Validation of Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Discriminant Power of Montreal Cognitive Assessment Subtests in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer Dementia in Turkish Population.

PubMed

Kaya, Yıldız; Aki, Ozlem Erden; Can, Ufuk Anik; Derle, Eda; Kibaroğlu, Seda; Barak, Anil

2014-06-01

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a new cognitive tool developed for screening mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The authors examined validity of MoCA and discriminating power of subtests in a Turkish population comprising of 474 participants (246 healthy controls, 114 subjects with MCI and 114 subjects with dementia). The ANCOVAs showed that age and education had a main effect on MoCA scores. Cut scores were computed according to different education levels. The overall cut-off values for MCI and dementia were found to be lower compared to western studies. MoCA was found to have good internal consistency. The subtests most useful in discriminating MCI from healthy controls were recall, visuospatial and language, while in discriminating dementia from MCI were visuospatial, orientation and attention subtests. The results demonstrated that MoCA is a valid and reliable instrument in screening MCI, and compared with the MMSE, MoCA was proved to have superior sensitivity and specificity in detecting MCI. © The Author(s) 2014.

Geographical origin discrimination of lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.) using 1H NMR fingerprinting and multivariate statistical analyses.

PubMed

Longobardi, Francesco; Innamorato, Valentina; Di Gioia, Annalisa; Ventrella, Andrea; Lippolis, Vincenzo; Logrieco, Antonio F; Catucci, Lucia; Agostiano, Angela

2017-12-15

Lentil samples coming from two different countries, i.e. Italy and Canada, were analysed using untargeted 1 H NMR fingerprinting in combination with chemometrics in order to build models able to classify them according to their geographical origin. For such aim, Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogy (SIMCA), k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN), Principal Component Analysis followed by Linear Discriminant Analysis (PCA-LDA) and Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) were applied to the NMR data and the results were compared. The best combination of average recognition (100%) and cross-validation prediction abilities (96.7%) was obtained for the PCA-LDA. All the statistical models were validated both by using a test set and by carrying out a Monte Carlo Cross Validation: the obtained performances were found to be satisfying for all the models, with prediction abilities higher than 95% demonstrating the suitability of the developed methods. Finally, the metabolites that mostly contributed to the lentil discrimination were indicated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Customizing national models for a medical center's population to rapidly identify patients at high risk of 30-day all-cause hospital readmission following a heart failure hospitalization.

PubMed

Cox, Zachary L; Lai, Pikki; Lewis, Connie M; Lindenfeld, JoAnn; Collins, Sean P; Lenihan, Daniel J

2018-05-28

Nationally-derived models predicting 30-day readmissions following heart failure (HF) hospitalizations yield insufficient discrimination for institutional use. Develop a customized readmission risk model from Medicare-employed and institutionally-customized risk factors and compare the performance against national models in a medical center. Medicare patients age ≥ 65 years hospitalized for HF (n = 1,454) were studied in a derivation cohort and in a separate validation cohort (n = 243). All 30-day hospital readmissions were documented. The primary outcome was risk discrimination (c-statistic) compared to national models. A customized model demonstrated improved discrimination (c-statistic 0.72; 95% CI 0.69 - 0.74) compared to national models (c-statistics of 0.60 and 0.61) with a c-statistic of 0.63 in the validation cohort. Compared to national models, a customized model demonstrated superior readmission risk profiling by distinguishing a high-risk (38.3%) from a low-risk (9.4%) quartile. A customized model improved readmission risk discrimination from HF hospitalizations compared to national models. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Three Contemporary Risk Scores for Mortality Following Elective Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

PubMed Central

Grant, S.W.; Hickey, G.L.; Carlson, E.D.; McCollum, C.N.

2014-01-01

Objective/background A number of contemporary risk prediction models for mortality following elective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair have been developed. Before a model is used either in clinical practice or to risk-adjust surgical outcome data it is important that its performance is assessed in external validation studies. Methods The British Aneurysm Repair (BAR) score, Medicare, and Vascular Governance North West (VGNW) models were validated using an independent prospectively collected sample of multicentre clinical audit data. Consecutive, data on 1,124 patients undergoing elective AAA repair at 17 hospitals in the north-west of England and Wales between April 2011 and March 2013 were analysed. The outcome measure was in-hospital mortality. Model calibration (observed to expected ratio with chi-square test, calibration plots, calibration intercept and slope) and discrimination (area under receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]) were assessed in the overall cohort and procedural subgroups. Results The mean age of the population was 74.4 years (SD 7.7); 193 (17.2%) patients were women and the majority of patients (759, 67.5%) underwent endovascular aneurysm repair. All three models demonstrated good calibration in the overall cohort and procedural subgroups. Overall discrimination was excellent for the BAR score (AUC 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76–0.89), and acceptable for the Medicare and VGNW models, with AUCs of 0.78 (95% CI 0.70–0.86) and 0.75 (95% CI 0.65–0.84) respectively. Only the BAR score demonstrated good discrimination in procedural subgroups. Conclusion All three models demonstrated good calibration and discrimination for the prediction of in-hospital mortality following elective AAA repair and are potentially useful. The BAR score has a number of advantages, which include being developed on the most contemporaneous data, excellent overall discrimination, and good performance in procedural subgroups. Regular model validations and recalibration will be essential. PMID:24837173

Comparison of three contemporary risk scores for mortality following elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

PubMed

Grant, S W; Hickey, G L; Carlson, E D; McCollum, C N

2014-07-01

A number of contemporary risk prediction models for mortality following elective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair have been developed. Before a model is used either in clinical practice or to risk-adjust surgical outcome data it is important that its performance is assessed in external validation studies. The British Aneurysm Repair (BAR) score, Medicare, and Vascular Governance North West (VGNW) models were validated using an independent prospectively collected sample of multicentre clinical audit data. Consecutive, data on 1,124 patients undergoing elective AAA repair at 17 hospitals in the north-west of England and Wales between April 2011 and March 2013 were analysed. The outcome measure was in-hospital mortality. Model calibration (observed to expected ratio with chi-square test, calibration plots, calibration intercept and slope) and discrimination (area under receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]) were assessed in the overall cohort and procedural subgroups. The mean age of the population was 74.4 years (SD 7.7); 193 (17.2%) patients were women and the majority of patients (759, 67.5%) underwent endovascular aneurysm repair. All three models demonstrated good calibration in the overall cohort and procedural subgroups. Overall discrimination was excellent for the BAR score (AUC 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76-0.89), and acceptable for the Medicare and VGNW models, with AUCs of 0.78 (95% CI 0.70-0.86) and 0.75 (95% CI 0.65-0.84) respectively. Only the BAR score demonstrated good discrimination in procedural subgroups. All three models demonstrated good calibration and discrimination for the prediction of in-hospital mortality following elective AAA repair and are potentially useful. The BAR score has a number of advantages, which include being developed on the most contemporaneous data, excellent overall discrimination, and good performance in procedural subgroups. Regular model validations and recalibration will be essential. Copyright © 2014 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discriminant validity study of Achilles enthesis ultrasound.

PubMed

Expósito Molinero, María Rosa; de Miguel Mendieta, Eugenio

2016-01-01

We want to know if the ultrasound examination of the Achilles tendon in spondyloarthritis is different compared to other rheumatic diseases. We studied 97 patients divided into five groups: rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, gout, chondrocalcinosis and osteoarthritis, exploring six elementary lesions in 194 Achilles entheses examined. In our study the total index ultrasonographic Achilles is higher in spondyloarthritis with significant differences. The worst elementary spondyloarthritis lesions for discriminations against other pathologies were calcification. This study aims to demonstrate the discriminant validity of Achilles enthesitis observed by ultrasound in spondyloarthritis compared with other rheumatic diseases that may also have ultrasound abnormalities such enthesis level. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.

Development and Initial Validation of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-34

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Locke, Benjamin D.; McAleavey, Andrew A.; Zhao, Yu; Lei, Pui-Wa; Hayes, Jeffrey A.; Castonguay, Louis G.; Li, Hongli; Tate, Robin; Lin, Yu-Chu

2012-01-01

A short version of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62) was created via three studies. The final short version (CCAPS-34), which contains 34 items and 7 subscales, demonstrated good discrimination power, support for the proposed factor structure, strong initial convergent validity, and adequate test-retest…

Studying Cross-Cultural Differences in Temperament in the First Year of Life: United States and Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montirosso, Rosario; Cozzi, Patrizia; Putnam, Samuel P.; Gartstein, Maria A.; Borgatti, Renato

2011-01-01

An Italian translation of the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (IBQ-R) was developed and evaluated with 110 infants, demonstrating satisfactory internal consistency, discriminant validity, and construct validity in the form of gender and age differences, as well as factorial integrity. Cross-cultural differences were subsequently evaluated…

The Social Interaction Phobia Scale: Continued support for the psychometric validity of the SIPS using clinical and non-clinical samples.

PubMed

Menatti, Alison R; Weeks, Justin W; Carleton, R Nicholas; Morrison, Amanda S; Heimberg, Richard G; Hope, Debra A; Blanco, Carlos; Schneier, Franklin R; Liebowitz, Michael R

2015-05-01

The present study sought to extend findings supporting the psychometric validity of a promising measure of social anxiety (SA) symptoms, the Social Interaction Phobia Scale (SIPS; Carleton et al., 2009). Analyses were conducted using three samples: social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) patients, and healthy controls. SIPS scores of SAD patients demonstrated internal consistency and construct validity, and the previously demonstrated three-factor structure of the SIPS was replicated. Further, the SIPS total score uniquely predicted SA symptoms, and SIPS scores were significantly higher for SAD patients than GAD patients or controls. Two cut-off scores that discriminated SAD patients from GAD patients and from healthy controls were identified. The current study is the first to replicate the SIPS three-factor model in a large, treatment-seeking sample of SAD patients and establish a cut-off score discriminating SAD from GAD patients. Findings support the SIPS as a valid, SAD-specific assessment instrument. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of Interaction Anxiousness Scale and Brief Social Phobia Scale for screening social anxiety disorder in college students: a study on discriminative validity.

PubMed

Cao, Jianqin; Yang, Jinwei; Zhou, Yuqiu; Chu, Fuliu; Zhao, Xiwu; Wang, Weiren; Wang, Yunlong; Peng, Tao

2016-12-01

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is one of the most prevalent mental health problems, but there is little research concerning the effective screening instruments in practice. This study was designed to examine the discriminative validity of Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS) and Brief Social Phobia Scale (BSPS) for the screening of SAD through the compared and combined analysis. Firstly, 421 Chinese undergraduates were screened by the IAS and BSPS. Secondly, in the follow-up stage, 248 students were interviewed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used, and the related psychometric characters were checked. The results indicated that the ROC in these two scales demonstrated discrimination is in satisfactory level (range: 0.7-0.8). However, the highest agreement (92.17%) was identified when a cut-off point of 50 measured by the IAS and a cut-off point of 34 by the BSPS were combined, also with higher PPV, SENS, SPEC and OA than that reached when BSPS was used individually, as well as PPV, SPEC and OA in IAS. The findings indicate that the combination of these two scales is valid as the general screening instrument for SAD in maximizing the discriminative validity.

Development of the Teen Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Instrument.

PubMed

Wright, Wanda G; Spiro, Avron; Jones, Judith A; Rich, Sharron E; Garcia, Raul I

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to develop the Teen Oral Health-Related Quality of Life instrument (TOQOL) and demonstrate its validity and reliability in a diverse sample of 13-18-year-old adolescents. A total of 363 adolescents aged 13-18 years participated in this cross sectional study. Oral screening examinations were conducted to collect oral health status data. Adolescents completed the TOQOL and a generic measure of health-related quality of life, the PedsQL. The psychometric properties of the TOQOL were evaluated in terms of face, content, convergent, concurrent and discriminant validity in addition to internal reliability. The 16-item TOQOL covers five domains: Physical functioning, Role functioning, Social functioning, Oral problems, and Emotional functioning. The total scale and subscales showed satisfactory reliability with Cronbach alpha ranging from 0.75 to 0.92. TOQOL scores showed significant associations with perceived oral health status and the PedsQL (convergent validity) and discriminated well between adolescents with caries and adolescents who were caries free (discriminate validity). The TOQOL is a valid and reliable oral health-related quality of life measurement that can be recommended for self-report in adolescents aged 13-18 years. © 2016 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

The internal validity of arthroscopic simulators and their effectiveness in arthroscopic education.

PubMed

Slade Shantz, Jesse Alan; Leiter, Jeff R S; Gottschalk, Tania; MacDonald, Peter Benjamin

2014-01-01

The purpose of this systematic review was to identify standard procedures for the validation of arthroscopic simulators and determine whether simulators improve the surgical skills of users. Arthroscopic simulator validation studies and randomized trials assessing the effectiveness of arthroscopic simulators in education were identified from online databases, as well as, grey literature and reference lists. Only validation studies and randomized trials were included for review. Study heterogeneity was calculated and where appropriate, study results were combined employing a random effects model. Four hundred and thirteen studies were reviewed. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria assessing the construct validity of simulators. A pooled analysis of internal validation studies determined that simulators could discriminate between novice and experts, but not between novice and intermediate trainees on time of completion of a simulated task. Only one study assessed the utility of a knee simulator in training arthroscopic skills directly and demonstrated that the skill level of simulator-trained residents was greater than non-simulator-trained residents. Excessive heterogeneity exists in the literature to determine the internal and transfer validity of arthroscopic simulators currently available. Evidence suggests that simulators can discriminate between novice and expert users, but discrimination between novice and intermediate trainees in surgical education should be paramount. International standards for the assessment of arthroscopic simulator validity should be developed to increase the use and effectiveness of simulators in orthopedic surgery.

Psychometric properties of the defense style questionnaire (DSQ-40) in adolescents.

PubMed

Ruuttu, Titta; Pelkonen, Mirjami; Holi, Matti; Karlsson, Linnea; Kiviruusu, Olli; Heilä, Hannele; Tuisku, Virpi; Tuulio-Henriksson, Annamari; Marttunen, Mauri

2006-02-01

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40) in adolescents. Internal consistency, factor structure, and discriminant and concurrent validity of the DSQ-40 were studied in 211 adolescent psychiatric outpatients aged 13 to 19 years and 199 age-matched and sex-matched controls. Principal components analysis yielded four internally consistent components: mature, neurotic, image-distorting, and immature defense styles. The outpatients reported more immature, image-distorting, and neurotic styles and less mature style than did the controls, suggesting adequate discriminant validity. As a demonstration of convergent and concurrent validity, the severity of psychiatric symptoms assessed by the General Health Questionnaire and psychosocial adjustment assessed by the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale correlated theoretically meaningfully with the different defense styles. The DSQ-40 appears to be a reliable and valid instrument for adolescents.

The Deaf Acculturation Scale (DAS): Development and Validation of a 58-Item Measure

PubMed Central

Maxwell-McCaw, Deborah; Zea, Maria Cecilia

2011-01-01

This study involved the development and validation of the Deaf Acculturation Scale (DAS), a new measure of cultural identity for Deaf and hard-of-hearing (hh) populations. Data for this study were collected online and involved a nation-wide sample of 3,070 deaf/hh individuals. Results indicated strong internal reliabilities for all the subscales, and construct validity was established by demonstrating that the DAS could discriminate groups based on parental hearing status, school background, and use of self-labels. Construct validity was further demonstrated through factorial analyses, and findings resulted in a final 58-item measure. Directions for future research are discussed. PMID:21263041

The Computerized Perceptual Motor Skills Assessment: A new visual perceptual motor skills evaluation tool for children in early elementary grades.

PubMed

Howe, Tsu-Hsin; Chen, Hao-Ling; Lee, Candy Chieh; Chen, Ying-Dar; Wang, Tien-Ni

2017-10-01

Visual perceptual motor skills have been proposed as underlying courses of handwriting difficulties. However, there is no evaluation tool currently available to assess these skills comprehensively and to serve as a sensitive measure. The purpose of this study was to validate the Computerized Perceptual Motor Skills Assessment (CPMSA), a newly developed evaluation tool for children in early elementary grades. Its test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, discriminant validity, and responsiveness were examined in 43 typically developing children and 26 children with handwriting difficulty. The CPMSA demonstrated excellent reliability across all subtests with intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs)≥0.80. Significant moderate correlations between the domains of the CPMSA and corresponding gold standards including Beery VMI, the TVPS-3, and the eye-hand coordination subtest of the DTVP-2 demonstrated good concurrent validity. In addition, the CPMSA showed evidence of discriminant validity in samples of children with and without handwriting difficulty. This article provides evidence in support of the CPMSA. The CPMSA is a reliable, valid, and promising measure of visual perceptual motor skills for children in early elementary grades. Directions for future study and improvements to the assessment are discussed. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A psychometric evaluation of an advanced pharmacy practice experience clinical competency framework.

PubMed

Douglas Ried, L; Doty, Randell E; Nemire, Ruth E

2015-03-25

To assess the psychometric properties of the clinical competency framework known as the System of Universal Clinical Competency Evaluation in the Sunshine State (SUCCESS), including its internal consistency and content, construct, and criterion validity. Sub-competency items within each hypothesized competency pair were subjected to principal components factor analysis to demonstrate convergent and discriminant validity. Varimax rotation was conducted for each competency pair (eg, competency 1 vs competency 2, competency 1 vs competency 3, competency 2 vs competency 3). Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach alpha. Of the initial 78 pairings, 44 (56%) demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity. Five pairs of competencies were unidimensional. Of the 34 pairs where at least 1 competency was multidimensional, most (91%) were from competencies 7, 11, and 12, indicating modifications were warranted in those competencies. After reconfiguring the competencies, 76 (94%) of the 81 pairs resulted in 2 factors as required. A unidimensional factor emerged when all 13 of the competencies were entered into a factor analysis. The internal consistency of all of the competencies was satisfactory. Psychometric evaluation shows the SUCCESS framework demonstrates adequate reliability and validity for most competencies. However, it also provides guidance where improvements are needed as part of a continuous quality improvement program.

Comparative validity of MMPI-2 and MCMI-II personality disorder classifications.

PubMed

Wise, E A

1996-06-01

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) overlapping and nonoverlapping scales were demonstrated to perform comparably to their original MMPI forms. They were then evaluated for convergent and discriminant validity with the Million Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II (MCMI-II) personality disorder scales. The MMPI-2 and MCMI-II personality disorder scales demonstrated convergent and discriminant coefficients similar to their original forms. However, the MMPI-2 personality scales classified significantly more of the sample as Dramatic, whereas the MCMI-II diagnosed more of the sample as Anxious. Furthermore, single-scale and 2-point code type classification rates were quite low, indicating that at the level of the individual, the personality disorder scales are not measuring comparable constructs. Hence, each instrument is providing similar and unique information, justifying their continued use together for the purpose of diagnosing personality disorders.

External validation of a Cox prognostic model: principles and methods

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background A prognostic model should not enter clinical practice unless it has been demonstrated that it performs a useful role. External validation denotes evaluation of model performance in a sample independent of that used to develop the model. Unlike for logistic regression models, external validation of Cox models is sparsely treated in the literature. Successful validation of a model means achieving satisfactory discrimination and calibration (prediction accuracy) in the validation sample. Validating Cox models is not straightforward because event probabilities are estimated relative to an unspecified baseline function. Methods We describe statistical approaches to external validation of a published Cox model according to the level of published information, specifically (1) the prognostic index only, (2) the prognostic index together with Kaplan-Meier curves for risk groups, and (3) the first two plus the baseline survival curve (the estimated survival function at the mean prognostic index across the sample). The most challenging task, requiring level 3 information, is assessing calibration, for which we suggest a method of approximating the baseline survival function. Results We apply the methods to two comparable datasets in primary breast cancer, treating one as derivation and the other as validation sample. Results are presented for discrimination and calibration. We demonstrate plots of survival probabilities that can assist model evaluation. Conclusions Our validation methods are applicable to a wide range of prognostic studies and provide researchers with a toolkit for external validation of a published Cox model. PMID:23496923

The Factor Structure of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale in Veterans Experienced Chemical Weapon Exposure.

PubMed

Sharif Nia, Hamid; Pahlevan Sharif, Saeed; Boyle, Christopher; Yaghoobzadeh, Ameneh; Tahmasbi, Bahram; Rassool, G Hussein; Taebei, Mozhgan; Soleimani, Mohammad Ali

2018-04-01

This study aimed to determine the factor structure of the spiritual well-being among a sample of the Iranian veterans. In this methodological research, 211 male veterans of Iran-Iraq warfare completed the Paloutzian and Ellison spiritual well-being scale. Maximum likelihood (ML) with oblique rotation was used to assess domain structure of the spiritual well-being. The construct validity of the scale was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Reliability was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha, Theta (θ), and McDonald Omega (Ω) coefficients, intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and construct reliability (CR). Results of ML and CFA suggested three factors which were labeled "relationship with God," "belief in fate and destiny," and "life optimism." The ICC, coefficients of the internal consistency, and CR were >.7 for the factors of the scale. Convergent validity and discriminant validity did not fulfill the requirements. The Persian version of spiritual well-being scale demonstrated suitable validity and reliability among the veterans of Iran-Iraq warfare.

Development of an Asian American parental racial-ethnic socialization scale.

PubMed

Juang, Linda P; Shen, Yishan; Kim, Su Yeong; Wang, Yijie

2016-07-01

To develop a measure of parental racial-ethnic socialization that is appropriate for Asian American families. To test the reliability and validity of this new measure, we surveyed 575 Asian American emerging adults (49% female, 79% U.S. born). Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the results show 7 reliable subscales: maintenance of heritage culture, becoming American, awareness of discrimination, avoidance of other groups, minimization of race, promotion of equality, and cultural pluralism. Tests of factorial invariance show that overall, the subscales demonstrate, at minimum, partial metric invariance across gender, age, nativity, educational attainment, parent educational attainment, geographic region of residence, and Asian-heritage region. Thus, the relations among the subscales with other variables can be compared across these different subgroups. The subscales also correlated with ethnic identity, ethnic centrality, perceptions of discrimination, and pluralistic orientation, demonstrating construct validity. In an increasingly complex and diverse social world, our scale will be useful for gaining a better understanding of how Asian American parents socialize their children regarding issues of race, discrimination, culture, and diversity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Discriminating Malingered from Genuine Civilian Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Validation of Three MMPI-2 Infrequency Scales (F, Fp, and Fptsd)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elhai, Jon D.; Naifeh, James A.; Zucker, Irene S.; Gold, Steven N.; Deitsch, Sarah E.; Frueh, B. Christopher

2004-01-01

The Infrequency-Posttraumatic Stress Disorder scale (Fptsd), recently created for the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), has demonstrated incremental validity over other MMPI-2 scales in malingered posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) detection. Fptsd was developed with combat-exposed PTSD patients, potentially limiting its…

Inclusion of Community in Self Scale: A Single-Item Pictorial Measure of Community Connectedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mashek, Debra; Cannaday, Lisa W.; Tangney, June P.

2007-01-01

We developed a single-item pictorial measure of community connectedness, building on the theoretical and methodological traditions of the self-expansion model (Aron & Aron, 1986). The Inclusion of Community in the Self (ICS) Scale demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity in a sample of 190…

Validity of the FACT-H&N (v 4.0) among Malaysian oral cancer patients.

PubMed

Doss, J G; Thomson, W M; Drummond, B K; Raja Latifah, R J

2011-07-01

To assess the cross-sectional construct validity of the Malay-translated and cross-culturally adapted FACT-H&N (v 4.0) for discriminative use in a sample of Malaysian oral cancer patients. A cross-sectional study of adults newly diagnosed with oral cancer. HRQOL data were collected using the FACT-H&N (v 4.0), a global question and a supplementary set of eight questions ('MAQ') obtained earlier in pilot work. Of the 76 participants (61.8% female; 23.7% younger than 50), most (96.1%) had oral squamous cell carcinoma; two-thirds were in Stages III or IV. At baseline, patients' mean FACT summary (FACT-G, FACT-H&N, FACT-H&N TOI, and FHNSI) and subscale (pwb, swb, ewb, fwb, and hnsc) scores were towards the higher end of the range. Equal proportions (36.8%) rated their overall HRQOL as 'good' or 'average'; fewer than one-quarter rated it as 'poor', and only two as 'very good'. All six FACT summary and most subscales had moderate-to-good internal consistency. For all summary scales, those with 'very poor/poor' self-rated HRQOL differed significantly from the 'good/very good' group. All FACT summary scales correlated strongly (r>0.75). Summary scales showed convergent validity (r>0.90) but little discriminant validity. The discriminant validity of the FHNSI improved with the addition of the MAQ. The FACT-H&N summary scales and most subscales demonstrated acceptable cross-sectional construct validity, reliability and discriminative ability, and thus appear appropriate for further use among Malaysian oral cancer patients. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of a Behavioral Approach for Measuring Saccades in Parkinson's Disease.

PubMed

Turner, Travis H; Renfroe, Jenna B; Duppstadt-Delambo, Amy; Hinson, Vanessa K

2017-01-01

Speed and control of saccades are related to disease progression and cognitive functioning in Parkinson's disease (PD). Traditional eye-tracking complexities encumber application for individual evaluations and clinical trials. The authors examined psychometric properties of standalone tasks for reflexive prosaccade latency, volitional saccade initiation, and saccade inhibition (antisaccade) in a heterogeneous sample of 65 PD patients. Demographics had minimal impact on task performance. Thirty-day test-retest reliability estimates for behavioral tasks were acceptable and similar to traditional eye tracking. Behavioral tasks demonstrated concurrent validity with traditional eye-tracking measures; discriminant validity was less clear. Saccade initiation and inhibition discriminated PD patients with cognitive impairment. The present findings support further development and use of the behavioral tasks for assessing latency and control of saccades in PD.

Psychometric Properties of the Self-Perception Profile for Children in Children with Chronic Illness.

PubMed

Ferro, Mark A; Tang, Jennie

2017-07-01

The Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC) is a commonly used measure of self-concept in children, but little research has examined its psychometric properties in children newly-diagnosed with chronic illness. Confirmatory factor analysis and examination of reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of the SPPC was conducted in 31 children newly-diagnosed with asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, food allergy, or juvenile arthritis. The unidimensionality of each domain of the SPPC was confirmed, internal reliability was robust (α=.83-.95), and inter-domain polychoric correlations ranged from weak to strong (ρ=.05-.85) Convergent validity was demonstrated with measures of global self-concept and domains of quality of life. The Global Self-worth domain showed discriminant validity between children with and without comorbid mental disorder. Findings extend the psychometric properties of the SPPC as a valid and reliable scale in children newly-diagnosed with chronic illness.

A five-factor measure of obsessive-compulsive personality traits.

PubMed

Samuel, Douglas B; Riddell, Ashley D B; Lynam, Donald R; Miller, Joshua D; Widiger, Thomas A

2012-01-01

This study provides convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity data for the Five-Factor Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (FFOCI), a newly developed measure of traits relevant to obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) from the perspective of the Five-factor model (FFM). Twelve scales were constructed as maladaptive variants of specific FFM facets (e.g., Perfectionism as a maladaptive variant of FFM competence). On the basis of data from 407 undergraduates (oversampled for OCPD symptoms) these 12 scales demonstrated convergent correlations with established measures of OCPD and the FFM. Further, they obtained strong discriminant validity with respect to facets from other FFM domains. Most important, the individual scales and total score of the FFOCI obtained incremental validity beyond existing measures of the FFM and OCPD for predicting a composite measure of obsessive-compulsive symptomatology. The findings support the validity of the FFOCI as a measure of obsessive-compulsive personality traits, as well as of maladaptive variants of the FFM.

The validity and diagnostic efficiency of the Davidson Trauma Scale in military veterans who have served since September 11th, 2001.

PubMed

McDonald, Scott D; Beckham, Jean C; Morey, Rajendra A; Calhoun, Patrick S

2009-03-01

The present study examined the psychometric properties and diagnostic efficiency of the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS), a self-report measure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Participants included 158 U.S. military veterans who have served since September 11, 2001 (post-9/11). Results support the DTS as a valid self-report measure of PTSD symptoms. The DTS demonstrated good internal consistency, concurrent validity, and convergent and divergent validity. Diagnostic efficiency was excellent when discriminating between veterans with PTSD and veterans with no Axis I diagnosis. However, although satisfactory by conventional standards, efficiency was substantially attenuated when discriminating between PTSD and other Axis I diagnoses. Thus, results illustrate that potency of the DTS as a diagnostic aid was highly dependent on the comparison group used for analyses. Results are discussed in terms of applications to clinical practice and research.

Measuring violence risk and outcomes among Mexican American adolescent females.

PubMed

Cervantes, Richard C; Duenas, Norma; Valdez, Avelardo; Kaplan, Charles

2006-01-01

Central to the development of culturally competent violence prevention programs for Hispanic youth is the development of psychometrically sound violence risk and outcome measures for this population. A study was conducted to determine the psychometric properties of two commonly used violence measures, in this case for Mexican American adolescent females. The Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2) and the Past Feelings and Acts of Violence Scale (PFAV) were analyzed to examine their interitem reliability, criterion validity, and discriminant validity. A sample of 150 low-risk and 150 high-risk adolescent females was studied. Discriminant validity was indicated by the perpetrator negotiation scale and by the victim psychological aggression and sexual coercion scales of the CTS2 and the PFAV. Analysis indicates that the CTS2 scales and the PFAV demonstrate adequate reliability, whereas strong criterion validity was evidenced by eight of the CTS2 scales and the PFAV.

Psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-BREF in an Iranian adult sample.

PubMed

Yousefy, A R; Usefy, A R; Ghassemi, Gh R; Sarrafzadegan, N; Mallik, S; Baghaei, A M; Rabiei, K

2010-04-01

To evaluate discriminant validity, reliability, internal consistency, and dimensional structure of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) in a heterogeneous Iranian population. A clustered randomized sample of 2,956 healthy with 2,936 unhealthy rural and urban inhabitants aged 30 and above from two dissimilar Iranian provinces during 2006 completed the Persian version of the WHOQOL-BREF. We performed descriptive and analytical analysis including t-student, correlation matrix, Cronbach's Alpha, and factor analysis with principal components method and Varimax rotation with SPSS.15. The mean age of the participants was 42.2 +/- 12.1 years and the mean years of education was 9.3 +/- 3.8. The Iranian version of the WHOQOL-BREF domain scores demonstrated good internal consistency, criterion validity, and discriminant validity. The physical health domain contributed most in overall quality of life, while the environment domain made the least contribution. Factor analysis provided evidence for construct validity for four-factor model of the instrument. The scores of all domains discriminated between healthy persons and the patients. The WHOQOL-BREF has adequate psychometric properties and is, therefore, an adequate measure for assessing quality of life at the domain level in an adult Iranian population.

The Consumer Quality Index in an accident and emergency department: internal consistency, validity and discriminative capacity.

PubMed

Bos, Nanne; Sturms, Leontien M; Stellato, Rebecca K; Schrijvers, Augustinus J P; van Stel, Henk F

2015-10-01

Patients' experiences are an indicator of health-care performance in the accident and emergency department (A&E). The Consumer Quality Index for the Accident and Emergency department (CQI A&E), a questionnaire to assess the quality of care as experienced by patients, was investigated. The internal consistency, construct validity and discriminative capacity of the questionnaire were examined. In the Netherlands, twenty-one A&Es participated in a cross-sectional survey, covering 4883 patients. The questionnaire consisted of 78 questions. Principal components analysis determined underlying domains. Internal consistency was determined by Cronbach's alpha coefficients, construct validity by Pearson's correlation coefficients and the discriminative capacity by intraclass correlation coefficients and reliability of A&E-level mean scores (G-coefficient). Seven quality domains emerged from the principal components analysis: information before treatment, timeliness, attitude of health-care professionals, professionalism of received care, information during treatment, environment and facilities, and discharge management. Domains were internally consistent (range: 0.67-0.84). Five domains and the 'global quality rating' had the capacity to discriminate among A&Es (significant intraclass correlation coefficient). Four domains and the 'global quality rating' were close to or above the threshold for reliably demonstrating differences among A&Es. The patients' experiences score on the domain timeliness showed the largest range between the worst- and best-performing A&E. The CQI A&E is a validated survey to measure health-care performance in the A&E from patients' perspective. Five domains regarding quality of care aspects and the 'global quality rating' had the capacity to discriminate among A&Es. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Scale of Socioemotional Dysfunction in Frontotemporal Dementia

PubMed Central

Barsuglia, Joseph P.; Kaiser, Natalie C.; Wilkins, Stacy Schantz; Joshi, Aditi; Barrows, Robin J.; Paholpak, Pongsatorn; Panchal, Hemali Vijay; Jimenez, Elvira E.; Mather, Michelle J.; Mendez, Mario F.

2014-01-01

Early social dysfunction is a hallmark symptom of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD); however, validated measures for assessing social deficits in dementia are needed. The purpose of the current study was to examine the utility of a novel informant-based measure of social impairment, the Socioemotional Dysfunction Scale (SDS) in early-onset dementia. Sixteen bvFTD and 18 early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD) participants received standard clinical neuropsychological measures and neuroimaging. Caregiver informants were administered the SDS. Individuals with bvFTD exhibited greater social dysfunction on the SDS compared with the EOAD group; t(32) = 6.32, p < .001. The scale demonstrated preliminary evidence for discriminating these frequently misdiagnosed groups (area under the curve = 0.920, p = <.001) and internal consistency α = 0.977. The SDS demonstrated initial evidence as an effective measure for detecting abnormal social behavior and discriminating bvFTD from EOAD. Future validation is recommended in larger and more diverse patient groups. PMID:25331776

Validation of the Communication Skills Questionnaire (CSQ) in people with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Prat, Gemma; Casas-Anguera, Emma; Garcia-Franco, Mar; Escandell, Maria José; Martin, José Ramón; Vilamala, Sonia; Villalta-Gil, Victoria; Gimenez-Salinas, Jordi; Hernández-Rambla, Carla; Ochoa, Susana

2014-12-15

This present study describes the validation of the Communication Skills Questionnaire (CSQ) in people with schizophrenia. A total of 125 clinically stable people in rehabilitation treatment who were diagnosed with schizophrenia were included. For convergent and discriminant validity the following tests were administered; the Gambrill and Richie (GR) Assertiveness Inventory, the Social Functioning Scale (SFS), Life Skills Profile (LSP), Clinical Global Impression scale for schizophrenia (CGI-S) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale. Internal consistency of the CSQ had a Cronbach׳s alpha of 0.96. Test-retest reliability showed coefficients between 0.60 and 0.70. Convergent validity showed significant relations at p<0.0001 for all instruments assessed. None of the subscales used for assessing discriminant validity showed a significant correlation with the CSQ except for the CGI-S depression subscale. The instrument shows good psychometric properties and demonstrates that it is a useful instrument for evaluating communication skills in people with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

How discriminating are discriminative instruments?

PubMed

Hankins, Matthew

2008-05-27

The McMaster framework introduced by Kirshner & Guyatt is the dominant paradigm for the development of measures of health status and health-related quality of life (HRQL). The framework defines the functions of such instruments as evaluative, predictive or discriminative. Evaluative instruments are required to be sensitive to change (responsiveness), but there is no corresponding index of the degree to which discriminative instruments are sensitive to cross-sectional differences. This paper argues that indices of validity and reliability are not sufficient to demonstrate that a discriminative instrument performs its function of discriminating between individuals, and that the McMaster framework would be augmented by the addition of a separate index of discrimination. The coefficient proposed by Ferguson (Delta) is easily adapted to HRQL instruments and is a direct, non-parametric index of the degree to which an instrument distinguishes between individuals. While Delta should prove useful in the development and evaluation of discriminative instruments, further research is required to elucidate the relationship between the measurement properties of discrimination, reliability and responsiveness.

Discriminant Validity Assessment: Use of Fornell & Larcker criterion versus HTMT Criterion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamid, M. R. Ab; Sami, W.; Mohmad Sidek, M. H.

2017-09-01

Assessment of discriminant validity is a must in any research that involves latent variables for the prevention of multicollinearity issues. Fornell and Larcker criterion is the most widely used method for this purpose. However, a new method has emerged for establishing the discriminant validity assessment through heterotrait-monotrait (HTMT) ratio of correlations method. Therefore, this article presents the results of discriminant validity assessment using these methods. Data from previous study was used that involved 429 respondents for empirical validation of value-based excellence model in higher education institutions (HEI) in Malaysia. From the analysis, the convergent, divergent and discriminant validity were established and admissible using Fornell and Larcker criterion. However, the discriminant validity is an issue when employing the HTMT criterion. This shows that the latent variables under study faced the issue of multicollinearity and should be looked into for further details. This also implied that the HTMT criterion is a stringent measure that could detect the possible indiscriminant among the latent variables. In conclusion, the instrument which consisted of six latent variables was still lacking in terms of discriminant validity and should be explored further.

The Persian version of auditory word discrimination test (P-AWDT) for children: Development, validity, and reliability.

PubMed

Hashemi, Nassim; Ghorbani, Ali; Soleymani, Zahra; Kamali, Mohmmad; Ahmadi, Zohreh Ziatabar; Mahmoudian, Saeid

2018-07-01

Auditory discrimination of speech sounds is an important perceptual ability and a precursor to the acquisition of language. Auditory information is at least partially necessary for the acquisition and organization of phonological rules. There are few standardized behavioral tests to evaluate phonemic distinctive features in children with or without speech and language disorders. The main objective of the present study was the development, validity, and reliability of the Persian version of auditory word discrimination test (P-AWDT) for 4-8-year-old children. A total of 120 typical children and 40 children with speech sound disorder (SSD) participated in the present study. The test comprised of 160 monosyllabic paired-words distributed in the Forms A-1 and the Form A-2 for the initial consonants (80 words) and the Forms B-1 and the Form B-2 for the final consonants (80 words). Moreover, the discrimination of vowels was randomly included in all forms. Content validity was calculated and 50 children repeated the test twice with two weeks of interval (test-retest reliability). Further analysis was also implemented including validity, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Cronbach's alpha (internal consistency), age groups, and gender. The content validity index (CVI) and the test-retest reliability of the P-AWDT were achieved 63%-86% and 81%-96%, respectively. Moreover, the total Cronbach's alpha for the internal consistency was estimated relatively high (0.93). Comparison of the mean scores of the P-AWDT in the typical children and the children with SSD revealed a significant difference. The results revealed that the group with SSD had greater severity of deficit than the typical group in auditory word discrimination. In addition, the difference between the age groups was statistically significant, especially in 4-4.11-year-old children. The performance of the two gender groups was relatively same. The comparison of the P-AWDT scores between the typical children and the children with SSD demonstrated differences in the capabilities of auditory phonological discrimination in both initial and final positions. It supposed that the P-AWDT meets the appropriate validity and reliability criteria. The P-AWDT test can be utilized to measure the distinctive features of phonemes, the auditory discrimination of initial and final consonants and middle vowels of words in 4-8-year-old typical children and children with SSD. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Content Validity and Psychometric Characteristics of the "Knowledge about Older Patients Quiz" for Nurses Using Item Response Theory.

PubMed

Dikken, Jeroen; Hoogerduijn, Jita G; Kruitwagen, Cas; Schuurmans, Marieke J

2016-11-01

To assess the content validity and psychometric characteristics of the Knowledge about Older Patients Quiz (KOP-Q), which measures nurses' knowledge regarding older hospitalized adults and their certainty regarding this knowledge. Cross-sectional. Content validity: general hospitals. Psychometric characteristics: nursing school and general hospitals in the Netherlands. Content validity: 12 nurse specialists in geriatrics. Psychometric characteristics: 107 first-year and 78 final-year bachelor of nursing students, 148 registered nurses, and 20 nurse specialists in geriatrics. Content validity: The nurse specialists rated each item of the initial KOP-Q (52 items) on relevance. Ratings were used to calculate Item-Content Validity Index and average Scale-Content Validity Index (S-CVI/ave) scores. Items with insufficient content validity were removed. Psychometric characteristics: Ratings of students, nurses, and nurse specialists were used to test for different item functioning (DIF) and unidimensionality before item characteristics (discrimination and difficulty) were examined using Item Response Theory. Finally, norm references were calculated and nomological validity was assessed. Content validity: Forty-three items remained after assessing content validity (S-CVI/ave = 0.90). Psychometric characteristics: Of the 43 items, two demonstrating ceiling effects and 11 distorting ability estimates (DIF) were subsequently excluded. Item characteristics were assessed for the remaining 30 items, all of which demonstrated good discrimination and difficulty parameters. Knowledge was positively correlated with certainty about this knowledge. The final 30-item KOP-Q is a valid, psychometrically sound, comprehensive instrument that can be used to assess the knowledge of nursing students, hospital nurses, and nurse specialists in geriatrics regarding older hospitalized adults. It can identify knowledge and certainty deficits for research purposes or serve as a tool in educational or quality improvement programs. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

Development and validation of the Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale.

PubMed

Bentley, Kate H; Gallagher, Matthew W; Carl, Jenna R; Barlow, David H

2014-09-01

The need to capture severity and impairment of depressive symptomatology is widespread. Existing depression scales are lengthy and largely focus on individual symptoms rather than resulting impairment. The Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale (ODSIS) is a 5-item, continuous measure designed for use across heterogeneous mood disorders and with subthreshold depressive symptoms. This study examined the psychometric properties of the ODSIS in outpatients in a clinic for emotional disorders (N = 100), undergraduate students (N = 566), and community-based adults (N = 189). Internal consistency, latent structure, item response theory, classification accuracy, convergent and discriminant validity, and differential item functioning analyses were conducted. ODSIS scores exhibited excellent internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analyses supported a unidimensional structure. Item response theory results demonstrated that the ODSIS provides more information about individuals with high levels of depression than those with low levels of depression. Responses on the ODSIS discriminated well between individuals with and without a mood disorder and depression-related severity across clinical and subclinical levels. A cut score of 8 correctly classified 82% of outpatients as with or without a mood disorder; it evidenced a favorable balance of sensitivity and specificity and of positive and negative predictive values. The ODSIS demonstrated good convergent and discriminant validity, and results indicate that items function similarly across clinical and nonclinical samples. Overall, findings suggest that the ODSIS is a valid tool for measuring depression-related severity and impairment. The brevity and ease of use of the ODSIS support its utility for screening and monitoring treatment response across a variety of settings. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure of the German Version of the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5.

PubMed

Müller-Engelmann, Meike; Schnyder, Ulrich; Dittmann, Clara; Priebe, Kathlen; Bohus, Martin; Thome, Janine; Fydrich, Thomas; Pfaltz, Monique C; Steil, Regina

2018-05-01

The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) is a widely used diagnostic interview for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Following fundamental modifications in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition ( DSM-5), the CAPS had to be revised. This study examined the psychometric properties (internal consistency, interrater reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, and structural validity) of the German version of the CAPS-5 in a trauma-exposed sample ( n = 223 with PTSD; n =51 without PTSD). The results demonstrated high internal consistency (αs = .65-.93) and high interrater reliability (ICCs = .81-.89). With regard to convergent and discriminant validity, we found high correlations between the CAPS severity score and both the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale sum score ( r = .87) and the Beck Depression Inventory total score ( r = .72). Regarding the underlying factor structure, the hybrid model demonstrated the best fit, followed by the anhedonia model. However, we encountered some nonpositive estimates for the correlations of the latent variables (factors) for both models. The model with the best fit without methodological problems was the externalizing behaviors model, but the results also supported the DSM-5 model. Overall, the results demonstrate that the German version of the CAPS-5 is a psychometrically sound measure.

The Spatial Power Motivation Scale: a semi-implicit measure of situational power motivation.

PubMed

Schoel, Christiane; Zimmer, Katharina; Stahlberg, Dagmar

2015-01-01

We introduce a new nonverbal and unobtrusive measure to assess power motive activation, the Spatial Power Motivation Scale (SPMS). The unique features of this instrument are that it is (a) very simple and economical, (b) reliable and valid, and (c) sensitive to situational changes. Study 1 demonstrates the instrument's convergent and discriminant validity with explicit measures. Study 2 demonstrates the instrument's responsiveness to situational power motive salience: anticipating and winning competition versus losing competition and watching television. Studies 3 and 4 demonstrate that thoughts of competition result in higher power motivation specifically for individuals with a high dispositional power motive.

Psychometric Properties of the Japanese Version of the STarT Back Tool in Patients with Low Back Pain.

PubMed

Matsudaira, Ko; Oka, Hiroyuki; Kikuchi, Norimasa; Haga, Yuri; Sawada, Takayuki; Tanaka, Sakae

2016-01-01

The STarT Back Tool uses prognostic indicators to classify patients with low back pain into three risk groups to guide early secondary prevention in primary care. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the tool (STarT-J). An online survey was conducted among Japanese patients with low back pain aged 20-64 years. Reliability was assessed by examining the internal consistency of the overall and psychosocial subscales using Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Spearman's correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the concurrent validity between the STarT-J total score/psychosocial subscore and standard reference questionnaires. Discriminant validity was evaluated by calculating the area under the curves (AUCs) for the total and psychosocial subscale scores against standard reference cases. Known-groups validity was assessed by examining the relationship between low back pain-related disability and STarT-J scores. The analysis included data for 2000 Japanese patients with low back pain; the mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 47.7 (9.3) years, and 54.1% were male. The mean (SD) STarT-J score was 2.2 (2.1). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.75 for the overall scale and 0.66 for the psychosocial subscale. Spearman's correlation coefficients ranged from 0.30 to 0.59, demonstrating moderate to strong concurrent validity. The AUCs for the total score ranged from 0.65 to 0.83, mostly demonstrating acceptable discriminative ability. For known-groups validity, participants with more somatic symptoms had higher total scores. Those in higher STarT-J risk groups had experienced more low back pain-related absences. The overall STarT-J scale was internally consistent and had acceptable concurrent, discriminant, and known-groups validity. The STarT-J can be used with Japanese patients with low back pain.

Psychiatric OSCE Performance of Students with and without a Previous Core Psychiatry Clerkship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goisman, Robert M.; Levin, Robert M.; Krupat, Edward; Pelletier, Stephen R.; Alpert, Jonathan E.

2010-01-01

Objective: The OSCE has been demonstrated to be a reliable and valid method by which to assess students' clinical skills. An OSCE station was used to determine whether or not students who had completed a core psychiatry clerkship demonstrated skills that were superior to those who had not taken the clerkship and which areas discriminated between…

Developing and validating the Youth Conduct Problems Scale-Rwanda: a mixed methods approach.

PubMed

Ng, Lauren C; Kanyanganzi, Frederick; Munyanah, Morris; Mushashi, Christine; Betancourt, Theresa S

2014-01-01

This study developed and validated the Youth Conduct Problems Scale-Rwanda (YCPS-R). Qualitative free listing (n = 74) and key informant interviews (n = 47) identified local conduct problems, which were compared to existing standardized conduct problem scales and used to develop the YCPS-R. The YCPS-R was cognitive tested by 12 youth and caregiver participants, and assessed for test-retest and inter-rater reliability in a sample of 64 youth. Finally, a purposive sample of 389 youth and their caregivers were enrolled in a validity study. Validity was assessed by comparing YCPS-R scores to conduct disorder, which was diagnosed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children, and functional impairment scores on the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule Child Version. ROC analyses assessed the YCPS-R's ability to discriminate between youth with and without conduct disorder. Qualitative data identified a local presentation of youth conduct problems that did not match previously standardized measures. Therefore, the YCPS-R was developed solely from local conduct problems. Cognitive testing indicated that the YCPS-R was understandable and required little modification. The YCPS-R demonstrated good reliability, construct, criterion, and discriminant validity, and fair classification accuracy. The YCPS-R is a locally-derived measure of Rwandan youth conduct problems that demonstrated good psychometric properties and could be used for further research.

Testing Math or Testing Language? The Construct Validity of the KeyMath-Revised for Children With Intellectual Disability and Language Difficulties.

PubMed

Rhodes, Katherine T; Branum-Martin, Lee; Morris, Robin D; Romski, MaryAnn; Sevcik, Rose A

2015-11-01

Although it is often assumed that mathematics ability alone predicts mathematics test performance, linguistic demands may also predict achievement. This study examined the role of language in mathematics assessment performance for children with intellectual disability (ID) at less severe levels, on the KeyMath-Revised Inventory (KM-R) with a sample of 264 children, in grades 2-5. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the hypothesis that the KM-R would demonstrate discriminant validity with measures of language abilities in a two-factor model was compared to two plausible alternative models. Results indicated that KM-R did not have discriminant validity with measures of children's language abilities and was a multidimensional test of both mathematics and language abilities for this population of test users. Implications are considered for test development, interpretation, and intervention.

Development and validation of the Survey of Organizational Research Climate (SORC).

PubMed

Martinson, Brian C; Thrush, Carol R; Lauren Crain, A

2013-09-01

Development and targeting efforts by academic organizations to effectively promote research integrity can be enhanced if they are able to collect reliable data to benchmark baseline conditions, to assess areas needing improvement, and to subsequently assess the impact of specific initiatives. To date, no standardized and validated tool has existed to serve this need. A web- and mail-based survey was administered in the second half of 2009 to 2,837 randomly selected biomedical and social science faculty and postdoctoral fellows at 40 academic health centers in top-tier research universities in the United States. Measures included the Survey of Organizational Research Climate (SORC) as well as measures of perceptions of organizational justice. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded seven subscales of organizational research climate, all of which demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α ranging from 0.81 to 0.87) and adequate test-retest reliability (Pearson r ranging from 0.72 to 0.83). A broad range of correlations between the seven subscales and five measures of organizational justice (unadjusted regression coefficients ranging from 0.13 to 0.95) document both construct and discriminant validity of the instrument. The SORC demonstrates good internal (alpha) and external reliability (test-retest) as well as both construct and discriminant validity.

Development and Validation of the Survey of Organizational Research Climate (SORC)

PubMed Central

Martinson, Brian C.; Thrush, Carol R.; Crain, A. Lauren

2012-01-01

Background Development and targeting efforts by academic organizations to effectively promote research integrity can be enhanced if they are able to collect reliable data to benchmark baseline conditions, to assess areas needing improvement, and to subsequently assess the impact of specific initiatives. To date, no standardized and validated tool has existed to serve this need. Methods A web- and mail-based survey was administered in the second half of 2009 to 2,837 randomly selected biomedical and social science faculty and postdoctoral fellows at 40 academic health centers in top-tier research universities in the United States. Measures included the Survey of Organizational Research Climate (SORC) as well as measures of perceptions of organizational justice. Results Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded seven subscales of organizational research climate, all of which demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach’s α ranging from 0.81 to 0.87) and adequate test-retest reliability (Pearson r ranging from 0.72 to 0.83). A broad range of correlations between the seven subscales and five measures of organizational justice (unadjusted regression coefficients ranging from .13 to .95) document both construct and discriminant validity of the instrument. Conclusions The SORC demonstrates good internal (alpha) and external reliability (test-retest) as well as both construct and discriminant validity. PMID:23096775

Validation of a French-Canadian adaptation of the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 for the adult population.

PubMed

Carbonneau, Elise; Carbonneau, Noémie; Lamarche, Benoît; Provencher, Véronique; Bégin, Catherine; Bradette-Laplante, Maude; Laramée, Catherine; Lemieux, Simone

2016-10-01

Intuitive eating is an adaptive eating style based on the reliance on physiological cues to determine when, what, and how much to eat. The Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) is a validated four-subscale tool measuring the degree of adherence to intuitive eating principles. The present series of studies aimed at evaluating the psychometric properties of a French-Canadian adaptation of the IES-2 for the adult population. The factor structure, the reliability (internal consistency and test-retest), the construct validity, and the discriminant validity were evaluated in 334 women and 75 men from the Province of Québec, Canada, across two studies. A confirmatory factor analysis upheld that the four-factor structure of the original IES-2 was adequate for the present sample of French-Canadians. The scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Construct validity evidence was obtained with the significant associations between intuitive eating and psychological and eating-related variables. Intuitive eating was negatively associated with eating disorder symptomatology and with food- and weight-preoccupation, and positively associated with body-esteem and well-being. The French-Canadian IES-2 was also able to discriminate between genders and body mass index categories. The properties of this new version of the IES-2 are demonstrative of a reliable and valid tool to assess intuitive eating in the French-Canadian adult population of the Province of Québec. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of the Japanese version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Cancer Module.

