivered on patients’ own phones. PMID:23563184

Predictors of Treatment Completion for Families Referred to Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy after Child Abuse.

PubMed

Celano, Marianne; NeMoyer, Amanda; Stagg, Anna; Scott, Nikia

2018-05-22

Despite advances in the dissemination of evidence-based therapy for abuse-related traumatic stress, many referred children fail to complete treatment. Using archival data from a sample of children participating in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) at a hospital-based child advocacy center, analyses explored the impact of baseline child traumatic stress symptoms, a second (nonprimary) caregiver's treatment attendance, and the number of assessment sessions on treatment completion while controlling for demographic variables. We conducted analyses separately for the total sample (n = 77) and for a subsample of children 6 years of age or older (n = 65) who completed measures of traumatic stress. Families who completed TF-CBT had fewer pretreatment assessment sessions, odds ratio (OR) = 0.41, 95% CI [0.19, 0.88], and greater nonprimary caregiver session attendance, OR = 1.30, 95% CI [1.03, 1.64], than families who did not complete treatment. Child age, race, and insurance status did not predict treatment completion. Among children at least 6 years of age, treatment completion was related to younger child age, OR = 0.76, 95% CI [0.59, 0.98], and fewer diagnostic evaluation sessions, OR = 0.29, 95% CI [0.11, 0.74], but not to baseline traumatic stress symptoms. Findings may suggest benefits of shortening the assessment period and including a second caregiver in TF-CBT. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Brief communication: patient satisfaction with the use of tablet computers: a pilot study in two outpatient home dialysis clinics.

PubMed

Schick-Makaroff, Kara; Molzahn, Anita

2014-01-01

Electronic capture of patients' reports of their health is significant in clinical nephrology research because health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for patients with end-stage renal disease is compromised and assessment by patients of their HRQOL in practice is relatively uncommon. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient satisfaction with and time involved in administering HRQOL and symptom assessment measures using tablet computers in two outpatient home dialysis clinics. A cross-sectional observational study design was employed. The study was conducted in two home dialysis clinics. Fifty-six patients participated in the study; 35 males (63%) and 21 females (37%) with a mean age of 66 ± 12 (36-90 years old) were included. Forty-nine participants were on peritoneal dialysis (87%), 6 on home hemodialysis (11%), and 1 on nocturnal home hemodialysis (2%). Measures included the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 (KDQOL-36), the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and Participant's Level of Satisfaction in Using a Tablet Computer. Using a tablet computer, participants completed the three measures. Descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations were calculated. Participants' satisfaction with use of the tablet computer was high; 66% were "very satisfied", 7% "satisfied", 2% "slightly satisfied", and 18% "neutral". On the 7-point Likert-type scale, the mean satisfaction score was 5.11 (SD = 1.6). Mean time to complete the measures was: Level of Satisfaction 1.15 minutes (SD = 0.41), ESAS 2.55 minutes (SD = 1.04), and KDQOL 9.56 minutes (SD = 2.03); the mean time to complete all three instruments was 13.19 minutes (SD = 2.42). There were no significant correlations between level of satisfaction and age, gender, HRQOL, time taken to complete surveys, computer experience, or comfort with technology. Comfort with technology and computer experience were highly correlated, r = .7, p (one-tailed) < 0.01. Limitations include lack of generalizability because of a small self-selected sample of relatively healthy patients and a lack of psychometric testing on the measure of satisfaction. Participants were satisfied with the platform and the time involved for completion of instruments was modest. Routine use of HRQOL measures for clinical purposes may be facilitated through use of tablet computers.

Adherence to Web-Based Self-Assessments in Long-Term Direct-to-Patient Research: Two-Year Study of Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

PubMed

Jongen, Peter Joseph; Kremer, Ingrid E H; Hristodorova, Elena; Evers, Silvia M A A; Kool, Anton; van Noort, Esther M; Hiligsmann, Mickaël

2017-07-21

Direct-to-patient research via Web-based questionnaires is increasingly being used. Missed data or delayed reporting of data may negatively affect the quality of study results. It is insufficiently known to what degree patients adhere to agreed self-assessment schedule over the long term and whether questionnaires are filled out in a timely manner. The objective of this study was to investigate patients' adherence to a self-assessment schedule with low-frequency long questionnaires versus that with a high-frequency short questionnaire. In this study, the 36-item MS Impact Profile (MSIP) questionnaire measured (perceived) disabilities and the 54-item MS Quality of Life-54 (MSQoL-54) questionnaire measured health-related quality of life at 6-month intervals. Additionally, the 2-item Medication and Adherence (MA) questionnaire documented medication and adherence to disease-modifying medication every month. An experienced MS nurse assessed the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score via phone. For both the self-assessment schedules, we calculated the percentage of patients who had completed all the questionnaires in the first 2 years (completion adherence), the percentage of patients who completed all the questionnaires within set time frames (interval adherence), the relationship between adherence and the EDSS score, and the timing of EDSS assessment. Of the 331 patients who enrolled themselves, 301 patients completed at least one questionnaire. At month six (M6), M12, M18, and M24, the MSIP was completed by 83.4% (251/301), 71.8% (216/301), 68.1% (205/301), and 58.5% (176/301) of the patients, respectively; the MSQoL-54 by 82.1% (247/301), 71.8% (216/301), 66.8% (201/301), and 57.1% (172/301), respectively; and the MA questionnaire by 80.1% (241/301), 70.4% (212/301), 62.1% (187/301), and 53.5% (161/301), respectively. For the MSIP, 56.8% (171/301) of the patients were 2-year completion adherent; 55.5% (167/301) and 53.5% (161/301) of the patients were completion adherent for the MSQoL-54 and MA questionnaires, respectively. Whereas 85.5% (142/166) of the patients were interval adherent for the MSIP and MSQoL-54, 25.5% (41/161) were interval adherent for the MA questionnaire, with 73.9% (119/161) exceeding the maximum MA monthly interassessment interval. Completion adherence for the monthly short MA questionnaire was higher in patients with moderately high disability (EDSS 5.0-5.5) than for those with no or minimal disability (EDSS 0-2.5) (OR 5.47, 95% CI 1.08-27.69; P=.040). Completion adherence was also higher in patients with EDSS assessment within 6 months after baseline than in those with later assessment (OR 1.810, 95% CI 0.999-3.280; P=.050). The 2-year completion adherence to Web-based self-assessments did not differ between the low-frequency long questionnaires and a high-frequency short questionnaire, but the interval adherence was substantially higher for the low-frequency long questionnaires. Personal contact with a member of the research team regarding a clinically relevant professional-reported outcome early in the study might positively affect the long-term completion adherence in direct-to-patient studies. ©Peter Joseph Jongen, Ingrid E.H. Kremer, Elena Hristodorova, Silvia M.A.A. Evers, Anton Kool, Esther M van Noort, Mickaël Hiligsmann. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 21.07.2017.

Adherence to Web-Based Self-Assessments in Long-Term Direct-to-Patient Research: Two-Year Study of Multiple Sclerosis Patients

PubMed Central

Kremer, Ingrid E.H; Hristodorova, Elena; Evers, Silvia M.A.A; Kool, Anton; van Noort, Esther M; Hiligsmann, Mickaël

2017-01-01

Background Direct-to-patient research via Web-based questionnaires is increasingly being used. Missed data or delayed reporting of data may negatively affect the quality of study results. It is insufficiently known to what degree patients adhere to agreed self-assessment schedule over the long term and whether questionnaires are filled out in a timely manner. Objective The objective of this study was to investigate patients’ adherence to a self-assessment schedule with low-frequency long questionnaires versus that with a high-frequency short questionnaire. Methods In this study, the 36-item MS Impact Profile (MSIP) questionnaire measured (perceived) disabilities and the 54-item MS Quality of Life-54 (MSQoL-54) questionnaire measured health-related quality of life at 6-month intervals. Additionally, the 2-item Medication and Adherence (MA) questionnaire documented medication and adherence to disease-modifying medication every month. An experienced MS nurse assessed the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score via phone. For both the self-assessment schedules, we calculated the percentage of patients who had completed all the questionnaires in the first 2 years (completion adherence), the percentage of patients who completed all the questionnaires within set time frames (interval adherence), the relationship between adherence and the EDSS score, and the timing of EDSS assessment. Results Of the 331 patients who enrolled themselves, 301 patients completed at least one questionnaire. At month six (M6), M12, M18, and M24, the MSIP was completed by 83.4% (251/301), 71.8% (216/301), 68.1% (205/301), and 58.5% (176/301) of the patients, respectively; the MSQoL-54 by 82.1% (247/301), 71.8% (216/301), 66.8% (201/301), and 57.1% (172/301), respectively; and the MA questionnaire by 80.1% (241/301), 70.4% (212/301), 62.1% (187/301), and 53.5% (161/301), respectively. For the MSIP, 56.8% (171/301) of the patients were 2-year completion adherent; 55.5% (167/301) and 53.5% (161/301) of the patients were completion adherent for the MSQoL-54 and MA questionnaires, respectively. Whereas 85.5% (142/166) of the patients were interval adherent for the MSIP and MSQoL-54, 25.5% (41/161) were interval adherent for the MA questionnaire, with 73.9% (119/161) exceeding the maximum MA monthly interassessment interval. Completion adherence for the monthly short MA questionnaire was higher in patients with moderately high disability (EDSS 5.0-5.5) than for those with no or minimal disability (EDSS 0-2.5) (OR 5.47, 95% CI 1.08-27.69; P=.040). Completion adherence was also higher in patients with EDSS assessment within 6 months after baseline than in those with later assessment (OR 1.810, 95% CI 0.999-3.280; P=.050). Conclusions The 2-year completion adherence to Web-based self-assessments did not differ between the low-frequency long questionnaires and a high-frequency short questionnaire, but the interval adherence was substantially higher for the low-frequency long questionnaires. Personal contact with a member of the research team regarding a clinically relevant professional-reported outcome early in the study might positively affect the long-term completion adherence in direct-to-patient studies. PMID:28733272

Development and validation of The Personal Diabetes Questionnaire (PDQ): a measure of diabetes self-care behaviors, perceptions and barriers.

PubMed

Stetson, Barbara; Schlundt, David; Rothschild, Chelsea; Floyd, Jennifer E; Rogers, Whitney; Mokshagundam, Sri Prakash

2011-03-01

To develop and evaluate the validity and reliability of The Personal Diabetes Questionnaire (PDQ), a brief, yet comprehensive measure of diabetes self-care behaviors, perceptions and barriers. To examine individual items to provide descriptive and normative information and provide data on scale reliability and associations between PDQ scales and concurrently assessed HBA(1c) and BMI. Items were written to address nutritional management, medication utilization, blood glucose monitoring, and physical activity. The initial instrument was reviewed by multidisciplinary diabetes care providers and items subsequently revised until the measure provided complete coverage of the diabetes care domains using as few items as possible. The scoring scheme was generated rationally. Subjects were 790 adults (205 with type 1 and 585 with type 2 diabetes) who completed the PDQ while waiting for clinic appointments. Item completion rates were high, with few items skipped by participants. Subscales demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach α=.650-.834) and demonstrated significant associations with BMI (p ≤.001) and HbA(1c) (p ≤.001). The PDQ is a useful measure of diabetes self-care behaviors and related perceptions and barriers that is reliable and valid and feasible to administer in a clinic setting. This measure may be used to obtain data for assessing diabetes self-management and barriers and to guide patient care. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Beyond coverage: improving the quality of antenatal care delivery through integrated mentorship and quality improvement at health centers in rural Rwanda.

PubMed

Manzi, Anatole; Nyirazinyoye, Laetitia; Ntaganira, Joseph; Magge, Hema; Bigirimana, Evariste; Mukanzabikeshimana, Leoncie; Hirschhorn, Lisa R; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany

2018-02-23

Inadequate antenatal care (ANC) can lead to missed diagnosis of danger signs or delayed referral to emergency obstetrical care, contributing to maternal mortality. In developing countries, ANC quality is often limited by skill and knowledge gaps of the health workforce. In 2011, the Mentorship, Enhanced Supervision for Healthcare and Quality Improvement (MESH-QI) program was implemented to strengthen providers' ANC performance at 21 rural health centers in Rwanda. We evaluated the effect of MESH-QI on the completeness of danger sign assessments. Completeness of danger sign assessments was measured by expert nurse mentors using standardized observation checklists. Checklists completed from October 2010 to May 2011 (n = 330) were used as baseline measurement and checklists completed between February and November 2012 (12-15 months after the start of MESH-QI implementation) were used for follow-up. We used a mixed-effects linear regression model to assess the effect of the MESH-QI intervention on the danger sign assessment score, controlling for potential confounders and the clustering of effect at the health center level. Complete assessment of all danger signs improved from 2.1% at baseline to 84.2% after MESH-QI (p <  0.001). Similar improvements were found for 20 of 23 other essential ANC screening items. After controlling for potential confounders, the improvement in danger sign assessment score was significant. However, the effect of the MESH-QI was different by intervention district and type of observed ANC visit. In Southern Kayonza District, the increase in the danger sign assessment score was 6.28 (95% CI: 5.59, 6.98) for non-first ANC visits and 5.39 (95% CI: 4.62, 6.15) for first ANC visits. In Kirehe District, the increase in danger sign assessment score was 4.20 (95% CI: 3.59, 4.80) for non-first ANC visits and 3.30 (95% CI: 2.80, 3.81) for first ANC visits. Assessment of critical danger signs improved under MESH-QI, even when controlling for nurse-mentees' education level and previous training in focused ANC. MESH-QI offers an approach to enhance quality of care after traditional training and may be an approach to support newer providers who have not yet attended content-focused courses.

Feasibility of using touch screen technology for early cognitive assessment in children.

PubMed

Twomey, Deirdre M; Wrigley, Conal; Ahearne, Caroline; Murphy, Raegan; De Haan, Michelle; Marlow, Neil; Murray, Deirdre M

2018-03-13

To explore the feasibility of using a touch screen assessment tool to measure cognitive capacity in toddlers. 112 typically developing children with a median age of 31 months (IQR: 26-34) interacted with a touch screen cognitive assessment tool. We examined the sensitivity of the tool to age-related changes in cognition by comparing the number of items completed, speed of task completion and accuracy in two age groups; 24-29 months versus 30-36 months. Children aged 30-36 months completed more tasks (median: 18, IQR: 18-18) than those aged 24-29 months (median: 17, IQR: 15-18). Older children also completed two of the three working memory tasks and an object permanence task faster than their younger peers. Children became faster at completing the working memory items with each exposure and registered similar completion times on the hidden object retrieval items, despite task demands being twofold on the second exposure. A novel item required children to integrate what they had learnt on preceding items. The older group was more likely to complete this item and to do so faster than the younger group. Children as young as 24 months can complete items requiring cognitive engagement on a touch screen device, with no verbal instruction and minimal child-administrator interaction. This paves the way for using touch screen technology for language and administrator independent developmental assessment in toddlers. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Development and Assessment of a Medication Safety Measurement Program in a Long-Term Care Pharmacy.

PubMed

Hertig, John B; Hultgren, Kyle E; Parks, Scott; Rondinelli, Rick

2016-02-01

Medication errors continue to be a major issue in the health care system, including in long-term care facilities. While many hospitals and health systems have developed methods to identify, track, and prevent these errors, long-term care facilities historically have not invested in these error-prevention strategies. The objective of this study was two-fold: 1) to develop a set of medication-safety process measures for dispensing in a long-term care pharmacy, and 2) to analyze the data from those measures to determine the relative safety of the process. The study was conducted at In Touch Pharmaceuticals in Valparaiso, Indiana. To assess the safety of the medication-use system, each step was documented using a comprehensive flowchart (process flow map) tool. Once completed and validated, the flowchart was used to complete a "failure modes and effects analysis" (FMEA) identifying ways a process may fail. Operational gaps found during FMEA were used to identify points of measurement. The research identified a set of eight measures as potential areas of failure; data were then collected on each one of these. More than 133,000 medication doses (opportunities for errors) were included in the study during the research time frame (April 1, 2014, and ended on June 4, 2014). Overall, there was an approximate order-entry error rate of 15.26%, with intravenous errors at 0.37%. A total of 21 errors migrated through the entire medication-use system. These 21 errors in 133,000 opportunities resulted in a final check error rate of 0.015%. A comprehensive medication-safety measurement program was designed and assessed. This study demonstrated the ability to detect medication errors in a long-term pharmacy setting, thereby making process improvements measureable. Future, larger, multi-site studies should be completed to test this measurement program.

Evaluating the Quality of Competency Assessment in Pharmacy: A Framework for Workplace Learning.

PubMed

Shah, Shailly; McLaughlin, Jacqueline E; Eckel, Stephen F; Mangun, Jesica; Hawes, Emily

2016-01-19

Demonstration of achieved competencies is critical in the pharmacy workplace. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of the competency assessment program for pharmacy residents at an academic medical center. The competency assessment program (CAP) survey is a validated, 48-item instrument that evaluates the quality of an assessment program based on 12 criteria, each measured by four questions on a scale of 0 to 100. The CAP was completed by residents ( n = 23) and preceptors ( n = 28) from the pharmacy residency program between 2010 and 2013. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha, and non-parametric tests. Educational Consequences was the only quality criteria falling below the standard for "good quality." Participants that completed residency training elsewhere rated the Comparability (0.04) and Meaningfulness (0.01) of the assessment program higher than those that completed residency at the academic medical center. There were no significant differences between resident and preceptor scores. Overall, the quality of the assessment program was rated highly by residents and preceptors. The process described here provides a useful framework for understanding the quality of workplace learning assessments in pharmacy practice.

AMSTAR is a reliable and valid measurement tool to assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Shea, Beverley J; Hamel, Candyce; Wells, George A; Bouter, Lex M; Kristjansson, Elizabeth; Grimshaw, Jeremy; Henry, David A; Boers, Maarten

2009-10-01

Our purpose was to measure the agreement, reliability, construct validity, and feasibility of a measurement tool to assess systematic reviews (AMSTAR). We randomly selected 30 systematic reviews from a database. Each was assessed by two reviewers using: (1) the enhanced quality assessment questionnaire (Overview of Quality Assessment Questionnaire [OQAQ]); (2) Sacks' instrument; and (3) our newly developed measurement tool (AMSTAR). We report on reliability (interobserver kappas of the 11 AMSTAR items), intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of the sum scores, construct validity (ICCs of the sum scores of AMSTAR compared with those of other instruments), and completion times. The interrater agreement of the individual items of AMSTAR was substantial with a mean kappa of 0.70 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.57, 0.83) (range: 0.38-1.0). Kappas recorded for the other instruments were 0.63 (95% CI: 0.38, 0.78) for enhanced OQAQ and 0.40 (95% CI: 0.29, 0.50) for the Sacks' instrument. The ICC of the total score for AMSTAR was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.65, 0.92) compared with 0.91 (95% CI: 0.82, 0.96) for OQAQ and 0.86 (95% CI: 0.71, 0.94) for the Sacks' instrument. AMSTAR proved easy to apply, each review taking about 15 minutes to complete. AMSTAR has good agreement, reliability, construct validity, and feasibility. These findings need confirmation by a broader range of assessors and a more diverse range of reviews.

Psychometric Performance of the Arabic Versions of the Cancer Behavior Inventory-Brief and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast.

PubMed

Algamdi, Maaidah M; Hanneman, Sandra K

2018-02-14

Valid and reliable instruments in Arabic are needed to measure self-efficacy and quality of life for Arabic patients with cancer. The aim of this study was to test the psychometric performance of the Cancer Behavior Inventory-Brief Arabic (CBI-BA), including participant understanding of items, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Arabic (FACT-BA). Using a cross-sectional design, 438 cancer patients completed the CBI-BA, 30 of whom completed cognitive interviews. A subsample 167 women with breast cancer also completed the FACT-BA. Internal consistency evidence was assessed with Cronbach's α and construct validity with principal axis factoring. Internal consistency estimates were acceptable for the total CBI-BA (α = .81) and FACT-BA (α = .88) scales. Exploratory factor analyses showed evidence of construct validity for the CBI-BA; 1 factor was derived, compared with four in the original English version. Cognitive interviews indicated satisfactory patient understanding of CBI-BA items. The Arabic version of the general FACT-General scale had 4 factors according to expectation. The CBI-BA has adequate psychometric performance for the measurement of self-efficacy for coping with cancer in Arabic patients. The FACT-General Arabic has adequate evidence of reliability and validity for the measurement of quality of life in Arabic women with breast cancer. The availability of culturally sensitive and psychometrically sound instruments for Arabic patients diagnosed with cancer should be valuable for healthcare clinicians and researchers to assess self-efficacy for coping with cancer and quality of life.

A Simplified Technique to Measure Plaque on the Intaglio Surfaces of Complete Dentures.

PubMed

Almas, Khalid; Salameh, Ziad; Kutkut, Ahmad; Al Doubali, Ahmad

2015-04-01

The main aim of this study was to develop a simplified quantitative denture plaque index that could help dentists to motivate denture patients to maintain optimal oral hygiene. The secondary aim was to assess specific areas of dentures more prone to accumulate plaque and subjects' oral hygiene habits related to their dentures. One hundred subjects who wore maxillary and/or mandibular complete dentures for at least one year were included in the study as a powered sample. Fifteen females and 85 males, age range 45-75 years, were recruited. The study was carried out at King Saud University (KSU), College of Dentistry. A plaque disclosing solution was used to assess the plaque covered areas of denture. A quantitative percentage (10 x 10%) score index was developed by assessing plaque scores from digital images of intaglio surfaces of the dentures. The weighted kappa method was used to assess inter-examiner agreement in the main study. The new denture plaque index was identified as ASKD-DPI (Almas, Salameh, Kutkut, and Doubali-Denture Plaque Index). It ranged from 0 - 100%, and reflected the percentage of the intaglio surfaces of maxillary and mandibular complete dentures that contained plaque. It also classified quantitative percentages: 30 subjects ranged from 0 - 30% (low DPI), 50 subjects ranged from 31 - 70% (moderate DPI), and 20 subjects ranged from 71 - 100% (high DPI) denture plaque score. A simplified denture plaque index (ASKD-DPI) technique was developed and tested in this study. ASKD-DPI may be used for evaluating denture plaque scores, monitoring denture hygiene, and measuring compliance of patients regarding plaque control for complete dentures.

Influence of fitness and physical activity on cardiovascular reactivity to musical performance.

PubMed

Wasley, David; Taylor, Adrian; Backx, Karianne; Williamon, Aaron

2012-01-01

The current study examines the relationships between physical activity and fitness and reactivity to a musical performance stressor (MPS). Numerous studies suggest that being fitter and more physically active has a beneficial effect on individuals' cardiovascular responses to laboratory-based mental challenges. The results are equivocal regarding the transfer of such benefits to real world contexts such as musical performance. Forty six advanced music students completed this assessment. All participants completed a 20-min pre-performance assessment of heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV) and blood pressure. Participants also completed baseline measures and a sub-maximal fitness assessment on a separate day. A positive association between fitness and HR pre-MPS was found. Fitness was also positively associated with root mean square SD RR(interval) before the MPS. Higher fitness was related to lower state anxiety post-MPS. Implications of the findings are discussed in relation to classical musicians' day-to-day work and performance.

Impulsivity interacts with momentary PTSD symptom worsening to predict alcohol use in male veterans.

PubMed

Black, Anne C; Cooney, Ned L; Sartor, Carolyn E; Arias, Albert J; Rosen, Marc I

2018-04-11

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent among veterans who served post-9/11, and co-occurs with problem alcohol and substance use. Studies using ecological momentary assessment have examined the temporal association between time-varying PTSD symptoms and alcohol use. Results suggest individual differences in these associations. We tested hypotheses that alcohol use measured by momentary assessment would be explained by acute increases in PTSD symptoms, and the PTSD-alcohol association would be moderated by trait impulsivity. A sample of 28 male post-9/11-era veterans who reported past-month PTSD symptoms and risky alcohol use were enrolled. On a quasi-random schedule, participants completed three electronic assessments daily for 28 days measuring past 2-h PTSD symptoms, alcohol, and substance use. At baseline, trait impulsivity was measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Past-month PTSD symptoms and alcohol use were measured. Using three-level hierarchical models, number of drinks recorded by momentary assessment was modeled as a function of change in PTSD symptoms since last assessment, controlling for lag-1 alcohol and substance use and other covariates. A cross-level interaction tested moderation of the within-time PTSD-alcohol association by impulsivity. A total of 1,522 assessments were completed. A positive within-time association between PTSD symptom change and number of drinks was demonstrated. The association was significantly moderated by impulsivity. Results provide preliminary support for a unique temporal relationship between acute PTSD symptom change and alcohol use among veterans with trait impulsiveness. If replicated in a clinical sample, results may have implications for a targeted momentary intervention.

Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis risk assessment in a general surgery cohort: a closed-loop audit.

PubMed

McGoldrick, D M; Redmond, H P

2017-08-01

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potential source of morbidity and mortality in surgical in-patients. A number of guidelines exist that advise on prophylactic measures. We aimed to assess VTE prophylaxis prescribing practices and compliance with a kardex-based risk assessment tool in a general surgery population. Data on general surgery in-patients were collected on two separate wards on two separate days. Drug kardexes were assessed for VTE prophylaxis measures and use of the risk assessment tool. NICE and SIGN guidelines were adopted as a gold standard. The audit results and information on the risk assessment tool were presented as an educational intervention at two separate departmental teaching sessions. A re-audit was completed after 3 months. In Audit A, 74 patients were assessed. 70% were emergency admissions. The risk assessment tool was completed in 2.7%. 75 and 97% of patients were correctly prescribed anti-embolic stockings (AES) and low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH), respectively. 30 patients were included in Audit B, 56% of whom were emergency admissions. 66% had a risk assessment performed, a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.0001). Rates of LMWH prescribing were similar (96%), but AES prescribing was lower (36%). Rates of LMWH prescribing are high in this general surgical population, although AES prescribing rates vary. Use of the VTE risk assessment tool increased following the initial audit and intervention.

Pivotal Response Treatment Parent Training for Autism: Findings from a 3-Month Follow-Up Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gengoux, Grace W.; Berquist, Kari L.; Salzman, Emma; Schapp, Salena; Phillips, Jennifer M.; Frazier, Thomas W.; Minjarez, Mendy B.; Hardan, Antonio Y.

2015-01-01

This study's objective was to assess maintenance of treatment effects 3 months after completion of a 12-week Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) parent education group. Families who completed the active treatment (N = 23) were followed for an additional 12 weeks to measure changes in language and cognitive skills. Results indicated a significant…

Cross-cultural Adaptation of Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire Needs to Assess the Measurement Properties: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Yao, Min; Zhu, Sen; Tian, Zi-Rui; Song, Yong-Jia; Yang, Long; Wang, Yong-Jun; Cui, Xue-Jun

2018-03-26

To assess the cross cultural-adaptations of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ). English and Chinese databases were searched through December 2017. Cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties were evaluated using the Guidelines for the Process of Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Self-Report Measures and the Quality Criteria for Psychometric Properties of Health Status Questionnaire. Among 34 studies, there were 31 RMDQ adaptations for 26 different languages/cultures. In the cross-cultural adaptation process, few studies reported expert committees completely constituted (3/31), and only ten studies complete the test of the pre-final version (10/31) due to insufficient sample sizes. As for the measurement properties, content validity (31/31) and construct validity (24/31) were assessed in most of the adaptations, whereas internal consistency (0/31), agreement (5/31), responsiveness (3/31), interpretability (6/31), and floor and ceiling effects (6/31) were not. The Hungarian and Moon's Korean adaptations were the highest quality translations. Where there were multiple adaptations for a language/culture, the Moon's Korean and Fan's simplified Chinese-Chinese Mainland adaptations are recommended over the other Korean or simplified Chinese-Chinese Mainland adaptations. Further studies are required to fully assess the measurement properties of the Arabic-Moroccan, Arabic-Tunisian, German- Austrian, Greek, Guajarati, Kim's Korean, Persian-Iranian, Polish, He's simplified Chinese-Chinese Mainland, Spanish, Spanish-Chilean, Thai, traditional Chinese-Taiwan, and Turkish adaptations of the RMDQ. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Sexual Resourcefulness and the Impact of Family, Sex Education, Media and Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennett, Deborah J.; Humphreys, Terry P.; Schultz, Kristen E.

2012-01-01

Building on a recently developed theoretical model of sexual self-control, 178 undergraduate women completed measures of learned resourcefulness, reasons for consenting to unwanted advances, and sexual self-efficacy--variables consistently shown to be unique predictors of sexual resourcefulness. Additional measures assessed in this investigation…

Validation of the Sexual Communication Self-Efficacy Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn-Nilas, Christopher; Milhausen, Robin R.; Breuer, Rebecca; Bailey, Julia; Pavlou, Menelaos; DiClemente, Ralph J.; Wingood, Gina M.

2016-01-01

This study assessed a newly developed Sexual Communication Self-Efficacy Scale designed to measure the sexual communication self-efficacy of adolescent men and women. Three-hundred and seventy-four U.K. adolescents completed this new scale, along with several other validity measures. Factor analysis revealed that the Sexual Communication…

Assessing Conceptual Understanding via Literacy-Infused, Inquiry-Based Science among Middle School English Learners and Economically-Challenged Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lara-Alecio, Rafael; Irby, Beverly J.; Tong, Fuhui; Guerrero, Cindy; Koch, Janice; Sutton-Jones, Kara L.

2018-01-01

The overarching purpose of our study was to compare performances of treatment and control condition students who completed a literacy-infused, inquiry-based science intervention through sixth grade as measured by a big idea assessment tool which we refer to as the Big Ideas in Science Assessment (BISA). First, we determine the concurrent validity…

A non-invasive assessment of skin carotenoid status through reflection spectroscopy is a feasible, reliable and potentially valid measure of fruit and vegetable consumption in a diverse community sample

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study assessed the feasibility, reliability and validity of reflection spectroscopy (RS) to assess skin carotenoids in a racially diverse sample. Study 1 was a cross-sectional study of corner store customers (n= 479) in Eastern North Carolina USA who completed the National Cancer Institute Frui...

Linking the North Carolina EOG Assessments to NWEA MAP Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Evaluation Association, 2016

2016-01-01

Northwest Evaluation Association™ (NWEA™) is committed to providing partners with useful tools to help make inferences from the Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®) interim assessment scores. Recently, NWEA completed a concordance study to connect the scales of the North Carolina End-of-Grade (EOG) English language arts (ELA) and math with those…

Assessing Emotional Intelligence in Gifted and Non-Gifted High School Students: Outcomes Depend on the Measure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeidner, Moshe; Shani-Zinovich, Inbal; Matthews, Gerald; Roberts, Richard D.

2005-01-01

This study examined academically gifted (N=83) and non-gifted (N=125) high school students from Israel to compare mean emotional intelligence (EI) scores, various assessment procedures, and relations between EI and ability, across different populations. Participants completed the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), the…

Predicting Postsecondary Education and Employment Outcomes Using Results from the Transition Assessment and Goal Generator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnes, Jennifer J.; Martin, James E.; Terry, Robert; McConnell, Amber E.; Hennessey, Maeghan N.

2018-01-01

We conducted an exploratory study to investigate the relation between nonacademic behavior constructs measured by the "Transition Assessment and Goal Generator" (TAGG) and postsecondary education and employment outcomes for 297 high school leavers who completed the TAGG during their high school years. Four of eight TAGG constructs…

Predicting Postsecondary Education and Employment Outcomes Using Results from the Transition Assessment and Goal Generator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnes, Jennifer J.; Martin, James E.; Terry, Robert; McConnell, Amber E.; Hennessey, Maeghan N.

2017-01-01

We conducted an exploratory study to investigate the relation between nonacademic behavior constructs measured by the "Transition Assessment and Goal Generator" (TAGG) and postsecondary education and employment outcomes for 297 high school leavers who completed the TAGG during their high school years. Four of eight TAGG constructs…

Typical Intellectual Engagement as a Byproduct of Openness, Learning Approaches, and Self-Assessed Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arteche, Adriane; Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas; Ackerman, Phillip; Furnham, Adrian

2009-01-01

Students (n = 328) from US and UK universities completed four self-report measures related to intellectual competence: typical intellectual engagement (TIE), openness to experience, self-assessed intelligence (SAI), and learning approaches. Confirmatory data reduction was used to examine the structure of TIE and supported five major factors:…

An Independent Investigation of the Validity of the School Attitude Assessment Survey-Revised

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suldo, Shannon M.; Shaffer, Emily J.; Shaunessy, Elizabeth

2008-01-01

The psychometric properties of the School Attitude Assessment Survey-Revised (SAAS-R) are examined in a sample of 321 high school students. Students completed the SAAS-R along with measures of school climate, academic self-efficacy, and school satisfaction; school-related behaviors (i.e., attendance and discipline referrals) and academic…

Attributions and Coping in Sexually Abused Adolescents Referred for Group Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daigneault, Isabelle; Hebert, Martine; Tourigny, Marc

2006-01-01

This study aims to assess the predictive value of two sets of variables, self-attributions, and coping behaviors, on sexually abused (SA) teenagers' functioning, while controlling for abuse-related and family variables. A total of 103 female adolescents completed self-report measures to assess their psychological functioning in terms of anxiety,…

Linking the Virginia SOL Assessments to NWEA MAP Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Evaluation Association, 2016

2016-01-01

Northwest Evaluation Association™ (NWEA™) is committed to providing partners with useful tools to help make inferences from the Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®) interim assessment scores. Recently, NWEA completed a concordance study to connect the scales of the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) reading and math tests with those of the MAP…

Conceptualizing the Prospective Relationship between Social Support, Stress, and Depressive Symptoms among Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auerbach, Randy Patrick; Bigda-Peyton, Joseph S.; Eberhart, Nicole K.; Webb, Christian A.; Ho, Moon-Ho Ringo

2011-01-01

The goal of the current study is to examine the relationship amongst social support, stress, and depressive symptoms within a transactional and diathesis-stress framework using a multi-wave, longitudinal design. At the initial assessment, adolescents (n = 258) completed self-report measures assessing social support (peer, classmate, parent, and…

The Effects of Rumination on the Timing of Maternal and Child Negative Affect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flancbaum, Meir; Oppenheimer, Caroline W.; Abela, John R. Z.; Young, Jamie F.; Stolow, Darren; Hankin, Benjamin L.

2011-01-01

The current study examined whether rumination serves as a moderator of the temporal association between maternal and child negative affect. Participants included 88 mothers with a history of major depressive episodes and their 123 children. During an initial assessment, mothers and their children completed measures assessing negative affect and…

Examining Relationships between Measures of Positive Behaviors and Negative Functioning for Elementary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Earhart, James, Jr.; Jimerson, Shane R.; Eklund, Katie; Hart, Shelley R.; Jones, Camille N.; Dowdy, Erin; Renshaw, Tyler L.

2009-01-01

The positive psychology movement seeks to understand student strengths that may facilitate success or promote resilience. However, a positive psychology view is not intended to completely ignore negative factors that may be affecting children, so traditional assessments of mental illness remain important. As methods of assessment improve and…

Reliability, Validity and Utility of a Multiple Intelligences Assessment for Career Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shearer, C. Branton

"The Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales" (MIDAS) is a self- (or other-) completed instrument which is based upon the theory of multiple intelligences. The validity, reliability, and utility data regarding the MIDAS are reported here. The measure consists of 7 main scales and 24 subscales which summarize a person's intellectual…

Implicit Attitudes towards Children with Autism versus Normally Developing Children as Predictors of Professional Burnout and Psychopathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Amanda; Barnes-Holmes, Dermot

2013-01-01

Tutors trained in applied behaviour analysis (n = 16) and mainstream school teachers (n = 16) were exposed to an Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) designed to assess implicit attitudes towards individuals with autism versus normally developing individuals. Participants also completed a range of explicit measures, including measures…

Measuring the Impact of Cultural Competence Training for Dental Hygiene Students.

PubMed

Daugherty, Heather N; Kearney, Rachel C

2017-10-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure the change in levels of knowledge of providing culturally competent care and self-assessed cultural competence of senior level dental hygiene students after the implementation of an online cultural competence training module. Methods: Twenty-eight members of the senior class of 31 dental hygiene students (N=28) volunteered to participate in this IRB approved study at the Ohio State University School of Dentistry. The students took the online Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence- Student Version (IAPCC-SV), to assess their self-perceived cultural competence. Upon completion of the pre-test, students then completed the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) Cultural Competency Program for Oral Health Professionals; a three-module online training program designed to measure increased knowledge of cultural competence. Three weeks following the initial pre-test and upon completion of the Cultural Competency Program for Oral Health Professionals online learning modules, students re-took the IAPCC-SV. Results: Twenty-eight senior dental hygiene students completed the IAPCC-SV pre-test, the OMH e-learning modules and the IAPCC-SV post-test. The average score on the pre-test was 55.14±7.54 and the average score on the post-test was 61.33±7.86. There was a significant difference in pre-test and post-test scores (p<0.001). There were also significant differences in the constructs of knowledge of cultural competence (p<0.001) and skill (p<0.001). Conclusion: The HHS OMH Cultural Competency Program for Oral Health Professionals was effective for increasing dental hygiene students' levels of knowledge of cultural competence. Copyright © 2017 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Improvement in Self-reported Quality of Life with Cognitive Therapy for Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder

PubMed Central

Jha, Manish Kumar; Minhajuddin, Abu; Thase, Michael E.; Jarrett, Robin B.

2014-01-01

Background Major Depressive Disorder is common, often recurrent and/or chronic. Theoretically, assessing quality of life (QoL) in addition to the current practice of assessing depressive symptoms has the potential to offer a more comprehensive evaluation of the effects of treatment interventions and course of illness. Methods Before and after acute-phase cognitive therapy (CT), 492 patients from Continuation Phase Cognitive Therapy Relapse Prevention trial (Jarrett et al., 2013, Jarrett and Thase, 2010) completed the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q), Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-report (IDS-SR) & Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); clinicians completed Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-17-items. Repeated measures analysis of variance evaluated the improvement in QoL before/after CT and measured the effect sizes. Change analyses to assess clinical significance (Hageman and Arrindell, 1999) were conducted. Results At the end of acute-phase CT, a repeated measure analysis of variance produced a statistically significant increase in Q-LES-Q scores with effect sizes of 0.48 - 1.3; 76.9 - 91.4% patients reported clinically significant improvement. Yet, only 11 - 38.2% QoL scores normalized. An analysis of covariance showed that change in depression severity (covariates=IDS-SR, BDI) completely accounted for the improvement in Q-LES-Q scores. Limitations There were only two time points of observation; clinically significant change analyses lacked matched normal controls; and generalizability is constrained by sampling characteristics. Conclusions: Quality of life improves significantly in patients with recurrent MDD after CT; however, this improvement is completely accounted for by change in depression severity. Normalization of QoL in all patients may require targeted, additional, and/or longer treatment. PMID:25082112

Improvement in self-reported quality of life with cognitive therapy for recurrent major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Jha, Manish Kumar; Minhajuddin, Abu; Thase, Michael E; Jarrett, Robin B

2014-01-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is common, often recurrent and/or chronic. Theoretically, assessing quality of life (QoL) in addition to the current practice of assessing depressive symptoms has the potential to offer a more comprehensive evaluation of the effects of treatment interventions and course of illness. Before and after acute-phase cognitive therapy (CT), 492 patients from Continuation Phase Cognitive Therapy Relapse Prevention trial (Jarrett et al., 2013; Jarrett and Thase, 2010) completed the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q), Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-report (IDS-SR) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); clinicians completed Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-17-items. Repeated measures analysis of variance evaluated the improvement in QoL before/after CT and measured the effect sizes. Change analyses to assess clinical significance (Hageman and Arrindell, 1999) were conducted. At the end of acute-phase CT, a repeated measure analysis of variance produced a statistically significant increase in Q-LES-Q scores with effect sizes of 0.48-1.3%; 76.9-91.4% patients reported clinically significant improvement. Yet, only 11-38.2% QoL scores normalized. An analysis of covariance showed that change in depression severity (covariates=IDS-SR, BDI) completely accounted for the improvement in Q-LES-Q scores. There were only two time points of observation; clinically significant change analyses lacked matched normal controls; and generalizability is constrained by sampling characteristics. Quality of life improves significantly in patients with recurrent MDD after CT; however, this improvement is completely accounted for by change in depression severity. Normalization of QoL in all patients may require targeted, additional, and/or longer treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Web-Based Assessment of Visual and Visuospatial Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease

PubMed Central

Amick, Melissa M.; Miller, Ivy N.; Neargarder, Sandy; Cronin-Golomb, Alice

2012-01-01

Visual and visuospatial dysfunction is prevalent in Parkinson's disease (PD). To promote assessment of these often overlooked symptoms, we adapted the PD Vision Questionnaire for Internet administration. The questionnaire evaluates visual and visuospatial symptoms, impairments in activities of daily living (ADLs), and motor symptoms. PD participants of mild to moderate motor severity (n = 24) and healthy control participants (HC, n = 23) completed the questionnaire in paper and web-based formats. Reliability was assessed by comparing responses across formats. Construct validity was evaluated by reference to performance on measures of vision, visuospatial cognition, ADLs, and motor symptoms. The web-based format showed excellent reliability with respect to the paper format for both groups (all P′s < 0.001; HC completing the visual and visuospatial section only). Demonstrating the construct validity of the web-based questionnaire, self-rated ADL and visual and visuospatial functioning were significantly associated with performance on objective measures of these abilities (all P′s < 0.01). The findings indicate that web-based administration may be a reliable and valid method of assessing visual and visuospatial and ADL functioning in PD. PMID:22530162

Assessing Therapist Competence: Development of a Performance-Based Measure and Its Comparison With a Web-Based Measure.

PubMed

Cooper, Zafra; Doll, Helen; Bailey-Straebler, Suzanne; Bohn, Kristin; de Vries, Dian; Murphy, Rebecca; O'Connor, Marianne E; Fairburn, Christopher G

2017-10-31

Recent research interest in how best to train therapists to deliver psychological treatments has highlighted the need for rigorous, but scalable, means of measuring therapist competence. There are at least two components involved in assessing therapist competence: the assessment of their knowledge of the treatment concerned, including how and when to use its strategies and procedures, and an evaluation of their ability to apply such knowledge skillfully in practice. While the assessment of therapists' knowledge has the potential to be completed efficiently on the Web, the assessment of skill has generally involved a labor-intensive process carried out by clinicians, and as such, may not be suitable for assessing training outcome in certain circumstances. The aims of this study were to develop and evaluate a role-play-based measure of skill suitable for assessing training outcome and to compare its performance with a highly scalable Web-based measure of applied knowledge. Using enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-E) for eating disorders as an exemplar, clinical scenarios for role-play assessment were developed and piloted together with a rating scheme for assessing trainee therapists' performance. These scenarios were evaluated by examining the performance of 93 therapists from different professional backgrounds and at different levels of training in implementing CBT-E. These therapists also completed a previously developed Web-based measure of applied knowledge, and the ability of the Web-based measure to efficiently predict competence on the role-play measure was investigated. The role-play measure assessed performance at implementing a range of CBT-E procedures. The majority of the therapists rated their performance as moderately or closely resembling their usual clinical performance. Trained raters were able to achieve good-to-excellent reliability for averaged competence, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from .653 to 909. The measure was also sensitive to change, with scores being significantly higher after training than before as might be expected (mean difference 0.758, P<.001) even when taking account of repeated data (mean difference 0.667, P<.001). The major shortcoming of the role-play measure was that it required considerable time and resources. This shortcoming is inherent in the method. Given this, of most interest for assessing training outcome, scores on the Web-based measure efficiently predicted therapist competence, as judged by the role-play measure (with the Web-based measure having a positive predictive value of 77% and specificity of 78%). The results of this study suggest that while it was feasible and acceptable to assess performance using the newly developed role-play measure, the highly scalable Web-based measure could be used in certain circumstances as a substitute for the more labor-intensive, and hence, more costly role-play method. ©Zafra Cooper, Helen Doll, Suzanne Bailey-Straebler, Kristin Bohn, Dian de Vries, Rebecca Murphy, Marianne E O'Connor, Christopher G Fairburn. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 31.10.2017.

Patient-completed or symptom-based screening tools for endometriosis: a scoping review.

PubMed

Surrey, Eric; Carter, Cathryn M; Soliman, Ahmed M; Khan, Shahnaz; DiBenedetti, Dana B; Snabes, Michael C

2017-08-01

The objective of this review was to evaluate existing patient-completed screening questionnaires and/or symptom-based predictive models with respect to their potential for use as screening tools for endometriosis in adult women. Validated instruments were of particular interest. We conducted structured searches of PubMed and targeted searches of the gray literature to identify studies reporting on screening instruments used in endometriosis. Studies were screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria that followed the PICOS (population, intervention, comparison, outcomes, study design) framework. A total of 16 studies were identified, of which 10 described measures for endometriosis in general, 2 described measures for endometriosis at specific sites, and 4 described measures for deep-infiltrating endometriosis. Only 1 study evaluated a questionnaire that was solely patient-completed. Most measures required physician, imaging, or laboratory assessments in addition to patient-completed questionnaires, and several measures relied on complex scoring. Validation for use as a screening tool in adult women with potential endometriosis was lacking in all studies, as most studies focused on diagnosis versus screening. This literature review did not identify any fully validated, symptom-based, patient-reported questionnaires for endometriosis screening in adult women.

Attachment in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: Preliminary Investigation of the Psychometric Properties of the Manchester Attachment Scale-Third Party Observational Measure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penketh, Victoria; Hare, Dougal Julian; Flood, Andrea; Walker, Samantha

2014-01-01

Background: The Manchester Attachment Scale-Third party observational measure (MAST) was developed to assess secure attachment style for adults with intellectual disabilities. The psychometric properties of the MAST were examined. Materials and Methods: Professional carers (N = 40) completed the MAST and measures related to the construct of…

Where is the Personality in Personality Disorder Assessment? A Comparison Across Four Sets of Personality Disorder Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trobst, Krista K.; Ayearst, Lindsay E.; Salekin, Randall T.

2004-01-01

The present research examined the amount and kind of personality measured within four sets of personality disorder (PD) scales. Three samples of undergraduate students (Ns = 326, 537, and 617) completed at least one PD measure and a combined interpersonal circumplex model (ICM) and five-factor model (FFM) measure. The FFM dimensions were found to…

Assessing Locus of Control of Reinforcement in Elderly People: Evaluation of the Desired Control Measure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Lynn E.; And Others

1994-01-01

Reid and Zeigler's Desired Control Measure (DCM); Levenson's Internal, Powerful Other, and Chance Locus of Control scales, Life Satisfaction Index; and Affect Balance Scale were completed by 363 older adults. The DCM apparently does not primarily tap locus of control and would be more appropriately used as a measure of individuals' perceptions of…

Psychometric Properties of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool-Chronic Pain Version in Families of Children With Headache.

PubMed

Woods, Kristine; Ostrowski-Delahanty, Sarah

2017-07-01

Children with headache disorders are at increased psychosocial risk, and no validated screening measures exist to succinctly assess for risk. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool-Chronic Pain, a previously adapted screening measure of risk, in a retrospective sample of families of children diagnosed with headaches. Participants included 127 children and caregivers presenting for behavioral health evaluation of headache. Children and their primary caregivers completed several psychosocial assessment measures. Internal consistency for the Psychosocial Assessment Tool-Chronic Pain total score was high (α = 0.80), and all subscale scores had moderate to high internal consistency (α = 0.597-0.88), with the exception of the caregiver beliefs subscale (α = 0.443). The total score and the majority of subscale scores on the Psychosocial Assessment Tool-Chronic Pain were correlated with caregiver- and child-reported scores on study measures. The results demonstrate that the Psychosocial Assessment Tool-Chronic Pain has adequate psychometric properties, and because of the brief administration time, ease of scoring, and accessibility of the measure, it is a promising measure of screening for psychosocial risk in this population.

eHealth System for Collecting and Utilizing Patient Reported Outcome Measures for Personalized Treatment and Care (PROMPT-Care) Among Cancer Patients: Mixed Methods Approach to Evaluate Feasibility and Acceptability.

PubMed

Girgis, Afaf; Durcinoska, Ivana; Levesque, Janelle V; Gerges, Martha; Sandell, Tiffany; Arnold, Anthony; Delaney, Geoff P

2017-10-02

Despite accumulating evidence indicating that collecting patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and transferring results to the treating health professional in real time has the potential to improve patient well-being and cancer outcomes, this practice is not widespread. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility and acceptability of PROMPT-Care (Patient Reported Outcome Measures for Personalized Treatment and Care), a newly developed electronic health (eHealth) system that facilitates PRO data capture from cancer patients, data linkage and retrieval to support clinical decisions and patient self-management, and data retrieval to support ongoing evaluation and innovative research. We developed an eHealth system in consultation with content-specific expert advisory groups and tested it with patients receiving treatment or follow-up care in two hospitals in New South Wales, Australia, over a 3-month period. Participants were recruited in clinic and completed self-report Web-based assessments either just before their upcoming clinical consultation or every 4 weeks if in follow-up care. A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate feasibility and acceptability of PROMPT-Care; data collected throughout the study informed the accuracy and completeness of data transfer procedures, and extent of missing data was determined from participants' assessments. Patients participated in cognitive interviews while completing their first assessment and completed evaluation surveys and interviews at study-end to assess system acceptability and usefulness of patient self-management resources, and oncology staff were interviewed at study-end to determine the acceptability and perceived usefulness of real-time PRO reporting. A total of 42 patients consented to the study; 7 patients were withdrawn before starting the intervention primarily because of changes in eligibility. Overall, 35 patients (13 on treatment and 22 in follow-up) completed 67 assessments during the study period. Mean completeness of patient-reported data was 93%, with 100% accuracy of data transfer. Ten patients completed cognitive interviews, 28 completed evaluation surveys, and 14 completed evaluation interviews at study-end. PROMPT-Care patient acceptability was high-100% (28/28) reported the time to complete the Web-based assessments (average 15 min) as about right, most willing to answer more questions (79%, 22/28 yes), 96% (27/28) found the Web-based assessment easier or same as completing a paper copy, and they valued the self-management resources . Oncology staff (n=5) also reported high acceptability and potential feasibility of the system. Patients and oncology staff found the PROMPT-Care system to be highly acceptable, and the results suggest that it would be feasible to implement it into an oncology setting. Suggested modifications to the patient assessment survey, clinician access to the reports, and system requirements will be made as part of the next stage of large-scale testing and future implementation of the system as part of routine care. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN1261500135294; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=369299&isReview=true (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6lzylG5A0). ©Afaf Girgis, Ivana Durcinoska, Janelle V Levesque, Martha Gerges, Tiffany Sandell, Anthony Arnold, Geoff P Delaney, The PROMPT-Care Program Group. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 02.10.2017.

The Chronic Illness Problem Inventory as a measure of dysfunction in chronic pain patients.

PubMed

Romano, J M; Turner, J A; Jensen, M P

1992-04-01

Assessment of physical and psychosocial dysfunction is recognized as essential in chronic pain patient evaluation. One instrument, the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), has demonstrated good reliability and validity as a measure of dysfunction among chronic pain patients. An alternate measure, the Chronic Illness Problem Inventory (CIPI), is shorter and more easily scored than the SIP, but as yet has not been applied widely to chronic pain problems. In the present study, 95 chronic low back pain patients completed the SIP, the CIPI, activity diaries, the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale (CES-D), before participating in a chronic pain treatment study. Overt pain behaviors were also coded from videotapes of a standardized assessment protocol. Seventy-five subjects completed the measures post-treatment. The results indicate that although the SIP and the CIPI are significantly correlated and appear to be measuring similar constructs, there is also substantial unshared variance between them, suggesting that they may tap somewhat different aspects of dysfunction in chronic pain. The CIPI shows promise as a useful alternative measure of dysfunction in chronic low back pain patients, but requires further validation for this purpose.

Save Energy Now Assessments Results 2008 Summary Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wright, Anthony L; Martin, Michaela A; Nimbalkar, Sachin U

In October 2005, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Bodman launched his Easy Ways to Save Energy campaign with a promise to provide energy assessments to 200 of the largest U.S. manufacturing plants. DOE's Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) responded to the Secretary's campaign with its Save Energy Now initiative, featuring a new and highly cost-effective form of energy savings assessment. The approach for these assessments drew heavily on the existing resources of ITP's technology delivery component. Over the years, ITP Technology Delivery has worked with industry partners to assemble a suite of respected software tools, proven assessment protocols, training curricula, certified energy experts, and strong partnerships for deployment. The Save Energy Now assessments conducted in calendar year 2006 focused on natural gas savings and targeted many of the nation's largest manufacturing plants - those that consume at least 1 TBtu of energy annually. The 2006 Save Energy Now assessments focused primarily on assessments of steam and process heating systems, which account for an estimated 74% of all natural gas use by U.S. manufacturing plants. Because of the success of the Save Energy Now assessments conducted in 2006 and 2007, the program was expanded and enhanced in two major ways in 2008: (1) a new goal was set to perform at least 260 assessments; and (2) the assessment focus was expanded to include pumping, compressed air, and fan systems in addition to steam and process heating. DOE ITP also has developed software tools to assess energy efficiency improvement opportunities in pumping, compressed air, and fan systems. The Save Energy Now assessments integrate a strong training component designed to teach industrial plant personnel how to use DOE's opportunity assessment software tools. This approach has the advantages of promoting strong buy-in of plant personnel for the assessment and its outcomes and preparing them better to independently replicate the assessment process at the company's other facilities. Another important element of the Save Energy Now assessment process is the follow-up process used to identify how many of the recommended savings opportunities from individual assessments have been implemented in the industrial plants. Plant personnel involved with the Save Energy Now assessments are contacted 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months after individual assessments are completed to determine implementation results. A total of 260 Save Energy Now assessments were successfully completed in calendar year 2008. This means that a total of 718 assessments were completed in 2006, 2007, and 2008. As of July 2009, we have received a total of 239 summary reports from the ESAs that were conducted in year 2008. Hence, at the time that this report was prepared, 680 final assessment reports were completed (200 from year 2006, 241 from year 2007, and 239 from year 2008). The total identified potential cost savings from these 680 assessments ismore » $$1.1 billion per year, including natural gas savings of about 98 TBtu per year. These results, if fully implemented, could reduce CO{sub 2} emissions by about 8.9 million metric tons annually. When this report was prepared, data on implementation of recommended energy and cost savings measures from 488 Save Energy Now assessments were available. For these 488 plants, measures saving a total of $$147 million per year have been implemented, measures that will save $169 million per year are in the process of being implemented, and plants are planning implementation of measures that will save another $239 million per year. The implemented recommendations are already achieving total CO{sub 2} reductions of about 1.8 million metric tons per year. This report provides a summary of the key results for the Save Energy Now assessments completed in 2008; details of the 6-month, 12-month, and 24-month implementation results obtained to date; and an evaluation of these implementation results. This report also summarizes key accomplishments, findings, and lessons learned from all the Save Energy Now assessments completed to date. A separate report (Wright et al. 2010) provides more detailed information on key results for all of the 2008 assessments of steam, process heating, pumping, compressed air, and fan systems. Two prior reports (Wright et al. 2007 and Wright et al. 2009) detail the results from the 2006 and 2007 assessments and discuss the major components of the assessment process and improvements in the process made in 2007.« less

Save Energy Now Assessments Results 2008 Detailed Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wright, Anthony L; Martin, Michaela A; Nimbalkar, Sachin U

In October 2005, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Bodman launched his Easy Ways to Save Energy campaign with a promise to provide energy assessments to 200 of the largest U.S. manufacturing plants. DOE's Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) responded to the Secretary's campaign with its Save Energy Now initiative, featuring a new and highly cost-effective form of energy savings assessment. The approach for these assessments drew heavily on the existing resources of ITP's technology delivery component. Over the years, ITP Technology Delivery has worked with industry partners to assemble a suite of respected software tools, proven assessment protocols, training curricula, certified energy experts, and strong partnerships for deployment. The Save Energy Now assessments conducted in calendar year 2006 focused on natural gas savings and targeted many of the nation's largest manufacturing plants - those that consume at least 1 TBtu of energy annually. The 2006 Save Energy Now assessments focused primarily on assessments of steam and process heating systems, which account for an estimated 74% of all natural gas use by U.S. manufacturing plants. Because of the success of the Save Energy Now assessments conducted in 2006 and 2007, the program was expanded and enhanced in two major ways in 2008: (1) a new goal was set to perform at least 260 assessments; and (2) the assessment focus was expanded to include pumping, compressed air, and fan systems in addition to steam and process heating. DOE ITP also has developed software tools to assess energy efficiency improvement opportunities in pumping, compressed air, and fan systems. The Save Energy Now assessments integrate a strong training component designed to teach industrial plant personnel how to use DOE's opportunity assessment software tools. This approach has the advantages of promoting strong buy-in of plant personnel for the assessment and its outcomes and preparing them better to independently replicate the assessment process at the company's other facilities. Another important element of the Save Energy Now assessment process is the follow-up process used to identify how many of the recommended savings opportunities from individual assessments have been implemented in the industrial plants. Plant personnel involved with the Save Energy Now assessments are contacted 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months after individual assessments are completed to determine implementation results. A total of 260 Save Energy Now assessments were successfully completed in calendar year 2008. This means that a total of 718 assessments were completed in 2006, 2007, and 2008. As of July 2009, we have received a total of 239 summary reports from the ESAs that were conducted in year 2008. Hence, at the time that this report was prepared, 680 final assessment reports were completed (200 from year 2006, 241 from year 2007, and 239 from year 2008). The total identified potential cost savings from these 680 assessments ismore » $$1.1 billion per year, including natural gas savings of about 98 TBtu per year. These results, if fully implemented, could reduce CO{sub 2} emissions by about 8.9 million metric tons annually. When this report was prepared, data on implementation of recommended energy and cost savings measures from 488 Save Energy Now assessments were available. For these 488 plants, measures saving a total of $$147 million per year have been implemented, measures that will save $169 million per year are in the process of being implemented, and plants are planning implementation of measures that will save another $239 million per year. The implemented recommendations are already achieving total CO{sub 2} reductions of about 1.8 million metric tons per year. This report provides a summary of the key results for the Save Energy Now assessments completed in 2008; details of the 6-month, 12-month, and 24-month implementation results obtained to date; and an evaluation of these implementation results. This report also summarizes key accomplishments, findings, and lessons learned from all the Save Energy Now assessments completed to date. A separate report (Wright et al. 2010) provides more detailed information on key results for all of the 2008 assessments of steam, process heating, pumping, compressed air, and fan systems. Two prior reports (Wright et al. 2007 and Wright et al. 2009) detail the results from the 2006 and 2007 assessments and discuss the major components of the assessment process and improvements in the process made in 2007.« less

Toward utilization of data for program management and evaluation: quality assessment of five years of health management information system data in Rwanda.

PubMed

Nisingizwe, Marie Paul; Iyer, Hari S; Gashayija, Modeste; Hirschhorn, Lisa R; Amoroso, Cheryl; Wilson, Randy; Rubyutsa, Eric; Gaju, Eric; Basinga, Paulin; Muhire, Andrew; Binagwaho, Agnès; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany

2014-01-01

Health data can be useful for effective service delivery, decision making, and evaluating existing programs in order to maintain high quality of healthcare. Studies have shown variability in data quality from national health management information systems (HMISs) in sub-Saharan Africa which threatens utility of these data as a tool to improve health systems. The purpose of this study is to assess the quality of Rwanda's HMIS data over a 5-year period. The World Health Organization (WHO) data quality report card framework was used to assess the quality of HMIS data captured from 2008 to 2012 and is a census of all 495 publicly funded health facilities in Rwanda. Factors assessed included completeness and internal consistency of 10 indicators selected based on WHO recommendations and priority areas for the Rwanda national health sector. Completeness was measured as percentage of non-missing reports. Consistency was measured as the absence of extreme outliers, internal consistency between related indicators, and consistency of indicators over time. These assessments were done at the district and national level. Nationally, the average monthly district reporting completeness rate was 98% across 10 key indicators from 2008 to 2012. Completeness of indicator data increased over time: 2008, 88%; 2009, 91%; 2010, 89%; 2011, 90%; and 2012, 95% (p<0.0001). Comparing 2011 and 2012 health events to the mean of the three preceding years, service output increased from 3% (2011) to 9% (2012). Eighty-three percent of districts reported ratios between related indicators (ANC/DTP1, DTP1/DTP3) consistent with HMIS national ratios. Conclusion and policy implications: Our findings suggest that HMIS data quality in Rwanda has been improving over time. We recommend maintaining these assessments to identify remaining gaps in data quality and that results are shared publicly to support increased use of HMIS data.

Toward utilization of data for program management and evaluation: quality assessment of five years of health management information system data in Rwanda

PubMed Central

Nisingizwe, Marie Paul; Iyer, Hari S.; Gashayija, Modeste; Hirschhorn, Lisa R.; Amoroso, Cheryl; Wilson, Randy; Rubyutsa, Eric; Gaju, Eric; Basinga, Paulin; Muhire, Andrew; Binagwaho, Agnès; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany

2014-01-01

Background Health data can be useful for effective service delivery, decision making, and evaluating existing programs in order to maintain high quality of healthcare. Studies have shown variability in data quality from national health management information systems (HMISs) in sub-Saharan Africa which threatens utility of these data as a tool to improve health systems. The purpose of this study is to assess the quality of Rwanda's HMIS data over a 5-year period. Methods The World Health Organization (WHO) data quality report card framework was used to assess the quality of HMIS data captured from 2008 to 2012 and is a census of all 495 publicly funded health facilities in Rwanda. Factors assessed included completeness and internal consistency of 10 indicators selected based on WHO recommendations and priority areas for the Rwanda national health sector. Completeness was measured as percentage of non-missing reports. Consistency was measured as the absence of extreme outliers, internal consistency between related indicators, and consistency of indicators over time. These assessments were done at the district and national level. Results Nationally, the average monthly district reporting completeness rate was 98% across 10 key indicators from 2008 to 2012. Completeness of indicator data increased over time: 2008, 88%; 2009, 91%; 2010, 89%; 2011, 90%; and 2012, 95% (p<0.0001). Comparing 2011 and 2012 health events to the mean of the three preceding years, service output increased from 3% (2011) to 9% (2012). Eighty-three percent of districts reported ratios between related indicators (ANC/DTP1, DTP1/DTP3) consistent with HMIS national ratios. Conclusion and policy implications Our findings suggest that HMIS data quality in Rwanda has been improving over time. We recommend maintaining these assessments to identify remaining gaps in data quality and that results are shared publicly to support increased use of HMIS data. PMID:25413722

Assessment of radiation awareness training in immersive virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whisker, Vaughn E., III

The prospect of new nuclear power plant orders in the near future and the graying of the current workforce create a need to train new personnel faster and better. Immersive virtual reality (VR) may offer a solution to the training challenge. VR technology presented in a CAVE Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) provides a high-fidelity, one-to-one scale environment where areas of the power plant can be recreated and virtual radiation environments can be simulated, making it possible to safely expose workers to virtual radiation in the context of the actual work environment. The use of virtual reality for training is supported by many educational theories; constructivism and discovery learning, in particular. Educational theory describes the importance of matching the training to the task. Plant access training and radiation worker training, common forms of training in the nuclear industry, rely on computer-based training methods in most cases, which effectively transfer declarative knowledge, but are poor at transferring skills. If an activity were to be added, the training would provide personnel with the opportunity to develop skills and apply their knowledge so they could be more effective when working in the radiation environment. An experiment was developed to test immersive virtual reality's suitability for training radiation awareness. Using a mixed methodology of quantitative and qualitative measures, the subjects' performances before and after training were assessed. First, subjects completed a pre-test to measure their knowledge prior to completing any training. Next they completed unsupervised computer-based training, which consisted of a PowerPoint presentation and a PDF document. After completing a brief orientation activity in the virtual environment, one group of participants received supplemental radiation awareness training in a simulated radiation environment presented in the CAVE, while a second group, the control group, moved directly to the assessment phase of the experiment. The CAVE supplied an activity-based training environment where learners were able to use a virtual survey meter to explore the properties of radiation sources and the effects of time and distance on radiation exposure. Once the training stage had ended, the subjects completed an assessment activity where they were asked to complete four tasks in a simulated radiation environment in the CAVE, which was designed to provide a more authentic assessment than simply testing understanding using a quiz. After the practicum, the subjects completed a post-test. Survey information was also collected to assist the researcher with interpretation of the collected data. Response to the training was measured by completion time, radiation exposure received, successful completion of the four tasks in the practicum, and scores on the post-test. These results were combined to create a radiation awareness score. In addition, observational data was collected as the subjects completed the tasks. The radiation awareness scores of the control group and the group that received supplemental training in the virtual environment were compared. T-tests showed that the effect of the supplemental training was not significant; however, calculation of the effect size showed a small-to-medium effect of the training. The CAVE group received significantly less radiation exposure during the assessment activity, and they completed the activities on an average of one minute faster. These results indicate that the training was effective, primarily for instilling radiation sensitivity. Observational data collected during the assessment supports this conclusion. The training environment provided by the immersive virtual reality recreated a radiation environment where learners could apply knowledge they had been taught by computer-based training. Activity-based training has been shown to be a more effective way to transfer skills because of the similarity between the training environment and the application environment. Virtual reality enables the training environment to look and feel like the application environment. Because of this, radiation awareness training in an immersive virtual environment should be considered by the nuclear industry, which is supported by the results of this experiment.

Quality measurement in diabetes care.

PubMed

Leas, Brian F; Berman, Bettina; Kash, Kathryn M; Crawford, Albert G; Toner, Richard W; Goldfarb, Neil I; Nash, David B

2009-10-01

This study aimed to evaluate diabetes quality measurement efforts, assess their strengths and areas for improvement, and identify gaps not adequately addressed by these measures. We conducted an environmental scan of diabetes quality measures, focusing on metrics included in the National Quality Measures Clearinghouse or promulgated by leading measurement organizations. Key informant interviews were also completed with thought leaders who develop, promote, and use quality measures. The environmental scan identified 146 distinct measures spanning 31 clinical processes or outcomes. This suggests a measurement system that is both redundant and inconsistent, with many different measures assessing the same clinical indicators. Interviewees believe that current diabetes measurement efforts are excessively broad and complex and expressed a need for better harmonization of these measures. Several gaps were also found, including a lack of measures focusing on population health, structural elements of health care, and prevention of diabetes.

Psychometric evaluation of a multi-dimensional measure of satisfaction with behavioral interventions.

PubMed

Sidani, Souraya; Epstein, Dana R; Fox, Mary

2017-10-01

Treatment satisfaction is recognized as an essential aspect in the evaluation of an intervention's effectiveness, but there is no measure that provides for its comprehensive assessment with regard to behavioral interventions. Informed by a conceptualization generated from a literature review, we developed a measure that covers several domains of satisfaction with behavioral interventions. In this paper, we briefly review its conceptualization and describe the Multi-Dimensional Treatment Satisfaction Measure (MDTSM) subscales. Satisfaction refers to the appraisal of the treatment's process and outcome attributes. The MDTSM has 11 subscales assessing treatment process and outcome attributes: treatment components' suitability and utility, attitude toward treatment, desire for continued treatment use, therapist competence and interpersonal style, format and dose, perceived benefits of the health problem and everyday functioning, discomfort, and attribution of outcomes to treatment. The MDTSM was completed by persons (N = 213) in the intervention group in a large trial of a multi-component behavioral intervention for insomnia within 1 week following treatment completion. The MDTSM's subscales demonstrated internal consistency reliability (α: .65 - .93) and validity (correlated with self-reported adherence and perceived insomnia severity at post-test). The MDTSM subscales can be used to assess satisfaction with behavioral interventions and point to aspects of treatments that are viewed favorably or unfavorably. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A complete life cycle assessment of high density polyethylene plastic bottle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treenate, P.; Limphitakphong, N.; Chavalparit, O.

2017-07-01

This study was aimed to determine environmental performances of a lubricant oil bottle made from high density polyethylene and to develop potential measures for reducing its impacts. A complete life cycle assessment was carried out to understand a whole effect on the environment from acquiring, processing, using, and disposing the product. Two scenarios of disposal phase; recycle and incineration: were examined to quantify a lesser degree on environmental impact. The results illustrated that major impacts of the two scenarios were at the same categories with the highest contributor of raw material acquisition and pre-processing. However, all impacts in case of recycling provided a lower point than that in case of incineration, except mineral extraction. Finally, feasible measures for reducing the environmental impact of high density polyethylene plastic bottle were proposed in accordance with 3Rs concept.

Assessing understanding of relative clauses: a comparison of multiple-choice comprehension versus sentence repetition.

PubMed

Frizelle, Pauline; O'Neill, Clodagh; Bishop, Dorothy V M

2017-11-01

Although sentence repetition is considered a reliable measure of children's grammatical knowledge, few studies have directly compared children's sentence repetition performance with their understanding of grammatical structures. The current study aimed to compare children's performance on these two assessment measures, using a multiple-choice picture-matching sentence comprehension task and a sentence repetition task. Thirty-three typically developing children completed both assessments, which included relative clauses representing a range of syntactic roles. Results revealed a similar order of difficulty of constructions on both measures but little agreement between them when evaluating individual differences. Interestingly, repetition was the easier of the two measures, with children showing the ability to repeat sentences they did not understand. This discrepancy is primarily attributed to the additional processing load resulting from the design of multiple-choice comprehension tasks, and highlights the fact that these assessments are invoking skills beyond those of linguistic competence.

The association between waiting for psychological therapy and therapy outcomes as measured by the CORE-OM.

PubMed

Beck, Alison; Burdett, Mark; Lewis, Helen

2015-06-01

To investigate the impact of waiting for psychological therapy on client well-being as measured by the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) global distress (GD) score. Global distress scores were retrieved for all clients referred for psychological therapy in a secondary care mental health service between November 2006 and May 2013 and who had completed a CORE-OM at assessment and first session. GD scores for a subgroup of 103 clients who had completed a CORE-OM during the last therapy session were also reviewed. The study sample experienced a median wait of 41.14 weeks between assessment and first session. The relationship between wait time from referral acceptance to assessment, and assessment GD score was not significant. During the period between assessment and first session no significant difference in GD score was observed. Nevertheless 29.1% of the sample experienced reliable change; 16.0% of clients reliably improved and 13.1% reliably deteriorated whilst waiting for therapy. Demographic factors were not found to have a significant effect on the change in GD score between assessment and first session. Waiting time was associated with post-therapy outcomes but not to a degree which was meaningful. The majority of individuals (54.4%), regardless of whether they improved or deteriorated whilst waiting for therapy, showed reliable improvement at end of therapy as measured by the CORE-OM. The majority of GD scores remained stable while waiting for therapy; however, 29.1% of secondary care clients experienced either reliable improvement or deterioration. Irrespective of whether they improved, deteriorated or remained unchanged whilst waiting for therapy, most individuals who had a complete end of therapy assessment showed reliable improvements following therapy. There was no significant difference in GD score between assessment and first session recordings. A proportion of clients (29.1%) showed reliable change, either improvement or deterioration, as measured by the GD score while waiting for therapy. Of the individuals with last session CORE-OMs (54.4%) showed significant improvement following therapy regardless of whether or not they experienced change while waiting for therapy. Limitations include: Problems of data quality, the data were from a routine data set and data were lost at each stage of the analysis. A focus on the CORE-OM limits exploration of the subjective experience of waiting for psychotherapy and the impact this has on psychological well-being. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Cognitive, academic, and behavioral correlates of medication adherence in children and adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV infection.

PubMed

Nichols, Sharon L; Montepiedra, Grace; Farley, John J; Sirois, Patricia A; Malee, Kathleen; Kammerer, Betsy; Garvie, Patricia A; Naar-King, Sylvie

2012-05-01

Medication adherence is critical to the success of antiretroviral therapies for children and youth with perinatally acquired HIV. Factors that influence successful transition of medication responsibility from caregivers to youth are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of medication adherence with demographic, cognitive, academic, and behavioral characteristics. Randomly selected youth, N = 151, aged 8 to 18 years, completed cognitive and academic measures, and they and their caregivers completed questionnaires assessing behavior and emotional well-being. An announced pill count and questionnaires completed by youth and their caregivers were used to evaluate adherence. Of 151 participants, 100 completed all adherence measures. Adherence rates varied by assessment method. Nonadherence (<90%) by pill count was associated with older child age, greater youth responsibility for medications, and other demographic and medication regimen variables. Verbal impairment predicted better self-reported adherence and reading problems predicted better self- and caregiver-reported adherence. Youth-reported locus of control was associated with pill count nonadherence, and poor relationships with parents were associated with youth-reported nonadherence. Consideration of youth cognitive or academic status may be helpful in evaluating medication adherence in patients with perinatally acquired HIV infection, particularly when using self- or caregiver reports to assess adherence. Vigilance for adherence problems is indicated when youth are older, responsible for medications, report poor caregiver relationships, and/or sense a lack of control over their lives.

Idiographic measurement of depressive thinking: development and preliminary validation of the Sentence Completion Test for Chronic Pain (SCP).

PubMed

Rusu, Adina C; Hallner, Dirk

2018-06-06

Depression is a common feature of chronic pain, but there is only limited research into the content and frequency of depressed cognitions in pain patients. This study describes the development of the Sentence Completion Test for Chronic Pain (SCP), an idiographic measure for assessing depressive thinking in chronic pain patients. The sentence completion task requires participants to finish incomplete sentences using their own words to a set of predefined stems that include negative, positive and neutral valenced self-referenced words. In addition, the stems include past, future and world stems, which reflect the theoretical negative triad typical to depression. Complete responses are coded by valence (negative, positive and neutral), pain and health-related content. A total of 89 participants were included in this study. Forty seven adult out-patients formed the depressed pain group and were compared to a non-clinical control sample of 42 healthy control participants. This study comprised several phases: (1) theory-driven generation of coding rules; (2) the development of a coding manual by a panel of experts (3) comparing reliability of coding by expert raters without the use of the coding manual and with the use of the coding manual; (4) preliminary analyses of the construct validity of the SCP. The internal consistency of the SCP was tested using the Kuder-Richardson coefficient (KR-20). Inter-rater agreement was assessed by intra-class correlations (ICC). The content and construct validity of the SCP was investigated by correlation coefficients between SCP negative completions, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) depression scores and the number of symptoms on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR (SCID). As predicted for content validity, the number of SCP negative statements was significantly greater in the depressed pain group and this group also produced significantly fewer positive statements, compared to the healthy control group. The number of negative pain completions and negative health completions was significantly greater in the depressed pain group. As expected, in the depressed pain group, the correlation between SCP negatives and the HADS Depression score was r=0.60 and the correlation between SCP negatives and the number of symptoms on the SCID was r=0.56. The SCP demonstrated good content validity, internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. Uses for this measure, such as complementing questionnaire measures by an idiographic assessment of depressive thinking and generating hypotheses about key problems within a cognitive-behavioural case-formulation, are suggested.

The feasibility and acceptability of questionnaires and accelerometry for measuring physical activity and sedentary behaviour in adults with mental illness.

PubMed

Chapman, Justin J; Fraser, Sarah J; Brown, Wendy J; Burton, Nicola W

2015-01-01

Adults with mental illness may have difficulties with data collection methods such as questionnaires and accelerometry. To assess the utility of questionnaires and accelerometry for assessing physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) in non-institutionalised adults with mental illness. Participants were recruited from outpatient clinics and community organisations. Participants completed PA and SB questionnaires, wore accelerometers for 7 d, and rated the ease/difficulty of completing study components. Recruitment numbers, adherence, and ease/difficulty ratings were examined. Ease/difficulty ratings were compared between study components, and between participants by distress level. One hundred forty-two participants completed the questionnaires; they found it easier to report PA than reclining time (p = 0.017), and reclining time than sitting time (p < 0.001). Participants with high distress found it more difficult to report sitting time and PA than participants with low distress (p < 0.017). Ninety-nine participants (70%) completed the accelerometry; the majority (88%) met the minimum wear-time criteria. They found it easier to wear the monitor during the day than while sleeping (p < 0.001), and easier to complete accelerometry than questionnaires (p < 0.001). Accelerometry was more feasible for assessing SB than questionnaires. Questionnaires were feasible for assessing PA, but less acceptable for people experiencing high distress.

A Laboratory Study on the Reliability Estimations of the Mini-CEX

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Lima, Alberto Alves; Conde, Diego; Costabel, Juan; Corso, Juan; Van der Vleuten, Cees

2013-01-01

Reliability estimations of workplace-based assessments with the mini-CEX are typically based on real-life data. Estimations are based on the assumption of local independence: the object of the measurement should not be influenced by the measurement itself and samples should be completely independent. This is difficult to achieve. Furthermore, the…

Do Contributors to Intellect Explain the Moral Judgment Abilities of Gifted Youth?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Derryberry, W. Pitt; Barger, Brian

2008-01-01

To assess reaction time and attributional complexity as factors contributing to the relatively high moral judgment of gifted youth, a sample of 30 gifted youth and 30 college students responded to a computerized measure of moral judgment development, which also indexed reaction time. Additionally, participants completed a measurement of…

Energy Balance: Assessing Dietary Intake and Changes in Body Composition during National Outdoor Leadership School Expeditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Cass A.; Masters, Melissa A.; Rochelle, Shannon; Ruden, Tim; Gookin, John

2017-01-01

This study examined the relationship between dietary intake and changes in participants' (N = 39) body composition during National Outdoor Leadership School courses. Body composition, height, and weight were measured pre- and posttrip. Participants completed food logs to record daily dietary intake. Changes in anthropometric measurements were…

Predictors of Daily Relationship Quality in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timmons, Lisa; Willis, Kelcie D.; Pruitt, Megan M.; Ekas, Naomi V.

2016-01-01

Mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (n = 70) completed online measures of global constructs (i.e., stable individual characteristics measured at time 1), which included resilience, depressive symptoms, and family functioning, followed by 14 daily questionnaires assessing relationship quality and affect on a given day. The global…

An Examination of the Relationship between Job Satisfaction, Organizational Norms, and Communication Climate among Employees in an Organization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Applbaum, Ronald L.; Anatol, Kark W. E.

Three separate instruments were used to measure and assess the interrelationships of organizational norms, communication climate, and job satisfaction. Of the 155 top administrators and managers at California State University, Long Beach, 101 subjects completed all three measurement instruments. Statistical analysis showed that a significant…

Nutritional Status and Risk Factors for Chronic Disease in Urban-Dwelling Adults with Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braunschweig, Carol L.; Gomez, Sandra; Sheean, Patricia; Tomey, Kristin M.; Rimmer, James; Heller, Tamar

2004-01-01

Nutritional status and biochemical risk factors for chronic disease were assessed in 48 community-dwelling adults with Down syndrome in the Chicago area. Dietary intake was measured using a food frequency questionnaire completed by the participant's primary caregiver; anthropometric measures included height and weight and waist circumference.…

Perkins Core Performance Measures: Results and Targets, 2001-2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McHewitt, Earl R.; Taylor, Garry

This report addresses the Virginia Community College System's (VCCS) core performance standards and measures for the years 2001-2002. There are four core indicators through which the VCCS is assessed. They are the following: (1) student attainment including academic and technical skills; (2) completion/graduation rate using first time, full-time…

Application of Algebra Curriculum-Based Measurements for Decision Making in Middle and High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Evelyn S.; Galow, Patricia A.; Allenger, Robert

2013-01-01

This article reports the results of a study examining the utility of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) in algebra for predicting performance on a state math assessment and informing instructional placement decisions for students in seventh, eighth, and tenth grades. Students completed six Basic Skills algebra probes across different time…

Assessment of Anxiety in Older Home Care Recipients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diefenbach, Gretchen J.; Tolin, David F.; Meunier, Suzanne A.; Gilliam, Christina M.

2009-01-01

Purpose: This study determined the psychometric properties of a variety of anxiety measures administered to older adults receiving home care services. Design and Methods: Data were collected from 66 adults aged 65 years and older who were receiving home care services. Participants completed self-report and clinician-rated measures of anxiety and…

Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Emergent Literacy: Different Facets of Inattention Relate Uniquely to Preschoolers’ Reading-Related Skills

PubMed Central

Sims, Darcey M.; Lonigan, Christopher J.

2012-01-01

Objective Although extant studies indicate that there is a strong association between Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and reading ability in elementary school children, knowledge regarding the relation between inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors and emergent literacy in preschool children is less established. This study examined the unique and overlapping relations between measures that assess inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity and emergent literacy skills in preschool children. Method Participants included 204 preschool children (Mean age = 56 months; 50.9% female; 79.8% European American). Behavioral rating scales were completed by teachers and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and the Test of Preschool Early Literacy were completed by the preschoolers. Results Across measures, inattention was a unique correlate of emergent literacy skills whereas hyperactivity/impulsivity was not. Both rating scales and the CPT indices of inattention were uniquely associated with emergent literacy skills. Conclusions These results suggest that these measures are assessing different manifestations of inattention that are both unique correlates of early reading skills. PMID:23186142

Fall-risk prediction in older adults with cancer: an unmet need.

PubMed

Wildes, Tanya M; Depp, Brittany; Colditz, Graham; Stark, Susan

2016-09-01

Falls in older adults with cancer are more common than in noncancer controls, yet no fall-risk screening tool has been validated in this population. We undertook a cross-sectional pilot study of the Falls Risk Questionnaire (FRQ) in 21 adults aged ≥65 receiving systemic cancer therapy. Participants completed the FRQ, geriatric assessment measures, and a measure of fear-of-falling. The recruitment rate was 87.5 %, with 95.2 % completion of the FRQ and additional geriatric assessment and quality of life measures. The FRQ correlated significantly with the Timed Up and Go test (Pearson r 0.479, p = 0.028). In addition, the FRQ score correlated directly with fear-of-falling and inversely with QOL, particularly physical health and neurotoxicity subscales. In conclusion, the FRQ was feasible in older adults receiving cancer therapy and correlates with measures of physical performance, functional status, and fear-of-falling. The FRQ may prove to be a valuable fall-risk screening tool to implement fall-prevention interventions in this vulnerable population of older adults with cancer.

Attribution-Based Nocebo Effects. Perceived Effects of a Placebo Pill and a Sham Magnetic Field on Cognitive Performance and Somatic Symptoms.

PubMed

Szemerszky, Renáta; Dömötör, Zsuzsanna; Berkes, Tímea; Köteles, Ferenc

2016-04-01

Negative non-specific (nocebo-like) effects of medications and electromagnetic fields are often described as results of mistaken attribution. The current study aimed to find empirical evidence supporting this theory. Participants completed questionnaires assessing modern health worries, health anxiety, and somatosensory amplification, were assigned to one of three conditions (placebo pill with sedative information, sham magnetic field, or control), and completed a 14-min vigilance task. Changes in physiological arousal (heart rate, heart rate variability, and skin conductance) and reported symptoms were also measured. Finally, causal attributions concerning cognitive performance and reported symptoms were assessed. No increase in symptom reports and physiological arousal was measured in the two intervention groups. A perceived negative effect on cognitive performance was attributed to both sham conditions, and attributions were connected to modern health worries. A proportion of reported symptoms was ascribed to the placebo pill but not to the sham magnetic field. Symptom attributions were not related to any assessed psychological variables. An aroused physiological state is not necessary for the automatic causal attribution process. Negative effects attributed to medication and environmental factors can be regarded as unavoidable side effects of human cognitive-emotional functioning; they might be alleviated, but cannot be completely eradicated.

Psychometric properties of a new measure of fathers' involvement in the management of pediatric chronic diseases.

PubMed

Wysocki, Tim; Gavin, Leslie

2004-01-01

Despite theoretical and empirical reasons suggesting its potential importance, paternal involvement in the management of pediatric chronic diseases has rarely been a primary focus of research on family adaptation to pediatric disease. This may be due to a lack of appropriate tools to measure relevant behaviors. This study assessed the reliability and validity of the Dads' Active Disease Support scale (DADS), which was designed to measure male and female caregivers' estimates of the amount and helpfulness of paternal involvement in managing six pediatric chronic diseases. A sample of 224 heterosexual couples completed the DADS and measures of mother, child, and family functioning, yielding 190 who completed data sets. Of these, 91 mothers and 88 fathers completed the DADS again after a 1-month interval. Results confirmed DADS internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and interparent agreement. Confirmatory factor analysis supported its construct validity: A two-factor model (amount and helpfulness of fathers' involvement) best accounted for participants' responses. Significant correlations with scores on the Family Assessment Device supported DADS convergent validity. DADS scores of mothers and fathers suggest substantial room for improvement in both the amount and the helpfulness of paternal involvement in disease management. Mothers provided significantly higher ratings of the helpfulness of fathers' involvement than did fathers. The DADS appears to be a reliable and valid measure for studies of the associations between paternal involvement in disease management and child, maternal, and family adaptation to pediatric chronic medical conditions.

Stress responses and decision making in child protection workers faced with high conflict situations.

PubMed

LeBlanc, Vicki R; Regehr, Cheryl; Shlonsky, Aron; Bogo, Marion

2012-05-01

The assessment of children at risk of abuse and neglect is a critical societal function performed by child protection workers in situations of acute stress and conflict. Despite efforts to improve the reliability of risk assessments through standardized measures, available tools continue to rely on subjective judgment. The goal of this study was to assess the stress responses of child protection workers and their assessments of risk in high conflict situations. Ninety-six child protection workers participated in 2 simulated scenarios, 1 non-confrontational and 1 confrontational. In each scenario, participants conducted a 15-minute interview with a mother played by a specially trained actor. Following the interview, the workers completed 2 risk assessment measures used in the field at the time of the study. Anxiety was measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory at baseline and immediately following the completion of each interview. Physiological stress as measured by salivary cortisol was obtained at baseline as well as 20 and 30 minutes after the start of each interview. Participants demonstrated significant stress responses during the 1st scenario, regardless of whether the interview was confrontational or not. During the second scenario, the participants did not exhibit significant cortisol responses, however the confrontational interview elicited greater subjective anxiety than the non-confrontational scenario. In the first scenario, in which the workers demonstrated greater stress responses, risk assessment scores were higher on one risk assessment tool for the confrontational scenario than for the non-confrontational scenario. The results suggest that stress responses in child protection workers appear to be influenced by the novelty of a situation and by a parent's demeanor during interviews. Some forms of risk assessment tools appear to be more strongly associated than other with the workers' subjective and physiological stress responses. This merits further research to determine which aspects of risk assessment tools are susceptible to the emotional elements of intake interviews. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Traumatic stress in parents of children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit.

PubMed

Balluffi, Andrew; Kassam-Adams, Nancy; Kazak, Anne; Tucker, Michelle; Dominguez, Troy; Helfaer, Mark

2004-11-01

To measure the prevalence of parental acute stress disorder (ASD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to examine the relationship between ASD symptoms and PTSD symptoms in parents of infants and children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). To examine the correlation between parental perceptions of illness severity and objective measures. To assess the association among demographic, situational, and illness factors and the severity of ASD and PTSD. Prospective cohort study. Thirty-eight bed PICU at an urban children's hospital. The parents of 272 children admitted to the PICU for >48 hrs. ASD symptoms were assessed using the Acute Stress Disorder Scale during the child's admission. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the PTSD Checklist at least 2 months after discharge. The severity of illness was measured using the Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM III) score. Of the 272 parents completing the initial assessment, 87 (32%) met symptom criteria for ASD. Of the 161 parents completing follow-up, 33 (21%) met symptom criteria for PTSD. PTSD symptoms at follow-up were associated with ASD symptoms assessed in the PICU, unexpected admission, parent's degree of worry that the child might die, and the occurrence of another hospital admission or other traumatic event subsequent to the index admission. Neither ASD nor PTSD responses were associated with objective measures of a child's severity of illness (PRISM III score). Traumatic stress symptoms are common among parents in the PICU and may persist long after discharge. There is strong support from these data for continued attention to supporting parents both during and after a child's PICU admission.

Factors influencing self-reported vision-related activity limitation in the visually impaired.

PubMed

Tabrett, Daryl R; Latham, Keziah

2011-07-15

The use of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures to assess self-reported difficulty in visual activities is common in patients with impaired vision. This study determines the visual and psychosocial factors influencing patients' responses to self-report measures, to aid in understanding what is being measured. One hundred visually impaired participants completed the Activity Inventory (AI), which assesses self-reported, vision-related activity limitation (VRAL) in the task domains of reading, mobility, visual information, and visual motor tasks. Participants also completed clinical tests of visual function (distance visual acuity and near reading performance both with and without low vision aids [LVAs], contrast sensitivity, visual fields, and depth discrimination), and questionnaires assessing depressive symptoms, social support, adjustment to visual loss, and personality. Multiple regression analyses identified that an acuity measure (distance or near), and, to a lesser extent, near reading performance without LVAs, visual fields, and contrast sensitivity best explained self-reported VRAL (28%-50% variance explained). Significant psychosocial correlates were depression and adjustment, explaining an additional 6% to 19% unique variance. Dependent on task domain, the parameters assessed explained 59% to 71% of the variance in self-reported VRAL. Visual function, most notably acuity without LVAs, is the best predictor of self-reported VRAL assessed by the AI. Depression and adjustment to visual loss also significantly influence self-reported VRAL, largely independent of the severity of visual loss and most notably in the less vision-specific tasks. The results suggest that rehabilitation strategies addressing depression and adjustment could improve perceived visual disability.

Linking the New York State NYSTP Assessments to NWEA MAP Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Evaluation Association, 2016

2016-01-01

Northwest Evaluation Association™ (NWEA™) is committed to providing partners with useful tools to help make inferences from the Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®) interim assessment scores. Recently, NWEA completed a concordance study to connect the scales of the New York State Testing Program (NYSTP) reading and math with those of the MAP…

Does the Gender of Examiners Influence Their Marking?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greatorex, Jackie; Bell, John

2004-01-01

For many years there has been concern about whether sex bias exists in various assessments. A literature review reveals little if any sex bias in UK national assessments at GCSE. Oxford, Cambridge and RSA examiners, for three case study subjects, completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory, a self-report inventory that measures the extent to which…

Assessing Self-Regulation in Individuals with Visual Impairments: Generality versus Specificity in Self-Regulatory Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Argyropoulos, Vassilios; Sideridis, Georgios D.; Botsas, George; Padeliadu, Susana

2012-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to assess self-regulation of students with visual impairments across two academic subjects, language and math. The participants were 46 Greek students with visual impairments who completed self-regulation measures across the subject matters of language and math. Initially, the factorial validity of the scale…

The Bright and Dark Side Correlates of Creativity: Demographic, Ability, Personality Traits and Personality Disorders Associated with Divergent Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furnham, Adrian

2015-01-01

This research examined the personality trait and personality disorder correlates of creative potential, as assessed by a divergent thinking (DT) test. Over 4,000 adult managers attending an assessment center completed a battery of tests including a "bright side," normal personality trait measures (NEO Personality Inventory-Revised, or…

Early Exposure to People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities and Later Attitudes toward Social Interactions and Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lund, Emily M.; Seekins, Tom

2014-01-01

This study assessed the relationship between exposure to classmates with visible impairments in primary and secondary schools with later attitudes toward people with disabilities. Fifty college students (mean age = 20.28 years; 76% female) completed measures assessing the extent and quality of recalled exposure to classmates with disabilities in…

End of Program Assessments and Their Association with Early Career Success in LIS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rathbun-Grubb, Susan

2016-01-01

Analyses of North American LIS program alumni survey data indicate that the completion of any end of program assessment (EPA) or capstone is associated with certain early-career success measures. Using data collected in the Workforce Issues in Library and Information Science 2 project (WILIS 2), we examined the type of EPAs (internships,…

Preliminary Validation of a Spanish Language Translation of the Children's Hope Scale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Lisa M.; McDermott, Diane; Pedrotti, Jennifer Teramoto; LaRue, Stephanie; Stone, Marion E.; Diamond, Kandi L.; Spalitto, Susan V.

As society becomes increasingly diverse, the issue about language used for assessments becomes critical. Research suggests that completing measures in a language other than one's native language may result in inaccurate scores. The Children's Hope Scale (Snyder et al., 1997), a scale assessing dispositional hope in children ages 8 to 16, was…

Positive Biases in Self-Assessment of Mathematics Competence, Achievement Goals, and Mathematics Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dupeyrat, Caroline; Escribe, Christian; Huet, Nathalie; Regner, Isabelle

2011-01-01

The study examined how biases in self-evaluations of math competence relate to achievement goals and progress in math achievement. It was expected that performance goals would be related to overestimation and mastery goals to accurate self-assessments. A sample of French high-school students completed a questionnaire measuring their math…

The Cerebellar Deficit Hypothesis and Dyslexic Tendencies in a Non-Clinical Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brookes, Rebecca L.; Stirling, John

2005-01-01

In order to assess the relationship between cerebellar deficits and dyslexic tendencies in a non-clinical sample, 27 primary school children aged 8-9 completed a cerebellar soft signs battery and were additionally assessed for reading age, sequential memory, picture arrangement and knowledge of common sequences. An average measure of the soft…

Methods for assessing the quality of data in public health information systems: a critical review.

PubMed

Chen, Hong; Yu, Ping; Hailey, David; Wang, Ning

2014-01-01

The quality of data in public health information systems can be ensured by effective data quality assessment. In order to conduct effective data quality assessment, measurable data attributes have to be precisely defined. Then reliable and valid measurement methods for data attributes have to be used to measure each attribute. We conducted a systematic review of data quality assessment methods for public health using major databases and well-known institutional websites. 35 studies were eligible for inclusion in the study. A total of 49 attributes of data quality were identified from the literature. Completeness, accuracy and timeliness were the three most frequently assessed attributes of data quality. Most studies directly examined data values. This is complemented by exploring either data users' perception or documentation quality. However, there are limitations of current data quality assessment methods: a lack of consensus on attributes measured; inconsistent definition of the data quality attributes; a lack of mixed methods for assessing data quality; and inadequate attention to reliability and validity. Removal of these limitations is an opportunity for further improvement.

Validation of the Technology Acceptance Measure for Pre-Service Teachers (TAMPST) on a Malaysian Sample: A Cross-Cultural Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teo, Timothy

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess the cross-cultural validity of the technology acceptance measure for pre-service teachers (TAMPST) on a Malaysian sample. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 193 pre-service teachers from a Malaysian university completed a survey questionnaire measuring their responses to five constructs in the…

Comparison of cognitive flexibility and planning ability in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder, patients with obsessive compulsive personality disorder, and healthy controls

PubMed Central

PAAST, Negin; KHOSRAVI, Zohreh; MEMARI, Amir Hossein; SHAYESTEHFAR, Monir; ARBABI, Mohammad

2016-01-01

Background Cognitive functioning in individuals with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and with Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) has not been adequately studied. Aim Examine the cognitive flexibility and planning ability of individuals with OCD and OCPD. Methods Twenty patients with OCD and 25 patients with OCPD who had not taken medication in the previous two weeks were identified in an outpatient psychology clinic in Tehran, and 25 healthy control subjects were identified from the university staff and local community residents. All participants were administered the 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and the Tower of London (TOL) test. Two measures of the WCTS (number of perseverative errors and number of categories completed) were used to assess cognitive flexibility and three measures of the TOL (total number of moves in 12 trials, total response time, and planning time) were used to assess planning ability. Results The level of current psychological distress in the two patient groups was significantly greater than that in the control group. After adjusting for demographic variables and the level of psychological distress, both OCD patients and OCPD patients made more perseverative errors on the WCST than control subjects, and the OCD patients (but not the OCPD patients) completed significantly fewer categories than the control subjects. Both the OCD patients and OCPD patients required significantly more moves than control subjects to complete the 12 TOL tasks and OCD patients took significantly longer than both OCPD patients and control subjects to complete the tasks. Conclusions Individuals with OCD and OCPD have impaired cognitive flexibility and planning ability compared to healthy controls, and there are some differences in these measures of cognitive functioning between OCD and OCPD. Long term follow-up studies of OCD and OCPD that assess changes in cognitive measures as the severity of obsessive compulsive symptoms wax and wane will be needed to determine whether or not such cognitive measures have diagnostic or clinical relevance for obsessive compulsive disorders. PMID:27688641

Comparison of cognitive flexibility and planning ability in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder, patients with obsessive compulsive personality disorder, and healthy controls.

PubMed

Paast, Negin; Khosravi, Zohreh; Memari, Amir Hossein; Shayestehfar, Monir; Arbabi, Mohammad

2016-02-25

Cognitive functioning in individuals with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and with Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) has not been adequately studied. Examine the cognitive flexibility and planning ability of individuals with OCD and OCPD. Twenty patients with OCD and 25 patients with OCPD who had not taken medication in the previous two weeks were identified in an outpatient psychology clinic in Tehran, and 25 healthy control subjects were identified from the university staff and local community residents. All participants were administered the 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and the Tower of London (TOL) test. Two measures of the WCTS (number of perseverative errors and number of categories completed) were used to assess cognitive flexibility and three measures of the TOL (total number of moves in 12 trials, total response time, and planning time) were used to assess planning ability. The level of current psychological distress in the two patient groups was significantly greater than that in the control group. After adjusting for demographic variables and the level of psychological distress, both OCD patients and OCPD patients made more perseverative errors on the WCST than control subjects, and the OCD patients (but not the OCPD patients) completed significantly fewer categories than the control subjects. Both the OCD patients and OCPD patients required significantly more moves than control subjects to complete the 12 TOL tasks and OCD patients took significantly longer than both OCPD patients and control subjects to complete the tasks. Individuals with OCD and OCPD have impaired cognitive flexibility and planning ability compared to healthy controls, and there are some differences in these measures of cognitive functioning between OCD and OCPD. Long term follow-up studies of OCD and OCPD that assess changes in cognitive measures as the severity of obsessive compulsive symptoms wax and wane will be needed to determine whether or not such cognitive measures have diagnostic or clinical relevance for obsessive compulsive disorders.

Dichotomous scoring of Trails B in patients referred for a dementia evaluation.

PubMed

Schmitt, Andrew L; Livingston, Ronald B; Smernoff, Eric N; Waits, Bethany L; Harris, James B; Davis, Kent M

2010-04-01

The Trail Making Test is a popular neuropsychological test and its interpretation has traditionally used time-based scores. This study examined an alternative approach to scoring that is simply based on the examinees' ability to complete the test. If an examinee is able to complete Trails B successfully, they are coded as "completers"; if not, they are coded as "noncompleters." To assess this approach to scoring Trails B, the performance of 97 diagnostically heterogeneous individuals referred for a dementia evaluation was examined. In this sample, 55 individuals successfully completed Trails B and 42 individuals were unable to complete it. Point-biserial correlations indicated a moderate-to-strong association (r(pb)=.73) between the Trails B completion variable and the Total Scale score of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neurological Status (RBANS), which was larger than the correlation between the Trails B time-based score and the RBANS Total Scale score (r(pb)=.60). As a screen for dementia status, Trails B completion showed a sensitivity of 69% and a specificity of 100% in this sample. These results suggest that dichotomous scoring of Trails B might provide a brief and clinically useful measure of dementia status.

Outcome assessment via handheld computer in community mental health: consumer satisfaction and reliability.

PubMed

Goldstein, Lizabeth A; Connolly Gibbons, Mary Beth; Thompson, Sarah M; Scott, Kelli; Heintz, Laura; Green, Patricia; Thompson, Donald; Crits-Christoph, Paul

2011-07-01

Computerized administration of mental health-related questionnaires has become relatively common, but little research has explored this mode of assessment in "real-world" settings. In the current study, 200 consumers at a community mental health center completed the BASIS-24 via handheld computer as well as paper and pen. Scores on the computerized BASIS-24 were compared with scores on the paper BASIS-24. Consumers also completed a questionnaire which assessed their level of satisfaction with the computerized BASIS-24. Results indicated that the BASIS-24 administered via handheld computer was highly correlated with pen and paper administration of the measure and was generally acceptable to consumers. Administration of the BASIS-24 via handheld computer may allow for efficient and sustainable outcomes assessment, adaptable research infrastructure, and maximization of clinical impact in community mental health agencies.

Pharmacy students' ability to identify plagiarism after an educational intervention.

PubMed

Degeeter, Michelle; Harris, Kira; Kehr, Heather; Ford, Carolyn; Lane, Daniel C; Nuzum, Donald S; Compton, Cynthia; Gibson, Whitney

2014-03-12

Objective. To determine if an educational intervention in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree program increases pharmacy students' ability to identify plagiarism. Methods. First-year (P1), second-year (P2), and third-year (P3) pharmacy students attended an education session during which types of plagiarism and methods for avoiding plagiarism were reviewed. Students completed a preintervention assessment immediately prior to the session and a postintervention assessment the following semester to measure their ability. Results. Two hundred fifty-two students completed both preintervention and postintervention assessments. There was a 4% increase from preintervention to postintervention in assessment scores for the overall student sample (p<0.05). The mean change was greatest for P1 and P2 students (5% and 4.8%, respectively). Conclusion. An educational intervention about plagiarism can significantly improve students' ability to identify plagiarism.

Pharmacy Students’ Ability to Identify Plagiarism After an Educational Intervention

PubMed Central

Harris, Kira; Kehr, Heather; Ford, Carolyn; Lane, Daniel C.; Nuzum, Donald S.; Compton, Cynthia; Gibson, Whitney

2014-01-01

Objective. To determine if an educational intervention in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree program increases pharmacy students’ ability to identify plagiarism. Methods. First-year (P1), second-year (P2), and third-year (P3) pharmacy students attended an education session during which types of plagiarism and methods for avoiding plagiarism were reviewed. Students completed a preintervention assessment immediately prior to the session and a postintervention assessment the following semester to measure their ability. Results. Two hundred fifty-two students completed both preintervention and postintervention assessments. There was a 4% increase from preintervention to postintervention in assessment scores for the overall student sample (p<0.05). The mean change was greatest for P1 and P2 students (5% and 4.8%, respectively). Conclusion. An educational intervention about plagiarism can significantly improve students’ ability to identify plagiarism. PMID:24672066

The development of a new corporate specific health risk measurement instrument, and its use in investigating the relationship between health and well-being and employee productivity

PubMed Central

Mills, Peter R

2005-01-01

Background There is a growing body of evidence linking health and well-being to key business issues. Despite this, corporate uptake of workplace health promotion programmes has been slow outside the USA. One possible reason for this is the lack of a generally available health risk measure that is quick and easy to administer and produces data that is rich enough to inform and direct subsequent employee health promotional interventions. Methods We report on the development and validation of the health and well-being (HWB) assessment, a free to use health risk appraisal questionnaire that has been specifically developed for use in the corporate setting. The HWB assessment focuses upon modifiable health issues that directly impact upon business drivers. Development involved interviews with business leaders to ascertain their key areas of focus, scientific and general literature review to find evidence for health status having an impact upon these areas, and end user testing. Three UK-based organisations (insurance, telecommunications and consumer goods sectors) participated in the research. A total of 2224 employees completed the HWB assessment, the short-form 36 (SF-36) and the World Health Organisation Health and Work Performance questionnaire (WHO-HPQ) as part of the validation process. Results The HWB assessment is a twenty item questionnaire covering ten areas of health and well-being. Completion of the HWB assessment generates a global health risk score and ten sub-scores corresponding to the ten areas covered. It is easy to use and quick to complete (average completion time was eight minutes) and showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Statistically significant correlations with similar SF-36 variables were observed. A significant negative correlation between HWB score and productivity decrement, as measured by the WHO-HPQ, was observed (r = -0.4). Individuals with HWB scores above the 25th percentile were more likely to achieve workplace productivity standards than those with scores below the 25th percentile (OR 3.62, 95% confidence limits 2.93 – 4.47). Conclusion The HWB assessment generates reliable business focused health risk data that can be used to direct and target appropriate interventions within corporate populations. It may also be useful in quantifying the financial impact health status issues have upon organisations. PMID:15679885

The development of a new corporate specific health risk measurement instrument, and its use in investigating the relationship between health and well-being and employee productivity.