PubMed

Tsuji, Naoko; Kakee, Naoko; Ishida, Yasushi; Asami, Keiko; Tabuchi, Ken; Nakadate, Hisaya; Iwai, Tsuyako; Maeda, Miho; Okamura, Jun; Kazama, Takuro; Terao, Yoko; Ohyama, Wataru; Yuza, Yuki; Kaneko, Takashi; Manabe, Atsushi; Kobayashi, Kyoko; Kamibeppu, Kiyoko; Matsushima, Eisuke

2011-04-10

The PedsQL 3.0 Cancer Module is a widely used instrument to measure pediatric cancer specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for children aged 2 to 18 years. We developed the Japanese version of the PedsQL Cancer Module and investigated its reliability and validity among Japanese children and their parents. Participants were 212 children with cancer and 253 of their parents. Reliability was determined by internal consistency using Cronbach's coefficient alpha and test-retest reliability using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Validity was assessed through factor validity, convergent and discriminant validity, concurrent validity, and clinical validity. Factor validity was examined by exploratory factor analysis. Convergent and discriminant validity were examined by multitrait scaling analysis. Concurrent validity was assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficients between the Cancer Module and Generic Core Scales, and the comparison of the scores of child self-reports with those of other self-rating depression scales for children. Clinical validity was assessed by comparing the on- and off- treatment scores using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Cronbach's coefficient alpha was over 0.70 for the total scale and over 0.60 for each subscale by age except for the 'pain and hurt' subscale for children aged 5 to 7 years. For test-retest reliability, the ICC exceeded 0.70 for the total scale for each age. Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated sufficient factorial validity. Multitrait scaling analysis showed high success rates. Strong correlations were found between the reports by children and their parents, and the scores of the Cancer Module and the Generic Core Scales except for 'treatment anxiety' subscales for child reports. The Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children (DSRS-C) scores were significantly correlated with emotional domains and the total score of the cancer module. Children who had been off treatment over 12 months demonstrated significantly higher scores than those on treatment. The results demonstrate the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the PedsQL Cancer Module among Japanese children.

Validation of a screening tool for attention and executive functions (EpiTrack Junior) in children and adolescents with absence epilepsy.

PubMed

Kadish, Navah Ester; Baumann, Matthias; Pietz, Joachim; Schubert-Bast, Susanne; Reuner, Gitta

2013-10-01

Our prospective study aimed at the validation of EpiTrack Junior, a neuropsychological screening tool for attention and executive functions in children with epilepsy. Twenty-two children with absence epilepsy aged 8-17 years underwent comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation including EpiTrack Junior and measures of intelligence, verbal and nonverbal memory, word fluency and visuoconstructive organization. Concurrent and discriminant validity of EpiTrack Junior subtests and total score as well as sensitivity and specificity of the total score were analyzed. EpiTrack Junior total score was impaired in 59% of participants. Concurrent validity was demonstrated in 4/6 subtests and for the total score. Discriminant validity was shown with respect to verbal and nonverbal long-term memory. Sensitivity was higher than specificity and highest for the "working memory index". EpiTrack Junior is recommended as a sensitive and time-efficient screening tool for attention and executive functions in children with epilepsy. Impaired results should be followed up with detailed evaluation including information from the parents and school as well as counseling where indicated. © 2013.

Validation study of the Japanese version of the Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale.

PubMed

Tatsuzawa, Yasutaka; Yoshimasu, Haruo; Moriyama, Yasushi; Furusawa, Teruyuki; Yoshino, Aihide

2002-02-01

The Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) is a self-rating questionnaire that measures cognitive and behavioral aspects of craving for alcohol. The OCDS consists of two subscales: the obsessive thoughts of drinking subscale (OS) and the compulsive drinking subscale (CS). This study aims to validate the Japanese version of the OCDS. First, internal consistency and discriminant validity were evaluated. Second, a prospective longitudinal 3-month outcome study of 67 patients with alcohol dependence who participated in a relapse prevention program was designed to assess the concurrent and predictive validity of the OCDS. The OCDS demonstrated high internal consistency. The OS had high discriminant validity, while the CS did not. Twenty-three patients (34.3%) dropped out of treatment. These patients had significantly higher OS scores than those who completed the program. At 3 months, the relapse group had significantly higher OCDS scores than the no relapse group. Also, the OCDS score was higher in subjects who had early-onset alcohol dependence than late-onset dependence. The OCDS is useful for evaluating cognitive aspect of craving and predicts dropout and relapse.

The Clitoral Photoplethysmograph: A Pilot Study Examining Discriminant and Convergent Validity.

PubMed

Suschinsky, Kelly D; Shelley, Amanda J; Gerritsen, Jeroen; Tuiten, Adriaan; Chivers, Meredith L

2015-12-01

The clitoral photoplethysmograph (CPP) is a relatively new device used to measure changes in clitoral blood volume (CBV); however, its construct validity has not yet been evaluated. To evaluate the discriminant and convergent validity of the CPP. For discriminant validity, CBV responses should differ between sexual and nonsexual emotional films if the CPP accurately assesses clitoral vasocongestion associated with sexual arousal; for convergent validity, CBV responses should significantly correlate with subjective reports of sexual arousal. Twenty women (M age = 21.2 years, SD = 3.4) watched neutral, anxiety-inducing, exhilarating, and sexual (female-male sex) audiovisual stimuli while their genital responses were measured simultaneously using vaginal and clitoral photoplethysmographs and CPPs. Most of these participants continuously reported sexual arousal throughout each stimulus (n = 16), and all reported their sexual and nonsexual affect before and after each stimulus; subjective responses were recorded via button presses using a keypad. Vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA), CBV, and self-reported sexual arousal and nonsexual affect were used as main outcome measures. CBV demonstrated both discriminant and convergent validity. CBV responses were similar to VPA responses and self-reported sexual arousal; all responses differed significantly as a function of stimulus content, with the sexual stimulus eliciting greater relative changes than nonsexual stimuli. CBV, but not VPA, was significantly (negatively) correlated with continuous self-reported sexual arousal during the shorter sexual stimulus. CBV was significantly negatively correlated with VPA for the shorter sexual stimulus. CBV may be a valid measure of women's genital sexual arousal that provides complementary information to VPA and correlates with self-reported sexual arousal. Given our relatively small sample size, and that this is among the first research to use the CPP, the current findings must be replicated. More research using the CPP and other devices is required for a more comprehensive description of women's physiological sexual arousal. © 2015 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Item validity vs. item discrimination index: a redundancy?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panjaitan, R. L.; Irawati, R.; Sujana, A.; Hanifah, N.; Djuanda, D.

2018-03-01

In several literatures about evaluation and test analysis, it is common to find that there are calculations of item validity as well as item discrimination index (D) with different formula for each. Meanwhile, other resources said that item discrimination index could be obtained by calculating the correlation between the testee’s score in a particular item and the testee’s score on the overall test, which is actually the same concept as item validity. Some research reports, especially undergraduate theses tend to include both item validity and item discrimination index in the instrument analysis. It seems that these concepts might overlap for both reflect the test quality on measuring the examinees’ ability. In this paper, examples of some results of data processing on item validity and item discrimination index were compared. It would be discussed whether item validity and item discrimination index can be represented by one of them only or it should be better to present both calculations for simple test analysis, especially in undergraduate theses where test analyses were included.

Validation of an instrument to measure quality of life in British children with inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Ogden, C A; Akobeng, A K; Abbott, J; Aggett, P; Sood, M R; Thomas, A G

2011-09-01

To validate IMPACT-III (UK), a health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument, in British children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). One hundred six children and parents were invited to participate. IMPACT-III (UK) was validated by inspection by health professionals and children to assess face and content validity, factor analysis to determine optimum domain structure, use of Cronbach alpha coefficients to test internal reliability, ANOVA to assess discriminant validity, correlation with the Child Health Questionnaire to assess concurrent validity, and use of intraclass correlation coefficients to assess test-retest reliability. The independent samples t test was used to measure differences between sexes and age groups, and between paper and computerised versions of IMPACT-III (UK). IMPACT-III (UK) had good face and content validity. The most robust factor solution was a 5-domain structure: body image, embarrassment, energy, IBD symptoms, and worries/concerns about IBD, all of which demonstrated good internal reliability (α = 0.74-0.88). Discriminant validity was demonstrated by significant (P  < 0.05, P < 0.01) differences in HRQoL scores between the severe, moderate, and inactive/mild symptom severity groups for the embarrassment scale (63.7 vs 81.0 vs 81.2), IBD symptom scale (45.0 vs 64.2 vs 80.6), and the energy scale (46.4 vs 62.1 vs 77.7). Concurrent validity of IMPACT-III (UK) with comparable domains of the Child Health Questionnaire was confirmed. Test-retest reliability was confirmed with good intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.66 to 0.84. Paper and computer versions of IMPACT-III (UK) collected comparable scores, and there were no differences between the sexes and age groups. IMPACT-III (UK) appears to be a useful tool to measure HRQoL in British children with IBD.

Evaluation of Psychometric Properties of Voice Activity and Participation Profile (VAPP): A Spanish Version.

PubMed

Bermúdez-de-Alvear, Rosa M; Gálvez-Ruiz, Pablo; Martínez-Arquero, A Ginés; Rando-Márquez, Sara; Fernández-Contreras, Elena

2018-06-11

This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Voice Activity and Participation Profile (SVAPP) questionnaire. A randomized, cross-sectional sampling strategy with controls was used. Two samples with a total of 169 participants were analyzed, specifically 61 men (mean age 37.02) and 108 women (mean age 37.78). Of these participants, 112 were patients and 57 were controls. The instrument was submitted to reliability (internal consistency and corrected item-total correlations) and reproducibility analyses. Validation assessment was based on the construct validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and concurrent validity. The global internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's α = 0.976), corrected item-total correlations were satisfactory and ranged 0.63-0.89, and factor loadings were above 0.50. The different subscales showed good internal consistency (alpha coefficients ranged 0.830-0.956) and test-retest values were consistently associated. The exploratory factor analysis evidenced a strongly defined five factors internal structure, with factors loadings ranging 0.51-0.86. Convergent validity demonstrated that all subscales and scores were very strongly correlated (Pearson r above 0.735) and significantly associated. The discriminant validity analysis showed that SVAPP had good specificity to distinguish dysphonic from healthy voice subjects. Concurrent validity with Voice Handicap Index Spanish version (SVHI) showed very strong correlations between total scores, and between SVHI total score and SVAPP Daily and Social Communication subscales; correlations between both tests subscales were strong; only between SVAPP Work and SVHI Physical sections correlations were moderate. The findings of the present study demonstrated evidence for the SVAPP questionnaire reliability and validity, and provided insightful implications of voice disorders on Spanish patients' quality of life. However, further investigations are required. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Examining the Relations Among the DSM-5 Alternative Model of Personality, the Five-Factor Model, and Externalizing and Internalizing Behavior.

PubMed

Sleep, Chelsea E; Hyatt, Courtland S; Lamkin, Joanna; Maples-Keller, Jessica L; Miller, Joshua D

2017-01-26

Given long-standing criticisms of the DSM's reliance on categorical models of psychopathology, including the poor reliability and validity of personality-disorder diagnoses, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) published an alternative model (AM) of personality disorders in Section III of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; APA, 2013), which, in part, comprises 5 pathological trait domains based on the 5-factor model (FFM). However, the empirical profiles and discriminant validity of the AM traits remain in question. We recruited a sample of undergraduates (N = 340) for the current study to compare the relations found between a measure of the DSM-5 AM traits (i.e., the Personality Inventory for DSM-5; PID-5; Krueger, Derringer, Markon, Watson, & Skodol, 2012) and a measure of the FFM (i.e., the International Personality Item Pool; IPIP; Goldberg, 1999) in relation to externalizing and internalizing symptoms. In general, the domains from the 2 measures were significantly related and demonstrated similar patterns of relations with these criteria, such that Antagonism/low Agreeableness and Disinhibition/low Conscientiousness were related to externalizing behaviors, whereas Negative Affectivity/Neuroticism was most significantly related to internalizing symptoms. However, the PID-5 demonstrated large interrelations among its domains and poorer discriminant validity than the IPIP. These results provide additional support that the conception of the trait model included in the DSM-5 AM is an extension of the FFM, but highlight some of the issues that arise due to the PID-5's more limited discriminant validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Validation of the comprehensive feeding practices questionnaire in parents of preschool children in Brazil.

PubMed

Warkentin, Sarah; Mais, Laís Amaral; Latorre, Maria do Rosário Dias de Oliveira; Carnell, Susan; Taddei, José Augusto de Aguiar Carrazedo

2016-07-19

Recent national surveys in Brazil have demonstrated a decrease in the consumption of traditional food and a parallel increase in the consumption of ultra-processed food, which has contributed to a rise in obesity prevalence in all age groups. Environmental factors, especially familial factors, have a strong influence on the food intake of preschool children, and this has led to the development of psychometric scales to measure parents' feeding practices. The aim of this study was to test the validity of a translated and adapted Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire in a sample of Brazilian preschool-aged children enrolled in private schools. A transcultural adaptation process was performed in order to develop a modified questionnaire (43 items). After piloting, the questionnaire was sent to parents, along with additional questions about family characteristics. Test-retest reliability was assessed in one of the schools. Factor analysis with oblique rotation was performed. Internal reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha and correlations between factors, discriminant validity using marker variables of child's food intake, and convergent validity via correlations with parental perceptions of perceived responsibility for feeding and concern about the child's weight were also performed. The final sample consisted of 402 preschool children. Factor analysis resulted in a final questionnaire of 43 items distributed over 6 factors. Cronbach alpha values were adequate (0.74 to 0.88), between-factor correlations were low, and discriminant validity and convergent validity were acceptable. The modified CFPQ demonstrated significant internal reliability in this urban Brazilian sample. Scale validation within different cultures is essential for a more comprehensive understanding of parental feeding practices for preschoolers.

Rapid characterization of transgenic and non-transgenic soybean oils by chemometric methods using NIR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luna, Aderval S.; da Silva, Arnaldo P.; Pinho, Jéssica S. A.; Ferré, Joan; Boqué, Ricard

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and multivariate classification were applied to discriminate soybean oil samples into non-transgenic and transgenic. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to extract relevant features from the spectral data and to remove the anomalous samples. The best results were obtained when with Support Vectors Machine-Discriminant Analysis (SVM-DA) and Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) after mean centering plus multiplicative scatter correction. For SVM-DA the percentage of successful classification was 100% for the training group and 100% and 90% in validation group for non transgenic and transgenic soybean oil samples respectively. For PLS-DA the percentage of successful classification was 95% and 100% in training group for non transgenic and transgenic soybean oil samples respectively and 100% and 80% in validation group for non transgenic and transgenic respectively. The results demonstrate that NIR spectroscopy can provide a rapid, nondestructive and reliable method to distinguish non-transgenic and transgenic soybean oils.

Rapid and accurate detection of urinary pathogens by mobile IMS-based electronic nose: a proof-of-principle study.

PubMed

Roine, Antti; Saviauk, Taavi; Kumpulainen, Pekka; Karjalainen, Markus; Tuokko, Antti; Aittoniemi, Janne; Vuento, Risto; Lekkala, Jukka; Lehtimäki, Terho; Tammela, Teuvo L; Oksala, Niku K J

2014-01-01

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common disease with significant morbidity and economic burden, accounting for a significant part of the workload in clinical microbiology laboratories. Current clinical chemisty point-of-care diagnostics rely on imperfect dipstick analysis which only provides indirect and insensitive evidence of urinary bacterial pathogens. An electronic nose (eNose) is a handheld device mimicking mammalian olfaction that potentially offers affordable and rapid analysis of samples without preparation at athmospheric pressure. In this study we demonstrate the applicability of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) -based eNose to discriminate the most common UTI pathogens from gaseous headspace of culture plates rapidly and without sample preparation. We gathered a total of 101 culture samples containing four most common UTI bacteries: E. coli, S. saprophyticus, E. faecalis, Klebsiella spp and sterile culture plates. The samples were analyzed using ChemPro 100i device, consisting of IMS cell and six semiconductor sensors. Data analysis was conducted by linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and logistic regression (LR). The results were validated by leave-one-out and 5-fold cross validation analysis. In discrimination of sterile and bacterial samples sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 97% were achieved. The bacterial species were identified with sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 96% using eNose as compared to urine bacterial cultures. These findings strongly demonstrate the ability of our eNose to discriminate bacterial cultures and provides a proof of principle to use this method in urinanalysis of UTI.

Collective synchronization of self/non-self discrimination in T cell activation, across multiple spatio-temporal scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altan-Bonnet, Gregoire

The immune system is a collection of cells whose function is to eradicate pathogenic infections and malignant tumors while protecting healthy tissues. Recent work has delineated key molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with the ability to discriminate self from non-self agents. For example, structural studies have quantified the biophysical characteristics of antigenic molecules (those prone to trigger lymphocyte activation and a subsequent immune response). However, such molecular mechanisms were found to be highly unreliable at the individual cellular level. We will present recent efforts to build experimentally validated computational models of the immune responses at the collective cell level. Such models have become critical to delineate how higher-level integration through nonlinear amplification in signal transduction, dynamic feedback in lymphocyte differentiation and cell-to-cell communication allows the immune system to enforce reliable self/non-self discrimination at the organism level. In particular, we will present recent results demonstrating how T cells tune their antigen discrimination according to cytokine cues, and how competition for cytokine within polyclonal populations of cells shape the repertoire of responding clones. Additionally, we will present recent theoretical and experimental results demonstrating how competition between diffusion and consumption of cytokines determine the range of cell-cell communications within lymphoid organs. Finally, we will discuss how biochemically explicit models, combined with quantitative experimental validation, unravel the relevance of new feedbacks for immune regulations across multiple spatial and temporal scales.

External validation of the diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma survival prediction model: a collaborative report from the International DIPG Registry and the SIOPE DIPG Registry.

PubMed

Veldhuijzen van Zanten, Sophie E M; Lane, Adam; Heymans, Martijn W; Baugh, Joshua; Chaney, Brooklyn; Hoffman, Lindsey M; Doughman, Renee; Jansen, Marc H A; Sanchez, Esther; Vandertop, William P; Kaspers, Gertjan J L; van Vuurden, Dannis G; Fouladi, Maryam; Jones, Blaise V; Leach, James

2017-08-01

We aimed to perform external validation of the recently developed survival prediction model for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), and discuss its utility. The DIPG survival prediction model was developed in a cohort of patients from the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Germany, registered in the SIOPE DIPG Registry, and includes age <3 years, longer symptom duration and receipt of chemotherapy as favorable predictors, and presence of ring-enhancement on MRI as unfavorable predictor. Model performance was evaluated by analyzing the discrimination and calibration abilities. External validation was performed using an unselected cohort from the International DIPG Registry, including patients from United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Basic comparison with the results of the original study was performed using descriptive statistics, and univariate- and multivariable regression analyses in the validation cohort. External validation was assessed following a variety of analyses described previously. Baseline patient characteristics and results from the regression analyses were largely comparable. Kaplan-Meier curves of the validation cohort reproduced separated groups of standard (n = 39), intermediate (n = 125), and high-risk (n = 78) patients. This discriminative ability was confirmed by similar values for the hazard ratios across these risk groups. The calibration curve in the validation cohort showed a symmetric underestimation of the predicted survival probabilities. In this external validation study, we demonstrate that the DIPG survival prediction model has acceptable cross-cohort calibration and is able to discriminate patients with short, average, and increased survival. We discuss how this clinico-radiological model may serve a useful role in current clinical practice.

Validation of the Implementation Leadership Scale (ILS) in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Organizations

PubMed Central

Ehrhart, Mark G.; Torres, Elisa M.; Finn, Natalie K.; Roesch, Scott C.

2016-01-01

There have been recent calls for pragmatic measures to assess factors that influence evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation processes and outcomes. The Implementation Leadership Scale (ILS) is a brief and efficient measure that can be used for research or organizational development purposes to assess leader behaviors and actions that actively support effective EBP implementation. The ILS was developed and validated in mental health settings. This study validates the ILS factor structure with providers in alcohol and other drug (AOD) use treatment agencies. Participants were 323 service providers working in 72 workgroups from three AOD use treatment agencies. Confirmatory factor analyses and reliability analyses were conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the ILS. Convergent and discriminant validity were also assessed. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated good fit to the hypothesized first and second order factor structure. Internal consistency reliability was excellent. Convergent and discriminant validity was supported. The ILS psychometric characteristics, reliability, and validity were supported in AOD use treatment agencies. The ILS is a brief and pragmatic measure that can be used for research and practice to assess leadership for EBP implementation in AOD use treatment agencies. PMID:27431044

Validation of the Implementation Leadership Scale (ILS) in Substance use Disorder Treatment Organizations.

PubMed

Aarons, Gregory A; Ehrhart, Mark G; Torres, Elisa M; Finn, Natalie K; Roesch, Scott C

2016-09-01

There have been recent calls for pragmatic measures to assess factors that influence evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation processes and outcomes. The Implementation Leadership Scale (ILS) is a brief and efficient measure that can be used for research or organizational development purposes to assess leader behaviors and actions that actively support effective EBP implementation. The ILS was developed and validated in mental health settings. This study validates the ILS factor structure with providers in alcohol and other drug (AOD) use treatment agencies. Participants were 323 service providers working in 72 workgroups from three AOD use treatment agencies. Confirmatory factor analyses and reliability analyses were conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the ILS. Convergent and discriminant validity were also assessed. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated good fit to the hypothesized first and second order factor structure. Internal consistency reliability was excellent. Convergent and discriminant validity was supported. The ILS psychometric characteristics, reliability, and validity were supported in AOD use treatment agencies. The ILS is a brief and pragmatic measure that can be used for research and practice to assess leadership for EBP implementation in AOD use treatment agencies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The city of hope-quality of life-ostomy questionnaire: persian translation and validation.

PubMed

Anaraki, F; Vafaie, M; Behboo, R; Esmaeilpour, S; Maghsoodi, N; Safaee, A; Grant, M

2014-07-01

Since there is no disease-specific instrument for measuring quality-of-life (QOL) in Ostomy patients in Persian language. This study was designed to translate and evaluate the validity and reliability of City of Hope-quality of life-Ostomy questionnaire (COH-QOL-Ostomy questionnaire). This study was designed as cross-sectional study. Reliability of the subscales and the summary scores were demonstrated by intra-class correlation coefficients. Pearson's correlations of an item with its own scale and other scales were calculated to evaluated convergent and discriminant validity. Clinical validity was also evaluated by known-group comparisons. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for all subscales was about 0.70 or higher. Results of interscale correlation were satisfactory and each subscale only measured a single and specified trait. All subscales met the standards of convergent and discriminant validity. Known group comparison analysis showed significant differences in social and spiritual well-being. The findings confirmed the reliability and validity of Persian version of COH-QOL-Ostomy questionnaire. The instrument was also well received by the Iranian patients. It can be considered as a valuable instrument to assess the different aspects of health related quality-of-life in Ostomy patients and used in clinical research in the future.

Perceived experiences of atheist discrimination: Instrument development and evaluation.

PubMed

Brewster, Melanie E; Hammer, Joseph; Sawyer, Jacob S; Eklund, Austin; Palamar, Joseph

2016-10-01

The present 2 studies describe the development and initial psychometric evaluation of a new instrument, the Measure of Atheist Discrimination Experiences (MADE), which may be used to examine the minority stress experiences of atheist people. Items were created from prior literature, revised by a panel of expert researchers, and assessed psychometrically. In Study 1 (N = 1,341 atheist-identified people), an exploratory factor analysis with 665 participants suggested the presence of 5 related dimensions of perceived discrimination. However, bifactor modeling via confirmatory factor analysis and model-based reliability estimates with data from the remaining 676 participants affirmed the presence of a strong "general" factor of discrimination and mixed to poor support for substantive subdimensions. In Study 2 (N = 1,057 atheist-identified people), another confirmatory factor analysis and model-based reliability estimates strongly supported the bifactor model from Study 1 (i.e., 1 strong "general" discrimination factor) and poor support for subdimensions. Across both studies, the MADE general factor score demonstrated evidence of good reliability (i.e., Cronbach's alphas of .94 and .95; omega hierarchical coefficients of .90 and .92), convergent validity (i.e., with stigma consciousness, β = .56; with awareness of public devaluation, β = .37), and preliminary evidence for concurrent validity (i.e., with loneliness β = .18; with psychological distress β = .27). Reliability and validity evidence for the MADE subscale scores was not sufficient to warrant future use of the subscales. Limitations and implications for future research and clinical work with atheist individuals are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Age discrimination in the workplace: validation of the Nordic Age Discrimination Scale (NADS).

PubMed

Furunes, Trude; Mykletun, Reidar J

2010-02-01

Due to population ageing, older workers will make up a larger proportion of the workforce. However, recent reports show an increase in perceived age discrimination among older employees. Previous research found that age discrimination may result in negative feelings, such as uselessness, powerlessness and lower self-esteem. This study develops and validates a scale for monitoring age discrimination in the workplace. The validation study draws on three datasets, from Norway, Sweden and Finland respectively. The study provides a psychometric contribution to the study of the behavioral component of ageism.

Psychometric properties of the Social Comparison Motives Scale.

PubMed

Tigges, Beth Baldwin

2009-01-01

This article describes the 19-item Social Comparison Motive Scale [SCMS], a measure of adolescents' motives for social comparison related to pregnancy. Dimensions and items were developed based on adolescent focus groups. The instrument was reviewed for content validity, pilot tested, and administered to 431 adolescents aged 14-18 years. Principal axis factor analysis with oblique rotation supported five dimensions. Convergent and discriminant validity were demonstrated by moderate correlations (r = .50) between the SCMS and the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure and low correlations (r = .15) between the SCMS and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Cronbach's alphas were .91 overall and .71 to .85 for the subscales. The SCMS demonstrated reliability and validity as a measure of adolescents' motives for comparing themselves with others about pregnancy.

Nuclear anxiety: a test-construction study

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

Braunstein, A.L.

1986-01-01

The Nuclear Anxiety Scale was administered to 263 undergraduate and graduate studies (on eight occasions in December, 1985 and January, 1986). (1) The obtained alpha coefficient was .91. This was significant at the .01 level, and demonstrated that the scale was internally homogeneous and consistent. (2) Item discrimination indices (point biserial correlation coefficients) computered for the thirty (30) items yielded a range of .25 to .64. All coefficients were significant at the .01 level, and all 30 items were retained as demonstrating significant discriminability. (3) The correlation between two administrations of the scale (with a 48-hour interval) was .83. Thismore » was significant at the .01 level, and demonstrated test-retest reliability and stability over time. (4) The point-biserial correlation coefficient between scores on the Nuclear Anxiety Scale, and the students' self-report of nuclear anxiety as being either a high or low ranked stressor, was .59. This was significant at the .01 level, and demonstrated concurrent validity. (5) The correlation coefficient between scores on the Nuclear Anxiety Scale and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, A-Trait, (1970), was .41. This was significant at the .01 level, and demonstrated convergent validity. (6) The correlation coefficient between positively stated and negatively stated items (with scoring reversed) was .76. This was significant at the .01 level, and demonstrated freedom from response set bias.« less

Psychometric Properties of Translation of the Child Perception Questionnaire (CPQ11-14) in Telugu Speaking Indian Children.

PubMed

Kumar, Santhosh; Kroon, Jeroen; Lalloo, Ratilal; Johnson, Newell W

2016-01-01

Oral health related quality of life research among children in India is still nascent and no measures have been validated to date. Although CPQ11-14 has been previously used in studies from the Indian sub-continent, the instrument has never been tested for cross-cultural adaptability. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of CPQ11-14 in Telugu speaking Indian school children. Primary school children of Medak district, Telangana State, India, were recruited by a multi-stage probability sampling method. The translated questionnaire was initially pilot tested on a small subset of children (n = 40). Children with informed consent from parents (N = 1342) were then provided with questionnaires containing the Telugu translation of CPQ11-14, followed by a clinical examination conducted by a single examiner, using Basic WHO survey methods for dental caries, malocclusion, and Dean's Fluorosis index. Children (n = 161) in randomly chosen schools were re-administered the same questionnaire after a two week interval to test reliability of CPQ11-14 on repeated administrations. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability as determined by Cronbach's alpha and Intra-class correlation coefficient for overall CPQ11-14 scale were 0.925 and 0.923, respectively. CPQ11-14 discriminated between the categories of fluorosis and malocclusion while its discriminant validity with respect to dental caries was limited. CPQ11-14 also demonstrated good construct validity with both overall CPQ11-14 and its subscales having significant positive correlation with global ratings of oral health and overall wellbeing, even after adjusting for confounding variables. CPQ11-14 had a correlation of 0.405 with self-evaluated oral health and 0.407 with self-evaluated impact of oral health on overall wellbeing. In conclusion, Telugu translation of CPQ11-14 demonstrated good internal consistency and excellent reliability on repeated administrations after two weeks. It also exhibited good discriminant and construct validity.

Assessment of Irrational Beliefs: The Question of Discriminant Validity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Timothy W.; Zurawski, Raymond M.

1983-01-01

Evaluated discriminant validity in frequently used measures of irrational beliefs relative to measures of trait anxiety in college students (N=142). Results showed discriminant validity in the Rational Behavior Inventory but not in the Irrational Beliefs Test and correlated cognitive rather than somatic aspects of trait anxiety with both measures.…

The DSM-5 social anxiety disorder severity scale: Evidence of validity and reliability in a clinical sample.

PubMed

LeBeau, Richard T; Mesri, Bita; Craske, Michelle G

2016-10-30

With DSM-5, the APA began providing guidelines for anxiety disorder severity assessment that incorporates newly developed self-report scales. The scales share a common template, are brief, and are free of copyright restrictions. Initial validation studies have been promising, but the English-language versions of the scales have not been formally validated in clinical samples. Forty-seven individuals with a principal diagnosis of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) completed a diagnostic assessment, as well as the DSM-5 SAD severity scale and several previously validated measures. The scale demonstrated internal consistency, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. The next steps in the validation process are outlined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing cancer-specific anxiety in Chinese men with prostate cancer: psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC).

PubMed

Huang, Qingmei; Jiang, Ping; Zhang, Zijun; Luo, Jie; Dai, Yun; Zheng, Li; Wang, Wei

2017-12-01

The Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC) was developed to identify and assess cancer-specific anxiety among men with prostate cancer (PCa); however, there is no Chinese version. The aim of our study was to translate the English version of MAX-PC into Chinese and evaluate the psychometric properties of it. The study cohort comprised 254 participants. Internal consistency including the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and item-total correlations were used to measure the reliability of the scale. Factor structure was analyzed by exploratory factor analysis and concurrent validity by comparing MAX-PC scores with anxiety subscale scores of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Divergent validity was assessed by correlating MAX-PC with HADS depression subscale, while discriminant ability by comparing differences in MAX-PC scores between different patient groups. The Chinese version of MAX-PC demonstrated good reliability; the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total and three subscales (prostate cancer anxiety, PSA anxiety, and fear of recurrence) being 0.94, 0.93, 0.82, and 0.85, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis supported the three-factor structure of the scale established in the original version. Despite the somewhat underperformed divergent validity, the scale demonstrated good concurrent validity with a strong correlation with the HADS anxiety subscale (r = 0.71, p < 0.01). Moreover, discriminant ability was demonstrated by ability to differentiate between disease stages. The MAX-PC Chinese version was confirmed to be a valid, reliable instrument and is thus appropriate for identifying and quantifying cancer-specific anxiety in Chinese PCa patients.

The validity and reliability of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Quality of Life Questionnaire (L-QoL) in a Turkish population.

PubMed

Duruöz, M T; Unal, C; Toprak, C Sanal; Sezer, I; Yilmaz, F; Ulutatar, F; Atagündüz, P; Baklacioglu, H S

2017-12-01

Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may have a profound impact on quality of life. There is increasing interest in measuring quality of life in lupus patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of SLE Quality of Life Questionnaire (L-QoL) in Turkish SLE patients. Methods SLE according to 2012 Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Classification Criteria were recruited into the study. Demographic data, clinical parameters and disease activity measured with the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index-2000 (SLEDAI-2K); were noted. Nottingham Health Profile and Health Assessment Questionnaire were filled out in addition to the Turkish L-QoL (LQoL-TR). Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity were evaluated. Results The mean age of participants was 43.55 ± 14.33 years and the mean disease duration was 89.8 ± 92.1 months. The patients filled out LQoL-TR in 2.5 min. Strong correlation of LQoL-TR with all subgroups of the Nottingham Health Profile and the Health Assessment Questionnaire were established showing the convergent validity. The highest correlation was demonstrated with emotional reactions (rho = 0.72) and sleep component (rho = 0.65) of the Nottingham Health Profile scale ( p < 0.0001). Its poor and not significant correlation with nonfunctional parameters (age, disease duration, perceived general health, SLEDAI-2K) showed its discriminative properties. LQoL-TR demonstrated good internal reliability with a Cronbach's α of 0.93 and test-retest reliability with intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.87. Conclusion The LQoL-TR is a practical and useful tool which demonstrates good validity and reliability.

A Fourier-based textural feature extraction procedure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stromberg, W. D.; Farr, T. G.

1986-01-01

A procedure is presented to discriminate and characterize regions of uniform image texture. The procedure utilizes textural features consisting of pixel-by-pixel estimates of the relative emphases of annular regions of the Fourier transform. The utility and derivation of the features are described through presentation of a theoretical justification of the concept followed by a heuristic extension to a real environment. Two examples are provided that validate the technique on synthetic images and demonstrate its applicability to the discrimination of geologic texture in a radar image of a tropical vegetated area.

Embedded performance validity tests within the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test - Revised and the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Revised.

PubMed

Sawyer, R John; Testa, S Marc; Dux, Moira

2017-01-01

Various research studies and neuropsychology practice organizations have reiterated the importance of developing embedded performance validity tests (PVTs) to detect potentially invalid neurocognitive test data. This study investigated whether measures within the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test - Revised (HVLT-R) and the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Revised (BVMT-R) could accurately classify individuals who fail two or more PVTs during routine clinical assessment. The present sample of 109 United States military veterans (Mean age = 52.4, SD = 13.3), all consisted of clinically referred patients and received a battery of neuropsychological tests. Based on performance validity findings, veterans were assigned to valid (n = 86) or invalid (n = 23) groups. Of the 109 patients in the overall sample, 77 were administered the HLVT-R and 75 were administered the BVMT-R, which were examined for classification accuracy. The HVLT-R Recognition Discrimination Index and the BVMT-R Retention Percentage showed good to adequate discrimination with an area under the curve of .78 and .70, respectively. The HVLT-R Recognition Discrimination Index showed sensitivity of .53 with specificity of .93. The BVMT-R Retention Percentage demonstrated sensitivity of .31 with specificity of .92. When used in conjunction with other PVTs, these new embedded PVTs may be effective in the detection of invalid test data, although they are not intended for use in patients with dementia.

The psychometric properties of Observer OPTION(5), an observer measure of shared decision making.

PubMed

Barr, Paul J; O'Malley, Alistair James; Tsulukidze, Maka; Gionfriddo, Michael R; Montori, Victor; Elwyn, Glyn

2015-08-01

Observer OPTION(5) was designed as a more efficient version of OPTION(12), the most commonly used measure of shared decision making (SDM). The current paper assesses the psychometric properties of OPTION(5). Two raters used OPTION(5) to rate recordings of clinical encounters from two previous patient decision aid (PDA) trials (n=201; n=110). A subsample was re-rated two weeks later. We assessed discriminative validity, inter-rater reliability, intra-rater reliability, and concurrent validity. OPTION(5) demonstrated discriminative validity, with increases in SDM between usual care and PDA arms. OPTION(5) also demonstrated concurrent validity with OPTION(12), r=0.61 (95%CI 0.54, 0.68) and intra-rater reliability, r=0.93 (0.83, 0.97). The mean difference in rater score was 8.89 (95% Credibility Interval, 7.5, 10.3), with intraclass correlation (ICC) of 0.67 (95% Credibility Interval, 0.51, 0.91) for the accuracy of rater scores and 0.70 (95% Credibility Interval, 0.56, 0.94) for the consistency of rater scores across encounters, indicating good inter-rater reliability. Raters reported lower cognitive burden when using OPTION(5) compared to OPTION(12). OPTION(5) is a brief, theoretically grounded observer measure of SDM with promising psychometric properties in this sample and low burden on raters. OPTION(5) has potential to provide reliable, valid assessment of SDM in clinical encounters. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Training Self-Advocacy Skills to Adults with Mild Handicaps.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sievert, Ann L.; And Others

1988-01-01

Eight mildly handicapped young adults were taught to discriminate whether or not possible violations of legal rights occurred in socially validated scenarios and, if so, to role-play a behavioral sequence to redress rights violations. With one exception, participants demonstrated generalization to four community role-play settings. (JW)

Reliability and validity of a treatment adherence measure for child psychiatric rehabilitation.

PubMed

Williams, Nathaniel J; Green, Philip

2012-09-01

Treatment adherence, defined as the degree to which practitioners implemented prescribed program principles and activities and avoided proscribed activities, has been an area of growing interest in mental health services for children with severe emotional and behavioral disorders. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of a treatment adherence measure for child psychiatric rehabilitation (CPSR). Parents of children receiving CPSR (n = 79) or psychotherapy (n = 27) completed the Children's Psychosocial Rehabilitation Treatment Adherence Measure (CTAM) and a measure of 2-week session impact. Psychiatric rehabilitation (PSR) supervisors identified PSR practitioners with reputations for high or low adherence to the model. The CTAM's discriminant validity was assessed by using known-groups procedures and predictive validity by examining its relationship to 2-week session impact. The CTAM demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = .92), discriminant validity (p = .002, d = .72; p = .021, d = .59), and predictive validity (B = 2.24, SE = .31, p < .001), accounting for 28% of the child-level variance in 2-week session impact. Findings suggest the CTAM is a reliable and valid measure of treatment adherence for CPSR programs with a skill-teaching focus. Providers and agencies should take steps to enhance treatment adherence because it may be an important predictor of children's short-term response to CPSR. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Validity, Reliability and Feasibility of the Eating Behavior Pattern Questionnaire (EBPQ) among Iranian Female Students

PubMed Central

Dehghan, Parvin; Asghari-Jafarabadi, Mohammad; Salekzamani, Shabnam

2015-01-01

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the validity, reliability and feasibility of eating behavior pattern questionnaire (EBPQ) in female university students. Methods: In this study, after forward-backward translation, the questionnaire was reviewed by a panel of nutritionists and a psychologist and further thirty participants for the content validity measurement. The translated and modified questionnaire was completed by 225 female students of Tabriz University in 2013. Principle axis factoring, confirmatory factor analysis and known group analysis were conducted for construct, convergent and discriminant validity. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were assessed by Cronbach’s α coefficient and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Ceiling and floor effects were also performed for evaluating the feasibility of the instrument. Results: By using exploratory factor analysis, nine factors were extracted. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the convergent validity. Cronbach ’s αand ICC were ranged between 0.55 to 0.78 and 0.67 to 0.89, respectively. The significant difference for some three subscales between diabetes and healthy subjects determined the discriminant validity. No ceiling and floor effects were found. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate the initial validity, reliability and feasibility of the Iranian version of EBPQ as a useful tool for eating behavior studies in young females. PMID:26290828

Validity, discriminative ability, and reliability of the hearing-related quality of life questionnaire for adolescents.

PubMed

Rachakonda, Tara; Jeffe, Donna B; Shin, Jennifer J; Mankarious, Leila; Fanning, Robert J; Lesperance, Marci M; Lieu, Judith E C

2014-02-01

The prevalence of hearing loss (HL) in adolescents has grown over the past decade, but hearing-related quality of life (QOL) has not been well-measured. We sought to develop a reliable, valid measure of hearing-related QOL for adolescents and the Hearing Environments And Reflection on Quality of Life (HEAR-QL). Multisite observational study. Adolescents with HL and siblings without HL were recruited from five centers. Participants completed the HEAR-QL and validated questionnaires measuring generic pediatric QOL (PedsQL), depression and anxiety (RCADS-25), and hearing-related QOL for adults (HHIA) to determine construct and discriminant validity. Participants completed the HEAR-QL 2 weeks later for test-retest reliability. We used exploratory principal components analysis to determine the HEAR-QL factor structure and measured reliability. Sensitivity and specificity of the HEAR-QL, PedsQL, HHIA, and RCADS-25 were assessed. We compared scores on all surveys between those with normal hearing, unilateral, and bilateral HL. A total of 233 adolescents (13-18 years old) participated: 179 with HL, 54 without HL. The original 45-item HEAR-QL was shortened to 28 items after determining factor structure. The resulting HEAR-QL-28 demonstrated excellent reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.95) and construct validity (HHIA: r = .845, PedsQL: r = .587; RCADS-25: r = .433). The HEAR-QL-28 displayed excellent discriminant validity, with higher area under the curve (0.932) than the PedsQL (0.597) or RCADS-25 (0.529). Teens with bilateral HL using hearing devices reported worse QOL on the HEAR-QL and HHIA than peers with HL not using devices. The HEAR-QL is a sensitive, reliable, and valid measure of hearing-related QOL for adolescents. 2b. © 2013 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Validity, Discriminative Ability and Reliability of the Hearing-Related Quality of Life (HEAR-QL) Questionnaire for Adolescents

PubMed Central

Rachakonda, Tara; Jeffe, Donna B.; Shin, Jennifer J.; Mankarious, Leila; Fanning, Robert J.; Lesperance, Marci M.; Lieu, Judith E.C.

2014-01-01

Objectives The prevalence of hearing loss (HL) in adolescents has grown over the past decade, but hearing-related quality of life (QOL) has not been well-measured. We sought to develop a reliable, valid measure of hearing-related QOL for adolescents, the Hearing Environments And Reflection on Quality of Life (HEAR-QL). Study Design Multi-site observational study. Methods Adolescents with HL and siblings without HL were recruited from five centers. Participants completed the HEAR-QL and validated questionnaires measuring generic pediatric QOL (PedsQL), depression and anxiety (RCADS-25), and hearing-related QOL for adults (HHIA) to determine construct and discriminant validity. Participants completed the HEAR-QL two weeks later for test-retest reliability. We used exploratory principal components analysis to determine the HEAR-QL factor structure and measured reliability. Sensitivity and specificity of the HEAR-QL, PedsQL, HHIA and RCADS-25 were assessed. We compared scores on all surveys between those with normal hearing, unilateral and bilateral HL. Results 233 adolescents (13–18 years old) participated—179 with HL, 54 without HL. The original 45-item HEAR-QL was shortened to 28 items after determining factor structure. The resulting HEAR-QL-28 demonstrated excellent reliability (Cronbach’s alpha= 0.95) and construct validity (HHIA: r =.845, PedsQL: r =.587; RCADS-25: r =.433). The HEAR-QL-28 displayed excellent discriminant validity, with higher area under the curve (0.932) than the PedsQL (0.597) or RCADS-25 (0.529). Teens with bilateral HL using hearing devices reported worse QOL on the HEAR-QL and HHIA than peers with HL not using devices. Conclusions The HEAR-QL is a sensitive, reliable and valid measure of hearing-related QOL for adolescents. PMID:23900836

Validation of the Narrowing Beam Walking Test in Lower Limb Prosthesis Users.

PubMed

Sawers, Andrew; Hafner, Brian

2018-04-11

To evaluate the content, construct, and discriminant validity of the Narrowing Beam Walking Test (NBWT), a performance-based balance test for lower limb prosthesis users. Cross-sectional study. Research laboratory and prosthetics clinic. Unilateral transtibial and transfemoral prosthesis users (N=40). Not applicable. Content validity was examined by quantifying the percentage of participants receiving maximum or minimum scores (ie, ceiling and floor effects). Convergent construct validity was examined using correlations between participants' NBWT scores and scores or times on existing clinical balance tests regularly administered to lower limb prosthesis users. Known-groups construct validity was examined by comparing NBWT scores between groups of participants with different fall histories, amputation levels, amputation etiologies, and functional levels. Discriminant validity was evaluated by analyzing the area under each test's receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. No minimum or maximum scores were recorded on the NBWT. NBWT scores demonstrated strong correlations (ρ=.70‒.85) with scores/times on performance-based balance tests (timed Up and Go test, Four Square Step Test, and Berg Balance Scale) and a moderate correlation (ρ=.49) with the self-report Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale. NBWT performance was significantly lower among participants with a history of falls (P=.003), transfemoral amputation (P=.011), and a lower mobility level (P<.001). The NBWT also had the largest area under the ROC curve (.81) and was the only test to exhibit an area that was statistically significantly >.50 (ie, chance). The results provide strong evidence of content, construct, and discriminant validity for the NBWT as a performance-based test of balance ability. The evidence supports its use to assess balance impairments and fall risk in unilateral transtibial and transfemoral prosthesis users. Copyright © 2018 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Initial evaluation of the Older Adult Social-Evaluative Situations Questionnaire: a measure of social anxiety in older adults.

PubMed

Gould, Christine E; Gerolimatos, Lindsay A; Ciliberti, Caroline M; Edelstein, Barry A; Smith, Merideth D

2012-12-01

The assessment of social anxiety in late life has been examined in few studies (e.g. Gretarsdottir et al., 2004; Ciliberti et al., 2011). The present study describes the creation and initial psychometric evaluation of a new, content valid measure of social anxiety for older adults, the Older Adult Social-Evaluative Situations Questionnaire (OASES). Psychometric properties of the OASES were evaluated in a community dwelling sample of older adults (N = 137; 70.8% female). Convergent validity was established by examining the relation between the OASES and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Discriminant validity was established by examining the relation between the OASES and measures of depression (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS), perceived health status (Short Form Health Survey, SF-12), and demographic variables. The validity analyses of the OASES were based on a smaller sample with n values ranging from 98 to 137 depending on missing data on each questionnaire. Internal consistency, measured by Cronbach's α, for the OASES total score was 0.96. All items on the OASES were endorsed by participants. Convergent validity was demonstrated by medium to large correlations with the SPAI, LSAS, and BAI. Support for discriminant validity was evidenced by small to medium correlations between the OASES and GDS, SF-12, and demographic variables. Evidence in support of convergent and discriminant validity of the OASES is discussed. Although the results from the present study suggest that this measure may assess anxiety in and avoidance of social situations salient to older adults, future studies are needed to further examine the psychometric properties of the OASES and replicate these results in both clinical and more diverse samples of older adults.

The development and validation of the client expectations of massage scale.

PubMed

Boulanger, Karen T; Campo, Shelly; Glanville, Jennifer L; Lowe, John B; Yang, Jingzhen

2012-01-01

Although there is evidence that client expectations influence client outcomes, a valid and reliable scale for measuring the range of client expectations for both massage therapy and the behaviors of their massage therapists does not exist. Understanding how client expectations influence client outcomes would provide insight into how massage achieves its reported effects. To develop and validate the Client Expectations of Massage Scale (CEMS), a measure of clients' clinical, educational, interpersonal, and outcome expectations. Offices of licensed massage therapists in Iowa. A practice-based research methodology was used to collect data from two samples of massage therapy clients. For Sample 1, 21 volunteer massage therapists collected data from their clients before the massage. Factor analysis was conducted to test construct validity and coefficient alpha was used to assess reliability. Correlational analyses with the CEMS, previous measures of client expectations, and the Life Orientation Test-Revised were examined to test the convergent and discriminant validity of the CEMS. For Sample 2, 24 massage therapists distributed study materials for clients to complete before and after a massage therapy session. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the construct, discriminant, and predictive validity of the CEMS. Sample 1 involved 320 and Sample 2 involved 321 adult massage clients. Standard care provided by licensed massage therapists. Numeric Rating Scale for pain and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Revised (including the Serenity subscale). The CEMS demonstrated good construct, convergent, discriminant and predictive validity, and adequate reliability. Client expectations were generally positive toward massage and their massage therapists. Positive outcome expectations had a positive effect on clients' changes in pain and serenity. High interpersonal expectations had a negative effect on clients' changes in serenity. Client expectations contribute to the nonspecific effects of massage therapy.

Development and validation of the patient evaluation scale (PES) for primary health care in Nigeria.

PubMed

Ogaji, Daprim S; Giles, Sally; Daker-White, Gavin; Bower, Peter

2017-03-01

Questionnaires developed for patient evaluation of the quality of primary care are often focussed on primary care systems in developed countries. Aim To report the development and validation of the patient evaluation scale (PES) designed for use in the Nigerian primary health care context. An iterative process was used to develop and validate the questionnaire using patients attending 28 primary health centres across eight states in Nigeria. The development involved literature review, patient interviews, expert reviews, cognitive testing with patients and waves of quantitative cross-sectional surveys. The questionnaire's content validity, internal structures, acceptability, reliability and construct validity are reported. Findings The full and shortened version of PES with 27 and 18 items, respectively, were developed through these process. The low item non-response from the serial cross-sectional surveys depicts questionnaire's acceptability among the local population. PES-short form (SF) has Cronbach's α of 0.87 and three domains (codenamed 'facility', 'organisation' and 'health care') with Cronbach's αs of 0.78, 0.79 and 0.81, respectively. Items in the multi-dimensional questionnaire demonstrated adequate convergent and discriminant properties. PES-SF scores show significant positive correlation with scores of the full PES and also discriminated population groups in support of a priori hypotheses. The PES and PES-SF contain items that are relevant to the needs of patients in Nigeria. The good measurement properties of the questionnaire demonstrates its potential usefulness for patient-focussed quality improvement activities in Nigeria. There is still need to translate these questionnaires into major languages in Nigeria and assess their validity against external quality criteria.

Development and Validation of the Primary Care Team Dynamics Survey

PubMed Central

Song, Hummy; Chien, Alyna T; Fisher, Josephine; Martin, Julia; Peters, Antoinette S; Hacker, Karen; Rosenthal, Meredith B; Singer, Sara J

2015-01-01

Objective To develop and validate a survey instrument designed to measure team dynamics in primary care. Data Sources/Study Setting We studied 1,080 physician and nonphysician health care professionals working at 18 primary care practices participating in a learning collaborative aimed at improving team-based care. Study Design We developed a conceptual model and administered a cross-sectional survey addressing team dynamics, and we assessed reliability and discriminant validity of survey factors and the overall survey's goodness-of-fit using structural equation modeling. Data Collection We administered the survey between September 2012 and March 2013. Principal Findings Overall response rate was 68 percent (732 respondents). Results support a seven-factor model of team dynamics, suggesting that conditions for team effectiveness, shared understanding, and three supportive processes are associated with acting and feeling like a team and, in turn, perceived team effectiveness. This model demonstrated adequate fit (goodness-of-fit index: 0.91), scale reliability (Cronbach's alphas: 0.71–0.91), and discriminant validity (average factor correlations: 0.49). Conclusions It is possible to measure primary care team dynamics reliably using a 29-item survey. This survey may be used in ambulatory settings to study teamwork and explore the effect of efforts to improve team-based care. Future studies should demonstrate the importance of team dynamics for markers of team effectiveness (e.g., work satisfaction, care quality, clinical outcomes). PMID:25423886

Development and validation of the primary care team dynamics survey.

PubMed

Song, Hummy; Chien, Alyna T; Fisher, Josephine; Martin, Julia; Peters, Antoinette S; Hacker, Karen; Rosenthal, Meredith B; Singer, Sara J

2015-06-01

To develop and validate a survey instrument designed to measure team dynamics in primary care. We studied 1,080 physician and nonphysician health care professionals working at 18 primary care practices participating in a learning collaborative aimed at improving team-based care. We developed a conceptual model and administered a cross-sectional survey addressing team dynamics, and we assessed reliability and discriminant validity of survey factors and the overall survey's goodness-of-fit using structural equation modeling. We administered the survey between September 2012 and March 2013. Overall response rate was 68 percent (732 respondents). Results support a seven-factor model of team dynamics, suggesting that conditions for team effectiveness, shared understanding, and three supportive processes are associated with acting and feeling like a team and, in turn, perceived team effectiveness. This model demonstrated adequate fit (goodness-of-fit index: 0.91), scale reliability (Cronbach's alphas: 0.71-0.91), and discriminant validity (average factor correlations: 0.49). It is possible to measure primary care team dynamics reliably using a 29-item survey. This survey may be used in ambulatory settings to study teamwork and explore the effect of efforts to improve team-based care. Future studies should demonstrate the importance of team dynamics for markers of team effectiveness (e.g., work satisfaction, care quality, clinical outcomes). © Health Research and Educational Trust.

The Work-Health-Check (WHC): a brief new tool for assessing psychosocial stress in the workplace.

PubMed

Gadinger, M C; Schilling, O; Litaker, D; Fischer, J E

2012-01-01

Brief, psychometrically robust questionnaires assessing work-related psychosocial stressors are lacking. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of a brief new questionnaire for assessing sources of work-related psychosocial stress. Managers, blue- and white-collar workers (n= 628 at measurement point one, n=459 at measurement point two), sampled from an online panel of a German marketing research institute. We either developed or identified appropriate items from existing questionnaires for ten scales, which are conceptually based in work stress models and reflected either work-related demands or resources. Factorial structure was evaluated by confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). Scale reliability was assessed by Cronbach's Alpha, and test-retest; correlations with work-related efforts demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity for the demand and resource scales, respectively. Scale correlations with health indicators tested criterion validity. All scales had satisfactory reliability (Cronbach's Alpha: 0.74-0.93, retest reliabilities: 0.66-0.81). CFA supported the anticipated factorial structure. Significant correlations between job-related efforts and demand scales (mean r=0.44) and non-significant correlations with the resource scales (mean r=0.07) suggested good convergent and discriminant validity, respectively. Scale correlations with health indicators demonstrated good criterion validity. The WHC appears to be a brief, psychometrically robust instrument for assessing work-related psychosocial stressors.

Discrimination of correlated and entangling quantum channels with selective process tomography

DOE PAGES

Dumitrescu, Eugene; Humble, Travis S.

2016-10-10

The accurate and reliable characterization of quantum dynamical processes underlies efforts to validate quantum technologies, where discrimination between competing models of observed behaviors inform efforts to fabricate and operate qubit devices. We present a protocol for quantum channel discrimination that leverages advances in direct characterization of quantum dynamics (DCQD) codes. We demonstrate that DCQD codes enable selective process tomography to improve discrimination between entangling and correlated quantum dynamics. Numerical simulations show selective process tomography requires only a few measurement configurations to achieve a low false alarm rate and that the DCQD encoding improves the resilience of the protocol to hiddenmore » sources of noise. Lastly, our results show that selective process tomography with DCQD codes is useful for efficiently distinguishing sources of correlated crosstalk from uncorrelated noise in current and future experimental platforms.« less

Calculation and application of activity discriminants in lead optimization.

PubMed

Luo, Xincai; Krumrine, Jennifer R; Shenvi, Ashok B; Pierson, M Edward; Bernstein, Peter R

2010-11-01

We present a technique for computing activity discriminants of in vitro (pharmacological, DMPK, and safety) assays and the application to the prediction of in vitro activities of proposed synthetic targets during the lead optimization phase of drug discovery projects. This technique emulates how medicinal chemists perform SAR analysis and activity prediction. The activity discriminants that are functions of 6 commonly used medicinal chemistry descriptors can be interpreted easily by medicinal chemists. Further, visualization with Spotfire allows medicinal chemists to analyze how the query molecule is related to compounds tested previously, and to evaluate easily the relevance of the activity discriminants to the activities of the query molecule. Validation with all compounds synthesized and tested in AstraZeneca Wilmington since 2006 demonstrates that this approach is useful for prioritizing new synthetic targets for synthesis. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of the Australian version of the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R).

PubMed

Jefford, Elaine; Hollins Martin, Caroline J; Martin, Colin R

2018-02-01

The 10-item Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) has recently been endorsed by international expert consensus for global use as the birth satisfaction outcome measure of choice. English-language versions of the tool include validated UK and US versions; however, the instrument has not, to date, been contextualised and validated in an Australian English-language version. The current investigation sought to develop and validate an English-language version of the tool for use within the Australian context. A two-stage study. Following review and modification by expert panel, the Australian BSS-R (A-BSS-R) was (Stage 1) evaluated for factor structure, internal consistency, known-groups discriminant validity and divergent validity. Stage 2 directly compared the A-BSS-R data set with the original UK data set to determine the invariance characteristics of the new instrument. Participants were a purposive sample of Australian postnatal women (n = 198). The A-BSS-R offered a good fit to data consistent with the BSS-R tridimensional measurement model and was found to be conceptually and measurement equivalent to the UK version. The A-BSS-R demonstrated excellent known-groups discriminant validity, generally good divergent validity and overall good internal consistency. The A-BSS-R represents a robust and valid measure of the birth satisfaction concept suitable for use within Australia and appropriate for application to International comparative studies.

The Construct Validity of the Dutch Personality Inventory for DSM-5 Personality Disorders (PID-5) in a Clinical Sample.

PubMed

Bastiaens, Tim; Claes, Laurence; Smits, Dirk; De Clercq, Barbara; De Fruyt, Filip; Rossi, Gina; Vanwalleghem, Dominique; Vermote, Rudi; Lowyck, Benedicte; Claes, Stephan; De Hert, Marc

2016-02-01

The factor structure and the convergent validity of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5), a self-report questionnaire designed to measure personality pathology as advocated in the fifth edition, Section III of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), are already demonstrated in general population samples, but need replication in clinical samples. In 240 Flemish inpatients, we examined the factor structure of the PID-5 by means of exploratory structural equation modeling. Additionally, we investigated differences in PID-5 higher order domain scores according to gender, age and educational level, and explored convergent and discriminant validity by relating the PID-5 with the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Basic Questionnaire and by comparing PID-5 scores of inpatients with and without a DSM-IV categorical personality disorder diagnosis. Our results confirmed the original five-factor structure of the PID-5. The reliability and the convergent and discriminant validity of the PID-5 proved to be adequate. Implications for future research are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

[Symptom and complaint validation of chronic pain in social medical evaluation. Part I: Terminological and methodological approaches].

PubMed

Dohrenbusch, R

2009-06-01

Chronic pain accompanied by disability and handicap is a frequent symptom necessitating medical assessment. Current guidelines for the assessment of malingering suggest discrimination between explanatory demonstration, aggravation and simulation. However, this distinction has not clearly been put into operation and validated. The necessity of assessment strategies based on general principles of psychological assessment and testing is emphasized. Standardized and normalized psychological assessment methods and symptom validation techniques should be used in the assessment of subjects with chronic pain problems. An adaptive procedure for assessing the validity of complaints is suggested to minimize effort and costs.

Predictive Accuracy of the Liverpool Lung Project Risk Model for Stratifying Patients for Computed Tomography Screening for Lung Cancer

PubMed Central

Raji, Olaide Y.; Duffy, Stephen W.; Agbaje, Olorunshola F.; Baker, Stuart G.; Christiani, David C.; Cassidy, Adrian; Field, John K.

2013-01-01

Background External validation of existing lung cancer risk prediction models is limited. Using such models in clinical practice to guide the referral of patients for computed tomography (CT) screening for lung cancer depends on external validation and evidence of predicted clinical benefit. Objective To evaluate the discrimination of the Liverpool Lung Project (LLP) risk model and demonstrate its predicted benefit for stratifying patients for CT screening by using data from 3 independent studies from Europe and North America. Design Case–control and prospective cohort study. Setting Europe and North America. Patients Participants in the European Early Lung Cancer (EUELC) and Harvard case–control studies and the LLP population-based prospective cohort (LLPC) study. Measurements 5-year absolute risks for lung cancer predicted by the LLP model. Results The LLP risk model had good discrimination in both the Harvard (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.76 [95% CI, 0.75 to 0.78]) and the LLPC (AUC, 0.82 [CI, 0.80 to 0.85]) studies and modest discrimination in the EUELC (AUC, 0.67 [CI, 0.64 to 0.69]) study. The decision utility analysis, which incorporates the harms and benefit of using a risk model to make clinical decisions, indicates that the LLP risk model performed better than smoking duration or family history alone in stratifying high-risk patients for lung cancer CT screening. Limitations The model cannot assess whether including other risk factors, such as lung function or genetic markers, would improve accuracy. Lack of information on asbestos exposure in the LLPC limited the ability to validate the complete LLP risk model. Conclusion Validation of the LLP risk model in 3 independent external data sets demonstrated good discrimination and evidence of predicted benefits for stratifying patients for lung cancer CT screening. Further studies are needed to prospectively evaluate model performance and evaluate the optimal population risk thresholds for initiating lung cancer screening. Primary Funding Source Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. PMID:22910935

Environmental education curriculum evaluation questionnaire: A reliability and validity study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minner, Daphne Diane

The intention of this research project was to bridge the gap between social science research and application to the environmental domain through the development of a theoretically derived instrument designed to give educators a template by which to evaluate environmental education curricula. The theoretical base for instrument development was provided by several developmental theories such as Piaget's theory of cognitive development, Developmental Systems Theory, Life-span Perspective, as well as curriculum research within the area of environmental education. This theoretical base fueled the generation of a list of components which were then translated into a questionnaire with specific questions relevant to the environmental education domain. The specific research question for this project is: Can a valid assessment instrument based largely on human development and education theory be developed that reliably discriminates high, moderate, and low quality in environmental education curricula? The types of analyses conducted to answer this question were interrater reliability (percent agreement, Cohen's Kappa coefficient, Pearson's Product-Moment correlation coefficient), test-retest reliability (percent agreement, correlation), and criterion-related validity (correlation). Face validity and content validity were also assessed through thorough reviews. Overall results indicate that 29% of the questions on the questionnaire demonstrated a high level of interrater reliability and 43% of the questions demonstrated a moderate level of interrater reliability. Seventy-one percent of the questions demonstrated a high test-retest reliability and 5% a moderate level. Fifty-five percent of the questions on the questionnaire were reliable (high or moderate) both across time and raters. Only eight questions (8%) did not show either interrater or test-retest reliability. The global overall rating of high, medium, or low quality was reliable across both coders and time, indicating that the questionnaire can discriminate differences in quality of environmental education curricula. Of the 35 curricula evaluated, 6 were high quality, 14 were medium quality and 15 were low quality. The criterion-related validity of the instrument is at current time unable to be established due to the lack of comparable measures or a concretely usable set of multidisciplinary standards. Face and content validity were sufficiently demonstrated.

Open-Minded Cognition.

PubMed

Price, Erika; Ottati, Victor; Wilson, Chase; Kim, Soyeon

2015-11-01

The present research conceptualizes open-minded cognition as a cognitive style that influences how individuals select and process information. An open-minded cognitive style is marked by willingness to consider a variety of intellectual perspectives, values, opinions, or beliefs-even those that contradict the individual's opinion. An individual's level of cognitive openness is expected to vary across domains (such as politics and religion). Four studies develop and validate a novel measure of open-minded cognition, as well as two domain-specific measures of religious and political open-minded cognition. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (controlling for acquiescence bias) are used to develop the scales in Studies 1 to 3. Study 4 demonstrates that these scales possess convergent and discriminant validity. Study 5 demonstrates the scale's unique predictive validity using the outcome of Empathic Concern (Davis, 1980). Study 6 demonstrates the scale's unique predictive validity using the outcomes of warmth toward racial, religious, and sexual minorities. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Measuring attitudes towards suicide: Preliminary evaluation of an attitude towards suicide scale.

PubMed

Cwik, Jan Christopher; Till, Benedikt; Bieda, Angela; Blackwell, Simon E; Walter, Carolin; Teismann, Tobias

2017-01-01

Our study aimed to validate a previously published scale assessing attitudes towards suicide. Factor structure, convergent and discriminant validity, and predictive validity were investigated. Adult German participants (N=503; mean age=24.74years; age range=18-67years) anonymously completed a set of questionnaires. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted, and incongruous items were deleted. Subsequently, scale properties of the reduced scale and its construct validity were analyzed. A confirmatory factor analysis was then conducted in an independent sample (N=266; mean age=28.77years; age range=18-88years) to further confirm the factor structure of the questionnaire. Parallel analysis indicated a three-factor solution, which was also supported by confirmatory factor analysis: right to commit suicide, interpersonal gesture and resilience. The subscales demonstrated acceptable construct and discriminant validity. Cronbach's α for the subscales ranged from 0.67 to 0.83, explaining 49.70% of the total variance. Positive attitudes towards suicide proved to be predictive of suicide risk status, providing preliminary evidence for the utility of the scale. Future studies aiming to reproduce the factor structure in a more heterogeneous sample are warranted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The IMPACT-III (HR) questionnaire: a valid measure of health-related quality of life in Croatian children with inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Abdovic, Slaven; Mocic Pavic, Ana; Milosevic, Milan; Persic, Mladen; Senecic-Cala, Irena; Kolacek, Sanja

2013-12-01

To assess the reliability and validity of IMPACT-III (HR), a disease-specific, health-related quality of life instrument in Croatian children with inflammatory bowel disease. In a multicenter study, 104 children participated in a validation study of IMPACT-III (HR) cross-culturally adapted for Croatia. Factor analysis was used to determine optimal domain structure for this cohort, analysis of Cronbach's alpha coefficients to test internal reliability, ANOVA to assess discriminant validity, and correlation with Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Version 4.0 (PedsQL) using Pearson correlation coefficients to assess concurrent validity. Cronbach's alpha for the IMPACT-III (HR) total score was 0.92. The most robust factor solution was a 5-domain structure: Symptoms, Concerns, Socializing, Body Image, and Worry about Stool, all of which demonstrated good internal reliability (α=0.60-0.89), but two items were dropped to achieve this. Discriminant validity was demonstrated by significant differences (P<0.001) in mean IMPACT-III (HR) scores between quiescent and mild or moderate-severe disease activity groups for total (148 vs. 139 or 125) and following factor scores: Symptoms (84 vs. 71 or 61), Socializing (91 vs. 83 or 76), and Worry about Stool (significant only between quiescent and moderate-severe groups, 90 vs. 62, respectively). Concurrent validity of IMPACT-III (HR) with PedsQL showed significant correlation, which was strongest when similar domains were compared. IMPACT-III (HR) appears to be useful tool to measure health-related quality of life in Croatian children with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Copyright © 2012 European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is the kidney disease quality of life-36 (KDQOL-36) a valid instrument for Chinese dialysis patients?

PubMed

Chow, Susan Ka Yee; Tam, Bonnie Mee Ling

2014-12-15

The aim of this study is to determine the validity and reliability of the Cantonese Chinese version of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 (KDQOL-36™) questionnaire. The scale has been translated into Cantonese Chinese, but has not been tested among the Cantonese-speaking populations. A total of 110 dialysis patients and 122 renal transplant patients were recruited. The data for the KDQOL-36™ were extracted from the KDQOL-Short Form. The criterion validity and scale equivalence were examined using the KDQOL-Short Form scores as the gold standard. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale was used to identify the correlations between depression, anxiety, and quality of life to establish the convergent validity. Discriminant validity was examined using the transplant patients to compare the quality of life of dialysis patients. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and test-retest were used for estimating reliability. There were very strong positive correlations for the physical and mental component summary between the KDQOL-36™ and KDQOL-Short Form. Despite the strong correlations, the effect size was 0.6 and 0.13 for the physical composite summary and mental composite summary score, respectively. Most of the subscales demonstrated significant moderate correlations with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, from -0.265 to -0.516. The discriminant validity was confirmed with a significant difference between the dialysis and transplant group patients. A high intraclass correlation of >0.98 was demonstrated in the test-retest. The Cantonese Chinese KDQOL-36™ was reliable. Further testing will be required to determine its validity for the physical health summary scale.

Rapid prediction of ochratoxin A-producing strains of Penicillium on dry-cured meat by MOS-based electronic nose.

PubMed

Lippolis, Vincenzo; Ferrara, Massimo; Cervellieri, Salvatore; Damascelli, Anna; Epifani, Filomena; Pascale, Michelangelo; Perrone, Giancarlo

2016-02-02

The availability of rapid diagnostic methods for monitoring ochratoxigenic species during the seasoning processes for dry-cured meats is crucial and constitutes a key stage in order to prevent the risk of ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination. A rapid, easy-to-perform and non-invasive method using an electronic nose (e-nose) based on metal oxide semiconductors (MOS) was developed to discriminate dry-cured meat samples in two classes based on the fungal contamination: class P (samples contaminated by OTA-producing Penicillium strains) and class NP (samples contaminated by OTA non-producing Penicillium strains). Two OTA-producing strains of Penicillium nordicum and two OTA non-producing strains of Penicillium nalgiovense and Penicillium salamii, were tested. The feasibility of this approach was initially evaluated by e-nose analysis of 480 samples of both Yeast extract sucrose (YES) and meat-based agar media inoculated with the tested Penicillium strains and incubated up to 14 days. The high recognition percentages (higher than 82%) obtained by Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA), either in calibration and cross-validation (leave-more-out approach), for both YES and meat-based samples demonstrated the validity of the used approach. The e-nose method was subsequently developed and validated for the analysis of dry-cured meat samples. A total of 240 e-nose analyses were carried out using inoculated sausages, seasoned by a laboratory-scale process and sampled at 5, 7, 10 and 14 days. DFA provided calibration models that permitted discrimination of dry-cured meat samples after only 5 days of seasoning with mean recognition percentages in calibration and cross-validation of 98 and 88%, respectively. A further validation of the developed e-nose method was performed using 60 dry-cured meat samples produced by an industrial-scale seasoning process showing a total recognition percentage of 73%. The pattern of volatile compounds of dry-cured meat samples was identified and characterized by a developed HS-SPME/GC-MS method. Seven volatile compounds (2-methyl-1-butanol, octane, 1R-α-pinene, d-limonene, undecane, tetradecanal, 9-(Z)-octadecenoic acid methyl ester) allowed discrimination between dry-cured meat samples of classes P and NP. These results demonstrate that MOS-based electronic nose can be a useful tool for a rapid screening in preventing OTA contamination in the cured meat supply chain. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Introducing a short version of the physical self description questionnaire: new strategies, short-form evaluative criteria, and applications of factor analyses.

PubMed

Marsh, Herbert W; Martin, Andrew J; Jackson, Susan

2010-08-01

Based on the Physical Self Description Questionnaire (PSDQ) normative archive (n = 1,607 Australian adolescents), 40 of 70 items were selected to construct a new short form (PSDQ-S). The PSDQ-S was evaluated in a new cross-validation sample of 708 Australian adolescents and four additional samples: 349 Australian elite-athlete adolescents, 986 Spanish adolescents, 395 Israeli university students, 760 Australian older adults. Across these six groups, the 11 PSDQ-S factors had consistently high reliabilities and invariant factor structures. Study 1, using a missing-by-design variation of multigroup invariance tests, showed invariance across 40 PSDQ-S items and 70 PSDQ items. Study 2 demonstrated factorial invariance over a 1-year interval (test-retest correlations .57-.90; Mdn = .77), and good convergent and discriminant validity in relation to time. Study 3 showed good and nearly identical support for convergent and discriminant validity of PSDQ and PSDQ-S responses in relation to two other physical self-concept instruments.

Discrimination of Apple Liqueurs (Nalewka) Using a Voltammetric Electronic Tongue, UV-Vis and Raman Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Śliwińska, Magdalena; Garcia-Hernandez, Celia; Kościński, Mikołaj; Dymerski, Tomasz; Wardencki, Waldemar; Namieśnik, Jacek; Śliwińska-Bartkowiak, Małgorzata; Jurga, Stefan; Garcia-Cabezon, Cristina; Rodriguez-Mendez, Maria Luz

2016-01-01

The capability of a phthalocyanine-based voltammetric electronic tongue to analyze strong alcoholic beverages has been evaluated and compared with the performance of spectroscopic techniques coupled to chemometrics. Nalewka Polish liqueurs prepared from five apple varieties have been used as a model of strong liqueurs. Principal Component Analysis has demonstrated that the best discrimination between liqueurs prepared from different apple varieties is achieved using the e-tongue and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Raman spectra coupled to chemometrics have not been efficient in discriminating liqueurs. The calculated Euclidean distances and the k-Nearest Neighbors algorithm (kNN) confirmed these results. The main advantage of the e-tongue is that, using PLS-1, good correlations have been found simultaneously with the phenolic content measured by the Folin–Ciocalteu method (R2 of 0.97 in calibration and R2 of 0.93 in validation) and also with the density, a marker of the alcoholic content method (R2 of 0.93 in calibration and R2 of 0.88 in validation). UV-Vis coupled with chemometrics has shown good correlations only with the phenolic content (R2 of 0.99 in calibration and R2 of 0.99 in validation) but correlations with the alcoholic content were low. Raman coupled with chemometrics has shown good correlations only with density (R2 of 0.96 in calibration and R2 of 0.85 in validation). In summary, from the three holistic methods evaluated to analyze strong alcoholic liqueurs, the voltammetric electronic tongue using phthalocyanines as sensing elements is superior to Raman or UV-Vis techniques because it shows an excellent discrimination capability and remarkable correlations with both antioxidant capacity and alcoholic content—the most important parameters to be measured in this type of liqueurs.  PMID:27735832

Discrimination of Apple Liqueurs (Nalewka) Using a Voltammetric Electronic Tongue, UV-Vis and Raman Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Śliwińska, Magdalena; Garcia-Hernandez, Celia; Kościński, Mikołaj; Dymerski, Tomasz; Wardencki, Waldemar; Namieśnik, Jacek; Śliwińska-Bartkowiak, Małgorzata; Jurga, Stefan; Garcia-Cabezon, Cristina; Rodriguez-Mendez, Maria Luz

2016-10-09

The capability of a phthalocyanine-based voltammetric electronic tongue to analyze strong alcoholic beverages has been evaluated and compared with the performance of spectroscopic techniques coupled to chemometrics. Nalewka Polish liqueurs prepared from five apple varieties have been used as a model of strong liqueurs. Principal Component Analysis has demonstrated that the best discrimination between liqueurs prepared from different apple varieties is achieved using the e-tongue and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Raman spectra coupled to chemometrics have not been efficient in discriminating liqueurs. The calculated Euclidean distances and the k-Nearest Neighbors algorithm (kNN) confirmed these results. The main advantage of the e-tongue is that, using PLS-1, good correlations have been found simultaneously with the phenolic content measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu method (R² of 0.97 in calibration and R² of 0.93 in validation) and also with the density, a marker of the alcoholic content method (R² of 0.93 in calibration and R² of 0.88 in validation). UV-Vis coupled with chemometrics has shown good correlations only with the phenolic content (R² of 0.99 in calibration and R² of 0.99 in validation) but correlations with the alcoholic content were low. Raman coupled with chemometrics has shown good correlations only with density (R² of 0.96 in calibration and R² of 0.85 in validation). In summary, from the three holistic methods evaluated to analyze strong alcoholic liqueurs, the voltammetric electronic tongue using phthalocyanines as sensing elements is superior to Raman or UV-Vis techniques because it shows an excellent discrimination capability and remarkable correlations with both antioxidant capacity and alcoholic content-the most important parameters to be measured in this type of liqueurs.

The utility of the PAI and the MMPI-2 for discriminating PTSD, depression, and social phobia in trauma-exposed college students.

PubMed

McDevitt-Murphy, Meghan E; Weathers, Frank W; Flood, Amanda M; Eakin, David E; Benson, Trisha A

2007-06-01

This study investigated the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Revised (MMPI-2; Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) with regard to each instrument's utility for discriminating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from depression and social phobia in a sample of college students with mixed civilian trauma exposure. Participants were 90 trauma-exposed undergraduates (16 male, 74 female) classified into one of four groups: PTSD, depressive disorders, social phobia, and well-adjusted. For both the PAI and the MMPI-2, profile analysis revealed that the groups differed in the elevation and shape of their profiles. The PAI Traumatic Stress subscale demonstrated good discriminant validity.

Validation of the Novaco Anger Scale-Provocation Inventory (Danish) With Nonclinical, Clinical, and Offender Samples.

PubMed

Moeller, Stine Bjerrum; Novaco, Raymond W; Heinola-Nielsen, Vivian; Hougaard, Helle

2016-10-01

Anger has high prevalence in clinical and forensic settings, and it is associated with aggressive behavior and ward atmosphere on psychiatric units. Dysregulated anger is a clinical problem in Danish mental health care systems, but no anger assessment instruments have been validated in Danish. Because the Novaco Anger Scale and Provocation Inventory (NAS-PI) has been extensively validated with different clinical populations and lends itself to clinical case formulation, it was selected for translation and evaluation in the present multistudy project. Psychometric properties of the NAS-PI were investigated with samples of 477 nonclinical, 250 clinical, 167 male prisoner, and 64 male forensic participants. Anger prevalence and its relationship with other anger measures, anxiety/depression, and aggression were examined. NAS-PI was found to have high reliability, concurrent validity, and discriminant validity, and its scores discriminated the samples. High scores in the offender group demonstrated the feasibility of obtaining self-report assessments of anger with this population. Retrospective and prospective validity of the NAS were tested with the forensic patient sample regarding physically aggressive behavior in hospital. Regression analyses showed that higher scores on NAS increase the risk of having acted aggressively in the past and of acting aggressively in the future. © The Author(s) 2015.

Validation and clinical utility of the executive function performance test in persons with traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Baum, C M; Wolf, T J; Wong, A W K; Chen, C H; Walker, K; Young, A C; Carlozzi, N E; Tulsky, D S; Heaton, R K; Heinemann, A W

2017-07-01

This study examined the relationships between the Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT), the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Function tests, and neuropsychological executive function measures in 182 persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 46 controls to evaluate construct, discriminant, and predictive validity. Construct validity: There were moderate correlations between the EFPT and the NIH Toolbox Crystallized (r = -.479), Fluid Tests (r = -.420), and Total Composite Scores (r = -.496). Discriminant validity: Significant differences were found in the EFPT total and sequence scores across control, complicated mild/moderate, and severe TBI groups. We found differences in the organisation score between control and severe, and between mild and severe TBI groups. Both TBI groups had significantly lower scores in safety and judgement than controls. Compared to the controls, the severe TBI group demonstrated significantly lower performance on all instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) tasks. Compared to the mild TBI group, the controls performed better on the medication task, the severe TBI group performed worse in the cooking and telephone tasks. Predictive validity: The EFPT predicted the self-perception of independence measured by the TBI-QOL (beta = -0.49, p < .001) for the severe TBI group. Overall, these data support the validity of the EFPT for use in individuals with TBI.

The City of Hope-Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire: Persian Translation and Validation

PubMed Central

Anaraki, F; Vafaie, M; Behboo, R; Esmaeilpour, S; Maghsoodi, N; Safaee, A; Grant, M

2014-01-01

Background: Since there is no disease-specific instrument for measuring quality-of-life (QOL) in Ostomy patients in Persian language. Aim: This study was designed to translate and evaluate the validity and reliability of City of Hope-quality of life-Ostomy questionnaire (COH-QOL-Ostomy questionnaire). Subjects and Methods: This study was designed as cross-sectional study. Reliability of the subscales and the summary scores were demonstrated by intra-class correlation coefficients. Pearson's correlations of an item with its own scale and other scales were calculated to evaluated convergent and discriminant validity. Clinical validity was also evaluated by known-group comparisons. Results: Cronbach's alpha coefficient for all subscales was about 0.70 or higher. Results of interscale correlation were satisfactory and each subscale only measured a single and specified trait. All subscales met the standards of convergent and discriminant validity. Known group comparison analysis showed significant differences in social and spiritual well-being. Conclusion: The findings confirmed the reliability and validity of Persian version of COH-QOL-Ostomy questionnaire. The instrument was also well received by the Iranian patients. It can be considered as a valuable instrument to assess the different aspects of health related quality-of-life in Ostomy patients and used in clinical research in the future. PMID:25221719

Utility of the Trauma Symptom Inventory's Atypical Response Scale in Detecting Malingered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elhai, Jon D.; Gray, Matthew J.; Naifeh, James A.; Butcher, Jimmie J.; Davis, Joanne L.; Falsetti, Sherry A.; Best, Connie L.

2005-01-01

The authors examined the Trauma Symptom Inventorys (TSI) ability to discriminate 88 student post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) simulators screened for genuine PTSD from 48 clinical PTSD-diagnosed outpatients. Results demonstrated between-group differences on several TSI clinical scales and the Atypical Response (ATR) validity scale.…

Conceptualizing Sex Offender Denial from a Multifaceted Framework: Investigating the Psychometric Qualities of a New Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Sandy; Daniels, Melissa

2012-01-01

The authors examined the psychometric properties of a clinician-rated measure of sex offender denial. Convergent and discriminant validity for the measure was supported, and given its relationship to treatment attitudes, the measure demonstrated utility for assessing treatment change and readiness. (Contains 3 tables.)

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the attitudes towards cardiopulmonary resuscitation with defibrillation (ACPRD-C) among female hospital nurses in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lin, Hsing-Long; Lin, Mei-Hsiang; Ho, Chao-Chung; Fu, Chin-Hua; Koo, Malcolm

2017-07-01

Nurses are often the first responders to in-hospital cardiac emergencies. A positive attitude towards cardiopulmonary resuscitation with defibrillation may contribute to early cardiopulmonary resuscitation and rapid defibrillation, which are associated with enhanced long-term survival. The aim of this study was to translate and adapt the 31-item attitudes towards cardiopulmonary resuscitation with defibrillation and the national resuscitation guidelines (ACPRD) instrument into Chinese and to evaluate its psychometric properties in a sample of Taiwanese hospital nurses. The ACPRD instrument was translated into Chinese using professional translation services. Content validity index based on five experts to refine the translated instrument. The final instrument was applied to a sample of 290 female nurses, recruited from a regional hospital in southern Taiwan, to assess its internal consistency, factor structure, and discriminative validity. The Chinese ACPRD instrument showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.87). Seven factors emerged from the factor analysis. The instrument showed good discriminative validity and were able to differentiate the attitudes of nurses with more experience of defibrillation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation from those with less experience. Nurses working in emergency ward or intensive care unit also showed significantly higher overall scores compared to those working in other units. The Chinese ACPRD demonstrated adequate content validity, internal consistency, sensible factor structure, and good discriminative validity. Among Chinese-speaking nurses, it may be used as a tool for assessing the effectiveness of educational programs that aim to improve their confidence in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation with defibrillation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contextual Advantage for State Discrimination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmid, David; Spekkens, Robert W.

2018-02-01

Finding quantitative aspects of quantum phenomena which cannot be explained by any classical model has foundational importance for understanding the boundary between classical and quantum theory. It also has practical significance for identifying information processing tasks for which those phenomena provide a quantum advantage. Using the framework of generalized noncontextuality as our notion of classicality, we find one such nonclassical feature within the phenomenology of quantum minimum-error state discrimination. Namely, we identify quantitative limits on the success probability for minimum-error state discrimination in any experiment described by a noncontextual ontological model. These constraints constitute noncontextuality inequalities that are violated by quantum theory, and this violation implies a quantum advantage for state discrimination relative to noncontextual models. Furthermore, our noncontextuality inequalities are robust to noise and are operationally formulated, so that any experimental violation of the inequalities is a witness of contextuality, independently of the validity of quantum theory. Along the way, we introduce new methods for analyzing noncontextuality scenarios and demonstrate a tight connection between our minimum-error state discrimination scenario and a Bell scenario.

Target discrimination method for SAR images based on semisupervised co-training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yan; Du, Lan; Dai, Hui

2018-01-01

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) target discrimination is usually performed in a supervised manner. However, supervised methods for SAR target discrimination may need lots of labeled training samples, whose acquirement is costly, time consuming, and sometimes impossible. This paper proposes an SAR target discrimination method based on semisupervised co-training, which utilizes a limited number of labeled samples and an abundant number of unlabeled samples. First, Lincoln features, widely used in SAR target discrimination, are extracted from the training samples and partitioned into two sets according to their physical meanings. Second, two support vector machine classifiers are iteratively co-trained with the extracted two feature sets based on the co-training algorithm. Finally, the trained classifiers are exploited to classify the test data. The experimental results on real SAR images data not only validate the effectiveness of the proposed method compared with the traditional supervised methods, but also demonstrate the superiority of co-training over self-training, which only uses one feature set.

The influence of acculturation on substance use behaviors among Latina sexual minority women: the mediating role of discrimination.

PubMed

Matthews, Alicia; Li, Chien-Ching; Aranda, Frances; Torres, Lourdes; Vargas, Maria; Conrad, Megan

2014-12-01

A large body of work has demonstrated that sexual minority women have elevated rates of substance use morbidity, as compared with heterosexual women, and that this might be especially true for women of color. This study examines the influence of acculturation and discrimination on substance use among Latina sexual minority women. Data were collected from 2007 to 2008 as part of a larger community-based survey in the greater Chicago area. Scales measured discrimination, acculturation, and substance use. Structural equation modeling validated scales and examined their relationships, which were further described via mediation analysis. Increased acculturation leads to substance use and this relationship is partially mediated by discrimination (Sobel test = 2.10; p < .05). CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE: Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed. Funding was provided by several women's and public health organizations.

Internal consistency, concurrent validity, and discriminant validity of a measure of public support for policies for active living in transportation (PAL-T) in a population-based sample of adults.

PubMed

Fuller, Daniel; Gauvin, Lise; Fournier, Michel; Kestens, Yan; Daniel, Mark; Morency, Patrick; Drouin, Louis

2012-04-01

Active living is a broad conceptualization of physical activity that incorporates domains of exercise; recreational, household, and occupational activities; and active transportation. Policy makers develop and implement a variety of transportation policies that can influence choices about how to travel from one location to another. In making such decisions, policy makers act in part in response to public opinion or support for proposed policies. Measures of the public's support for policies aimed at promoting active transportation can inform researchers and policy makers. This study examined the internal consistency, and concurrent and discriminant validity of a newly developed measure of the public's support for policies for active living in transportation (PAL-T). A series of 17 items representing potential policies for promoting active transportation was generated. Two samples of participants (n = 2,001 and n = 2,502) from Montreal, Canada, were recruited via random digit dialling. Analyses were conducted on the combined data set (n = 4,503). Participants were aged 18 through 94 years (58% female). The concurrent and discriminant validity of the PAL-T was assessed by examining relationships with physical activity and smoking. To explore the usability of the PAL-T, predicted scale scores were compared to the summed values of responses. Results showed that the internal consistency of the PAL-T was 0.70. Multilevel regression demonstrated no relationship between the PAL-T and smoking status (p > 0.05) but significant relationships with utilitarian walking (p < 0.05) and cycling (p < 0.01) for at least 30 minutes on 5 days/week. The PAL-T has acceptable internal consistency and good concurrent and discriminant validity. Measuring public opinion can inform policy makers and support advocacy efforts aimed at making built environments more suitable for active transportation while allowing researchers to examine the antecedents and consequences of public support for policies.

Validity and reliability of the NAB Naming Test.

PubMed

Sachs, Bonnie C; Rush, Beth K; Pedraza, Otto

2016-05-01

Confrontation naming is commonly assessed in neuropsychological practice, but few standardized measures of naming exist and those that do are susceptible to the effects of education and culture. The Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB) Naming Test is a 31-item measure used to assess confrontation naming. Despite adequate psychometric information provided by the test publisher, there has been limited independent validation of the test. In this study, we investigated the convergent and discriminant validity, internal consistency, and alternate forms reliability of the NAB Naming Test in a sample of adults (Form 1: n = 247, Form 2: n = 151) clinically referred for neuropsychological evaluation. Results indicate adequate-to-good internal consistency and alternate forms reliability. We also found strong convergent validity as demonstrated by relationships with other neurocognitive measures. We found preliminary evidence that the NAB Naming Test demonstrates a more pronounced ceiling effect than other commonly used measures of naming. To our knowledge, this represents the largest published independent validation study of the NAB Naming Test in a clinical sample. Our findings suggest that the NAB Naming Test demonstrates adequate validity and reliability and merits consideration in the test arsenal of clinical neuropsychologists.

Intraoperative optical biopsy for brain tumors using spectro-lifetime properties of intrinsic fluorophores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasefi, Fartash; Kittle, David S.; Nie, Zhaojun; Falcone, Christina; Patil, Chirag G.; Chu, Ray M.; Mamelak, Adam N.; Black, Keith L.; Butte, Pramod V.

2016-04-01

We have developed and tested a system for real-time intra-operative optical identification and classification of brain tissues using time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy (TRFS). A supervised learning algorithm using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) employing selected intrinsic fluorescence decay temporal points in 6 spectral bands was employed to maximize statistical significance difference between training groups. The linear discriminant analysis on in vivo human tissues obtained by TRFS measurements (N = 35) were validated by histopathologic analysis and neuronavigation correlation to pre-operative MRI images. These results demonstrate that TRFS can differentiate between normal cortex, white matter and glioma.

Random search optimization based on genetic algorithm and discriminant function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiciman, M. O.; Akgul, M.; Erarslanoglu, G.

1990-01-01

The general problem of optimization with arbitrary merit and constraint functions, which could be convex, concave, monotonic, or non-monotonic, is treated using stochastic methods. To improve the efficiency of the random search methods, a genetic algorithm for the search phase and a discriminant function for the constraint-control phase were utilized. The validity of the technique is demonstrated by comparing the results to published test problem results. Numerical experimentation indicated that for cases where a quick near optimum solution is desired, a general, user-friendly optimization code can be developed without serious penalties in both total computer time and accuracy.

The discriminant (and convergent) validity of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5.

PubMed

Crego, Cristina; Gore, Whitney L; Rojas, Stephanie L; Widiger, Thomas A

2015-10-01

A considerable body of research has rapidly accumulated with respect to the validity of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) dimensional trait model as it is assessed by the Personality Inventory for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (PID-5; Krueger et al., 2012). This research though has not focused specifically on discriminant validity, although allusions to potentially problematic discriminant validity have been raised. The current study addressed discriminant validity, reporting for the first time the correlations among the PID-5 domain scales. Also reported are the bivariate correlations of the 25 PID-5 maladaptive trait scales with the personality domain scales of the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (Costa & McCrae, 1992), the International Personality Item Pool-NEO (Goldberg et al., 2006), the Inventory of Personal Characteristics (Almagor et al., 1995), the 5-Dimensional Personality Test (van Kampen, 2012), and the HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (Lee & Ashton, 2004). The results are discussed with respect to the implications of and alternative explanations for potentially problematic discriminant validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Validation of Karolinska Exhaustion Scale: psychometric properties of a measure of exhaustion syndrome.

PubMed

Saboonchi, Fredrik; Perski, Aleksander; Grossi, Giorgio

2013-12-01

The syndrome of exhaustion is currently a medical diagnosis in Sweden. The description of the syndrome largely corresponds to the suggested core component of burnout, that is exhaustion. Karolinska Exhaustion Scale (KES) has been constructed to provide specific assessment of exhaustion in clinical and research settings. The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of this scale in its original and revised versions by examining the factorial structure and measures of convergent and discriminant validity. Data gathered from two independent samples (n1 = 358 & n2 = 403) consisting of patients diagnosed with 'reaction to severe stress, and adjustment disorder' were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. The study's instruments were Karolinska Exhaustion Scale and Shirom Melam Burnout Measure. Correlation analyses were employed to follow up the established factorial structure of the scale. The study was ethically approved by Karolinska Institute regional ethic committee. The findings demonstrated adequate fit of the data to the measurement model provided by the revised version of KES Limitations: The main limitation of the present study is the lack of a gold standard of exhaustion for direct comparison with KES. (KES-26) and partially supported convergent validity and discriminant validity of the scale. The demonstrated psychometric properties of KES-26 indicate sound construct validity for this scale encouraging use of this scale in assessment of exhaustion. The factorial structure of KES-26 may also be used to provide information concerning possible different clinical profiles. © 2012 The Authors Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Reliability and validity of the Brief Pain Inventory in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Chen, Y-W; HajGhanbari, B; Road, J D; Coxson, H O; Camp, P G; Reid, W D

2018-06-08

Pain is prevalent in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) appears to be a feasible questionnaire to assess this symptom. However, the reliability and validity of the BPI have not been determined in individuals with COPD. This study aimed to determine the internal consistency, test-retest reliability and validity (construct, convergent, divergent and discriminant) of the BPI in individuals with COPD. In order to examine the test-retest reliability, individuals with COPD were recruited from pulmonary rehabilitation programmes to complete the BPI twice 1 week apart. In order to investigate validity, de-identified data was retrieved from two previous studies, including forced expiratory volume in 1-s, age, sex and data from four questionnaires: the BPI, short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) and Community Health Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) questionnaire. In total, 123 participants were included in the analyses (eligible data were retrieved from 86 participants and additional 37 participants were recruited). The BPI demonstrated excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability. It also showed convergent validity with the SF-MPQ and divergent validity with the SF-36. The factor analysis yielded two factors of the BPI, which demonstrated that the two domains of the BPI measure the intended constructs. The BPI can also discriminate pain levels among COPD patients with varied levels of quality of life (SF-36) and physical activity (CHAMPS). The BPI is a reliable and valid pain questionnaire that can be used to evaluate pain in COPD. This study formally established the reliability and validity of the BPI in individuals with COPD, which have not been determined in this patient group. The results of this study provide strong evidence that assessment results from this pain questionnaire are reliable and valid. © 2018 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

The Teenage Nonviolence Test: Concurrent and Discriminant Validity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konen, Kristopher; Mayton, Daniel M., II; Delva, Zenita; Sonnen, Melinda; Dahl, William; Montgomery, Richard

This study was designed to document the validity of the Teenage Nonviolence Test (TNT). In this study the concurrent validity of the TNT in various ways, the validity of the TNT using known groups, and the discriminant validity of the TNT by evaluating its relationships with other psychological constructs were assessed. The results showed that the…

Cross-cultural application of the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 questionnaire for elderly patients with cancer.

PubMed

Goo, Ae Jin; Shin, Dong Wook; Yang, Hyung Kook; Park, Jong-Hyock; Kim, So-Young; Shin, Joo Yeon; Kim, Young Ae; Kim, Changhoon; Hong, Nam-Soo; Min, Young Joo; Park, Keeho

2017-07-01

The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-ELD14 is a validated tool that measures Health-related Quality-of-life (HRQOL) for elderly patients with cancer. This study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 to determine if this tool can be used to evaluate HRQOL for older Korean patients with cancer. We recruited 439 elderly patients with cancer aged ≥60years from 11 cancer centers and completed the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 questionnaires. The reliability and validity of the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 questionnaire were assessed via Cronbach alpha, multitrait scaling analyses, correlation analyses with the EORTC QLQ-C30, and known-group comparisons. Known-group comparisons were conducted by dividing the patients into groups based on the cancer stage, depression level, and loss of mobility. The scale structure of the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 was consistent with the originally hypothesized scale structure. Cronbach alpha coefficients ranged 0.65-0.88. Multitrait scaling analysis showed good item convergent and discriminant validity. Low scaling errors (3.1%) were observed. Divergent validity was demonstrated by no strong correlation with the EORTC QLQ C30. The clinical validity of the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 was demonstrated by its ability to discriminate among patient subgroups categorized by AJCC stage, depression level, and loss of mobility. Our findings indicate that the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 questionnaire is reliable and valid for measuring QOL of older Korean patients with cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An FMRI-compatible Symbol Search task.

PubMed

Liebel, Spencer W; Clark, Uraina S; Xu, Xiaomeng; Riskin-Jones, Hannah H; Hawkshead, Brittany E; Schwarz, Nicolette F; Labbe, Donald; Jerskey, Beth A; Sweet, Lawrence H

2015-03-01

Our objective was to determine whether a Symbol Search paradigm developed for functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) is a reliable and valid measure of cognitive processing speed (CPS) in healthy older adults. As all older adults are expected to experience cognitive declines due to aging, and CPS is one of the domains most affected by age, establishing a reliable and valid measure of CPS that can be administered inside an MR scanner may prove invaluable in future clinical and research settings. We evaluated the reliability and construct validity of a newly developed FMRI Symbol Search task by comparing participants' performance in and outside of the scanner and to the widely used and standardized Symbol Search subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). A brief battery of neuropsychological measures was also administered to assess the convergent and discriminant validity of the FMRI Symbol Search task. The FMRI Symbol Search task demonstrated high test-retest reliability when compared to performance on the same task administered out of the scanner (r=.791; p<.001). The criterion validity of the new task was supported, as it exhibited a strong positive correlation with the WAIS Symbol Search (r=.717; p<.001). Predicted convergent and discriminant validity patterns of the FMRI Symbol Search task were also observed. The FMRI Symbol Search task is a reliable and valid measure of CPS in healthy older adults and exhibits expected sensitivity to the effects of age on CPS performance.

Reliability and validity of urinary nerve growth factor measurement in women with lower urinary tract symptoms.

PubMed

Vijaya, Gopalan; Cartwright, Rufus; Bhide, Alka; Derpapas, Alexandros; Fernando, Ruwan; Khullar, Vik

2016-11-01

The validity and reliability of measurement of urinary NGF as a diagnostic biomarker in women with lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) is uncertain. We aimed to evaluate both the diagnostic and discriminant validity, and the test-retest reliability of urinary NGF measurement in women with LUTD. Urinary NGF was measured in women with LUTD (n = 205) and asymptomatic subjects (n = 31). Urinary NGF was assayed using an ELISA method and normalized against urinary creatinine. NGF/creatinine ratios were compared between symptom subgroups using Mann-Whitney U test, and between different urodynamic diagnoses using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of urinary NGF. Test-retest reliability of NGF measurement was assessed using intra-class correlation (ICC). Urinary NGF was significantly but non-specifically increased in symptomatic patients when compared to controls (13.33 vs. 2.05 ng NGF/g Cr, P < 0.001). On multivariate logistic regression NGF was a good predictor of patients having OAB or not, however, the adjusted odds ratio only 1.006. ROC analysis demonstrated poor discriminant ability between different symptomatic groups and urodynamic groups. Using a cut off of 13.0 ng NGF/g creatinine the test provides a sensitivity of 81%, but a specificity of only 39% for overactive bladder. The assays demonstrated good test-retest reliability with ICC of 0.889. Although urinary NGF can be reliably assayed, and is increased in various LUTDs, it discriminates poorly between these disorders therefore has very limited potential as a biomarker. Neurourol. Urodynam. 35:944-948, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Shortened Version of the Reasons for Living-Older Adults Scale for Clinical and Research Utility.

PubMed

Lutz, Julie; Edelstein, Barry; Katz, Emma; Gallegos, Jarred V

2018-02-26

Older adults have elevated suicide rates, and identification of protective factors, such as reasons for living, is important in preventing suicide. The Reasons for Living-Older Adults scale (RFL-OA) is a 69-item measure of these protective factors in late life, which yields good psychometric properties. However, its length limits its utility in some clinical and research contexts where a shorter measure is ideal. The objective of this study was to create a shortened version of the RFL-OA. First, data collected previously during validation of the original RFL-OA (n = 199, age 65 and older, 65% female) were used to select 30 items, spanning all content areas, that were highly endorsed. Second, new data were collected (n = 219, age 60 and older, 52% female) with the 30-item RFL-OA and measures of depression, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, religiosity, health, and social desirability to examine the measure's internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validity. Scores on the 30-item RFL-OA exhibited strong internal consistency. The short RFL-OA demonstrated good convergent validity via significant, moderate correlations with suicidal ideation, hopelessness, depression, and religiosity. It demonstrated adequate discriminant validity via only small correlations with disability, subjective health, and social desirability. The shorter RFL-OA has good psychometric properties among community-dwelling older adults. It may have greater utility, compared to the original 69-item measure, for clinicians and researchers with limited time but who want to assess protective factors against suicidal behavior in late life.

The Rothschild Scale for Antidepressant Tachyphylaxis: reliability and validity.

PubMed

Rothschild, Anthony J

2008-01-01

After successful treatment of an episode of major depression, many patients complain of symptoms of apathy or decreased motivation (described by patients as "the blahs"), fatigue, dullness in cognitive function, sleep disturbance, weight gain, and sexual dysfunction; however, the characterization of this phenomenon of antidepressant tachyphylaxis has been hampered by the lack of an accepted definition and a reliable and valid assessment tool. To address this problem, the development and assessment of the Rothschild Scale for Antidepressant Tachyphylaxis (RSAT) are described. The RSAT consists of 6 self-report items assessing energy level, motivation and interest, cognitive functioning, weight gain, sleep, and sexual functioning. A seventh item, affect, is assessed by the interviewer. Each item is measured within a 5-point ordinal scale with anchor points developed to illustrate each rating. This study assesses the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the RSAT. The RSAT demonstrated excellent internal consistency and scale reliability (Cronbach alpha = .902). The RSAT also demonstrated strong test-retest reliability (for depressed patients: r = 0.822, P < .01; for control subjects: r = 0.887, P < .01). The total RSAT score did not correlate with severity of depression as measured by the total Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score or the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale item 1 (depressed mood), supporting the discriminant validity of the RSAT for use in antidepressant tachyphylaxis. The RSAT is a reliable measure of antidepressant tachyphylaxis.

Evidence of Convergent and Discriminant Validity of Child, Teacher, and Peer Reports of Teacher-Student Support

PubMed Central

Li, Yan; Hughes, Jan N.; Kwok, Oi-man; Hsu, Hsien-Yuan

2012-01-01

This study investigated the construct validity of measures of teacher-student support in a sample of 709 ethnically diverse second and third grade academically at-risk students. Confirmatory factor analysis investigated the convergent and discriminant validities of teacher, child, and peer reports of teacher-student support and child conduct problems. Results supported the convergent and discriminant validity of scores on the measures. Peer reports accounted for the largest proportion of trait variance and non-significant method variance. Child reports accounted for the smallest proportion of trait variance and the largest method variance. A model with two latent factors provided a better fit to the data than a model with one factor, providing further evidence of the discriminant validity of measures of teacher-student support. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed. PMID:21767024

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

Dumitrescu, Eugene; Humble, Travis S.

The accurate and reliable characterization of quantum dynamical processes underlies efforts to validate quantum technologies, where discrimination between competing models of observed behaviors inform efforts to fabricate and operate qubit devices. We present a protocol for quantum channel discrimination that leverages advances in direct characterization of quantum dynamics (DCQD) codes. We demonstrate that DCQD codes enable selective process tomography to improve discrimination between entangling and correlated quantum dynamics. Numerical simulations show selective process tomography requires only a few measurement configurations to achieve a low false alarm rate and that the DCQD encoding improves the resilience of the protocol to hiddenmore » sources of noise. Lastly, our results show that selective process tomography with DCQD codes is useful for efficiently distinguishing sources of correlated crosstalk from uncorrelated noise in current and future experimental platforms.« less

Optimal Decision Stimuli for Risky Choice Experiments: An Adaptive Approach.