PubMed

Mills, Peter R

2005-01-28

There is a growing body of evidence linking health and well-being to key business issues. Despite this, corporate uptake of workplace health promotion programmes has been slow outside the USA. One possible reason for this is the lack of a generally available health risk measure that is quick and easy to administer and produces data that is rich enough to inform and direct subsequent employee health promotional interventions. We report on the development and validation of the health and well-being (HWB) assessment, a free to use health risk appraisal questionnaire that has been specifically developed for use in the corporate setting. The HWB assessment focuses upon modifiable health issues that directly impact upon business drivers. Development involved interviews with business leaders to ascertain their key areas of focus, scientific and general literature review to find evidence for health status having an impact upon these areas, and end user testing.Three UK-based organisations (insurance, telecommunications and consumer goods sectors) participated in the research. A total of 2224 employees completed the HWB assessment, the short-form 36 (SF-36) and the World Health Organisation Health and Work Performance questionnaire (WHO-HPQ) as part of the validation process. The HWB assessment is a twenty item questionnaire covering ten areas of health and well-being. Completion of the HWB assessment generates a global health risk score and ten sub-scores corresponding to the ten areas covered. It is easy to use and quick to complete (average completion time was eight minutes) and showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Statistically significant correlations with similar SF-36 variables were observed. A significant negative correlation between HWB score and productivity decrement, as measured by the WHO-HPQ, was observed (r = -0.4). Individuals with HWB scores above the 25th percentile were more likely to achieve workplace productivity standards than those with scores below the 25th percentile (OR 3.62, 95% confidence limits 2.93 - 4.47). The HWB assessment generates reliable business focused health risk data that can be used to direct and target appropriate interventions within corporate populations. It may also be useful in quantifying the financial impact health status issues have upon organisations.

In-Person versus Telehealth Assessment of Discourse Ability in Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Turkstra, Lyn S.; Quinn-Padron, Maura; Johnson, Jacqueline E.; Workinger, Marilyn S.; Antoniotti, Nina

2011-01-01

Objectives To compare in-person (IP) vs. telehealth (TH) assessment of discourse ability in adults with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Repeated-measures design with random order of conditions. Participants Twenty adults with moderate-to-severe TBI. Method Participants completed conversation, picture description, story-generation, and procedural description tasks. Sessions were video-recorded and transcribed. Measures Measures of productivity and quality of discourse. Results Significant differences between conditions were not detected in this sample, and feedback from participants was positive. Conclusions These preliminary results support the use of TH for the assessment of discourse ability in adults with TBI, at least for individuals with sufficient cognitive skills to follow TH procedures. PMID:22190010

Patient-Reported Functional Status in Outpatients With Advanced Cancer: Correlation With Physician-Reported Scores and Survival.

PubMed

Popovic, Gordana; Harhara, Thana; Pope, Ashley; Al-Awamer, Ahmed; Banerjee, Subrata; Bryson, John; Mak, Ernie; Lau, Jenny; Hannon, Breffni; Swami, Nadia; Le, Lisa W; Zimmermann, Camilla

2018-06-01

Performance status measures are increasingly completed by patients in outpatient cancer settings, but are not well validated for this use. We assessed performance of a patient-reported functional status measure (PRFS, based on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG]), compared with the physician-completed ECOG, in terms of agreement in ratings and prediction of survival. Patients and physicians independently completed five-point PRFS (lay version of ECOG) and ECOG measures on first consultation at an oncology palliative care clinic. We assessed agreement between PRFS and ECOG using weighted Kappa statistics, and used linear regression to determine factors associated with the difference between PRFS and ECOG ratings. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate the patients' median survival, categorized by PRFS and ECOG, and assessed predictive accuracy of these measures using the C-statistic. For the 949 patients, there was moderate agreement between PRFS and ECOG (weighted Kappa 0.32; 95% CI: 0.28-0.36). On average, patients' ratings of performance status were worse by 0.31 points (95% CI: 0.25-0.37, P < 0.0001); this tendency was greater for younger patients (P = 0.002) and those with worse symptoms (P < 0.0001). Both PRFS and ECOG scores correlated well with overall survival; the C-statistic was higher for the average of PRFS and ECOG scores (0.619) than when reported individually (0.596 and 0.604, respectively). Patients tend to rate their performance status worse than physicians, particularly if they are younger or have greater symptom burden. Prognostic ability of performance status could be improved by using the average of patients and physician scores. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Force-Sensing Enhanced Simulation Environment (ForSense) for laparoscopic surgery training and assessment.

PubMed

Cundy, Thomas P; Thangaraj, Evelyn; Rafii-Tari, Hedyeh; Payne, Christopher J; Azzie, Georges; Sodergren, Mikael H; Yang, Guang-Zhong; Darzi, Ara

2015-04-01

Excessive or inappropriate tissue interaction force during laparoscopic surgery is a recognized contributor to surgical error, especially for robotic surgery. Measurement of force at the tool-tissue interface is, therefore, a clinically relevant skill assessment variable that may improve effectiveness of surgical simulation. Popular box trainer simulators lack the necessary technology to measure force. The aim of this study was to develop a force sensing unit that may be integrated easily with existing box trainer simulators and to (1) validate multiple force variables as objective measurements of laparoscopic skill, and (2) determine concurrent validity of a revised scoring metric. A base plate unit sensitized to a force transducer was retrofitted to a box trainer. Participants of 3 different levels of operative experience performed 5 repetitions of a peg transfer and suture task. Multiple outcome variables of force were assessed as well as a revised scoring metric that incorporated a penalty for force error. Mean, maximum, and overall magnitudes of force were significantly different among the 3 levels of experience, as well as force error. Experts were found to exert the least force and fastest task completion times, and vice versa for novices. Overall magnitude of force was the variable most correlated with experience level and task completion time. The revised scoring metric had similar predictive strength for experience level compared with the standard scoring metric. Current box trainer simulators can be adapted for enhanced objective measurements of skill involving force sensing. These outcomes are significantly influenced by level of expertise and are relevant to operative safety in laparoscopic surgery. Conventional proficiency standards that focus predominantly on task completion time may be integrated with force-based outcomes to be more accurately reflective of skill quality. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implicit attitudes towards smoking predict long-term relapse in abstinent smokers.

PubMed

Spruyt, Adriaan; Lemaigre, Valentine; Salhi, Bihiyga; Van Gucht, Dinska; Tibboel, Helen; Van Bockstaele, Bram; De Houwer, Jan; Van Meerbeeck, Jan; Nackaerts, Kristiaan

2015-07-01

It has previously been argued that implicit attitudes toward substance-related cues drive addictive behavior. Nevertheless, it remains an open question whether behavioral markers of implicit attitude activation can be used to predict long-term relapse. The main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between implicit attitudes toward smoking-related cues and long-term relapse in abstaining smokers. Implicit attitudes toward smoking-related cues were assessed by means of the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and the evaluative priming task (EPT). Both measures were completed by a group of smokers who volunteered to quit smoking (patient group) and a group of nonsmokers (control group). Participants in the patient group completed these measures twice: once prior to smoking cessation and once after smoking cessation. Relapse was assessed by means of short telephone survey, 6 months after completion of the second test session. EPT scores obtained prior to smoking cessation were related to long-term relapse and correlated with self-reported nicotine dependence as well as daily cigarette consumption. In contrast, none of the behavioral outcome measures were found to correlate with the IAT scores. These findings corroborate the idea that implicit attitudes toward substance-related cues are critically involved in long-term relapse. A potential explanation for the divergent findings obtained with the IAT and EPT is provided.

Variability in objective and subjective measures affects baseline values in studies of patients with COPD

PubMed Central

Ha, Jae Wook; Couper, David J.; O’Neal, Wanda K.; Barr, R. Graham; Bleecker, Eugene R.; Carretta, Elizabeth E.; Cooper, Christopher B.; Doerschuk, Claire M.; Drummond, M Bradley; Han, MeiLan K.; Hansel, Nadia N.; Kim, Victor; Kleerup, Eric C.; Martinez, Fernando J.; Rennard, Stephen I.; Tashkin, Donald; Woodruff, Prescott G.; Paine, Robert; Curtis, Jeffrey L.; Kanner, Richard E.

2017-01-01

Rationale Understanding the reliability and repeatability of clinical measurements used in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of disease progression is of critical importance across all disciplines of clinical practice and in clinical trials to assess therapeutic efficacy and safety. Objectives Our goal is to understand normal variability for assessing true changes in health status and to more accurately utilize this data to differentiate disease characteristics and outcomes. Methods Our study is the first study designed entirely to establish the repeatability of a large number of instruments utilized for the clinical assessment of COPD in the same subjects over the same period. We utilized SPIROMICS participants (n = 98) that returned to their clinical center within 6 weeks of their baseline visit to repeat complete baseline assessments. Demographics, spirometry, questionnaires, complete blood cell counts (CBC), medical history, and emphysema status by computerized tomography (CT) imaging were obtained. Results Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were highly repeatable (ICC’s >0.9) but the 6 minute walk (6MW) was less so (ICC = 0.79). Among questionnaires, the Saint George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was most repeatable. Self-reported clinical features, such as exacerbation history, and features of chronic bronchitis, often produced kappa values <0.6. Reported age at starting smoking and average number of cigarettes smoked were modestly repeatable (kappa = 0.76 and 0.79). Complete blood counts (CBC) variables produced intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) values between 0.6 and 0.8. Conclusions PFTs were highly repeatable, while subjective measures and subject recall were more variable. Analyses using features with poor repeatability could lead to misclassification and outcome errors. Hence, care should be taken when interpreting change in clinical features based on measures with low repeatability. Efforts to improve repeatability of key clinical features such as exacerbation history and chronic bronchitis are warranted. PMID:28934249

Can the reinforcing value of food be measured in bulimia nervosa?

PubMed Central

Schebendach, Janet; Broft, Allegra; Foltin, Richard W.; Walsh, B. Timothy

2013-01-01

Binge eating is a core clinical feature of bulimia nervosa (BN). Enhanced reinforcing value of food may play a role in this behavioral disturbance, but a systematic behavioral assessment of objective measures of the rewarding value of binge eating is lacking. The purpose of this study was to quantify the reinforcing value of food in BN patients as compared with normal controls. A progressive ratio (PR) computerized work task was completed under binge and non-binge instruction. The task consisted of 12 trials. The first trial required 50 keyboard taps to earn one portion of yogurt shake, and subsequent trials required progressive work increments of 200 taps for each additional portion. Completion of all 12 trials required 13,800 taps to earn 2,100 ml of shake. The breakpoint, defined as the largest ratio completed before a participant stopped working, was the measure of reinforcing efficacy. Ten patients and 10 controls completed the experiment. Under binge instruction, patients completed more trials and taps, and had a higher breakpoint than controls. The non-binge instruction yielded opposite findings; compared to controls, patients completed fewer trials and taps, and had a lower breakpoint. These results support the feasibility and potential utility of a PR task to quantify the reinforcing value of food in patients with BN. PMID:23178173

Combined effect of new complete dentures and simple dietary advice on nutritional status in edentulous patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Komagamine, Yuriko; Kanazawa, Manabu; Iwaki, Maiko; Jo, Ayami; Suzuki, Hiroyuki; Amagai, Noriko; Minakuchi, Shunsuke

2016-11-09

Individuals who are edentulous have a lower intake of fruit, vegetables, fiber, and protein compared with their dentate counterparts because tooth loss is accompanied by a decrease in ability to chew. Whether or not a combination of prosthetic rehabilitation and simple dietary advice produces improvement in dietary intake among edentulous persons is unclear. We aim to investigate the effect of a simultaneous combination of simple dietary advice delivered by dentists and provision of new complete dentures on dietary intake in edentulous individuals who request new dentures. Through a double-blinded, parallel, randomized controlled trial in which 70 edentate persons who request new complete dentures will be enrolled, eligible study participants will be randomly allocated to either a dietary intervention group receiving dietary advice or to a control group receiving only advice on the care and maintenance of dentures. Outcome measures include daily intake of nutrients and food items, assessed using a brief self-administered diet history questionnaire; antioxidant capacity, determined using blood and urine samples; nutritional status, assessed with the Mini-Nutritional Assessment-Short Form; oral health-related quality of life, assessed with the Japanese version of the Oral Health Impact Profile-EDENT and the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index; subjective chewing ability; masticatory performance, assessed using a color-changeable chewing gum and a gummy jelly; patient self-assessment of dentures; mild cognitive impairment, assessed with the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment; and functional capacity, assessed with the Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence. Outcome measures, except for antioxidant capacity, are to be implemented at three time points: at baseline and at 3 and 6 months following intervention. Antioxidant capacity data are to be collected twice: at baseline and at 3 months following intervention. Differences between the groups at 3 and 6 months and within-group changes are to be compared using the paired t test. Simple dietary advice that can be implemented by a dentist would be more practical in clinical practice than tailored dietary counseling. The results of this study will provide beneficial information on dietary intake changes for both edentulous individuals requesting new complete dentures and dentists. University Hospital Medical Information Network Center Unique Trial Number: UMIN000017879 . Registered on 12 June 2015.

Assessment of educational games for health professions: a systematic review of trends and outcomes.

PubMed

Abdulmajed, Hind; Park, Yoon Soo; Tekian, Ara

2015-04-01

Traditional lecturing used in teaching has the lowest retention rate; the use of games as part of an instruction method may enhance retention and reinforce learning by creating a dynamic educational environment. This study aims to systematically review the literature on educational games for the health professions to identify trends and investigate assessment tools used to measure its learning outcomes. Seven databases were used in the search: ERIC, Education Research Complete, Medline, Medline Complete, Academic Search Complete, The Cochrane Library and PubMed. The search identified 2865 papers; among them, 1259 were excluded and 22 were evaluated. The selection incorporated five full papers which focused directly on the health professionals. Two studies involved the use of board games and two studies involved card games, crossword puzzles and one study involved a team quiz competition. Overall, studies lacked a strong link between the use of games for both instructional and assessment purposes. Gaming makes a positive impact on the teaching/learning process. However, existing assessment methodologies have been not fully captured the learning that may occur in these games. Robust research is needed to address the use of games that have been assessed objectively.

Impact of a Paper vs Virtual Simulated Patient Case on Student-Perceived Confidence and Engagement

PubMed Central

Gallimore, Casey E.; Pitterle, Michael; Morrill, Josh

2016-01-01

Objective. To evaluate online case simulation vs a paper case on student confidence and engagement. Design. Students enrolled in a pharmacotherapy laboratory course completed a patient case scenario as a component of an osteoarthritis laboratory module. Two laboratory sections used a paper case (n=53); three sections used an online virtual case simulation (n=81). Student module performance was assessed through a submitted subjective objective assessment plan (SOAP) note. Students completed pre/post surveys to measure self-perceived confidence in providing medication management. The simulation group completed postmodule questions related to realism and engagement of the online virtual case simulation. Group assessments were performed using chi-square and Mann Whitney tests. Assessment. A significant increase in all 13 confidence items was seen in both student groups following completion of the laboratory module. The simulation group had an increased change of confidence compared to the paper group in assessing medication efficacy and documenting a thorough assessment. Comparing the online virtual simulation to a paper case, students agreed the learning experience increased interest, enjoyment, relevance, and realism. The simulation group performed better on the subjective SOAP note domain though no differences in total SOAP note scores was found between the two groups. Conclusion. Virtual case simulations result in increased student engagement and may lead to improved documentation performance in the subjective domain of SOAP notes. However, virtual patient cases may offer limited benefit over paper cases in improving overall student self-confidence to provide medication management. PMID:26941442

Effects of language of assessment on the measurement of acculturation: measurement equivalence and cultural frame switching.

PubMed

Schwartz, Seth J; Benet-Martínez, Verónica; Knight, George P; Unger, Jennifer B; Zamboanga, Byron L; Des Rosiers, Sabrina E; Stephens, Dionne P; Huang, Shi; Szapocznik, José

2014-03-01

The present study used a randomized design, with fully bilingual Hispanic participants from the Miami area, to investigate 2 sets of research questions. First, we sought to ascertain the extent to which measures of acculturation (Hispanic and U.S. practices, values, and identifications) satisfied criteria for linguistic measurement equivalence. Second, we sought to examine whether cultural frame switching would emerge--that is, whether latent acculturation mean scores for U.S. acculturation would be higher among participants randomized to complete measures in English and whether latent acculturation mean scores for Hispanic acculturation would be higher among participants randomized to complete measures in Spanish. A sample of 722 Hispanic students from a Hispanic-serving university participated in the study. Participants were first asked to complete translation tasks to verify that they were fully bilingual. Based on ratings from 2 independent coders, 574 participants (79.5% of the sample) qualified as fully bilingual and were randomized to complete the acculturation measures in either English or Spanish. Theoretically relevant criterion measures--self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and personal identity--were also administered in the randomized language. Measurement equivalence analyses indicated that all of the acculturation measures--Hispanic and U.S. practices, values, and identifications-met criteria for configural, weak/metric, strong/scalar, and convergent validity equivalence. These findings indicate that data generated using acculturation measures can, at least under some conditions, be combined or compared across languages of administration. Few latent mean differences emerged. These results are discussed in terms of the measurement of acculturation in linguistically diverse populations. 2014 APA

Effects of Language of Assessment on the Measurement of Acculturation: Measurement Equivalence and Cultural Frame Switching

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Seth J.; Benet-Martínez, Verónica; Knight, George P.; Unger, Jennifer B.; Zamboanga, Byron L.; Des Rosiers, Sabrina E.; Stephens, Dionne; Huang, Shi; Szapocznik, José

2014-01-01

The present study used a randomized design, with fully bilingual Hispanic participants from the Miami area, to investigate two sets of research questions. First, we sought to ascertain the extent to which measures of acculturation (heritage and U.S. practices, values, and identifications) satisfied criteria for linguistic measurement equivalence. Second, we sought to examine whether cultural frame switching would emerge – that is, whether latent acculturation mean scores for U.S. acculturation would be higher among participants randomized to complete measures in English, and whether latent acculturation mean scores for Hispanic acculturation would be higher among participants randomized to complete measures in Spanish. A sample of 722 Hispanic students from a Hispanic-serving university participated in the study. Participants were first asked to complete translation tasks to verify that they were fully bilingual. Based on ratings from two independent coders, 574 participants (79.5% of the sample) qualified as fully bilingual and were randomized to complete the acculturation measures in either English or Spanish. Theoretically relevant criterion measures – self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and personal identity – were also administered in the randomized language. Measurement equivalence analyses indicated that all of the acculturation measures – Hispanic and U.S. practices, values, and identifications – met criteria for configural, weak/metric, strong/scalar, and convergent validity equivalence. These findings indicate that data generated using acculturation measures can, at least under some conditions, be combined or compared across languages of administration. Few latent mean differences emerged. These results are discussed in terms of the measurement of acculturation in linguistically diverse populations. PMID:24188146

Web-based sex diaries and young adult men who have sex with men: assessing feasibility, reactivity, and data agreement.

PubMed

Glick, Sara Nelson; Winer, Rachel L; Golden, Matthew R

2013-10-01

We compared quantitative diary data with retrospective survey data collected from a cohort of young adult men who have sex with men (MSM) in Seattle, Washington. Ninety-five MSM, aged 16-30 years, completed web-based surveys every 3 months and were randomized to 4 diary submission schedules: every 2 weeks, once a week, twice a week, or never. We calculated diary completion rates and assessed agreement between daily diary data and aggregate retrospective survey data for sexual behavior measures. Over 6 months, 78 % of participants completed at least 80 % of their diary days, and the 2-week schedule had the highest and most consistent completion rate. The majority of sexual behavior and substance use measures had strong agreement between the diary and retrospective survey data (i.e., kappa >0.80 or concordance correlation coefficient ≥0.75), although we observed poorer agreement for some measures of numbers of anal sex acts. There were no significant differences in mean responses across diary schedules. We observed some evidence of reactivity (i.e., a difference in behavior associated with diary completion). Participants not assigned diaries reported significantly more unprotected anal sex acts and were more likely to be newly diagnosed with HIV or another sexually transmitted infection compared to those assigned active diary schedules. This study suggests that sexual behavior data collected from young adult MSM during 3-month retrospective survey--an interval commonly used in sexual behavior research--are likely valid. Diaries, however, may have greater utility in sexual behavioral research in which counts, timing, sequence, or within-person variation over time are of particular import.

Measuring more than we know? An examination of the motivational and situational influences in science achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haydel, Angela Michelle

The purpose of this dissertation was to advance theoretical understanding about fit between the personal resources of individuals and the characteristics of science achievement tasks. Testing continues to be pervasive in schools, yet we know little about how students perceive tests and what they think and feel while they are actually working on test items. This study focused on both the personal (cognitive and motivational) and situational factors that may contribute to individual differences in achievement-related outcomes. 387 eighth grade students first completed a survey including measures of science achievement goals, capability beliefs, efficacy related to multiple-choice items and performance assessments, validity beliefs about multiple-choice items and performance assessments, and other perceptions of these item formats. Students then completed science achievement tests including multiple-choice items and two performance assessments. A sample of students was asked to verbalize both thoughts and feelings as they worked through the test items. These think-alouds were transcribed and coded for evidence of cognitive, metacognitive and motivational engagement. Following each test, all students completed measures of effort, mood, energy level and strategy use during testing. Students reported that performance assessments were more challenging, authentic, interesting and valid than multiple-choice tests. They also believed that comparisons between students were easier using multiple-choice items. Overall, students tried harder, felt better, had higher levels of energy and used more strategies while working on performance assessments. Findings suggested that performance assessments might be more congruent with a mastery achievement goal orientation, while multiple-choice tests might be more congruent with a performance achievement goal orientation. A variable-centered analytic approach including regression analyses provided information about how students, on average, who differed in terms of their teachers' ratings of their science ability, achievement goals, capability beliefs and experiences with science achievement tasks perceived, engaged in, and performed on multiple-choice items and performance assessments. Person-centered analyses provided information about the perceptions, engagement and performance of subgroups of individuals who had different motivational characteristics. Generally, students' personal goals and capability beliefs related more strongly to test perceptions, but not performance, while teacher ratings of ability and test-specific beliefs related to performance.

Kleptomania and Co-morbid addictive disorders.

PubMed

Kim, Hyoun S; Christianini, Aparecida Rangon; Bertoni, Daniela; de Oliveira, Maria do Carmo Medeiros; Hodgins, David C; Tavares, Hermano

2017-04-01

We examined the association between kleptomania and addictive disorders, including behavioral addictions. Fifty-three individuals with a diagnosis of kleptomania completed measures of kleptomania severity, semi-structured clinical interviews to assess co-morbid diagnosis of addictive disorders, and the Shorter PROMIS Questionnaire (SPQ) assessing an array of addictive behaviors. 20.75% of the sample met criteria for an addictive disorder; four for a substance use disorder and four for a behavioral addiction. Kleptomania severity was significantly associated with compulsive work and shopping measured by the SPQ. The results suggest the need to assess a wide array of addictive behaviors in individuals with kleptomania. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychological adjustment and the facilitative nature of close personal relationships.

PubMed

Cramer, D

1985-06-01

The Rogerian hypothesis that psychological adjustment is positively related to having a relationship which is perceived as being characterized by understanding, congruence and unconditional acceptance was tested in the context of a current, close relationship, using the original Relationship Inventory in two studies which used different measures of assessing psychological adjustment. In the first study 26 females and 19 males completed Phillips' questionnaire which assesses acceptance of self and of others, while in the second study, 98 females and 23 males completed Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale and a 30-item symptom checklist. The hypothesis was strongly confirmed for the females but not for the males in both studies.

Translation and cultural adaptation of the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) pain scale into Arabic for use with patients with diabetes in Libya.

PubMed

Garoushi, Sabri; Johnson, Mark I; Tashani, Osama A

2017-12-01

In Libya neuropathic pain is rarely assessed in patients with diabetes. The Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) pain scale is used worldwide to screen for neuropathic pain. There is no Arabic version of LANSS for use in Libya. The aim of this study was to develop an Arabic version of LANSS and to assess its validity and reliability in diabetic patients in Benghazi, Libya. LANSS was translated into Arabic by four bilingual translators and back translated to English by a university academic. Validity and reliability of the Arabic LANSS was assessed on 110 patients attending a Diabetes Centre in Benghazi. Concurrent validity was tested and compared with the Self-completed Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS). Test-retest reliability was conducted 1-2 weeks later. Internal consistency and inter-class correlation (ICC) between LANSS and S-LANSS was also tested. Internal consistency within first completion of the Arabic LANSS was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.793) and similar to the Arabic S-LANSS (0.796) and the second completion of the Arabic LANSS (0.795). ICC between the Arabic LANSS and the Arabic S-LANSS was 0.999 (p < 0.001). Test-retest reliability (ICC) between first and second completions of the Arabic LANSS was 0.999 (p < 0.001). Kappa measurement of agreement between the two Arabic LANSS completions and S-LANSS was high on all seven items (Kappa >0.95, p < 0.0001). We concluded that the Arabic version of LANSS pain scale was valid and reliable for use on Libyan diabetic patients. This study provided results suggesting that the S-LANSS could also be used on diabetic patients.

Developing a Measurement Tool for Assessing Physiotherapy Students' Self-Efficacy: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Anne; Sheppard, Lorraine

2012-01-01

The aim of this research was to determine if self-efficacy can be correlated with prior academic achievement and whether self-efficacy can be an outcome measure of education. A self-efficacy instrument was developed and administered to physiotherapy students following completion of their pre-clinical theory experience. The questionnaire results…

Measuring Attitudinal Change: A Sociolinguistic and Psycholinguistic Investigation into Perceptions of African American English and Academic English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latterman, Caroline Kennelly

2013-01-01

This experiment measured teachers' attitudes towards African American English and Academic English. Participants were graduate students of Education at a college in New York City. They completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire that assessed their explicit attitudes towards the two varieties, as well as a Psycholinguistic Experiment that was…

Childhood Traumatic Grief: A Multi-Site Empirical Examination of the Construct and Its Correlates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Elissa J.; Amaya-Jackson, Lisa; Cohen, Judith; Handel, Stephanie; De Bocanegra, Heike Thiel; Zatta, Eileen; Goodman, Robin F.; Mannarino, Anthony

2008-01-01

This study evaluated the construct of childhood traumatic grief (CTG) and its correlates through a multi-site assessment of 132 bereaved children and adolescents. Youth completed a new measure of the characteristics, attributions, and reactions to exposure to death (CARED), as well as measures of CTG, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD),…

Coping Styles and Strategies: A Comparison of Adolescent Students with and without Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firth, Nola; Greaves, Daryl; Frydenberg, Erica

2010-01-01

In this study, the authors compared the results of a coping measure completed by 98 seventh through ninth grade students who were assessed as having learning disabilities with published means from the general Australian student population. The "Adolescent Coping Scale" was the measure used. The results suggested higher use by students…

Dietary Behaviors and Portion Sizes of Black Women Who Enrolled in "SisterTalk" and Variation by Demographic Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gans, Kim M.; Risica, Patricia Markham; Kirtania, Usree; Jennings, Alishia; Strolla, Leslie O.; Steiner-Asiedu, Matilda; Hardy, Norma; Lasater, Thomas M.

2009-01-01

Objective: To describe the dietary behaviors of black women who enrolled in the SisterTalk weight control study. Design: Baseline data collected via telephone survey and in-person screening. Setting: Boston, Massachusetts and surrounding areas. Participants: 461 black women completed the baseline assessments. Main Outcome Measures: Measured height…

Preservice Teacher and Interpreter American Sign Language Abilities: Self-Evaluations and Evaluations of Deaf Students' Narrative Renditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beal-Alvarez, Jennifer S.; Scheetz, Nanci A.

2015-01-01

In deaf education, the sign language skills of teacher and interpreter candidates are infrequently assessed; when they are, formal measures are commonly used upon preparation program completion, as opposed to informal measures related to instructional tasks. Using an informal picture storybook task, the authors investigated the receptive and…

Role of Attachment in Response to Pet Loss

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, Nigel P.; Orsini, Lisa; Gavish, Roni; Packman, Wendy

2009-01-01

This study examined the impact of attachment on grief severity following the death of a pet. Seventy-one participants who had lost a dog or cat within the past year completed a set of measures that included an attachment measure assessing individual differences in attachment anxiety and avoidance, strength of the past attachment to the pet, the…

77 FR 67574 - Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-13

... ACLs and set new target rebuilding dates. Until the assessment is completed in 2013, the measures... targets (ACTs) for greater amberjack; revises the sector accountability measures (AMs) for greater... percent of commercial trips exclusively target greater amberjack. Comment 3: Amendment 35 and the proposed...

4.0 Measuring and monitoring forest carbon stocks and fluxes

Treesearch

Jennifer C. Jenkins; Peter S. Murdoch; Richard A. Birdsey; John L. Hom

2008-01-01

Measuring and monitoring forest productivity and carbon (C) is of growing concern for natural resource managers and policymakers. With the Delaware River Basin (DRB) as a pilot region, this subproject of the CEMRI sought to: improve the ability of the ground-based Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) networks to more completely assess forest C stocks and fluxes,...

Impulsive responses to emotion as a transdiagnostic vulnerability to internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

PubMed

Johnson, Sheri L; Carver, Charles S; Joormann, Jutta

2013-09-25

This study explored the hypothesis that impulsive reactions to heightened emotion may reflect a transdiagnostic vulnerability to both externalizing and internalizing symptoms. A sample of undergraduates completed self-report measures of aggression, borderline personality disorder symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and alcohol problems, and a subset completed interviews that assessed suicidality. All participants also completed self-report measures relating to impulsivity. We predicted that emotion-reactive impulsivity, but not other aspects of impulsivity, would be related to the set of psychopathology symptoms. Multiple regression analyses found that emotion-reactive impulsivity was uniquely related to each of the psychopathology scales, whereas non-emotion-relevant impulsivity was uniquely related only to alcohol problems. Discussion focuses on limitations and clinical implications. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing Metadata Quality of a Federally Sponsored Health Data Repository.

PubMed

Marc, David T; Beattie, James; Herasevich, Vitaly; Gatewood, Laël; Zhang, Rui

2016-01-01

The U.S. Federal Government developed HealthData.gov to disseminate healthcare datasets to the public. Metadata is provided for each datasets and is the sole source of information to find and retrieve data. This study employed automated quality assessments of the HealthData.gov metadata published from 2012 to 2014 to measure completeness, accuracy, and consistency of applying standards. The results demonstrated that metadata published in earlier years had lower completeness, accuracy, and consistency. Also, metadata that underwent modifications following their original creation were of higher quality. HealthData.gov did not uniformly apply Dublin Core Metadata Initiative to the metadata, which is a widely accepted metadata standard. These findings suggested that the HealthData.gov metadata suffered from quality issues, particularly related to information that wasn't frequently updated. The results supported the need for policies to standardize metadata and contributed to the development of automated measures of metadata quality.

Assessing Metadata Quality of a Federally Sponsored Health Data Repository

PubMed Central

Marc, David T.; Beattie, James; Herasevich, Vitaly; Gatewood, Laël; Zhang, Rui

2016-01-01

The U.S. Federal Government developed HealthData.gov to disseminate healthcare datasets to the public. Metadata is provided for each datasets and is the sole source of information to find and retrieve data. This study employed automated quality assessments of the HealthData.gov metadata published from 2012 to 2014 to measure completeness, accuracy, and consistency of applying standards. The results demonstrated that metadata published in earlier years had lower completeness, accuracy, and consistency. Also, metadata that underwent modifications following their original creation were of higher quality. HealthData.gov did not uniformly apply Dublin Core Metadata Initiative to the metadata, which is a widely accepted metadata standard. These findings suggested that the HealthData.gov metadata suffered from quality issues, particularly related to information that wasn’t frequently updated. The results supported the need for policies to standardize metadata and contributed to the development of automated measures of metadata quality. PMID:28269883

Assessing medical students' self-regulation as aptitude in computer-based learning.

PubMed

Song, Hyuksoon S; Kalet, Adina L; Plass, Jan L

2011-03-01

We developed a Self-Regulation Measure for Computer-based learning (SRMC) tailored toward medical students, by modifying Zimmerman's Self-Regulated Learning Interview Schedule (SRLIS) for K-12 learners. The SRMC's reliability and validity were examined in 2 studies. In Study 1, 109 first-year medical students were asked to complete the SRMC. Bivariate correlation analysis results indicated that the SRMC scores had a moderate degree of correlation with student achievement in a teacher-developed test. In Study 2, 58 third-year clerkship students completed the SRMC. Regression analysis results indicated that the frequency of medical students' usage of self-regulation strategies was associated with their general clinical knowledge measured by a nationally standardized licensing exam. These two studies provided evidence for the reliability and concurrent validity of the SRMC to assess medical students' self-regulation as aptitude. Future work should provide evidence to guide and improve instructional design as well as inform educational policy.

Associations among selective attention, memory bias, cognitive errors and symptoms of anxiety in youth.

PubMed

Watts, Sarah E; Weems, Carl F

2006-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the linkages among selective attention, memory bias, cognitive errors, and anxiety problems by testing a model of the interrelations among these cognitive variables and childhood anxiety disorder symptoms. A community sample of 81 youth (38 females and 43 males) aged 9-17 years and their parents completed measures of the child's anxiety disorder symptoms. Youth completed assessments measuring selective attention, memory bias, and cognitive errors. Results indicated that selective attention, memory bias, and cognitive errors were each correlated with childhood anxiety problems and provide support for a cognitive model of anxiety which posits that these three biases are associated with childhood anxiety problems. Only limited support for significant interrelations among selective attention, memory bias, and cognitive errors was found. Finally, results point towards an effective strategy for moving the assessment of selective attention to younger and community samples of youth.

A study into the automation of cognitive assessment tasks for delivery via the telephone: lessons for developing remote monitoring applications for the elderly.

PubMed

D'Arcy, Shona; Rapcan, Viliam; Gali, Alessandra; Burke, Nicola; O'Connell, Gloria Crispino; Robertson, Ian H; Reilly, Richard B

2013-01-01

Cognitive assessments are valuable tools in assessing neurological conditions. They are critical in measuring deficits in cognitive function in an array of neurological disorders and during the ageing process. Automation of cognitive assessments is one way to address the increasing burden on medical resources for an ever increasing ageing population. This study investigated the suitability of using automated Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology to deliver a suite of cognitive assessments to older adults using speech as the input modality. Several clinically valid and gold-standard cognitive assessments were selected for implementation in the IVR application. The IVR application was designed using human centred design principles to ensure the experience was as user friendly as possible. Sixty one participants completed two IVR assessments and one face to face (FF) assessment with a neuropsychologist. Completion rates for individual tests were inspected to identify those tests that are most suitable for administration via IVR technology. Interclass correlations were calculated to assess the reliability of the automated administration of the cognitive assessments across delivery modes. While all participants successfully completed all automated assessments, variability in the completion rates for different cognitive tests was observed. Statistical analysis found significant interclass correlations for certain cognitive tests between the different modes of administration. Analysis also suggests that an initial FF assessment reduces the variability in cognitive test scores when introducing automation into such an assessment. [corrected] This study has demonstrated the functional and cognitive reliability of administering specific cognitive tests using an automated, speech driven application. This study has defined the characteristics of existing cognitive tests that are suitable for such an automated delivery system and also informs on the limitations of other cognitive tests for this modality. This study presents recommendations for developing future large scale cognitive assessments.

Using screen-based simulation to improve performance during pediatric resuscitation.

PubMed

Biese, Kevin J; Moro-Sutherland, Donna; Furberg, Robert D; Downing, Brian; Glickman, Larry; Murphy, Alison; Jackson, Cheryl L; Snyder, Graham; Hobgood, Cherri

2009-12-01

To assess the ability of a screen-based simulation-training program to improve emergency medicine and pediatric resident performance in critical pediatric resuscitation knowledge, confidence, and skills. A pre-post, interventional design was used. Three measures of performance were created and assessed before and after intervention: a written pre-course knowledge examination, a self-efficacy confidence score, and a skills-based high-fidelity simulation code scenario. For the high-fidelity skills assessment, independent physician raters recorded and reviewed subject performance. The intervention consisted of eight screen-based pediatric resuscitation scenarios that subjects had 4 weeks to complete. Upon completion of the scenarios, all three measures were repeated. For the confidence assessment, summary pre- and post-test summary confidence scores were compared using a t-test, and for the skills assessment, pre-scores were compared with post-test measures for each individual using McNemar's chi-square test for paired samples. Twenty-six of 35 (71.3%) enrolled subjects completed the institutional review board-approved study. Increases were observed in written test scores, confidence, and some critical interventions in high-fidelity simulation. The mean improvement in cumulative confidence scores for all residents was 10.1 (SD +/-4.9; range 0-19; p < 0.001), with no resident feeling less confident after the intervention. Although overall performance in simulated codes did not change significantly, with average scores of 6.65 (+/-1.76) to 7.04 (+/-1.37) out of 9 possible points (p = 0.58), improvement was seen in the administering of appropriate amounts of IV fluids (59-89%, p = 0.03). In this study, improvements in resident knowledge, confidence, and performance of certain skills in simulated pediatric cardiac arrest scenarios suggest that screen-based simulations may be an effective way to enhance resuscitation skills of pediatric providers. These results should be confirmed using a randomized design with an appropriate control group. (c) 2009 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

The effect of video review of resident laparoscopic surgical skills measured by self- and external assessment

PubMed Central

Herrera-Almario, Gabriel E.; Kirk, Katherine; Guerrero, Veronica T.; Jeong, Kwonho; Kim, Sara; Hamad, Giselle G.

2015-01-01

Background Video review of surgical skills is an educational modality that allows trainees to reflect on self-performance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether resident and attending assessments of a resident’s laparoscopic performance differ and whether video review changes assessments. Methods Third-year surgery residents were invited to participate. Elective laparoscopic procedures were video-recorded. The Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills evaluation was completed immediately after the procedure and again 7–10 days later by both resident and attending. Scores were compared using t- tests. Results Nine residents participated and 76 video reviews were completed. Residents scored themselves significantly lower than the faculty scores both prior to and after video review. Resident scores did not change significantly after video review. Conclusions Attending and resident self-assessment of laparoscopic skills differ and subsequent video review doesn’t significantly affect GOALS scores. Further studies should evaluate the impact of video review combined with verbal feedback on skill acquisition and assessment. PMID:26590043

Internalized weight bias: ratings of the self, normal weight, and obese individuals and psychological maladjustment

PubMed Central

Burmeister, J.; Oehlhof, M. W.; Hinman, N.; LeRoy, M.; Bannon, E.; Koball, A.; Ashrafloun, L.

2012-01-01

Current measures of internalized weight bias assess factors such as responsibility for weight status, mistreatment because of weight, etc. A potential complementary approach for assessing internalized weight bias is to examine the correspondence between individuals’ ratings of obese people, normal weight people, and themselves on personality traits. This investigation examined the relationships among different measures of internalized weight bias, as well as the association between those measures and psychosocial maladjustment. Prior to the beginning of a weight loss intervention, 62 overweight/obese adults completed measures of explicit and internalized weight bias as well as body image, binge eating, and depression. Discrepancies between participants’ ratings of obese people in general and ratings of themselves on both positive and negative traits predicted unique variance in measures of maladjustment above a traditional assessment of internalized weight bias. This novel approach to measuring internalized weight bias provides information above and beyond traditional measures of internalized weight bias and begins to provide insights into social comparison processes involved in weight bias. PMID:22322909

Internalized weight bias: ratings of the self, normal weight, and obese individuals and psychological maladjustment.

PubMed

Carels, Robert A; Burmeister, J; Oehlhof, M W; Hinman, N; LeRoy, M; Bannon, E; Koball, A; Ashrafloun, L

2013-02-01

Current measures of internalized weight bias assess factors such as responsibility for weight status, mistreatment because of weight, etc. A potential complementary approach for assessing internalized weight bias is to examine the correspondence between individuals' ratings of obese people, normal weight people, and themselves on personality traits. This investigation examined the relationships among different measures of internalized weight bias, as well as the association between those measures and psychosocial maladjustment. Prior to the beginning of a weight loss intervention, 62 overweight/obese adults completed measures of explicit and internalized weight bias as well as body image, binge eating, and depression. Discrepancies between participants' ratings of obese people in general and ratings of themselves on both positive and negative traits predicted unique variance in measures of maladjustment above a traditional assessment of internalized weight bias. This novel approach to measuring internalized weight bias provides information above and beyond traditional measures of internalized weight bias and begins to provide insights into social comparison processes involved in weight bias.

Defining the "Correct Form": Using Biomechanics to Develop Reliable and Valid Assessment Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Satern, Miriam N.

2011-01-01

Physical educators should be able to define the "correct form" they expect to see each student performing in their classes. Moreover, they should be able to go beyond assessing students' skill levels by measuring the outcomes (products) of movements (i.e., how far they throw the ball or how many successful attempts are completed) or counting the…

Test-Retest Reliability of the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment (PAPA)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Egger, Helen Link; Erkanli, Alaattin; Keeler, Gordon; Potts, Edward; Walter, Barbara Keith; Angold, Adrian

2006-01-01

Objective: To examine the test-retest reliability of a new interviewer-based psychiatric diagnostic measure (the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment) for use with parents of preschoolers 2 to 5 years old. Method: A total of 1,073 parents of children attending a large pediatric clinic completed the Child Behavior Checklist 1 1/2-5. For 18 months,…

Moving beyond Achievement Data: Development of the Student Orientation to School Questionnaire as a Noncognitive Assessment Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burger, John M.; Nadirova, Anna; Keefer, Kateryna V.

2012-01-01

The Student Orientation to School Questionnaire (SOS-Q) is a multidimensional student-centered assessment tool for measuring psychosocial facilitators of student engagement. The SOS-Q is based in research on the self-system models of motivation and direct student input on perceived supports and barriers for high school completion. The current…

Psychometric Properties of an Abbreviated Instrument of the Five-Factor Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullins-Sweatt, Stephanie N.; Jamerson, Janetta E.; Samuel, Douglas B.; Olson, David R.; Widiger, Thomas A.

2006-01-01

Brief measures of the five-factor model (FFM) have been developed but none include an assessment of facets within each domain. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of a simple, one-page, facet-level description of the FFM. Five data collections were completed to assess the reliability and the convergent and discriminant validity…

Psychometrics of the Emotional Intelligence Scale in Elite, Amateur, and Non-Athletes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaughan, Robert; Laborde, Sylvain

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the psychometrics properties of the Emotional Intelligence Scale and assess the measurement invariance across elite (n = 367), amateur (n = 629), and non-athletes (n = 550). In total, 1,546 participants from various sports completed the emotional intelligence scale. Several competing models were compared…

Development of the Contextual Assessment of Social Skills (CASS): A Role Play Measure of Social Skill for Individuals with High-Functioning Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratto, Allison B.; Turner-Brown, Lauren; Rupp, Betty M.; Mesibov, Gary B.; Penn, David L.

2011-01-01

This study piloted a role play assessment of conversational skills for adolescents and young adults with high-functioning autism/Asperger syndrome (HFA/AS). Participants completed two semi-structured role plays, in which social context was manipulated by changing the confederate's level of interest in the conversation. Participants' social…

Time Diary and Questionnaire Assessment of Factors Associated with Academic and Personal Success among University Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Darren; Dixon, Sinikka; Stansal, Emory; Gelb, Shannon Lund; Pheri, Tabitha

2008-01-01

Objective and Participants: A sample of 231 students attending a private liberal arts university in central Alberta, Canada, completed a 5-day time diary and a 71-item questionnaire assessing the influence of personal, cognitive, and attitudinal factors on success. Methods: The authors used 3 success measures: cumulative grade point average (GPA),…

Evaluating the Recovery Curve for Clinically Assessed Reaction Time After Concussion.

PubMed

Del Rossi, Gianluca

2017-08-01

  A change in reaction time is one of various clinical measures of neurocognitive function that can be monitored after concussion and has been reported to be among the most sensitive indicators of cognitive impairment.   To determine the timeline for clinically assessed simple reaction time to return to baseline after a concussion in high school athletes.   Observational study.   Athletic training room.   Twenty-one high school-aged volunteers.   Participants completed 8 trials of the ruler-drop test during each session. Along with baseline measures, a total of 6 additional test sessions were completed over the course of 4 weeks after a concussion (days 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28).   The mean reaction times calculated for all participants from each of the 7 test sessions were analyzed to assess the change in reaction time over the 7 time intervals.   After a concussion and compared with baseline, simple reaction time was, on average, 26 milliseconds slower at 48 to 72 hours postinjury (P < .001), almost 18 milliseconds slower on day 7 (P < .001), and about 9 milliseconds slower on day 10 (P < .001). Simple reaction time did not return to baseline levels until day 14 postinjury.   Clinically assessed simple reaction time appeared to return to baseline levels within a timeframe that mirrors other measures of cognitive performance (approximately 14 days).

Measuring Maladaptive Cognitions in Complicated Grief: Introducing the Typical Beliefs Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Skritskaya, Natalia A.; Mauro, Christine; Olonoff, Matthew; Qiu, Xin; Duncan, Sarah; Wang, Yuanjia; Duan, Naihua; Lebowitz, Barry; Reynolds, Charles F.; Simon, Naomi M.; Zisook, Sidney; Shear, M. Katherine

2016-01-01

Objectives Maladaptive cognitions related to loss are thought to contribute to development of complicated grief and are crucial to address in treatment, but tools available to assess them are limited. This paper introduces the Typical Beliefs Questionnaire (TBQ), a 25-item self-report instrument to assess cognitions that interfere with adaptation to loss. Design Study participants completed an assessment battery during their initial evaluation and again after completing treatment at 20 weeks. Test-retest reliability was assessed on a subsample of the participants who did not show change in complicated grief severity after the first four weeks of treatment. To examine latent structure of the TBQ, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed. Setting Academic medical centers in Boston, New York, Pittsburgh and San Diego from 2010–2014. Participants 394 bereaved adults who met criteria for complicated grief. Measurements The TBQ along with assessments of complicated grief symptoms and related avoidance, depression symptoms, functional impairment, and perceived social support. Results The TBQ exhibited good internal consistency (α= .82) and test-retest reliability (n=105; ICC= .74). EFA indicated a five-factor structure: “Protesting the Death,” “Negative Thoughts About the World,” “Needing the Person,” “Less Grief is Wrong” and “Grieving Too Much.” The total score and all factors showed sensitivity to change with treatment. Conclusions This new tool allows a clinician to quickly and reliably ascertain presence of specific maladaptive cognitions related to complicated grief, and subsequently, to use the information to aid a diagnostic assessment, to structure the treatment, and to measure treatment outcomes. PMID:27793576

Challenges in data quality: the influence of data quality assessments on data availability and completeness in a voluntary medical male circumcision programme in Zimbabwe

PubMed Central

Xiao, Y; Bochner, A F; Makunike, B; Holec, M; Xaba, S; Tshimanga, M; Chitimbire, V; Barnhart, S; Feldacker, C

2017-01-01

Objectives To assess availability and completeness of data collected before and after a data quality audit (DQA) in voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) sites in Zimbabwe to determine the effect of this process on data quality. Setting 4 of 10 VMMC sites in Zimbabwe that received a DQA in February, 2015 selected by convenience sampling. Participants Retrospective reviews of all client intake forms (CIFs) from November, 2014 and May, 2015. A total of 1400 CIFs were included from those 2 months across four sites. Primary and secondary outcomes Data availability was measured as the percentage of VMMC clients whose CIF was on file at each site. A data evaluation tool measured the completeness of 34 key CIF variables. A comparison of pre-DQA and post-DQA results was conducted using χ2 and t-tests. Results After the DQA, high record availability of over 98% was maintained by sites 3 and 4. For sites 1 and 2, record availability increased by 8.0% (p=0.001) and 9.7% (p=0.02), respectively. After the DQA, sites 1, 2 and 3 improved significantly in data completeness across 34 key indicators, increasing by 8.6% (p<0.001), 2.7% (p=0.003) and 3.8% (p<0.001), respectively. For site 4, CIF data completeness decreased by 1.7% (p<0.01) after the DQA. Conclusions Our findings suggest that CIF data availability and completeness generally improved after the DQA. However, gaps in documentation of vital signs and adverse events signal areas for improvement. Additional emphasis on data completeness would help support high-quality programme implementation and availability of reliable data for decision-making. PMID:28132009

Brief report: do service dog providers placing dogs with children with developmental disabilities use outcome measures and, if so, what are they?

PubMed

Butterly, Felicity; Percy, Carol; Ward, Gillian

2013-11-01

The aim of this study was to identify the outcomes expected and assessed by those providing service dogs to children with developmental disabilities. Seventeen registered service dog providers were invited to complete a mixed methods online survey. Five providers, who prepared dogs to work with a wide range of conditions and behaviours, mainly Asperger's syndrome, autism and communication disorders, completed the survey. All five participants reported that they expected to see positive changes as a consequence of the service dog placement, in both the recipient child and their family, including improvements in attention span and language skills, as well as increased familial cohesion. Survey responses indicated that not all desired outcomes were routinely assessed. The range of assessments used were interviews, intake conversations, pre-placement questionnaires, child social diaries filled in by parents, follow up surveys after placement, and child observation by parents. No specifically named valid and reliable clinical or research measures were referred to, showing an emphasis on assessments from parents and service dog providers. It is not clear whether pre-intervention assessments are repeated systematically at follow-up, which could show robust intervention effects. There is scope for professionals in developmental disability to work with service dog providers to improve the evidence base in this field.

The relationship between the FFM and personality disorders in a personnel selection sample.

PubMed

Nederström, Mikael; Furnham, Adrian

2012-10-01

The relationships between the Five Factor Model (FFM) personality and personality disorders were investigated. A sample of real-life job applicants completed two personality questionnaires with different theoretical backgrounds in a psychological assessment center. The job applicants provided self-descriptions both on the FFM inventory and on a personality disorder trait inventory. A subsample of these candidates was interviewed by expert psychologists upon entrance to the assessment center. The psychologists assessed the same disorder traits of each target in job interviews. Both self-descriptions were used to predict the expert assessments. The results demonstrated considerable overlap between the FFM measures of normal and measures of abnormal personality in both samples and regardless of assessment method. © 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2012 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

The use of three-dimensional ultrasound does not improve training in fetal biometric measurements.