PubMed

Cavagnaro, Daniel R; Gonzalez, Richard; Myung, Jay I; Pitt, Mark A

2013-02-01

Collecting data to discriminate between models of risky choice requires careful selection of decision stimuli. Models of decision making aim to predict decisions across a wide range of possible stimuli, but practical limitations force experimenters to select only a handful of them for actual testing. Some stimuli are more diagnostic between models than others, so the choice of stimuli is critical. This paper provides the theoretical background and a methodological framework for adaptive selection of optimal stimuli for discriminating among models of risky choice. The approach, called Adaptive Design Optimization (ADO), adapts the stimulus in each experimental trial based on the results of the preceding trials. We demonstrate the validity of the approach with simulation studies aiming to discriminate Expected Utility, Weighted Expected Utility, Original Prospect Theory, and Cumulative Prospect Theory models.

Convergent-Discriminant Validity of the Jewish Employment Vocational System (JEVS).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tryjankowski, Elaine M.

This study investigated the construct validity of five perceptual traits (auditory discrimination, visual discrimination, visual memory, visual-motor coordination, and auditory to visual-motor coordination) with five simulated work samples (union assembly, resistor reading, budgette assembly, lock assembly, and nail and screw sort) from the Jewish…

Comparing measures of attachment: "To whom one turns in times of stress", parental warmth, and partner satisfaction.

PubMed

Lindberg, Marc A; Fugett, April; Thomas, Stuart W

2012-01-01

The Attachment and Clinical Issues Questionnaire (ACIQ; M. A. Lindberg & S. W. Thomas, 2011), was developed over an 18-year period containing 29 scales. The purpose of the present study was to test (a) the validity of the attachment scales in terms of how they predict to whom one turns in times of stress and for affective sharing, and (b) how the attachment scales compared with the Experiences in Close Relationship Questionnaire (ECR) in terms of concurrent, convergent, and discriminant evidence. The relevant secure scales of the ACIQ predicted to whom one turned in study 1, and study 2 demonstrated good convergent evidence with the ECR, but superior concurrent evidence in predicting partner satisfaction, and superior discriminant evidence in differentially correlating with mother and father warmth. Thus, the ACIQ passed essential validity and psychometric tests and was a more robust measure than the ECR with these defining characteristics of attachment.

Core OCD Symptoms: Exploration of Specificity and Relations with Psychopathology

PubMed Central

Stasik, Sara M.; Naragon-Gainey, Kristin; Chmielewski, Michael; Watson, David

2012-01-01

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a heterogeneous condition, comprised of multiple symptom domains. This study used aggregate composite scales representing three core OCD dimensions (Checking, Cleaning, Rituals), as well as Hoarding, to examine the discriminant validity, diagnostic specificity, and predictive ability of OCD symptom scales. The core OCD scales demonstrated strong patterns of convergent and discriminant validity – suggesting that these dimensions are distinct from other self-reported symptoms – whereas hoarding symptoms correlated just as strongly with OCD and non-OCD symptoms in most analyses. Across analyses, our results indicated that Checking is a particularly strong, specific marker of OCD diagnosis, whereas the specificity of Cleaning and Hoarding to OCD was less strong. Finally, the OCD Checking scale was the only significant predictor of OCD diagnosis in logistic regression analyses. Results are discussed with regard to the importance of assessing OCD symptom dimensions separately and implications for classification. PMID:23026094

[Development of Autogenic Training Clinical Effectiveness Scale (ATCES)].

PubMed

Ikezuki, Makoto; Miyauchi, Yuko; Yamaguchi, Hajime; Koshikawa, Fusako

2002-02-01

The purpose of the present study was to develop a scale measuring clinical effectiveness of autogenic training. In Study 1, 167 undergraduates completed a survey of items concerning physical and mental states, which were thought to vary in the course of autogenic training. With item and factor analyses, 20 items were selected, and the resulting scale (ATCES) had high discrimination and clear factor structure. In Study 2, reliability and concurrent and clinical validity of the scale were examined with three groups of respondents: 85 mentally healthy, 31 control, 13 clinical persons. The scale showed a high test-retest correlation (r = .83) and alpha coefficient (alpha = .86). ATCES had a Pearson correlation coefficient of r = .56 with General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and r = .73 with trait anxiety (STAI-T). And ATCES successfully discriminated the mentally healthy and clinical groups in terms of clinical effectiveness. These results demonstrated high reliability and sufficient concurrent and clinical validity of the new scale.

Demonstration Report: ESTCP UXO Discrimination Study ESTCP PROJECT # MM-0838

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

Gasperikova, Erika

2010-02-15

In 2003, the Defense Science Board observed: 'The problem is that instruments that can detect the buried UXOs also detect numerous scrap metal objects and other artifacts, which leads to an enormous amount of expensive digging. Typically 100 holes may be dug before a real UXO is unearthed! The Task Force assessment is that much of this wasteful digging can be eliminated by the use of more advanced technology instruments that exploit modern digital processing and advanced multi-mode sensors to achieve an improved level of discrimination of scrap from UXOs.' Significant progress has been made in discrimination technology. To date,more » testing of these approaches has been primarily limited to test sites with only limited application at live sites. Acceptance of discrimination technologies requires demonstration of system capabilities at real UXO sites under real world conditions. Any attempt to declare detected anomalies to be harmless and requiring no further investigation will require demonstration to regulators of not only individual technologies, but of an entire decision making process. This characterization study was be the second phase in what is expected to be a continuing effort that will span several years. The FY06 Defense Appropriation contained funding for the 'Development of Advanced, Sophisticated, Discrimination Technologies for UXO Cleanup' in the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP). ESTCP responded by conducting a UXO Discrimination Study at the former Camp Sibert, AL. The results of this first demonstration were very encouraging. Although conditions were favorable at this site, a single target of interest (4.2-in mortar) and benign topography and geology, all of the classification approaches demonstrated were able to correctly identify a sizable fraction of the anomalies as arising from non-hazardous items that could be safely left in the ground. To build upon the success of the first phase of this study, ESTCP sponsored a second study in 2009 at the former Camp San Luis Obispo, CA, a site with more challenging topography and a wider mix of targets-of-interest (TOI). There were two primary objectives of this study: (1) Test and validate detection and discrimination capabilities of currently available and emerging technologies on real sites under operational conditions; and (2) Investigate in cooperation with regulators and program managers how discrimination technologies can be implemented in cleanup operations.« less

Comparing personality disorder models: cross-method assessment of the FFM and DSM-IV-TR.

PubMed

Samuel, Douglas B; Widiger, Thomas W

2010-12-01

The current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) defines personality disorders as categorical entities that are distinct from each other and from normal personality traits. However, many scientists now believe that personality disorders are best conceptualized using a dimensional model of traits that span normal and abnormal personality, such as the Five-Factor Model (FFM). However, if the FFM or any dimensional model is to be considered as a credible alternative to the current model, it must first demonstrate an increment in the validity of the assessment offered within a clinical setting. Thus, the current study extended previous research by comparing the convergent and discriminant validity of the current DSM-IV-TR model to the FFM across four assessment methodologies. Eighty-eight individuals receiving ongoing psychotherapy were assessed for the FFM and the DSM-IV-TR personality disorders using self-report, informant report, structured interview, and therapist ratings. The results indicated that the FFM had an appreciable advantage over the DSM-IV-TR in terms of discriminant validity and, at the domain level, convergent validity. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Comparing Personality Disorder Models: Cross-Method Assessment of the FFM and DSM-IV-TR

PubMed Central

Samuel, Douglas B.; Widiger, Thomas A.

2010-01-01

The current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) defines personality disorders as categorical entities that are distinct from each other and from normal personality traits. However, many scientists now believe that personality disorders are best conceptualized using a dimensional model of traits that span normal and abnormal personality, such as the Five-Factor Model (FFM). However, if the FFM or any dimensional model is to be considered as a credible alternative to the current model, it must first demonstrate an increment in the validity of the assessment offered within a clinical setting. Thus, the current study extended previous research by comparing the convergent and discriminant validity of the current DSM-IV-TR model to the FFM across four assessment methodologies. Eighty-eight individuals receiving ongoing psychotherapy were assessed for the FFM and the DSM-IV-TR personality disorders using self-report, informant report, structured interview, and therapist ratings. The results indicated that the FFM had an appreciable advantage over the DSM-IV-TR in terms of discriminant validity and, at the domain level, convergent validity. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed. PMID:21158596

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the HPV Clinical Trial Survey for Parents (CTSP-HPV) Using Traditional Survey Development Methods and Community Engagement Principles.

PubMed

Cunningham, Jennifer; Wallston, Kenneth A; Wilkins, Consuelo H; Hull, Pamela C; Miller, Stephania T

2015-12-01

This study describes the development and psychometric evaluation of HPV Clinical Trial Survey for Parents with Children Aged 9 to 15 (CTSP-HPV) using traditional instrument development methods and community engagement principles. An expert panel and parental input informed survey content and parents recommended study design changes (e.g., flyer wording). A convenience sample of 256 parents completed the final survey measuring parental willingness to consent to HPV clinical trial (CT) participation and other factors hypothesized to influence willingness (e.g., HPV vaccine benefits). Cronbach's a, Spearman correlations, and multiple linear regression were used to estimate internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity, and predictively validity, respectively. Internal reliability was confirmed for all scales (a ≥ 0.70.). Parental willingness was positively associated (p < 0.05) with trust in medical researchers, adolescent CT knowledge, HPV vaccine benefits, advantages of adolescent CTs (r range 0.33-0.42), supporting convergent validity. Moderate discriminant construct validity was also demonstrated. Regression results indicate reasonable predictive validity with the six scales accounting for 31% of the variance in parents' willingness. This instrument can inform interventions based on factors that influence parental willingness, which may lead to the eventual increase in trial participation. Further psychometric testing is warranted. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lung Reference Set A Application: LaszloTakacs - Biosystems (2010) — EDRN Public Portal

Cancer.gov

We would like to access the NCI lung cancer Combined Pre-Validation Reference Set A in order to further validate a lung cancer diagnostic test candidate. Our test is based on a panel of antibodies which have been tested on 4 different cohorts (see below, paragraph “Preliminary Data and Methods”). This Reference Set A, whose clinical setting is “Diagnosis of lung cancer”, will be used to validate the panel of monoclonal antibodies which have been demonstrated by extensive data analysis to provide the best discrimination between controls and Lung Cancer patient plasma samples, sensitivity and specificity values from ROC analyses are superior than 85 %.

Validation of the preschool and primary school form of a questionnaire assessing parents' childrearing behavior.

PubMed

Meunier, Jean-Christophe; Roskam, Isabelle

2009-01-01

This study presents a validation of a scale that assesses parents' childrearing behavior toward young children. The scale was validated on 565 parents of 2- to 7-year-old children. The current results replicated the factor solution of the original scale designed for parents of school-aged children. The scale demonstrated good psychometric properties: moderate to high internal consistency, the expected relations with criterion variables (parental self-efficacy beliefs, child's behavior and personality), and discriminative properties according to the parents' gender and educational level, the child's age and gender, and the difference between referred and nonreferred children.

Measurement properties of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory by cross-sectional and longitudinal designs

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background The impact of dizziness on quality of life is often assessed by the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), which is used as a discriminate and evaluative measure. The aim of the present study was to examine reliability and validity of a translated Norwegian version (DHI-N), also examining responsiveness to important change in the construct being measured. Methods Two samples (n = 92 and n = 27) included participants with dizziness of mainly vestibular origin. A cross-sectional design was used to examine the factor structure (exploratory factor analysis), internal consistency (Cronbach's α), concurrent validity (Pearson's product moment correlation r), and discriminate ability (ROC curve analysis). Longitudinal designs were used to examine test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) statistics, smallest detectable difference (SDD)), and responsiveness (Pearson's product moment correlation, ROC curve analysis; area under the ROC curve (AUC), and minimally important change (MIC)). The DHI scores range from 0 to 100. Results Factor analysis revealed a different factor structure than the original DHI, resulting in dismissal of subscale scores in the DHI-N. Acceptable internal consistency was found for the total scale (α = 0.95). Concurrent correlations between the DHI-N and other related measures were moderate to high, highest with Vertigo Symptom Scale-short form-Norwegian version (r = 0.69), and lowest with preferred gait (r = - 0.36). The DHI-N demonstrated excellent ability to discriminate between participants with and without 'disability', AUC being 0.89 and best cut-off point = 29 points. Satisfactory test-retest reliability was demonstrated, and the change for an individual should be ≥ 20 DHI-N points to exceed measurement error (SDD). Correlations between change scores of DHI-N and other self-report measures of functional health and symptoms were high (r = 0.50 - 0.57). Responsiveness of the DHI-N was excellent, AUC = 0.83, discriminating between self-perceived 'improved' versus 'unchanged' participants. The MIC was identified as 11 DHI-N points. Conclusions The DHI-N total scale demonstrated satisfactory measurement properties. This is the first study that has addressed and demonstrated responsiveness to important change of the DHI, and provided values of SDD and MIC to help interpret change scores. PMID:20025754

Psychometric properties of the Nurses Work Functioning Questionnaire (NWFQ).

PubMed

Gärtner, Fania R; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; van Dijk, Frank J H; Sluiter, Judith K

2011-01-01

The Nurses Work Functioning Questionnaire (NWFQ) is a 50-item self-report questionnaire specifically developed for nurses and allied health professionals. Its seven subscales measure impairments in the work functioning due to common mental disorders. Aim of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the NWFQ, by assessing reproducibility and construct validity. The questionnaire was administered to 314 nurses and allied health professionals with a re-test in 112 subjects. Reproducibility was assessed by the intraclass correlations coefficients (ICC) and the standard error of measurement (SEM). For construct validity, correlations were calculated with a general work functioning scale, the Endicott Work Productivity Scale (EWPS) (convergent validity) and with a physical functioning scale (divergent validity). For discriminative validity, a Mann Whitney U test was performed testing for significant differences between subjects with mental health complaints and without. All subscales showed good reliability (ICC: 0.72-0.86), except for one (ICC = 0.16). Convergent validity was good in six subscales, correlations ranged from 0.38-0.62. However, in one subscale the correlation with the EWPS was too low (0.22). Divergent validity was good in all subscales based on correlations ranged from (-0.06)-(-0.23). Discriminative validity was good in all subscales, based on significant differences between subjects with and without mental health complaints (p<0.001-p = 0.003). The NWFQ demonstrates good psychometric properties, for six of the seven subscales. Subscale "impaired decision making" needs improvement before further use.

Performance Ratings: Designs for Evaluating Their Validity and Accuracy.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

ratees with substantial validity and with little bias due to the ethod for rating. Convergent validity and discriminant validity account for approximately...The expanded research design suggests that purpose for the ratings has little influence on the multitrait-multimethod properties of the ratings...Convergent and discriminant validity again account for substantial differences in the ratings of performance. Little method bias is present; both methods of

The convergent and discriminant validity of burnout measures in sport: a multi-trait/multi-method analysis.

PubMed

Cresswell, Scott L; Eklund, Robert C

2006-02-01

Athlete burnout research has been hampered by the lack of an adequate measurement tool. The Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey (MBI-GS) are two recently developed self-report instruments designed to assess burnout. The convergent and discriminant validity of the ABQ and MBI-GS were assessed through multi-trait/multi-method analysis with a sporting population. Overall, the ABQ and the MBI-GS displayed acceptable convergent validity with matching subscales highly correlated, and satisfactory internal discriminant validity with lower correlations between non-matching subscales. Both scales also indicated an adequate discrimination between the concepts of burnout and depression. These findings add support to previous findings in non-sporting populations that depression and burnout are separate constructs. Based on the psychometric results, construct validity analysis and practical considerations, the results support the use of the ABQ to assess athlete burnout.

A Structured Clinical Interview for Kleptomania (SCI-K): preliminary validity and reliability testing.

PubMed

Grant, Jon E; Kim, Suck Won; McCabe, James S

2006-06-01

Kleptomania presents difficulties in diagnosis for clinicians. This study aimed to develop and test a DSM-IV-based diagnostic instrument for kleptomania. To assess for current kleptomania the Structured Clinical Interview for Kleptomania (SCI-K) was administered to 112 consecutive subjects requesting psychiatric outpatient treatment for a variety of disorders. Reliability and validity were determined. Classification accuracy was examined using the longitudinal course of illness. The SCI-K demonstrated excellent test-retest (Phi coefficient = 0.956 (95% CI = 0.937, 0.970)) and inter-rater reliability (phi coefficient = 0.718 (95% CI = 0.506, 0.848)) in the diagnosis of kleptomania. Concurrent validity was observed with a self-report measure using DSM-IV kleptomania criteria (phi coefficient = 0.769 (95% CI = 0.653, 0.850)). Discriminant validity was observed with a measure of depression (point biserial coefficient = -0.020 (95% CI = -0.205, 0.166)). The SCI-K demonstrated both high sensitivity and specificity based on longitudinal assessment. The SCI-K demonstrated excellent reliability and validity in diagnosing kleptomania in subjects presenting with various psychiatric problems. These findings require replication in larger groups, including non-psychiatric populations, to examine their generalizability. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The development and validation of three videos designed to psychologically prepare patients for coronary bypass surgery.

PubMed

Mahler, H I; Kulik, J A

1995-02-01

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the validation of videotape interventions that were designed to prepare patients for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. First, three videotapes were developed. Two of the tapes featured the experiences of three actual CABG patients and were constructed to present either an optimistic portrayal of the recovery period (mastery tape) or a portrayal designed to inoculate patients against potential problems (coping tape). The third videotape contained the more general nurse scenes and narration used in the other two tapes, but did not include the experiences of particular patients. We then conducted a study to establish the convergent and discriminant validity of the three tapes. That is, we sought to demonstrate both that the tapes did differ along the mastery-coping dimension, and that they did not differ in other respects (such as in the degree of information provided or the perceived credibility of the narrator). The validation study, conducted with 42 males who had previously undergone CABG, demonstrated that the intended equivalences and differences between the tapes were achieved. The importance of establishing the validity of health-related interventions is discussed.

Tournament Validity: Testing Golfer Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sachau, Daniel; Andrews, Lance; Gibson, Bryan; DeNeui, Daniel

2009-01-01

The concept of tournament validity was explored in three studies. In the first study, measures of tournament validity, difficulty, and discrimination were introduced. These measures were illustrated with data from the 2003 Professional Golf Association (PGA) Tour. In the second study, the relationship between difficulty and discrimination was…

Validating Work Discrimination and Coping Strategy Models for Sexual Minorities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Y. Barry; Williams, Wendi; Dispenza, Franco

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to validate and expand on Y. B. Chung's (2001) models of work discrimination and coping strategies among lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons. In semistructured individual interviews, 17 lesbians and gay men reported 35 discrimination incidents and their related coping strategies. Responses were coded based on Chung's…

Preliminary psychometric properties of the brief Negative Symptom Scale in youth at Clinical High-Risk for psychosis.

PubMed

Strauss, Gregory P; Chapman, Hannah C

2018-03-01

Preliminary psychometric properties of an adapted version of the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) are reported in youth at Clinical High-Risk for psychosis (CHR). Participants included 29 CHR youth who met criteria for a prodromal syndrome on the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS). The adapted BNSS demonstrated excellent internal consistency, convergent validity, and discriminant validity, suggesting that the BNSS has utility for assessing negative symptoms in a CHR population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Development and Validation of the Client Expectations of Massage Scale

PubMed Central

Boulanger, Karen T.; Campo, Shelly; Glanville, Jennifer L.; Lowe, John B; Yang, Jingzhen

2012-01-01

Background: Although there is evidence that client expectations influence client outcomes, a valid and reliable scale for measuring the range of client expectations for both massage therapy and the behaviors of their massage therapists does not exist. Understanding how client expectations influence client outcomes would provide insight into how massage achieves its reported effects. Purpose: To develop and validate the Client Expectations of Massage Scale (CEMS), a measure of clients’ clinical, educational, interpersonal, and outcome expectations. Setting: Offices of licensed massage therapists in Iowa. Research Design: A practice-based research methodology was used to collect data from two samples of massage therapy clients. For Sample 1, 21 volunteer massage therapists collected data from their clients before the massage. Factor analysis was conducted to test construct validity and coefficient alpha was used to assess reliability. Correlational analyses with the CEMS, previous measures of client expectations, and the Life Orientation Test–Revised were examined to test the convergent and discriminant validity of the CEMS. For Sample 2, 24 massage therapists distributed study materials for clients to complete before and after a massage therapy session. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the construct, discriminant, and predictive validity of the CEMS. Participants: Sample 1 involved 320 and Sample 2 involved 321 adult massage clients. Intervention: Standard care provided by licensed massage therapists. Main Outcomes: Numeric Rating Scale for pain and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule–Revised (including the Serenity subscale). Results: The CEMS demonstrated good construct, convergent, discriminant and predictive validity, and adequate reliability. Client expectations were generally positive toward massage and their massage therapists. Positive outcome expectations had a positive effect on clients’ changes in pain and serenity. High interpersonal expectations had a negative effect on clients’ changes in serenity. Conclusions: Client expectations contribute to the nonspecific effects of massage therapy. PMID:23087774

Development and validation of the University of Washington Clinical Assessment of Music Perception test.

PubMed

Kang, Robert; Nimmons, Grace Liu; Drennan, Ward; Longnion, Jeff; Ruffin, Chad; Nie, Kaibao; Won, Jong Ho; Worman, Tina; Yueh, Bevan; Rubinstein, Jay

2009-08-01

Assessment of cochlear implant outcomes centers around speech discrimination. Despite dramatic improvements in speech perception, music perception remains a challenge for most cochlear implant users. No standardized test exists to quantify music perception in a clinically practical manner. This study presents the University of Washington Clinical Assessment of Music Perception (CAMP) test as a reliable and valid music perception test for English-speaking, adult cochlear implant users. Forty-two cochlear implant subjects were recruited from the University of Washington Medical Center cochlear implant program and referred by two implant manufacturers. Ten normal-hearing volunteers were drawn from the University of Washington Medical Center and associated campuses. A computer-driven, self-administered test was developed to examine three specific aspects of music perception: pitch direction discrimination, melody recognition, and timbre recognition. The pitch subtest used an adaptive procedure to determine just-noticeable differences for complex tone pitch direction discrimination within the range of 1 to 12 semitones. The melody and timbre subtests assessed recognition of 12 commonly known melodies played with complex tones in an isochronous manner and eight musical instruments playing an identical five-note sequence, respectively. Testing was repeated for cochlear implant subjects to evaluate test-retest reliability. Normal-hearing volunteers were also tested to demonstrate differences in performance in the two populations. For cochlear implant subjects, pitch direction discrimination just-noticeable differences ranged from 1 to 8.0 semitones (Mean = 3.0, SD = 2.3). Melody and timbre recognition ranged from 0 to 94.4% correct (mean = 25.1, SD = 22.2) and 20.8 to 87.5% (mean = 45.3, SD = 16.2), respectively. Each subtest significantly correlated at least moderately with both Consonant-Nucleus-Consonant (CNC) word recognition scores and spondee recognition thresholds in steady state noise and two-talker babble. Intraclass coefficients demonstrating test-retest correlations for pitch, melody, and timbre were 0.85, 0.92, and 0.69, respectively. Normal-hearing volunteers had a mean pitch direction discrimination threshold of 1.0 semitone, the smallest interval tested, and mean melody and timbre recognition scores of 87.5 and 94.2%, respectively. The CAMP test discriminates a wide range of music perceptual ability in cochlear implant users. Moderate correlations were seen between music test results and both Consonant-Nucleus-Consonant word recognition scores and spondee recognition thresholds in background noise. Test-retest reliability was moderate to strong. The CAMP test provides a reliable and valid metric for a clinically practical, standardized evaluation of music perception in adult cochlear implant users.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy in the treatment of childhood hydrocephalus.

PubMed

Kulkarni, Abhaya V; Drake, James M; Mallucci, Conor L; Sgouros, Spyros; Roth, Jonathan; Constantini, Shlomi

2009-08-01

To develop a model to predict the probability of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) success in the treatment for hydrocephalus on the basis of a child's individual characteristics. We analyzed 618 ETVs performed consecutively on children at 12 international institutions to identify predictors of ETV success at 6 months. A multivariable logistic regression model was developed on 70% of the dataset (training set) and validated on 30% of the dataset (validation set). In the training set, 305/455 ETVs (67.0%) were successful. The regression model (containing patient age, cause of hydrocephalus, and previous cerebrospinal fluid shunt) demonstrated good fit (Hosmer-Lemeshow, P = .78) and discrimination (C statistic = 0.70). In the validation set, 105/163 ETVs (64.4%) were successful and the model maintained good fit (Hosmer-Lemeshow, P = .45), discrimination (C statistic = 0.68), and calibration (calibration slope = 0.88). A simplified ETV Success Score was devised that closely approximates the predicted probability of ETV success. Children most likely to succeed with ETV can now be accurately identified and spared the long-term complications of CSF shunting.

Development and validation of a five-factor sexual satisfaction and distress scale for women: the Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women (SSS-W).

PubMed

Meston, Cindy; Trapnell, Paul

2005-01-01

This article presents data based on the responses of over 800 women who contributed to the development of the Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women (SSS-W). The aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive, multifaceted, valid, and reliable self-report measure of women's sexual satisfaction and distress. Phase I involved the initial selection of items based on past literature and on interviews of women diagnosed with sexual dysfunction and an exploratory factor analysis. Phase II involved an additional administration of the questionnaire, factor analyses, and refinement of the questionnaire items. Phase III involved administration of the final questionnaire to a sample of women with clinically diagnosed sexual dysfunction and controls. Psychometric evaluation of the SSS-W conducted in a sample of women meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for female sexual dysfunction and in a control sample provided preliminary evidence of reliability and validity. The ability of the SSS-W to discriminate between sexually functional and dysfunctional women was demonstrated for each of the SSS-W domain scores and total score. The SSS-W is a brief, 30-item measure of sexual satisfaction and sexual distress, composed of five domains supported by factor analyses: contentment, communication, compatibility, relational concern, and personal concern. It exhibits sound psychometric properties and has a demonstrated ability to discriminate between clinical and nonclinical samples.

The Discriminant Analysis Flare Forecasting System (DAFFS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leka, K. D.; Barnes, Graham; Wagner, Eric; Hill, Frank; Marble, Andrew R.

2016-05-01

The Discriminant Analysis Flare Forecasting System (DAFFS) has been developed under NOAA/Small Business Innovative Research funds to quantitatively improve upon the NOAA/SWPC flare prediction. In the Phase-I of this project, it was demonstrated that DAFFS could indeed improve by the requested 25% most of the standard flare prediction data products from NOAA/SWPC. In the Phase-II of this project, a prototype has been developed and is presently running autonomously at NWRA.DAFFS uses near-real-time data from NOAA/GOES, SDO/HMI, and the NSO/GONG network to issue both region- and full-disk forecasts of solar flares, based on multi-variable non-parametric Discriminant Analysis. Presently, DAFFS provides forecasts which match those provided by NOAA/SWPC in terms of thresholds and validity periods (including 1-, 2-, and 3- day forecasts), although issued twice daily. Of particular note regarding DAFFS capabilities are the redundant system design, automatically-generated validation statistics and the large range of customizable options available. As part of this poster, a description of the data used, algorithm, performance and customizable options will be presented, as well as a demonstration of the DAFFS prototype.DAFFS development at NWRA is supported by NOAA/SBIR contracts WC-133R-13-CN-0079 and WC-133R-14-CN-0103, with additional support from NASA contract NNH12CG10C, plus acknowledgment to the SDO/HMI and NSO/GONG facilities and NOAA/SWPC personnel for data products, support, and feedback. DAFFS is presently ready for Phase-III development.

Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the Microcomputer Evaluation Screening and Assessment (MESA) Interest Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janikowski, Timothy P.; And Others

1990-01-01

Examined construct validity of Microcomputer Evaluation Screening and Assessment (MESA) Interest Survey. Administered MESA and United States Employment Service (USES) Interest Inventory to 74 volunteer rehabilitation clients. Evidence supported convergent and discriminant validity of MESA. Found fewer significant intercorrelations among MESA…

Correlation and comparative analysis of the CPQ8-10 and child-OIDP indexes for dental caries and malocclusion.

PubMed

Duarte-Rodrigues, Lucas; Ramos-Jorge, Joana; Drumond, Clarissa Lopes; Diniz, Priscilla Barboza; Marques, Leandro Silva; Ramos-Jorge, Maria Letícia

2017-12-18

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 8 to 10 (CPQ8-10) and child-Oral Impact on Daily Performances (child-OIDP) indexes according to their total and item scores, as well as assess the discriminative validity of these assessment tools regarding dental caries and malocclusion among schoolchildren. A sample of 300 children aged between 8 and 10 years answered the questionnaires in two distinct steps. First, half of the sample (G1 = 150) answered the CPQ8-10 and the other half (G2 = 150) answered the child-OIDP. A week after, G1 answered the child-OIDP and G2 answered the CPQ8-10. Dental Aesthetic Index and WHO criteria were used to categorize malocclusion and dental caries, respectively. Descriptive analysis, Spearman's correlation and Mann-Whitney test were performed in this study. The CPQ8-10 and child-OIDP demonstrated a statistically significant and moderate correlation between their total scores. Regarding the discriminative validity, CPQ8-10 demonstrated a significant association between the "emotional status" daily activity and dental caries, and between the "eating", "sleeping", and "studying" daily activities and malocclusion. Concerning the child-OIDP, a significant difference was found only between the "social contact" activity and presence of dental caries. Both instruments were not capable of distinguishing children with and without dental caries and/or malocclusion by their total scores. However, the instruments were able to discriminate between children with and without those oral disorders in different dimensions. Thus, the CPQ8-10 and the child-OIDP demonstrated a different capacity to assess the impact on OHRQoL among schoolchildren.

Perceived Context of Reception among Recent Hispanic Immigrants: Conceptualization, Instrument Development, and Preliminary Validation

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Seth J.; Unger, Jennifer B.; Lorenzo-Blanco, Elma I.; Des Rosiers, Sabrina E.; Villamar, Juan A.; Soto, Daniel W.; Pattarroyo, Monica; Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes; Szapocznik, José

2013-01-01

Context of reception has been discussed widely in the sociological and anthropological literature, but no measures of this construct exist. We designed a measure of perceived context of reception and provide initial support for the factorial validity, internal consistency reliability, and incremental and discriminant validity of scores generated by this measure. A sample of 302 recent-immigrant Hispanic parent-adolescent dyads from Miami and Los Angeles completed the new perceived context of reception measure, as well as measures of perceived discrimination; Hispanic/American cultural practices, values, and identifications; and depressive symptoms. In Phase 1, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses extracted a factor for negative perceived context of reception. A subscale corresponding to this factor was used in Phase 2; for parents and adolescents, negative perceived context of reception and perceived discrimination were differentially associated with acculturation-related variables – suggesting discriminant validity between perceived discrimination and negative perceived context of reception. For adolescents at both sites and for parents in Los Angeles only, the negative perceived context of reception dimensions were significantly associated with depressive symptoms six months later, over and above the contribution made by perceived discrimination – suggesting incremental validity. Results are discussed in terms of perceived context of reception as a new and emerging construct. PMID:24099485

Perceived context of reception among recent Hispanic immigrants: conceptualization, instrument development, and preliminary validation.

PubMed

Schwartz, Seth J; Unger, Jennifer B; Lorenzo-Blanco, Elma I; Des Rosiers, Sabrina E; Villamar, Juan A; Soto, Daniel W; Pattarroyo, Monica; Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes; Szapocznik, José

2014-01-01

Context of reception has been discussed widely in the sociological and anthropological literature, but no measures of this construct exist. We designed a measure of perceived context of reception and provide initial support for the factorial validity, internal consistency reliability, and incremental and discriminant validity of scores generated by this measure. A sample of 302 recent-immigrant Hispanic parent-adolescent dyads from Miami and Los Angeles completed the new perceived context of reception measure, as well as measures of perceived discrimination; Hispanic/American cultural practices, values, and identifications; and depressive symptoms. In Phase 1, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses extracted a factor for negative perceived context of reception. A subscale corresponding to this factor was used in Phase 2; for parents and adolescents, negative perceived context of reception and perceived discrimination were differentially associated with acculturation-related variables-suggesting discriminant validity between perceived discrimination and negative perceived context of reception. For adolescents at both sites and for parents in Los Angeles only, the negative perceived context of reception dimensions were significantly associated with depressive symptoms 6 months later, over and above the contribution made by perceived discrimination--suggesting incremental validity. Results are discussed in terms of perceived context of reception as a new and emerging construct.

Reliability, validity and sensitivity of a computerized visual analog scale measuring state anxiety.

PubMed

Abend, Rany; Dan, Orrie; Maoz, Keren; Raz, Sivan; Bar-Haim, Yair

2014-12-01

Assessment of state anxiety is frequently required in clinical and research settings, but its measurement using standard multi-item inventories entails practical challenges. Such inventories are increasingly complemented by paper-and-pencil, single-item visual analog scales measuring state anxiety (VAS-A), which allow rapid assessment of current anxiety states. Computerized versions of VAS-A offer additional advantages, including facilitated and accurate data collection and analysis, and applicability to computer-based protocols. Here, we establish the psychometric properties of a computerized VAS-A. Experiment 1 assessed the reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the computerized VAS-A in a non-selected sample. Experiment 2 assessed its sensitivity to increase in state anxiety following social stress induction, in participants with high levels of social anxiety. Experiment 1 demonstrated the computerized VAS-A's test-retest reliability (r = .44, p < .001); convergent validity with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory's state subscale (STAI-State; r = .60, p < .001); and discriminant validity as indicated by significantly lower correlations between VAS-A and different psychological measures relative to the correlation between VAS-A and STAI-State. Experiment 2 demonstrated the VAS-A's sensitivity to changes in state anxiety via a significant pre- to during-stressor rise in VAS-A scores (F(1,48) = 25.13, p < .001). Set-order administration of measures, absence of clinically-anxious population, and gender-unbalanced samples. The adequate psychometric characteristics, combined with simple and rapid administration, make the computerized VAS-A a valuable self-rating tool for state anxiety. It may prove particularly useful for clinical and research settings where multi-item inventories are less applicable, including computer-based treatment and assessment protocols. The VAS-A is freely available: http://people.socsci.tau.ac.il/mu/anxietytrauma/visual-analog-scale/. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the relevance of glycolysis process on brain gliomas.

PubMed

Kounelakis, M G; Zervakis, M E; Giakos, G C; Postma, G J; Buydens, L M C; Kotsiakis, X

2013-01-01

The proposed analysis considers aspects of both statistical and biological validation of the glycolysis effect on brain gliomas, at both genomic and metabolic level. In particular, two independent datasets are analyzed in parallel, one engaging genomic (Microarray Expression) data and the other metabolomic (Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Imaging) data. The aim of this study is twofold. First to show that, apart from the already studied genes (markers), other genes such as those involved in the human cell glycolysis significantly contribute in gliomas discrimination. Second, to demonstrate how the glycolysis process can open new ways towards the design of patient-specific therapeutic protocols. The results of our analysis demonstrate that the combination of genes participating in the glycolytic process (ALDOA, ALDOC, ENO2, GAPDH, HK2, LDHA, LDHB, MDH1, PDHB, PFKM, PGI, PGK1, PGM1 and PKLR) with the already known tumor suppressors (PTEN, Rb, TP53), oncogenes (CDK4, EGFR, PDGF) and HIF-1, enhance the discrimination of low versus high-grade gliomas providing high prediction ability in a cross-validated framework. Following these results and supported by the biological effect of glycolytic genes on cancer cells, we address the study of glycolysis for the development of new treatment protocols.

Using a genetic algorithm to abbreviate the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R).

PubMed

Eisenbarth, Hedwig; Lilienfeld, Scott O; Yarkoni, Tal

2015-03-01

Some self-report measures of personality and personality disorders, including the widely used Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R), are lengthy and time-intensive. In recent work, we introduced an automated genetic algorithm (GA)-based method for abbreviating psychometric measures. In Study 1, we used this approach to generate a short (40-item) version of the PPI-R using 3 large-N German student samples (total N = 1,590). The abbreviated measure displayed high convergent correlations with the original PPI-R, and outperformed an alternative measure constructed using a conventional approach. Study 2 tested the convergent and discriminant validity of this short version in a fourth student sample (N = 206) using sensation-seeking and sensitivity to reward and punishment scales, again demonstrating similar convergent and discriminant validity for the PPI-R-40 compared with the full version. In a fifth community sample of North American participants acquired using Amazon Mechanical Turk, the PPI-R-40 showed similarly high convergent correlations, demonstrating stability across language, culture, and data-collection method. Taken together, these studies suggest that the GA approach is a viable method for abbreviating measures of psychopathy, and perhaps personality measures in general. 2015 APA, all rights reserved

Raman spectroscopic analysis of gunshot residue offering great potential for caliber differentiation.

PubMed

Bueno, Justin; Sikirzhytski, Vitali; Lednev, Igor K

2012-05-15

Near-infrared (NIR) Raman microspectroscopy combined with advanced statistics was used to differentiate gunshot residue (GSR) particles originating from different caliber ammunition. The firearm discharge process is analogous to a complex chemical reaction. The reagents of this process are represented by the chemical composition of the ammunition, firearm, and cartridge case. The specific firearm parameters determine the conditions of the reaction and thus the subsequent product, GSR. We found that Raman spectra collected from these products are characteristic for different caliber ammunition. GSR particles from 9 mm and 0.38 caliber ammunition, collected under identical discharge conditions, were used to demonstrate the capability of confocal Raman microspectroscopy for the discrimination and identification of GSR particles. The caliber differentiation algorithm is based on support vector machines (SVM) and partial least squares (PLS) discriminant analyses, validated by a leave-one-out cross-validation method. This study demonstrates for the first time that NIR Raman microspectroscopy has the potential for the reagentless differentiation of GSR based upon forensically relevant parameters, such as caliber size. When fully developed, this method should have a significant impact on the efficiency of crime scene investigations.

Evaluating Convergent and Discriminant Validity of Temperament Questionnaires for Preschoolers, Toddlers, and Infants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldsmith, H. H.; And Others

1991-01-01

Examined convergent and discriminant validity of eight widely used preschooler, toddler, and infant temperament questionnaires. There was surprisingly strong evidence for convergence among scales intended to measure similar concepts, with most convergent validity coefficients falling in the .50s, .60s, and .70s. (SH)

An investigation of the validity of six measures of physical function in people awaiting joint replacement surgery of the hip or knee.

PubMed

Gill, Stephen D; de Morton, Natalie A; Mc Burney, Helen

2012-10-01

To assess and compare the validity of six physical function measures in people awaiting hip or knee joint replacement. Eighty-two people awaiting hip or knee replacement were assessed using six physical function measures including the WOMAC Function scale, SF-36 Physical Function scale, SF-36 Physical Component Summary scale, Patient Specific Functional Scale, 30-second chair stand test, and 50-foot timed walk. Validity was assessed using a head-to-head comparison design. Convergent validity was demonstrated with significant correlations between most measures (Spearman's rho 0.22 to 0.71). The Patient Specific Functional Scale had the lowest correlations with other measures of physical function. Discriminant validity was demonstrated with low correlations between mental health and physical function scores (Spearman's rho -0.12 to 0.33). Only the WOMAC Function scale, 30-second chair stand test, and 50-foot timed walk demonstrated known groups validity when scores for participants who walked with a gait aid were compared with those who did not. Standardized response means and Guyatt's responsiveness indexes indicated that the SF-36 was the least responsive measure. For those awaiting joint replacement surgery of the hip or knee, the current investigation found that the WOMAC Function scale, 30-second chair stand test, and 50-foot timed walk demonstrated the most evidence of validity. The Patient Specific Functional Scale might complement other measures by capturing a different aspect of physical function.

Developing a measure of medication-related quality of life for people with polypharmacy.

PubMed

Tseng, Hsu-Min; Lee, Chia-Hui; Chen, Yin-Jen; Hsu, Hsiang-Hao; Huang, Li-Yueh; Huang, Jing-Long

2016-05-01

To develop a measure of medication-related quality of life (MRQoL) and to validate the measure in a hospital-based population of patients with polypharmacy. The Medication-Related Quality of Life Scale version 1.0 (MRQoLS-v1.0) included 14 items developed on the basis of interviews with elderly patients with polypharmacy, defined as taking five or more medications simultaneously. This scale was tested in 219 outpatients (99 with polypharmacy and 120 without polypharmacy). Two measures were used to establish construct validity the Psychological Distress Checklist, for convergent validity, and the Medication Adherence Behavior Scale (MABS), for discriminant validity. The 14-item scale was found to be both reliable and valid. Internal consistency reliability evaluated using Cronbach's alpha for this scale was 0.91. Scores on the MRQoLS-v1.0 correlated statistically significantly and negatively with those on the Psychological Distress Checklist. Discriminant validity was demonstrated by low correlation with MABS, indicating that the MRQoLS-v1.0 measured concepts different from medication adherence. Significant differences in the MRQoLS-v1.0 between patients with polypharmacy and those without polypharmacy provided evidence for known-group validity. The study presents a psychometric evaluation of a measure used to assess MRQoL of patients with polypharmacy. The instrument is practical to administer in clinics and provides a valuable adjunct to the outcome measurement for patients with polypharmacy. Further research on the sensitivity of this instrument to medication change in multi-medicated patients is warranted.

The Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS): Independent validation in a large sample of Italian patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Mucci, A; Galderisi, S; Merlotti, E; Rossi, A; Rocca, P; Bucci, P; Piegari, G; Chieffi, M; Vignapiano, A; Maj, M

2015-07-01

The Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) was developed to address the main limitations of the existing scales for the assessment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The initial validation of the scale by the group involved in its development demonstrated good convergent and discriminant validity, and a factor structure confirming the two domains of negative symptoms (reduced emotional/verbal expression and anhedonia/asociality/avolition). However, only relatively small samples of patients with schizophrenia were investigated. Further independent validation in large clinical samples might be instrumental to the broad diffusion of the scale in clinical research. The present study aimed to examine the BNSS inter-rater reliability, convergent/discriminant validity and factor structure in a large Italian sample of outpatients with schizophrenia. Our results confirmed the excellent inter-rater reliability of the BNSS (the intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.81 to 0.98 for individual items and was 0.98 for the total score). The convergent validity measures had r values from 0.62 to 0.77, while the divergent validity measures had r values from 0.20 to 0.28 in the main sample (n=912) and in a subsample without clinically significant levels of depression and extrapyramidal symptoms (n=496). The BNSS factor structure was supported in both groups. The study confirms that the BNSS is a promising measure for quantifying negative symptoms of schizophrenia in large multicenter clinical studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Simple shoulder test and Oxford Shoulder Score: Persian translation and cross-cultural validation.

PubMed

Naghdi, Soofia; Nakhostin Ansari, Noureddin; Rustaie, Nilufar; Akbari, Mohammad; Ebadi, Safoora; Senobari, Maryam; Hasson, Scott

2015-12-01

To translate, culturally adapt, and validate the simple shoulder test (SST) and Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) into Persian language using a cross-sectional and prospective cohort design. A standard forward and backward translation was followed to culturally adapt the SST and the OSS into Persian language. Psychometric properties of floor and ceiling effects, construct convergent validity, discriminant validity, internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, standard error of the measurement (SEM), smallest detectable change (SDC), and factor structure were determined. One hundred patients with shoulder disorders and 50 healthy subjects participated in the study. The PSST and the POSS showed no missing responses. No floor or ceiling effects were observed. Both the PSST and POSS detected differences between patients and healthy subjects supporting their discriminant validity. Construct convergent validity was confirmed by a very good correlation between the PSST and POSS (r = 0.68). There was high internal consistency for both the PSST (α = 0.73) and the POSS (α = 0.91 and 0.92). Test-retest reliability with 1-week interval was excellent (ICCagreement = 0.94 for PSST and 0.90 for POSS). Factor analyses demonstrated a three-factor solution for the PSST (49.7 % of variance) and a two-factor solution for the POSS (61.6 % of variance). The SEM/SDC was satisfactory for PSST (5.5/15.3) and POSS (6.8/18.8). The PSST and POSS are valid and reliable outcome measures for assessing functional limitations in Persian-speaking patients with shoulder disorders.

Optimal Decision Stimuli for Risky Choice Experiments: An Adaptive Approach

PubMed Central

Cavagnaro, Daniel R.; Gonzalez, Richard; Myung, Jay I.; Pitt, Mark A.

2014-01-01

Collecting data to discriminate between models of risky choice requires careful selection of decision stimuli. Models of decision making aim to predict decisions across a wide range of possible stimuli, but practical limitations force experimenters to select only a handful of them for actual testing. Some stimuli are more diagnostic between models than others, so the choice of stimuli is critical. This paper provides the theoretical background and a methodological framework for adaptive selection of optimal stimuli for discriminating among models of risky choice. The approach, called Adaptive Design Optimization (ADO), adapts the stimulus in each experimental trial based on the results of the preceding trials. We demonstrate the validity of the approach with simulation studies aiming to discriminate Expected Utility, Weighted Expected Utility, Original Prospect Theory, and Cumulative Prospect Theory models. PMID:24532856

Assessing psychological inflexibility: the psychometric properties of the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth in two adult samples.

PubMed

Fergus, Thomas A; Valentiner, David P; Gillen, Michael J; Hiraoka, Regina; Twohig, Michael P; Abramowitz, Jonathan S; McGrath, Patrick B

2012-06-01

The current study examined whether the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth (AFQ-Y; L. A. Greco, W. Lambert, & R. A. Baer, 2008), a self-report measure of psychological inflexibility for children and adolescents, might be useful for measuring psychological inflexibility for adults. The psychometric properties of the AFQ-Y were examined using data from a college student sample (N = 387) and a clinical sample of patients with anxiety disorders (N = 115). The AFQ-Y, but not the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II; F. W. Bond et al., in press), demonstrated a reading level at or below the recommended 5th or 6th grade reading level. The AFQ-Y also demonstrated adequate reliability (internal consistency), factorial validity, convergent and discriminant validity, and concurrent validity predicting psychological symptoms. Moreover, the AFQ-Y showed incremental validity over the AAQ-II in predicting several psychological symptom domains. Implications for the assessment of psychological inflexibility are discussed. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved

Sex determination from the talus and calcaneus measurements.

PubMed

Gualdi-Russo, Emanuela

2007-09-13

Several studies have demonstrated that discriminant function equations used to determine the sex of a skeleton are population-specific. The purpose of the present research was to develop discriminant function equations for sex determination on the basis of 18 variables on the right and left talus and calcaneus in a modern northern Italian sample. The sample consisted of 118 skeletons (62 males and 56 females) from the Frassetto Collection (University of Bologna). The ages of the individuals ranged from 19 to 70 years. The results indicated that metric traits of the talus (in particular) and calcaneus are good indicators of sexual dimorphism. The percentage of correct classification was high (87.9-95.7%). In view of the differences among current Italian populations, we tested the validity of the discriminant function equations in an independent sample of individuals of different origin (northern and southern Italy). The accuracy of classification was high only for the northern Italians. Most southern Italian males were misclassified as females, confirming the population-specificity of discriminant function equations.

Influence of variable selection on partial least squares discriminant analysis models for explosive residue classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Lucia, Frank C., Jr.; Gottfried, Jennifer L.

2011-02-01

Using a series of thirteen organic materials that includes novel high-nitrogen energetic materials, conventional organic military explosives, and benign organic materials, we have demonstrated the importance of variable selection for maximizing residue discrimination with partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). We built several PLS-DA models using different variable sets based on laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) spectra of the organic residues on an aluminum substrate under an argon atmosphere. The model classification results for each sample are presented and the influence of the variables on these results is discussed. We found that using the whole spectra as the data input for the PLS-DA model gave the best results. However, variables due to the surrounding atmosphere and the substrate contribute to discrimination when the whole spectra are used, indicating this may not be the most robust model. Further iterative testing with additional validation data sets is necessary to determine the most robust model.

PubMed Central

Brown, J. B.; Schmidt, G.; Lent, B.; Sas, G.; Lemelin, J.

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To replicate, in a Francophone community, our prior work determining the reliability and validity of the full Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) and a two-item version (WAST-Short). DESIGN: Questionnaires completed by abused and nonabused women. SETTING: Two women's shelters in Francophone communities in Ontario and Quebec and participants' homes or workplaces. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 25 abused women currently residing in two women's shelters and a convenience sample of 21 women who reported they were not abused. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Women's responses to French versions of the WAST, the Abuse Risk Inventory (ARI), and comfort in answering the questions were compared. Also, the reliability and validity of French versions of WAST and WAST-Short were assessed. RESULTS: Abused (n = 23) and not abused (n = 21) women were demographically similar. A strong single-factor structure that accounted for 81% of total variance in the French WAST items was identified. The French WAST was found to be highly reliable with a coefficient alpha of .95 and demonstrated construct and discriminant validity. The WAST-Short correctly classified all the nonabused women and 78.7% of the abused women. The abused women reported feeling less comfortable responding to the WAST questions than the nonabused women. CONCLUSION: The French version of the WAST demonstrated good reliability and validity and discriminated between known samples of abused and nonabused women. Even though the French WAST-Short did not perform as well as the English version, results of this study support further evaluation of the WAST for screening women in Francophone or bilingual family practice settings. PMID:11398732

Unique volatolomic signatures of TP53 and KRAS in lung cells

PubMed Central

Davies, M P A; Barash, O; Jeries, R; Peled, N; Ilouze, M; Hyde, R; Marcus, M W; Field, J K; Haick, H

2014-01-01

Background: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are potential biomarkers for cancer detection in breath, but it is unclear if they reflect specific mutations. To test this, we have compared human bronchial epithelial cell (HBEC) cell lines carrying the KRASV12 mutation, knockdown of TP53 or both with parental HBEC cells. Methods: VOC from headspace above cultured cells were collected by passive sampling and analysed by thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TD-GC–MS) or sensor array with discriminant factor analysis (DFA). Results: In TD-GC–MS analysis, individual compounds had limited ability to discriminate between cell lines, but by applying DFA analysis combinations of 20 VOCs successfully discriminated between all cell types (accuracies 80–100%, with leave-one-out cross validation). Sensor array detection DFA demonstrated the ability to discriminate samples based on their cell type for all comparisons with accuracies varying between 77% and 93%. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that minimal genetic changes in bronchial airway cells lead to detectable differences in levels of specific VOCs identified by TD-GC–MS or of patterns of VOCs identified by sensor array output. From the clinical aspect, these results suggest the possibility of breath analysis for detection of minimal genetic changes for earlier diagnosis or for genetic typing of lung cancers. PMID:25051409

A Preliminary Discriminant and Convergent Validity Study of the Teacher Functional Behavioral Assessment Checklist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stage, Scott A.; Cheney, Douglas; Walker, Bridget; LaRocque, Michelle

2002-01-01

Examines discriminant and convergent validity of the Teacher Functional Behavior Assessment Checklist (TFBAC) using 89 first- through third-grade students. Results are discussed in terms of increasing the convergent validity of the TFBAC, teacher training in concepts about functional behavioral assessment and the possibility of concurrent…

Discriminative and Criterion Validity of the Autism Spectrum Identity Scale (ASIS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, T. A. M.

2017-01-01

Individuals on the autism spectrum face stigma that can influence identity development. Previous research on the 22-item Autism Spectrum Identity Scale (ASIS) reported a four-factor structure with strong split-sample cross-validation and good internal consistency. This study reports the discriminative and criterion validity of the ASIS with other…

Discriminant content validity: a quantitative methodology for assessing content of theory-based measures, with illustrative applications.