PubMed

Chan, Lin W; Ting, Yuen H; Lao, Terence T; Chau, Macy M C; Fung, Tak Y; Leung, Tak Y; Sahota, Daljit S; Lau, Tze K

2011-09-01

To investigate whether three-dimensional (3D) technology offers any advantage over two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound in fetal biometric measurement training. Ten midwives with no hands-on experience in ultrasound were randomized to receive training on 2D or 3D ultrasound fetal biometry assessment. Midwives were taught how to obtain fetal biometric measurements (biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC), and femur length (FL)) by a trainer. Subsequently, each midwife measured the parameters on another 10 fetuses. The same set of measurements was repeated by the trainer. The percentage deviation between the midwives' and the trainer's measurements was determined and compared between training groups. Time required for completion was recorded. Frozen images were reviewed by another sonographer to assess the image quality using a standardized scoring system. The median time for the complete set of measurements was significantly shorter in the 2D than in 3D group (13.4 min versus 17.8 min, P = 0.03). The mean percentage deviations did not reach statistical significance between the two groups except for FL (3.83% in 2D group versus 2.23% in 3D group (P = 0.046)). There were no significant differences in the quality scores. This study showed that the only demonstrable advantage of 3D ultrasound was a slightly more accurate measurement of FL, at the expense of a significantly longer time required.

Comparison between objective measures and parental behavioral rating scales of memory and attention in pediatric endocrinology patients.

PubMed

Limbers, Christine; Young, Danielle; Jernigan, Stephanie; Bryant, William; Stephen, Matt

2017-01-01

Behavioral rating scales represent one potential method for screening of cognitive functioning in routine clinical care. It is not yet known if objective performance based measures and behavioral rating scales of cognitive functioning completed by parents yield similar information in pediatric endocrinology patients. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the associations between performance-based measures and behavioral rating scales of memory and attention/concentration completed by parents of pediatric patients with Type 1 Diabetes or obesity. The sample consisted of 73 pediatric patients with Type 1 Diabetes or obesity (BMI > 95th percentile) ages 6-16 years (mean age = 12.29 years) referred to an outpatient pediatric endocrinology clinic. Youth were administered the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAML-2). Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the PedsQL Cognitive Functioning Scale. Pearson's Product Moment Correlations were examined among the performance-based measures and behavioral rating scales. All intercorrelations between the performance-based measures and behavioral rating scales completed by parents were in the small range. The only statistically significant (P < 0.05) and approaching medium correlation was between the PedsQL Cognitive Functioning Scale and WRAML-2 Verbal Memory Index (r = 0.28). On behavioral rating scales and performance-based measures of visual memory and attention/concentration, our sample exhibited greater difficulties than healthy youth from previously published data (P < 0.05). One possible explanation for our findings is that behavioral rating scales of attention/concentration and memory completed by parents measure different aspects of cognitive functioning than performance based measures in pediatric patients with Type 1 Diabetes or obesity.

Limitations of subjective cognitive load measures in simulation-based procedural training.

PubMed

Naismith, Laura M; Cheung, Jeffrey J H; Ringsted, Charlotte; Cavalcanti, Rodrigo B

2015-08-01

The effective implementation of cognitive load theory (CLT) to optimise the instructional design of simulation-based training requires sensitive and reliable measures of cognitive load. This mixed-methods study assessed relationships between commonly used measures of total cognitive load and the extent to which these measures reflected participants' experiences of cognitive load in simulation-based procedural skills training. Two groups of medical residents (n = 38) completed three questionnaires after participating in simulation-based procedural skills training sessions: the Paas Cognitive Load Scale; the NASA Task Load Index (TLX), and a cognitive load component (CLC) questionnaire we developed to assess total cognitive load as the sum of intrinsic load (how complex the task is), extraneous load (how the task is presented) and germane load (how the learner processes the task for learning). We calculated Pearson's correlation coefficients to assess agreement among these instruments. Group interviews explored residents' perceptions about how the simulation sessions contributed to their total cognitive load. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and subjected to qualitative content analysis. Total cognitive load scores differed significantly according to the instrument used to assess them. In particular, there was poor agreement between the Paas Scale and the TLX. Quantitative and qualitative findings supported intrinsic cognitive load as synonymous with mental effort (Paas Scale), mental demand (TLX) and task difficulty and complexity (CLC questionnaire). Additional qualitative themes relating to extraneous and germane cognitive loads were not reflected in any of the questionnaires. The Paas Scale, TLX and CLC questionnaire appear to be interchangeable as measures of intrinsic cognitive load, but not of total cognitive load. A more complete understanding of the sources of extraneous and germane cognitive loads in simulation-based training contexts is necessary to determine how best to measure and assess their effects on learning and performance outcomes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effects of captivity survival training on mood, dissociation, PTSD symptoms, cognitive performance and stress hormones.

PubMed

Suurd Ralph, Cindy; Vartanian, Oshin; Lieberman, Harris R; Morgan, Charles A; Cheung, Bob

2017-07-01

In the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), Conduct After Capture (CAC) training is a 4-day captivity survival course during which soldiers are exposed to increasing stress, and evaluated on their ability to accomplish military objectives. We hypothesized that: (a) compared to baseline, CAC training would cause significant, reversible perturbations in measures of psychological functioning and serum and salivary stress hormone levels relevant to models of stress hardiness and vulnerability; and (b) deviations from baseline would be maximal at the time point of most intense stress during training. CAF personnel were assessed at baseline, twice during training (immediately prior to a less challenging interrogation role-play scenario and again following another much more intense interrogation role-play scenario), and after completion of training. At each occasion, mood, fatigue, dissociation, PTSD symptoms, short-term and working memory, and salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were assessed. As predicted, scores on all measures were degraded during CAC but recovered after completion of training, and almost all measures were most degraded at the more intense interrogation role-play scenario. Unexpectedly, memory performance was unaffected by training, suggesting that a short duration of intense stress might be insufficient for degrading it. Another unexpected finding was that mood assessed prior to training predicted successful completion of training, which bears important practical implications for increasing the success rate of training in similar environments. These results demonstrate that despite its relative brevity, CAC training nevertheless induces significant but reversible effects on psychological and physiological function-necessary preconditions for stress inoculation training. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Validity and reliability of a brief self-reported questionnaire assessing fruit and vegetable consumption among pregnant women.

PubMed

Vézina-Im, Lydi-Anne; Godin, Gaston; Couillard, Charles; Perron, Julie; Lemieux, Simone; Robitaille, Julie

2016-09-15

Short instruments measuring frequency of specific foods, such as fruit and vegetable (FV), are increasingly used in interventions. The objective of the study was to verify the validity and test-retest reliability of such an instrument among pregnant women. Pregnant women from the region of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, were recruited through e-mails sent to female students and employees of the local university from October 2014 to April 2015. To assess the validity of the fruit and vegetable questionnaire (FVQ) developed by Godin et al. (Can J Public Health 99: 494-498, 2008), pregnant women were asked in a first mailing to complete the FVQ assessing FV intake over the past 7 days and a 3-day estimated food record. A subsample (n = 33) also gave a fasting blood sample and completed a validated semi-quantitative FFQ administered by a trained registered dietitian during a visit at the research center. FV intakes for all instruments were calculated in terms of servings of FV based on Canada's Food Guide definition of a serving of fruit or vegetable. In order to assess its test-retest reliability, respondents were asked to complete the FVQ 14 days later in a second mailing. Forty-eight pregnant women from all three trimesters completed the questionnaires in the first mailing. FV intake assessed using the FVQ was correlated to FV consumption measured using the food record (r = 0.34, p = 0.0180) and the FFQ (r = 0.61, p = 0.0002). Results were similar when controlling for energy intake and the experience of nausea in the past month. Only β-cryptoxanthin was significantly correlated to FV intake assessed by the FFQ when adjusted for the presence of nausea (r = 0.35, p = 0.0471). Data on the test-retest reliability was available for 44 women and the intra-class coefficient for the FVQ was 0.72 at a mean 28-day interval. The FVQ has acceptable validity and test-retest reliability values, but seems to underestimate FV servings in pregnant women. It represents an interesting alternative for researchers or clinicians interested in estimating quickly FV intake among pregnant women, such as in large trials or during prenatal visits. The FVQ should however be coupled with other self-reported measures, such as a food record, for assessing precise individual FV intake.

Development and evaluation of the British English coordinate response measure speech-in-noise test as an occupational hearing assessment tool.

PubMed

Semeraro, Hannah D; Rowan, Daniel; van Besouw, Rachel M; Allsopp, Adrian A

2017-10-01

The studies described in this article outline the design and development of a British English version of the coordinate response measure (CRM) speech-in-noise (SiN) test. Our interest in the CRM is as a SiN test with high face validity for occupational auditory fitness for duty (AFFD) assessment. Study 1 used the method of constant stimuli to measure and adjust the psychometric functions of each target word, producing a speech corpus with equal intelligibility. After ensuring all the target words had similar intelligibility, for Studies 2 and 3, the CRM was presented in an adaptive procedure in stationary speech-spectrum noise to measure speech reception thresholds and evaluate the test-retest reliability of the CRM SiN test. Studies 1 (n = 20) and 2 (n = 30) were completed by normal-hearing civilians. Study 3 (n = 22) was completed by hearing impaired military personnel. The results display good test-retest reliability (95% confidence interval (CI) < 2.1 dB) and concurrent validity when compared to the triple-digit test (r ≤ 0.65), and the CRM is sensitive to hearing impairment. The British English CRM using stationary speech-spectrum noise is a "ready to use" SiN test, suitable for investigation as an AFFD assessment tool for military personnel.

The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 as an assessment measure for depressive symptoms: a correlational study with young adolescents.

PubMed

Reinfjell, Trude; Hjemdal, Odin; Aune, Tore; Vikan, Arne; Diseth, Trond H

2008-01-01

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is today considered an important assessment measurement, but still only a few measures assess HRQOL outcomes for children and adolescents. One of them is the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). This correlation study explored the associations between depressive symptoms in young adolescents and the PedsQL scores when controlling for known risk factors. An adolescent sample (n=425) completed a battery of measures including the PedsQL Norwegian version, the Short Mood and Feeling Questionnaire (SMFQ), the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for children (SPAI-C), and the occurrence of Stressful Life Events (SLE). The results showed a mild to moderate correlation between the measures PedsQL, SMFQ, SPAI-C and SLE. The presence of depressive symptoms significantly predicted the PedsQL scores for the adolescence, and explained 17% of the variance in outcome for the PedsQL Total Scale. The findings suggest that the PedsQL is an adequate assessment instrument regarding depressive symptoms in young adolescents, and can be useful in both clinical practice and further research as an assessment measure regarding children's mental health.

Robotic Characterization of Ipsilesional Motor Function in Subacute Stroke.

PubMed

Semrau, Jennifer A; Herter, Troy M; Kenzie, Jeffrey M; Findlater, Sonja E; Scott, Stephen H; Dukelow, Sean P

2017-06-01

Poststroke impairments of the ipsilesional arm are often discussed, but rarely receive focused rehabilitation. Ipsilesional deficits may affect daily function and although many studies have investigated them in chronic stroke, few characterizations have been made in the subacute phase. Furthermore, most studies have quantified ipsilesional deficits using clinical measures that can fail to detect subtle, but important deficits in motor function. We aimed to quantify reaching deficits of the contra- and ipsilesional limbs in the subacute phase poststroke. A total of 227 subjects with first-time, unilateral stroke completed a unilateral assessment of motor function (visually guided reaching) using a KINARM robot. Subjects completed the task with both the ipsi- and contralesional arms. Subjects were assessed on a variety of traditional clinical measures (Functional Independence Measure, Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment, Purdue Pegboard, Behavioral Inattention Test) to compare with robotic measures of motor function. Ipsilesional deficits were common and occurred in 37% (n = 84) of subjects. Impairments of the ipsilesional and contralesional arm were weakly to moderately correlated on robotic measures. Magnitude of impairment of the contralesional arm was similar for subjects with and without ipsilesional deficits. Furthermore, we found that a higher percentage of subjects with right-hemisphere stroke had ipsilesional deficits and more subjects with left-hemisphere subcortical strokes did not have ipsilesional deficits. Magnitude of contralesional impairment and lesion location may be poor predictors of individuals with ipsilesional impairments after stroke. Careful characterization of ipsilesional deficits could identify individuals who may benefit from rehabilitation of the less affected arm.

Assessing Chronic Illness Care Education (ACIC-E): a tool for tracking educational re-design for improving chronic care education.

PubMed

Bowen, Judith L; Provost, Lloyd; Stevens, David P; Johnson, Julie K; Woods, Donna M; Sixta, Connie S; Wagner, Edward H

2010-09-01

Recent Breakthrough Series Collaboratives have focused on improving chronic illness care, but few have included academic practices, and none have specifically targeted residency education in parallel with improving clinical care. Tools are available for assessing progress with clinical improvements, but no similar instruments have been developed for monitoring educational improvements for chronic care education. To design a survey to assist teaching practices with identifying curricular gaps in chronic care education and monitor efforts to address those gaps. During a national academic chronic care collaborative, we used an iterative method to develop and pilot test a survey instrument modeled after the Assessing Chronic Illness Care (ACIC). We implemented this instrument, the ACIC-Education, in a second collaborative and assessed the relationship of survey results with reported educational measures. A combined 57 self-selected teams from 37 teaching hospitals enrolled in one of two collaboratives. We used descriptive statistics to report mean ACIC-E scores and educational measurement results, and Pearson's test for correlation between the final ACIC-E score and reported educational measures. A total of 29 teams from the national collaborative and 15 teams from the second collaborative in California completed the final ACIC-E. The instrument measured progress on all sub-scales of the Chronic Care Model. Fourteen California teams (70%) reported using two to six education measures (mean 4.3). The relationship between the final survey results and the number of educational measures reported was weak (R(2) = 0.06, p = 0.376), but improved when a single outlier was removed (R(2) = 0.37, p = 0.022). The ACIC-E instrument proved feasible to complete. Participating teams, on average, recorded modest improvement in all areas measured by the instrument over the duration of the collaboratives. The relationship between the final ACIC-E score and the number of educational measures was weak. Further research on its utility and validity is required.

Decreases in tanning behaviors following a short online survey: Potential for prevention?

PubMed

Rodgers, Rachel F; Franko, Debra L; Gottlieb, Mark; Daynard, Richard

2015-01-01

To date, tanning prevention programs have led to limited success. The aim of the present study was to investigate potential unexpected prevention effects of completing an online survey focused on tanning attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge among female college tanners. A sample of 92 female undergraduate students from the USA, mean age = 20.09, SD = 1.41 years, who engaged in indoor tanning completed an online survey assessing awareness of tanning-related health risks, appearance-based motivations to tan and not to tan, media literacy related to tanning marketing, and tanning behaviors in 2013. Four months later, participants were invited to complete a follow-up survey assessing tanning intentions and behaviors since completing the initial survey. Fifty-one participants (55%) completed the follow-up questions, of whom 43 (84.3%) reported having decreased or ceased engaging in indoor tanning. In addition participants provided comments indicating that completing the survey had lead to decreases in their tanning behaviors. Our study presents novel and compelling support for using brief online surveys for decreasing health-risk behaviors such as sunbed use. Such measures are extremely cost-effective and easy to disseminate and implement. Replication and extension of these findings are warranted.

Implicit out-group preference is associated with eating disorders symptoms amongst Emirati females.

PubMed

Thomas, Justin; Quadflieg, Susanne; O'Hara, Lily

2016-04-01

Studies exploring the relationship between acculturation and eating disorders symptoms have proven equivocal. Socially desirable responding associated with the use of explicit measures may account for these mixed findings. This study explores the relationship between in-group identity, acculturation and eating disorders symptoms using both implicit and explicit assessments. Emirati female college students (N=94) completed an affective priming task (APT) designed to implicitly assess Emirati in-group evaluations. Participants also completed explicit measures, including the Westernization Survey and the Multicomponent In-group Identification Scale. Eating disorders symptoms were assessed using the Eating Attitudes Test. Only implicit in-group evaluations were correlated with eating disorders symptoms. Specifically, increases in in-group preference were associated with lower levels of eating disorders symptomatology. Furthermore, participants with an actual out-group preference had significantly higher levels of eating disorders symptomatology compared with those demonstrating an in-group preference. These findings support the acculturative stress hypothesis, and suggest that the relationship between eating disorders and acculturation may be better understood with reference to implicit rather than explicit in-group evaluations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Accuracy of complete-arch dental impressions: a new method of measuring trueness and precision.

PubMed

Ender, Andreas; Mehl, Albert

2013-02-01

A new approach to both 3-dimensional (3D) trueness and precision is necessary to assess the accuracy of intraoral digital impressions and compare them to conventionally acquired impressions. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate whether a new reference scanner is capable of measuring conventional and digital intraoral complete-arch impressions for 3D accuracy. A steel reference dentate model was fabricated and measured with a reference scanner (digital reference model). Conventional impressions were made from the reference model, poured with Type IV dental stone, scanned with the reference scanner, and exported as digital models. Additionally, digital impressions of the reference model were made and the digital models were exported. Precision was measured by superimposing the digital models within each group. Superimposing the digital models on the digital reference model assessed the trueness of each impression method. Statistical significance was assessed with an independent sample t test (α=.05). The reference scanner delivered high accuracy over the entire dental arch with a precision of 1.6 ±0.6 µm and a trueness of 5.3 ±1.1 µm. Conventional impressions showed significantly higher precision (12.5 ±2.5 µm) and trueness values (20.4 ±2.2 µm) with small deviations in the second molar region (P<.001). Digital impressions were significantly less accurate with a precision of 32.4 ±9.6 µm and a trueness of 58.6 ±15.8µm (P<.001). More systematic deviations of the digital models were visible across the entire dental arch. The new reference scanner is capable of measuring the precision and trueness of both digital and conventional complete-arch impressions. The digital impression is less accurate and shows a different pattern of deviation than the conventional impression. Copyright © 2013 The Editorial Council of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and preliminary validation of a measure of social inclusion for use in people with mental health problems: the SInQUE.

PubMed

Mezey, Gillian; White, Sarah; Thachil, Ajoy; Berg, Rachel; Kallumparam, Sen; Nasiruddin, Omar; Wright, Christine; Killaspy, Helen

2013-08-01

Social exclusion can be both a cause and a consequence of mental health problems. Socially inclusive practice by mental health professionals can mitigate against the stigmatizing and excluding effects of severe mental illness. To develop and test the validity of a measure of social inclusion for individuals with severe mental illness - the Social Inclusion Questionnaire User Experience (SInQUE). The domains of the SInQUE were chosen to reflect the domains of social inclusion identified in the Poverty and Social Exclusion Survey. Patients with severe mental illness were recruited from rehabilitation, general and forensic psychiatric services and were asked to complete the questionnaire in an individual interview with a researcher. Sixty six patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder completed the SInQUE, alongside measures of psychiatric symptoms, needs and quality of life, to assess its acceptability, and concurrent and construct (convergent and discriminant) validity. The SInQUE took 45 minutes to complete and was found to have good concurrent and discriminant validity. Convergent validity was established for two domains: social integration and productivity. Preliminary findings suggest that the SInQUE may be a useful tool for assessing and monitoring social inclusion in individuals with severe mental illness. It has construct and concurrent validity with measures of unmet need and quality of life in this group. Further testing of the reliability of the SInQUE on a larger population is indicated.

Olfactory Functioning in First-Episode Psychosis.

PubMed

Kamath, Vidyulata; Lasutschinkow, Patricia; Ishizuka, Koko; Sawa, Akira

2018-04-06

Though olfactory deficits are well-documented in schizophrenia, fewer studies have examined olfactory performance profiles across the psychosis spectrum. The current study examined odor identification, discrimination, and detection threshold performance in first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder with psychotic features, major depression with psychotic features, and other psychotic conditions. FEP patients (n = 97) and healthy adults (n = 98) completed birhinal assessments of odor identification, discrimination, and detection threshold sensitivity for lyral and citralva. Participants also completed measures of anticipatory pleasure, anhedonia, and empathy. Differences in olfactory performances were assessed between FEP patients and controls and within FEP subgroups. Sex-stratified post hoc analyses were employed for a complete analysis of sex differences. Relationships between self-report measures and olfactory scores were also examined. Individuals with psychosis had poorer scores across all olfactory measures when compared to the control group. Within the psychosis cohort, patients with schizophrenia-associated psychosis had poorer odor identification, discrimination, and citralva detection threshold scores relative to controls. In schizophrenia patients, greater olfactory disturbance was associated with increased negative symptomatology, greater self-reported anhedonia, and lower self-reported anticipatory pleasure. Patients with mood-associated psychosis performed comparable to controls though men and women in this cohort showed differential olfactory profiles. These findings indicate that olfactory deficits extend beyond measures of odor identification in FEP with greater deficits observed in schizophrenia-related subgroups of psychosis. Studies examining whether greater olfactory dysfunction confers greater risk for developing schizophrenia relative to other forms of psychosis are warranted.

A Learning Collaborative Model to Improve Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Rates in Primary Care.

PubMed

Rand, Cynthia M; Tyrrell, Hollyce; Wallace-Brodeur, Rachel; Goldstein, Nicolas P N; Darden, Paul M; Humiston, Sharon G; Albertin, Christina S; Stratbucker, William; Schaffer, Stanley J; Davis, Wendy; Szilagyi, Peter G

2018-03-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates remain low, in part because of missed opportunities (MOs) for vaccination. We used a learning collaborative quality improvement (QI) model to assess the effect of a multicomponent intervention on reducing MOs. Study design: pre-post using a QI intervention in 33 community practices and 14 pediatric continuity clinics over 9 months to reduce MOs for HPV vaccination at all visit types. outcome measures comprised baseline and postproject measures of 1) MOs (primary outcome), and 2) HPV vaccine initiation and completion. Process measures comprised monthly chart audits of MOs for HPV vaccination for performance feedback, monthly Plan-Do-Study-Act surveys and pre-post surveys about office systems. providers were trained at the start of the project on offering a strong recommendation for HPV vaccination. Practices implemented provider prompts and/or standing orders and/or reminder/recall if desired, and were provided monthly feedback on MOs to assess their progress. chi-square tests were used to assess changes in office practices, and logistic regression used to assess changes in MOs according to visit type and overall, as well as HPV vaccine initiation and completion. MOs overall decreased (from 73% to 53% in community practices and 62% to 55% in continuity clinics; P < .01, and P = .03, respectively). HPV vaccine initiation increased for both genders in community practices (from 66% to 74% for female, 57% to 65% for male; P < .01), and for male patients in continuity clinics (from 68% to 75%; P = .05). Series completion increased overall in community practices (39% to 43%; P = .04) and for male patients in continuity clinics (from 36% to 44%; P = .03). Office systems changes using a QI model and multicomponent interventions decreased rates of MO for HPV vaccination and increased initiation and completion rates among some gender subgroups. A learning collaborative model provides an effective forum for practices to improve HPV vaccine delivery. Copyright © 2018 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Numerical assessment of low-frequency dosimetry from sampled magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freschi, Fabio; Giaccone, Luca; Cirimele, Vincenzo; Canova, Aldo

2018-01-01

Low-frequency dosimetry is commonly assessed by evaluating the electric field in the human body using the scalar potential finite difference method. This method is effective only when the sources of the magnetic field are completely known and the magnetic vector potential can be analytically computed. The aim of the paper is to present a rigorous method to characterize the source term when only the magnetic flux density is available at discrete points, e.g. in case of field measurements. The method is based on the solution of the discrete magnetic curl equation. The system is restricted to the independent set of magnetic fluxes and circulations of magnetic vector potential using the topological information of the computational mesh. The solenoidality of the magnetic flux density is preserved using a divergence-free interpolator based on vector radial basis functions. The analysis of a benchmark problem shows that the complexity of the proposed algorithm is linearly dependent on the number of elements with a controllable accuracy. The method proposed in this paper also proves to be useful and effective when applied to a real world scenario, where the magnetic flux density is measured in proximity of a power transformer. A 8 million voxel body model is then used for the numerical dosimetric analysis. The complete assessment is completed in less than 5 min, that is more than acceptable for these problems.

Cohort Profile: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children: ALSPAC mothers cohort.

PubMed

Fraser, Abigail; Macdonald-Wallis, Corrie; Tilling, Kate; Boyd, Andy; Golding, Jean; Davey Smith, George; Henderson, John; Macleod, John; Molloy, Lynn; Ness, Andy; Ring, Susan; Nelson, Scott M; Lawlor, Debbie A

2013-02-01

Summary The Avon Longitudinal Study of Children and Parents (ALSPAC) was established to understand how genetic and environmental characteristics influence health and development in parents and children. All pregnant women resident in a defined area in the South West of England, with an expected date of delivery between 1st April 1991 and 31st December 1992, were eligible and 13761 women (contributing 13867 pregnancies) were recruited. These women have been followed over the last 19-22 years and have completed up to 20 questionnaires, have had detailed data abstracted from their medical records and have information on any cancer diagnoses and deaths through record linkage. A follow-up assessment was completed 17-18 years postnatal at which anthropometry, blood pressure, fat, lean and bone mass and carotid intima media thickness were assessed, and a fasting blood sample taken. The second follow-up clinic, which additionally measures cognitive function, physical capability, physical activity (with accelerometer) and wrist bone architecture, is underway and two further assessments with similar measurements will take place over the next 5 years. There is a detailed biobank that includes DNA, with genome-wide data available on >10000, stored serum and plasma taken repeatedly since pregnancy and other samples; a wide range of data on completed biospecimen assays are available. Details of how to access these data are provided in this cohort profile.

Numerical assessment of low-frequency dosimetry from sampled magnetic fields.

PubMed

Freschi, Fabio; Giaccone, Luca; Cirimele, Vincenzo; Canova, Aldo

2017-12-29

Low-frequency dosimetry is commonly assessed by evaluating the electric field in the human body using the scalar potential finite difference method. This method is effective only when the sources of the magnetic field are completely known and the magnetic vector potential can be analytically computed. The aim of the paper is to present a rigorous method to characterize the source term when only the magnetic flux density is available at discrete points, e.g. in case of field measurements. The method is based on the solution of the discrete magnetic curl equation. The system is restricted to the independent set of magnetic fluxes and circulations of magnetic vector potential using the topological information of the computational mesh. The solenoidality of the magnetic flux density is preserved using a divergence-free interpolator based on vector radial basis functions. The analysis of a benchmark problem shows that the complexity of the proposed algorithm is linearly dependent on the number of elements with a controllable accuracy. The method proposed in this paper also proves to be useful and effective when applied to a real world scenario, where the magnetic flux density is measured in proximity of a power transformer. A 8 million voxel body model is then used for the numerical dosimetric analysis. The complete assessment is completed in less than 5 min, that is more than acceptable for these problems.

Study Design and Evaluation of Risk Minimization Measures: A Review of Studies Submitted to the European Medicines Agency for Cardiovascular, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Drugs.

PubMed

Mazzaglia, Giampiero; Straus, Sabine M J; Arlett, Peter; da Silva, Daniela; Janssen, Heidi; Raine, June; Alteri, Enrica

2018-02-01

Studies measuring the effectiveness of risk minimization measures (RMMs) submitted by pharmaceutical companies to the European Medicines Agency are part of the post-authorization regulatory requirements and represent an important source of data covering a range of medicinal products and safety-related issues. Their objectives, design, and the associated regulatory outcomes were reviewed, and conclusions were drawn that may support future progress in risk minimization evaluation. Information was obtained from risk management plans, study protocols, clinical study reports, and assessment reports of 157 medicinal products authorized for cardiovascular, endocrinology, and metabolic indications. We selected observational studies measuring, as outcomes of interest, the relationship between the RMMs in place and (1) implementation measures, such as clinical knowledge or physicians` compliance to recommendations contained in the RMMs; and (2) occurrence or reduced severity of the adverse drug reactions for which the RMMs were required. Of 59 eligible studies (24 completed, 35 ongoing), 44 assessed implementation measures, whereas only 15 assessed safety outcomes (1 study as a single endpoint and 14 studies with other endpoints). Fifty-one studies used non-experimental designs and 25 studies employed electronic healthcare databases for analysis. Of the 24 completed studies, 17 were considered satisfactory and supported immediate regulatory decision making, 6 were considered inconclusive and required new evaluations, and 1 was terminated early because new safety restrictions were required, thereby necessitating a new evaluation. Compliance with agreed deadlines was considered acceptable in 21 of 24 completed studies; the average time for a submission was 37 months (standard deviation ± 17), with differences observed by type of data source employed. Three important gaps in the evaluation plans of RMMs were identified: lack of early feedback on implementation, limited evaluation of safety outcomes, and inability to provide information on the effectiveness from an integrated measurement of different elements of a set of risk minimization tools. More robust evidence is needed to advance regulatory science and support more rapid adjustment of risk minimization strategies as needed.

Brief Report: Relationship Between ADOS-2, Module 4 Calibrated Severity Scores (CSS) and Social and Non-Social Standardized Assessment Measures in Adult Males with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

PubMed

Morrier, Michael J; Ousley, Opal Y; Caceres-Gamundi, Gabriella A; Segall, Matthew J; Cubells, Joseph F; Young, Larry J; Andari, Elissar

2017-12-01

The ADOS-2 Modules 1-3 now include a standardized calibrated severity score (CSS) from 1 to 10 based on the overall total raw score. Subsequent research published CSS for Module 4 (Hus, Lord, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 44(8):1996-2012, 2014); however more research is needed to examine the psychometric properties of this CSS. Forty males with ASD completed an assessment battery consisting of ADOS-2 Module 4 and other clinical measures assessing core ASD symptomology and comorbidity. Pearson correlation analyses found that CSS did not correlate with measures that assessed core social deficits of ASD or general psychiatric co-morbidity, but CSS did correlate negatively with intellectual quotient. These findings provide information on the limitations and relevance of CSS to be taken into account in future clinical evaluations of ASD.

A measure of state persecutory ideation for experimental studies.

PubMed

Freeman, Daniel; Pugh, Katherine; Green, Catherine; Valmaggia, Lucia; Dunn, Graham; Garety, Philippa

2007-09-01

Experimental research is increasingly important in developing the understanding of paranoid thinking. An assessment measure of persecutory ideation is necessary for such work. We report the reliability and validity of the first state measure of paranoia: The State Social Paranoia Scale. The items in the measure conform to a recent definition in which persecutory thinking has the 2 elements of feared harm and perpetrator intent. The measure was tested with 164 nonclinical participants and 21 individuals at high risk of psychosis with attenuated positive symptoms. The participants experienced a social situation presented in virtual reality and completed the new measure. The State Social Paranoia Scale was found to have excellent internal reliability, adequate test-retest reliability, clear convergent validity as assessed by both independent interviewer ratings and self-report measures, and showed divergent validity with measures of positive and neutral thinking. The measure of paranoia in a recent social situation has good psychometric properties.

Cross-Language Measurement Equivalence of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale in Systemic Sclerosis: A Comparison of Canadian and Dutch Patients

PubMed Central

Kwakkenbos, Linda; Arthurs, Erin; van den Hoogen, Frank H. J.; Hudson, Marie; van Lankveld, Wim G. J. M.; Baron, Murray; van den Ende, Cornelia H. M.; Thombs, Brett D.

2013-01-01

Objectives Increasingly, medical research involves patients who complete outcomes in different languages. This occurs in countries with more than one common language, such as Canada (French/English) or the United States (Spanish/English), as well as in international multi-centre collaborations, which are utilized frequently in rare diseases such as systemic sclerosis (SSc). In order to pool or compare outcomes, instruments should be measurement equivalent (invariant) across cultural or linguistic groups. This study provides an example of how to assess cross-language measurement equivalence by comparing the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale between English-speaking Canadian and Dutch SSc patients. Methods The CES-D was completed by 922 English-speaking Canadian and 213 Dutch SSc patients. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to assess the factor structure in both samples. The Multiple-Indicator Multiple-Cause (MIMIC) model was utilized to assess the amount of differential item functioning (DIF). Results A two-factor model (positive and negative affect) showed excellent fit in both samples. Statistically significant, but small-magnitude, DIF was found for 3 of 20 items on the CES-D. The English-speaking Canadian sample endorsed more feeling-related symptoms, whereas the Dutch sample endorsed more somatic/retarded activity symptoms. The overall estimate in depression scores between English and Dutch was not influenced substantively by DIF. Conclusions CES-D scores from English-speaking Canadian and Dutch SSc patients can be compared and pooled without concern that measurement differences may substantively influence results. The importance of assessing cross-language measurement equivalence in rheumatology studies prior to pooling outcomes obtained in different languages should be emphasized. PMID:23326538

Development of a Core Set of Outcome Measures for Large-vessel Vasculitis: Report from OMERACT 2016.

PubMed

Sreih, Antoine G; Alibaz-Oner, Fatma; Kermani, Tanaz A; Aydin, Sibel Z; Cronholm, Peter F; Davis, Trocon; Easley, Ebony; Gul, Ahmet; Mahr, Alfred; McAlear, Carol A; Milman, Nataliya; Robson, Joanna C; Tomasson, Gunnar; Direskeneli, Haner; Merkel, Peter A

2017-12-01

Among the challenges in conducting clinical trials in large-vessel vasculitis (LVV), including both giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis (TA), is the lack of standardized and meaningful outcome measures. The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Vasculitis Working Group initiated an international effort to develop and validate data-driven outcome tools for clinical investigation in LVV. An international Delphi exercise was completed to gather opinions from clinical experts on LVV-related domains considered important to measure in trials. Patient interviews and focus groups were completed to identify outcomes of importance to patients. The results of these activities were presented and discussed in a "Virtual Special Interest Group" using telephone- and Internet-based conferences, discussions through electronic mail, and an in-person session at the 2016 OMERACT meeting. A preliminary core set of domains common for all forms of LVV with disease-specific elements was proposed. The majority of experts agree with using common outcome measures for GCA and TA, with the option of supplementation with disease-specific items. Following interviews and focus groups, pain, fatigue, and emotional effect emerged as health-related quality of life domains important to patients. Current disease assessment tools, including the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score, were found to be inadequate to assess disease activity in GCA and standardized assessment of imaging tests were felt crucial to study LVV, especially TA. Initial data from a clinician Delphi exercise and structured patient interviews have provided themes toward an OMERACT-endorsed core set of domains and outcome measures.

Measuring cannabis consumption: Psychometric properties of the Daily Sessions, Frequency, Age of Onset, and Quantity of Cannabis Use Inventory (DFAQ-CU).

PubMed

Cuttler, Carrie; Spradlin, Alexander

2017-01-01

We created the Daily Sessions, Frequency, Age of Onset, and Quantity of Cannabis Use Inventory (DFAQ-CU) because the current lack of psychometrically sound inventories for measuring these dimensions of cannabis use has impeded research on the effects of cannabis in humans. A sample of 2,062 cannabis users completed the DFAQ-CU and was used to assess the DFAQ-CU's factor structure and reliability. To assess validity, a subsample of 645 participants completed additional measures of cannabis dependence and problems (Marijuana Smoking History Questionnaire [MSHQ], Timeline Followback [TLFB], Cannabis Abuse Screening Test [CAST], Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test Revised [CUDIT-R], Cannabis Use Problems Identification Test [CUPIT], and Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test [AUDIT]). A six-factor structure was revealed, with factors measuring: daily sessions, frequency, age of onset, marijuana quantity, cannabis concentrate quantity, and edibles quantity. The factors were reliable, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from .69 (daily sessions) to .95 (frequency). Results further provided evidence for the factors' convergent (MSHQ, TLFB), predictive (CAST, CUDIT-R, CUPIT), and discriminant validity (AUDIT). The DFAQ-CU is the first psychometrically sound inventory for measuring frequency, age of onset, and quantity of cannabis use. It contains pictures of marijuana to facilitate the measurement of quantity of marijuana used, as well as questions to assess the use of different forms of cannabis (e.g., concentrates, edibles), methods of administering cannabis (e.g., joints, hand pipes, vaporizers), and typical THC levels. As such, the DFAQ-CU should help facilitate research on frequency, quantity, and age of onset of cannabis use.

Relationship of Nutrition and Physical Activity Behaviors and Fitness Measures to Academic Performance for Sixth Graders in a Midwest City School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Jane U.; Mauch, Lois; Winkelman, Mark R.

2011-01-01

Background: To support curriculum and policy, a midwest city school district assessed the association of selected categories of nutrition and physical activity (NUTR/PA) behaviors, fitness measures, and body mass index (BMI) with academic performance (AP) for 800 sixth graders. Methods: Students completed an adapted Youth Risk Behavior…

Attachment to Parents, Social Anxiety, and Close Relationships of Female Students over the Transition to College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parade, Stephanie H.; Leerkes, Esther M.; Blankson, A. Nayena

2010-01-01

The current study examined the process by which attachment to parents influences satisfaction with and ease in forming friendships at college. One hundred seventy-two female college freshmen completed a measure of parental attachment security the summer before their first semester of college (July 2006) and measures to assess satisfaction with and…

Student Nurses' Knowledge in Relation to Blood Pressure Measurement by Sphygmomanometry and Auscultation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torrance, Colin; Serginson, Eve

1996-01-01

British nursing students (78 of 93) completed a questionnaire about blood pressure; 90% were not familiar with Korotkoff sounds or auscultary gap; most thought blood pressure was the same in both arms; 63% knew resting was essential before measurement; 59% assessed the arm for cuff size; only 25% thought the cuff should be placed at heart level.…

Parental Language Mixing: Its Measurement and the Relation of Mixed Input to Young Bilingual Children's Vocabulary Size

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byers-Heinlein, Krista

2013-01-01

Is parental language mixing related to vocabulary acquisition in bilingual infants and children? Bilingual parents (who spoke English and another language; n = 181) completed the Language Mixing Scale questionnaire, a new self-report measure that assesses how frequently parents use words from two different languages in the same sentence, such as…

Assessing Homework Problems in Children with ADHD: Validation of a Parent-Report Measure and Evaluation of Homework Performance Patterns.

PubMed

Langberg, Joshua M; Arnold, L Eugene; Flowers, Amanda M; Altaye, Mekibib; Epstein, Jeff N; Molina, Brooke S G

2010-03-01

The factor structure of a parent-report measure of child homework problems, the Homework Problems Checklist, was examined in a geographically and ethnically diverse sample of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This measure was completed by the parents of 579 children ages 7.0-9.9 diagnosed with ADHD Combined Type as part of the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA). Results replicated previous work showing two salient factors that measure homework completion behaviors (Factor I) and homework management behaviors (Factor II). This two-factor solution remained consistent when examined across child sex and ethnicity subgroups. Analysis of patterns revealed that homework problems are greater for children in higher grades and that children with ADHD and comorbid Learning Disabilities experience significantly more homework problems than children with ADHD alone. This study also replicated previous work showing that homework problems and ADHD inattentive symptoms are highly correlated whereas correlations between homework problems and hyperactivity and impulsivity are low to moderate. Implications of the findings for the assessment of homework problems in children with ADHD and for intervention are discussed.

Assessing Homework Problems in Children with ADHD: Validation of a Parent-Report Measure and Evaluation of Homework Performance Patterns

PubMed Central

Langberg, Joshua M.; Arnold, L. Eugene; Flowers, Amanda M.; Altaye, Mekibib; Epstein, Jeff N.; Molina, Brooke S.G.

2011-01-01

The factor structure of a parent-report measure of child homework problems, the Homework Problems Checklist, was examined in a geographically and ethnically diverse sample of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This measure was completed by the parents of 579 children ages 7.0-9.9 diagnosed with ADHD Combined Type as part of the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA). Results replicated previous work showing two salient factors that measure homework completion behaviors (Factor I) and homework management behaviors (Factor II). This two-factor solution remained consistent when examined across child sex and ethnicity subgroups. Analysis of patterns revealed that homework problems are greater for children in higher grades and that children with ADHD and comorbid Learning Disabilities experience significantly more homework problems than children with ADHD alone. This study also replicated previous work showing that homework problems and ADHD inattentive symptoms are highly correlated whereas correlations between homework problems and hyperactivity and impulsivity are low to moderate. Implications of the findings for the assessment of homework problems in children with ADHD and for intervention are discussed. PMID:21544228

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

PubMed Central

Louer, Amy L.; Simon, Denise N.; Switkowski, Karen M.; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L.; Gillman, Matthew W.; Oken, Emily

2017-01-01

A high proportion of children have overweight and obesity in the United States and other countries. Accurate assessment of anthropometry is essential to understand health effects of child growth and adiposity. Gold standard methods of measuring adiposity, such as dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), may not be feasible in large field studies. Research staff can, however, complete anthropometric measurements, such as body circumferences and skinfold measurements, using inexpensive portable equipment. In this protocol we detail how to obtain manual anthropometric measurements from children, including standing and sitting height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, mid-upper arm circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, and subscapular skinfold thickness, and procedures to assess the quality of these measurements. To demonstrate accuracy of these measurements, among 1,110 school-aged children in the pre-birth cohort Project Viva we calculated Spearman correlation coefficients comparing manual anthropometric measurements with a gold standard measure of body fat, DXA fat mass1. To address reliability, we evaluate intra-rater technical error of measurement at a quality control session conducted on adult female volunteers. PMID:28191881

An open-label trial of enhanced brief interpersonal psychotherapy in depressed mothers whose children are receiving psychiatric treatment.

PubMed

Swartz, Holly A; Zuckoff, Allan; Frank, Ellen; Spielvogle, Heather N; Shear, M Katherine; Fleming, M A Dana; Scott, John

2006-01-01

Major depression affects one out of five women during her lifetime. Depressed mothers with psychiatrically ill children represent an especially vulnerable population. Challenged by the demands of caring for ill children, these mothers often put their own needs last; consequently, their depressions remain untreated. This population is especially difficult to engage in treatment. We have developed a nine-session intervention, an engagement session followed by eight sessions of brief interpersonal psychotherapy designed to increase maternal participation in their own psychotherapy, resolve symptoms of maternal depression, and enhance relationships (IPT-MOMS). This open-label trial assesses the feasibility and acceptability of providing this treatment to depressed mothers. Thirteen mothers meeting DSM-IV criteria for major depression were recruited from a pediatric mental health clinic where their school-age children were receiving psychiatric treatment. Subjects (mothers) were treated openly with IPT-MOMS. Eighty-five percent (11/13) completed the study. Subjects were evaluated with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and completed self-report measures of quality of life and functioning at three time points: baseline, after treatment completion, and 6-months posttreatment. A signed rank test was used to compare measurement changes between assessment time points. Subjects showed significant improvement from baseline to posttreatment on measures of maternal symptoms and functioning. These gains were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Therapy was well tolerated and accepted by depressed mothers, who are typically difficult to engage in treatment. A high proportion of subjects completed treatment and experienced improvements in functioning. Future randomized clinical trials are needed to establish the efficacy of this approach.

Quality of Informal Care Is Multidimensional

PubMed Central

Christie, Juliette; Smith, G. Rush; Williamson, Gail M.; Lance, Charles. E.; Shovali, Tamar E.; Silva, Luciana

2010-01-01

Purpose To demonstrate that assessing quality of informal care involves more than merely determining whether care recipient needs for assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) are satisfied on a routine basis. Potentially harmful behavior (PHB), adequate care, and exemplary care (EC) are conceptually distinct dimensions of quality of care. We investigated the extent to which these three dimensions also are empirically distinguishable. Design 237 care recipients completed the quality of care measures, and their caregivers completed psychosocial measures of depressed affect, life events, cognitive status, and perceived pre-illness relationship quality. Results Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that PHB, adequate care, and EC are empirically distinct factors. Although PHB was moderately related to EC, adequate care was not associated with PHB and was only slightly related to EC. Psychosocial variables were not related to adequate care but were differentially associated with PHB and EC, providing further evidence for the distinction between the measures of quality of care used in this study. Conclusions Assessing quality of informal care is a complex endeavor. ADL assistance can be adequate in the presence of PHB and/or the absence of EC. Declines in EC may signal increases in PHB, independent of adequacy of care. These findings produce a brief, portable, and more comprehensive instrument for assessing quality of informal care. PMID:19469607

Validation of vocational assessment tool for persons with substance use disorders.

PubMed

Sethuraman, Lakshmanan; Subodh, B N; Murthy, Pratima

2016-01-01

Work-related problems are a serious concern among persons with substance use but due to lack of a standardized tool to measure it; these problems are neither systematically assessed nor appropriately addressed. Most existing measures of work performance cater to the needs of the workplace rather than focusing on the workers' perception of the difficulties at work. To develop a standardized instrument to measure work-related problems in persons with substance use disorders. Qualitative data obtained from interviews with substance users were used to develop a scale. The refined list of the scale was circulated among an expert panel for content validation. The modified scale was administered to 150 cases, and 50 cases completed the scale twice at the interval of 2 weeks for test-retest reliability. Items with a test-retest reliability kappa coefficient of 0.4 or greater were retained and subjected to factor analysis. The final 45-item scale has a five-factor structure. The value of Cronbach's alpha of the final version of the scale was 0.91. This self-report questionnaire, which can be completed in 10 min, may help us in making a baseline assessment of the work-related impairment among persons with substance use and the impact of substance use on work.

Validation of vocational assessment tool for persons with substance use disorders

PubMed Central

Sethuraman, Lakshmanan; Subodh, B. N.; Murthy, Pratima

2016-01-01

Background: Work-related problems are a serious concern among persons with substance use but due to lack of a standardized tool to measure it; these problems are neither systematically assessed nor appropriately addressed. Most existing measures of work performance cater to the needs of the workplace rather than focusing on the workers' perception of the difficulties at work. Aim: To develop a standardized instrument to measure work-related problems in persons with substance use disorders. Methods: Qualitative data obtained from interviews with substance users were used to develop a scale. The refined list of the scale was circulated among an expert panel for content validation. The modified scale was administered to 150 cases, and 50 cases completed the scale twice at the interval of 2 weeks for test–retest reliability. Results: Items with a test–retest reliability kappa coefficient of 0.4 or greater were retained and subjected to factor analysis. The final 45-item scale has a five-factor structure. The value of Cronbach's alpha of the final version of the scale was 0.91. Conclusions: This self-report questionnaire, which can be completed in 10 min, may help us in making a baseline assessment of the work-related impairment among persons with substance use and the impact of substance use on work. PMID:28163409

Why is impaired sexual function distressing to women? The primacy of pleasure in female sexual dysfunction

PubMed Central

Stephenson, Kyle R.; Meston, Cindy M.

2015-01-01

Introduction Recent research has highlighted a complex association between female sexual function and subjective distress regarding sexual activity. These findings are difficult to explain given limited knowledge as to the mechanisms through which impaired sexual function causes distress. Aim The current study assessed whether a number of specific consequences of impaired sexual function, including decreased physical pleasure, disruption of sexual activity, and negative partner responses, mediated the association between sexual function and distress. Methods Eighty seven women in sexually active relationships reporting impairments in sexual function completed validated self-report measures and daily online assessments of sexual experiences. Main Outcome Measures Participants completed the Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women (SSS-W), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and the Measure of Sexual Consequences (MSC). Results Results suggested that decreased physical pleasure and disruption of sexual activity, but not partner responses, statistically mediated the association between sexual function and distress. Conclusion Sexual consequences represent potential maintaining factors of sexual dysfunction that are highly distressing to women. Results are discussed in the context of theoretical models of sexual dysfunction and related treatments. PMID:25556719

What Changes in Cognitive Therapy for Depression? An Examination of Cognitive Therapy Skills and Maladaptive Beliefs

PubMed Central

Adler, Abby D.; Strunk, Daniel R.; Fazio, Russell H.

2015-01-01

This study examined effortful cognitive skills and underlying maladaptive beliefs among patients treated with Cognitive Therapy for depression (CT). Depressed patients (n = 44) completed cognitive measures before and after 16 weeks of CT. Measures included: an assessment of CT skills (Ways of Responding Scale, WOR), an implicit test of maladaptive beliefs (Implicit Association Test, IAT), and a self-report questionnaire of maladaptive beliefs (Dysfunctional Attitude Scale, DAS). A matched sample of never-depressed participants (n = 44) also completed study measures. Prior to treatment, depressed patients endorsed significantly more undesirable cognitions on the WOR, IAT, and DAS compared to never-depressed participants. Patients displayed improvement on the WOR and DAS over the course of treatment, but showed no change on the IAT. Additionally, improvements on the WOR and DAS were each related to greater reductions in depressive symptoms. Results suggest that the degree of symptom reduction among patients participating in CT is related to changes in patients’ acquisition of coping skills requiring deliberate efforts and reflective thought, but not related to reduced endorsement of implicitly-assessed maladaptive beliefs. PMID:25526838

Validation of Accelerometer Prediction Equations in Children with Chronic Disease.

PubMed

Stephens, Samantha; Takken, Tim; Esliger, Dale W; Pullenayegum, Eleanor; Beyene, Joseph; Tremblay, Mark; Schneiderman, Jane; Biggar, Doug; Longmuir, Pat; McCrindle, Brian; Abad, Audrey; Ignas, Dan; Van Der Net, Janjaap; Feldman, Brian

2016-02-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the criterion validity of existing accelerometer-based energy expenditure (EE) prediction equations among children with chronic conditions, and to develop new prediction equations. Children with congenital heart disease (CHD), cystic fibrosis (CF), dermatomyositis (JDM), juvenile arthritis (JA), inherited muscle disease (IMD), and hemophilia (HE) completed 7 tasks while EE was measured using indirect calorimetry with counts determined by accelerometer. Agreement between predicted EE and measured EE was assessed. Disease-specific equations and cut points were developed and cross-validated. In total, 196 subjects participated. One participant dropped out before testing due to time constraints, while 15 CHD, 32 CF, 31 JDM, 31 JA, 30 IMD, 28 HE, and 29 healthy controls completed the study. Agreement between predicted and measured EE varied across disease group and ranged from (ICC) .13-.46. Disease-specific prediction equations exhibited a range of results (ICC .62-.88) (SE 0.45-0.78). In conclusion, poor agreement was demonstrated using current prediction equations in children with chronic conditions. Disease-specific equations and cut points were developed.

Labor productivity, perceived effectiveness, and sustainability of innovative projects.

PubMed

Makai, Peter; Cramm, Jane M; van Grotel, Marloes; Nieboer, Anna P

2014-01-01

To assess labor productivity, perceived effectiveness, and sustainability of a national quality program that sought to stimulate efficiency gains through increased labor productivity while maintaining quality through implementing small-scale innovation projects. Longitudinal measures of labor productivity and quality were collected at baseline and after completion of the innovation projects. Perceived effectiveness and sustainability (measured by routinization) were assessed cross-sectionally after project completion. This study was conducted in The Netherlands. Ninety-eight improvement projects in long-term care organizations. A national quality program to stimulate innovative approaches in long-term care. Labor productivity, perceived effectiveness, and sustainability were the main outcome measures. Labor productivity data were available for only 37 (38%) of the 98 projects, 33 (89%) of which demonstrated significantly improved efficiency. Perceived effectiveness was significantly associated with sustainability (0.29; p < .05), but not labor productivity. To achieve sustainability in long-term care, developers of innovative projects must collect better quality information on efficiency gains in terms of labor productivity and focus more on efficiency improvement. More research is necessary to explore relationships between labor productivity, perceived effectiveness, and sustainability. © 2012 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

Brief virtual reality therapy for public speaking anxiety.

PubMed

Harris, Sandra R; Kemmerling, Robert L; North, Max M

2002-12-01

The primary goal of this research program was to investigate the effectiveness of virtual reality therapy (VRT) in reducing public speaking anxiety of university students. The prevalence and impact of public speaking anxiety as a type of Social Phobia are discussed. Studies of VRT as an emerging treatment for psychological problems are reviewed. In the present study, eight students completed VRT individual treatment and post-testing, and six students in a Wait-List control group completed post-testing. Assessment measures included four self-report inventories, self-report of Subjective Units of Discomfort during exposure to VRT and physiological measurements of heart rate during speaking tasks. Four weekly individual exposure treatment sessions of approximately 15 min each were conducted by the author serving as therapist. Results on self-report and physiological measures appear to indicate that four virtual reality treatment sessions were effective in reducing public speaking anxiety in university students, corroborating earlier studies of VRT's effectiveness as a psychotherapeutic modality. Future research directions are discussed, primarily the need for research on younger populations, to assess the effectiveness of VRT for earlier intervention with public speaking anxiety.

Inhibition in task switching: The reliability of the n - 2 repetition cost.

PubMed

Kowalczyk, Agnieszka W; Grange, James A

2017-12-01

The n - 2 repetition cost seen in task switching is the effect of slower response times performing a recently completed task (e.g. an ABA sequence) compared to performing a task that was not recently completed (e.g. a CBA sequence). This cost is thought to reflect cognitive inhibition of task representations and as such, the n - 2 repetition cost has begun to be used as an assessment of individual differences in inhibitory control; however, the reliability of this measure has not been investigated in a systematic manner. The current study addressed this important issue. Seventy-two participants performed three task switching paradigms; participants were also assessed on rumination traits and processing speed-measures of individual differences potentially modulating the n - 2 repetition cost. We found significant n - 2 repetition costs for each paradigm. However, split-half reliability tests revealed that this cost was not reliable at the individual-difference level. Neither rumination tendencies nor processing speed predicted this cost. We conclude that the n - 2 repetition cost is not reliable as a measure of individual differences in inhibitory control.

Detecting Over- and Underreporting of Psychopathology with the Spanish-Language Personality Assessment Inventory: Findings from a Simulation Study with Bilingual Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez, Krissie; Boccaccini, Marcus T.; Noland, Ramona M.

2008-01-01

Existing research on the Spanish-language translation of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; L. C. Morey, 1991) suggests that the validity scales from the English- and Spanish-language versions may not be equivalent measures. In the current study, 72 bilingual participants completed both the English- and Spanish-language versions of the PAI…

The Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality for Youth (SNAP-Y): A New Measure for Assessing Adolescent Personality and Personality Pathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linde, Jennifer A.; Stringer, Deborah; Simms, Leonard J.; Clark, Lee Anna

2013-01-01

The Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality-Youth Version (SNAP-Y) is a new, reliable self-report questionnaire that assesses 15 personality traits relevant to both normal-range personality and the alternative "DSM"-5 model for personality disorder. Community adolescents, 12 to 18 years old (N = 364), completed the SNAP-Y; 347…

Initial Psychometric Properties of a Brief Parent-Report Instrument for Assessing Tic Severity in Children with Chronic Tic Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Susanna; Himle, Michael B.; Tucker, Benjamin T. P.; Woods, Douglas W.; Piacentini, John

2009-01-01

This article describes the development and initial psychometric properties of the Parent Tic Questionnaire (PTQ)--a new measure assessing the number, frequency, and intensity of motor and vocal tics in children and adolescents with Chronic Tic Disorder (CTD). Parents of 40 children with a CTD completed the PTQ as part of a larger assessment…

Impact of a Paper vs Virtual Simulated Patient Case on Student-Perceived Confidence and Engagement.

PubMed

Barnett, Susanne G; Gallimore, Casey E; Pitterle, Michael; Morrill, Josh

2016-02-25

To evaluate online case simulation vs a paper case on student confidence and engagement. Students enrolled in a pharmacotherapy laboratory course completed a patient case scenario as a component of an osteoarthritis laboratory module. Two laboratory sections used a paper case (n=53); three sections used an online virtual case simulation (n=81). Student module performance was assessed through a submitted subjective objective assessment plan (SOAP) note. Students completed pre/post surveys to measure self-perceived confidence in providing medication management. The simulation group completed postmodule questions related to realism and engagement of the online virtual case simulation. Group assessments were performed using chi-square and Mann Whitney tests. A significant increase in all 13 confidence items was seen in both student groups following completion of the laboratory module. The simulation group had an increased change of confidence compared to the paper group in assessing medication efficacy and documenting a thorough assessment. Comparing the online virtual simulation to a paper case, students agreed the learning experience increased interest, enjoyment, relevance, and realism. The simulation group performed better on the subjective SOAP note domain though no differences in total SOAP note scores was found between the two groups. Virtual case simulations result in increased student engagement and may lead to improved documentation performance in the subjective domain of SOAP notes. However, virtual patient cases may offer limited benefit over paper cases in improving overall student self-confidence to provide medication management.

Completeness of carotid intima media thickness measurements depends on body composition: the RADIANCE 1 and 2 trials.

PubMed

Dogan, Soner; Duivenvoorden, Raphaël; Grobbee, Diederick E; Kastelein, John J P; Shear, Charles L; Evans, Gregory W; Visseren, Frank L; Bots, Michiel L

2010-05-01

Ultrasound protocols to measure carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) differ considerably with regard to the inclusion of the number of carotid segments and angles used. Detailed information on the completeness of CIMT information is often lacking in published reports, and at most, overall percentages are presented. We therefore decided to study the completeness of CIMT measurements and its relation with vascular risk factors using data from two CIMT intervention studies: one among familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) patients, the Rating Atherosclerotic Disease change by Imaging With A New CETP Inhibitor (RADIANCE 1), and one among mixed dyslipidemia (MD) patients, the Rating Atherosclerotic Disease change by Imaging With A New CETP Inhibitor (RADIANCE 2). We used baseline ultrasound scans from the RADIANCE 1 (n=872) and RADIANCE 2 (n=752) studies. CIMT images were recorded for 12 artery-wall combinations (near and far walls of the left and right common carotid artery (CCA), bifurcation (BIF) and internal carotid artery (ICA) segments) at 4 set angles, resulting in 48 possible measurements per patient. The presence or absence of CIMT measurements was assessed per artery-wall combination and per angle. The relation between completeness and patient characteristics was evaluated with logistic regression analysis. In 89% of the FH patients, information on CIMT could be obtained on all twelve carotid segments, and in 7.6%, eleven segments had CIMT information (nearly complete 96.6%). For MD patients this was 74.6% and 17.9%, respectively (nearly complete: 92.5%). Increased body mass index and increased waist circumference were significantly (p=0.01) related to less complete data in FH patients. For MD patients, relations were seen with increased waist circumference (p<0.01). Segment-specific data indicated that in FH patients, completeness was less for the near wall of the left (96%) and right internal carotid artery (94%) as compared to other segments (all >98%). In MD patients, completeness was lower for the near wall of both the right and left carotid arteries: 86.0% and 90.8%, respectively, as compared to other segments (all >97%). With the current ultrasound protocols it is possible to obtain a very high level of completeness. Apart from the population studied, body mass index and waist circumference are important in achieving complete CIMT measurements.

Audiologic correlates of hearing handicap in the elderly.

PubMed

Weinstein, B E; Ventry, I M

1983-03-01

This investigation was conducted to determine the relationship between self-assessed hearing handicap and audiometric measures in a large sample of noninstitutionalized elderly individuals. Eighty subjects underwent a complete audiological evaluation and responded to the Hearing Measurement Scale (HMS). Each of the correlations between measures of sensitivity and the HMS score was statistically significant. The speech discrimination scores showed a somewhat lower correlation with the HMS score than did pure-tone measures. The implications of the above findings are discussed.

Can the reinforcing value of food be measured in bulimia nervosa?

PubMed

Schebendach, Janet; Broft, Allegra; Foltin, Richard W; Walsh, B Timothy

2013-03-01

Binge eating is a core clinical feature of bulimia nervosa (BN). Enhanced reinforcing value of food may play a role in this behavioral disturbance, but a systematic behavioral assessment of objective measures of the rewarding value of binge eating is lacking. The purpose of this study was to quantify the reinforcing value of food in BN patients as compared with normal controls. A progressive ratio (PR) computerized work task was completed under binge and non-binge instruction. The task consisted of 12 trials. The first trial required 50 keyboard taps to earn one portion of yogurt shake, and subsequent trials required progressive work increments of 200 taps for each additional portion. Completion of all 12 trials required 13,800 taps to earn 2100ml of shake. The breakpoint, defined as the largest ratio completed before a participant stopped working, was the measure of reinforcing efficacy. Ten patients and 10 controls completed the experiment. Under binge instruction, patients completed more trials and taps, and had a higher breakpoint than controls. The non-binge instruction yielded opposite findings; compared to controls, patients completed fewer trials and taps, and had a lower breakpoint. These results support the feasibility and potential utility of a PR task to quantify the reinforcing value of food in patients with BN. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Construct Validity of the Relationship Profile Test: Links with measures of psychopathology and adult attachment

PubMed Central

Haggerty, Greg; Bornstein, Robert F.; Khalid, Mohammad; Sharma, Vishal; Riaz, Usman; Blanchard, Mark; Siefert, Caleb J; Sinclair, Samuel J.

2015-01-01

This study assessed the construct validity of the Relationship Profile Test (RPT; Bornstein & Languirand, 2003) with a substance abuse sample. One hundred-eight substance abuse patients completed the RPT, Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (ECR-SF; Wei, Russell, Mallinckrodt, & Vogel, 2007), Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R: Derogatis 1983). Results suggest that the RPT has good construct validity when compared against theoretically related broadband measures of personality, psychopathology and adult attachment. Overall, health hependency was negatively related to measures of psychopathology and insecure attachment, and overdependence was positively related to measures of psychopathology and attachment anxiety. Many of the predictions regarding RPT detachment and the criterion measures were not supported. Implications of these findings are discussed. PMID:26620463

The effect of video review of resident laparoscopic surgical skills measured by self- and external assessment.

PubMed

Herrera-Almario, Gabriel E; Kirk, Katherine; Guerrero, Veronica T; Jeong, Kwonho; Kim, Sara; Hamad, Giselle G

2016-02-01

Video review of surgical skills is an educational modality that allows trainees to reflect on self-performance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether resident and attending assessments of a resident's laparoscopic performance differ and whether video review changes assessments. Third-year surgery residents were invited to participate. Elective laparoscopic procedures were video recorded. The Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills evaluation was completed immediately after the procedure and again 7 to 10 days later by both resident and attending. Scores were compared using t tests. Nine residents participated and 76 video reviews were completed. Residents scored themselves significantly lower than the faculty scores both before and after video review. Resident scores did not change significantly after video review. Attending and resident self-assessment of laparoscopic skills differs and subsequent video review does not significantly affect Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills scores. Further studies should evaluate the impact of video review combined with verbal feedback on skill acquisition and assessment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How long do the short-term violent video game effects last?

PubMed

Barlett, Christopher; Branch, Omar; Rodeheffer, Christopher; Harris, Richard

2009-01-01

How long do the effects of the initial short-term increase in aggression and physiological arousal last after violent video game play? Study 1 (N=91) had participants complete pre- and postvideo game measures of aggressive thoughts, aggressive feelings, and heart rate. Then, participants completed Time 3 measures after 4 min or 9 min of delay. Study 2 employed a similar procedure, but had participants (N=91) complete the hot sauce paradigm to assess aggressive behavior after a 0, 5, or 10 min delay. First, results indicated that aggressive feelings, aggressive thoughts, aggressive behavior, and heart rate initially increased after violent video game play. Second, results of the delay condition revealed that the increase in aggressive feelings and aggressive thoughts lasted less than 4 min, whereas heart rate and aggressive behavior lasted 4-9 min. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Trait mindfulness modulates neuroendocrine and affective responses to social evaluative threat.

PubMed

Brown, Kirk Warren; Weinstein, Netta; Creswell, J David

2012-12-01

Individual differences in mindfulness have been associated with numerous self-report indicators of stress, but research has not examined how mindfulness may buffer neuroendocrine and psychological stress responses under controlled laboratory conditions. The present study investigated the role of trait mindfulness in buffering cortisol and affective responses to a social evaluative stress challenge versus a control task. Participants completed measures of trait mindfulness, perceived stress, anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation before being randomized to complete the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST; Kirschbaum et al., 1993) or a control task. At points throughout the session, participants provided five saliva samples to assess cortisol response patterns, and completed four self-report measures of anxiety and negative affect to assess psychological responses. In accord with hypotheses, higher trait mindfulness predicted lower cortisol responses to the TSST, relative to the control task, as well as lower anxiety and negative affect. These relations remained significant when controlling for the role of other variables that predicted cortisol and affective responses. The findings suggest that trait mindfulness modulates cortisol and affective responses to an acute social stressor. Further research is needed to understand the neural pathways through which mindfulness impacts these responses. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Computer-Assisted Learning on Students' Dental Anatomy Waxing Performance.

PubMed

Kwon, So Ran; Hernández, Marcela; Blanchette, Derek R; Lam, Matthew T; Gratton, David G; Aquilino, Steven A

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of computer-assisted learning on first-year dental students' waxing abilities and self-evaluation skills. Additionally, this study sought to determine how well digital evaluation software performed compared to faculty grading with respect to students' technical scores on a practical competency examination. First-year students at one U.S. dental school were assigned to one of three groups: control (n=40), E4D Compare (n=20), and Sirona prepCheck (n=19). Students in the control group were taught by traditional teaching methodologies, and the technology-assisted groups received both traditional training and supplementary feedback from the corresponding digital system. Five outcomes were measured: visual assessment score, self-evaluation score, and digital assessment scores at 0.25 mm, 0.30 mm, and 0.35 mm tolerance. The scores from visual assessment and self-evaluation were examined for differences among groups using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Correlation between the visual assessment and digital scores was measured using Pearson and Spearman rank correlation coefficients. At completion of the course, students were asked to complete a survey on the use of these digital technologies. All 79 students in the first-year class participated in the study, for a 100% response rate. The results showed that the visual assessment and self-evaluation scores did not differ among groups (p>0.05). Overall correlations between visual and digital assessment scores were modest though statistically significant (5% level of significance). Analysis of survey responses completed by students in the technology groups showed that profiles for the two groups were similar and not favorable towards digital technology. The study concluded that technology-assisted training did not affect these students' waxing performance or self-evaluation skills and that visual scores given by faculty and digital assessment scores correlated moderately.

The relationship between information carrying words, memory and language skills in school age children with specific language impairment.

PubMed

Frizelle, Pauline; Harte, Jennifer; O'Sullivan, Kathleen; Fletcher, Paul; Gibbon, Fiona

2017-01-01

The receptive language measure information-carrying word (ICW) level, is used extensively by speech and language therapists in the UK and Ireland. Despite this it has never been validated via its relationship to any other relevant measures. This study aims to validate the ICW measure by investigating the relationship between the receptive ICW score of children with specific language impairment (SLI) and their performance on standardized memory and language assessments. Twenty-seven children with SLI, aged between 5;07 and 8;11, completed a sentence comprehension task in which the instructions gradually increased in number of ICWs. The children also completed subtests from The Working Memory Test Battery for children and The Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals- 4. Results showed that there was a significant positive relationship between both language and memory measures and children's ICW score. While both receptive and expressive language were significant in their contribution to children's ICW score, the contribution of memory was solely determined by children's working memory ability. ICW score is in fact a valid measure of the language ability of children with SLI. However therapists should also be cognisant of its strong association with working memory when using this construct in assessment or intervention methods.

Assessment of respondent acceptability of preference measures: discriminatory power of graphic positioning scale versus traditional scaling measures.

PubMed

Franic, Duska M; Pathak, Dev S

2003-01-01

The objective of this study was to compare discriminatory power of two different measures-graphic positioning scale (GPS) versus traditional scale (TS)-in assessing respondent acceptability of three preference measures: visual analog scale (VAS), standard gamble (SG), and willingness to pay (WTP). Two face-to-face interviews were conducted at least 1 week apart in a convenience sample of women aged 22 to 50 years with no history of breast cancer or cancer requiring chemotherapy. Study participation required completion of two surveys: one evaluating health preferences for an acute condition (chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting) and one evaluating a chronic condition (breast cancer). Data were collected from March 2000 to June 2000 at Ohio State University. Respondents were randomized to either GPS or TS surveys. Data analysis was a two-step process. First, a four-way multivariate repeated-measures analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to assess respondent acceptability of three-preference metrics-VAS, SG, and WTP-in health-care decision making. Each of the four dependent variables, difficulty, clarity, reasonableness, and comfort in use in decision making, was measured on 9-point Likert scale. Second, a mixed design univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed for each dependent variable to optimize MANOVA analysis. Univariate ANOVAs, 2 x (2 x 3), were composed of three independent variables: assessment (GPS/TS), condition (acute and chronic), and preferences (VAS, SG, WTP). Of 126 respondents, 119 were usable and complete. MANOVA results showed (P <.05) for two main effects, condition (F4,114 = 6.375) and preferences (F8,110 = 9.290), and two significant interactions, condition x assessment (F4,114 = 3.421) and condition x preferences (F8,110 = 2.087). GPS has higher discriminatory power than TS in assessing respondent attitudes toward health preference measures. Results showed that respondents had more difficulty and less comfort when making decisions for chronic than for acute conditions. Results also show that respondents regard WTP as a more reasonable decision-making tool when assessing acute interventions in preference to SG and vice versa for chronic conditions. Of VAS, SG, and WTP methods, VAS was perceived as being the easiest to understand. These results can be explained by direct versus indirect comparisons made with GPS and TS methods, respectively.

Evaluation of audit-based performance measures for dental care plans.

PubMed

Bader, J D; Shugars, D A; White, B A; Rindal, D B

1999-01-01

Although a set of clinical performance measures, i.e., a report card for dental plans, has been designed for use with administrative data, most plans do not have administrative data systems containing the data needed to calculate the measures. Therefore, we evaluated the use of a set of proxy clinical performance measures calculated from data obtained through chart audits. Chart audits were conducted in seven dental programs--three public health clinics, two dental health maintenance organizations (DHMO), and two preferred provider organizations (PPO). In all instances audits were completed by clinical staff who had been trained using telephone consultation and a self-instructional audit manual. The performance measures were calculated for the seven programs, audit reliability was assessed in four programs, and for one program the audit-based proxy measures were compared to the measures calculated using administrative data. The audit-based measures were sensitive to known differences in program performance. The chart audit procedures yielded reasonably reliable data. However, missing data in patient charts rendered the calculation of some measures problematic--namely, caries and periodontal disease assessment and experience. Agreement between administrative and audit-based measures was good for most, but not all, measures in one program. The audit-based proxy measures represent a complex but feasible approach to the calculation of performance measures for those programs lacking robust administrative data systems. However, until charts contain more complete diagnostic information (i.e., periodontal charting and diagnostic codes or reason-for-treatment codes), accurate determination of these aspects of clinical performance will be difficult.

Acute Assessment of Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress After Exposure to a Deployment-Related Explosive Blast.

PubMed

Baker, Monty T; Moring, John C; Hale, Willie J; Mintz, Jim; Young-McCaughan, Stacey; Bryant, Richard A; Broshek, Donna K; Barth, Jeffrey T; Villarreal, Robert; Lancaster, Cynthia L; Malach, Steffany L; Lara-Ruiz, Jose M; Isler, William; Peterson, Alan L

2018-05-18

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are two of the signature injuries in military service members who have been exposed to explosive blasts during deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Acute stress disorder (ASD), which occurs within 2-30 d after trauma exposure, is a more immediate psychological reaction predictive of the later development of PTSD. Most previous studies have evaluated service members after their return from deployment, which is often months or years after the initial blast exposure. The current study is the first large study to collect psychological and neuropsychological data from active duty service members within a few days after blast exposure. Recruitment for blast-injured TBI patients occurred at the Air Force Theater Hospital, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Patients were referred from across the combat theater and evaluated as part of routine clinical assessment of psychiatric and neuropsychological symptoms after exposure to an explosive blast. Four measures of neuropsychological functioning were used: the Military Acute Concussion Evaluation (MACE); the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS); the Headminder Cognitive Stability Index (CSI); and the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics, Version 4.0 (ANAM4). Three measures of combat exposure and psychological functioning were used: the Combat Experiences Scale (CES); the PTSD Checklist-Military Version (PCL-M); and the Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS). Assessments were completed by a deployed clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, or mental health technician. A total of 894 patients were evaluated. Data from 93 patients were removed from the data set for analysis because they experienced a head injury due to an event that was not an explosive blast (n = 84) or they were only assessed for psychiatric symptoms (n = 9). This resulted in a total of 801 blast-exposed patients for data analysis. Because data were collected in-theater for the initial purpose of clinical evaluation, sample size varied widely between measures, from 565 patients who completed the MACE to 154 who completed the CES. Bivariate correlations revealed that the majority of psychological measures were significantly correlated with each other (ps ≤ 0.01), neuropsychological measures were correlated with each other (ps ≤ 0.05), and psychological and neuropsychological measures were also correlated with each other (ps ≤ 0.05). This paper provides one of the first descriptions of psychological and neuropsychological functioning (and their inter-correlation) within days after blast exposure in a large sample of military personnel. Furthermore, this report describes the methodology used to gather data for the acute assessment of TBI, PTSD, and ASD after exposure to an explosive blast in the combat theater. Future analyses will examine the common and unique symptoms of TBI and PTSD, which will be instrumental in developing new assessment approaches and intervention strategies.

Lubiprostone vs Senna in postoperative orthopedic surgery patients with opioid-induced constipation: a double-blind, active-comparator trial.

PubMed

Marciniak, Christina M; Toledo, Santiago; Lee, Jungwha; Jesselson, Michael; Bateman, Jillian; Grover, Benjamin; Tierny, Joy

2014-11-21

To investigate the efficacy of lubiprostone compared to Senna on bowel symptoms and constipation in post-operative orthopedic patients treated with opioids. In this double blind, randomized, active comparator trial, adults who required opioids for analgesia following orthopedic procedures and who were admitted in inpatient rehabilitation were randomized following baseline assessments to lubiprostone (Amitza(®)), orally twice a day or Senna (generic) two capsules administered daily for six days. Subjects were assessed using the patient assessment of constipation (PAC)-symptoms (PAC-SYM) and the PAC-quality of life (PAC-QOL) scales measured at baseline and Day 7; Subjects were assessed daily for secondary measures included the Bristol stool scale bowel consistency, specific bowel symptom score (Nausea, cramping, straining, completeness, abdominal pain, time per lavatory attempt, assistance needed), adverse events and rescue medications required. Function was measured using the functional independence measure (FIM) at admission and discharge; length of stay (LOS) and missed treatments due to gastrointestinal symptoms were also assessed. 64 adults were enrolled; 56 participants (28 in each group) had baseline and follow up measures and were included in the intention to treat (ITT) analyses. 43 participants completed the study, 21 in the active lubiprostone and 22 in the active Senna group. The mean age of the participants was 71.5 years (SD = 11.4 years, range: 28-96 years). In the ITT analyses, participants showed significant improvement in bowel symptoms as measured by the PAC-SYM (mean ± SD, -0.28 ± 0.60, range: -1-2.33) and PAC-QOL (mean ± SD, 0.33 ± 0.81, range: -1.5-2.0) over time, but there were no significant differences between the lubiprostone and Senna groups in mean change in the PAC-SYM (-0.20 ± 0.60 vs -0.36 ± 0.61, P = 0.61 respectively) or the PAC-QOL (0.29 ± 0.76 vs 0.37 ± 0.87, P = 0.61 respectively). The mean change in each bowel symptom also did not significantly differ between treatment groups on ITT analyses, except for completeness of bowel movement, with the Senna group showing greater negative mean change in bowel movement completeness (-0.56 ± 1.01 vs -2.00 ± 1.41, P = 0.03) and for reduction of abdominal pain, favoring Senna (-0.14 ± 0.73 vs -0.73 ± 1.08, P = 0.04). Fifteen (75%) participants in the lubiprostone and in the Senna group requested rescue treatments. Participants made significant functional improvement from admission to discharge over a median LOS of 12 d, with a mean FIM change of 29.13 ± 13.58 and no significant between group differences (27.0 ± 9.2 vs 31.5 ± 16.6, P = 0.27). Both lubiprostone and Senna improved constipation-related symptoms and QOL in opioid-induced constipation, with no significant between-group differences.

Lubiprostone vs Senna in postoperative orthopedic surgery patients with opioid-induced constipation: A double-blind, active-comparator trial

PubMed Central

Marciniak, Christina M; Toledo, Santiago; Lee, Jungwha; Jesselson, Michael; Bateman, Jillian; Grover, Benjamin; Tierny, Joy

2014-01-01

AIM: To investigate the efficacy of lubiprostone compared to Senna on bowel symptoms and constipation in post-operative orthopedic patients treated with opioids. METHODS: In this double blind, randomized, active comparator trial, adults who required opioids for analgesia following orthopedic procedures and who were admitted in inpatient rehabilitation were randomized following baseline assessments to lubiprostone (Amitza®), orally twice a day or Senna (generic) two capsules administered daily for six days. Subjects were assessed using the patient assessment of constipation (PAC)-symptoms (PAC-SYM) and the PAC-quality of life (PAC-QOL) scales measured at baseline and Day 7; Subjects were assessed daily for secondary measures included the Bristol stool scale bowel consistency, specific bowel symptom score (Nausea, cramping, straining, completeness, abdominal pain, time per lavatory attempt, assistance needed), adverse events and rescue medications required. Function was measured using the functional independence measure (FIM) at admission and discharge; length of stay (LOS) and missed treatments due to gastrointestinal symptoms were also assessed. RESULTS: 64 adults were enrolled; 56 participants (28 in each group) had baseline and follow up measures and were included in the intention to treat (ITT) analyses. 43 participants completed the study, 21 in the active lubiprostone and 22 in the active Senna group. The mean age of the participants was 71.5 years (SD = 11.4 years, range: 28-96 years). In the ITT analyses, participants showed significant improvement in bowel symptoms as measured by the PAC-SYM (mean ± SD, -0.28 ± 0.60, range: -1-2.33) and PAC-QOL (mean ± SD, 0.33 ± 0.81, range: -1.5-2.0) over time, but there were no significant differences between the lubiprostone and Senna groups in mean change in the PAC-SYM (-0.20 ± 0.60 vs -0.36 ± 0.61, P = 0.61 respectively) or the PAC-QOL (0.29 ± 0.76 vs 0.37 ± 0.87, P = 0.61 respectively). The mean change in each bowel symptom also did not significantly differ between treatment groups on ITT analyses, except for completeness of bowel movement, with the Senna group showing greater negative mean change in bowel movement completeness (-0.56 ± 1.01 vs -2.00 ± 1.41, P = 0.03) and for reduction of abdominal pain, favoring Senna (-0.14 ± 0.73 vs -0.73 ± 1.08, P = 0.04). Fifteen (75%) participants in the lubiprostone and in the Senna group requested rescue treatments. Participants made significant functional improvement from admission to discharge over a median LOS of 12 d, with a mean FIM change of 29.13 ± 13.58 and no significant between group differences (27.0 ± 9.2 vs 31.5 ± 16.6, P = 0.27). CONCLUSION: Both lubiprostone and Senna improved constipation-related symptoms and QOL in opioid-induced constipation, with no significant between-group differences. PMID:25473191

Structured learning for robotic surgery utilizing a proficiency score: a pilot study.

PubMed

Hung, Andrew J; Bottyan, Thomas; Clifford, Thomas G; Serang, Sarfaraz; Nakhoda, Zein K; Shah, Swar H; Yokoi, Hana; Aron, Monish; Gill, Inderbir S

2017-01-01

We evaluated feasibility and benefit of implementing structured learning in a robotics program. Furthermore, we assessed validity of a proficiency assessment tool for stepwise graduation. Teaching cases included robotic radical prostatectomy and partial nephrectomy. Procedure steps were categorized: basic, intermediate, and advanced. An assessment tool ["proficiency score" (PS)] was developed to evaluate ability to safely and autonomously complete a step. Graduation required a passing PS (PS ≥ 3) on three consecutive attempts. PS and validated global evaluative assessment of robotic skills (GEARS) were evaluated for completed steps. Linear regression was utilized to determine postgraduate year/PS relationship (construct validity). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient measured correlation between PS and GEARS evaluations (concurrent validity). Intraclass correlation (ICC) evaluated PS agreement between evaluator classes. Twenty-one robotic trainees participated within the pilot program, completing a median of 14 (2-69) cases each. Twenty-three study evaluators scored 14 (1-60) cases. Over 4 months, 229/294 (78 %) cases were designated "teaching" cases. Residents completed 91 % of possible evaluations; faculty completed 78 %. Verbal and quantitative feedback received by trainees increased significantly (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, respectively). Average PS increased with PGY (post-graduate year) for basic and intermediate steps (regression slopes: 0.402 (p < 0.0001), 0.323 (p < 0.0001), respectively) (construct validation). Overall, PS correlated highly with GEARS (ρ = 0.81, p < 0.0001) (concurrent validity). ICC was 0.77 (95 % CI 0.61-0.88) for resident evaluations. Structured learning can be implemented in an academic robotic program with high levels of trainee and evaluator participation, encouraging both quantitative and verbal feedback. A proficiency assessment tool developed for step-specific proficiency has construct and concurrent validity.

Factor structure of the Communicator Styles Measure (CSM) when used with undergraduate health science students.

PubMed

Brown, Ted; Boyle, Malcolm; Williams, Brett; Molloy, Andrew; McKenna, Lisa; Palermo, Claire; Molloy, Liz

2013-06-01

It is important for educators to consider the communication skills of students enrolled in health science programmes. To date, research into this area is limited, and having measures that are valid and reliable would assist educators and researchers to complete high-quality investigations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factor structure of Communicator Styles Measure. Data from the Communicator Styles Measure completed by 860 undergraduate health science students enrolled in eight different courses at an Australian university (response rate of 59%) were analysed using principal component analysis with varimax rotation and a cluster analysis using elementary linkage analysis. The Communicator Styles Measure is a self-report scale consisting of 40 items designed to assess ten communication styles and one's perception of his/her ability to communicate. Communicator Styles Measure items loaded onto five new viable factors labelled personable, energetic, confident, open and confronting. Six items of the original 40 from the Communicator Styles Measure did not load onto any factor and were therefore considered redundant. The original factor structure proposed by the Communicator Styles Measure's author was not supported, which calls into question its construct validity. However, the five new factors identified in this study may be useful for researchers and educators when assessing the communication skills of students and practitioners. Further investigation into the construct validity and reliability of the five new Communicator Styles Measure factors is recommended. © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Systematic behavioural observation of executive performance after brain injury.

PubMed

Lewis, Mark W; Babbage, Duncan R; Leathem, Janet M

2017-01-01

To develop an ecologically valid measure of executive functioning (i.e. Planning and Organization, Executive Memory, Initiation, Cognitive Shifting, Impulsivity, Sustained and Directed Attention, Error Detection, Error Correction and Time Management) during a functional chocolate brownie cooking task. In Study 1, the inter-rater reliability of a novel behavioural observation assessment method was assessed with 10 people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In Study 2, 27 people with TBI and 16 healthy controls completed the functional task along with other measures of executive functioning to assess validity. Intraclass correlation coefficients for six of the nine aspects of executive functioning ranged from .54 to 1.00. Percentage agreements for the remaining aspects ranged from 70% to 90%. Significant and non-significant, moderate, correlations were found between the functional cooking task and standard neuropsychological measures. The healthy control group performed better than the TBI group in six areas (d = 0.56 to 1.23). In this initial trial of a novel assessment method, adequate inter-rater reliability was found. The measure was associated with standard neuropsychological measures, and our healthy control group performed better than the TBI group. The measure appears to be an ecologically valid measure of executive functioning.

A comparison between the original and Tablet-based Symbol Digit Modalities Test in patients with schizophrenia: Test-retest agreement, random measurement error, practice effect, and ecological validity.

PubMed

Tang, Shih-Fen; Chen, I-Hui; Chiang, Hsin-Yu; Wu, Chien-Te; Hsueh, I-Ping; Yu, Wan-Hui; Hsieh, Ching-Lin

2017-11-27

We aimed to compare the test-retest agreement, random measurement error, practice effect, and ecological validity of the original and Tablet-based Symbol Digit Modalities Test (T-SDMT) over five serial assessments, and to examine the concurrent validity of the T-SDMT in patients with schizophrenia. Sixty patients with chronic schizophrenia completed five serial assessments (one week apart) of the SDMT and T-SDMT and one assessment of the Activities of Daily Living Rating Scale III at the first time point. Both measures showed high test-retest agreement, similar levels of random measurement error over five serial assessments. Moreover, the practice effects of the two measures did not reach a plateau phase after five serial assessments in young and middle-aged participants. Nevertheless, only the practice effect of the T-SDMT became trivial after the first assessment. Like the SDMT, the T-SDMT had good ecological validity. The T-SDMT also had good concurrent validity with the SDMT. In addition, only the T-SDMT had discriminative validity to discriminate processing speed in young and middle-aged participants. Compared to the SDMT, the T-SDMT had overall slightly better psychometric properties, so it can be an alternative measure to the SDMT for assessing processing speed in patients with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preschool Education, Educational Attainment, and Crime Prevention: Contributions of Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skills

PubMed Central

Reynolds, Arthur J.; Temple, Judy A.; Ou, Suh-Ruu

2016-01-01

We investigated the extent to which cognitive and noncognitive skills accounted for the measured links between participation in preschool intervention and high school completion, highest grade completed, and incarceration history in early adulthood. Using data from the Chicago Longitudinal Study, an on-going 20-year investigation of the effects of the school-based Child-Parent Center early intervention program for over 1,500 children, we assessed the contribution of school readiness and achievement test scores up to age 14 and remedial education as well as measures of social adjustment, motivation, educational expectations, problem behavior, and juvenile arrest to the estimated direct effect of preschool. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that when assessed separately, cognitive factors accounted for 42% of the preschool effect on high school completion, 37% on highest grade completed, and 23% on incarceration history by age 24 while noncognitive factors accounted for, respectively, 36%, 45%, and 59%. Together, cognitive and noncognitive factors explained 46%, 51%, and 59% of the main effect of preschool participation. The set of cognitive skills made greater value-added contributions to educational attainment while noncognitive skills made greater value-added contributions to incarceration history. Our findings support the important role of test scores, school performance, and social and motivational factors in explaining the effect of preschool participation on economically important indicators of well-being. PMID:27667885

Concept mapping: Impact on content and organization of technical writing in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conklin, Elaine

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to compare the relationship between concept mapping and the content and organization of technical writing of ninth grade biology students. All students in the study completed a prewriting assessment. The experimental group received concept map instruction while the control group performed alternate tasks. After instruction, both groups completed the postwriting assessment and mean differences were compared using the t statistic for independent measures. Additionally, scores on the concept map were correlated to the scores on the postwriting assessment using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Finally, attitudes toward using concept mapping as a prewriting strategy were analyzed using the t statistic for repeated measures. Concept mapping significantly improved the depth of content; however, no statistical significance was detected for organization. Students had a significantly positive change in attitude toward using concept mapping to plan a writing assessment, organize information, and think creatively. The findings indicated concept mapping had a positive effect on the students' abilities to select concepts appropriate to respond to a writing prompt, integrate facts into complete thoughts and ideas, and apply it in novel situations. Concept maps appeared to facilitate learning how to process information and transform it into expository writing. Sustained practice in designing concept maps may influence organization as well as content. Developing a systematic approach to synthesize well-organized and coherent arguments in response to a writing task is an invaluable communication skill that has implications for the learner across disciplines and prepares them for higher education and the workforce.

Summer Treatment Program for Preschoolers with Externalizing Behavior Problems: a Preliminary Examination of Parenting Outcomes.

PubMed

Graziano, Paulo A; Ros, Rosmary; Hart, Katie C; Slavec, Janine

2017-11-07

Within an at-risk sample of preschoolers with externalizing behavior problems (EBP), the current study examined the initial promise of a multimodal intervention, the Summer Treatment Program for Pre-Kindergarteners (STP-PreK), in improving parenting outcomes. Using an open trial design, 154 parents and their preschool children (73% male; M age  = 5.06 years; 82% Hispanic/Latino background) with at-risk or clinically elevated levels of EBP (57% of which were referred by schools or mental health/medical professionals) completed a baseline and post-treatment assessment. A subsample of 90 families completed a follow-up assessment approximately 6 to 9 months after treatment completion. Parental measures of parenting stress and discipline strategies were collected across all three assessments. Observational data were also collected across all assessments during a 5-min standardized child-led play situation and a 5-min parent-led clean up task. The parenting component of the STP-PreK included a School Readiness Parenting Program (SRPP) of which the behavioral management component was implemented via a Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) adaptation (8 weekly group sessions with 15-20 parents in each group, lack of requirement of "mastery" criteria). All parenting outcomes (both ratings and observed) significantly improved after the intervention (Cohen's d mean effect size across measures 0.89) with all effects being maintained at the 6-9 month follow-up. These findings highlight the initial promise of our SRPP's PCIT adaptation in targeting multiple aspects of parenting while yielding comparable parenting skills acquisition compared to traditional individual PCIT.

Feasibility and Acceptability of Text Messaging to Assess Daily Substance Use and Sexual Behaviors among Urban Emerging Adults.

PubMed

Bonar, Erin E; Cunningham, Rebecca M; Collins, R Lorraine; Cranford, James A; Chermack, Stephen T; Zimmerman, Marc A; Blow, Frederic C; Walton, Maureen A

2018-01-01

Daily process research can help distinguish causal relationships between substance use and sexual risk behaviors in high-risk groups, such as urban emerging adults. We employed text messaging to assess 18-25 year-olds' daily substance use and sexual risk behaviors over 28 days. We describe the implementation of this method, attitudes regarding the daily surveys, and correlates of survey completion. We recruited 111 emerging adults from an urban Emergency Department in a resource-limited area who reported recent drug use and unprotected sex ( M age =22.0; 53.2% female; 45.1% African American; 43.2% receiving public assistance). Respondents completed M =18.0 ( SD = 8.7) of 28 daily surveys (27 items each). Participants completing a 1-month follow-up found the surveys not at all/only a little annoying (90.3%) and were comfortable with questions about drugs/alcohol (97.9%) and sex (94.6%). Completion was higher on weekdays versus weekends, and earlier in the study. Daily survey completion was unrelated to same-day substance use measured by the Timeline Follow Back at follow-up; polysubstance use and drinks consumed were associated with lower odds of next-day completion. School enrollment, public assistance, unlimited texting plan, lower baseline alcohol use, and depression symptoms at follow-up were associated with higher completion. Technology difficulties were commonly mentioned barriers to completion. Participants in this urban, resource-constrained sample found the daily text message methodology acceptable for reporting sensitive information. With rapid advancements in technologies and increased accessibility, text messaging remains a promising methodology for the study of daily processes in substance use and HIV risk behaviors. Keywords: text messaging; assessment; emerging adults; substance use; risky sex; mobile technology.

Staging a Reflective Capstone Course to Transition PharmD Graduates to Professional Life

PubMed Central

Hobson, Eric H.; Spinelli, Alisa J.

2015-01-01

Objective. To develop and implement a capstone course that would allow students to reflect on their development as a professional, assess and share their achievement of the college’s outcomes, complete a professional portfolio, establish a continuing professional development plan, and prepare to enter the pharmacy profession. Design. Students were required to complete a hybrid course built around 4 online and inclass projects during the final semester of the curriculum. Assessment. Faculty used direct measures of learning, such as reading student portfolios and program outcome reflections, evaluating professional development plans, and directly observing each student in a video presentation. All projects were evaluated using standardized rubrics. Since 2012, all graduating students met the course’s minimum performance requirements. Conclusion. The course provided an opportunity for student-based summative evaluation, direct observation of student skills, and documentation of outcome completion as a means of evaluating readiness to enter the profession. PMID:25741030

Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baer, Ruth A.; Smith, Gregory T.; Hopkins, Jaclyn; Krietemeyer, Jennifer; Toney, Leslie

2006-01-01

The authors examine the facet structure of mindfulness using five recently developed mindfulness questionnaires. Two large samples of undergraduate students completed mindfulness questionnaires and measures of other constructs. Psychometric properties of the mindfulness questionnaires were examined, including internal consistency and convergent…

Predictors of Exercise Relapse in a College Population.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullum, Julie; Clark, Matthew M.; King, Teresa K.

2000-01-01

Investigated factors that predicted exercise relapse among college students. Physically active undergraduates completed questionnaires measuring Prochaska's 10 processes for change of exercise, self-efficacy, and decisional balance. Exercise levels were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks later. At baseline, relapsers had significantly lower…

Assessment of Acoustic Adaptations for Noise Compensation in Marine Mammals

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-30

Measurements of call parameters (include duration, frequency content, and receive level) and noise levels have been completed and the resulting article ...Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq - Brazilian government agency that issues such permits) by Universidade Federal de

Psychometric viability of measures of functional performance commonly used for people with dementia: a systematic review of measurement properties.

PubMed

Fox, Benjamin; Henwood, Timothy; Keogh, Justin; Neville, Christine

2016-08-01

Confidence in findings can only be drawn from measurement tools that have sound psychometric properties for the population with which they are used. Within a dementia specific population, measures of physical function have been poorly justified in exercise intervention studies, with justification of measures based on validity or reliability studies from dissimilar clinical populations, such as people with bronchitis or healthy older adults without dementia. To review the reliability and validity of quantitative measures of pre-identified physical function, as commonly used within exercise intervention literature for adults with dementia. Participants were adults, aged 65 years and older, with a confirmed medical diagnosis of dementia. n/a Desired studies were observational and cross-sectional and that assessed measures from a pre-identified list of measures of physical function. Studies that assessed the psychometric constructs of reliability and validity were targeted. COSMIN taxology was used to define reliability and validity. This included, but were not limited to, Intra-Class Correlations, Kappa, Cronbach's Alpha, Chi Squared, Standard Error of Measurement, Minimal Detectable Change and Limits of Agreement. Published material was sourced from the following four databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and ISI Web of Science. Grey literature was searched for using ALOIS, Google Scholar and ProQuest. The COSMIN checklist was used to assess methodological quality of included studies. Assessment was completed by two reviewers independently. Reliability and validity data was extracted from included studies using standardized Joanna Briggs Institute data collection forms. Extraction was completed by two reviewers. A narrative synthesis of measurement properties of the tools used to measure physical function was performed. Quantitative meta-analysis was conducted for Intra-Class Correlation Coefficients only. With respect to relative reliability, studies reporting assessed measures had intraclass correlation coefficients greater than 0.71, indicating their suitability for use at a group level. However, a consistent finding among studies that included assessment of absolute reliability was that intra individual variation was too large for meaningful measurement of individuals. This was indicated by large Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) scores. Walk Speed has the smallest reported Mimimal Detectable Change score at 0.11m/s. This represented a change of 35% before statistical variation could be eliminated as the cause for this change. All measures had large MDC values. Walk Speed had the smallest MDC values at 0.11m/s, which represented a necessary change of 35%. Only a limited number of studies assessed the validity of measures. This supports the use of these measures in a very narrow selection of circumstances (see Summary of Findings). In summary, measures have shown appropriate levels of relative reliability. This supports their use at the group level. However, large levels of intra-individual variation undermine their applicability at the individual level. Limited studies of validity were available to this review, which limits a conclusion on whether measures are valid for people with dementia.

The Development of the Cleft Aesthetic Rating Scale: A New Rating Scale for the Assessment of Nasolabial Appearance in Complete Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients.

PubMed

Mosmuller, David G M; Mennes, Lisette M; Prahl, Charlotte; Kramer, Gem J C; Disse, Melissa A; van Couwelaar, Gijs M; Niessen, Frank B; Griot, J P W Don

2017-09-01

  The development of the Cleft Aesthetic Rating Scale, a simple and reliable photographic reference scale for the assessment of nasolabial appearance in complete unilateral cleft lip and palate patients.   A blind retrospective analysis of photographs of cleft lip and palate patients was performed with this new rating scale.   VU Medical Center Amsterdam and the Academic Center for Dentistry of Amsterdam.   Complete unilateral cleft lip and palate patients at the age of 6 years.   Photographs that showed the highest interobserver agreement in earlier assessments were selected for the photographic reference scale. Rules were attached to the rating scale to provide a guideline for the assessment and improve interobserver reliability. Cropped photographs revealing only the nasolabial area were assessed by six observers using this new Cleft Aesthetic Rating Scale in two different sessions.   Photographs of 62 children (6 years of age, 44 boys and 18 girls) were assessed. The interobserver reliability for the nose and lip together was 0.62, obtained with the intraclass correlation coefficient. To measure the internal consistency, a Cronbach alpha of .91 was calculated. The estimated reliability for three observers was .84, obtained with the Spearman Brown formula.   A new, easy to use, and reliable scoring system with a photographic reference scale is presented in this study.

Testing antecedents to sales performance in postapartheid era: a field study.

PubMed

Barbuto, John E; Barbuto, Liezel; De La Rey, Piet; Boshoff, Adre B; Xu, Ye

2006-10-01

The predictors of objectively measured sales performance were assessed with 245 sales representatives from a large South African life insurance company. Sales representatives completed measures of their locus of control, entrepreneurial attitudes, biographical history, and performance was assessed from company records of sales, net commissions earned, and lapse ratios. The nature of employment contract, job status, and race explained significant differences in performance outcomes. The predictive nature of locus of control and entrepreneurial attitudes for performance outcomes was tested using structural equation modeling procedures, with limited validity. The implications for research and practice are also discussed.

Short assessment of the Big Five: robust across survey methods except telephone interviewing.

PubMed

Lang, Frieder R; John, Dennis; Lüdtke, Oliver; Schupp, Jürgen; Wagner, Gert G

2011-06-01

We examined measurement invariance and age-related robustness of a short 15-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-S) of personality dimensions, which is well suited for applications in large-scale multidisciplinary surveys. The BFI-S was assessed in three different interviewing conditions: computer-assisted or paper-assisted face-to-face interviewing, computer-assisted telephone interviewing, and a self-administered questionnaire. Randomized probability samples from a large-scale German panel survey and a related probability telephone study were used in order to test method effects on self-report measures of personality characteristics across early, middle, and late adulthood. Exploratory structural equation modeling was used in order to test for measurement invariance of the five-factor model of personality trait domains across different assessment methods. For the short inventory, findings suggest strong robustness of self-report measures of personality dimensions among young and middle-aged adults. In old age, telephone interviewing was associated with greater distortions in reliable personality assessment. It is concluded that the greater mental workload of telephone interviewing limits the reliability of self-report personality assessment. Face-to-face surveys and self-administrated questionnaire completion are clearly better suited than phone surveys when personality traits in age-heterogeneous samples are assessed.

Using Social Network Analysis to Assess Mentorship and Collaboration in a Public Health Network.

PubMed

Petrescu-Prahova, Miruna; Belza, Basia; Leith, Katherine; Allen, Peg; Coe, Norma B; Anderson, Lynda A

2015-08-20

Addressing chronic disease burden requires the creation of collaborative networks to promote systemic changes and engage stakeholders. Although many such networks exist, they are rarely assessed with tools that account for their complexity. This study examined the structure of mentorship and collaboration relationships among members of the Healthy Aging Research Network (HAN) using social network analysis (SNA). We invited 97 HAN members and partners to complete an online social network survey that included closed-ended questions about HAN-specific mentorship and collaboration during the previous 12 months. Collaboration was measured by examining the activity of the network on 6 types of products: published articles, in-progress manuscripts, grant applications, tools, research projects, and presentations. We computed network-level measures such as density, number of components, and centralization to assess the cohesiveness of the network. Sixty-three respondents completed the survey (response rate, 65%). Responses, which included information about collaboration with nonrespondents, suggested that 74% of HAN members were connected through mentorship ties and that all 97 members were connected through at least one form of collaboration. Mentorship and collaboration ties were present both within and across boundaries of HAN member organizations. SNA of public health collaborative networks provides understanding about the structure of relationships that are formed as a result of participation in network activities. This approach may offer members and funders a way to assess the impact of such networks that goes beyond simply measuring products and participation at the individual level.

Monitoring Indicators of Scholarly Language: A Progress-Monitoring Instrument for Measuring Narrative Discourse Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillam, Sandra Laing; Gillam, Ronald B.; Fargo, Jamison D.; Olszewski, Abbie; Segura, Hugo

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the basic psychometric properties of a progress-monitoring tool designed to measure narrative discourse skills in school-age children with language impairments (LI). A sample of 109 children with LI between the ages of 5 years 7 months and 9 years 9 months completed the "Test of Narrative Language"…

Postinjury personality and outcome in acquired brain injury: the Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic.

PubMed

Beck, Kelley D; Franks, Susan F; Hall, James R

2010-03-01

To examine the relationship between postinjury personality and outcome in individuals with acquired brain injury. It was hypothesized that patients with differing levels of Introversive, Dejected, and Oppositional coping styles as described by Millon's Theory of Personality would show different outcomes after completion of a rehabilitation program. A retrospective chart review and completion of an outcome assessment was undertaken to examine study hypotheses. A postacute brain injury rehabilitation program. Fifty patients who completed the rehabilitation program between 2005 and 2008, who were 18 years of age or older, who possessed at least a sixth-grade reading level, and who completed a valid Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD) were selected. Rehabilitation therapists who worked with these patients were also recruited to assess patient outcomes. Charts of patients that met inclusion criteria were reviewed. Rehabilitation therapists completed the outcome measure retrospectively. The MBMD was used to predict outcome. The MBMD is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess psychosocial factors that relate to the course of medical treatment in chronic illness. The Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory (MPAI-4) was used to assess patient outcome. It is a 29-item assessment designed to evaluate the common physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social issues after acquired brain injury. Findings supported our hypotheses that patients with differing levels of Introversive and Oppositional Coping Styles would have significantly different outcomes after rehabilitation. Thus, individuals with mild/moderate to moderate/severe limitations had significantly greater scores on the Introversive and Oppositional coping compared with individuals with more successful outcomes. The results of this study support the idea that postinjury personality is an important factor in understanding outcome after completion of a brain-injury rehabilitation program. Personality variables accounted for significant variance above and beyond variance accounted for by the severity of the injury alone. These findings have important implications for the development and implementation of rehabilitation treatment planning. Copyright 2010 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

W5″ Test: A simple method for measuring mean power output in the bench press exercise.

PubMed

Tous-Fajardo, Julio; Moras, Gerard; Rodríguez-Jiménez, Sergio; Gonzalo-Skok, Oliver; Busquets, Albert; Mujika, Iñigo

2016-11-01

The aims of the present study were to assess the validity and reliability of a novel simple test [Five Seconds Power Test (W5″ Test)] for estimating the mean power output during the bench press exercise at different loads, and its sensitivity to detect training-induced changes. Thirty trained young men completed as many repetitions as possible in a time of ≈5 s at 25%, 45%, 65% and 85% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) in two test sessions separated by four days. The number of repetitions, linear displacement of the bar and time needed to complete the test were recorded by two independent testers, and a linear encoder was used as the criterion measure. For each load, the mean power output was calculated in the W5″ Test as mechanical work per time unit and compared with that obtained from the linear encoder. Subsequently, 20 additional subjects (10 training group vs. 10 control group) were assessed before and after completing a seven-week training programme designed to improve maximal power. Results showed that both assessment methods correlated highly in estimating mean power output at different loads (r range: 0.86-0.94; p < .01) and detecting training-induced changes (R(2): 0.78). Good to excellent intra-tester (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) range: 0.81-0.97) and excellent inter-tester (ICC range: 0.96-0.99; coefficient of variation range: 2.4-4.1%) reliability was found for all loads. The W5″ Test was shown to be a valid, reliable and sensitive method for measuring mean power output during the bench press exercise in subjects who have previous resistance training experience.

Life stress and risk of precancerous cervical lesions: a pretest directed by the life stress model.