PubMed

Johnston, Marie; Dixon, Diane; Hart, Jo; Glidewell, Liz; Schröder, Carin; Pollard, Beth

2014-05-01

In studies involving theoretical constructs, it is important that measures have good content validity and that there is not contamination of measures by content from other constructs. While reliability and construct validity are routinely reported, to date, there has not been a satisfactory, transparent, and systematic method of assessing and reporting content validity. In this paper, we describe a methodology of discriminant content validity (DCV) and illustrate its application in three studies. Discriminant content validity involves six steps: construct definition, item selection, judge identification, judgement format, single-sample test of content validity, and assessment of discriminant items. In three studies, these steps were applied to a measure of illness perceptions (IPQ-R) and control cognitions. The IPQ-R performed well with most items being purely related to their target construct, although timeline and consequences had small problems. By contrast, the study of control cognitions identified problems in measuring constructs independently. In the final study, direct estimation response formats for theory of planned behaviour constructs were found to have as good DCV as Likert format. The DCV method allowed quantitative assessment of each item and can therefore inform the content validity of the measures assessed. The methods can be applied to assess content validity before or after collecting data to select the appropriate items to measure theoretical constructs. Further, the data reported for each item in Appendix S1 can be used in item or measure selection. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? There are agreed methods of assessing and reporting construct validity of measures of theoretical constructs, but not their content validity. Content validity is rarely reported in a systematic and transparent manner. What does this study add? The paper proposes discriminant content validity (DCV), a systematic and transparent method of assessing and reporting whether items assess the intended theoretical construct and only that construct. In three studies, DCV was applied to measures of illness perceptions, control cognitions, and theory of planned behaviour response formats. Appendix S1 gives content validity indices for each item of each questionnaire investigated. Discriminant content validity is ideally applied while the measure is being developed, before using to measure the construct(s), but can also be applied after using a measure. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Development of the Persian version of the Vertigo Symptom Scale: Validity and reliability

PubMed Central

Kamalvand, Atefeh; Ghahraman, Mansoureh Adel; Jalaie, Shohreh

2017-01-01

Background: Vertigo Symptom Scale (VSS) is a proper instrument for assessing the patient status, clarifying the symptoms, and examining the relative impact of the vertigo and anxiety on reported handicap. Our aim is the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the VSS into Persian language (VSS-P) and investigating its validity and reliability in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders. Materials and Methods: VSS was translated into Persian. Cross-cultural adaptation was carried out on 101 patients with peripheral vestibular disorders and 34 participants with no history of vertigo. They completed the Persian versions of VSS, dizziness handicap inventory (DHI), and Beck anxiety inventory (BAI). Internal, discriminant, and convergent validities, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were determined. Results: The VSS-P showed good face validity. Internal validity was confirmed and demonstrated the presence of two vertigo (VSS-VER) and autonomic-anxiety (VSS-AA) subscales. Significant difference between the median scores for patient and healthy groups was reported in discriminate validity (P <0.001). Convergent validity revealed high correlation between both BAI and DHI with VSS-P. There was a high test-retest reliability; with intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.89, 0.86, and 0.91 for VSS-AA, VER, and VSS-P, respectively. The internal consistency was good with Cronbach's alpha 0.90 for VER subscale, 0.86 for VSS-AA subscale, and 0.92 for the overall VSS-P. Conclusion: The Persian version of the VSS could be used clinically as a valid and reliable tool. Thus, it is a key instrument to focus on the symptoms associated with dizziness. PMID:28616045

Development of the Persian version of the Vertigo Symptom Scale: Validity and reliability.

PubMed

Kamalvand, Atefeh; Ghahraman, Mansoureh Adel; Jalaie, Shohreh

2017-01-01

Vertigo Symptom Scale (VSS) is a proper instrument for assessing the patient status, clarifying the symptoms, and examining the relative impact of the vertigo and anxiety on reported handicap. Our aim is the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the VSS into Persian language (VSS-P) and investigating its validity and reliability in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders. VSS was translated into Persian. Cross-cultural adaptation was carried out on 101 patients with peripheral vestibular disorders and 34 participants with no history of vertigo. They completed the Persian versions of VSS, dizziness handicap inventory (DHI), and Beck anxiety inventory (BAI). Internal, discriminant, and convergent validities, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were determined. The VSS-P showed good face validity. Internal validity was confirmed and demonstrated the presence of two vertigo (VSS-VER) and autonomic-anxiety (VSS-AA) subscales. Significant difference between the median scores for patient and healthy groups was reported in discriminate validity ( P <0.001). Convergent validity revealed high correlation between both BAI and DHI with VSS-P. There was a high test-retest reliability; with intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.89, 0.86, and 0.91 for VSS-AA, VER, and VSS-P, respectively. The internal consistency was good with Cronbach's alpha 0.90 for VER subscale, 0.86 for VSS-AA subscale, and 0.92 for the overall VSS-P. The Persian version of the VSS could be used clinically as a valid and reliable tool. Thus, it is a key instrument to focus on the symptoms associated with dizziness.

Early Prediction of Intensive Care Unit-Acquired Weakness: A Multicenter External Validation Study.

PubMed

Witteveen, Esther; Wieske, Luuk; Sommers, Juultje; Spijkstra, Jan-Jaap; de Waard, Monique C; Endeman, Henrik; Rijkenberg, Saskia; de Ruijter, Wouter; Sleeswijk, Mengalvio; Verhamme, Camiel; Schultz, Marcus J; van Schaik, Ivo N; Horn, Janneke

2018-01-01

An early diagnosis of intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is often not possible due to impaired consciousness. To avoid a diagnostic delay, we previously developed a prediction model, based on single-center data from 212 patients (development cohort), to predict ICU-AW at 2 days after ICU admission. The objective of this study was to investigate the external validity of the original prediction model in a new, multicenter cohort and, if necessary, to update the model. Newly admitted ICU patients who were mechanically ventilated at 48 hours after ICU admission were included. Predictors were prospectively recorded, and the outcome ICU-AW was defined by an average Medical Research Council score <4. In the validation cohort, consisting of 349 patients, we analyzed performance of the original prediction model by assessment of calibration and discrimination. Additionally, we updated the model in this validation cohort. Finally, we evaluated a new prediction model based on all patients of the development and validation cohort. Of 349 analyzed patients in the validation cohort, 190 (54%) developed ICU-AW. Both model calibration and discrimination of the original model were poor in the validation cohort. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC-ROC) was 0.60 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.54-0.66). Model updating methods improved calibration but not discrimination. The new prediction model, based on all patients of the development and validation cohort (total of 536 patients) had a fair discrimination, AUC-ROC: 0.70 (95% CI: 0.66-0.75). The previously developed prediction model for ICU-AW showed poor performance in a new independent multicenter validation cohort. Model updating methods improved calibration but not discrimination. The newly derived prediction model showed fair discrimination. This indicates that early prediction of ICU-AW is still challenging and needs further attention.

The Vocal Cord Dysfunction Questionnaire: Validity and Reliability of the Persian Version.

PubMed

Ghaemi, Hamide; Khoddami, Seyyedeh Maryam; Soleymani, Zahra; Zandieh, Fariborz; Jalaie, Shohreh; Ahanchian, Hamid; Khadivi, Ehsan

2017-12-25

The aim of this study was to develop, validate, and assess the reliability of the Persian version of Vocal Cord Dysfunction Questionnaire (VCDQ P ). The study design was cross-sectional or cultural survey. Forty-four patients with vocal fold dysfunction (VFD) and 40 healthy volunteers were recruited for the study. To assess the content validity, the prefinal questions were given to 15 experts to comment on its essential. Ten patients with VFD rated the importance of VCDQ P in detecting face validity. Eighteen of the patients with VFD completed the VCDQ 1 week later for test-retest reliability. To detect absolute reliability, standard error of measurement and smallest detected change were calculated. Concurrent validity was assessed by completing the Persian Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Assessment Test (CAT) by 34 patients with VFD. Discriminant validity was measured from 34 participants. The VCDQ was further validated by administering the questionnaire to 40 healthy volunteers. Validation of the VCDQ as a treatment outcome tool was conducted in 18 patients with VFD using pre- and posttreatment scores. The internal consistency was confirmed (Cronbach α = 0.78). The test-retest reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.97). The standard error of measurement and smallest detected change values were acceptable (0.39 and 1.08, respectively). There was a significant correlation between the VCDQ P and the CAT total scores (P < 0.05). Discriminative validity was significantly different. The VCDQ scores in patients with VFD before and after treatment was significantly different (P < 0.001). The VCDQ was cross-culturally adapted to Persian and demonstrated to be a valid and reliable self-administered questionnaire in Persian-speaking population. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the HPV Clinical Trial Survey for Parents (CTSP‐HPV) Using Traditional Survey Development Methods and Community Engagement Principles

PubMed Central

Wallston, Kenneth A.; Wilkins, Consuelo H.; Hull, Pamela C.; Miller, Stephania T.

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective This study describes the development and psychometric evaluation of HPV Clinical Trial Survey for Parents with Children Aged 9 to 15 (CTSP‐HPV) using traditional instrument development methods and community engagement principles. Methods An expert panel and parental input informed survey content and parents recommended study design changes (e.g., flyer wording). A convenience sample of 256 parents completed the final survey measuring parental willingness to consent to HPV clinical trial (CT) participation and other factors hypothesized to influence willingness (e.g., HPV vaccine benefits). Cronbach's a, Spearman correlations, and multiple linear regression were used to estimate internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity, and predictively validity, respectively. Results Internal reliability was confirmed for all scales (a ≥ 0.70.). Parental willingness was positively associated (p < 0.05) with trust in medical researchers, adolescent CT knowledge, HPV vaccine benefits, advantages of adolescent CTs (r range 0.33–0.42), supporting convergent validity. Moderate discriminant construct validity was also demonstrated. Regression results indicate reasonable predictive validity with the six scales accounting for 31% of the variance in parents’ willingness. Conclusions This instrument can inform interventions based on factors that influence parental willingness, which may lead to the eventual increase in trial participation. Further psychometric testing is warranted. PMID:26530324

[Discrimination of types of polyacrylamide based on near infrared spectroscopy coupled with least square support vector machine].

PubMed

Zhang, Hong-Guang; Yang, Qin-Min; Lu, Jian-Gang

2014-04-01

In this paper, a novel discriminant methodology based on near infrared spectroscopic analysis technique and least square support vector machine was proposed for rapid and nondestructive discrimination of different types of Polyacrylamide. The diffuse reflectance spectra of samples of Non-ionic Polyacrylamide, Anionic Polyacrylamide and Cationic Polyacrylamide were measured. Then principal component analysis method was applied to reduce the dimension of the spectral data and extract of the principal compnents. The first three principal components were used for cluster analysis of the three different types of Polyacrylamide. Then those principal components were also used as inputs of least square support vector machine model. The optimization of the parameters and the number of principal components used as inputs of least square support vector machine model was performed through cross validation based on grid search. 60 samples of each type of Polyacrylamide were collected. Thus a total of 180 samples were obtained. 135 samples, 45 samples for each type of Polyacrylamide, were randomly split into a training set to build calibration model and the rest 45 samples were used as test set to evaluate the performance of the developed model. In addition, 5 Cationic Polyacrylamide samples and 5 Anionic Polyacrylamide samples adulterated with different proportion of Non-ionic Polyacrylamide were also prepared to show the feasibilty of the proposed method to discriminate the adulterated Polyacrylamide samples. The prediction error threshold for each type of Polyacrylamide was determined by F statistical significance test method based on the prediction error of the training set of corresponding type of Polyacrylamide in cross validation. The discrimination accuracy of the built model was 100% for prediction of the test set. The prediction of the model for the 10 mixing samples was also presented, and all mixing samples were accurately discriminated as adulterated samples. The overall results demonstrate that the discrimination method proposed in the present paper can rapidly and nondestructively discriminate the different types of Polyacrylamide and the adulterated Polyacrylamide samples, and offered a new approach to discriminate the types of Polyacrylamide.

[Validation of the portuguese version of the Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN)].

PubMed

D'El Rey, Gustavo José Fonseca; Matos, Cláudia Wilmor

2009-01-01

Social phobia (also known as social anxiety disorder) is a severe mental disorder that brings distress and disability. The aim of this study was validate to the Portuguese language the Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN) in a populational sample. We performed a discriminative validity study of the Mini-SPIN in a sample of 644 subjects (Mini-SPIN positive group: n = 218 and control/negative group: n = 426) of a study of anxiety disorders' prevalence in the city of Santo André-SP. The Portuguese version of the Mini-SPIN (with score of 6 points, suggested in the original English version) demonstrated a sensitivity of 95.0%, specificity of 80.3%, positive predictive value of 52.8%, negative predictive value of 98.6% and incorrect classification rate of 16.9%. With score of 7 points, was observed an increase in the specificity and positive predictive value (88.6% and 62.7%), while the sensitivity and negative predictive value (84.8% and 96.2%) remained high. The Portuguese version of the Mini-SPIN showed satisfactory psychometric qualities in terms of discriminative validity. In this study, the cut-off of 7, was considered to be the most suitable to screening of the generalized social phobia.

Development and initial validation of the appropriate antibiotic use self-efficacy scale.

PubMed

Hill, Erin M; Watkins, Kaitlin

2018-06-04

While there are various medication self-efficacy scales that exist, none assess self-efficacy for appropriate antibiotic use. The Appropriate Antibiotic Use Self-Efficacy Scale (AAUSES) was developed, pilot tested, and its psychometric properties were examined. Following pilot testing of the scale, a 28-item questionnaire was examined using a sample (n = 289) recruited through the Amazon Mechanical Turk platform. Participants also completed other scales and items, which were used in assessing discriminant, convergent, and criterion-related validity. Test-retest reliability was also examined. After examining the scale and removing items that did not assess appropriate antibiotic use, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted on 13 items from the original scale. Three factors were retained that explained 65.51% of the variance. The scale and its subscales had adequate internal consistency. The scale had excellent test-retest reliability, as well as demonstrated convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity. The AAUSES is a valid and reliable scale that assesses three domains of appropriate antibiotic use self-efficacy. The AAUSES may have utility in clinical and research settings in understanding individuals' beliefs about appropriate antibiotic use and related behavioral correlates. Future research is needed to examine the scale's utility in these settings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of the Therapist Empathy Scale.

PubMed

Decker, Suzanne E; Nich, Charla; Carroll, Kathleen M; Martino, Steve

2014-05-01

Few measures exist to examine therapist empathy as it occurs in session. A 9-item observer rating scale, called the Therapist Empathy Scale (TES), was developed based on Watson's (1999) work to assess affective, cognitive, attitudinal, and attunement aspects of therapist empathy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inter-rater reliability, internal consistency, and construct and criterion validity of the TES. Raters evaluated therapist empathy in 315 client sessions conducted by 91 therapists, using data from a multi-site therapist training trial (Martino et al., 2010) in Motivational Interviewing (MI). Inter-rater reliability (ICC = .87 to .91) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .94) were high. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated some support for single-factor fit. Convergent validity was supported by correlations between TES scores and MI fundamental adherence (r range .50 to .67) and competence scores (r range .56 to .69). Discriminant validity was indicated by negative or nonsignificant correlations between TES and MI-inconsistent behavior (r range .05 to -.33). The TES demonstrates excellent inter-rater reliability and internal consistency. RESULTS indicate some support for a single-factor solution and convergent and discriminant validity. Future studies should examine the use of the TES to evaluate therapist empathy in different psychotherapy approaches and to determine the impact of therapist empathy on client outcome.

Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the Autism Spectrum Disorder-Problem Behavior for Children (ASD-PBC) against the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahan, Sara; Matson, Johnny L.

2011-01-01

Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate challenging behaviors. Since challenging behaviors are obstacles for social development and learning, it is important to determine if and what challenging behaviors are exhibited. Although there are some measures that asses for challenging behaviors, the majority were not specifically…

Achievement-Relevant Personality: Relations with the Big Five and Validation of an Efficient Instrument

PubMed Central

Briley, Daniel A.; Domiteaux, Matthew; Tucker-Drob, Elliot M.

2014-01-01

Many achievement-relevant personality measures (APMs) have been developed, but the interrelations among APMs or associations with the broader personality landscape are not well-known. In Study 1, 214 participants were measured on 36 APMs and a measure of the Big Five. Factor analytic results supported the convergent and discriminant validity of five latent dimensions: performance, mastery, self-doubt, effort, and intellectual investment. Conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience had the most consistent associations with APMs. We constructed a more efficient scale– the Multidimensional Achievement-Relevant Personality Scale (MAPS). In Study 2, we replicated the factor structure and external correlates of the MAPS in a sample of 359 individuals. Finally, we validated the MAPS with four indicators of academic performance and demonstrated incremental validity. PMID:24839374

Validation of a clinical critical thinking skills test in nursing.

PubMed

Shin, Sujin; Jung, Dukyoo; Kim, Sungeun

2015-01-27

The purpose of this study was to develop a revised version of the clinical critical thinking skills test (CCTS) and to subsequently validate its performance. This study is a secondary analysis of the CCTS. Data were obtained from a convenience sample of 284 college students in June 2011. Thirty items were analyzed using item response theory and test reliability was assessed. Test-retest reliability was measured using the results of 20 nursing college and graduate school students in July 2013. The content validity of the revised items was analyzed by calculating the degree of agreement between instrument developer intention in item development and the judgments of six experts. To analyze response process validity, qualitative data related to the response processes of nine nursing college students obtained through cognitive interviews were analyzed. Out of initial 30 items, 11 items were excluded after the analysis of difficulty and discrimination parameter. When the 19 items of the revised version of the CCTS were analyzed, levels of item difficulty were found to be relatively low and levels of discrimination were found to be appropriate or high. The degree of agreement between item developer intention and expert judgments equaled or exceeded 50%. From above results, evidence of the response process validity was demonstrated, indicating that subjects respondeds as intended by the test developer. The revised 19-item CCTS was found to have sufficient reliability and validity and will therefore represents a more convenient measurement of critical thinking ability.

Validation of a clinical critical thinking skills test in nursing

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a revised version of the clinical critical thinking skills test (CCTS) and to subsequently validate its performance. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of the CCTS. Data were obtained from a convenience sample of 284 college students in June 2011. Thirty items were analyzed using item response theory and test reliability was assessed. Test-retest reliability was measured using the results of 20 nursing college and graduate school students in July 2013. The content validity of the revised items was analyzed by calculating the degree of agreement between instrument developer intention in item development and the judgments of six experts. To analyze response process validity, qualitative data related to the response processes of nine nursing college students obtained through cognitive interviews were analyzed. Results: Out of initial 30 items, 11 items were excluded after the analysis of difficulty and discrimination parameter. When the 19 items of the revised version of the CCTS were analyzed, levels of item difficulty were found to be relatively low and levels of discrimination were found to be appropriate or high. The degree of agreement between item developer intention and expert judgments equaled or exceeded 50%. Conclusion: From above results, evidence of the response process validity was demonstrated, indicating that subjects respondeds as intended by the test developer. The revised 19-item CCTS was found to have sufficient reliability and validity and will therefore represents a more convenient measurement of critical thinking ability. PMID:25622716

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of Persian Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score.

PubMed

Ansari, Noureddin Nakhostin; Naghdi, Soofia; Hasanvand, Sahar; Fakhari, Zahra; Kordi, Ramin; Nilsson-Helander, Katarina

2016-04-01

To cross-culturally adapt the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS) to Persian language and to preliminary evaluate the reliability and validity of a Persian ATRS. A cross-sectional and prospective cohort study was conducted to translate and cross-culturally adapt the ATRS to Persian language (ATRS-Persian) following steps described in guidelines. Thirty patients with total Achilles tendon rupture and 30 healthy subjects participated in this study. Psychometric properties of floor/ceiling effects (responsiveness), internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, standard error of measurement (SEM), smallest detectable change (SDC), construct validity, and discriminant validity were tested. Factor analysis was performed to determine the ATRS-Persian structure. There were no floor or ceiling effects that indicate the content and responsiveness of ATRS-Persian. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's α 0.95). Item-total correlations exceeded acceptable standard of 0.3 for the all items (0.58-0.95). The test-retest reliability was excellent [(ICC)agreement 0.98]. SEM and SDC were 3.57 and 9.9, respectively. Construct validity was supported by a significant correlation between the ATRS-Persian total score and the Persian Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (PFAOS) total score and PFAOS subscales (r = 0.55-0.83). The ATRS-Persian significantly discriminated between patients and healthy subjects. Explanatory factor analysis revealed 1 component. The ATRS was cross-culturally adapted to Persian and demonstrated to be a reliable and valid instrument to measure functional outcomes in Persian patients with Achilles tendon rupture. II.

[Validation of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory to assess professional burnout in Spain].

PubMed

Molinero Ruiz, Emilia; Basart Gómez-Quintero, Helena; Moncada Lluis, Salvador

2013-01-01

The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) is a public domain questionnaire measuring the degree of psychological fatigue experienced in three subdimensions of Burnout: personal (PB), work-related (WB), and client-related Burnout (CB). The study aimed to examine the acceptability, reliability and construct validity of the Spanish version of CBI. The study population consisted of 479 workers of educational centers, social work centres, healthcare centres and workers within the industry sector. Data was collected in 2009 through a self-administered questionnaire including the three CBI scales, sixteen scales of psychosocial work environment (COPSOQ ISTAS21) and perceived general and mental health and vitality (SF-36). Response rate was 78.7%. The three scales have an inter-item correlation average between 0.42 and 0.60 and a corrected item-total correlation between 0,49 and 0,83. The internal consistency of the three scales had Cronbach's α values of 0.90 for PB, 0.83 for WB and 0.82 for CB. Burnout was related to both psychosocial work environment and wellbeing measures in the expected direction and intensity. The items of the three scales show good discrimination capacity, good consistency and homogeneity. The three CBI scales have an acceptable internal consistency reliability index, slightly higher in PB. The discrimination capacity of the scales is verified through the discrimination index and the different levels between occupations and activities. These results demonstrate that the Spanish version of the CBI is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring Burnout.

Development and Validation of a Coping with Discrimination Scale: Factor Structure, Reliability, and Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Meifen; Alvarez, Alvin N.; Ku, Tsun-Yao; Russell, Daniel W.; Bonett, Douglas G.

2010-01-01

Four studies were conducted to develop and validate the Coping With Discrimination Scale (CDS). In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis (N = 328) identified 5 factors: Education/Advocacy, Internalization, Drug and Alcohol Use, Resistance, and Detachment, with internal consistency reliability estimates ranging from 0.72 to 0.90. In Study 2, a…

Psychometric properties of seven self-report measures of posttraumatic stress disorder in college students with mixed civilian trauma exposure.

PubMed

Adkins, Jennifer W; Weathers, Frank W; McDevitt-Murphy, Meghan; Daniels, Jennifer B

2008-12-01

In this study psychometric properties of seven self-report measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were compared. The seven scales evaluated were the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS), the PTSD Checklist (PCL), the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS), the Civilian Mississippi Scale (CMS), the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), the Penn Inventory for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Penn), and the PK scale of the MMPI-2 (PK). Participants were 239 (79 male and 160 female) trauma-exposed undergraduates. All seven measures exhibited good test-retest reliability and internal consistency. The PDS, PCL and DTS demonstrated the best convergent validity; the IES-R, PDS, and PCL demonstrated the best discriminant validity; and the PDS, PCL, and IES-R demonstrated the best diagnostic utility. Overall, results most strongly support the use of the PDS and the PCL for the assessment of PTSD in this population.

Psychometric validation of a sexual quality of life questionnaire for use in men with premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction.

PubMed

Abraham, Lucy; Symonds, Tara; Morris, Mark F

2008-03-01

An instrument that can systematically capture the impact of sexual dysfunction on quality of life (QoL) in men is needed. To psychometrically validate a sexual QoL instrument for men (SQOL-M) with premature ejaculation (PE) or erectile dysfunction (ED). The main assessment populations were men participating in clinical trials of treatments for PE or ED. Men with PE had a confirmed intravaginal ejaculatory latency time of < or = 2 minutes in > or = 70% of attempts. Men with ED had a score of > 21 on the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). Confirmatory psychometric testing was conducted in further groups of men with PE. The internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity, test-retest reliability, and known-groups validity of the instrument were assessed. An 11-item version of the SQOL-M was produced following factor analyses on men with either PE or ED. Psychometric testing showed no overlap between items and good item-total correlations. Factor analysis confirmed a one-factor solution. Excellent internal consistency was demonstrated, with a Cronbach's alpha of > or = 0.82 in all groups. In men reporting no change in their symptoms, the SQOL-M showed excellent test-retest reliability: the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.77 for men with PE, and 0.79 for men with ED. Convergent validity was also good. In men with PE, the SQOL-M correlated with the satisfaction and distress domains of the Index of Premature Ejaculation. In men with ED, the SQOL-M correlated with the overall satisfaction domain of the IIEF. The measure also demonstrated excellent discriminant validity between men with PE or ED and men with no sexual dysfunction (P < 0.0001). The SQOL-M instrument is a useful tool for evaluating sexual QoL in men with PE and ED.

Discrimination of healthy and osteoarthritic articular cartilages by Fourier transform infrared imaging and partial least squares-discriminant analysis

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xue-Xi; Yin, Jian-Hua; Mao, Zhi-Hua; Xia, Yang

2015-01-01

Abstract. Fourier transform infrared imaging (FTIRI) combined with chemometrics algorithm has strong potential to obtain complex chemical information from biology tissues. FTIRI and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used to differentiate healthy and osteoarthritic (OA) cartilages for the first time. A PLS model was built on the calibration matrix of spectra that was randomly selected from the FTIRI spectral datasets of healthy and lesioned cartilage. Leave-one-out cross-validation was performed in the PLS model, and the fitting coefficient between actual and predicted categorical values of the calibration matrix reached 0.95. In the calibration and prediction matrices, the successful identifying percentages of healthy and lesioned cartilage spectra were 100% and 90.24%, respectively. These results demonstrated that FTIRI combined with PLS-DA could provide a promising approach for the categorical identification of healthy and OA cartilage specimens. PMID:26057029

Discrimination of healthy and osteoarthritic articular cartilages by Fourier transform infrared imaging and partial least squares-discriminant analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Xue-Xi; Yin, Jian-Hua; Mao, Zhi-Hua; Xia, Yang

2015-06-01

Fourier transform infrared imaging (FTIRI) combined with chemometrics algorithm has strong potential to obtain complex chemical information from biology tissues. FTIRI and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used to differentiate healthy and osteoarthritic (OA) cartilages for the first time. A PLS model was built on the calibration matrix of spectra that was randomly selected from the FTIRI spectral datasets of healthy and lesioned cartilage. Leave-one-out cross-validation was performed in the PLS model, and the fitting coefficient between actual and predicted categorical values of the calibration matrix reached 0.95. In the calibration and prediction matrices, the successful identifying percentages of healthy and lesioned cartilage spectra were 100% and 90.24%, respectively. These results demonstrated that FTIRI combined with PLS-DA could provide a promising approach for the categorical identification of healthy and OA cartilage specimens.

Discrimination of transgenic soybean seeds by terahertz spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wei; Liu, Changhong; Chen, Feng; Yang, Jianbo; Zheng, Lei

2016-10-01

Discrimination of genetically modified organisms is increasingly demanded by legislation and consumers worldwide. The feasibility of a non-destructive discrimination of glyphosate-resistant and conventional soybean seeds and their hybrid descendants was examined by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system combined with chemometrics. Principal component analysis (PCA), least squares-support vector machines (LS-SVM) and PCA-back propagation neural network (PCA-BPNN) models with the first and second derivative and standard normal variate (SNV) transformation pre-treatments were applied to classify soybean seeds based on genotype. Results demonstrated clear differences among glyphosate-resistant, hybrid descendants and conventional non-transformed soybean seeds could easily be visualized with an excellent classification (accuracy was 88.33% in validation set) using the LS-SVM and the spectra with SNV pre-treatment. The results indicated that THz spectroscopy techniques together with chemometrics would be a promising technique to distinguish transgenic soybean seeds from non-transformed seeds with high efficiency and without any major sample preparation.

Perception, experience, and response to genetic discrimination in Huntington's disease: the Australian results of The International RESPOND-HD study.

PubMed

Goh, Anita M Y; Chiu, Edmond; Yastrubetskaya, Olga; Erwin, Cheryl; Williams, Janet K; Juhl, Andrew R; Paulsen, Jane S

2013-02-01

This study examines elements of genetic discrimination among an at-risk, clinically undiagnosed Huntington's disease (HD) population. Sixty at-risk individuals, either positive or negative for the HD genetic mutation, completed a survey regarding their experiences of genetic discrimination, adverse and unfair treatment, and knowledge about existing laws and policies surrounding genetic discrimination. Sixty eight percent of participants reported feeling "Great benefit" from knowing their genetic test results. Reported benefits of knowledge included planning for the future, making decisions, and many individuals found meaning in active participation in the HD community and in advocating for themselves or families at risk for HD. Many individuals found personal meaning and a sense of community from knowledge of this information and from the ability to participate in research. Despite these positive feelings toward gene testing, results demonstrated that 33% of participants perceived experiences of genetic discrimination, which occurred repeatedly and caused great self-reported distress. Significantly, more gene-positive respondents reported experiencing incidents of genetic discrimination, compared to gene-negative respondents. At least 58 separate incidents of discrimination were reported, the number of incidents ranged from 1 to 10, with 45% of individuals (9/20 respondents) indicating more than one event. Of the most significant events of discrimination, 58% were related to insurance, 21% to employment, 16% to transactions of daily life, and 5% to relationships. Results contribute toward validation of empirical data regarding genetic discrimination.

Psychometric properties of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire for children in a large clinical sample.

PubMed

Pestle, Sarah L; Chorpita, Bruce F; Schiffman, Jason

2008-04-01

The Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children (PSWQ-C; Chorpita, Tracey, Brown, Collica, & Barlow, 1997) is a 14-item self-report measure of worry in children and adolescents. Although the PSWQ-C has demonstrated favorable psychometric properties in small clinical and large community samples, this study represents the first psychometric evaluation of the PSWQ-C in a large clinical sample (N = 491). Factor analysis indicated a two-factor structure, in contrast to all previously published findings on the measure. The PSWQ-C demonstrated favorable psychometric properties in this sample, including high internal consistency, high convergent validity with related constructs, and acceptable discriminative validity between diagnostic categories. The performance of the 3 reverse-scored items was closely examined, and results indicated retaining all 14 items.

Mining for class-specific motifs in protein sequence classification

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In protein sequence classification, identification of the sequence motifs or n-grams that can precisely discriminate between classes is a more interesting scientific question than the classification itself. A number of classification methods aim at accurate classification but fail to explain which sequence features indeed contribute to the accuracy. We hypothesize that sequences in lower denominations (n-grams) can be used to explore the sequence landscape and to identify class-specific motifs that discriminate between classes during classification. Discriminative n-grams are short peptide sequences that are highly frequent in one class but are either minimally present or absent in other classes. In this study, we present a new substitution-based scoring function for identifying discriminative n-grams that are highly specific to a class. Results We present a scoring function based on discriminative n-grams that can effectively discriminate between classes. The scoring function, initially, harvests the entire set of 4- to 8-grams from the protein sequences of different classes in the dataset. Similar n-grams of the same size are combined to form new n-grams, where the similarity is defined by positive amino acid substitution scores in the BLOSUM62 matrix. Substitution has resulted in a large increase in the number of discriminatory n-grams harvested. Due to the unbalanced nature of the dataset, the frequencies of the n-grams are normalized using a dampening factor, which gives more weightage to the n-grams that appear in fewer classes and vice-versa. After the n-grams are normalized, the scoring function identifies discriminative 4- to 8-grams for each class that are frequent enough to be above a selection threshold. By mapping these discriminative n-grams back to the protein sequences, we obtained contiguous n-grams that represent short class-specific motifs in protein sequences. Our method fared well compared to an existing motif finding method known as Wordspy. We have validated our enriched set of class-specific motifs against the functionally important motifs obtained from the NLSdb, Prosite and ELM databases. We demonstrate that this method is very generic; thus can be widely applied to detect class-specific motifs in many protein sequence classification tasks. Conclusion The proposed scoring function and methodology is able to identify class-specific motifs using discriminative n-grams derived from the protein sequences. The implementation of amino acid substitution scores for similarity detection, and the dampening factor to normalize the unbalanced datasets have significant effect on the performance of the scoring function. Our multipronged validation tests demonstrate that this method can detect class-specific motifs from a wide variety of protein sequence classes with a potential application to detecting proteome-specific motifs of different organisms. PMID:23496846

The teamwork in assertive community treatment (TACT) scale: development and validation.

PubMed

Wholey, Douglas R; Zhu, Xi; Knoke, David; Shah, Pri; Zellmer-Bruhn, Mary; Witheridge, Thomas F

2012-11-01

Team design is meticulously specified for assertive community treatment (ACT) teams, yet performance can vary across ACT teams, even those with high fidelity. By developing and validating the Teamwork in Assertive Community Treatment (TACT) scale, investigators examined the role of team processes in ACT performance. The TACT scale measuring ACT teamwork was developed from a conceptual model grounded in organizational research and adapted for the ACT and mental health context. TACT subscales were constructed after exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The reliability, discriminant validity, predictive validity, temporal stability, internal consistency, and within-team agreement were established with surveys from approximately 300 members of 26 Minnesota ACT teams who completed the questionnaire three times, at six-month intervals. Nine TACT subscales emerged from the analyses: exploration, exploitation of new and existing knowledge, psychological safety, goal agreement, conflict, constructive controversy, information accessibility, encounter preparedness, and consumer-centered care. These nine subscales demonstrated fit and temporal stability (confirmatory factor analysis), high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), and within-team agreement and between-team differences (rwg and intraclass correlations). Correlational analyses of the subscales revealed that they measure related yet distinctive aspects of ACT team processes, and regression analyses demonstrated predictive validity (encounter preparedness is related to staff outcomes). The TACT scale demonstrated high reliability and validity and can be included in research and evaluation of teamwork in ACT and mental health teams.

Comparison of seven fall risk assessment tools in community-dwelling Korean older women.

PubMed

Kim, Taekyoung; Xiong, Shuping

2017-03-01

This study aimed to compare seven widely used fall risk assessment tools in terms of validity and practicality, and to provide a guideline for choosing appropriate fall risk assessment tools for elderly Koreans. Sixty community-dwelling Korean older women (30 fallers and 30 matched non-fallers) were evaluated. Performance measures of all tools were compared between the faller and non-faller groups through two sample t-tests. Receiver Operating Characteristic curves were generated with odds ratios for discriminant analysis. Results showed that four tools had significant discriminative power, and the shortened version of Falls Efficacy Scale (SFES) showed excellent discriminant validity, followed by Berg Balance Scale (BBS) with acceptable discriminant validity. The Mini Balance Evaluation System Test and Timed Up and Go, however, had limited discriminant validities. In terms of practicality, SFES was also excellent. These findings suggest that SFES is the most suitable tool for assessing the fall risks of community-dwelling Korean older women, followed by BBS. Practitioner Summary: There is no general guideline on which fall risk assessment tools are suitable for community-dwelling Korean older women. This study compared seven widely used assessment tools in terms of validity and practicality. Results suggested that the short Falls Efficacy Scale is the most suitable tool, followed by Berg Balance Scale.

Development and Psychometric Properties of the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living: Compensation Scale

PubMed Central

Schmitter-Edgecombe, Maureen; Parsey, Carolyn; Lamb, Richard

2014-01-01

The Instrumental Activities of Daily Living – Compensation (IADL-C) scale was developed to capture early functional difficulties and to quantify compensatory strategy use that may mitigate functional decline in the aging population. The IADL-C was validated in a sample of cognitively healthy older adults (N=184) and individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI; N=92) and dementia (N=24). Factor analysis and Rasch item analysis led to the 27-item IADL-C informant questionnaire with four functional domain subscales (money and self-management, home daily living, travel and event memory, and social skills). The subscales demonstrated good internal consistency (Rasch reliability 0.80 to 0.93) and test-retest reliability (Spearman coefficients 0.70 to 0.91). The IADL-C total score and subscales showed convergent validity with other IADL measures, discriminant validity with psychosocial measures, and the ability to discriminate between diagnostic groups. The money and self management subscale showed notable difficulties for individuals with MCI, whereas difficulties with home daily living became more prominent for dementia participants. Compensatory strategy use increased in the MCI group and decreased in the dementia group. PMID:25344901

Validation of the dyspnea index in adolescents with exercise-induced paradoxical vocal fold motion.

PubMed

De Guzman, Vanessa; Ballif, Catherine L; Maurer, Rie; Hartnick, Christopher J; Raol, Nikhila

2014-09-01

Paradoxical vocal fold motion (PVFM) affects almost 1 million adolescents in the United States. However, to date, no disease-specific objective measure exists to assess symptom severity and response to treatment in adolescents with exercise-induced PVFM. To validate the Dyspnea Index (DI) quality-of-life instrument (previously validated for adults with breathing disorders) in children aged 12 to 18 years with exercise-induced PVFM and to determine the minimum significant DI change corresponding to patient-reported or caregiver-reported improvement or worsening of symptoms. A longitudinal study of 56 patients (age range, 12-18 years) diagnosed as having exercise-induced PVFM and their caregivers from February 1, 2013, to September 30, 2013, in an outpatient pediatric otolaryngology office practice. The DI was administered to patients and caregivers, with items modified to reflect the perspective of caregivers. Appropriate DI change was measured to reflect improvement or worsening of symptoms. Test-retest reliability was accomplished by having a subset of patients and caregivers complete the instrument twice within 2 weeks before therapy. Internal consistency was assessed by calculation of Cronbach α. Discriminant validity and convergent validity were determined by comparing DIs with assessment of global change in symptoms. The patient and caregiver mean (SD) DI changes were -12.9 (9.6) and -14.7 (9.3), respectively (P < .001 for both). Reliability was established by test-retest analysis with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.8 and by calculation of Cronbach α = 0.80, demonstrating internal consistency. Discriminant validity was determined by assessing for a significant DI change when patients globally perceived that a change existed after treatment (P < .001). A DI change of 8 or higher (P < .001) correlated with patient-reported significant change. Convergent validity was demonstrated by evaluating for significant DI change when no change was reported following treatment (P < .001). The DI appears to be a valid and reliable instrument to assess quality of life in exercise-induced pediatric PVFM. A DI change of 8 or higher seems significant. This instrument can serve as an objective tool to assess change in exercise-induced pediatric PVFM following speech therapy.

[The research of establishing discriminant function for patients with angina pectoris by stepwise analysis based on serum inflammatory factors].

PubMed

Chen, Zhi-bin; Liang, Yan-bing; Tang, Hao; Wang, Zhong-hua; Zeng, Li-jin; Wu, Jing-guo; Li, Zhen-yu; Ma, Zhong-fu

2012-12-01

To improve cost-efficiency, discriminant functions in stepwise method was founded for the differential diagnosis of angina pectoris by detecting the serum level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) and unstable angina pectoris (UAP). Thirty-nine SAP patients and 47 UAP patients were enrolled into the study, while 39 healthy volunteers were enrolled into the controlled group forming the entire set of training samples. The serum levels of hs-CRP, MIF, IL-4 and IL-10 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data was analyzed by software to define discriminant functions in the ways of "entering" and "stepwise". Both functions were evaluated by the results of validation. By the way of "enter independent together", the following discriminant functions were defined based on the data of training samples' age, hs-CRP, MIF, IL-4, IL-10: healthy control group =-129.858 + 2.869×age -2.451×hs-CRP + 1.393×MIF + 6.001×IL-4 + 4.848×IL-10; SAP group=-161.037 + 2.896×age-2.022×hs-CRP + 1.662×MIF + 6.703×IL-4 + 6.287×IL-10; UAP group=-199.087 + 2.468×age-1.440×hs-CRP + 3.404×MIF-13.875×IL-4 + 7.752×IL-10. Retrospective validation showed 4.8% of total miss-grouping, while cross-validation showed 5.6% of total miss-grouping. By the way of "stepwise", the above data was screened by software and training samples' age, MIF and IL-10 were suggested to define the following functions: healthy control group = - 125.218 + 2.659 × age + 0.599×MIF + 5.040 × IL-10; SAP group=-157.864 + 2.721×age + 1.008×MIF + 6.468×IL-10; UAP group=- 197.327 + 2.360×age + 2.932×MIF + 7.640×IL-10. Both retrospective and cross validation showed 6.4% of total miss-grouping. Both sets of discriminant functions had the same efficiency (100%) for differential diagnosis of SAP and UAP. The discriminant functions based on samples' age, MIF and IL-10, which were screened and suggested by stepwise method, may contribute to the differential diagnosis of atypical SAP and UAP, and therefore demonstrate better cost-efficiency.

The construct of food involvement in behavioral research: scale development and validation.

PubMed

Bell, Rick; Marshall, David W

2003-06-01

The construct of involvement has been found to influence brand loyalty, product information search processing, responses to advertising communications, diffusion of innovations, and ultimately, product choice decisions. Traditionally, involvement has been defined as being a characteristic of either a product or of an individual. In the present research, we make an assumption that an individual's 'food involvement' is a somewhat stable characteristic and we hypothesized that involvement with foods would vary between individuals, that individuals who are more highly involved with food would be better able to discriminate between a set of food samples than would less food involved individuals, and that this discrimination would operate both in affective and perceptive relative judgments. Using standard scale construction techniques, we developed a measure of the characteristic of food involvement, based on activities relating to food acquisition, preparation, cooking, eating and disposal. After several iterations, a final 12-item measure was found to have good test-retest reliability and internal consistency within two subscales. A behavioral validation study demonstrated that measures of food involvement were associated with discrimination and hedonic ratings for a range of foods in a laboratory setting. These findings suggest that food involvement, as measured by the Food Involvement Scale, may be an important mediator to consider when undertaking research with food and food habits.

Nomogram Prediction of Overall Survival After Curative Irradiation for Uterine Cervical Cancer

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

Seo, YoungSeok; Yoo, Seong Yul; Kim, Mi-Sook

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a nomogram capable of predicting the probability of 5-year survival after radical radiotherapy (RT) without chemotherapy for uterine cervical cancer. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively analyzed 549 patients that underwent radical RT for uterine cervical cancer between March 1994 and April 2002 at our institution. Multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards regression was performed and this Cox model was used as the basis for the devised nomogram. The model was internally validated for discrimination and calibration by bootstrap resampling. Results: By multivariate regression analysis, the model showed that age, hemoglobin levelmore » before RT, Federation Internationale de Gynecologie Obstetrique (FIGO) stage, maximal tumor diameter, lymph node status, and RT dose at Point A significantly predicted overall survival. The survival prediction model demonstrated good calibration and discrimination. The bootstrap-corrected concordance index was 0.67. The predictive ability of the nomogram proved to be superior to FIGO stage (p = 0.01). Conclusions: The devised nomogram offers a significantly better level of discrimination than the FIGO staging system. In particular, it improves predictions of survival probability and could be useful for counseling patients, choosing treatment modalities and schedules, and designing clinical trials. However, before this nomogram is used clinically, it should be externally validated.« less

A Severe Sepsis Mortality Prediction Model and Score for Use with Administrative Data

PubMed Central

Ford, Dee W.; Goodwin, Andrew J.; Simpson, Annie N.; Johnson, Emily; Nadig, Nandita; Simpson, Kit N.

2016-01-01

Objective Administrative data is used for research, quality improvement, and health policy in severe sepsis. However, there is not a sepsis-specific tool applicable to administrative data with which to adjust for illness severity. Our objective was to develop, internally validate, and externally validate a severe sepsis mortality prediction model and associated mortality prediction score. Design Retrospective cohort study using 2012 administrative data from five US states. Three cohorts of patients with severe sepsis were created: 1) ICD-9-CM codes for severe sepsis/septic shock, 2) ‘Martin’ approach, and 3) ‘Angus’ approach. The model was developed and internally validated in ICD-9-CM cohort and externally validated in other cohorts. Integer point values for each predictor variable were generated to create a sepsis severity score. Setting Acute care, non-federal hospitals in NY, MD, FL, MI, and WA Subjects Patients in one of three severe sepsis cohorts: 1) explicitly coded (n=108,448), 2) Martin cohort (n=139,094), and 3) Angus cohort (n=523,637) Interventions None Measurements and Main Results Maximum likelihood estimation logistic regression to develop a predictive model for in-hospital mortality. Model calibration and discrimination assessed via Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit (GOF) and C-statistics respectively. Primary cohort subset into risk deciles and observed versus predicted mortality plotted. GOF demonstrated p>0.05 for each cohort demonstrating sound calibration. C-statistic ranged from low of 0.709 (sepsis severity score) to high of 0.838 (Angus cohort) suggesting good to excellent model discrimination. Comparison of observed versus expected mortality was robust although accuracy decreased in highest risk decile. Conclusions Our sepsis severity model and score is a tool that provides reliable risk adjustment for administrative data. PMID:26496452

The Association Between Discrimination and Depressive Symptoms among Older African Americans: The Role of Psychological and Social Factors

PubMed Central

Nadimpalli, S.B.; James, B.D.; Yu, L.; Cothran, F.; Barnes, L. L.

2015-01-01

Background Several studies have demonstrated a link between perceived discrimination and depression in ethnic minority groups, yet most have focused on younger or middle-aged African Americans and little is known about factors that may moderate the relationship. Methods Participants were 487 older African Americans (60-98) enrolled in the Minority Aging Research Study. Discrimination, depressive symptoms, and psychological and social resources were assessed via interview using validated measures. Ordinal logistic regression models were used to assess (1) the main relationship between discrimination and depression and (2) resilience, purpose in life, social isolation, and social networks as potential moderators of this relationship. Results In models adjusted for age, sex, education, and income, perceived discrimination was positively associated with depressive symptoms (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.31, p < .001). However, there was no evidence of effect modification by resilience, purpose in life, social isolation, or social networks (all ps ≤ .05). Conclusion and Implications Findings provide support for accumulating evidence on the adverse mental health effects of discrimination among older African Americans. Because the association was not modified by psychological or social factors, these findings do not support a role for a buffering effect of resources on discrimination and depressive symptoms. Further studies are needed to examine a wider range of coping resources among older adults. PMID:25494668

The association between discrimination and depressive symptoms among older African Americans: the role of psychological and social factors.

PubMed

Nadimpalli, Sarah B; James, Bryan D; Yu, Lei; Cothran, Fawn; Barnes, Lisa L

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: Several studies have demonstrated a link between perceived discrimination and depression in ethnic minority groups, yet most have focused on younger or middle-aged African Americans and little is known about factors that may moderate the relationship. Participants were 487 older African Americans (60-98 years old) enrolled in the Minority Aging Research Study. Discrimination, depressive symptoms, and psychological and social resources were assessed via interview using validated measures. Ordinal logistic regression models were used to assess (1) the main relationship between discrimination and depression and (2) resilience, purpose in life, social isolation, and social networks as potential moderators of this relationship. In models adjusted for age, sex, education, and income, perceived discrimination was positively associated with depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR]: 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10-1.31; p < .001). However, there was no evidence of effect modification by resilience, purpose in life, social isolation, or social networks (all ps ≤ .05). Findings provide support for accumulating evidence on the adverse mental health effects of discrimination among older African Americans. Because the association was not modified by psychological or social factors, these findings do not support a role for a buffering effect of resources on discrimination and depressive symptoms. Further studies are needed to examine a wider range of coping resources among older adults.

Perform MetalMapper Classification Treatability Investigations as Part of Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Studies: Live Site Demonstrations: Pueblo Chemical Depot

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-14

DoD Department of Defense EMI electromagnetic induction ESTCP Environmental Security Technology Certification Program ft. foot GPS global...three primary objectives:  Test and validate detection and discrimination capabilities of a currently available advanced electromagnetic induction ... induction (EMI) sensors in dynamic and static data acquisition modes and associated analysis software. To achieve these objectives, a controlled test was

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…

Serum prolactin revisited: parametric reference intervals and cross platform evaluation of polyethylene glycol precipitation-based methods for discrimination between hyperprolactinemia and macroprolactinemia.

PubMed

Overgaard, Martin; Pedersen, Susanne Møller

2017-10-26

Hyperprolactinemia diagnosis and treatment is often compromised by the presence of biologically inactive and clinically irrelevant higher-molecular-weight complexes of prolactin, macroprolactin. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of two macroprolactin screening regimes across commonly used automated immunoassay platforms. Parametric total and monomeric gender-specific reference intervals were determined for six immunoassay methods using female (n=96) and male sera (n=127) from healthy donors. The reference intervals were validated using 27 hyperprolactinemic and macroprolactinemic sera, whose presence of monomeric and macroforms of prolactin were determined using gel filtration chromatography (GFC). Normative data for six prolactin assays included the range of values (2.5th-97.5th percentiles). Validation sera (hyperprolactinemic and macroprolactinemic; n=27) showed higher discordant classification [mean=2.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-4.4] for the monomer reference interval method compared to the post-polyethylene glycol (PEG) recovery cutoff method (mean=1.8; 95% CI 0.8-2.8). The two monomer/macroprolactin discrimination methods did not differ significantly (p=0.089). Among macroprolactinemic sera evaluated by both discrimination methods, the Cobas and Architect/Kryptor prolactin assays showed the lowest and the highest number of misclassifications, respectively. Current automated immunoassays for prolactin testing require macroprolactin screening methods based on PEG precipitation in order to discriminate truly from falsely elevated serum prolactin. While the recovery cutoff and monomeric reference interval macroprolactin screening methods demonstrate similar discriminative ability, the latter method also provides the clinician with an easy interpretable monomeric prolactin concentration along with a monomeric reference interval.

Enhanced NMR Discrimination of Pharmaceutically Relevant Molecular Crystal Forms through Fragment-Based Ab Initio Chemical Shift Predictions.

PubMed

Hartman, Joshua D; Day, Graeme M; Beran, Gregory J O

2016-11-02

Chemical shift prediction plays an important role in the determination or validation of crystal structures with solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. One of the fundamental theoretical challenges lies in discriminating variations in chemical shifts resulting from different crystallographic environments. Fragment-based electronic structure methods provide an alternative to the widely used plane wave gauge-including projector augmented wave (GIPAW) density functional technique for chemical shift prediction. Fragment methods allow hybrid density functionals to be employed routinely in chemical shift prediction, and we have recently demonstrated appreciable improvements in the accuracy of the predicted shifts when using the hybrid PBE0 functional instead of generalized gradient approximation (GGA) functionals like PBE. Here, we investigate the solid-state 13 C and 15 N NMR spectra for multiple crystal forms of acetaminophen, phenobarbital, and testosterone. We demonstrate that the use of the hybrid density functional instead of a GGA provides both higher accuracy in the chemical shifts and increased discrimination among the different crystallographic environments. Finally, these results also provide compelling evidence for the transferability of the linear regression parameters mapping predicted chemical shieldings to chemical shifts that were derived in an earlier study.

Enhanced NMR Discrimination of Pharmaceutically Relevant Molecular Crystal Forms through Fragment-Based Ab Initio Chemical Shift Predictions

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Chemical shift prediction plays an important role in the determination or validation of crystal structures with solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. One of the fundamental theoretical challenges lies in discriminating variations in chemical shifts resulting from different crystallographic environments. Fragment-based electronic structure methods provide an alternative to the widely used plane wave gauge-including projector augmented wave (GIPAW) density functional technique for chemical shift prediction. Fragment methods allow hybrid density functionals to be employed routinely in chemical shift prediction, and we have recently demonstrated appreciable improvements in the accuracy of the predicted shifts when using the hybrid PBE0 functional instead of generalized gradient approximation (GGA) functionals like PBE. Here, we investigate the solid-state 13C and 15N NMR spectra for multiple crystal forms of acetaminophen, phenobarbital, and testosterone. We demonstrate that the use of the hybrid density functional instead of a GGA provides both higher accuracy in the chemical shifts and increased discrimination among the different crystallographic environments. Finally, these results also provide compelling evidence for the transferability of the linear regression parameters mapping predicted chemical shieldings to chemical shifts that were derived in an earlier study. PMID:27829821

Development and Validation of a Disease Severity Scoring Model for Pediatric Sepsis.