PubMed

Lovejoy, N C; Roche, N; McLean, D

1997-01-01

To present the results of a pilot study to pretest instruments designed to measure selected variables named in the Life Stress Model, a model of health outcomes. Additional aims were to determine the effect of completing personal risk assessments for precancerous squamous-cell intraepithelial lesions of the cervic (SIL) on receptivity to cervical cancer prevention information and to extend knowledge of stressful life events experienced by inner-city women attending high-risk health clinics. Cross-sectional. 20 adult women attending high-risk prenatal or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) outpatient clinics in one of two New York City hospitals. Most were recovering drugs abusers; half were diagnosed with HIV infections. Data were collected by self-report using standard measures. Demographics, medical histories of immunosuppressive states, and investigator-developed screening inventories of behavioral and dietary risk factors associated with SIL also were administered. Life event stressors, psychological state, social support, symptom distress, and SIL diagnosis. Instruments met acceptable psychometric standards for internal consistency, but the standard measure of stressful life events did not capture the full range of stressors experienced by this group of patients: hovering relatives, abusive spouses, HIV diagnosis, changes in welfare benefits, the HIV status of the unborn, and mandatory foster care. Although unable to recall cancer histories of family members, about half of the women who completed study instruments were interested in receiving more information cervical cancer. Exploratory analyses suggest that women diagnosed with SIL experience more psychological distress and family disfunction than women without SIL. Completing personal SIL risk assessments may stimulate patients' receptivity to cancer risk factor information. Health outcomes studies guided by the Life Stress Model may prove fruitful. Cancer risk factor assessments may be an important method for promoting receptivity to cancer prevention information.

Reliability and responsiveness of the Self-Efficacy in Assessing, Training and Spotting wheelchair skills (SEATS) outcome measure.

PubMed

Rushton, Paula W; Smith, Emma M; Miller, William C; Kirby, R Lee; Daoust, Geneviève

2018-01-31

The aim of this study was to evaluate the internal consistency, test-retest reliability and responsiveness of the Self-Efficacy in Assessing, Training and Spotting manual wheelchair skills (SEATS-M) and Self-Efficacy in Assessing, Training and Spotting power wheelchair skills (SEATS-P). A 2-week test-retest design was used with a convenience sample of occupational and physical therapists who worked at a provincial rehabilitation centre (inpatient and outpatient services). Sixteen participants completed the SEATS-M and 18 participants completed the SEATS-P. For the SEATS-M assessment, training, spotting and documentation sections, Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.90 to 0.97, the 2-week intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC 1,1 ) ranged from 0.81 to 0.95, the standard error of measurements (SEM) ranged from 5.06 to 8.70 and the smallest real differences (SRD) ranged from 6.24 to 8.18. For the SEATS-P assessment, training, spotting and documentation sections, Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.83 to 0.92, the ICCs ranged from 0.72 to 0.86, the SEMs ranged from 4.54 to 8.91 and the SRDs ranged from 5.90 to 8.27. There is preliminary evidence that both the SEATS-M and the SEATS-P have high internal consistency, good test-retest reliability and support for responsiveness. These tools can be used in evaluating clinician self-efficacy with assessing, training, spotting and documenting wheelchair skills included on the Wheelchair Skills Test. Implications for Rehabilitation There is preliminary evidence that the SEATS-M and SEATS-P are reliable and responsive outcome measures that can be used to evaluate the self-efficacy of clinicians to administer the Wheelchair Skills Program. Measurement of clinicians' self-efficacy in this area of practice may enable an enhanced understanding of the areas in which clinicians lack self-efficacy, thereby informing the development of improved knowledge translation interventions.

Using the MEDiPORT humanoid robot to reduce procedural pain and distress in children with cancer: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Jibb, Lindsay A; Birnie, Kathryn A; Nathan, Paul C; Beran, Tanya N; Hum, Vanessa; Victor, J Charles; Stinson, Jennifer N

2018-06-12

Subcutaneous port needle insertions are painful and distressing for children with cancer. The interactive MEDiPORT robot has been programmed to implement psychological strategies to decrease pain and distress during this procedure. This study assessed the feasibility of a future MEDiPORT trial. The secondary aim was to determine the preliminary effectiveness of MEDiPORT in reducing child pain and distress during subcutaneous port accesses. This 5-month pilot randomized controlled trial used a web-based service to randomize 4- to 9-year-olds with cancer to the MEDiPORT cognitive-behavioral arm (robot using evidence-based cognitive-behavioral interventions) or active distraction arm (robot dancing and singing) while a nurse conducted a needle insertion. We assessed accrual and retention; technical difficulties; outcome measure completion by children, parents, and nurses; time taken to complete the study and clinical procedure; and child-, parent-, and nurse-rated acceptability. Descriptive analyses, with exploratory inferential testing of child pain and distress data, were used to address study aims. Forty children were randomized across study arms. Most (85%) eligible children participated and no children withdrew. Technical difficulties were more common in the cognitive-behavioral arm. Completion times for the study and needle insertion were acceptable and >96% of outcome measure items were completed. Overall, MEDiPORT and the study were acceptable to participants. There was no difference in pain between arms, but distress during the procedure was less pronounced in the active distraction arm. The MEDiPORT study appears feasible to implement as an adequately-powered effectiveness-assessing trial following modifications to the intervention and study protocol. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02611739. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Validity and cross-cultural adaptation of the persian version of the oxford elbow score.

PubMed

Ebrahimzadeh, Mohammad H; Kachooei, Amir Reza; Vahedi, Ehsan; Moradi, Ali; Mashayekhi, Zeinab; Hallaj-Moghaddam, Mohammad; Azami, Mehran; Birjandinejad, Ali

2014-01-01

Oxford Elbow Score (OES) is a patient-reported questionnaire used to assess outcomes after elbow surgery. The aim of this study was to validate and adapt the OES into Persian language. After forward-backward translation of the OES into Persian, a total number of 92 patients after elbow surgeries completed the Persian OES along with the Persian DASH and SF-36. To assess test-retest reliability, 31 randomly selected patients (34%) completed the Persian OES again after three days while abstaining from all forms of therapeutic regimens. Reliability of the Persian OES was assessed by measuring intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for test-retest reliability and Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to test the construct validity. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.92 showing excellent reliability. Cronbach's alpha for function, pain, and social-psychological subscales was 0.95, 0.86, and 0.85, respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.85 for the overall questionnaire and 0.90, 0.76, and 0.75 for function, pain, and social-psychological subscales, respectively. Construct validity was confirmed as the Spearman correlation between OES and DASH was 0.80. Persian OES is a valid and reliable patient-reported outcome measure to assess postsurgical elbow status in Persian speaking population.

The test-retest reliability and criterion validity of a high-intensity, netball-specific circuit test: The Net-Test.

PubMed

Mungovan, Sean F; Peralta, Paula J; Gass, Gregory C; Scanlan, Aaron T

2018-04-12

To examine the test-retest reliability and criterion validity of a high-intensity, netball-specific fitness test. Repeated measures, within-subject design. Eighteen female netball players competing in an international competition completed a trial of the Net-Test, which consists of 14 timed netball-specific movements. Players also completed a series of netball-relevant criterion fitness tests. Ten players completed an additional Net-Test trial one week later to assess test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), typical error of measurement (TEM), and coefficient of variation (CV). The typical error of estimate expressed as CV and Pearson correlations were calculated between each criterion test and Net-Test performance to assess criterion validity. Five movements during the Net-Test displayed moderate ICC (0.84-0.90) and two movements displayed high ICC (0.91-0.93). Seven movements and heart rate taken during the Net-Test held low CV (<5%) with values ranging from 1.7 to 9.5% across measures. Total time (41.63±2.05s) during the Net-Test possessed low CV and significant (p<0.05) correlations with 10m sprint time (1.98±0.12s; CV=4.4%, r=0.72), 20m sprint time (3.38±0.19s; CV=3.9%, r=0.79), 505 Change-of-Direction time (2.47±0.08s; CV=2.0%, r=0.80); and maximum oxygen uptake (46.59±2.58 mLkg -1 min -1 ; CV=4.5%, r=-0.66). The Net-Test possesses acceptable reliability for the assessment of netball fitness. Further, the high criterion validity for the Net-Test suggests a range of important netball-specific fitness elements are assessed in combination. Copyright © 2018 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Short-Term Cognitive-Behavioural Group Treatment for Hoarding Disorder: A Naturalistic Treatment Outcome Study.

PubMed

Moulding, Richard; Nedeljkovic, Maja; Kyrios, Michael; Osborne, Debra; Mogan, Christopher

2017-01-01

The study aim was to test whether a 12-week publically rebated group programme, based upon Steketee and Frost's Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-based hoarding treatment, would be efficacious in a community-based setting. Over a 3-year period, 77 participants with clinically significant hoarding were recruited into 12 group programmes. All completed treatment; however, as this was a community-based naturalistic study, only 41 completed the post-treatment assessment. Treatment included psychoeducation about hoarding, skills training for organization and decision making, direct in-session exposure to sorting and discarding, and cognitive and behavioural techniques to support out-of-session sorting and discarding, and nonacquiring. Self-report measures used to assess treatment effect were the Savings Inventory-Revised (SI-R), Savings Cognition Inventory, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales. Pre-post analyses indicated that after 12 weeks of treatment, hoarding symptoms as measured on the SI-R had reduced significantly, with large effect sizes reported in total and across all subscales. Moderate effect sizes were also reported for hoarding-related beliefs (emotional attachment and responsibility) and depressive symptoms. Of the 41 participants who completed post-treatment questionnaires, 14 (34%) were conservatively calculated to have clinically significant change, which is considerable given the brevity of the programme judged against the typical length of the disorder. The main limitation of the study was the moderate assessment completion rate, given its naturalistic setting. This study demonstrated that a 12-week group treatment for hoarding disorders was effective in reducing hoarding and depressive symptoms in an Australian clinical cohort and provides evidence for use of this treatment approach in a community setting. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. A 12-week group programme delivered in a community setting was effective for helping with hoarding symptoms with a large effect size. Hoarding beliefs (emotional attachment and responsibility) and depression were reduced, with moderate effect sizes. A third of all participants who completed post-treatment questionnaires experienced clinically significant change. Suggests that hoarding CBT treatment can be effectively translated into real-world settings and into a brief 12-session format, albeit the study had a moderate assessment completion rate. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project: a pan-Canadian platform for research on chronic disease prevention

PubMed Central

Awadalla, Philip; Boileau, Catherine; Craig, Camille; Fortier, Isabel; Goel, Vivek; Hicks, Jason M.T.; Jacquemont, Sébastien; Knoppers, Bartha Maria; Le, Nhu; McDonald, Treena; McLaughlin, John; Mes-Masson, Anne-Marie; Nuyt, Anne-Monique; Palmer, Lyle J.; Parker, Louise; Purdue, Mark; Robson, Paula J.; Spinelli, John J.; Thompson, David; Vena, Jennifer; Zawati, Ma’n

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Understanding the complex interaction of risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing common diseases is challenging. The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project (CPTP) is a prospective cohort study created as a population-health research platform for assessing the effect of genetics, behaviour, family health history and environment (among other factors) on chronic diseases. METHODS: Volunteer participants were recruited from the general Canadian population for a confederation of 5 regional cohorts. Participants were enrolled in the study and core information obtained using 2 approaches: attendance at a study assessment centre for all study measures (questionnaire, venous blood sample and physical measurements) or completion of the core questionnaire (online or paper), with later collection of other study measures where possible. Physical measurements included height, weight, percentage body fat and blood pressure. Participants consented to passive follow-up through linkage with administrative health databases and active follow-up through recontact. All participant data across the 5 regional cohorts were harmonized. RESULTS: A total of 307 017 participants aged 30–74 from 8 provinces were recruited. More than half provided a venous blood sample and/or other biological sample, and 33% completed physical measurements. A total of 709 harmonized variables were created; almost 25% are available for all participants and 60% for at least 220 000 participants. INTERPRETATION: Primary recruitment for the CPTP is complete, and data and biosamples are available to Canadian and international researchers through a data-access process. The CPTP will support research into how modifiable risk factors, genetics and the environment interact to affect the development of cancer and other chronic diseases, ultimately contributing evidence to reduce the global burden of chronic disease. PMID:29891475

The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project: a pan-Canadian platform for research on chronic disease prevention.

PubMed

Dummer, Trevor J B; Awadalla, Philip; Boileau, Catherine; Craig, Camille; Fortier, Isabel; Goel, Vivek; Hicks, Jason M T; Jacquemont, Sébastien; Knoppers, Bartha Maria; Le, Nhu; McDonald, Treena; McLaughlin, John; Mes-Masson, Anne-Marie; Nuyt, Anne-Monique; Palmer, Lyle J; Parker, Louise; Purdue, Mark; Robson, Paula J; Spinelli, John J; Thompson, David; Vena, Jennifer; Zawati, Ma'n

2018-06-11

Understanding the complex interaction of risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing common diseases is challenging. The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project (CPTP) is a prospective cohort study created as a population-health research platform for assessing the effect of genetics, behaviour, family health history and environment (among other factors) on chronic diseases. Volunteer participants were recruited from the general Canadian population for a confederation of 5 regional cohorts. Participants were enrolled in the study and core information obtained using 2 approaches: attendance at a study assessment centre for all study measures (questionnaire, venous blood sample and physical measurements) or completion of the core questionnaire (online or paper), with later collection of other study measures where possible. Physical measurements included height, weight, percentage body fat and blood pressure. Participants consented to passive follow-up through linkage with administrative health databases and active follow-up through recontact. All participant data across the 5 regional cohorts were harmonized. A total of 307 017 participants aged 30-74 from 8 provinces were recruited. More than half provided a venous blood sample and/or other biological sample, and 33% completed physical measurements. A total of 709 harmonized variables were created; almost 25% are available for all participants and 60% for at least 220 000 participants. Primary recruitment for the CPTP is complete, and data and biosamples are available to Canadian and international researchers through a data-access process. The CPTP will support research into how modifiable risk factors, genetics and the environment interact to affect the development of cancer and other chronic diseases, ultimately contributing evidence to reduce the global burden of chronic disease. © 2018 Joule Inc. or its licensors.

Development of a measure of informed choice suitable for use in low literacy populations.

PubMed

Dormandy, Elizabeth; Tsui, Elaine Y L; Marteau, Theresa M

2007-06-01

To assess the reliability and validity of a simplified questionnaire-based measure of informed choice in populations with low literacy. The measure comprises (a) knowledge about the test and (b) attitudes towards undergoing the test. Responses to (a) and (b) together with information on test uptake, are used to classify choices as informed or uninformed. A cross-sectional study of 79 pregnant women (46 women with higher, and 33 with lower education levels) completed a simplified questionnaire, a standardised questionnaire and a semi-structured interview about antenatal sickle cell and thalassaemia (SCT) screening. The measures used were: (a) informed choice, based on knowledge about the test, attitudes towards undergoing the test, and uptake of the test and (b) ease of completion measures. The simplified measures of knowledge and attitudes were able to distinguish between women classified according to interview responses as having good or poor knowledge (knowledge scores 6.8 versus 3.2, p<0.001), and positive or negative attitudes towards undergoing the test (attitude scores 20.6 versus 16.2, p=0.023). There was no difference in rates of informed choice derived from the simplified or standardised measures (54% versus 51%, 95% CI difference -11 to 19). Women with lower levels of education found the simplified questionnaire easier to complete than the standardised version (11.0 versus 9.6, p=0.009). Those with higher levels of education found no difference in ease of completion between the two versions of the questionnaire (11.8 versus 11.6, p=0.54). A simplified questionnaire-based measure of informed choice in antenatal SCT screening is as reliable and valid as a more complex standardised version and for those with less education, easier to complete. The simplified questionnaire-based measure of informed choice is suitable for use in populations with low and high levels of education.

Personalized risk communication for personalized risk assessment: Real world assessment of knowledge and motivation for six mortality risk measures from an online life expectancy calculator.

PubMed

Manuel, Douglas G; Abdulaziz, Kasim E; Perez, Richard; Beach, Sarah; Bennett, Carol

2018-01-01

In the clinical setting, previous studies have shown personalized risk assessment and communication improves risk perception and motivation. We evaluated an online health calculator that estimated and presented six different measures of life expectancy/mortality based on a person's sociodemographic and health behavior profile. Immediately after receiving calculator results, participants were invited to complete an online survey that asked how informative and motivating they found each risk measure, whether they would share their results and whether the calculator provided information they need to make lifestyle changes. Over 80% of the 317 survey respondents found at least one of six healthy living measures highly informative and motivating, but there was moderate heterogeneity regarding which measures respondents found most informative and motivating. Overall, health age was most informative and life expectancy most motivating. Approximately 40% of respondents would share the results with their clinician (44%) or social networks (38%), although the information they would share was often different from what they found informative or motivational. Online personalized risk assessment allows for a more personalized communication compared to historic paper-based risk assessment to maximize knowledge and motivation, and people should be provided a range of risk communication measures that reflect different risk perspectives.

Using a web-based game to prevent posttraumatic stress in children following medical events: design of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Marsac, Meghan L; Kohser, Kristen L; Winston, Flaura K; Kenardy, Justin; March, Sonja; Kassam-Adams, Nancy

2013-01-01

Medical events including acute illness and injury are among the most common potentially traumatic experiences for children. Despite the scope of the problem, only limited resources are available for prevention of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) after pediatric medical events. Web-based programs provide a low-cost, accessible means to reach a wide range of families and show promise in related areas of child mental health. To describe the design of a randomized controlled trial that will evaluate feasibility and estimate preliminary efficacy of Coping Coach, a web-based preventive intervention to prevent or reduce PTSS after acute pediatric medical events. Seventy children and their parents will be randomly assigned to either an intervention or a waitlist control condition. Inclusion criteria require that children are aged 8-12 years, have experienced a medical event, have access to Internet and telephone, and have sufficient competency in the English language to complete measures and understand the intervention. Participants will complete baseline measures and will then be randomized to the intervention or waitlist control condition. Children in the intervention condition will complete module 1 (Feelings Identification) in the hospital and will be instructed on how to complete modules 2 (Appraisals) and 3 (Avoidance) online. Follow-up assessments will be conducted via telephone at 6, 12, and 18 weeks after the baseline assessment. Following the 12-week assessment, children in the waitlist control condition will receive instructions for completing the intervention. Primary study outcomes include data on intervention feasibility and outcomes (child appraisals, coping, PTSS and health-related quality of life). Results will provide data on the feasibility of the implementation of the Coping Coach intervention and study procedures as well as estimations of efficacy to determine sample size for a larger study. Potential strengths and limitations of this design are discussed.

Using a web-based game to prevent posttraumatic stress in children following medical events: design of a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Marsac, Meghan L.; Kohser, Kristen L.; Winston, Flaura K.; Kenardy, Justin; March, Sonja; Kassam-Adams, Nancy

2013-01-01

Background Medical events including acute illness and injury are among the most common potentially traumatic experiences for children. Despite the scope of the problem, only limited resources are available for prevention of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) after pediatric medical events. Web-based programs provide a low-cost, accessible means to reach a wide range of families and show promise in related areas of child mental health. Objectives To describe the design of a randomized controlled trial that will evaluate feasibility and estimate preliminary efficacy of Coping Coach, a web-based preventive intervention to prevent or reduce PTSS after acute pediatric medical events. Method Seventy children and their parents will be randomly assigned to either an intervention or a waitlist control condition. Inclusion criteria require that children are aged 8–12 years, have experienced a medical event, have access to Internet and telephone, and have sufficient competency in the English language to complete measures and understand the intervention. Participants will complete baseline measures and will then be randomized to the intervention or waitlist control condition. Children in the intervention condition will complete module 1 (Feelings Identification) in the hospital and will be instructed on how to complete modules 2 (Appraisals) and 3 (Avoidance) online. Follow-up assessments will be conducted via telephone at 6, 12, and 18 weeks after the baseline assessment. Following the 12-week assessment, children in the waitlist control condition will receive instructions for completing the intervention. Results Primary study outcomes include data on intervention feasibility and outcomes (child appraisals, coping, PTSS and health-related quality of life). Discussion Results will provide data on the feasibility of the implementation of the Coping Coach intervention and study procedures as well as estimations of efficacy to determine sample size for a larger study. Potential strengths and limitations of this design are discussed. PMID:23898396

The assessment of a structured online formative assessment program: a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Online formative assessment continues to be an important area of research and methods which actively engage the learner and provide useful learning outcomes are of particular interest. This study reports on the outcomes of a two year study of medical students using formative assessment tools. Method The study was conducted over two consecutive years using two different strategies for engaging students. The Year 1 strategy involved voluntary use of the formative assessment tool by 129 students. In Year 2, a second cohort of 130 students was encouraged to complete the formative assessment by incorporating summative assessment elements into it. Outcomes from pre and post testing students around the formative assessment intervention were used as measures of learning. To compare improvement scores between the two years a two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) model was fitted to the data. Results The ANOVA model showed that there was a significant difference in improvement scores between students in the two years (mean improvement percentage 19% vs. 38.5%, p < 0.0001). Students were more likely to complete formative assessment items if they had a summative component. In Year 2, the time spent using the formative assessment tool had no impact on student improvement, nor did the number of assessment items completed. Conclusion The online medium is a valuable learning resource, capable of providing timely formative feedback and stimulating student-centered learning. However the production of quality content is a time-consuming task and careful consideration must be given to the strategies employed to ensure its efficacy. Course designers should consider the potential positive impact summative components to formative assessment may have on student engagement and outcomes. PMID:24400883

Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) correlations with prospective violence assessment in a longitudinal cohort.

PubMed

Liebschutz, Jane M; Buchanan-Howland, Kathryn; Chen, Clara A; Frank, Deborah A; Richardson, Mark A; Heeren, Timothy C; Cabral, Howard J; Rose-Jacobs, Ruth

2018-06-01

Retrospective recall-based measures administered to adults, like the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), are commonly used to determine experiences of childhood trauma in the home. However, the CTQ has not been compared with prospective measures of childhood violence exposure, whether at home or in the community. We evaluated the relationships between young adults' responses to the CTQ and their prospective self-reports of exposure to violence in childhood and adolescence. Participants were 127 (93% African American, 47% male) urban young adults in a longitudinal birth cohort study examining effects of prenatal substance exposure and environmental factors on development. Participants completed the Violence Exposure Scale for Children-Revised (VEX-R), a 21-item self-report measure of experience of/witness to interpersonal violence, administered face to face at 9, 10, and 11 years using cartoon pictures, and via audio-computer assisted self-interview at 12, 14, and 16 years. Participants also completed the CTQ, a 28-item, 5-scale screening measure, during a young-adult follow-up (ages 18-23). Using Pearson Correlation coefficients, VEX-R total scores significantly correlated with the sum of CTQ scales, r = .33, p < .01, and 3 (physical, emotional, and sexual abuse) of the 5 CTQ subscales, showing a moderate linear association. This study suggests that the CTQ serves as a reasonable retrospective assessment of prospectively ascertained childhood trauma exposure. The differences may be accounted for by disparities in domains assessed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Reliability and Construct Validity of Limits of Stability Test in Adolescents Using a Portable Forceplate System.

PubMed

Alsalaheen, Bara; Haines, Jamie; Yorke, Amy; Broglio, Steven P

2015-12-01

To examine the reliability, convergent, and discriminant validity of the limits of stability (LOS) test to assess dynamic postural stability in adolescents using a portable forceplate system. Cross-sectional reliability observational study. School setting. Adolescents (N=36) completed all measures during the first session. To examine the reliability of the LOS test, a subset of 15 participants repeated the LOS test after 1 week. Not applicable. Outcome measurements included the LOS test, Balance Error Scoring System, Instrumented Balance Error Scoring System, and Modified Clinical Test for Sensory Interaction on Balance. A significant relation was observed among LOS composite scores (r=.36-.87, P<.05). However, no relation was observed between LOS and static balance outcome measurements. The reliability of the LOS composite scores ranged from moderate to good (intraclass correlation coefficient model 2,1=.73-.96). The results suggest that the LOS composite scores provide unique information about dynamic postural stability, and the LOS test completed at 100% of the theoretical limit appeared to be a reliable test of dynamic postural stability in adolescents. Clinicians should use dynamic balance measurement as part of their balance assessment and should not use static balance testing (eg, Balance Error Scoring System) to make inferences about dynamic balance, especially when balance assessment is used to determine rehabilitation outcomes, or when making return to play decisions after injury. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Can a single question effectively screen for burnout in Australian cancer care workers?

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Burnout has important clinical and professional implications among health care workers, with high levels of burnout documented in oncology staff. The aim of this study was to ascertain how well a brief single-item measure could be used to screen for burnout in the Australian oncology workforce. Methods During 2007, 1322 members of the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia were invited to participate in a cross-sectional nationwide survey; 740 (56%) of eligible members consented and completed the survey. Data from the 638 consenting members who reported that their work involved direct patient contact were included in the secondary analyses reported in this paper. Burnout was assessed using the MBI Human Services Survey Emotional Exhaustion sub-scale and a single-item self-defined burnout scale. Results Emotional exhaustion was "high" in 33% of the sample when assessed by the psychometrically validated MBI. The single-item burnout measure identified 28% of the sample who classified themselves as "definitely burning out", "having persistent symptoms of burnout", or "completely burned out". MBI Emotional Exhaustion was significantly correlated with the single-item burnout measure (r = 0.68, p < 0.0001) and an ANOVA yielded an R2 of 0.5 (p < 0.0001). Conclusions The moderate to high correlation between the single-item self-defined burnout measure and the emotional exhaustion component of burnout suggest that this single item can effectively screen for burnout in health care settings which are time-poor for assessing burnout more comprehensively. PMID:21162747

50 CFR 86.122 - Who completes the Comprehensive National Assessment?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Who completes the Comprehensive National... INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT (BIG) PROGRAM Completing the Comprehensive National Assessment § 86.122 Who completes the Comprehensive National Assessment? The Service completes the Assessment. We will develop standards in...

The impact of rock videos and music with suicidal content on thoughts and attitudes about suicide.

PubMed

Rustad, Robin A; Small, Jacob E; Jobes, David A; Safer, Martin A; Peterson, Rebecca J

2003-01-01

In Experiment 1, 133 college student volunteers watched a rock music video with or without suicidal content and then completed written measures assessing mood, priming of suicide-related thoughts, perceptions of personal risk, sensitivity to suicidality in others, and attitudes/beliefs about suicide. In Experiment 2, 104 college student volunteers listened to rock music with either suicidal or neutral content and then completed measures similar to Experiment 1, with the addition of a hopelessness measure. In both experiments, participants exposed to suicidal content wrote more scenarios with suicide-related themes in a projective storytelling task than those exposed to nonsuicidal content. However, there were virtually no group differences on explicit measures of affect, attitudes, and perceptions. Music and videos with suicide content appeared to prime implicit cognitions related to suicide but did not affect variables associated with increased suicide risk.

Measuring the youth bullying experience: a systematic review of the psychometric properties of available instruments.

PubMed

Vessey, Judith; Strout, Tania D; DiFazio, Rachel L; Walker, Allison

2014-12-01

Bullying is a significant problem in schools and measuring this concept remains problematic. The purposes of this study were to (1) identify the published self-report measures developed to assess youth bullying; (2) evaluate their psychometric properties and instrument characteristics; and (3) evaluate the quality of identified psychometric papers evaluating youth bullying measures. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using 4 electronic databases. Data extraction and appraisal of identified instruments were completed using a standardized method and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Thirty-one articles describing 27 self-report instruments were evaluated in our analysis. Quality assessments ranged from 18% to 91%, with 6 papers reaching or exceeding a quality score of 75%. Limited evidence supporting the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of existing youth bullying measures was identified. Evidence supporting the psychometric soundness of the instruments identified was limited. Many measures were in early development and additional evaluation is necessary to validate their psychometric properties. A pool of instruments possesses acceptable initial psychometric dependability for selected assessment purposes. These findings have significant implications for assessing youth bullying and designing and evaluating school-based interventions. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Evaluating the data completeness in the Electronic Health Record after the Implementation of an Outpatient Electronic Health Record.

PubMed

Soto, Mauricio; Capurro, Daniel; Catalán, Silvia

2015-01-01

Electronic health records (EHRs) present an opportunity for quality improvement in health organitations, particularly at the primary health level. However, EHR implementation impacts clinical workflows, and physicians frequently prefer to document in a non-structured way, which ultimately hinders the ability to measure quality indicators. We present an assessment of data completeness-a key data quality indicator-during the first 12 months after the implementation of an EHR at a teaching outpatient center in Santiago, Chile.

The Agora

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkich, Don

2013-01-01

Student Learning Outcomes are increasingly de rigueur in US higher education. Usually defined as statements of what students will be able to measurably demonstrate upon completing a course or program, proponents argue that they are essential to objective assessment and quality assurance. Critics contend that Student Learning Outcomes are a…

Alternative High School Students: Prevalence and Correlates of Overweight

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubik, Martha Y.; Davey, Cynthia; Fulkerson, Jayne A.; Sirard, John; Story, Mary; Arcan, Chrisa

2009-01-01

Objective: To determine prevalence and correlates of overweight among adolescents attending alternative high schools (AHS). Methods: AHS students (n=145) from 6 schools completed surveys and anthropometric measures. Cross-sectional associations were assessed using mixed model multivariate logistic regression. Results: Among students, 42% were…

Field study of the air quality impact of Route I-195 at Richmond, Virginia.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-01-01

This investigation attempted to assess the mesoscale and microscale effects of the recently built Interstate Route I-195 in Richmond, Virginia. Measurement of the air quality before and after completion of the expressway showed that on the mesoscale,...

Personality and Psychopathology in African Unaccompanied Refugee Minors: Repression, Resilience and Vulnerability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huemer, Julia; Volkl-Kernstock, Sabine; Karnik, Niranjan; Denny, Katherine G.; Granditsch, Elisabeth; Mitterer, Michaela; Humphreys, Keith; Plattner, Belinda; Friedrich, Max; Shaw, Richard J.; Steiner, Hans

2013-01-01

Examining personality and psychopathological symptoms among unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs), we measured intra-individual dimensions (repression and correlates thereof) usually associated with resilience. Forty-one URMs completed the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory (WAI), assessing personality, and the Youth Self-Report (YSR), describing…

Evaluating Physician Competency: What Difference Does It Make?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brockway, Barbara Stephens

1978-01-01

A system for evaluating clinical competency of residents was designed to test expert opinions as well as the skills of the practitioner. Four measures of clinical competency were included: data collection completeness; problem identification accuracy; interview skills; and patient and physician assessment. (Author/MH)

[A contribution to the needs assessment of faculty development measures in medical schools].

PubMed

Raupach, Tobias; Spering, Christopher; Bäumler, Christine; Burckhardt, Gerhard; Trümper, Lorenz; Pukrop, Tobias

2009-11-15

In addition to patient care and research activity, physicians working in medical school hospitals serve as teachers in undergraduate medical education. However, teaching qualifications of German university hospital physicians have not been studied in great detail. In January 2009, medical students as well as physicians involved in medical teaching at Göttingen Medical School, Germany, were invited to complete an online survey addressing their views on clinical teachers' educational skills. In addition, physicians' motivation to engage in pedagogical training was assessed. During a 12-day period, 359 students and 126 physicians involved in undergraduate medical education completed the survey. The latter did not feel well prepared for their teaching activities. At the same time, they expressed the willingness to improve their teaching skills. Students felt that, across all instructional methods, teachers would benefit from teacher training programs. In order to improve undergraduate education for future physicians, politicians and local representatives alike must set the scene for the implementation of faculty development measures in German medical schools.

Assessing Medical Students’ Self-regulation as Aptitude in Computer-based Learning

PubMed Central

Song, Hyuksoon S.; Kalet, Adina L.; Plass, Jan L.

2013-01-01

We developed a Self-Regulation Measure for Computer-based learning (SRMC) tailored toward medical students, by modifying Zimmerman’s Self-Regulated Learning Interview Schedule (SRLIS) for K-12 learners. The SRMC’s reliability and validity were examined in 2 studies. In Study 1, 109 first-year medical students were asked to complete the SRMC. Bivariate correlation analysis results indicated that the SRMC scores had a moderate degree of correlation with student achievement in a teacher-developed test. In Study 2, 58 third-year clerkship students completed the SRMC. Regression analysis results indicated that the frequency of medical students’ usage of self-regulation strategies was associated with their general clinical knowledge measured by a nationally standardized licensing exam. These two studies provided evidence for the reliability and concurrent validity of the SRMC to assess medical students’ self-regulation as aptitude. Future work should provide evidence to guide and improve instructional design as well as inform educational policy. PMID:20872071

Feasibility and acceptability of cell phone diaries to measure HIV risk behavior among female sex workers.

PubMed

Roth, Alexis M; Hensel, Devon J; Fortenberry, J Dennis; Garfein, Richard S; Gunn, Jayleen K L; Wiehe, Sarah E

2014-12-01

Individual, social, and structural factors affecting HIV risk behaviors among female sex workers (FSWs) are difficult to assess using retrospective surveys methods. To test the feasibility and acceptability of cell phone diaries to collect information about sexual events, we recruited 26 FSWs in Indianapolis, Indiana (US). Over 4 weeks, FSWs completed twice daily digital diaries about their mood, drug use, sexual interactions, and daily activities. Feasibility was assessed using repeated measures general linear modeling and descriptive statistics examined event-level contextual information and acceptability. Of 1,420 diaries expected, 90.3 % were completed by participants and compliance was stable over time (p > .05 for linear trend). Sexual behavior was captured in 22 % of diaries and participant satisfaction with diary data collection was high. These data provide insight into event-level factors impacting HIV risk among FSWs. We discuss implications for models of sexual behavior and individually tailored interventions to prevent HIV in this high-risk group.

Does Maternal HIV Disclosure Self-Efficacy Enhance Parent-Child Relationships and Child Adjustment?

PubMed

Armistead, Lisa; Goodrum, Nada; Schulte, Marya; Marelich, William; LeCroix, Rebecca; Murphy, Debra A

2018-02-09

Nondisclosure of maternal HIV status to young children can negatively impact child functioning; however, many mothers do not disclose due to lack of self-efficacy for the disclosure process. This study examines demographic variations in disclosure self-efficacy, regardless of intention to disclose, and assesses the relationship between self-efficacy and child adjustment via the parent-child relationship among a sample of HIV+ mothers and their healthy children (N = 181 pairs). Mothers completed demographic and self-efficacy measures; children completed measures assessing the parent-child relationship and child adjustment (i.e., worry, self-concept, depression). Across demographics, few mothers reported confidence in disclosure. Results from covariance structural modeling showed mothers endorsing higher self-efficacy had children who reported better relationship quality, and, in turn, reported fewer adjustment difficulties; higher levels of disclosure self-efficacy also directly predicted fewer adjustment problems. Findings offer support for interventions aimed at providing mothers with skills to enhance confidence for disclosing their HIV status.

[Dissertations 25 year after date 41. Older people's adaptability].

PubMed

de Baat, C; Gerritsen, A E; van der Putten, G J; van der Maarel-Wierink, C D

2015-09-01

In 1990, the thesis 'Removable complete dentures in older people, an issue dealing with adaptability?' was published. Among other things, this thesis aimed at finding a method of measuring older people's adaptability to removable complete dentures. Its conclusion was that a subscale of the "Beoordelingsschaal voor Oudere Patiënten" (Rating scale for older patients) had predictive value. Subsequently, only a few research projects on this topic have been carried out. They dealt with demonstrated adaptation achieved after treatment, the realised adaptation. The results were disappointing. Ever since the availability of endosseous oral implants, research into adaptability to conventional removable complete dentures seems less relevant. During the last decades, inquiries into a method of measuring treatment effectiveness has focused on older people's quality of life and general health condition. However, to assess with respect to oral health care an older person's general health condition and load-taking capacity adequately, some experience is indispensable.

Measuring cannabis consumption: Psychometric properties of the Daily Sessions, Frequency, Age of Onset, and Quantity of Cannabis Use Inventory (DFAQ-CU)

PubMed Central

Spradlin, Alexander

2017-01-01

Objective We created the Daily Sessions, Frequency, Age of Onset, and Quantity of Cannabis Use Inventory (DFAQ-CU) because the current lack of psychometrically sound inventories for measuring these dimensions of cannabis use has impeded research on the effects of cannabis in humans. Method A sample of 2,062 cannabis users completed the DFAQ-CU and was used to assess the DFAQ-CU’s factor structure and reliability. To assess validity, a subsample of 645 participants completed additional measures of cannabis dependence and problems (Marijuana Smoking History Questionnaire [MSHQ], Timeline Followback [TLFB], Cannabis Abuse Screening Test [CAST], Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test Revised [CUDIT-R], Cannabis Use Problems Identification Test [CUPIT], and Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test [AUDIT]). Results A six-factor structure was revealed, with factors measuring: daily sessions, frequency, age of onset, marijuana quantity, cannabis concentrate quantity, and edibles quantity. The factors were reliable, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from .69 (daily sessions) to .95 (frequency). Results further provided evidence for the factors’ convergent (MSHQ, TLFB), predictive (CAST, CUDIT-R, CUPIT), and discriminant validity (AUDIT). Conclusions The DFAQ-CU is the first psychometrically sound inventory for measuring frequency, age of onset, and quantity of cannabis use. It contains pictures of marijuana to facilitate the measurement of quantity of marijuana used, as well as questions to assess the use of different forms of cannabis (e.g., concentrates, edibles), methods of administering cannabis (e.g., joints, hand pipes, vaporizers), and typical THC levels. As such, the DFAQ-CU should help facilitate research on frequency, quantity, and age of onset of cannabis use. PMID:28552942

Translation and cultural adaptation of the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) pain scale into Arabic for use with patients with diabetes in Libya

PubMed Central

Garoushi, Sabri; Johnson, Mark I.; Tashani, Osama A.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT In Libya neuropathic pain is rarely assessed in patients with diabetes. The Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) pain scale is used worldwide to screen for neuropathic pain. There is no Arabic version of LANSS for use in Libya. The aim of this study was to develop an Arabic version of LANSS and to assess its validity and reliability in diabetic patients in Benghazi, Libya. LANSS was translated into Arabic by four bilingual translators and back translated to English by a university academic. Validity and reliability of the Arabic LANSS was assessed on 110 patients attending a Diabetes Centre in Benghazi. Concurrent validity was tested and compared with the Self-completed Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS). Test-retest reliability was conducted 1–2 weeks later. Internal consistency and inter-class correlation (ICC) between LANSS and S-LANSS was also tested. Internal consistency within first completion of the Arabic LANSS was acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.793) and similar to the Arabic S-LANSS (0.796) and the second completion of the Arabic LANSS (0.795). ICC between the Arabic LANSS and the Arabic S-LANSS was 0.999 (p < 0.001). Test-retest reliability (ICC) between first and second completions of the Arabic LANSS was 0.999 (p < 0.001). Kappa measurement of agreement between the two Arabic LANSS completions and S-LANSS was high on all seven items (Kappa >0.95, p < 0.0001). We concluded that the Arabic version of LANSS pain scale was valid and reliable for use on Libyan diabetic patients. This study provided results suggesting that the S-LANSS could also be used on diabetic patients. PMID:28971737

A Checklist Intervention to Assess Resident Diagnostic Knee and Shoulder Arthroscopic Efficiency.

PubMed

Nwachukwu, Benedict; Gaudiani, Michael; Hammann-Scala, Jennifer; Ranawat, Anil

The purpose of this investigation was to apply an arthroscopic shoulder and knee checklist in the evaluation of orthopedic resident arthroscopic skill efficiency and to demonstrate the use of a surgical checklist for assessing resident surgical efficiency over the course of a surgical rotation. Orthopedic surgery residents rotating on the sports medicine service at our institution between 2011 and 2015 were enrolled in this study. Residents were administered a shoulder and knee arthroscopy assessment tool at the beginning and end of their 6-week rotation. The assessment tools consisted of checklist items for knee and shoulder arthroscopy skills. Residents were timed while performing these checklist tasks. The primary outcome measure was resident improvement as a function of time to completion for the checklist items, and the intervention was participation in a 6-week resident rotation with weekly arthroscopy didactics, cadaver simulator work, and operating room experience. A paired t test was used to compare means. Mean time to checklist completion during week 1 among study participants for the knee checklist was 787.4 seconds for the knee checklist and 484.4 seconds at the end of the rotation. Mean time to checklist completion during week 1 among study participants for the shoulder checklist was 1655.3 seconds and 832.7 seconds for the shoulder checklist at the end of the rotation. Mean improvement in time to completion was 303 seconds (p = 0.0006, SD = 209s) and 822.6 seconds (p = 0.00008, SD = 525.2s) for the arthroscopic knee and shoulder assessments, respectively. An arthroscopic checklist is 1 method to evaluate and assess resident efficiency and improvement during surgical training. Among residents participating in this study, we found statistically significant improvements in time for arthroscopic task completion. II. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Achieving Goal-Concordant Care: A Conceptual Model and Approach to Measuring Serious Illness Communication and Its Impact

PubMed Central

Curtis, J. Randall; Tulsky, James A.

2018-01-01

Abstract Background: High-quality care for seriously ill patients aligns treatment with their goals and values. Failure to achieve “goal-concordant” care is a medical error that can harm patients and families. Because communication between clinicians and patients enables goal concordance and also affects the illness experience in its own right, healthcare systems should endeavor to measure communication and its outcomes as a quality assessment. Yet, little consensus exists on what should be measured and by which methods. Objectives: To propose measurement priorities for serious illness communication and its anticipated outcomes, including goal-concordant care. Methods: We completed a narrative review of the literature to identify links between serious illness communication, goal-concordant care, and other outcomes. We used this review to identify gaps and opportunities for quality measurement in serious illness communication. Results: Our conceptual model describes the relationship between communication, goal-concordant care, and other relevant outcomes. Implementation-ready measures to assess the quality of serious illness communication and care include (1) the timing and setting of serious illness communication, (2) patient experience of communication and care, and (3) caregiver bereavement surveys that include assessment of perceived goal concordance of care. Future measurement priorities include direct assessment of communication quality, prospective patient or family assessment of care concordance with goals, and assessment of the bereaved caregiver experience. Conclusion: Improving serious illness care necessitates ensuring that high-quality communication has occurred and measuring its impact. Measuring patient experience and receipt of goal-concordant care should be our highest priority. We have the tools to measure both. PMID:29091522

Achieving Goal-Concordant Care: A Conceptual Model and Approach to Measuring Serious Illness Communication and Its Impact.

PubMed

Sanders, Justin J; Curtis, J Randall; Tulsky, James A

2018-03-01

High-quality care for seriously ill patients aligns treatment with their goals and values. Failure to achieve "goal-concordant" care is a medical error that can harm patients and families. Because communication between clinicians and patients enables goal concordance and also affects the illness experience in its own right, healthcare systems should endeavor to measure communication and its outcomes as a quality assessment. Yet, little consensus exists on what should be measured and by which methods. To propose measurement priorities for serious illness communication and its anticipated outcomes, including goal-concordant care. We completed a narrative review of the literature to identify links between serious illness communication, goal-concordant care, and other outcomes. We used this review to identify gaps and opportunities for quality measurement in serious illness communication. Our conceptual model describes the relationship between communication, goal-concordant care, and other relevant outcomes. Implementation-ready measures to assess the quality of serious illness communication and care include (1) the timing and setting of serious illness communication, (2) patient experience of communication and care, and (3) caregiver bereavement surveys that include assessment of perceived goal concordance of care. Future measurement priorities include direct assessment of communication quality, prospective patient or family assessment of care concordance with goals, and assessment of the bereaved caregiver experience. Improving serious illness care necessitates ensuring that high-quality communication has occurred and measuring its impact. Measuring patient experience and receipt of goal-concordant care should be our highest priority. We have the tools to measure both.

Staff, space, and time as dimensions of organizational slack: a psychometric assessment.

PubMed

Mallidou, Anastasia A; Cummings, Greta G; Ginsburg, Liane R; Chuang, You-Ta; Kang, Sunghyun; Norton, Peter G; Estabrooks, Carole A

2011-01-01

: In the theoretical and research literature, organizational slack has been largely described in terms of financial resources and its impact on organizational outcomes. However, empirical research is limited by unclear definitions and lack of standardized measures. : The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of a new organizational slack measure in health care settings. : A total of 752 nurses and 197 allied health care professionals (AHCPs) employed in seven pediatric Canadian hospitals completed the Alberta Context Tool, an instrument measuring organizational context, which includes the newly developed organizational slack measure. The nine-item, 5-point Likert organizational slack measure includes items assessing staff perceptions of available human resources (staffing), time, and space. We report psychometric assessments, bivariate analyses, and data aggregation indices for the measure. : The findings indicate that the measure has three subscales (staff, space, and time) with acceptable internal consistency reliability (alphas for staff, space, and time, respectively:.83,.63, and.74 for nurses;.81,.52, and.76 for AHCPs), links theory and hypotheses (construct validity), and is related to other relevant variables. Within-group reliability measures indicate stronger agreement among nurses than AHCPs, more reliable aggregation results in all three subscales at the unit versus facility level, and higher explained variance and validity of aggregated scores at the unit level. : The proposed organizational slack measure assesses modifiable organizational factors in hospitals and has the potential to explain variance in important health care system outcomes. Further assessments of the psychometric properties of the organizational slack measure in acute and long-term care facilities are underway.

The utility of measuring sexual disability for predicting 1-year return to work.

PubMed

Gross, Douglas P; Knupp, Heidi; Esmail, Shaniff

2011-11-01

To explore sexual disability in injured workers undergoing rehabilitation. Specifically, we investigated (1) factors associated with high ratings of sexual disability, (2) factors associated with noncompletion of the sexual disability questionnaire, and (3) the association between sexual disability and future recovery. Historical cohort study with 1-year follow-up. Workers' compensation rehabilitation facility. Workers' compensation claimants (N=1078) undergoing return-to-work assessment. Ratings of sexual disability were measured using the Sexual Behavior item of the Pain Disability Index. Other demographic, clinical, and occupational factors also were collected. Not applicable. Outcomes included administrative indicators of timely and sustained recovery and return to work. Of subjects included in analysis, 18.5% did not complete the Sexual Behavior item. Claimants were less likely to complete if they were women, older, and single; had lower salaries, injury diagnoses other than sprain/strain, and fewer health visits before assessment; and reported lower recovery expectations. Higher levels of sexual disability were associated with higher levels of overall pain and disability, as well as being in a married/common law relationship. After adjusting for injury duration, the Sexual Behavior item was not associated significantly with any recovery measure or claims outcome. A response bias exists in Canadian injured workers asked to complete a sexual disability rating. In those completing the questionnaire, higher sexual disability was associated most closely with higher pain severity and higher disability. Perceptions of sexual disability did not contribute to predicting recovery, which supports replacement of this item for use within this and related contexts. Copyright © 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cohort Profile: The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children: ALSPAC mothers cohort

PubMed Central

Fraser, Abigail; Macdonald-Wallis, Corrie; Tilling, Kate; Boyd, Andy; Golding, Jean; Davey Smith, George; Henderson, John; Macleod, John; Molloy, Lynn; Ness, Andy; Ring, Susan; Nelson, Scott M; Lawlor, Debbie A

2013-01-01

Summary The Avon Longitudinal Study of Children and Parents (ALSPAC) was established to understand how genetic and environmental characteristics influence health and development in parents and children. All pregnant women resident in a defined area in the South West of England, with an expected date of delivery between 1st April 1991 and 31st December 1992, were eligible and 13 761 women (contributing 13 867 pregnancies) were recruited. These women have been followed over the last 19–22 years and have completed up to 20 questionnaires, have had detailed data abstracted from their medical records and have information on any cancer diagnoses and deaths through record linkage. A follow-up assessment was completed 17–18 years postnatal at which anthropometry, blood pressure, fat, lean and bone mass and carotid intima media thickness were assessed, and a fasting blood sample taken. The second follow-up clinic, which additionally measures cognitive function, physical capability, physical activity (with accelerometer) and wrist bone architecture, is underway and two further assessments with similar measurements will take place over the next 5 years. There is a detailed biobank that includes DNA, with genome-wide data available on >10 000, stored serum and plasma taken repeatedly since pregnancy and other samples; a wide range of data on completed biospecimen assays are available. Details of how to access these data are provided in this cohort profile. PMID:22507742

THE DYNAMIC LEAP AND BALANCE TEST (DLBT): A TEST-RETEST RELIABILITY STUDY

PubMed Central

Newman, Thomas M.; Smith, Brent I.; John Miller, Sayers

2017-01-01

Background There is a need for new clinical assessment tools to test dynamic balance during typical functional movements. Common methods for assessing dynamic balance, such as the Star Excursion Balance Test, which requires controlled movement of body segments over an unchanged base of support, may not be an adequate measure for testing typical functional movements that involve controlled movement of body segments along with a change in base of support. Purpose/hypothesis The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of the Dynamic Leap and Balance Test (DLBT) by assessing its test-retest reliability. It was hypothesized that there would be no statistically significant differences between testing days in time taken to complete the test. Study Design Reliability study Methods Thirty healthy college aged individuals participated in this study. Participants performed a series of leaps in a prescribed sequence, unique to the DLBT test. Time required by the participants to complete the 20-leap task was the dependent variable. Subjects leaped back and forth from peripheral to central targets alternating weight bearing from one leg to the other. Participants landed on the central target with the tested limb and were required to stabilize for two seconds before leaping to the next target. Stability was based upon qualitative measures similar to Balance Error Scoring System. Each assessment was comprised of three trials and performed on two days with a separation of at least six days. Results Two-way mixed ANOVA was used to analyze the differences in time to complete the sequence between the three trial averages of the two testing sessions. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC3,1) was used to establish between session test-retest reliability of the test trial averages. Significance was set a priori at p ≤ 0.05. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were detected between the two testing sessions. The ICC was 0.93 with a 95% confidence interval from 0.84 to 0.96. Conclusion This test is a cost-effective, easy to administer and clinically relevant novel measure for assessing dynamic balance that has excellent test-retest reliability. Clinical relevance As a new measure of dynamic balance, the DLBT has the potential to be a cost-effective, challenging and functional tool for clinicians. Level of Evidence 2b PMID:28900556

Investigating cognitive ability and self-reported driving performance of post-stroke adults in a driving simulator.

PubMed

Blane, Alison; Falkmer, Torbjörn; Lee, Hoe C; Dukic Willstrand, Tania

2018-01-01

Background Safe driving is a complex activity that requires calibration. This means the driver can accurately assess the level of task demand required for task completion and can accurately evaluate their driving capability. There is much debate on the calibration ability of post-stroke drivers. Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the cognition, self-rated performance, and estimation of task demand in a driving simulator with post-stroke drivers and controls. Methods A between-groups study design was employed, which included a post-stroke driver group and a group of similarly aged older control drivers. Both groups were observed driving in two simulator-based driving scenarios and asked to complete the NASA Task Load Index (TLX) to assess their perceived task demand and self-rate their driving performance. Participants also completed a battery of psychometric tasks to assess attention and executive function, which was used to determine whether post-stroke cognitive impairment impacted on calibration. Results There was no difference in the amount of perceived task demand required to complete the driving task. Despite impairments in cognition, the post-stroke drivers were not more likely to over-estimate their driving abilities than controls. On average, the post-stroke drivers self-rated themselves more poorly than the controls and this rating was related to cognitive ability. Conclusion This study suggests that post-stroke drivers may be aware of their deficits and adjust their driving behavior. Furthermore, using self-performance measures alongside a driving simulator and cognitive assessments may provide complementary fitness-to-drive assessments, as well as rehabilitation tools during post-stroke recovery.

Reliability and Validity of a Brief Questionnaire to Assess Calcium Intake in Female Collegiate Athletes

PubMed Central

Ward, Kenneth D.; Hunt, Kami Mays; Berg, Melanie Burstyne; Slawson, Deborah A.; Vukadinovich, Christopher M.; McClanahan, Barbara S.; Clemens, Linda H.

2016-01-01

Calcium intake often is inadequate in female collegiate athletes, increasing the risk for training injuries and future osteoporosis. Thus, a brief and accurate assessment tool to quickly measure calcium intake in athletes is needed. We evaluated the reliability and validity, compared to 6 days of diet records (DRs), of the Rapid Assessment Method (RAM), a self-administered calcium checklist (14). Seventy-six female collegiate athletes (mean age = 18.8 yrs, range = 17–21; 97% Caucasian) were recruited from basketball, cross-country, field hockey, soccer, and volleyball teams. Athletes completed a RAM at the start of the training season to assess calcium intake during the past week. Two weeks later, a second RAM was completed to assess reliability, and athletes began 6 days of diet records (DRs) collection. At completion of DRs, athletes completed a final RAM, corresponding to the same time period as DRs, to assess agreement between the 2 instruments. The RAM demonstrated adequate test-retest reliability over 2 weeks (n = 56; Intraclass correlation [ICC] = .54, p < .0001) and adequate agreement with DRs (n = 34; ICC = .41, p = .0067). Calcium intake was below recommended levels, and mean estimates did not differ significantly on the RAM (823 ± 387 mg/d) and DRs (822 ± 330 mg/d; p = .988). Adequacy of calcium intake from both DRs and the RAM was classified as “inadequate” (<1000 mg/d) and “adequate” (≥1000 mg/d). Agreement between the RAM and DRs for adequacy classification was fair (ICC = .30, p = .042), with the RAM identifying 84% of athletes judged to have inadequate calcium intake based on DRs. The RAM briefly and accurately estimates calcium intake in female collegiate athletes compared to DRs. PMID:15118194

Design and Validation of a Radio-Frequency Identification-Based Device for Routinely Assessing Gait Speed in a Geriatrics Clinic.

PubMed

Barry, Lisa C; Hatchman, Laura; Fan, Zhaoyan; Guralnik, Jack M; Gao, Robert X; Kuchel, George A

2018-05-01

To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and validity of a radio-frequency identification (RFID)-based system to measure gait speed in a clinical setting as a first step to using unobtrusive gait speed assessment in routine clinical care. Feasibility study comparing gait speed assessed using an RFID-based system with gait speed assessed using handheld stopwatch, the criterion standard. Outpatient geriatrics clinic at a Connecticut-based academic medical center. Clinic attendees who could walk independently with or without an assistive device (N=50) and healthcare providers (N=9). Gait speed was measured in twice using 2 methods each time before participants entered an examination room. Participants walked at their usual pace while gait speed was recorded simultaneously using the RFID-based system and a handheld stopwatch operated by a trained study investigator. After 2 trials, participants completed a brief survey regarding their experience. At the end of the study period, clinic healthcare providers completed a separate survey. Test-retest reliability of the RFID-based system was high (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.953). The mean difference ± standard deviation in gait speed between the RFID-based system and the stopwatch was -0.003±0.035 m/s (p=.53) and did not differ significantly according to age, sex, or use of an assistive walking aid. Acceptability of the device was high, and 8 of 9 providers indicated that measuring gait speed using the RFID-based system should be a part of routine clinical care. RFID technology may offer a practical means of overcoming barriers to routine measurement of gait speed in real-world outpatient clinical settings. © 2018, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2018, The American Geriatrics Society.

Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM): A novel visual instrument to measure quality of life in dermatological inpatients.

PubMed

Mühleisen, Beda; Büchi, Stefan; Schmidhauser, Simone; Jenewein, Josef; French, Lars E; Hofbauer, Günther F L

2009-07-01

To validate the PRISM (Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure) tool, a novel visual instrument, for the assessment of health-related quality of life in dermatological inpatients compared with the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the Skindex-29 questionnaires and to report qualitative information on PRISM. In an open longitudinal study, PRISM and Skindex-29 and DLQI questionnaires were completed and HRQOL measurements compared. Academic dermatological inpatient ward. The study population comprised 227 sequential dermatological inpatients on admission. Patients completed the PRISM tool and the Skindex-29 and DLQI questionnaires at admission and discharge. PRISM Self-Illness Separation (SIS) score; Skindex-29 and DLQI scores; and qualitative PRISM information by Mayring inductive qualitative context analysis. The PRISM scores correlated well with those from the Skindex-29 (rho = 0.426; P < .001) and DLQI (rho = 0.304; P < .001) questionnaires. Between PRISM and Skindex-29 scores, the highest correlations were for dermatitis (rho = 0.614) and leg ulcer (rho = 0.554), and between PRISM and DLQI scores, the highest correlations were for psoriasis (rho = 0.418) and tumor (rho = 0.399). The PRISM tool showed comparable or higher sensitivity than quality of life questionnaires to assess changes in the burden of suffering during hospitalization. Inductive qualitative context analysis revealed impairment of adjustment and self-image as major aspects. Patients overall expected symptomatic and functional improvement. In patients with psoriasis and leg ulcers, many expected no treatment benefit. The PRISM tool proved to be convenient and reliable for health-related quality of life assessment, applicable for a wide range of skin diseases, and correlated with DLQI and Skindex-29 scores. With the PRISM tool, free-text answers allow for the assessment of individual information and potentially customized therapeutic approaches.

Validation of the Abdominal Pain Index Using a Revised Scoring Method

PubMed Central

Sherman, Amanda L.; Smith, Craig A.; Walker, Lynn S.

2015-01-01

Objective Evaluate the psychometric properties of child- and parent-report versions of the four-item Abdominal Pain Index (API) in children with functional abdominal pain (FAP) and healthy controls, using a revised scoring method that facilitates comparisons of scores across samples and time. Methods Pediatric patients aged 8–18 years with FAP and controls completed the API at baseline (N = 1,967); a subset of their parents (N = 290) completed the API regarding the child’s pain. Subsets of patients completed follow-up assessments at 2 weeks (N = 231), 3 months (N = 330), and 6 months (N = 107). Subsets of both patients (N = 389) and healthy controls (N = 172) completed a long-term follow-up assessment (mean age at follow-up = 20.21 years, SD = 3.75). Results The API demonstrated good concurrent, discriminant, and construct validity, as well as good internal consistency. Conclusion We conclude that the API, using the revised scoring method, is a useful, reliable, and valid measure of abdominal pain severity. PMID:25617048

How Should Blood Glucose Meter System Analytical Performance Be Assessed?

PubMed

Simmons, David A

2015-08-31

Blood glucose meter system analytical performance is assessed by comparing pairs of meter system and reference instrument blood glucose measurements measured over time and across a broad array of glucose values. Consequently, no single, complete, and ideal parameter can fully describe the difference between meter system and reference results. Instead, a number of assessment tools, both graphical (eg, regression plots, modified Bland-Altman plots, and error grid analysis) and tabular (eg, International Organization for Standardization guidelines, mean absolute difference, and mean absolute relative difference) have been developed to evaluate meter system performance. The strengths and weaknesses of these methods of presenting meter system performance data, including a new method known as Radar Plots, are described here. © 2015 Diabetes Technology Society.

IMPACT OF ANTIDEPRESSANT THERAPY ON COGNITIVE ASPECTS OF WORK, CONDOM USE, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL WELL-BEING AMONG HIV CLIENTS IN UGANDA*

PubMed Central

WAGNER, GLENN J.; NGO, VICTORIA K.; NAKASUJJA, NOELINE; AKENA, DICKENS; AUNON, FRANCES; MUSISI, SEGGANE

2017-01-01

Objective Depression has been found to impede several health outcomes among people living with HIV, but little research has examined whether depression treatment mitigates this influence. We assessed the impact of antidepressant therapy on measures of work, condom use, and psychosocial well-being among depressed HIV clients in Uganda. Methods Paired t-tests and McNemar tests were used to assess change in survey data collected from participants at initiation of antidepressant therapy (baseline) and 6 months later. Result Ninety-five participants completed the 6 month assessment, of whom 82 (86%) responded to treatment (defined as Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score < 5). Among study completers, work functioning improved significantly, as did measures of self-efficacy related to condom use and work (as well as general self efficacy) and internalized HIV stigma declined; however, actual engagement in work activity and consistent condom use did not show significant change. Similar findings were observed among treatment responders. Conclusion Antidepressant treatment benefits functional capacity, psychological well-being, and cognitive intermediary factors that may be essential for behavioral change related to work and condom use, but supplementary therapeutic strategies may be needed to impact more direct behavioral change. PMID:25492710

Impact of antidepressant therapy on cognitive aspects of work, condom use, and psychosocial well-being among HIV clients in Uganda.

PubMed

Wagner, Glenn J; Ngo, Victoria K; Nakasujja, Noeline; Akena, Dickens; Aunon, Frances; Musisi, Seggane

2014-01-01

Depression has been found to impede several health outcomes among people living with HIV, but little research has examined whether depression treatment mitigates this influence. We assessed the impact of antidepressant therapy on measures of work, condom use, and psychosocial well-being among depressed HIV clients in Uganda. Paired t-tests and McNemar tests were used to assess change in survey data collected from participants at initiation of antidepressant therapy (baseline) and 6 months later. Ninety-five participants completed the 6-month assessment, of whom 82 (86%) responded to treatment (defined as Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score < 5). Among study completers, work functioning improved significantly, as did measures of self-efficacy related to condom use and work (as well as general self-efficacy), and internalized HIV stigma declined; however, actual engagement in work activity and consistent condom use did not show significant change. Similar findings were observed among treatment responders. Antidepressant treatment benefits functional capacity, psychological well-being, and cognitive intermediary factors that may be essential for behavioral change related to work and condom use, but supplementary therapeutic strategies may be needed to impact more direct behavioral change.

The "weakest link" as an indicator of cognitive vulnerability differentially predicts symptom dimensions of anxiety in adolescents in China.

PubMed

Wang, Junyi; Wang, Danyang; Cui, Lixia; McWhinnie, Chad M; Wang, Li; Xiao, Jing

2017-08-01

This multiwave longitudinal study examined the cognitive vulnerability-stress component of hopelessness theory to differentially predict symptom dimensions of anxiety using a "weakest link" approach in a sample of adolescents from Hunan Province, China. Baseline and 6-month follow-up data were obtained from 553 middle-school students. During an initial assessment, participants completed measures of assessing their weakest links, anxious symptoms, and the occurrence of stress. Participants subsequently completed measures assessing stress, and anxious symptoms one a month for six months. Higher weakest link scores were associated with greater increases in the harm avoidance and separation anxiety/panic dimensions, but not the physical or social anxiety dimension, of anxious symptoms following stress in Chinese adolescents. These results support the applicability of the "weakest link" approach, derived from hopelessness theory, in Chinese adolescents. Weakest link scores as cognitive vulnerability factors may play a role in the development of anxious symptoms, especially in the cognitive dimensions (e.g., harm avoidance and separation anxiety/panic). Our findings also have potential value in explaining the effectiveness of cognitive relevant therapy in treating the cognitive dimensions of anxious symptoms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical and Morphological Changes Following 2 Rehabilitation Programs for Acute Hamstring Strain Injuries: A Randomized Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

SILDER, AMY; SHERRY, MARC A.; SANFILIPPO, JENNIFER; TUITE, MICHAEL J.; HETZEL, SCOTT J.; HEIDERSCHEIT, BRYAN C.

2013-01-01

STUDY DESIGN Randomized, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trial. OBJECTIVES To assess differences between a progressive agility and trunk stabilization rehabilitation program and a progressive running and eccentric strengthening rehabilitation program in recovery characteristics following an acute hamstring injury, as measured via physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). BACKGROUND Determining the type of rehabilitation program that most effectively promotes muscle and functional recovery is essential to minimize reinjury risk and to optimize athlete performance. METHODS Individuals who sustained a recent hamstring strain injury were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 rehabilitation programs: (1) progressive agility and trunk stabilization or (2) progressive running and eccentric strengthening. MRI and physical examinations were conducted before and after completion of rehabilitation. RESULTS Thirty-one subjects were enrolled, 29 began rehabilitation, and 25 completed rehabilitation. There were few differences in clinical or morphological outcome measures between rehabilitation groups across time, and reinjury rates were low for both rehabilitation groups after return to sport (4 of 29 subjects had reinjuries). Greater craniocaudal length of injury, as measured on MRI before the start of rehabilitation, was positively correlated with longer return-to-sport time. At the time of return to sport, although all subjects showed a near-complete resolution of pain and return of muscle strength, no subject showed complete resolution of injury as assessed on MRI. CONCLUSION The 2 rehabilitation programs employed in this study yielded similar results with respect to hamstring muscle recovery and function at the time of return to sport. Evidence of continuing muscular healing is present after completion of rehabilitation, despite the appearance of normal physical strength and function on clinical examination. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapy, level 1b–. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2013;43(5):284-299. Epub 13 March 2013. doi:10.2519/jospt.2013.4452 PMID:23485730

Training on the DSM-5 Cultural Formulation Interview Improves Cultural Competence in General Psychiatry Residents: A Multi-site Study.

PubMed

Mills, Stacia; Wolitzky-Taylor, Kate; Xiao, Anna Q; Bourque, Marie Claire; Rojas, Sandra M Peynado; Bhattacharya, Debanjana; Simpson, Annabelle K; Maye, Aleea; Lo, Pachida; Clark, Aaron; Lim, Russell; Lu, Francis G

2016-10-01

The authors assessed whether a 1-h didactic session on the DSM-5 Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) improves cultural competence of general psychiatry residents. Psychiatry residents at six residency programs completed demographics and pre-intervention questionnaires, were exposed to a 1-h session on the CFI, and completed a post-intervention questionnaire. Repeated measures ANCOVA compared pre- to post-intervention change. Linear regression assessed whether previous cultural experience predicted post-intervention scores. Mean scores on the questionnaire significantly changed from pre- to post-intervention (p < 0.001). Previous cultural experience did not predict post-intervention scores. Psychiatry residents' cultural competence scores improved with a 1-h session on the CFI but with notable limitations.

Improving education for the management of contrast reactions: an online didactic model.

PubMed

Niell, Bethany L; Vartanians, Vartan M; Halpern, Elkan P

2014-02-01

Radiologists could improve their knowledge of contrast reaction management. The aim of this study was to evaluate to what degree the implementation of a didactic module resulted in improved technologist, nurse, and physician knowledge and comfort levels regarding the appropriate management of adverse reactions to contrast media. After institutional review board approval was obtained, nurses, technologists, and physicians involved in contrast administration were required to complete the educational module. Premodule and postmodule assessments were designed online. Each assessment included knowledge-based questions regarding the appropriate management of different types of contrast reactions, as well as questions regarding each respondent's comfort level with the treatment of various types of adverse contrast reactions. Comfort level was measured using a 6-point, Likert-type scale. Premodule and postmodule assessment scores were compared using McNemar's test. After module completion, physicians demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in knowledge regarding the proper administration route, concentration, and dose of intramuscular epinephrine. Physicians demonstrated significantly increased comfort with the administration of intramuscular epinephrine to adult and pediatric patients after module completion (P < .05). Module completion resulted in statistically significant improvements in respondents' comfort levels with the treatment of an adverse reaction to contrast media, although 19% of personnel still reported feeling uncomfortable after completing the module. Didactic instruction in contrast reaction management results in improved knowledge and comfort levels for physicians, nurses, and technologists. However, a significant percentage of personnel still reported feeling uncomfortable treating an adverse contrast reaction after module completion, suggesting that didactic instruction alone may be inadequate. Copyright © 2014 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Feasibility of Functional Electrical Stimulation to Improve Upper Extremity Function in a Two-year-old Child with Perinatal Stroke: A Case Report.

PubMed

Musselman, Kristin E; Manns, Patricia; Dawe, Jaclyn; Delgado, Rhina; Yang, Jaynie F

2018-02-01

To evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility (i.e. tolerability, adherence) of functional electrical stimulation (FES) for the upper extremity (UE) in a two-year-old child with perinatal stroke. Forty hours of FES over eight weeks was prescribed. FES to the hemiplegic triceps, extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis, extensor carpi ulnaris and extensor digitorum was timed with reaching during play. Assessments were performed before, during, and two months post-intervention. UE function (Melbourne Assessment 2 (MA2), Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA)) and spasticity (Modified Tardieu with electrogoniometry and electromyography) were measured. The mother completed a semi-structured interview post-intervention. Descriptive statistics were used for adherence and UE measures. A repeated-measures ANOVA compared Modified Tardieu parameters (e.g. catch angle) over time. Conventional content analysis was used for the interview data. The child completed 39.2/40 hours. Immediately post-intervention, improvements were observed on MA2's Range of Motion subscale and catch angle (Modified Tardieu, p < 0.001). Two months post-intervention, improvements were observed on MA2's Accuracy and Fluency subscales. No change in AHA score occurred. Three themes emerged from the interview: (1) Ingredients for program success; (2) Information about the FES device; and (3) The child's response. UE FES was feasible in a two-year-old child with hemiplegia.

The Language Use Inventory for Young Children: A Parent-Report Measure of Pragmatic Language Development for 18- to 47-Month-Old Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neill, Daniela K.

2007-01-01

Purpose: To demonstrate the internal reliability and discriminative validity of the Language Use Inventory for Young Children (LUI; D. K. O'Neill, 2002), a newly developed parent-report measure designed to assess pragmatic language development in 18-47-month-olds. Method: To examine internal reliability, the LUI was completed by mail by 177…

School Competence and Fluent Academic Performance: Informing Assessment of Educational Outcomes in Survivors of Pediatric Medulloblastoma.

PubMed

Holland, Alice Ann; Hughes, Carroll W; Stavinoha, Peter L

2015-01-01

Academic difficulties are widely acknowledged but not adequately studied in survivors of pediatric medulloblastoma. Although most survivors require special education services and are significantly less likely than healthy peers to finish high school, measured academic skills are typically average. This study sought to identify potential factors associated with academic difficulties in this population and focused on school competence and fluent academic performance. Thirty-six patients (ages 7-18 years old) were recruited through the Departments of Neurosurgery and Neuro-Oncology at Children's Medical Center Dallas and Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, TX. Participants completed a neuropsychological screening battery including selected Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement subtests. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist. School competence was significantly correlated with measured academic skills and fluency. Basic academic skill development was broadly average, in contrast to significantly worse fluent academic performance. School competence may have utility as a measure estimating levels of educational success in this population. Additionally, academic difficulties experienced by childhood medulloblastoma survivors may be better captured by measuring deficits in fluent academic performance rather than skills. Identification of these potential factors associated with educational outcomes of pediatric medulloblastoma survivors has significant implications for research, clinical assessment, and academic services/interventions.

Factor Structure, Factorial Invariance, and Validity of the Multidimensional Shame-Related Response Inventory-21 (MSRI-21)

PubMed Central

Garcia, Antonio F.; Acosta, Melina; Pirani, Saifa; Edwards, Daniel; Osman, Augustine

2017-01-01

We describe 2 studies designed to evaluate scores on the Multidimensional Shame-related Response Inventory-21 (MSRI-21), a recently developed instrument that measures affective and behavioral responses to shame. The inventory assesses shame-related responses in 3 categories: negative self-evaluation, fear of social consequences, and maladaptive behavior tendency. For Study 1, (N = 743) undergraduates completed the MSRI-21. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the validity of the MSRI-21 3-factor structure. Latent variable modeling of coefficient-α provided strong evidence for the internal consistency of scores on each scale. In Study 2, (N = 540) undergraduates completed the instrument along with 5 concurrent measures chosen for clinical significance. Achievement of factorial invariance supported the use of MSRI-21 scale scores to make valid mean comparisons across gender. In addition, MSRI-21 scale scores were associated as expected with scores on measures of self-harm, suicide, and other risk factors. Taken together, results of 2 studies support the internal consistency reliability, factorial validity, factorial invariance, and convergent validity of scores on the MSRI-21. Further work is needed to assess the temporal stability of the MSRI-21 scale scores, invariance across clinical status and other groupings, item-level measurement properties, and viability in highly symptomatic samples. PMID:28182490

Assessment of dynamic balance via measurement of lower extremities tortuosity.

PubMed

Eltoukhy, Moataz; Kuenze, Christopher; Jun, Hyung-Pil; Asfour, Shihab; Travascio, Francesco

2015-03-01

Tortuosity describes how twisted or how much curvature is present in an observed movement or path. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in segmental tortuosity between Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) reach directions. Fifteen healthy participants completed this study. Participants completed the modified three direction (anterior, posteromedial, posterolateral) SEBT with three-dimensional motion analysis using an 8 camera BTS Smart 7000DX motion analysis system. The tortuosity of stance limb retro-reflective markers was then calculated and compared between reach directions using a 1 × 3 ANOVA with repeated measures, while the relationship between SEBT performance and tortuosity was established using Pearson product moment correlations. Anterior superior iliac spine tortuosity was significantly greater (p < 0.001) and lateral knee tortuosity was lesser (p = 0.018) in the anterior direction compared to the posteromedial and posterolateral directions. In addition, second metatarsal tortuosity was greater in the anterior reach direction when compared to posteromedial direction (p = 0.024). Tortuosity is a novel biomechanical measurement technique that provides an assessment of segmental movement during common dynamic tasks such as the SEBT. This enhanced level of detail compared to more global measures of joint kinematic may provide insight into compensatory movement strategies adopted following lower extremity joint injury.

Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Elastography for Efficacy Evaluation after Hepatocellular Carcinoma Radiofrequency Ablation: A Comparative Study with Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

PubMed Central

Xu, Xiaohong; Luo, Liangping; Chen, Jiexin; Wang, Jiexin; Zhou, Honglian; Li, Mingyi; Jin, Zhanqiang; Chen, Nianping; Miao, Huilai; Lin, Manzhou; Dai, Wei; Ahuja, Anil T.; Wang, Yi-Xiang J.

2014-01-01

Aim. To explore acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in assessing residual tumors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Materials and Methods. There were 83 HCC lesions among 72 patients. All patients were examined with ARFI, contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and CT or MRI. Tumor brightness on virtual touch tissue imaging (VTI) and shear wave velocity (SWV) were assessed before and approximately one month after RFA. Results. There were 14 residual tumors after RFA. VTI showed that all the tumors were darker after RFA. VTI was not able to distinguish the ablated lesions and the residual tumors. 13 residual tumor lesions were detected by CEUS. All completely ablated nodules had SWV demonstration of x.xx., while with those residual nodules, 6 tumors had x.xx measurement and 8 tumors had measurable SWV. nine lesions with residual tumors occurred in cirrhosis subjects and 5 lesions with residual tumors occurred in fibrosis subjects; there was no residual tumor in the normal liver subjects. Conclusion. VTI technique cannot demonstrate residual tumor post RFA. While SWV measurement of less than x.xx is likely associated with residual tumors, measurement of less than x.xx cannot exclude residual tumors. Liver cirrhosis is associated with decreased chance of a complete ablation. PMID:24895624

A Music-Related Quality of Life Measure to Guide Music Rehabilitation for Adult Cochlear Implant Users.

PubMed

Dritsakis, Giorgos; van Besouw, Rachel M; Kitterick, Pádraig; Verschuur, Carl A

2017-09-18

A music-related quality of life (MuRQoL) questionnaire was developed for the evaluation of music rehabilitation for adult cochlear implant (CI) users. The present studies were aimed at refinement and validation. Twenty-four experts reviewed the MuRQoL items for face validity. A refined version was completed by 147 adult CI users, and psychometric techniques were used for item selection, assessment of reliability, and definition of the factor structure. The same participants completed the Short Form Health Survey for construct validation. MuRQoL responses from 68 CI users were compared with those of a matched group of adults with normal hearing. Eighteen items measuring music perception and engagement and 18 items measuring their importance were selected; they grouped together into 2 domains. The final questionnaire has high internal consistency and repeatability. Significant differences between CI users and adults with normal hearing and a correlation between music engagement and quality of life support construct validity. Scores of music perception and engagement and importance for the 18 items can be combined to assess the impact of music on the quality of life. The MuRQoL questionnaire is a reliable and valid measure of self-reported music perception, engagement, and their importance for adult CI users with potential to guide music aural rehabilitation.

Optical fiber probe spectroscopy for laparoscopic monitoring of tissue oxygenation during esophagectomies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gareau, Daniel S.; Truffer, Frederic; Perry, Kyle; Pham, Thai; Enestvedt, C. Kristian; Dolan, James; Hunter, John G.; Jacques, Steven L.

2010-11-01

Anastomotic complication is a major morbidity associated with esophagectomy. Gastric ischemia after conduit creation contributes to anastomotic complications, but a reliable method to assess oxygenation in the gastric conduit is lacking. We hypothesize that fiber optic spectroscopy can reliably assess conduit oxygenation, and that intraoperative gastric ischemia will correlate with the development of anastomotic complications. A simple optical fiber probe spectrometer is designed for nondestructive laparoscopic measurement of blood content and hemoglobin oxygen saturation in the stomach tissue microvasculature during human esophagectomies. In 22 patients, the probe measured the light transport in stomach tissue between two fibers spaced 3-mm apart (500- to 650-nm wavelength range). The stomach tissue site of measurement becomes the site of a gastroesophageal anastamosis following excision of the cancerous esophagus and surgical ligation of two of the three gastric arteries that provide blood perfusion to the anastamosis. Measurements are made at each of five steps throughout the surgery. The resting baseline saturation is 0.51+/-0.15 and decreases to 0.35+/-0.20 with ligation. Seven patients develop anastomotic complications, and a decreased saturation at either of the last two steps (completion of conduit and completion of anastamosis) is predictive of complication with a sensitivity of 0.71 when the specificity equaled 0.71.

Assessment of Alphamagnetic Spectrometer (AMS) Upper Experiment Structural Configuration Shielding Effectiveness Associated with Change from Cryo-Cooled Magnet to Permanent Magnet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scully, Robert

2012-01-01

In the spring of 2010, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer 2 (AMS-02) underwent a series of system level electromagnetic interference control measurements, followed by thermal vacuum testing. Shortly after completion of the thermal vacuum testing, the project decided to remove the cryogenically cooled superconducting magnet, and replace it with the original permanent magnet design employed in the earlier AMS- 01 assembly. Doing so necessitated several structural changes, as well as removal or modification of numerous electronic and thermal control devices and systems. At this stage, the project was rapidly approaching key milestone dates for hardware completion and delivery for launch, and had little time for additional testing or assessment of any impact to the electromagnetic signature of the AMS-02. Therefore, an analytical assessment of the radiated emissions behavioural changes associated with the system changes was requested.

Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Need-Supportive Teaching Style Scale for Physical Education.

PubMed

Liu, Jing-Dong; Chung, Pak-Kwong

2017-08-01

The purpose of the current study was to examine the factor structure and measurement invariance of a scale measuring students' perceptions of need-supportive teaching (Need-Supportive Teaching Style Scale in Physical Education; NSTSSPE). We sampled 615 secondary school students in Hong Kong, 200 of whom also completed a follow-up assessment two months later. Factor structure of the scale was examined through exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). Further, nomological validity of the NSTSSPE was evaluated by examining the relationships between need-supportive teaching style and student satisfaction of psychological needs. Finally, four measurement models-configural, metric invariance, scalar invariance, and item uniqueness invariance-were assessed using multiple group ESEM to test the measurement invariance of the scale across gender, grade, and time. ESEM results suggested a three-factor structure of the NSTSSPE. Nomological validity was supported, and weak, strong, and strict measurement invariance of the NSTSSPE was evidenced across gender, grade, and time. The current study provides initial psychometric support for the NSTSSPE to assess student perceptions of teachers' need-supportive teaching style in physical education classes.

A students' survey of cultural competence as a basis for identifying gaps in the medical curriculum.

PubMed

Seeleman, Conny; Hermans, Jessie; Lamkaddem, Majda; Suurmond, Jeanine; Stronks, Karien; Essink-Bot, Marie-Louise

2014-10-11

Assessing the cultural competence of medical students that have completed the curriculum provides indications on the effectiveness of cultural competence training in that curriculum. However, existing measures for cultural competence mostly rely on self-perceived cultural competence. This paper describes the outcomes of an assessment of knowledge, reflection ability and self-reported culturally competent consultation behaviour, the relation between these assessments and self-perceived cultural competence, and the applicability of the results in the light of developing a cultural competence educational programme. 392 medical students, Youth Health Care (YHC) Physician Residents and their Physician Supervisors were invited to complete a web-based questionnaire that assessed three domains of cultural competence: 1) general knowledge of ethnic minority care provision and interpretation services; 2) reflection ability; and 3) culturally competent consultation behaviour. Additionally, respondents graded their overall self-perceived cultural competence on a 1-10 scale. 86 medical students, 56 YHC Residents and 35 YHC Supervisors completed the questionnaire (overall response rate 41%; n= 177). On average, respondents scored low on general knowledge (mean 46% of maximum score) and knowledge of interpretation services (mean 55%) and much higher on reflection ability (80%). The respondents' reports of their consultation behaviour reflected moderately adequate behaviour in exploring patients' perspectives (mean 64%) and in interaction with low health literate patients (mean 60%) while the score on exploring patients' social contexts was on average low (46%). YHC respondents scored higher than medical students on knowledge of interpretation services, exploring patients' perspectives and exploring social contexts. The associations between self-perceived cultural competence and assessed knowledge, reflection ability and consultation behaviour were weak. Assessing the cultural competence of medical students and physicians identified gaps in knowledge and culturally competent behaviour. Such data can be used to guide improvement efforts to the diversity content of educational curricula. Based on this study, improvements should focus on increasing knowledge and improving diversity-sensitive consultation behaviour and less on reflection skills. The weak association between overall self-perceived cultural competence and assessed knowledge, reflection ability and consultation behaviour supports the hypothesis that measures of sell-perceived competence are insufficient to assess actual cultural competence.

Evaluation of posterior lateral femoral condylar hypoplasia using axial MRI images in patients with complete discoid meniscus.

PubMed

Xu, Zhihong; Chen, Dongyang; Shi, Dongquan; Dai, Jin; Yao, Yao; Jiang, Qing

2016-03-01

Hypoplasia of the lateral femoral condyle has been reported in discoid lateral meniscus patients, but associated imaging findings in the axial plane have not been characterized. In this study, we aimed to identify differences in the lateral femoral condyle between patients with discoid lateral meniscus and those with normal menisci using axial MRI images. Twenty-three patients (24 knees) with complete discoid lateral meniscus, 43 (45 knees) with incomplete discoid lateral meniscus, and 50 with normal menisci (50 knees) were enrolled and distributed into three groups. Two new angles, posterior lateral condylar angle (PLCA) and posterior medial condylar angle (PMCA), were measured on axial MRI images; the posterior condylar angle (PCA) was also measured. Differences between the three groups in the PLCA, PMCA, PCA, and PLCA/PMCA were analysed. The predictive value of PLCA and PLCA/PMCA for complete discoid lateral meniscus was assessed. In the complete discoid lateral meniscus group, PLCA and PLCA/PMCA were significantly smaller compared with the normal meniscus group and the incomplete discoid lateral meniscus group (P < 0.001). A significantly larger PCA was identified in the complete discoid lateral meniscus group compared with the incomplete discoid lateral meniscus group (P < 0.05) and normal meniscus group (P < 0.05). Both PLCA and PLCA/PMCA showed excellent predictive value for complete discoid lateral meniscus. Hypoplasia of the posterior lateral femoral condyle is typically seen in patients with complete discoid lateral meniscus. PLCA and PLCA/PMCA can be measured from axial MRI images and used as excellent predictive parameters for complete discoid lateral meniscus. Diagnostic study, Level III.

Instructional Cues Modify Performance on the Iowa Gambling Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balodis, Iris M.; MacDonald, Tara K.; Olmstead, Mary C.

2006-01-01

The current study investigated whether acute alcohol intoxication produces impaired decision-making on tasks assessing ventromedial prefrontal (VMF) cortex functioning and impulsive responding. Participants completed the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), a decision-making test targeting the VMF, and the Newman Perseveration Task (NT), a measure of…

34 CFR 427.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... measurable goals for student enrollment, completion, and placement and describes how the applicant sets the... have the greatest need for bilingual vocational training; (v) Assessment procedures that evaluate the... proficiency, for each occupation for which training is provided; (4) Includes activities during the formative...

34 CFR 427.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... measurable goals for student enrollment, completion, and placement and describes how the applicant sets the... have the greatest need for bilingual vocational training; (v) Assessment procedures that evaluate the... proficiency, for each occupation for which training is provided; (4) Includes activities during the formative...

Men's Reactions to Participating in Interpersonal Violence Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Katie M.; Gidycz, Christine A.; Desai, Angeli D.

2012-01-01

This study assessed college men's reactions immediately following and 2 months after completing self-report measures of interpersonal violence. Results showed that 4.3% of men experienced immediate negative emotional reactions. Greater immediate negative reactions were related to personal benefits to research participation, anticipation of future…

Promoting Cognitive Development through Field Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Chris; Fisher, Amy K.

2016-01-01

This article reports results from a study examining the effects of field education on cognitive development. BSW students enrolled in either a semester-long practicum/field seminar or prepracticum courses completed pretest and posttest measures of cognitive complexity to assess cognitive development. Results indicated that field practicum students…

Assessment of Joystick control during the performance of powered wheelchair driving tasks

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Powered wheelchairs are essential for many individuals who have mobility impairments. Nevertheless, if operated improperly, the powered wheelchair poses dangers to both the user and to those in its vicinity. Thus, operating a powered wheelchair with some degree of proficiency is important for safety, and measuring driving skills becomes an important issue to address. The objective of this study was to explore the discriminate validity of outcome measures of driving skills based on joystick control strategies and performance recorded using a data logging system. Methods We compared joystick control strategies and performance during standardized driving tasks between a group of 10 expert and 13 novice powered wheelchair users. Driving tasks were drawn from the Wheelchair Skills Test (v. 4.1). Data from the joystick controller were collected on a data logging system. Joystick control strategies and performance outcome measures included the mean number of joystick movements, time required to complete tasks, as well as variability of joystick direction. Results In simpler tasks, the expert group's driving skills were comparable to those of the novice group. Yet, in more difficult and spatially confined tasks, the expert group required fewer joystick movements for task completion. In some cases, experts also completed tasks in approximately half the time with respect to the novice group. Conclusions The analysis of joystick control made it possible to discriminate between novice and expert powered wheelchair users in a variety of driving tasks. These results imply that in spatially confined areas, a greater powered wheelchair driving skill level is required to complete tasks efficiently. Based on these findings, it would appear that the use of joystick signal analysis constitutes an objective tool for the measurement of powered wheelchair driving skills. This tool may be useful for the clinical assessment and training of powered wheelchair skills. PMID:21609435

Tympanic ear thermometer assessment of body temperature among patients with cognitive disturbances. An acceptable and ethically desirable alternative?

PubMed

Aadal, Lena; Fog, Lisbet; Pedersen, Asger Roer

2016-12-01

Investigation of a possible relation between body temperature measurements by the current generation of tympanic ear and rectal thermometers. In Denmark, a national guideline recommends the rectal measurement. Subsequently, the rectal thermometers and tympanic ear devices are the most frequently used and first choice in Danish hospital wards. Cognitive changes constitute challenges with cooperating in rectal temperature assessments. With regard to diagnosing, ethics, safety and the patients' dignity, the tympanic ear thermometer might comprise a desirable alternative to rectal noninvasive measurement of body temperature during in-hospital-based neurorehabilitation. A prospective, descriptive cohort study. Consecutive inclusion of 27 patients. Linear regression models were used to analyse 284 simultaneous temperature measurements. Ethical approval for this study was granted by the Danish Data Protection Agency, and the study was completed in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration 2008. About 284 simultaneous rectal and ear temperature measurements on 27 patients were analysed. The patient-wise variability of measured temperatures was significantly higher for the ear measurements. Patient-wise linear regressions for the 25 patients with at least three pairs of simultaneous ear and rectal temperature measurements showed large interpatient variability of the association. A linear relationship between the rectal body temperature assessment and the temperature assessment employing the tympanic thermometer is weak. Both measuring methods reflect variance in temperature, but ear measurements showed larger variation. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Assessing ADHD symptoms in children and adults: evaluating the role of objective measures.

PubMed

Emser, Theresa S; Johnston, Blair A; Steele, J Douglas; Kooij, Sandra; Thorell, Lisa; Christiansen, Hanna

2018-05-18

Diagnostic guidelines recommend using a variety of methods to assess and diagnose ADHD. Applying subjective measures always incorporates risks such as informant biases or large differences between ratings obtained from diverse sources. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that ratings and tests seem to assess somewhat different constructs. The use of objective measures might thus yield valuable information for diagnosing ADHD. This study aims at evaluating the role of objective measures when trying to distinguish between individuals with ADHD and controls. Our sample consisted of children (n = 60) and adults (n = 76) diagnosed with ADHD and matched controls who completed self- and observer ratings as well as objective tasks. Diagnosis was primarily based on clinical interviews. A popular pattern recognition approach, support vector machines, was used to predict the diagnosis. We observed relatively high accuracy of 79% (adults) and 78% (children) applying solely objective measures. Predicting an ADHD diagnosis using both subjective and objective measures exceeded the accuracy of objective measures for both adults (89.5%) and children (86.7%), with the subjective variables proving to be the most relevant. We argue that objective measures are more robust against rater bias and errors inherent in subjective measures and may be more replicable. Considering the high accuracy of objective measures only, we found in our study, we think that they should be incorporated in diagnostic procedures for assessing ADHD.

The relationship between the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) and ash (Fraxinus spp.) tree decline: Using visual canopy condition assessments and leaf isotope measurements to assess pest damage

Treesearch

Charles E. Flower; Kathleen S. Knight; Joanne Rebbeck; Miquel A. Gonzalez-Meler

2013-01-01

Ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) in North America are being severely impacted by the invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) which was inadvertently introduced to the US in the 1990s from Asia. The emerald ash borer (EAB) is a phloem boring beetle which relies exclusively on ash trees to complete its life cycle. Larvae...

An examination of reactivity to craving assessment: craving to smoke does not change over the course of a multi-item craving questionnaire.

PubMed

Germeroth, Lisa J; Tiffany, Stephen T

2015-06-01

Self-report measures are typically used to assess drug craving, but researchers have questioned whether completing these assessments can elicit or enhance craving. Previous studies have examined cigarette craving reactivity and found null craving reactivity effects. Several methodological limitations of those studies, however, preclude definitive conclusions. The current study addresses limitations of previous studies and extends this area of research by using a large sample size to examine: (1) item-by-item changes in craving level during questionnaire completion, (2) craving reactivity as a function of craving intensity reflected in item content, (3) craving reactivity differences between nicotine dependent and nondependent smokers, and (4) potential reactivity across multiple sessions. This study also used a more comprehensive craving assessment (the 32-item Questionnaire on Smoking Urges; QSU) than employed in previous studies. Nicotine dependent and nondependent smokers (n=270; nicotine dependence determined by the Nicotine Addiction Taxon Scale) completed the QSU on six separate occasions across 12 weeks. Craving level was observed at the item level and across various subsets of items. Analyses indicated that there was no significant effect of item/subset position on craving ratings, nor were there any significant interactions between item/subset position and session or level of nicotine dependence. These findings indicate that, even with relatively sensitive procedures for detecting potential reactivity, there was no evidence that completing a craving questionnaire induces craving. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The therapeutic factor inventory-8: Using item response theory to create a brief scale for continuous process monitoring for group psychotherapy.

PubMed

Tasca, Giorgio A; Cabrera, Christine; Kristjansson, Elizabeth; MacNair-Semands, Rebecca; Joyce, Anthony S; Ogrodniczuk, John S

2016-01-01

We tested a very brief version of the 23-item Therapeutic Factors Inventory-Short Form (TFI-S), and describe the use of Item Response Theory (IRT) for the purpose of developing short and reliable scales for group psychotherapy. Group therapy patients (N = 578) completed the TFI-S on one occasion, and their data were used for the IRT analysis. Of those, 304 completed the TFI-S and other measures on more than one occasion to assess sensitivity to change, concurrent, and predictive validity of the brief version. Results suggest that the new TFI-8 is a brief, reliable, and valid measure of a higher-order group therapeutic factor. The TFI-8 may be used for continuous process measurement and feedback to improve the functioning of therapy groups.

Development and evaluation of a brief screener to estimate fast-food and beverage consumption among adolescents.

PubMed

Nelson, Melissa C; Lytle, Leslie A

2009-04-01

Sweetened beverage and fast-food intake have been identified as important targets for obesity prevention. However, there are few brief dietary assessment tools available to evaluate these behaviors among adolescents. The objective of this research was to examine reliability and validity of a 22-item dietary screener assessing adolescent consumption of specific energy-containing and non-energy-containing beverages (nine items) and fast food (13 items). The screener was administered to adolescents (ages 11 to 18 years) recruited from the Minneapolis/St Paul, MN, metro region. One sample of adolescents completed test-retest reliability of the screener (n=33, primarily white adolescents). Another adolescent sample completed the screener along with three 24-hour dietary recalls to assess criterion validity (n=59 white adolescents). Test-retest assessments were completed approximately 7 to 14 days apart, and agreement between the two administrations of the screener was substantial, with most items yielding Spearman correlations and kappa statistics that were >0.60. When compared to the gold standard dietary recall data, findings indicate that the validity of the screener items assessing adolescents' intake of regular soda, sports drinks, milk, and water was fair. However, the differential assessment periods captured by the two methods (ie, 1 month for the screener vs 3 days for the recalls) posed challenges in analysis and made it impossible to assess the validity of some screener items. Overall while these screener items largely represent reliable measures with fair validity, our findings highlight the challenges inherent in the validation of brief dietary assessment tools.

CERAD (Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease) The first 20 years

PubMed Central

Fillenbaum, Gerda G.; van Belle, Gerald; Morris, John C.; Mohs, Richard C.; Mirra, Suzanne S.; Davis, Patricia C.; Tariot, Pierre N.; Silverman, Jeremy M.; Clark, Christopher M.; Welsh-Bohmer, Kathleen A.; Heyman, Albert

2009-01-01

The Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD) was funded by the National Institute on Aging in 1986 to develop standardized, validated measures for the assessment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The present report describes the measures that CERAD developed during its first decade, and their continued use in their original and translated forms. These measures include clinical, neuropsychological, neuropathological and behavioral assessments of AD, and also assessment of family history and parkinsonism in AD. An approach to evaluating neuroimages did not meet the standards desired. Further evaluations which could not be completed because of lack of funding (but where some materials are available), include evaluation of very severe AD, and of service use and need by patient and caregiver. The information that was developed in the U.S. and abroad permits standardized assessment of AD in clinical practice, facilitates epidemiological studies, and provides information valuable for individual and public health planning. CERAD materials and data remain available for those wishing to use them. PMID:18631955

Validation of a Quality-of-Life Measure for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Youth

PubMed Central

Patrick, Donald L.; Edwards, Todd C.; Skalicky, Anne H.; Schick, Brenda; Topolski, Tari D.; Kushalnagar, Poorna; Leng, Mei; O'Neill-Kemp, Aprille M.; Sie, Kathleen

2014-01-01

Objective Quailty-of-life (QOL) measures targeting youth with hearing loss are useful in population needs assessment, educational placement, and program design and evaluation. This study assesses the cross-sectional validity of the Youth Quality of Life Instrument–Deaf and Hard of Hearing Module (YQOL-DHH). Study Design Instrument development and cross-sectional survey. Setting Recruitment through schools, professional organizations, clinics, and programs for youth who are deaf or hard of hearing. Subjects and Methods Thirty-five candidate items were administered to 230 adolescents aged 11 to 18 years: 49% female, 61% white, 11% mild hearing loss, 20% moderate/moderate-severe, 41% severe/profound, and 28% with cochlear implants. Participants completed individual or group-administered questionnaires by paper and pencil (58%), Web-based English (29%), American Sign Language (ASL) or Pidgin Signed English (PSE) (9%) on DVD, or interviewer-supervised ASL or PSE DVD (4%). The Children's Depression Inventory (CDI-S) was also completed. Factor structure, reliability, construct validity, and respondent burden were assessed. Results Thirty-two Items were retained in the final instrument covering 3 domains: seif-acceptance/advocacy (14 items, Cronbach α = 0.84), perceived stigma (8 items, Cronbach α = 0.85), and participation (10 items, Cronbach α = 0.86). QOL was not significantly associated with hearing level. One-week test-retest coefficients were acceptable: self-acceptance/advocacy (0.70), perceived stigma (0.78), and participation (0.92). As predicted, the total CDI-S score was associated in the appropriate direction (P < .0001) with all YQOL-DHH domains. Time to complete the paper-and-pencil version was 12 minutes. Conclusion The YQOL-DHH shows good reliability and validity for assessing hearing-specific QOL in adolescents. PMID:21493349

Validation of a quality-of-life measure for deaf or hard of hearing youth.

PubMed

Patrick, Donald L; Edwards, Todd C; Skalicky, Anne M; Schick, Brenda; Topolski, Tari D; Kushalnagar, Poorna; Leng, Mei; O'Neill-Kemp, Aprille M; Sie, Kathleen Sie

2011-07-01

Quality-of-life (QOL) measures targeting youth with hearing loss are useful in population needs assessment, educational placement, and program design and evaluation. This study assesses the cross-sectional validity of the Youth Quality of Life Instrument-Deaf and Hard of Hearing Module (YQOL-DHH). STUDY DESIGN. Instrument development and cross-sectional survey. Recruitment through schools, professional organizations, clinics, and programs for youth who are deaf or hard of hearing. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Thirty-five candidate items were administered to 230 adolescents aged 11 to 18 years: 49% female, 61% white, 11% mild hearing loss, 20% moderate/moderate-severe, 41% severe/profound, and 28% with cochlear implants. Participants completed individual or group-administered questionnaires by paper and pencil (58%), Web-based English (29%), American Sign Language (ASL) or Pidgin Signed English (PSE) (9%) on DVD, or interviewer-supervised ASL or PSE DVD (4%). The Children's Depression Inventory (CDI-S) was also completed. Factor structure, reliability, construct validity, and respondent burden were assessed. Thirty-two items were retained in the final instrument covering 3 domains: self-acceptance/advocacy (14 items, Cronbach α = 0.84), perceived stigma (8 items, Cronbach α = 0.85), and participation (10 items, Cronbach α = 0.86). QOL was not significantly associated with hearing level. One-week test-retest coefficients were acceptable: self-acceptance/ advocacy (0.70), perceived stigma (0.78), and participation 0.92). As predicted, the total CDI-S score was associated in the appropriate direction (P < .0001) with all YQOL-DHH domains. Time to complete the paper-and-pencil version was 12 minutes. The YQOL-DHH shows good reliability and validity for assessing hearing-specific QOL in adolescents.

An integrated gait rehabilitation training based on Functional Electrical Stimulation cycling and overground robotic exoskeleton in complete spinal cord injury patients: Preliminary results.

PubMed

Mazzoleni, S; Battini, E; Rustici, A; Stampacchia, G

2017-07-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of an integrated gait rehabilitation training based on Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)-cycling and overground robotic exoskeleton in a group of seven complete spinal cord injury patients on spasticity and patient-robot interaction. They underwent a robot-assisted rehabilitation training based on two phases: n=20 sessions of FES-cycling followed by n= 20 sessions of robot-assisted gait training based on an overground robotic exoskeleton. The following clinical outcome measures were used: Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) on spasticity, Penn Spasm Frequency Scale (PSFS), Spinal Cord Independence Measure Scale (SCIM), NRS on pain and International Spinal Cord Injury Pain Data Set (ISCI). Clinical outcome measures were assessed before (T0) after (T1) the FES-cycling training and after (T2) the powered overground gait training. The ability to walk when using exoskeleton was assessed by means of 10 Meter Walk Test (10MWT), 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), standing time, walking time and number of steps. Statistically significant changes were found on the MAS score, NRS-spasticity, 6MWT, TUG, standing time and number of steps. The preliminary results of this study show that an integrated gait rehabilitation training based on FES-cycling and overground robotic exoskeleton in complete SCI patients can provide a significant reduction of spasticity and improvements in terms of patient-robot interaction.

Creating a Screening Measure of Health Literacy for the Health Information National Trends Survey.

PubMed

Champlin, Sara; Mackert, Michael

2016-03-01

Create a screening measure of health literacy for use with the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Participants completed a paper-based survey. Items from the survey were used to construct a health literacy screening measure. A population-based survey conducted in geographic areas of high and low minority frequency and in Central Appalachia. Two thousand nine hundred four English-speaking participants were included in this study: 66% white, 93% completed high school, mean age = 52.53 years (SD = 16.24). A health literacy screening measure was created using four items included in the HINTS survey. Scores could range from 0 (no questions affirmative/correct) to 4 (all questions answered affirmatively/correctly). Multiple regression analysis was used to determine whether demographic variables known to predict health literacy were indeed associated with the constructed health literacy screening measure. The weighted average health literacy score was 2.63 (SD = 1.00). Those who were nonwhite (p = .0005), were older (p < .0005), or had not completed high school (p < .0001) tended to have lower health literacy screening measure scores. This study highlights the need to assess health literacy in national surveys, but also serves as evidence that screening measures can be created within existing datasets to give researchers the ability to consider the impact of health literacy. © The Author(s) 2016.

Using a Brief Parent-Report Measure to Track Outcomes for Children and Teens with Internalizing Disorders.

PubMed

Kamin, Hayley S; McCarthy, Alyssa E; Abel, Madelaine R; Jellinek, Michael S; Baer, Lee; Murphy, J Michael

2015-12-01

The Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) is a widely-used, parent-completed measure of children's emotional and behavioral functioning. Previous research has shown that the PSC and its subscales are generally responsive to patient progress over the course of psychiatric treatment. In this naturalistic study, we examined the performance and utility of the five-item PSC Internalizing Subscale (PSC-IS) as an assessment of routine treatment in outpatient pediatric psychiatry. Parents and clinicians of 1,593 patients aged 17 or younger completed standardized measures at intake and three-month follow-up appointments. Comparisons between PSC-IS scores and clinician-reported diagnoses, internalizing symptoms, and overall functioning showed acceptable levels of agreement. Change scores on the PSC-IS were also larger among patients with internalizing diagnoses than those with non-internalizing diagnoses. As a brief measure of internalizing symptoms, the PSC may be particularly useful to mental health clinicians treating youth with depression and anxiety as a quality assurance or treatment outcome measure.

Towards a model of contemporary parenting: the parenting behaviours and dimensions questionnaire.

PubMed

Reid, Carly A Y; Roberts, Lynne D; Roberts, Clare M; Piek, Jan P

2015-01-01

The assessment of parenting has been problematic due to theoretical disagreement, concerns over generalisability, and problems with the psychometric properties of current parenting measures. The aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive, psychometrically sound self-report parenting measure for use with parents of preadolescent children, and to use this empirical scale development process to identify the core dimensions of contemporary parenting behaviour. Following item generation and parent review, 846 parents completed an online survey comprising 116 parenting items. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a six factor parenting model, comprising Emotional Warmth, Punitive Discipline, Anxious Intrusiveness, Autonomy Support, Permissive Discipline and Democratic Discipline. This measure will allow for the comprehensive and consistent assessment of parenting in future research and practice.

Who gets the most out of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders? The role of treatment dose and patient engagement.