PubMed

Hu, Li; Zhu, Yimin; Chen, Mengshi; Li, Xun; Lu, Xiulan; Liang, Ying; Tan, Hongzhuan

2016-07-01

Multiple severity scoring systems have been devised and evaluated in adult sepsis, but a simplified scoring model for pediatric sepsis has not yet been developed. This study aimed to develop and validate a new scoring model to stratify the severity of pediatric sepsis, thus assisting the treatment of sepsis in children. Data from 634 consecutive patients who presented with sepsis at Children's hospital of Hunan province in China in 2011-2013 were analyzed, with 476 patients placed in training group and 158 patients in validation group. Stepwise discriminant analysis was used to develop the accurate discriminate model. A simplified scoring model was generated using weightings defined by the discriminate coefficients. The discriminant ability of the model was tested by receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC). The discriminant analysis showed that prothrombin time, D-dimer, total bilirubin, serum total protein, uric acid, PaO2/FiO2 ratio, myoglobin were associated with severity of sepsis. These seven variables were assigned with values of 4, 3, 3, 4, 3, 3, 3 respectively based on the standardized discriminant coefficients. Patients with higher scores had higher risk of severe sepsis. The areas under ROC (AROC) were 0.836 for accurate discriminate model, and 0.825 for simplified scoring model in validation group. The proposed disease severity scoring model for pediatric sepsis showed adequate discriminatory capacity and sufficient accuracy, which has important clinical significance in evaluating the severity of pediatric sepsis and predicting its progress.

The Academic Diligence Task (ADT): Assessing Individual Differences in Effort on Tedious but Important Schoolwork

PubMed Central

Galla, Brian M.; Plummer, Benjamin D.; White, Rachel E.; Meketon, David; D’Mello, Sidney K.; Duckworth, Angela L.

2014-01-01

The current study reports on the development and validation of the Academic Diligence Task (ADT), designed to assess the tendency to expend effort on academic tasks which are tedious in the moment but valued in the long-term. In this novel online task, students allocate their time between solving simple math problems (framed as beneficial for problem solving skills) and, alternatively, playing Tetris or watching entertaining videos. Using a large sample of high school seniors (N = 921), the ADT demonstrated convergent validity with self-report ratings of Big Five conscientiousness and its facets, self-control and grit, as well as discriminant validity from theoretically unrelated constructs, such as Big Five extraversion, openness, and emotional stability, test anxiety, life satisfaction, and positive and negative affect. The ADT also demonstrated incremental predictive validity for objectively measured GPA, standardized math and reading achievement test scores, high school graduation, and college enrollment, over and beyond demographics and intelligence. Collectively, findings suggest the feasibility of online behavioral measures to assess noncognitive individual differences that predict academic outcomes. PMID:25258470

The Academic Diligence Task (ADT): Assessing Individual Differences in Effort on Tedious but Important Schoolwork.

PubMed

Galla, Brian M; Plummer, Benjamin D; White, Rachel E; Meketon, David; D'Mello, Sidney K; Duckworth, Angela L

2014-10-01

The current study reports on the development and validation of the Academic Diligence Task (ADT), designed to assess the tendency to expend effort on academic tasks which are tedious in the moment but valued in the long-term. In this novel online task, students allocate their time between solving simple math problems (framed as beneficial for problem solving skills) and, alternatively, playing Tetris or watching entertaining videos. Using a large sample of high school seniors ( N = 921), the ADT demonstrated convergent validity with self-report ratings of Big Five conscientiousness and its facets, self-control and grit, as well as discriminant validity from theoretically unrelated constructs, such as Big Five extraversion, openness, and emotional stability, test anxiety, life satisfaction, and positive and negative affect. The ADT also demonstrated incremental predictive validity for objectively measured GPA, standardized math and reading achievement test scores, high school graduation, and college enrollment, over and beyond demographics and intelligence. Collectively, findings suggest the feasibility of online behavioral measures to assess noncognitive individual differences that predict academic outcomes.

Temperature-strain discrimination in distributed optical fiber sensing using phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry.

PubMed

Lu, Xin; Soto, Marcelo A; Thévenaz, Luc

2017-07-10

A method based on coherent Rayleigh scattering distinctly evaluating temperature and strain is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for distributed optical fiber sensing. Combining conventional phase-sensitive optical time-domain domain reflectometry (ϕOTDR) and ϕOTDR-based birefringence measurements, independent distributed temperature and strain profiles are obtained along a polarization-maintaining fiber. A theoretical analysis, supported by experimental data, indicates that the proposed system for temperature-strain discrimination is intrinsically better conditioned than an equivalent existing approach that combines classical Brillouin sensing with Brillouin dynamic gratings. This is due to the higher sensitivity of coherent Rayleigh scatting compared to Brillouin scattering, thus offering better performance and lower temperature-strain uncertainties in the discrimination. Compared to the Brillouin-based approach, the ϕOTDR-based system here proposed requires access to only one fiber-end, and a much simpler experimental layout. Experimental results validate the full discrimination of temperature and strain along a 100 m-long elliptical-core polarization-maintaining fiber with measurement uncertainties of ~40 mK and ~0.5 με, respectively. These values agree very well with the theoretically expected measurand resolutions.

Detection, discrimination, and real-time tracking of cracks in rotating disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haase, Wayne C.; Drumm, Michael J.

2002-06-01

The purpose of this effort was to develop a system* to detect, discriminate and track fatigue cracks in rotating disks. Aimed primarily at jet engines in flight applications, the system also has value for detecting cracks in a spin pit during low cycle fatigue testing, and for monitoring the health of steam turbines and land-based gas turbine engines for maintenance purposes. The results of this effort produced: a physics-based model that describes the change in the center of mass of a rotating disk using damping ratio, initial unbalance and crack size as parameters; the development of a data acquisition and analysis system that can detect and discriminate a crack using a single cycle of data; and initial validation of the model through testing in a spin pit. The development of the physics-based model also pointed to the most likely regimes for crack detection; identified specific powers of (omega) search for in specific regimes; dictated a particular type of data acquisition for crack discrimination; and demonstrated a need for a higher signal-to-noise ratio in the measurement of the basic vibration signal.

The development and validation of the Questionnaire on Anticipated Discrimination (QUAD).

PubMed

Gabbidon, Jheanell; Brohan, Elaine; Clement, Sarah; Henderson, R Claire; Thornicroft, Graham

2013-11-07

The anticipation of mental health-related discrimination is common amongst people with mental health problems and can have serious adverse effects. This study aimed to develop and validate a measure assessing the extent to which people with mental health problems anticipate that they will personally experience discrimination across a range of contexts. The items and format for the Questionnaire on Anticipated Discrimination (QUAD) were developed from previous versions of the Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC), focus groups and cognitive debriefing interviews which were used to further refine the content and format. The resulting provisional version of the QUAD was completed by 117 service users in an online survey and reliability, validity, precision and acceptability were assessed. A final version of the scale was agreed and analyses re-run using the online survey data and data from an independent sample to report the psychometric properties of the finalised scale. The provisional version of the QUAD had 17 items, good internal consistency (alpha = 0.86) and adequate convergent validity as supported by the significant positive correlations with the Stigma Scale (SS) (r = 0.40, p < 0.001) and the Internalised Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI) (r = 0.40, p < 0.001). Three items were removed due to low endorsements, high inter-correlation or conceptual concerns. The finalised 14 item QUAD had good internal consistency (alpha = 0.86), good test re-test reliability (ρ(c) = 0.81) and adequate convergent validity: correlations with the ISMI (r = 0.45, p < 0.001) and with the SS (r = 0.39, p < 0.001). Reading ease scores indicated good acceptability for general adult populations. Cross-replication in an independent sample further indicated good internal consistency (alpha = 0.88), adequate convergent validity and revealed two factors summarised by institutions/services and interpersonal/professional relationships. The QUAD expanded upon previous versions of the DISC. It is a reliable, valid and acceptable measure which can be used to identify key life areas in which people may personally anticipate discrimination, and an overall tendency to anticipate discrimination. It may also be useful in planning interventions aimed at reducing the stigma of mental illness.

Development and validation of a measure of pediatric oral health-related quality of life: the POQL

PubMed Central

Huntington, Noelle L; Spetter, Dante; Jones, Judith A.; Rich, Sharon E.; Garcia, Raul I.; Spiro, Avron

2011-01-01

Objective To develop a brief measure of oral health-related quality of life in children and demonstrate its reliability and validity in a diverse population. Methods We administered the initial 20-item POQL to children (Child Self-Report) and parents (Parent Report on Child) from diverse populations in both school-based and clinic-based settings. Clinical oral health status was measured on a subset of children. We used factor analysis to determine the underlying scales and then reduced the measure to 10 items based on several considerations. Multitrait analysis on the resulting 10-item POQL was used to reaffirm the discrimination of scales and assess the measure’s internal consistency and interscale correlations. We established discriminant and convergent validity with clinical status, perceived oral health and responses on the PedsQL and determined sensitivity to change with children undergoing ECC surgical repair. Results Factor analysis returned a four-scale solution for the initial items – Physical Functioning, Role Functioning, Social Functioning and Emotional Functioning. The reduced items represented the same four scales – two each on Physical and Role and three each on Social and Emotional. Good reliability and validity were shown for the POQL as a whole and for each of the scales. Conclusions The POQL is a valid and reliable measure of oral health-related quality of life for use in pre-school and school-aged children, with high utility for both clinical assessments and large-scale population studies. PMID:21972458

Development and validation of a measure of pediatric oral health-related quality of life: the POQL.

PubMed

Huntington, Noelle L; Spetter, Dante; Jones, Judith A; Rich, Sharron E; Garcia, Raul I; Spiro, Avron

2011-01-01

To develop a brief measure of oral health-related quality of life (OHQL) in children and demonstrate its reliability and validity in a diverse population. We administered the initial 20-item Pediatric Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (POQL) to children (Child Self-Report) and parents (Parent Report on Child) from diverse populations in both school-based and clinic-based settings. Clinical oral health status was measured on a subset of children. We used factor analysis to determine the underlying scales and then reduced the measure to 10 items based on several considerations. Multitrait analysis on the resulting 10-item POQL was used to reaffirm the discrimination of scales and assess the measure's internal consistency and interscale correlations. We established discriminant and convergent validity with clinical status, perceived oral health and responses on the PedsQL, and determined sensitivity to change with children undergoing ECC surgical repair. Factor analysis returned a four-scale solution for the initial items--Physical Functioning, Role Functioning, Social Functioning, and Emotional Functioning. The reduced items represented the same four scales--two each on Physical and Role and three each on Social and Emotional. Good reliability and validity were shown for the POQL as a whole and for each of the scales. The POQL is a valid and reliable measure of OHQL for use in preschool and school-aged children, with high utility for both clinical assessments and large-scale population studies.

The development and validation of the Dieting Intentions Scale (DIS).

PubMed

Cruwys, Tegan; Platow, Michael J; Rieger, Elizabeth; Byrne, Don G

2013-03-01

This article presents information on the psychometric properties of the Dieting Intentions Scale (DIS), a new scale of dieting that predicts future behavioral efforts to lose weight. We begin by reviewing recent research indicating theoretical and empirical problems with traditional approaches to measuring dieting. The DIS addresses several of these problems by (a) focusing on naturalistic dieting behavior and (b) being future-oriented. Four validation studies are presented with a total of 741 participants. We demonstrate that the DIS has predictive utility for dieting behaviors and is positively correlated with other measures related to eating, weight, and shape. Furthermore, the DIS demonstrates discriminant validity by not being related to constructs such as self-esteem and social desirability. The DIS also has high internal consistency, with a 1-factor solution replicated with confirmatory factor analysis. The potential uses of the scale in both research and clinical settings are considered. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Group-level self-definition and self-investment: a hierarchical (multicomponent) model of in-group identification.

PubMed

Leach, Colin Wayne; van Zomeren, Martijn; Zebel, Sven; Vliek, Michael L W; Pennekamp, Sjoerd F; Doosje, Bertjan; Ouwerkerk, Jaap W; Spears, Russell

2008-07-01

Recent research shows individuals' identification with in-groups to be psychologically important and socially consequential. However, there is little agreement about how identification should be conceptualized or measured. On the basis of previous work, the authors identified 5 specific components of in-group identification and offered a hierarchical 2-dimensional model within which these components are organized. Studies 1 and 2 used confirmatory factor analysis to validate the proposed model of self-definition (individual self-stereotyping, in-group homogeneity) and self-investment (solidarity, satisfaction, and centrality) dimensions, across 3 different group identities. Studies 3 and 4 demonstrated the construct validity of the 5 components by examining their (concurrent) correlations with established measures of in-group identification. Studies 5-7 demonstrated the predictive and discriminant validity of the 5 components by examining their (prospective) prediction of individuals' orientation to, and emotions about, real intergroup relations. Together, these studies illustrate the conceptual and empirical value of a hierarchical multicomponent model of in-group identification.

Variability in Predictions from Online Tools: A Demonstration Using Internet-Based Melanoma Predictors.

PubMed

Zabor, Emily C; Coit, Daniel; Gershenwald, Jeffrey E; McMasters, Kelly M; Michaelson, James S; Stromberg, Arnold J; Panageas, Katherine S

2018-02-22

Prognostic models are increasingly being made available online, where they can be publicly accessed by both patients and clinicians. These online tools are an important resource for patients to better understand their prognosis and for clinicians to make informed decisions about treatment and follow-up. The goal of this analysis was to highlight the possible variability in multiple online prognostic tools in a single disease. To demonstrate the variability in survival predictions across online prognostic tools, we applied a single validation dataset to three online melanoma prognostic tools. Data on melanoma patients treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center between 2000 and 2014 were retrospectively collected. Calibration was assessed using calibration plots and discrimination was assessed using the C-index. In this demonstration project, we found important differences across the three models that led to variability in individual patients' predicted survival across the tools, especially in the lower range of predictions. In a validation test using a single-institution data set, calibration and discrimination varied across the three models. This study underscores the potential variability both within and across online tools, and highlights the importance of using methodological rigor when developing a prognostic model that will be made publicly available online. The results also reinforce that careful development and thoughtful interpretation, including understanding a given tool's limitations, are required in order for online prognostic tools that provide survival predictions to be a useful resource for both patients and clinicians.

Validation of an instrument for assessing teacher knowledge of basic language constructs of literacy.

PubMed

Binks-Cantrell, Emily; Joshi, R Malatesha; Washburn, Erin K

2012-10-01

Recent national reports have stressed the importance of teacher knowledge in teaching reading. However, in the past, teachers' knowledge of language and literacy constructs has typically been assessed with instruments that are not fully tested for validity. In the present study, an instrument was developed; and its reliability, item difficulty, and item discrimination were computed and examined to identify model fit by applying exploratory factor analysis. Such analyses showed that the instrument demonstrated adequate estimates of reliability in assessing teachers' knowledge of language constructs. The implications for professional development of in-service teachers as well as preservice teacher education are also discussed.

Sampling bias in blending validation and a different approach to homogeneity assessment.

PubMed

Kraemer, J; Svensson, J R; Melgaard, H

1999-02-01

Sampling of batches studied for validation is reported. A thief particularly suited for granules, rather than cohesive powders, was used in the study. It is shown, as has been demonstrated in the past, that traditional 1x to 3x thief sampling of a blend is biased, and that the bias decreases as the sample size increases. It is shown that taking 50 samples of tablets after blending and testing this subpopulation for normality is a discriminating manner of testing for homogeneity. As a criterion, it is better than sampling at mixer or drum stage would be even if an unbiased sampling device were available.

Validity and reliability of acoustic analysis of respiratory sounds in infants

PubMed Central

Elphick, H; Lancaster, G; Solis, A; Majumdar, A; Gupta, R; Smyth, R

2004-01-01

Objective: To investigate the validity and reliability of computerised acoustic analysis in the detection of abnormal respiratory noises in infants. Methods: Blinded, prospective comparison of acoustic analysis with stethoscope examination. Validity and reliability of acoustic analysis were assessed by calculating the degree of observer agreement using the κ statistic with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: 102 infants under 18 months were recruited. Convergent validity for agreement between stethoscope examination and acoustic analysis was poor for wheeze (κ = 0.07 (95% CI, –0.13 to 0.26)) and rattles (κ = 0.11 (–0.05 to 0.27)) and fair for crackles (κ = 0.36 (0.18 to 0.54)). Both the stethoscope and acoustic analysis distinguished well between sounds (discriminant validity). Agreement between observers for the presence of wheeze was poor for both stethoscope examination and acoustic analysis. Agreement for rattles was moderate for the stethoscope but poor for acoustic analysis. Agreement for crackles was moderate using both techniques. Within-observer reliability for all sounds using acoustic analysis was moderate to good. Conclusions: The stethoscope is unreliable for assessing respiratory sounds in infants. This has important implications for its use as a diagnostic tool for lung disorders in infants, and confirms that it cannot be used as a gold standard. Because of the unreliability of the stethoscope, the validity of acoustic analysis could not be demonstrated, although it could discriminate between sounds well and showed good within-observer reliability. For acoustic analysis, targeted training and the development of computerised pattern recognition systems may improve reliability so that it can be used in clinical practice. PMID:15499065

The Skin Picking Impact Scale: Factor structure, validity and development of a short version.

PubMed

Snorrason, Ivar; Olafsson, Ragnar P; Flessner, Christopher A; Keuthen, Nancy J; Franklin, Martin E; Woods, Douglas W

2013-08-01

In the present study, we examined the psychometric properties of the Skin Picking Impact Scale (SPIS; Keuthen, Deckersbach, Wilhelm et al., 2001), a 10 item self-report questionnaire designed to assess the psychosocial impact of skin picking disorder (SPD). Participants were 650 individuals who met criteria for SPD in an online survey. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated a unitary factor structure with high internal consistency (α = 0.94). Consequently, we constructed an abbreviated 4-item version that retained good internal consistency (α = 0.87) and a robust factor structure. Both the short and the full versions demonstrated discriminant and convergent/concurrent validity. In conclusion, the findings indicate that both versions are psychometrically sound measures of SPD related psychosocial impact; however, some potential limitations of the full scale are discussed. © 2013 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

The PRECIS-2 tool has good interrater reliability and modest discriminant validity.

PubMed

Loudon, Kirsty; Zwarenstein, Merrick; Sullivan, Frank M; Donnan, Peter T; Gágyor, Ildikó; Hobbelen, Hans J S M; Althabe, Fernando; Krishnan, Jerry A; Treweek, Shaun

2017-08-01

PRagmatic Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary (PRECIS)-2 is a tool that could improve design insight for trialists. Our aim was to validate the PRECIS-2 tool, unlike its predecessor, testing the discriminant validity and interrater reliability. Over 80 international trialists, methodologists, clinicians, and policymakers created PRECIS-2 helping to ensure face validity and content validity. The interrater reliability of PRECIS-2 was measured using 19 experienced trialists who used PRECIS-2 to score a diverse sample of 15 randomized controlled trial protocols. Discriminant validity was tested with two raters to independently determine if the trial protocols were more pragmatic or more explanatory, with scores from the 19 raters for the 15 trials as predictors of pragmatism. Interrater reliability was generally good, with seven of nine domains having an intraclass correlation coefficient over 0.65. Flexibility (adherence) and recruitment had wide confidence intervals, but raters found these difficult to rate and wanted more information. Each of the nine PRECIS-2 domains could be used to differentiate between trials taking more pragmatic or more explanatory approaches with better than chance discrimination for all domains. We have assessed the validity and reliability of PRECIS-2. An elaboration study and web site provide guidance to help future users of the tool which is continuing to be tested by trial teams, systematic reviewers, and funders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A preliminary examination of the validity and reliability of a new brief rating scale for symptom domains of psychosis: Brief Evaluation of Psychosis Symptom Domains (BE-PSD).

PubMed

Takeuchi, Hiroyoshi; Fervaha, Gagan; Lee, Jimmy; Agid, Ofer; Remington, Gary

2016-09-01

Brief assessments have the potential to be widely adopted as outcome measures in research but also routine clinical practice. Existing brief rating scales that assess symptoms of schizophrenia or psychosis have a number of limitations including inability to capture five symptom domains of psychosis and a lack of clearly defined operational anchor points for scoring. We developed a new brief rating scale for five symptom domains of psychosis with clearly defined operational anchor points - the Brief Evaluation of Psychosis Symptom Domains (BE-PSD). To examine the psychometric properties of the BE-PSD, fifty patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were included in this preliminary cross-sectional study. To test the convergent and discriminant validity of the BE-PSD, correlational analyses were employed using the consensus Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) five-factor model. To examine the inter-rater reliability of the BE-PSD, single measures intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated for 11 patients. The BE-PSD domain scores demonstrated high convergent validity with the corresponding PANSS factor score (rs = 0.81-0.93) as well as good discriminant validity, as evidenced by lower correlations with the other PANSS factors (rs = 0.23-0.62). The BE-PSD also demonstrated excellent inter-rater reliability for each of the domain scores and the total scores (ICC(2,1) = 0.79-0.96). The present preliminary study found the BE-PSD measure to be valid and reliable; however, further studies are needed to establish the psychometric properties of the BE-PSD because of the limitations such as the small sample size and lacking data on test-retest reliability or sensitivity to change. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of the Polish version of the Female Sexual Function Index in the Polish population of females.

PubMed

Nowosielski, Krzysztof; Wróbel, Beata; Sioma-Markowska, Urszula; Poręba, Ryszard

2013-02-01

Unlike male sexual function, which is relatively easy to assess, female sexual function is still a diagnostic challenge. Although numerous new measurements for female sexual dysfunction (FSD) have recently been developed, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) remains the gold standard for screening. It has been validated in more than 30 countries. The FSFI has been used in several studies conducted in Poland, but it has never been standardized for Polish women. The aim of this study was to develop a Polish version of the FSFI (PL-FSFI). In total, 189 women aged 18-55 years were included in the study. Eighty-five were diagnosed with FSD as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM IV-TR) criteria; 104 women did not have FSD. All subjects completed the PL-FSFI at baseline (day 0), day 7, and day 28. Test-retest reliability was determined by Pearson's product-moment correlations. Reliability was tested using Cronbach's α coefficient. Construct validity was evaluated by principal component analysis using varimax rotation and factor analysis. Discriminant validity was assessed with between-groups analysis of variance. All domains of the PL-FSFI demonstrated satisfactory internal consistencies, with Cronbach's α value of >0.70 for the entire sample. The test-retest reliability demonstrated good-to-excellent agreement between the assessment points. Based on principal component analysis, a 5-factor model was established that explained 83.62% of the total variance. Domain intercorrelations of the PL-FSFI ranged from 0.37-0.77. The optimal PL-FSFI cutoff score was 27.50, with 87.1% sensitivity and 83.1% specificity. The PL-FSFI is a reliable questionnaire with good psychometric and discriminative validity. Therefore, it can be used as a tool for preliminary screening for FSD among Polish women. © 2012 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

DIFFERENTIATION OF AURANTII FRUCTUS IMMATURUS AND FRUCTUS PONICIRI TRIFOLIATAE IMMATURUS BY FLOW-INJECTION WITH ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROSCOPIC DETECTION AND PROTON NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE USING PARTIAL LEAST-SQUARES DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS.

PubMed

Zhang, Mengliang; Zhao, Yang; Harrington, Peter de B; Chen, Pei

2016-03-01

Two simple fingerprinting methods, flow-injection coupled to ultraviolet spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance, were used for discriminating between Aurantii fructus immaturus and Fructus poniciri trifoliatae immaturus . Both methods were combined with partial least-squares discriminant analysis. In the flow-injection method, four data representations were evaluated: total ultraviolet absorbance chromatograms, averaged ultraviolet spectra, absorbance at 193, 205, 225, and 283 nm, and absorbance at 225 and 283 nm. Prediction rates of 100% were achieved for all data representations by partial least-squares discriminant analysis using leave-one-sample-out cross-validation. The prediction rate for the proton nuclear magnetic resonance data by partial least-squares discriminant analysis with leave-one-sample-out cross-validation was also 100%. A new validation set of data was collected by flow-injection with ultraviolet spectroscopic detection two weeks later and predicted by partial least-squares discriminant analysis models constructed by the initial data representations with no parameter changes. The classification rates were 95% with the total ultraviolet absorbance chromatograms datasets and 100% with the other three datasets. Flow-injection with ultraviolet detection and proton nuclear magnetic resonance are simple, high throughput, and low-cost methods for discrimination studies.

The Early Development Instrument: An Examination of Convergent and Discriminant Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hymel, Shelley; LeMare, Lucy; McKee, William

2011-01-01

The convergent and discriminant validity of the Early Development Instrument (EDI), a teacher-rated assessment of children's "school readiness", was investigated in a multicultural sample of 267 kindergarteners (53% male). Teachers evaluations on the EDI, both overall and in five domains (physical health/well-being, social competence,…

Structural and Discriminant Validity of the Career Factors Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickinson, Josephine; Tokar, David M.

2004-01-01

Using a sample of 350 college students, this study examined the structural and discriminant validity of the Career Factors Inventory (CFI; Chartrand, Robbins, Morrill, & Boggs, 1990), a multidimensional measure of career indecision intended to be scored for two informational indecision components (Need for Career Information and Need for…

Reaction Time and Self-Report Psychopathological Assessment: Convergent and Discriminant Validity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holden, Ronald R.; Fekken, G. Cynthia

The processing of incoming psychological information along the network, or schemata, of self-knowledge was studied to determine the convergent and discriminant validity of the patterns of schemata-specific response latencies. Fifty-three female and 52 male university students completed the Basic Personality Inventory (BPI). BPI scales assess…

Development and Validation of a Microcounseling Skill Discrimination Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Dong Yul; And Others

1976-01-01

A Microcounseling Skill Discrimination Scale (MSDS) was developed to measure ability to discriminate between effective and ineffective verbal and nonverbal helping messages. Both trained and naive groups successfully discriminated between effective and ineffective verbal and nonverbal helping messages, with trained raters showing a greater range…

Internal validation of the prognostic index for spine metastasis (PRISM) for stratifying survival in patients treated with spinal stereotactic radiosurgery.

PubMed

Jensen, Garrett; Tang, Chad; Hess, Kenneth R; Bishop, Andrew J; Pan, Hubert Y; Li, Jing; Yang, James N; Tannir, Nizar M; Amini, Behrang; Tatsui, Claudio; Rhines, Laurence; Brown, Paul D; Ghia, Amol J

2017-01-01

We sought to validate the Prognostic Index for Spinal Metastases (PRISM), a scoring system that stratifies patients into subgroups by overall survival.Methods and materials: The PRISM was previously created from multivariate Cox regression with patients enrolled in prospective single institution trials of stereotactic spine radiosurgery (SSRS) for spinal metastasis. We assess model calibration and discrimination within a validation cohort of patients treated off-trial with SSRS for metastatic disease at the same institution. The training and validation cohorts consisted of 205 and 249 patients respectively. Similar survival trends were shown in the 4 PRISM. Survival was significantly different between PRISM subgroups (P<0.0001). C-index for the validation cohort was 0.68 after stratification into subgroups. We internally validated the PRISM with patients treated off-protocol, demonstrating that it can distinguish subgroups by survival, which will be useful for individualizing treatment of spinal metastases and stratifying patients for clinical trials.

Validation of the Australian Propensity for Angry Driving Scale (Aus-PADS).

PubMed

Leal, Nerida L; Pachana, Nancy A

2009-09-01

The present study used a university sample to assess the test-retest reliability and validity of the Australian Propensity for Angry Driving Scale (Aus-PADS). The scale has stability over time, and convergent validity was established, as Aus-PADS scores correlated significantly with established anger and impulsivity measures. Discriminant validity was also established, as Aus-PADS scores did not correlate with Venturesomeness scores. The Aus-PADS has demonstrated criterion validity, as scores were correlated with behavioural measures, such as yelling at other drivers, gesturing at other drivers, and feeling angry but not doing anything. Aus-PADS scores reliably predicted the frequency of these behaviours over and above other study variables. No significant relationship between aggressive driving and crash involvement was observed. It was concluded that the Aus-PADS is a reliable and valid tool appropriate for use in Australian research, and that the potential relationship between aggressive driving and crash involvement warrants further investigation with a more representative (and diverse) driver sample.

Psychometric properties of the neck disability index amongst patients with chronic neck pain using item response theory.

PubMed

Saltychev, Mikhail; Mattie, Ryan; McCormick, Zachary; Laimi, Katri

2017-05-13

The Neck Disability Index (NDI) is commonly used for clinical and research assessment for chronic neck pain, yet the original version of this tool has not undergone significant validity testing, and in particular, there has been minimal assessment using Item Response Theory. The goal of the present study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the original version of the NDI in a large sample of individuals with chronic neck pain by defining its internal consistency, construct structure and validity, and its ability to discriminate between different degrees of functional limitation. This is a cross-sectional cohort study of 585 consecutive patients with chronic neck pain seen in a university hospital rehabilitation clinic. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha, construct structure was evaluated by exploratory factor analysis, and discrimination ability was determined by Item Response Theory. The NDI demonstrated good internal consistency assessed by Cronbach's alpha (0.87). The exploratory factor analysis identified only one factor with eigenvalue considered significant (cutoff 1.0). When analyzed by Item Response Theory, eight out of 10 items demonstrated almost ideal difficulty parameter estimates. In addition, eight out of 10 items showed high to perfect estimates of discrimination ability (overall range 0.8 to 2.9). Amongst patients with chronic neck pain, the NDI was found to have good internal consistency, have unidimensional properties, and an excellent ability to distinguish patients with different levels of perceived disability. Implications for Rehabilitation The Neck Disability Index has good internal consistency, unidimensional properties, and an excellent ability to distinguish patients with different levels of perceived disability. The Neck Disability Index is recommended for use when selecting patients for rehabilitation, setting rehabilitation goals, and measuring the outcome of intervention.

[Psychometric Characteristics of the Clinical Nursing Mentors' Behavior Scale].

PubMed

Zhao, Rong; Chen, Yan-Hua; Yu, Hui-Ting; Xiao, Lu; Wen, Jing; Yeh, Tzu-Pei

2017-08-01

The behavior of mentors impacts the quality and experience of nursing students who are studying in clinical placement. Accurately assessing the behavior of mentors is fundamental to training, regulating, guiding, and improving their behavior and quality of teaching. To test the validity and reliability of the Clinical Nursing Mentors' Behavior Scale (CNMBS) among mentors. This study included three stages. During the first stage, seven Chinese experts were invited to evaluate content validity. During the second stage, the test-retest reliability was examined with 63 mentors. During the third stage, a cross-sectional study was conducted. Seven hundred and sixty-six nursing mentors from five hospitals in Beijing, Shenzhen, and Sichuan completed the survey either online or in hard copy form. The data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed using item analysis, construct validity, internal consistency and discriminant validity, with the results used to determine the psychometric characteristics of the CNMBS. The content validity index for the CNMBS was .91. The intra-class correlation coefficient was .89; the range of the item discrimination critical ratio was 9.42-22.43 (p < .001), and the item-total correlation was .35- .70 (p < .001). The three factors of "guiding personal growth", "promoting professional development", and "providing psychosocial support" and a total of 23 items were identified, with item factor loadings ranging from .51 to .79. The three factors explained 50.99% of total variance. The internal consistency of the CNMBS earned a Cronbach's α coefficient of .92, while those of the three subscales were .89, .86 and .75, respectively. The Clinical Nursing Mentors' Behavior Scale demonstrated high validity and reliability, supporting the CNMBS as a valid tool for assessing the teaching behavior of mentors.

A Public-Private Partnership Develops and Externally Validates a 30-Day Hospital Readmission Risk Prediction Model

PubMed Central

Choudhry, Shahid A.; Li, Jing; Davis, Darcy; Erdmann, Cole; Sikka, Rishi; Sutariya, Bharat

2013-01-01

Introduction: Preventing the occurrence of hospital readmissions is needed to improve quality of care and foster population health across the care continuum. Hospitals are being held accountable for improving transitions of care to avert unnecessary readmissions. Advocate Health Care in Chicago and Cerner (ACC) collaborated to develop all-cause, 30-day hospital readmission risk prediction models to identify patients that need interventional resources. Ideally, prediction models should encompass several qualities: they should have high predictive ability; use reliable and clinically relevant data; use vigorous performance metrics to assess the models; be validated in populations where they are applied; and be scalable in heterogeneous populations. However, a systematic review of prediction models for hospital readmission risk determined that most performed poorly (average C-statistic of 0.66) and efforts to improve their performance are needed for widespread usage. Methods: The ACC team incorporated electronic health record data, utilized a mixed-method approach to evaluate risk factors, and externally validated their prediction models for generalizability. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied on the patient cohort and then split for derivation and internal validation. Stepwise logistic regression was performed to develop two predictive models: one for admission and one for discharge. The prediction models were assessed for discrimination ability, calibration, overall performance, and then externally validated. Results: The ACC Admission and Discharge Models demonstrated modest discrimination ability during derivation, internal and external validation post-recalibration (C-statistic of 0.76 and 0.78, respectively), and reasonable model fit during external validation for utility in heterogeneous populations. Conclusions: The ACC Admission and Discharge Models embody the design qualities of ideal prediction models. The ACC plans to continue its partnership to further improve and develop valuable clinical models. PMID:24224068

Discrimination among populations of sockeye salmon fry with Fourier analysis of otolith banding patterns formed during incubation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finn, James E.; Burger, Carl V.; Holland-Bartels, Leslie E.

1997-01-01

We used otolith banding patterns formed during incubation to discriminate among hatchery- and wild-incubated fry of sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka from Tustumena Lake, Alaska. Fourier analysis of otolith luminance profiles was used to describe banding patterns: the amplitudes of individual Fourier harmonics were discriminant variables. Correct classification of otoliths to either hatchery or wild origin was 83.1% (cross-validation) and 72.7% (test data) with the use of quadratic discriminant function analysts on 10 Fourier amplitudes. Overall classification rates among the six test groups (one hatchery and five wild groups) were 46.5% (cross-validation) and 39.3% (test data) with the use of linear discriminant function analysis on 16 Fourier amplitudes. Although classification rates for wild-incubated fry from any one site never exceeded 67% (cross-validation) or 60% (test data), location-specific information was evident for all groups because the probability of classifying an individual to its true incubation location was significantly greater than chance. Results indicate phenotypic differences in otolith microstructure among incubation sites separated by less than 10 km. Analysis of otolith luminance profiles is a potentially useful technique for discriminating among and between various populations of hatchery and wild fish.

Validity of Rorschach Inkblot scores for discriminating psychopaths from non-psychopaths in forensic populations: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Wood, James M; Lilienfeld, Scott O; Nezworski, M Teresa; Garb, Howard N; Allen, Keli Holloway; Wildermuth, Jessica L

2010-06-01

Gacono and Meloy (2009) have concluded that the Rorschach Inkblot Test is a sensitive instrument with which to discriminate psychopaths from nonpsychopaths. We examined the association of psychopathy with 37 Rorschach variables in a meta-analytic review of 173 validity coefficients derived from 22 studies comprising 780 forensic participants. All studies included the Hare Psychopathy Checklist or one of its versions (Hare, 1980, 1991, 2003) and Exner's (2003) Comprehensive System for the Rorschach. Mean validity coefficients of Rorschach variables in the meta-analysis ranged from -.113 to .239, with a median validity of .070 and a mean validity of .062. Psychopathy displayed a significant and medium-sized association with the number of Aggressive Potential responses (weighted mean validity coefficient = .232) and small but significant associations with the Sum of Texture responses, Cooperative Movement = 0, the number of Personal responses, and the Egocentricity Index (weighted mean validity coefficients = .097 to .159). The remaining 32 Rorschach variables were not significantly related to psychopathy. The present findings contradict the view that the Rorschach is a clinically sensitive instrument for discriminating psychopaths from nonpsychopaths.

Preliminary field trial of a putative research algorithm for diagnosing ICD-11 personality disorders in psychiatric patients: 2. Proposed trait domains.

PubMed

Kim, Youl-Ri; Tyrer, Peter; Lee, Hong-Seock; Kim, Sung-Gon; Hwang, Soon-Taek; Lee, Gi Young; Mulder, Roger

2015-11-01

This field trial examines the discriminant validity of five trait domains of the originally proposed research algorithm for diagnosing International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11 personality disorders. This trial was carried out in South Korea where a total of 124 patients with personality disorder participated in the study. Participants were assessed using originally proposed monothetic trait domains of asocial-schizoid, antisocial-dissocial, anxious-dependent, emotionally unstable and anankastic-obsessional groups of the research algorithm in ICD-11. Their assessments were compared to those from the Personality Assessment Schedule interview, and the five-factor model (FFM). A total of 48.4% of patients were found to have pathology in two or more domains. In the discriminant analysis, 64.2% of the grouped cases of the originally proposed ICD-11 domains were correctly classified by the five domain categories using the Personality Assessment Schedule, with the highest accuracy in the anankastic-obsessional domain and the lowest accuracy in the emotionally unstable domain. In comparison, the asocial-schizoid, anxious-dependent and the emotionally unstable domains were moderately correlated with the FFM, whereas the anankastic-obsessional or antisocial-dissocial domains were not significantly correlated with the FFM. In this field trial, we demonstrated the limited discriminant and the convergent validities of the originally proposed trait domains of the research algorithm for diagnosing ICD-11 personality disorder. The results suggest that the anankastic, asocial and dissocial domains show good discrimination, whereas the anxious-dependent and emotionally unstable ones overlap too much and have been subsequently revised. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Flexibility Scale: Development and Preliminary Validation of a Cognitive Flexibility Measure in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

PubMed

Strang, John F; Anthony, Laura G; Yerys, Benjamin E; Hardy, Kristina K; Wallace, Gregory L; Armour, Anna C; Dudley, Katerina; Kenworthy, Lauren

2017-08-01

Flexibility is a key component of executive function, and is related to everyday functioning and adult outcomes. However, existing informant reports do not densely sample cognitive aspects of flexibility; the Flexibility Scale (FS) was developed to address this gap. This study investigates the validity of the FS in 221 youth with ASD and 57 typically developing children. Exploratory factor analysis indicates a five-factor scale: Routines/rituals, transitions/change, special interests, social flexibility, and generativity. The FS demonstrated convergent and divergent validity with comparative domains of function in other measures, save for the Generativity factor. The FS discriminated participants with ASD and controls. Thus, this study suggests the FS may be a viable, comprehensive measure of flexibility in everyday settings.

Drive: Theory and Construct Validation

PubMed Central

Petrides, K. V.

2016-01-01

This article explicates the theory of drive and describes the development and validation of two measures. A representative set of drive facets was derived from an extensive corpus of human attributes (Study 1). Operationalised using an International Personality Item Pool version (the Drive:IPIP), a three-factor model was extracted from the facets in two samples and confirmed on a third sample (Study 2). The multi-item IPIP measure showed congruence with a short form, based on single-item ratings of the facets, and both demonstrated cross-informant reliability. Evidence also supported the measures’ convergent, discriminant, concurrent, and incremental validity (Study 3). Based on very promising findings, the authors hope to initiate a stream of research in what is argued to be a rather neglected niche of individual differences and non-cognitive assessment. PMID:27409773

The Development and Validation of the Rational and Intuitive Decision Styles Scale.

PubMed

Hamilton, Katherine; Shih, Shin-I; Mohammed, Susan

2016-01-01

Decision styles reflect the typical manner by which individuals make decisions. The purpose of this research was to develop and validate a decision style scale that addresses conceptual and psychometric problems with current measures. The resulting 10-item scale captures a broad range of the rational and intuitive styles construct domain. Results from 5 independent samples provide initial support for the dimensionality and reliability of the new scale, as demonstrated by a clear factor structure and high internal consistency. In addition, our results show evidence of convergent and discriminant validity through expected patterns of correlations across decision-making individual differences and the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) Big Five traits. Research domains that would benefit from incorporating the concept of decision styles are discussed.

COMPI Fertility Problem Stress Scales is a brief, valid and reliable tool for assessing stress in patients seeking treatment.

PubMed

Sobral, Maria P; Costa, Maria E; Schmidt, Lone; Martins, Mariana V

2017-02-01

Are the Copenhagen Multi-Centre Psychosocial Infertility research program Fertility Problem Stress Scales (COMPI-FPSS) a reliable and valid measure across gender and culture? The COMPI-FPSS is a valid and reliable measure, presenting excellent or good fit in the majority of the analyzed countries, and demonstrating full invariance across genders and partial invariance across cultures. Cross-cultural and gender validation is needed to consider a measure as standard care within fertility. The present study is the first attempting to establish comparability of fertility-related stress across genders and countries. Cross-sectional study. First, we tested the structure of the COMPI-FPSS. Then, reliability and validity (convergent and discriminant) were examined for the final model. Finally, measurement invariance both across genders and cultures was tested. Our final sample had 3923 fertility patients (1691 men and 2232 women) recruited in clinical settings from seven different countries: Denmark, China, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary and Sweden. Participants had a mean age of 34 years and the majority (84%) were childless. Findings confirmed the original three-factor structure of the COMPI-FPSS, although suggesting a shortened measurement model using less items that fitted the data better than the full version model. While data from the Chinese and Croatian subsamples did not fit, all other counties presented good fit (χ 2 /df ≤ 5.4; comparative fit index ≥ 0.94; root-mean-square error of approximation ≤ 0.07; modified expected cross-validation index ≤ 0.77). In general, reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity were observed in all subscales from each country (composite reliability ≥ 0.63; average variance extracted ≥ 0.38; squared correlation ≥ 0.13). Full invariance was established across genders, and partial invariance was demonstrated across countries. Generalizability regarding the validation of the COMPI-FPSS cannot be made regarding infertile individuals not seeking treatment, or non-European patients. This study did not investigate predictive validity, and hence the capability of this instrument in detecting changes in fertility-specific adjustment over time and predicting the psychological impact needs to be established in future research. Besides extending knowledge on the psychometric properties of one of the most used fertility stress questionnaire, this study demonstrates both research and clinical usefulness of the COMPI-FPSS. This study was supported by European Union Funds (FEDER/COMPETE-Operational Competitiveness Program, and by national funds (FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) under the projects PTDC/MHC-PSC/4195/2012 and SFRH/BPD/85789/2012). There are no conflicts of interest to declare. N/A. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A Psychometric Review of Measures Assessing Discrimination Against Sexual Minorities.

PubMed

Morrison, Todd G; Bishop, C J; Morrison, Melanie A; Parker-Taneo, Kandice

2016-08-01

Discrimination against sexual minorities is widespread and has deleterious consequences on victims' psychological and physical wellbeing. However, a review of the psychometric properties of instruments measuring lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) discrimination has not been conducted. The results of this review, which involved evaluating 162 articles, reveal that most have suboptimal psychometric properties. Specifically, myriad scales possess questionable content validity as (1) items are not created in collaboration with sexual minorities; (2) measures possess a small number of items and, thus, may not sufficiently represent the domain of interest; and (3) scales are "adapted" from measures designed to examine race- and gender-based discrimination. Additional limitations include (1) summed scores are computed, often in the absence of scale score reliability metrics; (2) summed scores operate from the questionable assumption that diverse forms of discrimination are necessarily interrelated; (3) the dimensionality of instruments presumed to consist of subscales is seldom tested; (4) tests of criterion-related validity are routinely omitted; and (5) formal tests of measures' construct validity are seldom provided, necessitating that one infer validity based on the results obtained. The absence of "gold standard" measures, the attendant difficulty in formulating a coherent picture of this body of research, and suggestions for psychometric improvements are noted.

Psychometric properties of the mobility inventory for agoraphobia: convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity.

PubMed

Chambless, Dianne L; Sharpless, Brian A; Rodriguez, Dianeth; McCarthy, Kevin S; Milrod, Barbara L; Khalsa, Shabad-Ratan; Barber, Jacques P

2011-12-01

Aims of this study were (a) to summarize the psychometric literature on the Mobility Inventory for Agoraphobia (MIA), (b) to examine the convergent and discriminant validity of the MIA's Avoidance Alone and Avoidance Accompanied rating scales relative to clinical severity ratings of anxiety disorders from the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule (ADIS), and (c) to establish a cutoff score indicative of interviewers' diagnosis of agoraphobia for the Avoidance Alone scale. A meta-analytic synthesis of 10 published studies yielded positive evidence for internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validity of the scales. Participants in the present study were 129 people with a diagnosis of panic disorder. Internal consistency was excellent for this sample, α=.95 for AAC and .96 for AAL. When the MIA scales were correlated with interviewer ratings, evidence for convergent and discriminant validity for AAL was strong (convergent r with agoraphobia severity ratings=.63 vs. discriminant rs of .10-.29 for other anxiety disorders) and more modest but still positive for AAC (.54 vs. .01-.37). Receiver operating curve analysis indicated that the optimal operating point for AAL as an indicator of ADIS agoraphobia diagnosis was 1.61, which yielded sensitivity of .87 and specificity of .73. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Psychometric Properties of the Mobility Inventory for Agoraphobia: Convergent, Discriminant, and Criterion-Related Validity

PubMed Central

Chambless, Dianne L.; Sharpless, Brian A.; Rodriguez, Dianeth; McCarthy, Kevin S.; Milrod, Barbara L.; Khalsa, Shabad-Ratan; Barber, Jacques P.

2012-01-01

Aims of this study were (a) to summarize the psychometric literature on the Mobility Inventory for Agoraphobia (MIA), (b) to examine the convergent and discriminant validity of the MIA’s Avoidance Alone and Avoidance Accompanied rating scales relative to clinical severity ratings of anxiety disorders from the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule (ADIS), and (c) to establish a cutoff score indicative of interviewers’ diagnosis of agoraphobia for the Avoidance Alone scale. A meta-analytic synthesis of 10 published studies yielded positive evidence for internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validity of the scales. Participants in the present study were 129 people with a diagnosis of panic disorder. Internal consistency was excellent for this sample, α = .95 for AAC and .96 for AAL. When the MIA scales were correlated with interviewer ratings, evidence for convergent and discriminant validity for AAL was strong (convergent r with agoraphobia severity ratings = .63 vs. discriminant rs of .10-.29 for other anxiety disorders) and more modest but still positive for AAC (.54 vs. .01-.37). Receiver operating curve analysis indicated that the optimal operating point for AAL as an indicator of ADIS agoraphobia diagnosis was 1.61, which yielded sensitivity of .87 and specificity of .73. PMID:22035997

Psychometric properties of the Bulgarian translation of noise sensitivity scale short form (NSS-SF): implementation in the field of noise control.

PubMed

Dzhambov, Angel M; Dimitrova, Donka D

2014-01-01

The Noise Sensitivity Scale Short Form (NSS-SF), developed in English as a more practical form of the classical Weinstein NSS, has not to date been validated in other cultures, and its validity and reliability have not yet been confirmed. This study aimed to validate NSS-SF in Bulgarian and to demonstrate its applicability. The study comprised test-retest (n = 115) and a field-testing (n = 71) of the newly validated scale. Its construct validity was examined with confirmatory factor analysis, and very good model-fit was observed. Temporal stability was assessed in a test-retest (r = 0.990), convergent validity was examined with single-item susceptibility to the noise scale (r = 0.906) and discriminant validity was confirmed with single-item noise annoyance scale (r = 0.718). The lowest observed McDonald's omega across the studies was 0.923. The cross-cultural validation of NSS-SF was successful but it proved to be somewhat problematic with respect to its annoyance-based items.

Validation of an instrument to assess evidence-based practice knowledge, attitudes, access, and confidence in the dental environment.

PubMed

Hendricson, William D; Rugh, John D; Hatch, John P; Stark, Debra L; Deahl, Thomas; Wallmann, Elizabeth R

2011-02-01

This article reports the validation of an assessment instrument designed to measure the outcomes of training in evidence-based practice (EBP) in the context of dentistry. Four EBP dimensions are measured by this instrument: 1) understanding of EBP concepts, 2) attitudes about EBP, 3) evidence-accessing methods, and 4) confidence in critical appraisal. The instrument-the Knowledge, Attitudes, Access, and Confidence Evaluation (KACE)-has four scales, with a total of thirty-five items: EBP knowledge (ten items), EBP attitudes (ten), accessing evidence (nine), and confidence (six). Four elements of validity were assessed: consistency of items within the KACE scales (extent to which items within a scale measure the same dimension), discrimination (capacity to detect differences between individuals with different training or experience), responsiveness (capacity to detect the effects of education on trainees), and test-retest reliability. Internal consistency of scales was assessed by analyzing responses of second-year dental students, dental residents, and dental faculty members using Cronbach coefficient alpha, a statistical measure of reliability. Discriminative validity was assessed by comparing KACE scores for the three groups. Responsiveness was assessed by comparing pre- and post-training responses for dental students and residents. To measure test-retest reliability, the full KACE was completed twice by a class of freshman dental students seventeen days apart, and the knowledge scale was completed twice by sixteen faculty members fourteen days apart. Item-to-scale consistency ranged from 0.21 to 0.78 for knowledge, 0.57 to 0.83 for attitude, 0.70 to 0.84 for accessing evidence, and 0.87 to 0.94 for confidence. For discrimination, ANOVA and post hoc testing by the Tukey-Kramer method revealed significant score differences among students, residents, and faculty members consistent with education and experience levels. For responsiveness to training, dental students and residents demonstrated statistically significant changes, in desired directions, from pre- to post-test. For the student test-retest, Pearson correlations for KACE scales were as follows: knowledge 0.66, attitudes 0.66, accessing evidence 0.74, and confidence 0.76. For the knowledge scale test-retest by faculty members, the Pearson correlation was 0.79. The construct validity of the KACE is equivalent to that of instruments that assess similar EBP dimensions in medicine. Item consistency for the knowledge scale was more variable than for other KACE scales, a finding also reported for medically oriented EBP instruments. We conclude that the KACE has good discriminative validity, responsiveness to training effects, and test-retest reliability.

Measuring Black Men’s Police-Based Discrimination Experiences: Development and Validation of the Police and Law Enforcement (PLE) Scale

PubMed Central

English, Devin; Bowleg, Lisa; del Río-González, Ana Maria; Tschann, Jeanne M.; Agans, Robert; Malebranche, David J

2017-01-01

Objectives Although social science research has examined police and law enforcement-perpetrated discrimination against Black men using policing statistics and implicit bias studies, there is little quantitative evidence detailing this phenomenon from the perspective of Black men. Consequently, there is a dearth of research detailing how Black men’s perspectives on police and law enforcement-related stress predict negative physiological and psychological health outcomes. This study addresses these gaps with the qualitative development and quantitative test of the Police and Law Enforcement (PLE) scale. Methods In Study 1, we employed thematic analysis on transcripts of individual qualitative interviews with 90 Black men to assess key themes and concepts and develop quantitative items. In Study 2, we used 2 focus groups comprised of 5 Black men each (n=10), intensive cognitive interviewing with a separate sample of Black men (n=15), and piloting with another sample of Black men (n=13) to assess the ecological validity of the quantitative items. For study 3, we analyzed data from a sample of 633 Black men between the ages of 18 and 65 to test the factor structure of the PLE, as we all as its concurrent validity and convergent/discriminant validity. Results Qualitative analyses and confirmatory factor analyses suggested that a 5-item, 1-factor measure appropriately represented respondents’ experiences of police/law enforcement discrimination. As hypothesized, the PLE was positively associated with measures of racial discrimination and depressive symptoms. Conclusions Preliminary evidence suggests that the PLE is a reliable and valid measure of Black men’s experiences of discrimination with police/law enforcement. PMID:28080104

Measuring Black men's police-based discrimination experiences: Development and validation of the Police and Law Enforcement (PLE) Scale.