PubMed

Glenn, Daniel; Golinelli, Daniela; Rose, Raphael D; Roy-Byrne, Peter; Stein, Murray B; Sullivan, Greer; Bystritksy, Alexander; Sherbourne, Cathy; Craske, Michelle G

2013-08-01

The present study explored treatment dose and patient engagement as predictors of treatment outcome in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders. Measures of high versus low treatment dose and high versus low patient engagement in CBT were compared as predictors of 12- and 18-month outcomes for patients being treated for anxiety disorders with CBT (with or without concurrent pharmacotherapy) in primary care settings as part of a randomized controlled effectiveness trial of the Coordinated Anxiety Learning and Management (CALM) intervention. Measures of dose (attendance, exposure completion) and engagement in CBT (homework adherence, commitment) were collected throughout treatment, and blinded follow-up phone assessments of outcome measures (12-item Brief Symptom Inventory, Patient Health Questionnaire 8, Sheehan Disability Scale) were completed at 12 and 18 months. Propensity score weighting controlled for baseline differences in demographics and symptom severity between patients with high and low dose and engagement. These analyses included the 439 patients who selected CBT as treatment modality. Completing exposures, having high attendance, and being more adherent to completing homework predicted better outcomes across all measures at 12 and 18 months, and high CBT commitment predicted better outcomes on all measures at 18 months. This study found that higher treatment dose and patient engagement in CBT for anxiety disorders were stable and robust predictors of greater reductions in anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and functional disability. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Development of a direct observation Measure of Environmental Qualities of Activity Settings.

PubMed

King, Gillian; Rigby, Patty; Batorowicz, Beata; McMain-Klein, Margot; Petrenchik, Theresa; Thompson, Laura; Gibson, Michelle

2014-08-01

The aim of this study was to develop an observer-rated measure of aesthetic, physical, social, and opportunity-related qualities of leisure activity settings for young people (with or without disabilities). Eighty questionnaires were completed by sets of raters who independently rated 22 community/home activity settings. The scales of the 32-item Measure of Environmental Qualities of Activity Settings (MEQAS; Opportunities for Social Activities, Opportunities for Physical Activities, Pleasant Physical Environment, Opportunities for Choice, Opportunities for Personal Growth, and Opportunities to Interact with Adults) were determined using principal components analyses. Test-retest reliability was determined for eight activity settings, rated twice (4-6wk interval) by a trained rater. The factor structure accounted for 80% of the variance. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy was 0.73. Cronbach's alphas for the scales ranged from 0.76 to 0.96, and interrater reliabilities (ICCs) ranged from 0.60 to 0.93. Test-retest reliabilities ranged from 0.70 to 0.90. Results suggest that the MEQAS has a sound factor structure and preliminary evidence of internal consistency, interrater, and test-retest reliability. The MEQAS is the first observer-completed measure of environmental qualities of activity settings. The MEQAS allows researchers to assess comprehensively qualities and affordances of activity settings, and can be used to design and assess environmental qualities of programs for young people. © 2014 Mac Keith Press.

Testing Two Alternative Pathological Personality Measures in the Assessment of Psychopathy: An Examination of the Snap and DAPP-BQ.

PubMed

Pryor, Lauren R; Miller, Joshua D; Gaughan, Eric T

2009-02-01

The current study examined the interrelations between two measures of pathological personality, the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality (SNAP; Clark, 1993) and the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Basic Questionnaire (DAPP-BQ; Livesley, 1990), and their respective relations with psychopathy. Two hundred and twenty-nine undergraduate students completed the SNAP, DAPP-BQ, and two self-report psychopathy inventories, the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP; Levenson, Kiehl, & Fitzpatrick, 1995) and the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R; Lilienfeld & Widows, 2005). Results revealed good convergence between conceptually related SNAP and DAPP-BQ subscales. Both the SNAP and DAPP-BQ accounted for a substantial amount of variance in psychopathy scores although the DAPP-BQ accounted for a larger percentage of the variance and demonstrated greater incremental validity. Results suggest that both measures can be successfully used to assess traits associated with psychopathy.

Infant attachment and toddlers' sleep assessed by maternal reports and actigraphy: different measurement methods yield different relations.

PubMed

Simard, Valérie; Bernier, Annie; Bélanger, Marie-Ève; Carrier, Julie

2013-06-01

To investigate relations between children's attachment and sleep, using objective and subjective sleep measures. Secondarily, to identify the most accurate actigraphy algorithm for toddlers. 55 mother-child dyads took part in the Strange Situation Procedure (18 months) to assess attachment. At 2 years, children wore an Actiwatch for a 72-hr period, and their mothers completed a sleep diary. The high sensitivity (80) and smoothed actigraphy algorithms provided the most plausible sleep data. Maternal diaries yielded longer estimated sleep duration and shorter wake duration at night and showed poor agreement with actigraphy. More resistant attachment behavior was not associated with actigraphy-assessed sleep, but was associated with longer nocturnal wake duration as estimated by mothers, and with a reduced actigraphy-diary discrepancy. Mothers of children with resistant attachment are more aware of their child's nocturnal awakenings. Researchers and clinicians should select the best sleep measurement method for their specific needs.

The effect of language on functional capacity assessment in middle-aged and older US Latinos with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Bengoetxea, Eneritz; Burton, Cynthia Z; Mausbach, Brent T; Patterson, Thomas L; Twamley, Elizabeth W

2014-08-15

The U.S. Latino population is steadily increasing, prompting a need for cross-cultural outcome measures in schizophrenia research. This study examined the contribution of language to functional assessment in middle-aged Latino patients with schizophrenia by comparing 29 monolingual Spanish-speakers, 29 Latino English-speakers, and 29 non-Latino English-speakers who were matched on relevant demographic variables and who completed cognitive and functional assessments in their native language. There were no statistically significant differences between groups on the four everyday functioning variables (UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment [UPSA], Social Skills Performance Assessment [SSPA], Medication Management Ability Assessment [MMAA], and the Global Assessment of Functioning [GAF]). The results support the cross-linguistic and cross-cultural acceptability of these functional assessment instruments. It appears that demographic variables other than language (e.g., age, education) better explain differences in functional assessment among ethnically diverse subpopulations. Considering the influence of these other factors in addition to language on functional assessments will help ensure that measures can be appropriately interpreted among the diverse residents of the United States. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

The effect of language on functional capacity assessment in middle-aged and older US Latinos with schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Bengoetxea, Eneritz; Burton, Cynthia Z.; Mausbach, Brent T.; Patterson, Thomas L.; Twamley, Elizabeth W.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Latino population is steadily increasing, prompting a need for cross-cultural outcome measures in schizophrenia research. This study examined the contribution of language to functional assessment in middle-aged Latino patients with schizophrenia by comparing 29 monolingual Spanish-speakers, 29 Latino English-speakers, and 29 non-Latino English-speakers who were matched on relevant demographic variables and who completed cognitive and functional assessments in their native language. There were no statistically significant differences between groups on the four everyday functioning variables (UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment [UPSA], Social Skills Performance Assessment [SSPA], Medication Management Ability Assessment [MMAA], and the Global Assessment of Functioning [GAF]). The results support the cross-linguistic and cross-cultural acceptability of these functional assessment instruments. It appears that demographic variables other than language (e.g., age, education) better explain differences in functional assessment among ethnically diverse subpopulations. Considering the influence of these other factors in addition to language on functional assessments will help ensure that measures can be appropriately interpreted among the diverse residents of the United States. PMID:24751379

Acute hunger modifies responses on the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire hunger and disinhibition, but not restraint, scales.

PubMed

Yeomans, Martin R; McCrickerd, Keri

2017-03-01

It is widely assumed that responses on the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) represent long-term (trait) attitudes to eating behaviour. However, the questionnaire requires agreement with a number of food related statements, and it is possible that some are easier to agree with when assessed hungry than sated. To test this potential state-dependency, participants completed a 100 mm visual analogue scale rating of their current hunger at the time they completed the TFEQ. Data were collected from two cohorts: Cohort 1 (507 women and 119 men) completed both measures on paper, while the hunger rating was computerised in Cohort 2 (179 women). Regression analysis revealed significant effects of rated hunger on scores on the hunger (TFEQ-H) and disinhibition (TFEQ-D) but not restraint (TFEQ-R) subscales, with higher TFEQ-H and TFEQ-D scores when participants were more hungry. In addition, 61 women and two men from Cohort 1 completed the measures on two separate occasions. Here, scores on TFEQ-H were higher on days when these participants were hungrier, but no differences in TFEQ-D or TFEQ-R were found. Overall these data suggest TFEQ-H could be interpreted as an indirect measure of current hunger, that scores on TFEQ-D are partly moderated by hunger but TFEQ-R is a more trait-like measure of restraint. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Complete mental health in adult siblings of those with a chronic illness or disability.

PubMed

Hallion, Madeleine; Taylor, Amanda; Roberts, Rachel

2018-02-01

Sibling relationships have lifelong significance and childhood chronic illness and disability can have considerable impacts on healthy siblings, influencing development into adulthood. Research has not yet assessed well-being in this population using measures of both mental health and mental illness. Thus, this study assessed well-being in a comprehensive manner using the complete mental health (CMH) model. Participants (N = 144) included both adult siblings of those with chronic illness or disability and adults with healthy siblings. Measures of positive social, psychological and emotional well-being were used to assess mental health and a measure of depression, anxiety, and stress was used to assess mental illness. A high proportion of participants, both with and without siblings with a chronic illness or disability, were experiencing symptoms of mental illness, accompanied by high wellbeing. This indicates that many participants fit into the struggling category of the CMH model. The present research highlights the need for early intervention services to ensure that siblings of those with a chronic illness or disability are well supported in developing strengths, as well as managing difficulties. Results also indicate that targeting students in mental health promotion is important to encourage participation in services. Implications for rehabilitation Siblings of those with a chronic illness or disability need to be included in assessments in order to understand the experience of the family unit. It is important for families and clinicians to be aware of the needs of healthy siblings and encourage them to interact with support services in order to maximise and maintain well-being. Skills-based support could be beneficial, particularly for providing caregivers with strategies to meet the needs of both their child with a chronic illness or disability and their healthy children.

First report of factors associated with satisfaction in patients with neurofibromatosis.

PubMed

Riklin, Eric; Talaei-Khoei, Mojtaba; Merker, Vanessa L; Sheridan, Monica R; Jordan, Justin T; Plotkin, Scott R; Vranceanu, Ana-Maria

2017-03-01

Patient satisfaction is an integral part of quality health care. We assessed whether health literacy and psychosocial factors are associated with patient satisfaction among adults with neurofibromatosis. Eighty adults (mean age = 44 years; 55% female, 87% white) with NF (50% NF1, 41% NF2, and 9% schwannomatosis) completed an adapted Functional, Communicative, and Critical Health Literacy Questionnaire (FCCHL), the Health Literacy Assessment, a series of Patient Reported Outcome Measures Information System (PROMIS) psychosocial tests, and demographics before the medical visit. After, participants completed two measures of satisfaction: the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale (MISS) to assess satisfaction with the medical visit, and an adapted version of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Health Literacy Item Set (CAHPS-HL) to assess satisfaction with communication with the provider. Although higher FCCHL health literacy (r = 0.319, P = 0.002), male gender (t = 2.045, P = 0.044) and better psychosocial functioning (r = -0.257 to 0.409, P < 0.05) were associated with higher satisfaction with the medical visit in bivariate correlations, only male gender and higher health literacy remained as significant predictors in multivariable analyses. Higher FCCHL health literacy, less pain interference, fewer pain behaviors, and higher satisfaction with social roles and social discretionary activities (r = -0.231 to 0.331, P < 0.05) were associated with higher satisfaction with the communication with the provider in bivariate analyses. Results support the use of psychosocial and health literacy measures in clinical practice. Referrals to psychosocial treatments in addition to brief interventions focused on increasing health literacy may also be beneficial. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Interobserver variability in the assessment of aneurysm occlusion with the WEB aneurysm embolization system.

PubMed

Fiorella, David; Arthur, Adam; Byrne, James; Pierot, Laurent; Molyneux, Andy; Duckwiler, Gary; McCarthy, Thomas; Strother, Charles

2015-08-01

The WEB (WEB aneurysm embolization system, Sequent Medical, Aliso Viejo, California, USA) is a self-expanding, nitinol, mesh device designed to achieve aneurysm occlusion after endosaccular deployment. The WEB Occlusion Scale (WOS) is a standardized angiographic assessment scale for reporting aneurysm occlusion achieved with intrasaccular mesh implants. This study was performed to assess the interobserver variability of the WOS. Seven experienced neurovascular specialists were trained to apply the WOS. These physicians independently reviewed angiographic image sets from 30 patients treated with the WEB under blinded conditions. No additional clinical information was provided. Raters graded each image according to the WOS (complete occlusion, residual neck or residual aneurysm). Final statistics were calculated using the dichotomous outcomes of complete occlusion or incomplete occlusion. The interobserver agreement was measured by the generalized κ statistic. In this series of 30 test case aneurysms, observers rated 12-17 as completely occluded, 3-9 as nearly completely occluded, and 9-11 as demonstrating residual aneurysm filling. Agreement was perfect across all seven observers for the presence or absence of complete occlusion in 22 of 30 cases. Overall, interobserver agreement was substantial (κ statistic 0.779 with a 95% CI of 0.700 to 0.857). The WOS allows a consistent means of reporting angiographic occlusion for aneurysms treated with the WEB device. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

What changes in cognitive therapy for depression? An examination of cognitive therapy skills and maladaptive beliefs.

PubMed

Adler, Abby D; Strunk, Daniel R; Fazio, Russell H

2015-01-01

This study examined effortful cognitive skills and underlying maladaptive beliefs among patients treated with cognitive therapy (CT) for depression. Depressed patients (n=44) completed cognitive measures before and after 16 weeks of CT. Measures included an assessment of CT skills (Ways of Responding Scale; WOR), an implicit test of maladaptive beliefs (Implicit Association Test; IAT), and a self-report questionnaire of maladaptive beliefs (Dysfunctional Attitude Scale; DAS). A matched sample of never-depressed participants (n=44) also completed study measures. Prior to treatment, depressed patients endorsed significantly more undesirable cognitions on the WOR, IAT, and DAS compared with never-depressed participants. Patients displayed improvement on the WOR and DAS over the course of treatment, but showed no change on the IAT. Additionally, improvements on the WOR and DAS were each related to greater reductions in depressive symptoms. Results suggest that the degree of symptom reduction among patients participating in CT is related to changes in patients' acquisition of coping skills requiring deliberate efforts and reflective thought, but not related to reduced endorsement of implicitly assessed maladaptive beliefs. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Are habitual overgeneral recollection and prospection maladaptive?

PubMed

Robinaugh, Donald J; Lubin, Rebecca E; Babic, Luka; McNally, Richard J

2013-06-01

Individuals with depression exhibit difficulty retrieving specific memories and imagining specific future events when instructed to do so relative to non-clinical comparison groups. Instead of specific events, depressed individuals frequently retrieve or imagine "overgeneral" memories that span a long period of time or that denote a category of similar events. Recently, Raes, Hermans, Williams, and Eelen (2007) developed a sentence completion procedure (SCEPT) to assess the tendency to recall overgeneral autobiographical memories. They found that specificity on this measure was associated with depression and rumination. We aimed to replicate these findings and to examine the tendency to imagine overgeneral future events. We had 170 subjects complete past (SCEPT) and future-oriented (SCEFT) sentence completion tasks and measures of depression severity, PTSD severity, hopelessness, and repetitive negative thought. Although specificities of past and future events were correlated, neither SCEPT nor SCEFT specificity was negatively associated with depression severity, posttraumatic stress symptoms, repetitive negative thought (RNT), or hopelessness. Our data are cross-sectional, preventing any determination of causality and limiting our assessment of whether specificity is associated with psychological distress following a stressful life event. In addition, we observed poor internal consistency for both the SCEPT and SCEFT. These findings fail to support the hypothesis that overgeneral memory and prospection on these tasks are associated with psychological distress. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Applying DOE's Graded Approach for assessing radiation impacts to non-human biota at the INL.

PubMed

Morris, Randall C

2006-01-01

In July 2002, The US Department of Energy (DOE) released a new technical standard entitled A Graded Approach for Evaluating Radiation Doses to Aquatic and Terrestrial Biota. DOE facilities are annually required to demonstrate that routine radioactive releases from their sites are protective of non-human receptors and sites are encouraged to use the Graded Approach for this purpose. Use of the Graded Approach requires completion of several preliminary steps, to evaluate the degree to which the site environmental monitoring program is appropriate for evaluating impacts to non-human biota. We completed these necessary activities at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) using the following four tasks: (1) develop conceptual models and evaluate exposure pathways; (2) define INL evaluation areas; (3) evaluate sampling locations and media; (4) evaluate data gaps. All of the information developed in the four steps was incorporated, data sources were identified, departures from the Graded Approach were justified, and a step-by-step procedure for biota dose assessment at the INL was specified. Finally, we completed a site-wide biota dose assessment using the 2002 environmental surveillance data and an offsite assessment using soil and surface water data collected since 1996. These assessments demonstrated the environmental concentrations of radionuclides measured on and near the INL do not present significant risks to populations of non-human biota.

Advancing implementation science through measure development and evaluation: a study protocol.

PubMed

Lewis, Cara C; Weiner, Bryan J; Stanick, Cameo; Fischer, Sarah M

2015-07-22

Significant gaps related to measurement issues are among the most critical barriers to advancing implementation science. Three issues motivated the study aims: (a) the lack of stakeholder involvement in defining pragmatic measure qualities; (b) the dearth of measures, particularly for implementation outcomes; and (c) unknown psychometric and pragmatic strength of existing measures. Aim 1: Establish a stakeholder-driven operationalization of pragmatic measures and develop reliable, valid rating criteria for assessing the construct. Aim 2: Develop reliable, valid, and pragmatic measures of three critical implementation outcomes, acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility. Aim 3: Identify Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and Implementation Outcome Framework-linked measures that demonstrate both psychometric and pragmatic strength. For Aim 1, we will conduct (a) interviews with stakeholder panelists (N = 7) and complete a literature review to populate pragmatic measure construct criteria, (b) Q-sort activities (N = 20) to clarify the internal structure of the definition, (c) Delphi activities (N = 20) to achieve consensus on the dimension priorities, (d) test-retest and inter-rater reliability assessments of the emergent rating system, and (e) known-groups validity testing of the top three prioritized pragmatic criteria. For Aim 2, our systematic development process involves domain delineation, item generation, substantive validity assessment, structural validity assessment, reliability assessment, and predictive validity assessment. We will also assess discriminant validity, known-groups validity, structural invariance, sensitivity to change, and other pragmatic features. For Aim 3, we will refine our established evidence-based assessment (EBA) criteria, extract the relevant data from the literature, rate each measure using the EBA criteria, and summarize the data. The study outputs of each aim are expected to have a positive impact as they will establish and guide a comprehensive measurement-focused research agenda for implementation science and provide empirically supported measures, tools, and methods for accomplishing this work.

Prospective in-patient cohort study of moves between levels of therapeutic security: the DUNDRUM-1 triage security, DUNDRUM-3 programme completion and DUNDRUM-4 recovery scales and the HCR-20.

PubMed

Davoren, Mary; O'Dwyer, Sarah; Abidin, Zareena; Naughton, Leena; Gibbons, Olivia; Doyle, Elaine; McDonnell, Kim; Monks, Stephen; Kennedy, Harry G

2012-07-13

We examined whether new structured professional judgment instruments for assessing need for therapeutic security, treatment completion and recovery in forensic settings were related to moves from higher to lower levels of therapeutic security and added anything to assessment of risk. This was a prospective naturalistic twelve month observational study of a cohort of patients in a forensic hospital placed according to their need for therapeutic security along a pathway of moves from high to progressively less secure units in preparation for discharge. Patients were assessed using the DUNDRUM-1 triage security scale, the DUNDRUM-3 programme completion scale and the DUNDRUM-4 recovery scale and assessments of risk of violence, self harm and suicide, symptom severity and global function. Patients were subsequently observed for positive moves to less secure units and negative moves to more secure units. There were 86 male patients at baseline with mean follow-up 0.9 years, 11 positive and 9 negative moves. For positive moves, logistic regression indicated that along with location at baseline, the DUNDRUM-1, HCR-20 dynamic and PANSS general symptom scores were associated with subsequent positive moves. The receiver operating characteristic was significant for the DUNDRUM-1 while ANOVA co-varying for both location at baseline and HCR-20 dynamic score was significant for DUNDRUM-1. For negative moves, logistic regression showed DUNDRUM-1 and HCR-20 dynamic scores were associated with subsequent negative moves, along with DUNDRUM-3 and PANSS negative symptoms in some models. The receiver operating characteristic was significant for the DUNDRUM-4 recovery and HCR-20 dynamic scores with DUNDRUM-1, DUNDRUM-3, PANSS general and GAF marginal. ANOVA co-varying for both location at baseline and HCR-20 dynamic scores showed only DUNDRUM-1 and PANSS negative symptoms associated with subsequent negative moves. Clinicians appear to decide moves based on combinations of current and imminent (dynamic) risk measured by HCR-20 dynamic score and historical seriousness of risk as measured by need for therapeutic security (DUNDRUM-1) in keeping with Scott's formulation of risk and seriousness. The DUNDRUM-3 programme completion and DUNDRUM-4 recovery scales have utility as dynamic measures that can off-set perceived 'dangerousness'.

Prospective in-patient cohort study of moves between levels of therapeutic security: the DUNDRUM-1 triage security, DUNDRUM-3 programme completion and DUNDRUM-4 recovery scales and the HCR-20

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background We examined whether new structured professional judgment instruments for assessing need for therapeutic security, treatment completion and recovery in forensic settings were related to moves from higher to lower levels of therapeutic security and added anything to assessment of risk. Methods This was a prospective naturalistic twelve month observational study of a cohort of patients in a forensic hospital placed according to their need for therapeutic security along a pathway of moves from high to progressively less secure units in preparation for discharge. Patients were assessed using the DUNDRUM-1 triage security scale, the DUNDRUM-3 programme completion scale and the DUNDRUM-4 recovery scale and assessments of risk of violence, self harm and suicide, symptom severity and global function. Patients were subsequently observed for positive moves to less secure units and negative moves to more secure units. Results There were 86 male patients at baseline with mean follow-up 0.9 years, 11 positive and 9 negative moves. For positive moves, logistic regression indicated that along with location at baseline, the DUNDRUM-1, HCR-20 dynamic and PANSS general symptom scores were associated with subsequent positive moves. The receiver operating characteristic was significant for the DUNDRUM-1 while ANOVA co-varying for both location at baseline and HCR-20 dynamic score was significant for DUNDRUM-1. For negative moves, logistic regression showed DUNDRUM-1 and HCR-20 dynamic scores were associated with subsequent negative moves, along with DUNDRUM-3 and PANSS negative symptoms in some models. The receiver operating characteristic was significant for the DUNDRUM-4 recovery and HCR-20 dynamic scores with DUNDRUM-1, DUNDRUM-3, PANSS general and GAF marginal. ANOVA co-varying for both location at baseline and HCR-20 dynamic scores showed only DUNDRUM-1 and PANSS negative symptoms associated with subsequent negative moves. Conclusions Clinicians appear to decide moves based on combinations of current and imminent (dynamic) risk measured by HCR-20 dynamic score and historical seriousness of risk as measured by need for therapeutic security (DUNDRUM-1) in keeping with Scott's formulation of risk and seriousness. The DUNDRUM-3 programme completion and DUNDRUM-4 recovery scales have utility as dynamic measures that can off-set perceived 'dangerousness'. PMID:22794187

Introducing a brief measure of cultural and religious identification in American Jewish identity.

PubMed

Friedlander, Myrna L; Friedman, Michelle L; Miller, Matthew J; Ellis, Michael V; Friedlander, Lee K; Mikhaylov, Vadim G

2010-07-01

The authors conducted 3 studies to develop and investigate the psychometric properties of the American Jewish Identity Scales (AJIS), a brief self-report measure that assesses cultural identification and religious identification. Study 1 assessed the content validity of the item pool using an expert panel. In Study 2, 1,884 Jewish adults completed the initial AJIS and various measures of ethnic identity, collective self-esteem, and religiosity. Using confirmatory factor analyses, the authors selected and cross-validated 33 items that loaded highly and differentially on the 2 theorized latent factors. Study 3 assessed the AJIS's short-term stability and its relation to social desirability. Tests of reliability and construct validity provided initial psychometric support for the measure and confirmed the theorized primary salience of cultural identification. Participants reported significantly more private than public collective self-esteem, and the most Jewish-identified participants reported greater private self-esteem, acculturative stress, and perceived discrimination than did their more assimilated counterparts. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Military Families' Perceptions of Neighborhood Characteristics Affecting Reintegration: Development of an Aggregate Measure.

PubMed

Beehler, Sarah; Ahern, Jennifer; Balmer, Brandi; Kuhlman, Jennifer

2017-01-01

This pilot study evaluated the validity and reliability of an Experience of Neighborhood (EON) measure developed to assess neighborhood characteristics that shape reintegration opportunities for returning service members and their families. A total of 91 post-9/11 veterans and spouses completed a survey administered at the Minnesota State Fair. Participants self-reported on their reintegration status (veterans), social functioning (spouses), social support, and mental health. EON factor structure, internal consistency reliability, and validity (discriminant, content, criterion) were analyzed. The EON measure showed adequate reliability, discriminant validity, and content validity. More work is needed to assess criterion validity because EON scores were not correlated with scores on a Census-based index used to measure quality of military neighborhoods. The EON may be useful in assessing broad local factors influencing health among returning veterans and spouses. More research is needed to understand geographic variation in neighborhood conditions and how those affect reintegration and mental health for military families.

Military Families’ Perceptions of Neighborhood Characteristics Affecting Reintegration: Development of an Aggregate Measure

PubMed Central

Beehler, Sarah; Ahern, Jennifer; Balmer, Brandi; Kuhlman, Jennifer

2017-01-01

This pilot study evaluated the validity and reliability of an Experience of Neighborhood (EON) measure developed to assess neighborhood characteristics that shape reintegration opportunities for returning service members and their families. A total of 91 post-9/11 veterans and spouses completed a survey administered at the Minnesota State Fair. Participants self-reported on their reintegration status (veterans), social functioning (spouses), social support, and mental health. EON factor structure, internal consistency reliability, and validity (discriminant, content, criterion) were analyzed. The EON measure showed adequate reliability, discriminant validity, and content validity. More work is needed to assess criterion validity because EON scores were not correlated with scores on a Census-based index used to measure quality of military neighborhoods. The EON may be useful in assessing broad local factors influencing health among returning veterans and spouses. More research is needed to understand geographic variation in neighborhood conditions and how those affect reintegration and mental health for military families. PMID:28936370

Virtual reality as a metric for the assessment of laparoscopic psychomotor skills. Learning curves and reliability measures.

PubMed

Gallagher, A G; Satava, R M

2002-12-01

The objective assessment of the psychomotor skills of surgeons is now a priority; however, this is a difficult task because of measurement difficulties associated with the assessment of surgery in vivo. In this study, virtual reality (VR) was used to overcome these problems. Twelve experienced (>50 minimal-access procedures), 12 inexperienced laparoscopic surgeons (<10 minimal-access procedures), and 12 laparoscopic novices participated in the study. Each subject completed 10 trials on the Minimally Invasive Surgical Trainer; Virtual Reality (MIST VR). Experienced laparoscopic surgeons performed the tasks significantly (p < 0.01) faster, with less error, more economy in the movement of instruments and the use of diathermy, and with greater consistency in performance. The standardized coefficient alpha for performance measures ranged from a = 0.89 to 0.98, showing high internal measurement consistency. Test-retest reliability ranged from r = 0.96 to r = 0.5. VR is a useful tool for evaluating the psychomotor skills needed to perform laparoscopic surgery.

Screening Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) in children: Outcomes from utilitarian versus specialist psychometrics.

PubMed

Dovey, Terence M; Aldridge, Victoria K; Martin, Clarissa I; Wilken, Markus; Meyer, Caroline

2016-12-01

This study assessed the specificity and sensitivity of two commonly used psychometric methods to assess ARFID in children. To achieve this, a sample of 329 mothers and one father completed the Behavioral Pediatrics Feeding Assessment Scale (BPFAS) and the Child Food Neophobia Scale (CFNS). A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that both measures were able to successfully differentiate a known clinical sample from those of typically developing population. Although the BPFAS was more accurate at differentiating ARFID from the general population, the CFNS was acceptable and on some metrics better than its longer counterpart. The ability of a food neophobia scale to differentiate clinical and population samples, and detect gradation of food avoidance within the population sample, suggests that the multitude of psychometric measures available may be measuring similar constructs. Therefore, confidence can be expected in cross-site comparisons despite each using different psychometric measures of food avoidance in children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of a 5-week therapeutic horseback riding program on gross motor function in a child with cerebral palsy: a case study.

PubMed

Drnach, Mark; O'Brien, Patricia A; Kreger, Alison

2010-09-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the outcome of a short-term therapeutic horseback riding intervention on the gross motor function in a child with cerebral palsy. This study employed a repeated-measures design with a pretest, a post-test, and a post post-test conducted 5 weeks apart using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) as an outcome measure. The three sets of test scores from the GMFM were compared upon completion of the intervention. The subject participated in a 5-week therapeutic horseback riding program consisting of 1 hour of riding per week. Each riding session consisted of stretching, strengthening, and balance activities. The child's level of motor function was tested prior to the intervention, upon completion of the intervention, and 5 weeks postintervention. The GMFM, a criterion-referenced observational measure designed to measure change in the gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy, was chosen as the assessment tool. Upon completion of the 5-week intervention, the child was observed to have improved scores on the GMFM in two of the five dimensions measured and scored for a total of eight items. The post post-test was completed 5 weeks after the final riding session and the results demonstrated successful maintenance of the improved scores in seven of eight items. The result of this case study suggest that 5 weeks of therapeutic riding are sufficient to produce positive changes in the gross motor function of a child with cerebral palsy.

Measuring outcome from vestibular rehabilitation, part II: refinement and validation of a new self-report measure.

PubMed

Morris, Anna E; Lutman, Mark E; Yardley, Lucy

2009-01-01

A prototype self-report measure of vestibular rehabilitation outcome is described in a previous paper. The objectives of the present work were to identify the most useful items and assess their psychometric properties. Stage 1: One hundred fifty-five participants completed a prototype 36-item Vestibular Rehabilitation Benefit Questionnaire (VRBQ). Statistical analysis demonstrated its subscale structure and identified redundant items. Stage 2: One hundred twenty-four participants completed a refined 22-item VRBQ and three established questionnaires (Dizziness Handicap Inventory, DHI; Vertigo Symptom Scale short form, VSS-sf; Medical Outcomes Study short form 36, SF-36) in a longitudinal study. Statistical analysis revealed four internally consistent subscales of the VRBQ: Dizziness, Anxiety, Motion-Provoked Dizziness, and Quality of Life. Correlations with the DHI, VSS-sf, and SF-36 support the validity of the VRBQ, and effect size estimates suggest that the VRBQ is more responsive than comparable questionnaires. Twenty participants completed the VRBQ twice in a 24-hour period, indicating excellent test-retest reliability. The VRBQ appears to be a concise and psychometrically robust questionnaire that addresses the main aspects of dizziness impact.

Assessment of Daily and Weekly Fatigue among African American Cancer Survivors

PubMed Central

Sobel, Rina M.; McSorley, Anna-Michelle M.; Roesch, Scott C.; Malcarne, Vanessa L.; Hawes, Starlyn M.; Sadler, Georgia Robins

2013-01-01

This investigation evaluates two common measures of cancer-related fatigue, one multidimensional/retrospective and one unidimensional/same-day. Fifty-two African American survivors of diverse cancers completed fatigue visual analogue scales once daily, and the Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory (MFSI) once weekly, for four weeks. Zero-order correlations showed retrospectivefatigue was significantly related to average, peak, and most recent same-dayfatigue. Multilevel random coefficient modeling showed unidimensional fatigue shared the most variance with the MFSI’s General subscale for three weeks, and with the Vigor subscale for one week. Researchers and clinicians may wish to prioritize multidimensional measures when assessing cancer-related fatigue, if appropriate. PMID:23844922

Lower extremity lawn-mower injuries in children.

PubMed

Farley, F A; Senunas, L; Greenfield, M L; Warschausky, S; Loder, R T; Kewman, D G; Hensinger, R N

1996-01-01

Lower extremity lawn-mower injuries in children result in significant morbidity with a significant financial burden to the family and society. We reviewed 24 children with lower extremity lawn-mower injuries; all mothers completed standardized psychologic assessments of their children, and 18 children were interviewed. Fifty percent of the mothers had defensive profiles on the standardized psychologic assessment, suggesting the likelihood of denial or underreporting of the child's psychologic difficulties. Therefore, we found the interview with the child to be a more accurate measure of psychologic distress. Prevention measures aimed at parents must emphasize that a child must not be allowed in a yard that is being mowed with a riding mower.

Validity and reliability of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Checklist for children with and without motor impairments.

PubMed

Schoemaker, Marina M; Niemeijer, Anuschka S; Flapper, Boudien C T; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M

2012-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Checklist (MABC-2). Teachers completed the Checklist for 383 children (age range 5-8y; mean age 6y 9mo; 190 males; 193 females) and the parents of 130 of these children completed the Developmental Disorder Coordination Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ'07). All children were assessed with the MABC-2 Test. The internal consistency of the 30 items of the Checklist was determined to measure reliability. Construct validity was investigated using factor analysis and discriminative validity was assessed by comparing the scores of children with and without movement difficulties. Concurrent validity was measured by calculating correlations between the Checklist, Test, and the DCDQ'07. Incremental validity was assessed to determine whether the Checklist was a better predictor of motor impairment than the DCDQ'07. Sensitivity and specificity were investigated using the MABC-2 Test as reference standard (cut-off 15th centile). The Checklist items measure the same construct. Six factors were obtained after factor analysis. This implies that a broad range of functional activities can be assessed with the Checklist, which renders the Checklist useful for assessing criterion B of the diagnostic criteria for DCD. The mean Checklist scores for children with and without motor impairments significantly differed (p<0.001). The scores for the Checklist/Test and DCDQ'07 were significantly correlated (r(S) =-0.38 and p<0.001, and r(S) =-0.36 and p<0.001, respectively). The Checklist better predicted motor impairment than the DCDQ'07. Overall, the sensitivity was low (41%) and the specificity was acceptable (88%). The Checklist meets standards for validity and reliability. © The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology © 2012 Mac Keith Press.

Measuring eating competence: psychometric properties and validity of the ecSatter Inventory.

PubMed

Lohse, Barbara; Satter, Ellyn; Horacek, Tanya; Gebreselassie, Tesfayi; Oakland, Mary Jane

2007-01-01

Assess validity of the ecSatter Inventory (ecSI) to measure eating competence (EC). Concurrent administration of ecSI with validated measures of eating behaviors using on-line and paper-pencil formats. The on-line survey was completed by 370 participants; 462 completed the paper version. Participants included 863 adults with 832 usable surveys from respondents (mean age 36.2 +/- 13.4 years) without eating disorders, mostly female, white, educated, overweight, physically active, and food secure. Of those indicating intent to complete the on-line survey, 80.3% did so; 54% of mailed surveys were returned. Eating and food behaviors compared among EC tertiles and between dichotomous EC categories; internal consistency of ecSI. Analysis of variance, independent t tests, chi-square, factor analysis, logistic regression. Significance level was P < .05. Mean ecSI score was 31.1 +/- 7.5. ecSI included 4 subscales with internal reliability and content validity. Construct validity was supported by specific behavioral profiles for ecSI tertiles and ecSI dichotomized categories. Persons unsatisfied with weight were 54% less likely to be EC; unit increase in the food like index was associated with nearly 3 times greater likelihood of being EC. The ecSatter Inventory is a valid measure of EC and can be used for descriptive and outcome measurements.

Assessment of human respiration patterns via noncontact sensing using Doppler multi-radar system.

PubMed

Gu, Changzhan; Li, Changzhi

2015-03-16

Human respiratory patterns at chest and abdomen are associated with both physical and emotional states. Accurate measurement of the respiratory patterns provides an approach to assess and analyze the physical and emotional states of the subject persons. Not many research efforts have been made to wirelessly assess different respiration patterns, largely due to the inaccuracy of the conventional continuous-wave radar sensor to track the original signal pattern of slow respiratory movements. This paper presents the accurate assessment of different respiratory patterns based on noncontact Doppler radar sensing. This paper evaluates the feasibility of accurately monitoring different human respiration patterns via noncontact radar sensing. A 2.4 GHz DC coupled multi-radar system was used for accurate measurement of the complete respiration patterns without any signal distortion. Experiments were carried out in the lab environment to measure the different respiration patterns when the subject person performed natural breathing, chest breathing and diaphragmatic breathing. The experimental results showed that accurate assessment of different respiration patterns is feasible using the proposed noncontact radar sensing technique.

Assessment of Human Respiration Patterns via Noncontact Sensing Using Doppler Multi-Radar System

PubMed Central

Gu, Changzhan; Li, Changzhi

2015-01-01

Human respiratory patterns at chest and abdomen are associated with both physical and emotional states. Accurate measurement of the respiratory patterns provides an approach to assess and analyze the physical and emotional states of the subject persons. Not many research efforts have been made to wirelessly assess different respiration patterns, largely due to the inaccuracy of the conventional continuous-wave radar sensor to track the original signal pattern of slow respiratory movements. This paper presents the accurate assessment of different respiratory patterns based on noncontact Doppler radar sensing. This paper evaluates the feasibility of accurately monitoring different human respiration patterns via noncontact radar sensing. A 2.4 GHz DC coupled multi-radar system was used for accurate measurement of the complete respiration patterns without any signal distortion. Experiments were carried out in the lab environment to measure the different respiration patterns when the subject person performed natural breathing, chest breathing and diaphragmatic breathing. The experimental results showed that accurate assessment of different respiration patterns is feasible using the proposed noncontact radar sensing technique. PMID:25785310

Prospective, Multicenter Validation Study of Magnetic Resonance Volumetry for Response Assessment After Preoperative Chemoradiation in Rectal Cancer: Can the Results in the Literature be Reproduced?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martens, Milou H., E-mail: mh.martens@hotmail.com; Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht; GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht

2015-12-01

Purpose: To review the available literature on tumor size/volume measurements on magnetic resonance imaging for response assessment after chemoradiotherapy, and validate these cut-offs in an independent multicenter patient cohort. Methods and Materials: The study included 2 parts. (1) Review of the literature: articles were included that assessed the accuracy of tumor size/volume measurements on magnetic resonance imaging for tumor response assessment. Size/volume cut-offs were extracted; (2) Multicenter validation: extracted cut-offs from the literature were tested in a multicenter cohort (n=146). Accuracies were calculated and compared with reported results from the literature. Results: The review included 14 articles, in which 3more » different measurement methods were assessed: (1) tumor length; (2) 3-dimensonial tumor size; and (3) whole volume. Study outcomes consisted of (1) complete response (ypT0) versus residual tumor; (2) tumor regression grade 1 to 2 versus 3 to 5; and (3) T-downstaging (ypT« less

Effect of external PEEP in patients under controlled mechanical ventilation with an auto-PEEP of 5 cmH2O or higher.

PubMed

Natalini, Giuseppe; Tuzzo, Daniele; Rosano, Antonio; Testa, Marco; Grazioli, Michele; Pennestrì, Vincenzo; Amodeo, Guido; Berruto, Francesco; Fiorillo, Marialinda; Peratoner, Alberto; Tinnirello, Andrea; Filippini, Matteo; Marsilia, Paolo F; Minelli, Cosetta; Bernardini, Achille

2016-12-01

In some patients with auto-positive end-expiratory pressure (auto-PEEP), application of PEEP lower than auto-PEEP maintains a constant total PEEP, therefore reducing the inspiratory threshold load without detrimental cardiovascular or respiratory effects. We refer to these patients as "complete PEEP-absorbers." Conversely, adverse effects of PEEP application could occur in patients with auto-PEEP when the total PEEP rises as a consequence. From a pathophysiological perspective, all subjects with flow limitation are expected to be "complete PEEP-absorbers," whereas PEEP should increase total PEEP in all other patients. This study aimed to empirically assess the extent to which flow limitation alone explains a "complete PEEP-absorber" behavior (i.e., absence of further hyperinflation with PEEP), and to identify other factors associated with it. One hundred patients with auto-PEEP of at least 5 cmH2O at zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP) during controlled mechanical ventilation were enrolled. Total PEEP (i.e., end-expiratory plateau pressure) was measured both at ZEEP and after applied PEEP equal to 80 % of auto-PEEP measured at ZEEP. All measurements were repeated three times, and the average value was used for analysis. Forty-seven percent of the patients suffered from chronic pulmonary disease and 52 % from acute pulmonary disease; 61 % showed flow limitation at ZEEP, assessed by manual compression of the abdomen. The mean total PEEP was 7 ± 2 cmH2O at ZEEP and 9 ± 2 cmH2O after the application of PEEP (p < 0.001). Thirty-three percent of the patients were "complete PEEP-absorbers." Multiple logistic regression was used to predict the behavior of "complete PEEP-absorber." The best model included a respiratory rate lower than 20 breaths/min and the presence of flow limitation. The predictive ability of the model was excellent, with an overoptimism-corrected area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.89 (95 % CI 0.80-0.97). Expiratory flow limitation was associated with both high and complete "PEEP-absorber" behavior, but setting a relatively high respiratory rate on the ventilator can prevent from observing complete "PEEP-absorption." Therefore, the effect of PEEP application in patients with auto-PEEP can be accurately predicted at the bedside by measuring the respiratory rate and observing the flow-volume loop during manual compression of the abdomen.

Attitude Change following a Diversion Program for Men Who Solicit Sex

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, M. Alexis; Klein, Carolin; Gorzalka, Boris B.; Yuille, John C.

2004-01-01

This study investigates the effectiveness of an educational diversion program, or "john school," in changing the attitudes of men arrested for soliciting or attempting to solicit sex. Participants were 341 men who completed pre- and post-program measures assessing attitudes towards prostitution, attitudes towards prostituted women, and…

Teacher's Assessment of the Quality of Their Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Voyia

Thirty-eight teachers completed the Illinois Quality Schools Index Survey, which measured teachers' attitudes towards characteristics of quality schools. The majority of the teachers felt that the characteristics indicative of a quality school were often implemented in their school. Over half the teachers felt that their schools often or always…

78 FR 38094 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-25

.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: USDOT Survey and Comparative Assessment of Truck Parking Facilities. Background: US Department of Transportation (USDOT) is directed to complete a survey and comparative... of a system of metrics designed to measure the adequacy of commercial motor vehicle truck parking...

Assessing Skills from Placement to Completion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Judy

A system to provide objective measures of institutional effectiveness was implemented at the Roswell branch of Eastern New Mexico University to determine whether the college was accountable to students, staff, and taxpayers; to improve the curriculum and programs; and to prepare for accreditation review in 1991. A task force spent the summer of…

Predictors of Care-Giver Stress in Families of Preschool-Aged Children with Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plant, K. M.; Sanders, M. R.

2007-01-01

Background: This study examined the predictors, mediators and moderators of parent stress in families of preschool-aged children with developmental disability. Method: One hundred and five mothers of preschool-aged children with developmental disability completed assessment measures addressing the key variables. Results: Analyses demonstrated that…

Examination of Preventive Resources, Life Events, and Coping Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Christopher J.; Lambert, Richard G.; Beard, Michelle; Canipe, Kara

The Preventive Coping Resources Inventory (PRI) was developed to assess specific coping resources most useful for stress prevention and also applicable to education settings. Undergraduates (N=501) at a large, southwestern university completed the inventory and other measures of adjustment and coping. Exploratory factor analysis revealed five…

Posttraumatic Growth Moderates Suicide Risk among Trauma Exposed Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheline, Kelly T.; Rosén, Lee A.

2017-01-01

We assessed the moderating role of posttraumatic growth on the relationship between traumatic life events and suicidal ideation and behavior, suicide risk, and college adjustment. The sample of 557 college students completed questionnaires measuring their severity and number of traumatic life events, posttraumatic growth, suicidal thoughts,…

The Nature of Reflective Practice and Emotional Intelligence in Tutorial Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gill, Gobinder Singh

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to assess the nature of reflective practice and emotional intelligence in tutorial settings. Following the completion of a self-report measure of emotional intelligence, practitioners incorporated a model of reflective practice into their tutorial sessions. Practitioners were instructed to utilise reflective practice…

Prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder Symptoms and Associated Clinical Features among Australian University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartsch, Dianna

2007-01-01

The current study addressed the frequency of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) symptoms among university students and investigated the predictors of dysmorphic concern. Six hundred and nineteen Australian university students completed measures assessing BDD, dysmorphic concern, self-esteem, depression, life satisfaction, self-oriented and socially…

Democratic Governance and Control Ideology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruan, Joseph, A., Jr.; Cook, Malcolm

Two hundred fifty-five students in grades 2 through 6 and 51 teachers participated in structured interviews to assess how democratic governance was practiced in their classrooms. Teachers also completed the Pupil Control Ideology Form (PCI), which measures orientation toward control of pupils. Findings showed that students do not want to rule…

An Empirical Assessment of the Communication Components Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keaton, Shaughan A.; Bodie, Graham D.

2012-01-01

This article attempts to demonstrate the psychometric properties and evidence of validity for a measure recently proposed in this journal, the Communication Components Inventory (CCI). Across two studies, a total of 903 undergraduate students completed one of the two response formats--dichotomous and scaled--of the CCI and the Multiple…

Predictors and Moderators of Psychological Distress in Mothers of Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobing, Lauren E.; Glenwick, David S.

2006-01-01

This study explored potential predictors of psychological distress and moderators of the relation between parenting stress and psychological distress in mothers of children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). Ninety-seven mothers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders completed measures assessing children's functional…

Dimensionality and Psychometric Analysis of an Alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novik, Melinda G.; Boekeloo, Bradley O.

2011-01-01

Objective: The current study examined the dimensionality of a protective behavioral strategies (PBS) measure among undergraduate, predominantly freshmen (92.5%) college students reporting recent alcohol use (n = 320). Method: Participants completed a web-based survey assessing 22 PBS items. Factor analyses determined the underlying factor…

Computer-Based and Paper-Based Measurement of Semantic Knowledge

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

of Personality Assessment , 34, 353-361. McArthur, D. L., & Choppin, B. H. (1984). Computerized diagnostic testing. Journal 15 of Educational...Computers in Human Behavior, 1, 49-58. Lushene, R. E., O’Neii, H. F., & Dunn, T. (1974). Equivalent validity of a completely computerized MMPI. Journal

CONCENTRATIONS OF PARTICULATE ORGANIC SPECIES MEASURED IN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS DURING THE TAMPA ASTHMATIC CHILDREN'S STUDY ( TACS )

EPA Science Inventory

The Tampa Asthmatic Children's Study (TACS) was completed to assess environmental exposures for a group of asthmatic children (n = 9) under the age of six and living in Tampa, Florida. Concentrations of particulate organic species are reported from residential indoor, residential...

Students' Presentations: Does the Experience Change Their Views?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sander, Paul; Sanders, Lalage

2005-01-01

Introduction: Research has shown that students do not like student presentations, yet a case can be made for them. This study seeks to understand the effects that presentations have on students. Method: Within an action research framework, two repeated-measures studies were completed, one with students undertaking assessed presentations the other…

Physiological Reactivity, Social Support, and Memory in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quas, Jodi A.; Bauer, Amy; Boyce, W. Thomas

2004-01-01

The interactive effects of physiological reactivity and social support on children's memory were examined. Four- to 6-year-olds completed a laboratory protocol during which autonomic responses and salivary cortisol were measured. Memory was assessed shortly afterward and 2 weeks later. During the second interview, children were questioned by a…

MEASUREMENT AND USE OF CONTAMINANT FLUX AS AN ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR DNAPL REMEDIAL PERFORMANCE

EPA Science Inventory

Current remedial techniques are unable to completely eliminate all dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) from source zone areas at most sites, and conflicting views on the benefits of partial DNAPL source zone remediation exist in the literature. A comparison of contaminant flux...

Electronic and School-Based Victimization: Unique Contexts for Adjustment Difficulties during Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredstrom, Bridget K.; Adams, Ryan E.; Gilman, Rich

2011-01-01

Previous research suggests that school-based and electronic victimization have similar negative consequences, yet it is unclear whether these two contexts offer overlapping or unique associations with adolescents' adjustment. 802 ninth-graders (43% male, mean age = 15.84 years), majority being Caucasian (82%), completed measures assessing the…

Psychometric Properties of the Commitment to Physical Activity Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeBate, Rita DiGioacchino; Huberty, Jennifer; Pettee, Kelley

2009-01-01

Objective: To assess psychometric properties of the Commitment to Physical Activity Scale (CPAS). Methods: Girls in third to fifth grades (n = 932) completed the CPAS before and after a physical activity intervention. Psychometric measures included internal consistency, factor analysis, and concurrent validity. Results: Three CPAS factors emerged:…

Survey Measurement of Cognitive Activity during Television Viewing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Robert P.; And Others

One hundred seventy-one middle school students participated in a study to assess cognitive activity during television viewing. Students completed a questionnaire about their favorite programs, viewing habits, and social reality beliefs, then viewed a 17-minute professionally edited episode of a family drama and answered a multiple choice…

Driving Anger and Driving Behavior in Adults with ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, Tracy L.; Deffenbacher, Jerry L.; Rosen, Lee A.; Barkley, Russell A.; Rodricks, Trisha

2006-01-01

Objective: This study assesses whether anger in the context of driving is associated with the negative driving outcomes experienced by individuals with ADHD. Method: ADHD adults (n = 56) complete measures of driving anger, driving anger expression, angry thoughts behind the wheel, and aggressive, risky, and crash-related behavior. Results are…

Paradoxical Relations between Perceived Power and Maternal Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Rosemary S. L.

1998-01-01

Mothers of 3-year-old girls completed measures of parenting patterns and perceived power. Fathers and mothers assessed their daughters' fearfulness and extraversion. Found that low-power mothers appeared to assert greater or lesser control depending on their daughter's temperamental characteristics; mothers behaved in a more authoritarian manner…

A Multivariate Model of Parent-Adolescent Relationship Variables in Early Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinney, Cliff; Renk, Kimberly

2011-01-01

Given the importance of predicting outcomes for early adolescents, this study examines a multivariate model of parent-adolescent relationship variables, including parenting, family environment, and conflict. Participants, who completed measures assessing these variables, included 710 culturally diverse 11-14-year-olds who were attending a middle…

Sex-Role Orientations in Late Childhood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Jerome

A 13-part television series called "Freestyle" was designed to see if stereotypes about women and work could be changed and was targeted at fourth- through sixth-graders. "Freestyle's" effects were evaluated among more than 7,000 children in 7 cities who completed identical pre- and post-measures assessing sex-role beliefs,…

Changing Racial Prejudice through Diversity Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogan, David E.; Mallott, Michael

2005-01-01

The Modern Racism Scale (McConahay, 1986) was used to assess the impact of education and personality variables on college students' prejudicial attitudes toward African Americans. Prejudice was lower in students who completed a diversity course specifically addressing race and gender issues and in students who measured high in need for cognition…

Social Environmental Conceptions of Male Homosexual Behavior: A University Climate Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Arthur J.

1989-01-01

Assessed university climate of 32 male homosexual and 32 male heterosexual undergraduates. Subjects completed the University Climate Scale, Alienation Scale, Bem Sex-Role Inventory, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the University Homophobia Scale. Results revealed that homosexual subjects perceived measures of university climate as significantly…