PubMed

English, Devin; Bowleg, Lisa; Del Río-González, Ana Maria; Tschann, Jeanne M; Agans, Robert P; Malebranche, David J

2017-04-01

Although social science research has examined police and law enforcement-perpetrated discrimination against Black men using policing statistics and implicit bias studies, there is little quantitative evidence detailing this phenomenon from the perspective of Black men. Consequently, there is a dearth of research detailing how Black men's perspectives on police and law enforcement-related stress predict negative physiological and psychological health outcomes. This study addresses these gaps with the qualitative development and quantitative test of the Police and Law Enforcement (PLE) Scale. In Study 1, we used thematic analysis on transcripts of individual qualitative interviews with 90 Black men to assess key themes and concepts and develop quantitative items. In Study 2, we used 2 focus groups comprised of 5 Black men each (n = 10), intensive cognitive interviewing with a separate sample of Black men (n = 15), and piloting with another sample of Black men (n = 13) to assess the ecological validity of the quantitative items. For Study 3, we analyzed data from a sample of 633 Black men between the ages of 18 and 65 to test the factor structure of the PLE, as we all as its concurrent validity and convergent/discriminant validity. Qualitative analyses and confirmatory factor analyses suggested that a 5-item, 1-factor measure appropriately represented respondents' experiences of police/law enforcement discrimination. As hypothesized, the PLE was positively associated with measures of racial discrimination and depressive symptoms. Preliminary evidence suggests that the PLE is a reliable and valid measure of Black men's experiences of discrimination with police/law enforcement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Development and validation of the Acculturative Stress Scale for Chinese College Students in the United States (ASSCS).

PubMed

Bai, Jieru

2016-04-01

Chinese students are the biggest ethnic group of international students in the United States. This study aims to develop a reliable and valid scale to accurately measure their acculturative stress. A 72-item pool was sent online to Chinese students and a five-factor scale of 32 items was generated by exploratory factor analysis. The five factors included language insufficiency, social isolation, perceived discrimination, academic pressure, and guilt toward family. The Acculturative Stress Scale for Chinese Students demonstrated high reliability and initial validity by predicting depression and life satisfaction. It was the first Chinese scale of acculturative stress developed and validated among a Chinese student sample in the United States. In the future, the scale can be used as a diagnostic tool by mental health professionals and a self-assessment tool by Chinese students. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved.

Why don't you exercise? Development of the Amotivation Toward Exercise Scale among older inactive individuals.

PubMed

Vlachopoulos, Symeon P; Gigoudi, Maria A

2008-07-01

This article reports on the development and initial validation of the Amotivation Toward Exercise Scale (ATES), which reflects a taxonomy of older adults' reasons to refrain from exercise. Drawing on work by Pelletier, Dion, Tuson, and Green-Demers (1999) and Legault, Green-Demers, and Pelletier (2006), these dimensions were the outcome beliefs, capacity beliefs, effort beliefs, and value amotivation beliefs toward exercise. The results supported a 4-factor correlated model that fit the data better than either a unidimensional model or a 4-factor uncorrelated model or a hierarchical model with strong internal reliability for all the subscales. Evidence also emerged for the discriminant validity of the subscale scores. Furthermore, the predictive validity of the subscale scores was supported, and satisfactory measurement invariance was demonstrated across the calibration and validation samples, supporting the generalizability of the scale's measurement properties.

The influence of work personality on job satisfaction: incremental validity and mediation effects.

PubMed

Heller, Daniel; Ferris, D Lance; Brown, Douglas; Watson, David

2009-08-01

Drawing from recent developments regarding the contextual nature of personality (e.g., D. Wood & B. W. Roberts, 2006), we conducted 2 studies (1 cross-sectional and 1 longitudinal over 1 year) to examine the validity of work personality in predicting job satisfaction and its mediation of the effect of global personality on job satisfaction. Study 1 showed that (a) individuals vary systematically in their personality between roles- they were significantly more conscientious and open to experience and less extraverted at work compared to at home; (b) work personality was a better predictor of job satisfaction than both global personality and home personality; and (c) work personality demonstrated incremental validity above and beyond the other two personality measures. Study 2 further showed that each of the work personality dimensions fully mediated the association between its corresponding global personality trait and job satisfaction. Evidence for the discriminant validity of the findings is also presented.

Quantifying traditional Chinese medicine patterns using modern test theory: an example of functional constipation.

PubMed

Shen, Minxue; Cui, Yuanwu; Hu, Ming; Xu, Linyong

2017-01-13

The study aimed to validate a scale to assess the severity of "Yin deficiency, intestine heat" pattern of functional constipation based on the modern test theory. Pooled longitudinal data of 237 patients with "Yin deficiency, intestine heat" pattern of constipation from a prospective cohort study were used to validate the scale. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the common factors of items. A multidimensional item response model was used to assess the scale with the presence of multidimensionality. The Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.79 to 0.89, and the split-half reliability ranged from 0.67 to 0.79 at different measurements. Exploratory factor analysis identified two common factors, and all items had cross factor loadings. Bidimensional model had better goodness of fit than the unidimensional model. Multidimensional item response model showed that the all items had moderate to high discrimination parameters. Parameters indicated that the first latent trait signified intestine heat, while the second trait characterized Yin deficiency. Information function showed that items demonstrated highest discrimination power among patients with moderate to high level of disease severity. Multidimensional item response theory provides a useful and rational approach in validating scales for assessing the severity of patterns in traditional Chinese medicine.

Development and psychometric testing of a trans-professional evidence-based practice profile questionnaire.

PubMed

McEvoy, Maureen Patricia; Williams, Marie T; Olds, Timothy Stephen

2010-01-01

Previous survey tools operationalising knowledge, attitudes or beliefs about evidence-based practice (EBP) have shortcomings in content, psychometric properties and target audience. This study developed and psychometrically assessed a self-report trans-professional questionnaire to describe an EBP profile. Sixty-six items were collated from existing EBP questionnaires and administered to 526 academics and students from health and non-health backgrounds. Principal component factor analysis revealed the presence of five factors (Relevance, Terminology, Confidence, Practice and Sympathy). Following expert panel review and pilot testing, the 58-item final questionnaire was disseminated to 105 subjects on two occasions. Test-retest and internal reliability were quantified using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Cronbach's alpha, convergent validity against a commonly used EBP questionnaire by Pearson's correlation coefficient and discriminative validity via analysis of variance (ANOVA) based on exposure to EBP training. The final questionnaire demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.96), test-retest reliability (ICCs range 0.77-0.94) and convergent validity (Practice 0.66, Confidence 0.80 and Sympathy 0.54). Three factors (Relevance, Terminology and Confidence) distinguished EBP exposure groups (ANOVA p < 0.001-0.004). The evidence-based practice profile (EBP(2)) questionnaire is a reliable instrument with the ability to discriminate for three factors, between respondents with differing EBP exposures.

Factors affecting unsafe behavior in construction projects: development and validation of a new questionnaire.

PubMed

Asilian-Mahabadi, Hassan; Khosravi, Yahya; Hassanzadeh-Rangi, Narmin; Hajizadeh, Ebrahim; Behzadan, Amir H

2018-02-05

Occupational safety in general, and construction safety in particular, is a complex phenomenon. This study was designed to develop a new valid measure to evaluate factors affecting unsafe behavior in the construction industry. A new questionnaire was generated from qualitative research according to the principles of grounded theory. Key measurement properties (face validity, content validity, construct validity, reliability and discriminative validity) were examined using qualitative and quantitative approaches. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to estimate the discriminating power and the optimal cutoff score. Construct validity revealed an interpretable 12-factor structure which explained 61.87% of variance. Good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.94) and stability (intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.93) were found for the new instrument. The area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity were 0.80, 0.80 and 0.75, respectively. The new instrument also discriminated safety performance among the construction sites with different workers' accident histories (F = 6.40, p < 0.05). The new instrument appears to be a valid, reliable and sensitive instrument that will contribute to investigating the root causes of workers' unsafe behaviors, thus promoting safety performance in the construction industry.

Discovery and validation of sub-threshold genome-wide association study loci using epigenomic signatures

PubMed Central

Wang, Xinchen; Tucker, Nathan R; Rizki, Gizem; Mills, Robert; Krijger, Peter HL; de Wit, Elzo; Subramanian, Vidya; Bartell, Eric; Nguyen, Xinh-Xinh; Ye, Jiangchuan; Leyton-Mange, Jordan; Dolmatova, Elena V; van der Harst, Pim; de Laat, Wouter; Ellinor, Patrick T; Newton-Cheh, Christopher; Milan, David J; Kellis, Manolis; Boyer, Laurie A

2016-01-01

Genetic variants identified by genome-wide association studies explain only a modest proportion of heritability, suggesting that meaningful associations lie 'hidden' below current thresholds. Here, we integrate information from association studies with epigenomic maps to demonstrate that enhancers significantly overlap known loci associated with the cardiac QT interval and QRS duration. We apply functional criteria to identify loci associated with QT interval that do not meet genome-wide significance and are missed by existing studies. We demonstrate that these 'sub-threshold' signals represent novel loci, and that epigenomic maps are effective at discriminating true biological signals from noise. We experimentally validate the molecular, gene-regulatory, cellular and organismal phenotypes of these sub-threshold loci, demonstrating that most sub-threshold loci have regulatory consequences and that genetic perturbation of nearby genes causes cardiac phenotypes in mouse. Our work provides a general approach for improving the detection of novel loci associated with complex human traits. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.10557.001 PMID:27162171

Probabilistic n/γ discrimination with robustness against outliers for use in neutron profile monitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, Y.; Takada, E.; Fujisaki, A.; Kikuchi, T.; Ogawa, K.; Isobe, M.

2017-08-01

A method to stochastically discriminate neutron and γ-ray signals measured with a stilbene organic scintillator is proposed. Each pulse signal was stochastically categorized into two groups: neutron and γ-ray. In previous work, the Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm was used with the assumption that the measured data followed a Gaussian mixture distribution. It was shown that probabilistic discrimination between these groups is possible. Moreover, by setting the initial parameters for the Gaussian mixture distribution with a k-means algorithm, the possibility of automatic discrimination was demonstrated. In this study, the Student's t-mixture distribution was used as a probabilistic distribution with the EM algorithm to improve the robustness against the effect of outliers caused by pileup of the signals. To validate the proposed method, the figures of merit (FOMs) were compared for the EM algorithm assuming a t-mixture distribution and a Gaussian mixture distribution. The t-mixture distribution resulted in an improvement of the FOMs compared with the Gaussian mixture distribution. The proposed data processing technique is a promising tool not only for neutron and γ-ray discrimination in fusion experiments but also in other fields, for example, homeland security, cancer therapy with high energy particles, nuclear reactor decommissioning, pattern recognition, and so on.

Multimodal discrimination of immune cells using a combination of Raman spectroscopy and digital holographic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McReynolds, Naomi; Cooke, Fiona G. M.; Chen, Mingzhou; Powis, Simon J.; Dholakia, Kishan

2017-03-01

The ability to identify and characterise individual cells of the immune system under label-free conditions would be a significant advantage in biomedical and clinical studies where untouched and unmodified cells are required. We present a multi-modal system capable of simultaneously acquiring both single point Raman spectra and digital holographic images of single cells. We use this combined approach to identify and discriminate between immune cell populations CD4+ T cells, B cells and monocytes. We investigate several approaches to interpret the phase images including signal intensity histograms and texture analysis. Both modalities are independently able to discriminate between cell subsets and dual-modality may therefore be used a means for validation. We demonstrate here sensitivities achieved in the range of 86.8% to 100%, and specificities in the range of 85.4% to 100%. Additionally each modality provides information not available from the other providing both a molecular and a morphological signature of each cell.

Measuring HIV- and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in Nicaragua: results from a community-based study.

PubMed

Ugarte, William J; Högberg, Ulf; Valladares, Eliette C; Essén, Birgitta

2013-04-01

Psychometric properties of external HIV-related stigma and discrimination scales and their predictors were investigated. A cross-sectional community-based study was carried out among 520 participants using an ongoing health and demographic surveillance system in León, Nicaragua. Participants completed an 18-item HIV stigma scale and 19 HIV and AIDS discrimination-related statements. A factor analysis found that 15 of the 18 items in the stigma scale and 18 of the 19 items in the discrimination scale loaded clearly into five- and four-factor structures, respectively. Overall Cronbach's alpha of .81 for the HIV stigma scale and .91 for the HIV discrimination scale provided evidence of internal consistency. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis identified that females, rural residents, people with insufficient HIV-related transmission knowledge, those not tested for HIV, those reporting an elevated self-perception of HIV risk, and those unwilling to disclose their HIV status were associated with higher stigmatizing attitudes and higher discriminatory actions towards HIV-positive people. This is the first community-based study in Nicaragua that demonstrates that overall HIV stigma and discrimination scales were reliable and valid in a community-based sample comprised of men and women of reproductive age. Stigma and discrimination were reported high in the general population, especially among sub-groups. The findings in the current study suggest community-based strategies, including the monitoring of stigma and discrimination, and designing and implementing stigma reduction interventions, are greatly needed to reduce inequities and increase acceptance of persons with HIV.

Psychometric Assessment of the Chinese Version of the Supportive Care Needs Survey Short-Form (SCNS-SF34-C) among Hong Kong and Taiwanese Chinese Colorectal Cancer Patients

PubMed Central

Li, Wylie Wai Yee; Lam, Wendy Wing Tak; Shun, Shiow-Ching; Lai, Yeur-Hur; Law, Wai-Lun; Poon, Jensen; Fielding, Richard

2013-01-01

Background Accurate assessment of unmet supportive care needs is essential for optimal cancer patient care. This study used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the known factor structures of the short form of Supportive Care Need Survey (SCNS-34) in Hong Kong and Taiwan Chinese patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods 360 Hong Kong and 263 Taiwanese Chinese CRC patients completed the Chinese version of SCNS-SF34. Comparative measures (patient satisfaction, anxiety, depression, and symptom distress) tested convergent validity while known group differences were examined to test discriminant validity. Results The original 5-factor and recent 4-factor models of the SCNS demonstrated poor data fit using CFA in both Hong Kong and Taiwan samples. Subsequently a modified five-factor model with correlated residuals demonstrated acceptable fit in both samples. Correlations demonstrated convergent and divergent validity and known group differences were observed. Conclusions While the five-factor model demonstrated a better fit for data from Chinese colorectal cancer patients, some of the items within its domain overlapped, suggesting item redundancy. The five-factor model showed good psychometric properties in these samples but also suggests conceptualization of unmet supportive care needs are currently inadequate. PMID:24146774

Prediction of aquatic toxicity mode of action using linear discriminant and random forest models.

PubMed

Martin, Todd M; Grulke, Christopher M; Young, Douglas M; Russom, Christine L; Wang, Nina Y; Jackson, Crystal R; Barron, Mace G

2013-09-23

The ability to determine the mode of action (MOA) for a diverse group of chemicals is a critical part of ecological risk assessment and chemical regulation. However, existing MOA assignment approaches in ecotoxicology have been limited to a relatively few MOAs, have high uncertainty, or rely on professional judgment. In this study, machine based learning algorithms (linear discriminant analysis and random forest) were used to develop models for assigning aquatic toxicity MOA. These methods were selected since they have been shown to be able to correlate diverse data sets and provide an indication of the most important descriptors. A data set of MOA assignments for 924 chemicals was developed using a combination of high confidence assignments, international consensus classifications, ASTER (ASessment Tools for the Evaluation of Risk) predictions, and weight of evidence professional judgment based an assessment of structure and literature information. The overall data set was randomly divided into a training set (75%) and a validation set (25%) and then used to develop linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and random forest (RF) MOA assignment models. The LDA and RF models had high internal concordance and specificity and were able to produce overall prediction accuracies ranging from 84.5 to 87.7% for the validation set. These results demonstrate that computational chemistry approaches can be used to determine the acute toxicity MOAs across a large range of structures and mechanisms.

Measuring Community Connectedness among Diverse Sexual Minority Populations

PubMed Central

Frost, David M.; Meyer, Ilan H.

2011-01-01

Theory and research agree that connectedness to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community is an important construct to account for in understanding issues related to health and well-being among gay and bisexual men. However, the measurement of this construct among lesbian and bisexual women or racial/ethnic minority individuals has not yet been adequately investigated. This study examined the reliability and validity of an existing measure of Connectedness to the LGBT Community among a diverse group of sexual minority individuals in New York City and whether differences in connectedness existed across gender and race/ethnicity. Scores on the measure demonstrated both internal consistency and construct stability across subgroups defined by gender and race/ethnicity. The subgroups did not differ in their mean levels of connectedness and scores on the measure demonstrated factorial, convergent, and discriminate validity both generally and within each of the subgroups. Inconsistencies were observed with regard to which scores on the measure demonstrated predictive validity in their associations with indicators of mental health and well-being. The scale is a useful tool for researchers and practitioners interested in understanding the role of community connectedness in the lives of diverse populations of sexual minority individuals. PMID:21512945

Assessment of Differential Item Functioning in the Experiences of Discrimination Index

PubMed Central

Cunningham, Timothy J.; Berkman, Lisa F.; Gortmaker, Steven L.; Kiefe, Catarina I.; Jacobs, David R.; Seeman, Teresa E.; Kawachi, Ichiro

2011-01-01

The psychometric properties of instruments used to measure self-reported experiences of discrimination in epidemiologic studies are rarely assessed, especially regarding construct validity. The authors used 2000–2001 data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study to examine differential item functioning (DIF) in 2 versions of the Experiences of Discrimination (EOD) Index, an index measuring self-reported experiences of racial/ethnic and gender discrimination. DIF may confound interpretation of subgroup differences. Large DIF was observed for 2 of 7 racial/ethnic discrimination items: White participants reported more racial/ethnic discrimination for the “at school” item, and black participants reported more racial/ethnic discrimination for the “getting housing” item. The large DIF by race/ethnicity in the index for racial/ethnic discrimination probably reflects item impact and is the result of valid group differences between blacks and whites regarding their respective experiences of discrimination. The authors also observed large DIF by race/ethnicity for 3 of 7 gender discrimination items. This is more likely to have been due to item bias. Users of the EOD Index must consider the advantages and disadvantages of DIF adjustment (omitting items, constructing separate measures, and retaining items). The EOD Index has substantial usefulness as an instrument that can assess self-reported experiences of discrimination. PMID:22038104

Assessing the validity and reliability of the Malagasy version of Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP): a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Razanamihaja, Noeline; Ranivoharilanto, Eva

2017-01-01

Evaluating health needs includes measures of the impact of state of health on the quality of life. This entails evaluating the psychosocial aspects of health. To achieve this, several tools for measuring the quality of life related to oral health have been developed. However, it is vital to evaluate the psychometric properties of these tools so they can be used in a new context and on a new population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Malagasy version of a questionnaire for studying the impacts of oral-dental health on daily activities (Oral Impacts on Daily Performance), and analyse the interrelations between the scores obtained and the oral health indicators. A cross-sectional study was performed for the transcultural adaptation of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance questionnaire forward translated and back-translated from English to Malagasy and from Malagasy to English, respectively. The psychometric characteristics of the Malagasy version of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance were then evaluated in terms of internal reliability, test-retest, and construct, criteria and discriminant validity. Four hundred and six adults responded in face-to-face interviews to the Malagasy version of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance questionnaire. Nearly 74% of the participants indicated impacts of their oral health on their performance in their daily lives during the 6 months prior to the survey. The activities most affected were: "smiling", "eating" and "sleeping and relaxing". Cronbach's alpha was 0.87. The construct validity was demonstrated by a significant association between the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance scores and the subjective evaluation of oral health ( p <0.001). Discriminant validity was demonstrated by the fact that the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance scores were significantly higher in subjects with more than ten missing teeth, compared to those with fewer than ten missing teeth ( p  < 0.001). The Malagasy version of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance index is a valid and reliable measure for use in Malagasy adults over 55 years old.

Chinese version of Impact of Weight on Quality of Life for Kids: psychometric properties in a large school-based sample.

PubMed

He, Jinbo; Zhu, Hong; Luo, Xingwei; Cai, Taisheng; Wu, Siyao; Lu, Yao

2016-06-01

The Impact of Weight on Quality of Life for Kids (IWQOL-Kids) is the first self-report questionnaire for assessing weight-related quality of life for youth. However, there is no Chinese version of IWQOL-Kids. Thus, the objective of this research was to translate IWQOL-Kids into Mandarin and evaluate its psychometric properties in a large school-based sample. The total sample included 2282 participants aged 11-18 years old, including 1703 non-overweight, 386 overweight and 193 obese students. IWQOL-Kids was translated and culturally adapted by following the international guidelines for instrument linguistic validation procedures. The psychometric evaluation included internal consistency, test-retest reliability, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent validity and discriminant validity. Cronbach's α for the Chinese version of IWQOL-Kids (IWQOL-Kids-C) was 0.956 and ranged from 0.891 to 0.927 for subscales. IWQOL-Kids-C showed a test-retest coefficient of 0.937 after 2 weeks and ranged from 0.847 to 0.903 for subscales. The original four-factor model was reproduced by EFA after seven iterations, accounting for 69.28% of the total variance. CFA demonstrated that the four-factor model had good fit indices with comparative fit index = 0.92, normed fit index = 0.91, goodness of fit index = 0.86, root mean square error of approximation = 0.07 and root mean square residual = 0.03. Convergent validity and discriminant validity were demonstrated with higher correlations between similar constructs and lower correlations between dissimilar constructs of IWQOL-Kids-C and PedsQL™ 4.0. The significant differences were found across the body mass index groups, and IWQOL-Kids-C had higher effect sizes than PedsQL™4.0 when comparing non-overweight and obese groups, supporting the sensitivity of IWQOL-Kids-C. IWQOL-Kids-C is a satisfactory, valid and reliable instrument to assess weight-related quality of life for Chinese children and adolescents aged 11-18 years old. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Improved discrimination between monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants for weed control based on the blue-green region of ultraviolet-induced fluorescence spectra.

PubMed

Panneton, Bernard; Guillaume, Serge; Roger, Jean-Michel; Samson, Guy

2010-01-01

Precision weeding by spot spraying in real time requires sensors to discriminate between weeds and crop without contact. Among the optical based solutions, the ultraviolet (UV) induced fluorescence of the plants appears as a promising alternative. In a first paper, the feasibility of discriminating between corn hybrids, monocotyledonous, and dicotyledonous weeds was demonstrated on the basis of the complete spectra. Some considerations about the different sources of fluorescence oriented the focus to the blue-green fluorescence (BGF) part, ignoring the chlorophyll fluorescence that is inherently more variable in time. This paper investigates the potential of performing weed/crop discrimination on the basis of several large spectral bands in the BGF area. A partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was performed on a set of 1908 spectra of corn and weed plants over 3 years and various growing conditions. The discrimination between monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants based on the blue-green fluorescence yielded robust models (classification error between 1.3 and 4.6% for between-year validation). On the basis of the analysis of the PLS-DA model, two large bands were chosen in the blue-green fluorescence zone (400-425 nm and 425-490 nm). A linear discriminant analysis based on the signal from these two bands also provided very robust inter-year results (classification error from 1.5% to 5.2%). The same selection process was applied to discriminate between monocotyledonous weeds and maize but yielded no robust models (up to 50% inter-year error). Further work will be required to solve this problem and provide a complete UV fluorescence based sensor for weed-maize discrimination.

Can unaided non-linguistic measures predict cochlear implant candidacy?

PubMed Central

Shim, Hyun Joon; Won, Jong Ho; Moon, Il Joon; Anderson, Elizabeth S.; Drennan, Ward R.; McIntosh, Nancy E.; Weaver, Edward M.; Rubinstein, Jay T.

2014-01-01

Objective To determine if unaided, non-linguistic psychoacoustic measures can be effective in evaluating cochlear implant (CI) candidacy. Study Design Prospective split-cohort study including predictor development subgroup and independent predictor validation subgroup. Setting Tertiary referral center. Subjects Fifteen subjects (28 ears) with hearing loss were recruited from patients visiting the University of Washington Medical Center for CI evaluation. Methods Spectral-ripple discrimination (using a 13-dB modulation depth) and temporal modulation detection using 10- and 100-Hz modulation frequencies were assessed with stimuli presented through insert earphones. Correlations between performance for psychoacoustic tasks and speech perception tasks were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to estimate the optimal psychoacoustic score for CI candidacy evaluation in the development subgroup and then tested in an independent sample. Results Strong correlations were observed between spectral-ripple thresholds and both aided sentence recognition and unaided word recognition. Weaker relationships were found between temporal modulation detection and speech tests. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the unaided spectral ripple discrimination shows a good sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value compared to the current gold standard, aided sentence recognition. Conclusions Results demonstrated that the unaided spectral-ripple discrimination test could be a promising tool for evaluating CI candidacy. PMID:24901669

Performance of a wearable acoustic system for fetal movement discrimination

PubMed Central

Lai, Jonathan; Woodward, Richard; Alexandrov, Yuriy; ain Munnee, Qurratul; Lees, Christoph C.

2018-01-01

Fetal movements (FM) are a key factor in clinical management of high-risk pregnancies such as fetal growth restriction. While maternal perception of reduced FM can trigger self-referral to obstetric services, maternal sensation is highly subjective. Objective, reliable monitoring of fetal movement patterns outside clinical environs is not currently possible. A wearable and non-transmitting system capable of sensing fetal movements over extended periods of time would be extremely valuable, not only for monitoring individual fetal health, but also for establishing normal levels of movement in the population at large. Wearable monitors based on accelerometers have previously been proposed as a means of tracking FM, but such systems have difficulty separating maternal and fetal activity and have not matured to the level of clinical use. We introduce a new wearable system based on a novel combination of accelerometers and bespoke acoustic sensors as well as an advanced signal processing architecture to identify and discriminate between types of fetal movements. We validate the system with concurrent ultrasound tests on a cohort of 44 pregnant women and demonstrate that the garment is capable of both detecting and discriminating the vigorous, whole-body ‘startle’ movements of a fetus. These results demonstrate the promise of multimodal sensing for the development of a low-cost, non-transmitting wearable monitor for fetal movements. PMID:29734344

Performance of a wearable acoustic system for fetal movement discrimination.

PubMed

Lai, Jonathan; Woodward, Richard; Alexandrov, Yuriy; Ain Munnee, Qurratul; Lees, Christoph C; Vaidyanathan, Ravi; Nowlan, Niamh C

2018-01-01

Fetal movements (FM) are a key factor in clinical management of high-risk pregnancies such as fetal growth restriction. While maternal perception of reduced FM can trigger self-referral to obstetric services, maternal sensation is highly subjective. Objective, reliable monitoring of fetal movement patterns outside clinical environs is not currently possible. A wearable and non-transmitting system capable of sensing fetal movements over extended periods of time would be extremely valuable, not only for monitoring individual fetal health, but also for establishing normal levels of movement in the population at large. Wearable monitors based on accelerometers have previously been proposed as a means of tracking FM, but such systems have difficulty separating maternal and fetal activity and have not matured to the level of clinical use. We introduce a new wearable system based on a novel combination of accelerometers and bespoke acoustic sensors as well as an advanced signal processing architecture to identify and discriminate between types of fetal movements. We validate the system with concurrent ultrasound tests on a cohort of 44 pregnant women and demonstrate that the garment is capable of both detecting and discriminating the vigorous, whole-body 'startle' movements of a fetus. These results demonstrate the promise of multimodal sensing for the development of a low-cost, non-transmitting wearable monitor for fetal movements.

The use of waveform shapes to automatically determine earthquake focal depth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sipkin, S.A.

2000-01-01

Earthquake focal depth is an important parameter for rapidly determining probable damage caused by a large earthquake. In addition, it is significant both for discriminating between natural events and explosions and for discriminating between tsunamigenic and nontsunamigenic earthquakes. For the purpose of notifying emergency management and disaster relief organizations as well as issuing tsunami warnings, potential time delays in determining source parameters are particularly detrimental. We present a method for determining earthquake focal depth that is well suited for implementation in an automated system that utilizes the wealth of broadband teleseismic data that is now available in real time from the global seismograph networks. This method uses waveform shapes to determine focal depth and is demonstrated to be valid for events with magnitudes as low as approximately 5.5.

Prediction of Outcome after Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: External Validation of the IMPACT and CRASH Prognostic Models

PubMed Central

Roozenbeek, Bob; Lingsma, Hester F.; Lecky, Fiona E.; Lu, Juan; Weir, James; Butcher, Isabella; McHugh, Gillian S.; Murray, Gordon D.; Perel, Pablo; Maas, Andrew I.R.; Steyerberg, Ewout W.

2012-01-01

Objective The International Mission on Prognosis and Analysis of Clinical Trials (IMPACT) and Corticoid Randomisation After Significant Head injury (CRASH) prognostic models predict outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI) but have not been compared in large datasets. The objective of this is study is to validate externally and compare the IMPACT and CRASH prognostic models for prediction of outcome after moderate or severe TBI. Design External validation study. Patients We considered 5 new datasets with a total of 9036 patients, comprising three randomized trials and two observational series, containing prospectively collected individual TBI patient data. Measurements Outcomes were mortality and unfavourable outcome, based on the Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) at six months after injury. To assess performance, we studied the discrimination of the models (by AUCs), and calibration (by comparison of the mean observed to predicted outcomes and calibration slopes). Main Results The highest discrimination was found in the TARN trauma registry (AUCs between 0.83 and 0.87), and the lowest discrimination in the Pharmos trial (AUCs between 0.65 and 0.71). Although differences in predictor effects between development and validation populations were found (calibration slopes varying between 0.58 and 1.53), the differences in discrimination were largely explained by differences in case-mix in the validation studies. Calibration was good, the fraction of observed outcomes generally agreed well with the mean predicted outcome. No meaningful differences were noted in performance between the IMPACT and CRASH models. More complex models discriminated slightly better than simpler variants. Conclusions Since both the IMPACT and the CRASH prognostic models show good generalizability to more recent data, they are valid instruments to quantify prognosis in TBI. PMID:22511138

Validity of Rorschach Inkblot Scores for Discriminating Psychopaths from Nonpsychopaths in Forensic Populations: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, James M.; Lilienfeld, Scott O.; Nezworski, M. Teresa; Garb, Howard N.; Allen, Keli Holloway; Wildermuth, Jessica L.

2010-01-01

Gacono and Meloy (2009) have concluded that the Rorschach Inkblot Test is a sensitive instrument with which to discriminate psychopaths from nonpsychopaths. We examined the association of psychopathy with 37 Rorschach variables in a meta-analytic review of 173 validity coefficients derived from 22 studies comprising 780 forensic participants. All…

Factorial, Convergent, and Discriminant Validity of TIMSS Math and Science Motivation Measures: A Comparison of Arab and Anglo-Saxon Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Herbert W.; Abduljabbar, Adel Salah; Abu-Hilal, Maher M.; Morin, Alexandre J. S.; Abdelfattah, Faisal; Leung, Kim Chau; Xu, Man K.; Nagengast, Benjamin; Parker, Philip

2013-01-01

For the international Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS2007) math and science motivation scales (self-concept, positive affect, and value), we evaluated the psychometric properties (factor structure, method effects, gender differences, and convergent and discriminant validity) in 4 Arab-speaking countries (Saudi Arabia,…

Large-Scale Investigation of the Role of Trait Activation Theory for Understanding Assessment Center Convergent and Discriminant Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lievens, Filip; Chasteen, Christopher S.; Day, Eric Anthony; Christiansen, Neil D.

2006-01-01

This study used trait activation theory as a theoretical framework to conduct a large-scale test of the interactionist explanation of the convergent and discriminant validity findings obtained in assessment centers. Trait activation theory specifies the conditions in which cross-situationally consistent and inconsistent candidate performances are…

Patients' perception of postoperative pain management: validation of the International Pain Outcomes (IPO) questionnaire.

PubMed

Rothaug, Judith; Zaslansky, Ruth; Schwenkglenks, Matthias; Komann, Marcus; Allvin, Renée; Backström, Ragnar; Brill, Silviu; Buchholz, Ingo; Engel, Christoph; Fletcher, Dominique; Fodor, Lucian; Funk, Peter; Gerbershagen, Hans J; Gordon, Debra B; Konrad, Christoph; Kopf, Andreas; Leykin, Yigal; Pogatzki-Zahn, Esther; Puig, Margarita; Rawal, Narinder; Taylor, Rod S; Ullrich, Kristin; Volk, Thomas; Yahiaoui-Doktor, Maryam; Meissner, Winfried

2013-11-01

PAIN OUT is a European Commission-funded project aiming at improving postoperative pain management. It combines a registry that can be useful for quality improvement and research using treatment and patient-reported outcome measures. The core of the project is a patient questionnaire-the International Pain Outcomes questionnaire-that comprises key patient-level outcomes of postoperative pain management, including pain intensity, physical and emotional functional interference, side effects, and perceptions of care. Its psychometric quality after translation and adaptation to European patients is the subject of this validation study. The questionnaire was administered to 9,727 patients in 10 languages in 8 European countries and Israel. Construct validity was assessed using factor analysis. Discriminant validity assessment used Mann-Whitney U tests to detect mean group differences between 2 surgical disciplines. Internal consistency reliability was calculated as Cronbach's alpha. Factor analysis resulted in a 3-factor structure explaining 53.6% of variance. Cronbach's alpha at overall scale level was high (.86), and for the 3 subscales was low, moderate, or high (range, .53-.89). Significant mean group differences between general and orthopedic surgery patients confirmed discriminant validity. The psychometric quality of the International Pain Outcomes questionnaire can be regarded as satisfactory. The International Pain Outcomes questionnaire provides an instrument for postoperative pain assessment and improvement of quality of care, which demonstrated good psychometric quality when translated into a variety of languages in a large European and Israeli patient population. This measure provides the basis for the first comprehensive postoperative pain registry in Europe and other countries. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Assessing functional mobility in survivors of lower-extremity sarcoma: reliability and validity of a new assessment tool.

PubMed

Marchese, Victoria G; Rai, Shesh N; Carlson, Claire A; Hinds, Pamela S; Spearing, Elena M; Zhang, Lijun; Callaway, Lulie; Neel, Michael D; Rao, Bhaskar N; Ginsberg, Jill P

2007-08-01

Reliability and validity of a new tool, Functional Mobility Assessment (FMA), were examined in patients with lower-extremity sarcoma. FMA requires the patients to physically perform the functional mobility measures, unlike patient self-report or clinician administered measures. A sample of 114 subjects participated, 20 healthy volunteers and 94 patients with lower-extremity sarcoma after amputation, limb-sparing, or rotationplasty surgery. Reliability of the FMA was examined by three raters testing 20 healthy volunteers and 23 subjects with lower-extremity sarcoma. Concurrent validity was examined using data from 94 subjects with lower-extremity sarcoma who completed the FMA, Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS), Short-Form 36 (SF-36v2), and Toronto Extremity Salvage Scale (TESS) scores. Construct validity was measured by the ability of the FMA to discriminate between subjects with and without functional mobility deficits. FMA demonstrated excellent reliability (ICC [2,1] >or=0.97). Moderate correlations were found between FMA and SF-36v2 (r = 0.60, P < 0.01), FMA and MSTS (r = 0.68, P < 0.01), and FMA and TESS (r = 0.62, P < 0.01). The patients with lower-extremity sarcoma scored lower on the FMA as compared to healthy controls (P < 0.01). The FMA is a reliable and valid functional outcome measure for patients with lower-extremity sarcoma. This study supports the ability of the FMA to discriminate between patients with varying functional abilities and supports the need to include measures of objective functional mobility in examination of patients with lower-extremity sarcoma.

Psychometric Arabic Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22: validation and translation in chronic rhinosinusitis patients.

PubMed

Alanazy, Fatma; Dousary, Surayie Al; Albosaily, Ahmed; Aldriweesh, Turki; Alsaleh, Saad; Aldrees, Turki

2018-01-01

The Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT)-22 has multiple items that reflect how nasal disease affects quality of life. Currently, no validated Arabic version of the SNOT-22 is available. . To develop an Arabic-validated version of SNOT-22. Prospective. Tertiary care center. This single-center validation study was conducted between 2015 and 2017 at King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The SNOT-22 English version was translated into Arabic by the forward and backward method. The test and retest reliability, internal consistency, responsiveness to surgical treatment, discriminant validity, sensitivity and specificity all were tested. Validated Arabic version of the SNOT-22. Of 265 individuals, 171 were healthy volunteers and 94 were chronic rhinosinusitis patients. The Arabic version showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's of 0.94), and the ability to differentiate between diseased and healthy volunteers (P < .001). The translated versions demonstrated the ability to detect the change scores significantly in response to intervention (P < .001). This is the first validated Arabic version of SNOT-22. The instrument can be used among the Arabic population. No subjects from other Arab countries.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Assessment of Core CBT Skills (ACCS): An observation-based tool for assessing cognitive behavioral therapy competence.

PubMed

Muse, Kate; McManus, Freda; Rakovshik, Sarah; Thwaites, Richard

2017-05-01

This article outlines the development and psychometric evaluation of the Assessment of Core CBT Skills (ACCS) rating scale. The ACCS aims to provide a novel assessment framework to deliver formative and summative feedback regarding therapists' performance within observed cognitive-behavioral treatment sessions, and for therapists to rate and reflect on their own performance. Findings from 3 studies are outlined: (a) a feedback study (n = 66) examining content validity, face validity and usability; (b) a focus group (n = 9) evaluating usability and utility; and (c) an evaluation of the psychometric properties of the ACCS in real world cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) training and routine clinical practice contexts. Results suggest that the ACCS has good face validity, content validity, and usability and provides a user-friendly tool that is useful for promoting self-reflection and providing formative feedback. Scores on both the self and assessor-rated versions of the ACCS demonstrate good internal consistency, interrater reliability, and discriminant validity. In addition, ACCS scores were found to be correlated with, but distinct from, the Revised Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS-R) and were comparable to CTS-R scores in terms of internal consistency and discriminant validity. In addition, the ACCS may have advantages over the CTS-R in terms of interrater reliability of scores. The studies also provided insight into areas for refinement and a number of modifications were undertaken to improve the scale. In summary, the ACCS is an appropriate and useful measure of CBT competence that can be used to promote self-reflection and provide therapists with formative and summative feedback. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Palliative sedation: reliability and validity of sedation scales.

PubMed

Arevalo, Jimmy J; Brinkkemper, Tijn; van der Heide, Agnes; Rietjens, Judith A; Ribbe, Miel; Deliens, Luc; Loer, Stephan A; Zuurmond, Wouter W A; Perez, Roberto S G M

2012-11-01

Observer-based sedation scales have been used to provide a measurable estimate of the comfort of nonalert patients in palliative sedation. However, their usefulness and appropriateness in this setting has not been demonstrated. To study the reliability and validity of observer-based sedation scales in palliative sedation. A prospective evaluation of 54 patients under intermittent or continuous sedation with four sedation scales was performed by 52 nurses. Included scales were the Minnesota Sedation Assessment Tool (MSAT), Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS), Vancouver Interaction and Calmness Scale (VICS), and a sedation score proposed in the Guideline for Palliative Sedation of the Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG). Inter-rater reliability was tested with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cohen's kappa coefficient. Correlations between the scales using Spearman's rho tested concurrent validity. We also examined construct, discriminative, and evaluative validity. In addition, nurses completed a user-friendliness survey. Overall moderate to high inter-rater reliability was found for the VICS interaction subscale (ICC = 0.85), RASS (ICC = 0.73), and KNMG (ICC = 0.71). The largest correlation between scales was found for the RASS and KNMG (rho = 0.836). All scales showed discriminative and evaluative validity, except for the MSAT motor subscale and VICS calmness subscale. Finally, the RASS was less time consuming, clearer, and easier to use than the MSAT and VICS. The RASS and KNMG scales stand as the most reliable and valid among the evaluated scales. In addition, the RASS was less time consuming, clearer, and easier to use than the MSAT and VICS. Further research is needed to evaluate the impact of the scales on better symptom control and patient comfort. Copyright © 2012 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and Validation of a Measure of Attitudes toward Fluffy Women

PubMed Central

Barned, C; Lipps, GE

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: There is an absence of research on the newly evolved term “fluffy” which describes body image and personality features among women. Research on “fluffiness” among Caribbean peoples has been limited by the lack of valid and reliable measures of the concept. Objective: This project addresses this problem by exploring the internal consistency reliability and the concurrent and discriminant validity of the Attitudes toward Fluffy Women Scale (ATFW) using a mixture of past and present students from The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, and the University of Technology (UTech), Kingston. Method: Past or present students from The UWI, Mona, and UTech, Kingston, were recruited for the study through the use of convenience sampling. A total of 80 students (38 males, 47.5%; 42 females, 52.5%) participated in the study. Results: Overall, the ATFW was found to have an acceptable degree of internal consistency reliability (α = 0.90). The scale also had reasonably good concurrent validity as evidenced by moderate correlations with scores on the Attitudes Toward Obese Persons Scale (r = −0.42) and acceptable discriminant validity as demonstrated through low correlations with a Bogardus Social Distance Scale designed to assess prejudice toward people living with the human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] (r = 0.29). This pattern of scores suggests that the majority of the stable variance underlying the ATFW assesses the “fluffy” concept (17.6%) while a smaller degree of the variability (8%) measures a conceptually similar but distinct concept. Conclusion: The Attitudes toward Fluffy Women scale was found to be a reliable and valid scale for assessing the attitudes of young adults toward fluffy women. PMID:25803379

Increasing Valid Profiles in Phallometric Assessment of Sex Offenders with Child Victims: Combining the Strengths of Audio Stimuli and Synthetic Characters.

PubMed

Marschall-Lévesque, Shawn; Rouleau, Joanne-Lucine; Renaud, Patrice

2018-02-01

Penile plethysmography (PPG) is a measure of sexual interests that relies heavily on the stimuli it uses to generate valid results. Ethical considerations surrounding the use of real images in PPG have further limited the content admissible for these stimuli. To palliate this limitation, the current study aimed to combine audio and visual stimuli by incorporating computer-generated characters to create new stimuli capable of accurately classifying sex offenders with child victims, while also increasing the number of valid profiles. Three modalities (audio, visual, and audiovisual) were compared using two groups (15 sex offenders with child victims and 15 non-offenders). Both the new visual and audiovisual stimuli resulted in a 13% increase in the number of valid profiles at 2.5 mm, when compared to the standard audio stimuli. Furthermore, the new audiovisual stimuli generated a 34% increase in penile responses. All three modalities were able to discriminate between the two groups by their responses to the adult and child stimuli. Lastly, sexual interest indices for all three modalities could accurately classify participants in their appropriate groups, as demonstrated by ROC curve analysis (i.e., audio AUC = .81, 95% CI [.60, 1.00]; visual AUC = .84, 95% CI [.66, 1.00], and audiovisual AUC = .83, 95% CI [.63, 1.00]). Results suggest that computer-generated characters allow accurate discrimination of sex offenders with child victims and can be added to already validated stimuli to increase the number of valid profiles. The implications of audiovisual stimuli using computer-generated characters and their possible use in PPG evaluations are also discussed.

Residual standard deviation: Validation of a new measure of dual-task cost in below-knee prosthesis users.

PubMed

Howard, Charla L; Wallace, Chris; Abbas, James; Stokic, Dobrivoje S

2017-01-01

We developed and evaluated properties of a new measure of variability in stride length and cadence, termed residual standard deviation (RSD). To calculate RSD, stride length and cadence are regressed against velocity to derive the best fit line from which the variability (SD) of the distance between the actual and predicted data points is calculated. We examined construct, concurrent, and discriminative validity of RSD using dual-task paradigm in 14 below-knee prosthesis users and 13 age- and education-matched controls. Subjects walked first over an electronic walkway while performing separately a serial subtraction and backwards spelling task, and then at self-selected slow, normal, and fast speeds used to derive the best fit line for stride length and cadence against velocity. Construct validity was demonstrated by significantly greater increase in RSD during dual-task gait in prosthesis users than controls (group-by-condition interaction, stride length p=0.0006, cadence p=0.009). Concurrent validity was established against coefficient of variation (CV) by moderate-to-high correlations (r=0.50-0.87) between dual-task cost RSD and dual-task cost CV for both stride length and cadence in prosthesis users and controls. Discriminative validity was documented by the ability of dual-task cost calculated from RSD to effectively differentiate prosthesis users from controls (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, stride length 0.863, p=0.001, cadence 0.808, p=0.007), which was better than the ability of dual-task cost CV (0.692, 0.648, respectively, not significant). These results validate RSD as a new measure of variability in below-knee prosthesis users. Future studies should include larger cohorts and other populations to ascertain its generalizability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Attitudes Toward Transgender Men and Women: Development and Validation of a New Measure

PubMed Central

Billard, Thomas J

2018-01-01

A series of three studies were conducted to generate, develop, and validate the Attitudes toward Transgender Men and Women (ATTMW) scale. In Study 1, 120 American adults responded to an open-ended questionnaire probing various dimensions of their perceptions of transgender individuals and identity. Qualitative thematic analysis generated 200 items based on their responses. In Study 2, 238 American adults completed a questionnaire consisting of the generated items. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed two non-identical 12-item subscales (ATTM and ATTW) of the full 24-item scale. In Study 3, 150 undergraduate students completed a survey containing the ATTMW and a number of validity-testing variables. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) verified the single-factor structures of the ATTM and ATTW subscales, and the convergent, discriminant, predictive, and concurrent validities of the ATTMW were also established. Together, our results demonstrate that the ATTMW is a reliable and valid measure of attitudes toward transgender individuals. PMID:29666595

Development and Validation of Triarchic Construct Scales from the Psychopathic Personality Inventory

PubMed Central

Hall, Jason R.; Drislane, Laura E.; Patrick, Christopher J.; Morano, Mario; Lilienfeld, Scott O.; Poythress, Norman G.

2014-01-01

The Triarchic model of psychopathy describes this complex condition in terms of distinct phenotypic components of boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. Brief self-report scales designed specifically to index these psychopathy facets have thus far demonstrated promising construct validity. The present study sought to develop and validate scales for assessing facets of the Triarchic model using items from a well-validated existing measure of psychopathy—the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI). A consensus rating approach was used to identify PPI items relevant to each Triarchic facet, and the convergent and discriminant validity of the resulting PPI-based Triarchic scales were evaluated in relation to multiple criterion variables (i.e., other psychopathy inventories, antisocial personality disorder features, personality traits, psychosocial functioning) in offender and non-offender samples. The PPI-based Triarchic scales showed good internal consistency and related to criterion variables in ways consistent with predictions based on the Triarchic model. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for conceptualization and assessment of psychopathy. PMID:24447280

Development and validation of Triarchic construct scales from the psychopathic personality inventory.

PubMed

Hall, Jason R; Drislane, Laura E; Patrick, Christopher J; Morano, Mario; Lilienfeld, Scott O; Poythress, Norman G

2014-06-01

The Triarchic model of psychopathy describes this complex condition in terms of distinct phenotypic components of boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. Brief self-report scales designed specifically to index these psychopathy facets have thus far demonstrated promising construct validity. The present study sought to develop and validate scales for assessing facets of the Triarchic model using items from a well-validated existing measure of psychopathy-the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI). A consensus-rating approach was used to identify PPI items relevant to each Triarchic facet, and the convergent and discriminant validity of the resulting PPI-based Triarchic scales were evaluated in relation to multiple criterion variables (i.e., other psychopathy inventories, antisocial personality disorder features, personality traits, psychosocial functioning) in offender and nonoffender samples. The PPI-based Triarchic scales showed good internal consistency and related to criterion variables in ways consistent with predictions based on the Triarchic model. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for conceptualization and assessment of psychopathy.

The validity of the Health-Relevant Personality Inventory (HP5i) and the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI) among adolescents referred for a substance misuse problem.

PubMed

Hemphälä, Malin; Gustavsson, J Petter; Tengström, Anders

2013-01-01

The aim was to study the validity of 2 personality instruments, the Health-Relevant Personality Inventory (HP5i) and the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI), among adolescents with a substance use problem. Clinical interviews were completed with 180 adolescents and followed up after 12 months. Discriminant validity was demonstrated in the lack of correlation to intelligence in both instruments' scales. Two findings were in support of convergent validity: Negative affectivity (HP5i) and harm avoidance (JTCI) were correlated to internalizing symptoms, and impulsivity (HP5i) and novelty seeking (JTCI) were correlated to externalizing symptoms. The predictive validity of JTCI was partly supported. When psychiatric symptoms at baseline were controlled for, cooperativeness predicted conduct disorder after 12 months. Summarizing, both instruments can be used in adolescent clinical samples to tailor treatment efforts, although some scales need further investigation. It is important to include personality assessment when evaluating psychiatric problems in adolescents.

Brief reasons for living inventory: a psychometric investigation.

PubMed

Cwik, Jan Christopher; Siegmann, Paula; Willutzki, Ulrike; Nyhuis, Peter; Wolter, Marcus; Forkmann, Thomas; Glaesmer, Heide; Teismann, Tobias

2017-11-06

The present study aimed at validating the German version of the Brief Reasons for Living inventory (BRFL). Validity and reliability were established in a community (n = 339) and a clinical sample (n = 272). Convergent and discriminant validity were investigated, and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted for the complete BRFL as well as for a 10-item version excluding conditional items on child-related concerns. Furthermore, it was assessed how BRFL scores moderate the association between depression and suicide ideation. Results indicated an adequate fit of the data to the original factor structure. The total scale and the subscales of the German version of the BRFL had sufficient internal consistency, as well as good convergent and divergent validity. The BRFL demonstrated clinical utility by differentiating between participants with vs. without suicide ideation. Reasons for living proved to moderate the association between depression and suicide ideation. Results provide preliminary evidence that the BRFL may be a reliable and valid measure of adaptive reasons for living that can be used in clinic and research settings.

Discrimination and Romani health: a validation study of discrimination scales among Romani women in Macedonia and Serbia.

PubMed

Janevic, T; Gundersen, D; Stojanovski, K; Jankovic, J; Nikolic, Z; Kasapinov, B

2015-09-01

Scales used to assess discrimination in public health research have rarely been validated outside of high income countries. Our objective was to validate the Experiences of Discrimination (EOD) scale and the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) among 410 Romani women in Macedonia and Serbia. Romani female interviewers conducted interviews in 2012-2013. We used a multiple indicator multiple cause approach to test a one-factor model for each scale and to assess differential item functioning (DIF) by age, wealth, country, and education. We also measured associations between the EOD and EDS with smoking in the past year and psychological distress. Three items of the EOD were conceptually irrelevant. Two items of the EDS were not conditionally independent. DIF was found by country for one item in each scale. After excluding these items, all scales exhibited good model fit and were associated with smoking (EOD beta = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.18, 0.63; EDS beta = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.12, 0.54) and psychological distress (EOD beta = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.15, 0.37; EDS beta = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.04, 0.47). Discrimination scales can be adapted for use among Romani women and are associated with both smoking and psychological distress.

Creation of a computer self-efficacy measure: analysis of internal consistency, psychometric properties, and validity.

PubMed

Howard, Matt C

2014-10-01

Computer self-efficacy is an often studied construct that has been shown to be related to an array of important individual outcomes. Unfortunately, existing measures of computer self-efficacy suffer from several deficiencies, including criterion contamination, outdated wording, and/or inadequate psychometric properties. For this reason, the current article presents the creation of a new computer self-efficacy measure. In Study 1, an over-representative item list is created and subsequently reduced through exploratory factor analysis to create an initial measure, and the discriminant validity of this initial measure is tested. In Study 2, the unidimensional factor structure of the initial measure is supported through confirmatory factor analysis and further reduced into a final, 12-item measure. In Study 3, the convergent and criterion validity of the 12-item measure is tested. Overall, this three study process demonstrates that the new computer self-efficacy measure has superb psychometric properties and internal reliability, and demonstrates excellent evidence for several aspects of validity. It is hoped that the 12-item computer self-efficacy measure will be utilized in future research on computer self-efficacy, which is discussed in the current article.

Development and validation of a fatigue assessment scale for U.S. construction workers.

PubMed

Zhang, Mingzong; Sparer, Emily H; Murphy, Lauren A; Dennerlein, Jack T; Fang, Dongping; Katz, Jeffrey N; Caban-Martinez, Alberto J

2015-02-01

To develop a fatigue assessment scale and test its reliability and validity for commercial construction workers. Using a two-phased approach, we first identified items (first phase) for the development of a Fatigue Assessment Scale for Construction Workers (FASCW) through review of existing scales in the scientific literature, key informant interviews (n = 11) and focus groups (three groups with six workers each) with construction workers. The second phase included assessment for the reliability, validity, and sensitivity of the new scale using a repeated-measures study design with a convenience sample of construction workers (n = 144). Phase one resulted in a 16-item preliminary scale that after factor analysis yielded a final 10-item scale with two sub-scales ("Lethargy" and "Bodily Ailment"). During phase two, the FASCW and its subscales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (alpha coefficients were FASCW [0.91], Lethargy [0.86] and Bodily Ailment [0.84]) and acceptable test-retest reliability (Pearson Correlations Coefficients: 0.59-0.68; Intraclass Correlation Coefficients: 0.74-0.80). Correlation analysis substantiated concurrent and convergent validity. A discriminant analysis demonstrated that the FASCW differentiated between groups with arthritis status and different work hours. The 10-item FASCW with good reliability and validity is an effective tool for assessing the severity of fatigue among construction workers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Preoperative Prediction of Node-Negative Disease After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients Presenting with Node-Negative or Node-Positive Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Murphy, Brittany L; L Hoskin, Tanya; Heins, Courtney Day N; Habermann, Elizabeth B; Boughey, Judy C

2017-09-01

Axillary node status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) influences the axillary surgical staging procedure as well as recommendations regarding reconstruction and radiation. Our aim was to construct a clinical preoperative prediction model to identify the likelihood of patients being node negative after NAC. Using the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from January 2010 to December 2012, we identified cT1-T4c, N0-N3 breast cancer patients treated with NAC. The effects of patient and tumor factors on pathologic node status were assessed by multivariable logistic regression separately for clinically node negative (cN0) and clinically node positive (cN+) disease, and two models were constructed. Model performance was validated in a cohort of NAC patients treated at our institution (January 2013-July 2016), and model discrimination was assessed by estimating the area under the curve (AUC). Of 16,153 NCDB patients, 6659 (41%) were cN0 and 9494 (59%) were cN+. Factors associated with pathologic nodal status and included in the models were patient age, tumor grade, biologic subtype, histology, clinical tumor category, and, in cN+ patients only, clinical nodal category. The validation dataset included 194 cN0 and 180 cN+ patients. The cN0 model demonstrated good discrimination, with an AUC of 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72-0.74) in the NCDB and 0.77 (95% CI 0.68-0.85) in the external validation, while the cN+ patient model AUC was 0.71 (95% CI 0.70-0.72) in the NCDB and 0.74 (95% CI 0.67-0.82) in the external validation. We constructed two models that showed good discrimination for predicting ypN0 status following NAC in cN0 and cN+ patients. These clinically useful models can guide surgical planning after NAC.

Using the Johns Hopkins' Aggregated Diagnosis Groups (ADGs) to predict 1-year mortality in population-based cohorts of patients with diabetes in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Austin, P C; Shah, B R; Newman, A; Anderson, G M

2012-09-01

There are limited validated methods to ascertain comorbidities for risk adjustment in ambulatory populations of patients with diabetes using administrative health-care databases. The objective was to examine the ability of the Johns Hopkins' Aggregated Diagnosis Groups to predict mortality in population-based ambulatory samples of both incident and prevalent subjects with diabetes. Retrospective cohorts constructed using population-based administrative data. The incident cohort consisted of all 346,297 subjects diagnosed with diabetes between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2008. The prevalent cohort consisted of all 879,849 subjects with pre-existing diabetes on 1 January, 2007. The outcome was death within 1 year of the subject's index date. A logistic regression model consisting of age, sex and indicator variables for 22 of the 32 Johns Hopkins' Aggregated Diagnosis Group categories had excellent discrimination for predicting mortality in incident diabetes patients: the c-statistic was 0.87 in an independent validation sample. A similar model had excellent discrimination for predicting mortality in prevalent diabetes patients: the c-statistic was 0.84 in an independent validation sample. Both models demonstrated very good calibration, denoting good agreement between observed and predicted mortality across the range of predicted mortality in which the large majority of subjects lay. For comparative purposes, regression models incorporating the Charlson comorbidity index, age and sex, age and sex, and age alone had poorer discrimination than the model that incorporated the Johns Hopkins' Aggregated Diagnosis Groups. Logistical regression models using age, sex and the John Hopkins' Aggregated Diagnosis Groups were able to accurately predict 1-year mortality in population-based samples of patients with diabetes. © 2011 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine © 2011 Diabetes UK.

Korean version of the delirium rating scale-revised-98: reliability and validity.

PubMed

Lee, Yanghyun; Ryu, Jian; Lee, Jinyoung; Kim, Hwi-Jung; Shin, Im Hee; Kim, Jeong-Lan; Trzepacz, Paula T

2011-03-01

The aims of the present study were 1) to standardize the validity and reliability of the Korean version of Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS-R98-K) and 2) to establish the optimum cut-off value, sensitivity, and specificity for discriminating delirium from other non-delirious psychiatric conditions. Using DSM-IV criteria, 157 subjects (69 delirium, 29 dementia, 32 schizophrenia, and 27 other psychiatric patients) were enrolled. Subjects were evaluated using DRS-R98-K, DRS-K, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K), and Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scale. DRS-R98-K total and severity scores showed high correlations with DRS-K. They were significantly different across all groups (p=0.000). However, neither MMSE-K nor CGI-S distinguished delirium from dementia. All DRS-R98-K diagnostic items (#14-16) and items #1 and 2 significantly discriminated delirium from dementia. Cronbach's alpha coefficient revealed high internal consistency for DRS-R98-K total (r=0.91) and severity (r=0.89) scales. Interrater reliability (ICC between 0.96 and 1) was very high. Using receiver operating characteristic analysis, the area under the curve of DRS-R98-K total score was 0.948 between the delirium group and all other groups and 0.873 between the delirium and dementia groups. The best cut-off scores in DRS-R98-K total score were 18.5 and 19.5 between the delirium and the other three groups and 20.5 between the delirium and dementia groups. We demonstrated that DRS-R98-K is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing delirium severity and diagnosis and discriminating delirium from dementia and other psychiatric disorders in Korean patients.

Direct Analysis in Real Time-Mass Spectrometry & Kohonen Artificial Neural Networks for the Rapid Species Identification of Larvae, Pupae and Adult Life Stages of Carrion Insects.

PubMed

Beyramysoltan, Samira; Giffen, Justine E; Rosati, Jennifer Y; Musah, Rabi Ann

2018-06-20

Species determination of the various life stages of flies (order: Diptera) is challenging, particularly for the immature forms, because analogous life stages of different species are difficult to differentiate morphologically. It is demonstrated here that DART high-resolution mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS) combined with supervised Kohonen Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) enables accomplishment of species-level identification of larvae, pupae and adult life stages of carrion flies. DART-HRMS data for each life stage were acquired from analysis of ethanol suspensions representing Calliphoridae, Phoridae and Sarcophagidae families, without additional sample preparation. After preprocessing, the data were subjected to a combination of minimum Redundancy Maximal Relevance (mRMR) and Sparse Discriminant Analysis (SDA) methods to select the most significant variables for creating accurate SOM models. The resulting data were divided into training and validation sets, and then analyzed by the SOM method to define the proper discrimination models. The 5-fold venetian blind cross-validation misclassification error was below 7% for all life stages, and the validation samples were correctly identified in all cases. The multiclass SOM model also revealed which chemical components were the most significant markers for each species, with several of these being amino acids. The results show that processing of DART-HRMS data using artificial neural networks (ANNs) based on the Kohonen SOM approach enables rapid discrimination and identification of fly species even for the immature life stages. The ANNs can be continuously expanded to include a larger number of species, and can be used to screen DART-HRMS data from unknowns to rapidly determine species identity.

Concurrent and discriminant validity of the Star Excursion Balance Test for military personnel with lateral ankle sprain.

PubMed

Bastien, Maude; Moffet, Hélène; Bouyer, Laurent; Perron, Marc; Hébert, Luc J; Leblond, Jean

2014-02-01

The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) has frequently been used to measure motor control and residual functional deficits at different stages of recovery from lateral ankle sprain (LAS) in various populations. However, the validity of the measure used to characterize performance--the maximal reach distance (MRD) measured by visual estimation--is still unknown. To evaluate the concurrent validity of the MRD in the SEBT estimated visually vs the MRD measured with a 3D motion-capture system and evaluate and compare the discriminant validity of 2 MRD-normalization methods (by height or by lower-limb length) in participants with or without LAS (n = 10 per group). There is a high concurrent validity and a good degree of accuracy between the visual estimation measurement and the MRD gold-standard measurement for both groups and under all conditions. The Cohen d ratios between groups and MANOVA products were higher when computed from MRD data normalized by height. The results support the concurrent validity of visual estimation of the MRD and the use of the SEBT to evaluate motor control. Moreover, normalization of MRD data by height appears to increase the discriminant validity of this test.

A simple randomisation procedure for validating discriminant analysis: a methodological note.

PubMed

Wastell, D G

1987-04-01

Because the goal of discriminant analysis (DA) is to optimise classification, it designedly exaggerates between-group differences. This bias complicates validation of DA. Jack-knifing has been used for validation but is inappropriate when stepwise selection (SWDA) is employed. A simple randomisation test is presented which is shown to give correct decisions for SWDA. The general superiority of randomisation tests over orthodox significance tests is discussed. Current work on non-parametric methods of estimating the error rates of prediction rules is briefly reviewed.

Validation of Risk Assessment Models of Venous Thromboembolism in Hospitalized Medical Patients.

PubMed

Greene, M Todd; Spyropoulos, Alex C; Chopra, Vineet; Grant, Paul J; Kaatz, Scott; Bernstein, Steven J; Flanders, Scott A

2016-09-01

Patients hospitalized for acute medical illness are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism. Although risk assessment is recommended and several at-admission risk assessment models have been developed, these have not been adequately derived or externally validated. Therefore, an optimal approach to evaluate venous thromboembolism risk in medical patients is not known. We conducted an external validation study of existing venous thromboembolism risk assessment models using data collected on 63,548 hospitalized medical patients as part of the Michigan Hospital Medicine Safety (HMS) Consortium. For each patient, cumulative venous thromboembolism risk scores and risk categories were calculated. Cox regression models were used to quantify the association between venous thromboembolism events and assigned risk categories. Model discrimination was assessed using Harrell's C-index. Venous thromboembolism incidence in hospitalized medical patients is low (1%). Although existing risk assessment models demonstrate good calibration (hazard ratios for "at-risk" range 2.97-3.59), model discrimination is generally poor for all risk assessment models (C-index range 0.58-0.64). The performance of several existing risk assessment models for predicting venous thromboembolism among acutely ill, hospitalized medical patients at admission is limited. Given the low venous thromboembolism incidence in this nonsurgical patient population, careful consideration of how best to utilize existing venous thromboembolism risk assessment models is necessary, and further development and validation of novel venous thromboembolism risk assessment models for this patient population may be warranted. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Cross-cultural application of the Korean version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire cervical cancer module.

PubMed

Shin, Dong Wook; Ahn, Eunmi; Kim, Yong-Man; Kang, Sokbom; Kim, Byoung-Gie; Seong, Seok Ju; Cha, Soon Do; Park, Chan-Yong; Yun, Young Ho

2009-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Quality of Life questionnaire cervical cancer module (QLQ-CX24), developed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). The EORTC QLQ-CX24 and the core questionnaire (the EORTC QLQ-C30) were administered to 860 Korean disease-free survivors of cervical cancer and 494 female control subjects from the general Korean population. The construct reliability and validity of the EORTC QLQ-CX24 questionnaire were assessed via factor analysis, multitrait scaling analyses and known group comparisons. Factor structure of the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-CX24 questionnaire agreed with the originally hypothesized scale structure. Scale reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficients for internal consistency, which ranged from 0.78 to 0.87. Convergent and discriminant validity was confirmed by multitrait scaling analysis, which revealed scaling errors of 0.9. The clinical validity of the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-CX24 was demonstrated by the ability to discriminate among controls and patient subgroups of different stages, treatments and overall health status. The Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-CX24 was found to be a reliable and a valid measure of quality of life among survivors of cervical cancer when administered in a large survey setting. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Measurement Invariance of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory

PubMed Central

Bunnell, Brian E.; Joseph, Dana L.; Beidel, Deborah C.

2012-01-01

The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI) is a commonly used self-report measure of social phobia that has demonstrated adequate reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and criterion-related validity. However, research has yet to address whether this measure functions equivalently in (a) individuals with and without a diagnosis of social phobia and (b) males and females. Evaluating measurement equivalence is necessary in order to determine that the construct of social anxiety is conceptually understood invariantly across these populations. The results of the current investigation, using a series of nested factorial models proposed by Vandenberg and Lance (2000), provide evidence for strong equivalence across 420 individuals with and without diagnoses of social anxiety disorder and across male and female samples. Accordingly, these results provide psychometric justification for comparison of SPAI scores across the symptom continuum and sexes. PMID:23247204

The development and validation of the Visual Analogue Self-Esteem Scale (VASES).

PubMed

Brumfitt, S M; Sheeran, P

1999-11-01

To develop a visual analogue measure of self-esteem and test its psychometric properties. Two correlational studies involving samples of university students and aphasic speakers. Two hundred and forty-three university students completed multiple measures of self-esteem, depression and anxiety as well as measures of transitory mood and social desirability (Study 1). Two samples of aphasic speakers (N = 14 and N = 20) completed the Visual Analogue Self-Esteem Scale (VASES), the Rosenberg (1965) self-esteem scale and measures of depression and anxiety. (Study 2). Study 1 found evidence of good internal and test-retest reliability, construct validity and convergent and discriminant validity for a 10-item VASES. Study 2 demonstrated good internal reliability among aphasic speakers. The VASES is a short and easy to administer measure of self-esteem that possesses good psychometric properties.

Are implicit motives revealed in mere words? Testing the marker-word hypothesis with computer-based text analysis

PubMed Central

Schultheiss, Oliver C.

2013-01-01

Traditionally, implicit motives (i.e., non-conscious preferences for specific classes of incentives) are assessed through semantic coding of imaginative stories. The present research tested the marker-word hypothesis, which states that implicit motives are reflected in the frequencies of specific words. Using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC; Pennebaker et al., 2001), Study 1 identified word categories that converged with a content-coding measure of the implicit motives for power, achievement, and affiliation in picture stories collected in German and US student samples, showed discriminant validity with self-reported motives, and predicted well-validated criteria of implicit motives (gender difference for the affiliation motive; in interaction with personal-goal progress: emotional well-being). Study 2 demonstrated LIWC-based motive scores' causal validity by documenting their sensitivity to motive arousal. PMID:24137149

Development and preliminary validation of a leadership competency instrument for existing and emerging allied health professional leaders.

PubMed

Ang, Hui-Gek; Koh, Jeremy Meng-Yeow; Lee, Jeffrey; Pua, Yong-Hao

2016-02-19

No instruments, to our knowledge, exist to assess leadership competency in existing and emerging allied health professional (AHP) leaders. This paper describes the development and preliminary exploration of the psychometric properties of a leadership competency instrument for existing and emerging AHP leaders and examines (i) its factor structure, (ii) its convergent validity with the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI), and (iii) its discriminative validity in AHPs with different grades. During development, we included 25 items in the AHEAD (Aspiring leaders in Healthcare-Empowering individuals, Achieving excellence, Developing talents) instrument. A cross-sectional study was then conducted in 106 high-potential AHPs from Singapore General Hospital (34 men and 72 women) of different professional grades (49 principal-grade AHPs, 41 senior-grade AHPs, and 16 junior-grade AHPs) who completed both AHEAD and LPI instruments. Exploratory factor analysis was used to test the theoretical structure of AHEAD. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the convergent validity of AHEAD with LPI. Using proportional odds regression models, we evaluated the association of grades of AHPs with AHEAD and LPI. To assess discriminative validity, the c-statistics - a measure of discrimination - were derived from these ordinal models. As theorized, factor analysis suggested a two-factor solution, where "skills" and "values" formed separate factors. Internal consistency of AHEAD was excellent (α-values > 0.88). Total and component AHEAD and LPI scores correlated moderately (Spearman ρ-values, 0.37 to 0.58). The c-index for discriminating between AHP grades was higher for AHEAD than for the LPI (0.76 vs. 0.65). The factorial structure of AHEAD was generally supported in our study. AHEAD showed convergent validity with the LPI and outperformed the LPI in terms of discriminative validity. These results provide initial evidence for the use of AHEAD to assess leadership competency in AHPs.

Discriminant Validity of Self-Reported Emotional Intelligence: A Multitrait-Multisource Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joseph, Dana L.; Newman, Daniel A.

2010-01-01

A major stumbling block for emotional intelligence (EI) research has been the lack of adequate evidence for discriminant validity. In a sample of 280 dyads, self- and peer-reports of EI and Big Five personality traits were used to confirm an a priori four-factor model for the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS) and a five-factor…

Frequency Discrimination Deficits in People with Specific Language Impairment: Reliability, Validity, and Linguistic Correlates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McArthur, G. M.; Bishop, D. V. M.

2004-01-01

The reliability and validity of a frequency discrimination (FD) task were tested in 16 people with specific language impairment (SLI) and 16 people with normal spoken language (controls). The FD thresholds of the 2 groups indicated that FD thresholds for 25-ms and 250-ms tones were remarkably stable across 18 months. The FD thresholds were lower…

Discriminant and Incremental Validity of Self-Concept and Academic Self-Efficacy: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Chiungjung

2012-01-01

Two studies examined the discriminant and incremental validity of self-concept and academic self-efficacy. Study 1, which meta-analysed 64 studies comprising 74 independent samples (N = 24,773), found a strong mean correlation of 0.43 between self-concept and academic self-efficacy. The domains of self-concept and self-efficacy, and the domain…

Nursing Care Interpersonal Relationship Questionnaire: elaboration and validation.

PubMed

Borges, José Wicto Pereira; Moreira, Thereza Maria Magalhães; Andrade, Dalton Franscisco de

2018-01-08

to elaborate an instrument for the measurement of the interpersonal relationship in nursing care through the Item Response Theory, and the validation thereof. methodological study, which followed the three poles of psychometry: theoretical, empirical and analytical. The Nursing Care Interpersonal Relationship Questionnaire was developed in light of the Imogene King's Interpersonal Conceptual Model and the psychometric properties were studied through the Item Response Theory in a sample of 950 patients attended in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Health Care. the final instrument consisted of 31 items, with Cronbach's alpha of 0.90 and McDonald's Omega of 0.92. The parameters of the Item Response Theory demonstrated high discrimination in 28 items, being developed a five-level interpretive scale. At the first level, the communication process begins, gaining a wealth of interaction. Subsequent levels demonstrate qualitatively the points of effectiveness of the interpersonal relationship with the involvement of behaviors related to the concepts of transaction and interaction, followed by the concept of role. the instrument was created and proved to be consistent to measure interpersonal relationship in nursing care, as it presented adequate reliability and validity parameters.

[Traceability of Wine Varieties Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy Combined with Cyclic Voltammetry].

PubMed

Li, Meng-hua; Li, Jing-ming; Li, Jun-hui; Zhang, Lu-da; Zhao, Long-lian

2015-06-01

To achieve the traceability of wine varieties, a method was proposed to fuse Near-infrared (NIR) spectra and cyclic voltammograms (CV) which contain different information using D-S evidence theory. NIR spectra and CV curves of three different varieties of wines (cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet gernischt) which come from seven different geographical origins were collected separately. The discriminant models were built using PLS-DA method. Based on this, D-S evidence theory was then applied to achieve the integration of the two kinds of discrimination results. After integrated by D-S evidence theory, the accuracy rate of cross-validation is 95.69% and validation set is 94.12% for wine variety identification. When only considering the wine that come from Yantai, the accuracy rate of cross-validation is 99.46% and validation set is 100%. All the traceability models after fusion achieved better results on classification than individual method. These results suggest that the proposed method combining electrochemical information with spectral information using the D-S evidence combination formula is benefit to the improvement of model discrimination effect, and is a promising tool for discriminating different kinds of wines.

Psychometric properties of HeartQoL, a core heart disease-specific health-related quality of life questionnaire, in Danish implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients.

PubMed

Zangger, Graziella; Zwisler, Ann-Dorthe; Kikkenborg Berg, Selina; Kristensen, Marie S; Grønset, Charlotte N; Uddin, Jamal; Pedersen, Susanne S; Oldridge, Neil B; Thygesen, Lau C

2018-01-01

Background Patient-reported health-related quality of life is increasingly used as an outcome measure in clinical trials and as a performance measure to evaluate quality of care. The objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Danish HeartQoL questionnaire, a core heart disease-specific health-related quality of life questionnaire, in implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients. Design This study involved cross-sectional and test-retest study designs. Method Implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients in the cross-sectional study completed the HeartQoL, the Short-Form 36 Health Survey, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The HeartQoL structure, construct-related validity (convergent and discriminative) and reliability (internal consistency) were assessed. HeartQoL reproducibility (test-retest) was assessed in an independent sample of implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients. Results Mokken scale analysis supported the bi-dimensional structure of HeartQoL among 358 implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients. Convergent ( r > 0.72) and discriminative validity were confirmed. The HeartQoL scales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.90). Test-retest reliability (two weeks interval) was assessed in 89 implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients and found to be acceptable for each scale (intra-class correlation > 0.90). Conclusion The Danish HeartQoL questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory key psychometric attributes of validity and reliability in this implantable cardioverter defibrillator population. This study adds support for the HeartQoL as a core heart-specific health-related quality of life questionnaire in a broad group of patients with heart disease including implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients.

Systematic review of the multidimensional fatigue symptom inventory-short form.

PubMed

Donovan, Kristine A; Stein, Kevin D; Lee, Morgan; Leach, Corinne R; Ilozumba, Onaedo; Jacobsen, Paul B

2015-01-01

Fatigue is a subjective complaint that is believed to be multifactorial in its etiology and multidimensional in its expression. Fatigue may be experienced by individuals in different dimensions as physical, mental, and emotional tiredness. The purposes of this study were to review and characterize the use of the 30-item Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory-Short Form (MFSI-SF) in published studies and to evaluate the available evidence for its psychometric properties. A systematic review was conducted to identify published articles reporting results for the MFSI-SF. Data were analyzed to characterize internal consistency reliability of multi-item MFSI-SF scales and test-retest reliability. Correlation coefficients were summarized to characterize concurrent, convergent, and divergent validity. Standardized effect sizes were calculated to characterize the discriminative validity of the MFSI-SF and its sensitivity to change. Seventy articles were identified. Sample sizes reported ranged from 10 to 529 and nearly half consisted exclusively of females. More than half the samples were composed of cancer patients; of those, 59% were breast cancer patients. Mean alpha coefficients for MFSI-SF fatigue subscales ranged from 0.84 for physical fatigue to 0.93 for general fatigue. The MFSI-SF demonstrated moderate test-retest reliability in a small number of studies. Correlations with other fatigue and vitality measures were moderate to large in size and in the expected direction. The MFSI-SF fatigue subscales were positively correlated with measures of distress, depressive, and anxious symptoms. Effect sizes for discriminative validity ranged from medium to large, while effect sizes for sensitivity to change ranged from small to large. Findings demonstrate the positive psychometric properties of the MFSI-SF, provide evidence for its usefulness in medically ill and nonmedically ill individuals, and support its use in future studies.

Short-distance walking speed tests in people with Parkinson disease: reliability, responsiveness, and validity.

PubMed

Combs, Stephanie A; Diehl, M Dyer; Filip, Jacqueline; Long, Erin

2014-02-01

The aims of this study were to determine test-retest reliability and responsiveness of short-distance walking speed tests for persons with Parkinson disease (PD). Discriminant and convergent validity of walking speed tests were also examined. Eighty-eight participants with PD (mean age, 66 years) with mild to moderate severity (stages 1-4 on the Hoehn and Yahr Scale) were tested on medications. Measures of activity included the comfortable and fast 10-m walk tests (CWT, FWT), 6-min walk test (6MWT), mini balance evaluations systems test (mini-BEST Test), fear of falling (FoF), and the Activity-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC). The mobility subsection of the PD quality of life-39 (PDQ39-M) served as a participation-based measure. Test-retest reliability was high for both walking speed measures (CWT, ICC(2,1) = 0.98; FWT, ICC(2,1) = 0.99). Minimal detectable change (MDC(95)) for the CWT and FWT was 0.09 m/s and 0.13 m/s respectively. Participants at Hoehn & Yahr levels 3/4 demonstrated significantly slower walking speed with the CWT and FWT than participants at Hoehn & Yahr levels 1 and 2 (P < .01). The CWT and FWT were both significantly (P ≤ .002) correlated with all activity and participation-based measures. Short-distance walking speed tests are clinically useful measures for persons with PD. The CWT and FWT are highly reliable and responsive to change in persons with PD. Short distance walking speed can be used to discriminate differences in gait function between persons with mild and moderate PD severity. The CWT and FWT had moderate to strong associations with other activity and participation based measures demonstrating convergent validity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Three Quality of Life Instruments in Lymphatic Filariasis: DLQI, WHODAS 2.0, and LFSQQ

PubMed Central

Thomas, Cristina; Narahari, Saravu R.; Bose, Kuthaje S.; Vivekananda, Kuthaje; Nwe, Steven; West, Dennis P.; Kwasny, Mary; Kundu, Roopal V.

2014-01-01

Background The Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis aims to interrupt transmission of lymphatic filariasis and manage morbidity in people currently living with the disease. A component of morbidity management is improving health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients. Measurement of HRQoL in current management programs is varied because of the lack of a standard HRQoL tool for use in the lymphatic filariasis population. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study, the psychometric properties of three health status measures were compared when used in a group of lymphatic filariasis patients and healthy controls. The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0), the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and the Lymphatic Filariasis Quality of Life Questionnaire (LFSQQ) were administered to 36 stage II and stage III lymphatic filariasis subjects and 36 age and sex matched controls in Kerala, India. All three tools yielded missing value rates lower than 10%, suggesting high feasibility. Highest internal consistency was seen in the LFSQQ (α = 0.97). Discriminant validity analysis demonstrated that HRQoL was significantly lower in the LF group than in controls for the WHODAS 2.0, DLQI, and LFSQQ, but total HRQoL scores did not differ between stage II and stage III lymphedema subjects. The LFSQQ total score correlated most strongly with the WHODAS 2.0 (r = 0.91, p<0.001) and DLQI (r = 0.81, p<0.001). Conclusions/Significance The WHODAS 2.0, DLQI, and LFSQQ demonstrate acceptable feasibility, internal consistency, discriminate validity, and construct validity. Based on our psychometric analyses, the LFSQQ performs the best and is recommended for use in the lymphatic filariasis population. PMID:24587467

Rapid authentication and identification of different types of A. roxburghii by Tri-step FT-IR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ying; Huang, Jinfang; Yeap, Zhao Qin; Zhang, Xue; Wu, Shuisheng; Ng, Chiew Hoong; Yam, Mun Fei

2018-06-01

Anoectochilus roxburghii (Wall.) Lindl. (Orchidaceae) is a precious traditional Chinese medicinal herb and has been perennially used to treat various illness. However, there were unethical sellers who adulterated wild A. roxburghii with tissue cultured and cultivated ones. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an effective authentication method to differentiate between these different types of A. roxburghii. In this research, the infrared spectroscopic tri-step identification approach including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Second derivative infrared spectra (SD-IR) and two-dimensional correlation infrared spectra (2D-IR) was used to develop a simple and rapid method to discriminate between wild, cultivated and tissue cultivated A. roxburghii plant. Through this study, all three types of A. roxburghii plant were successfully identified and discriminated through the infrared spectroscopic tri-step identification method. Besides that, all the samples of wild, cultivated and tissue cultivated A. roxburghii plant were analysed with the Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogy (SIMCA) pattern recognition technique to test and verify the experimental results. The results showed that the three types of A. roxburghii can be discriminated clearly as the recognition rate was 100% for all three types and the rejection rate was more than 60%. 70% of the validated samples were also identified correctly by the SIMCA model. The SIMCA model was also validated by comparing 70 standard herbs to the model. As a result, it was demonstrated that the macroscopic IR fingerprint method and the classification analysis could discriminate not only between the A. roxburghi samples and the standard herbs, it could also distinguish between the three different types of A. roxburghi plant in a direct, rapid and holistic manner.

Rapid authentication and identification of different types of A. roxburghii by Tri-step FT-IR spectroscopy.

PubMed

Chen, Ying; Huang, Jinfang; Yeap, Zhao Qin; Zhang, Xue; Wu, Shuisheng; Ng, Chiew Hoong; Yam, Mun Fei

2018-06-15

Anoectochilus roxburghii (Wall.) Lindl. (Orchidaceae) is a precious traditional Chinese medicinal herb and has been perennially used to treat various illness. However, there were unethical sellers who adulterated wild A. roxburghii with tissue cultured and cultivated ones. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an effective authentication method to differentiate between these different types of A. roxburghii. In this research, the infrared spectroscopic tri-step identification approach including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Second derivative infrared spectra (SD-IR) and two-dimensional correlation infrared spectra (2D-IR) was used to develop a simple and rapid method to discriminate between wild, cultivated and tissue cultivated A. roxburghii plant. Through this study, all three types of A. roxburghii plant were successfully identified and discriminated through the infrared spectroscopic tri-step identification method. Besides that, all the samples of wild, cultivated and tissue cultivated A. roxburghii plant were analysed with the Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogy (SIMCA) pattern recognition technique to test and verify the experimental results. The results showed that the three types of A. roxburghii can be discriminated clearly as the recognition rate was 100% for all three types and the rejection rate was more than 60%. 70% of the validated samples were also identified correctly by the SIMCA model. The SIMCA model was also validated by comparing 70 standard herbs to the model. As a result, it was demonstrated that the macroscopic IR fingerprint method and the classification analysis could discriminate not only between the A. roxburghi samples and the standard herbs, it could also distinguish between the three different types of A. roxburghi plant in a direct, rapid and holistic manner. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Random forests, a novel approach for discrimination of fish populations using parasites as biological tags.

PubMed

Perdiguero-Alonso, Diana; Montero, Francisco E; Kostadinova, Aneta; Raga, Juan Antonio; Barrett, John

2008-10-01

Due to the complexity of host-parasite relationships, discrimination between fish populations using parasites as biological tags is difficult. This study introduces, to our knowledge for the first time, random forests (RF) as a new modelling technique in the application of parasite community data as biological markers for population assignment of fish. This novel approach is applied to a dataset with a complex structure comprising 763 parasite infracommunities in population samples of Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, from the spawning/feeding areas in five regions in the North East Atlantic (Baltic, Celtic, Irish and North seas and Icelandic waters). The learning behaviour of RF is evaluated in comparison with two other algorithms applied to class assignment problems, the linear discriminant function analysis (LDA) and artificial neural networks (ANN). The three algorithms are used to develop predictive models applying three cross-validation procedures in a series of experiments (252 models in total). The comparative approach to RF, LDA and ANN algorithms applied to the same datasets demonstrates the competitive potential of RF for developing predictive models since RF exhibited better accuracy of prediction and outperformed LDA and ANN in the assignment of fish to their regions of sampling using parasite community data. The comparative analyses and the validation experiment with a 'blind' sample confirmed that RF models performed more effectively with a large and diverse training set and a large number of variables. The discrimination results obtained for a migratory fish species with largely overlapping parasite communities reflects the high potential of RF for developing predictive models using data that are both complex and noisy, and indicates that it is a promising tool for parasite tag studies. Our results suggest that parasite community data can be used successfully to discriminate individual cod from the five different regions of the North East Atlantic studied using RF.

Validation of a clinical assessment of spectral-ripple resolution for cochlear implant users.

PubMed

Drennan, Ward R; Anderson, Elizabeth S; Won, Jong Ho; Rubinstein, Jay T

2014-01-01

Nonspeech psychophysical tests of spectral resolution, such as the spectral-ripple discrimination task, have been shown to correlate with speech-recognition performance in cochlear implant (CI) users. However, these tests are best suited for use in the research laboratory setting and are impractical for clinical use. A test of spectral resolution that is quicker and could more easily be implemented in the clinical setting has been developed. The objectives of this study were (1) To determine whether this new clinical ripple test would yield individual results equivalent to the longer, adaptive version of the ripple-discrimination test; (2) To evaluate test-retest reliability for the clinical ripple measure; and (3) To examine the relationship between clinical ripple performance and monosyllabic word recognition in quiet for a group of CI listeners. Twenty-eight CI recipients participated in the study. Each subject was tested on both the adaptive and the clinical versions of spectral ripple discrimination, as well as consonant-nucleus-consonant word recognition in quiet. The adaptive version of spectral ripple used a two-up, one-down procedure for determining spectral ripple discrimination threshold. The clinical ripple test used a method of constant stimuli, with trials for each of 12 fixed ripple densities occurring six times in random order. Results from the clinical ripple test (proportion correct) were then compared with ripple-discrimination thresholds (in ripples per octave) from the adaptive test. The clinical ripple test showed strong concurrent validity, evidenced by a good correlation between clinical ripple and adaptive ripple results (r = 0.79), as well as a correlation with word recognition (r = 0.7). Excellent test-retest reliability was also demonstrated with a high test-retest correlation (r = 0.9). The clinical ripple test is a reliable nonlinguistic measure of spectral resolution, optimized for use with CI users in a clinical setting. The test might be useful as a diagnostic tool or as a possible surrogate outcome measure for evaluating treatment effects in hearing.

Validity of a questionnaire measuring the world health organization concept of health system responsiveness with respect to perinatal services in the Dutch obstetric care system.

PubMed

van der Kooy, Jacoba; Valentine, Nicole B; Birnie, Erwin; Vujkovic, Marijana; de Graaf, Johanna P; Denktaş, Semiha; Steegers, Eric A P; Bonsel, Gouke J

2014-12-03

The concept of responsiveness, introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO), addresses non-clinical aspects of health service quality that are relevant regardless of provider, country, health system or health condition. Responsiveness refers to "aspects related to the way individuals are treated and the environment in which they are treated" during health system interactions. This paper assesses the psychometric properties of a newly developed responsiveness questionnaire dedicated to evaluating maternal experiences of perinatal care services, called the Responsiveness in Perinatal and Obstetric Health Care Questionnaire (ReproQ), using the eight-domain WHO concept. The ReproQ was developed between October 2009 and February 2010 by adapting the WHO Responsiveness Questionnaire items to the perinatal care context. The psychometric properties of feasibility, construct validity, and discriminative validity were empirically assessed in a sample of Dutch women two weeks post partum. A total of 171 women consented to participation. Feasibility: the interviews lasted between 20 and 40 minutes and the overall missing rate was 8%. Construct validity: mean Cronbach's alphas for the antenatal, birth and postpartum phase were: 0.73 (range 0.57-0.82), 0.84 (range 0.66-0.92), and 0.87 (range 0.62-0.95) respectively. The item-own scale correlations within all phases were considerably higher than most of the item-other scale correlations. Within the antenatal care, birth care and post partum phases, the eight factors explained 69%, 69%, and 76% of variance respectively. Discriminative validity: overall responsiveness mean sum scores were higher for women whose children were not admitted. This confirmed the hypothesis that dissatisfaction with health outcomes is transferred to their judgement on responsiveness of the perinatal services. The ReproQ interview-based questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties to describe the quality of perinatal care in the Netherlands, with the potential to discriminate between different levels of quality of care. In view of the relatively small sample, further testing and research is recommended.

Validation of the "Quality of Life in School" instrument in Canadian elementary school students.

PubMed

Ghotra, Satvinder; McIsaac, Jessie-Lee D; Kirk, Sara F L; Kuhle, Stefan

2016-01-01

Background. School is an integral component of the life of a child, and thus quality of school life is an important part of the overall quality of life experienced by a child. There are a few instruments available to measure the quality of school life but they are often not available in English, or they are not appropriate for use alongside other instruments in a survey of young children. The Quality of Life in School (QoLS) instrument is a short, self-report measure to assess elementary school students' perception of their quality of school life in four domains. The instrument was developed in Israel and has been validated among Hebrew-speaking children. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the QoLS measure in Canadian elementary school children. Methods. A total of 629 children attending grades 4-6 were recruited in a population-based cross-sectional study. The QoLS measure was administered to participating children by trained research assistants. In addition, their socio-demographic details and academic data were also obtained. The psychometric testing included exploratory factor analysis and reliability estimation using internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha). Construct validity was investigated using the known groups comparisons for discriminative validity and via convergent validity. Results. A four-factor structure was generated explaining 39% of the total variance in the model. The results showed good internal consistency and acceptable floor and ceiling effects. Cronbach's Alpha ranged from 0.75 to 0.93. Known groups comparisons showed that the QoLS measure discriminated well between subgroups on the basis of gender, grade, and academic achievement, thus providing evidence of construct validity. The convergent validity was also appropriate with all the four domains demonstrating moderate to strong correlations to each other and to the total QoLS score. Conclusions. QoLS appears to be a valid and reliable measure for quality of school life assessment in young Canadian children.

Psychometric properties of the feedback orientation scale among South African salespersons.

PubMed

Lilford, Neil; Caruana, Albert; Pitt, Leyland

2014-02-01

Feedback to employees is an important management tool, and the literature demonstrates that it has a positive effect on learning, motivation, and job performance. This study investigates in a non-U.S. context the psychometric properties of the Feedback Orientation Scale. Data were gathered from a sample of 202 salespersons from a large South African firm within the industrial fuels and lubricants sector. Confirmatory Factor Analysis provided evidence for the intended dimensionality, reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity of the scale.

Validation of a physical anthropology methodology using mandibles for gender estimation in a Brazilian population

PubMed Central

CARVALHO, Suzana Papile Maciel; BRITO, Liz Magalhães; de PAIVA, Luiz Airton Saavedra; BICUDO, Lucilene Arilho Ribeiro; CROSATO, Edgard Michel; de OLIVEIRA, Rogério Nogueira

2013-01-01

Validation studies of physical anthropology methods in the different population groups are extremely important, especially in cases in which the population variations may cause problems in the identification of a native individual by the application of norms developed for different communities. Objective This study aimed to estimate the gender of skeletons by application of the method of Oliveira, et al. (1995), previously used in a population sample from Northeast Brazil. Material and Methods The accuracy of this method was assessed for a population from Southeast Brazil and validated by statistical tests. The method used two mandibular measurements, namely the bigonial distance and the mandibular ramus height. The sample was composed of 66 skulls and the method was applied by two examiners. The results were statistically analyzed by the paired t test, logistic discriminant analysis and logistic regression. Results The results demonstrated that the application of the method of Oliveira, et al. (1995) in this population achieved very different outcomes between genders, with 100% for females and only 11% for males, which may be explained by ethnic differences. However, statistical adjustment of measurement data for the population analyzed allowed accuracy of 76.47% for males and 78.13% for females, with the creation of a new discriminant formula. Conclusion It was concluded that methods involving physical anthropology present high rate of accuracy for human identification, easy application, low cost and simplicity; however, the methodologies must be validated for the different populations due to differences in ethnic patterns, which are directly related to the phenotypic aspects. In this specific case, the method of Oliveira, et al. (1995) presented good accuracy and may be used for gender estimation in Brazil in two geographic regions, namely Northeast and Southeast; however, for other regions of the country (North, Central West and South), previous methodological adjustment is recommended as demonstrated in this study. PMID:24037076

Validation of a physical anthropology methodology using mandibles for gender estimation in a Brazilian population.

PubMed

Carvalho, Suzana Papile Maciel; Brito, Liz Magalhães; Paiva, Luiz Airton Saavedra de; Bicudo, Lucilene Arilho Ribeiro; Crosato, Edgard Michel; Oliveira, Rogério Nogueira de

2013-01-01

Validation studies of physical anthropology methods in the different population groups are extremely important, especially in cases in which the population variations may cause problems in the identification of a native individual by the application of norms developed for different communities. This study aimed to estimate the gender of skeletons by application of the method of Oliveira, et al. (1995), previously used in a population sample from Northeast Brazil. The accuracy of this method was assessed for a population from Southeast Brazil and validated by statistical tests. The method used two mandibular measurements, namely the bigonial distance and the mandibular ramus height. The sample was composed of 66 skulls and the method was applied by two examiners. The results were statistically analyzed by the paired t test, logistic discriminant analysis and logistic regression. The results demonstrated that the application of the method of Oliveira, et al. (1995) in this population achieved very different outcomes between genders, with 100% for females and only 11% for males, which may be explained by ethnic differences. However, statistical adjustment of measurement data for the population analyzed allowed accuracy of 76.47% for males and 78.13% for females, with the creation of a new discriminant formula. It was concluded that methods involving physical anthropology present high rate of accuracy for human identification, easy application, low cost and simplicity; however, the methodologies must be validated for the different populations due to differences in ethnic patterns, which are directly related to the phenotypic aspects. In this specific case, the method of Oliveira, et al. (1995) presented good accuracy and may be used for gender estimation in Brazil in two geographic regions, namely Northeast and Southeast; however, for other regions of the country (North, Central West and South), previous methodological adjustment is recommended as demonstrated in this study.

Detection of Lung Cancer by Sensor Array Analyses of Exhaled Breath

PubMed Central

Machado, Roberto F.; Laskowski, Daniel; Deffenderfer, Olivia; Burch, Timothy; Zheng, Shuo; Mazzone, Peter J.; Mekhail, Tarek; Jennings, Constance; Stoller, James K.; Pyle, Jacqueline; Duncan, Jennifer; Dweik, Raed A.; Erzurum, Serpil C.

2005-01-01

Rationale: Electronic noses are successfully used in commercial applications, including detection and analysis of volatile organic compounds in the food industry. Objectives: We hypothesized that the electronic nose could identify and discriminate between lung diseases, especially bronchogenic carcinoma. Methods: In a discovery and training phase, exhaled breath of 14 individuals with bronchogenic carcinoma and 45 healthy control subjects or control subjects without cancer was analyzed. Principal components and canonic discriminant analysis of the sensor data was used to determine whether exhaled gases could discriminate between cancer and noncancer. Discrimination between classes was performed using Mahalanobis distance. Support vector machine analysis was used to create and apply a cancer prediction model prospectively in a separate group of 76 individuals, 14 with and 62 without cancer. Main Results: Principal components and canonic discriminant analysis demonstrated discrimination between samples from patients with lung cancer and those from other groups. In the validation study, the electronic nose had 71.4% sensitivity and 91.9% specificity for detecting lung cancer; positive and negative predictive values were 66.6 and 93.4%, respectively. In this population with a lung cancer prevalence of 18%, positive and negative predictive values were 66.6 and 94.5%, respectively. Conclusion: The exhaled breath of patients with lung cancer has distinct characteristics that can be identified with an electronic nose. The results provide feasibility to the concept of using the electronic nose for managing and detecting lung cancer. PMID:15750044

Microcounseling Skill Discrimination Scale: A Methodological Note

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stokes, Joseph; Romer, Daniel

1977-01-01

Absolute ratings on the Microcounseling Skill Discrimination Scale (MSDS) confound the individual's use of the rating scale and actual ability to discriminate effective and ineffective counselor behaviors. This note suggests methods of scoring the MSDS that will eliminate variability attributable to response language and improve the validity of…

Construct Validity of the SF-12v2 for the Homeless Population with Mental Illness: An Instrument to Measure Self-Reported Mental and Physical Health

PubMed Central

Chum, Antony; Skosireva, Anna; Tobon, Juliana; Hwang, Stephen

2016-01-01

Background Self-reported health measures are important indicators used by clinicians and researchers for the evaluation of health interventions, outcome assessment of clinical studies, and identification of health needs to improve resource allocation. However, the application of self-reported health measures relies on developing reliable and valid instruments that are suitable across diverse populations. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the construct validity of the SF-12v.2, an instrument for measuring self-rated physical and mental health, for homeless adults with mental illness. Various interventions have been aimed at improving the health of homeless people with mental illness, and the development of valid instruments to evaluate these interventions is imperative. Study Design We measured self-rated mental and physical health from a quota sample of 575 homeless people with mental illness using the SF-12v2, EQ-5D, Colorado Symptoms Index, and physical/mental health visual analogue scales. We examined the construct validity of the SF-12v2 through confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), and using ANOVA/correlation analyses to compare the SF-12v2 to the other instruments to ascertain discriminant/convergent validity. Results Our CFA showed that the measurement properties of the original SF-12v2 model had a mediocre fit with our empirical data (χ2 = 193.6, df = 43, p < .0001, CFI = 0.85, NFI = 0.83, RMSEA = 0.08). We demonstrate that changes based on theoretical rationale and previous studies can significantly improve the model, achieving an excellent fit in our final model (χ2 = 160.6, df = 48, p < .0001, CFI = 0.95, NFI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.06). Our CFA results suggest that an alternative scoring method based on the new model may optimize health status measurement of a homeless population. Despite these issues, convergent and discriminant validity of the SF-12v2 (scored based on the original model) was supported through multiple comparisons with other instruments. Conclusion Our study demonstrates for the first time that the SF-12v2 is generally appropriate as a measure of physical and mental health status for a homeless population with mental illness. PMID:26938990

Construct Validity of the SF-12v2 for the Homeless Population with Mental Illness: An Instrument to Measure Self-Reported Mental and Physical Health.

PubMed

Chum, Antony; Skosireva, Anna; Tobon, Juliana; Hwang, Stephen

2016-01-01

Self-reported health measures are important indicators used by clinicians and researchers for the evaluation of health interventions, outcome assessment of clinical studies, and identification of health needs to improve resource allocation. However, the application of self-reported health measures relies on developing reliable and valid instruments that are suitable across diverse populations. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the construct validity of the SF-12v.2, an instrument for measuring self-rated physical and mental health, for homeless adults with mental illness. Various interventions have been aimed at improving the health of homeless people with mental illness, and the development of valid instruments to evaluate these interventions is imperative. We measured self-rated mental and physical health from a quota sample of 575 homeless people with mental illness using the SF-12v2, EQ-5D, Colorado Symptoms Index, and physical/mental health visual analogue scales. We examined the construct validity of the SF-12v2 through confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), and using ANOVA/correlation analyses to compare the SF-12v2 to the other instruments to ascertain discriminant/convergent validity. Our CFA showed that the measurement properties of the original SF-12v2 model had a mediocre fit with our empirical data (χ2 = 193.6, df = 43, p < .0001, CFI = 0.85, NFI = 0.83, RMSEA = 0.08). We demonstrate that changes based on theoretical rationale and previous studies can significantly improve the model, achieving an excellent fit in our final model (χ2 = 160.6, df = 48, p < .0001, CFI = 0.95, NFI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.06). Our CFA results suggest that an alternative scoring method based on the new model may optimize health status measurement of a homeless population. Despite these issues, convergent and discriminant validity of the SF-12v2 (scored based on the original model) was supported through multiple comparisons with other instruments. Our study demonstrates for the first time that the SF-12v2 is generally appropriate as a measure of physical and mental health status for a homeless population with mental illness.

The Five-Factor Narcissism Inventory (FFNI): a test of the convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity of FFNI scores in clinical and community samples.

PubMed

Miller, Joshua D; Few, Lauren R; Wilson, Lauren; Gentile, Brittany; Widiger, Thomas A; Mackillop, James; Keith Campbell, W

2013-09-01

The five-factor narcissism inventory (FFNI) is a new self-report measure that was developed to assess traits associated with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), as well as grandiose and vulnerable narcissism from a five-factor model (FFM) perspective. In the current study, the FFNI was examined in relation to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) NPD, DSM-5 (http://www.dsm5.org) NPD traits, grandiose narcissism, and vulnerable narcissism in both community (N = 287) and clinical samples (N = 98). Across the samples, the FFNI scales manifested good convergent and discriminant validity such that FFNI scales derived from FFM neuroticism were primarily related to vulnerable narcissism scores, scales derived from FFM extraversion were primarily related to grandiose scores, and FFNI scales derived from FFM agreeableness were related to both narcissism dimensions, as well as the DSM-IV and DSM-5 NPD scores. The FFNI grandiose and vulnerable narcissism composites also demonstrated incremental validity in the statistical prediction of these scores, above and beyond existing measures of DSM NPD, grandiose narcissism, and vulnerable narcissism, respectively. The FFNI is a promising measure that provides a comprehensive assessment of narcissistic pathology while maintaining ties to the significant general personality literature on the FFM.

Measurement of cervical flexor endurance following whiplash.

PubMed

Kumbhare, Dinesh A; Balsor, Brad; Parkinson, William L; Harding Bsckin, Peter; Bedard, Michel; Papaioannou, Alexandra; Adachi, Jonathan D

2005-07-22

To investigate measurement properties of a practical test of cervical flexor endurance (CFE) in whiplash patients including inter-rater reliability, sensitivity to clinical change, criterion related validity against the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and discriminant validity for injured versus uninjured populations. Two samples were recruited, 81 whiplash patients, and a convenience sample of 160 subjects who were not seeking treatment and met criteria for normal pain and range of motion. CFE was measured using a stopwatch while the subject, in crook lying, held their head against gravity to fatigue. Inter-rater reliability in whiplash patients was in a range considered 'almost perfect' (Intraclass Correlation=0.96). CFE had greater inter-subject variability than the NDI or range of motion in any of three planes. However, the effect size for improvement in CFE over treatment was as large as the effect sizes for all of those measures. In multivariate regression, CFE changes accounted for changes on the NDI better than the three ranges of motion. CFE discriminated whiplash patients who were within six months of injury (n=71) from age and gender matched normals with high effect size (ES=1.5). These findings provide evidence of reliability and validity for CFE measurement, and demonstrate that CFE detects clinical improvements. Variance on CFE emphasizes the need to consider inter-, and intra-subject standard deviations to interpret scores.

Chemical discrimination of lubricant marketing types using direct analysis in real time time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Maric, Mark; Harvey, Lauren; Tomcsak, Maren; Solano, Angelique; Bridge, Candice

2017-06-30

In comparison to other violent crimes, sexual assaults suffer from very low prosecution and conviction rates especially in the absence of DNA evidence. As a result, the forensic community needs to utilize other forms of trace contact evidence, like lubricant evidence, in order to provide a link between the victim and the assailant. In this study, 90 personal bottled and condom lubricants from the three main marketing types, silicone-based, water-based and condoms, were characterized by direct analysis in real time time of flight mass spectrometry (DART-TOFMS). The instrumental data was analyzed by multivariate statistics including hierarchal cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and linear discriminant analysis. By interpreting the mass spectral data with multivariate statistics, 12 discrete groupings were identified, indicating inherent chemical diversity not only between but within the three main marketing groups. A number of unique chemical markers, both major and minor, were identified, other than the three main chemical components (i.e. PEG, PDMS and nonoxynol-9) currently used for lubricant classification. The data was validated by a stratified 20% withheld cross-validation which demonstrated that there was minimal overlap between the groupings. Based on the groupings identified and unique features of each group, a highly discriminating statistical model was then developed that aims to provide the foundation for the development of a forensic lubricant database that may eventually be applied to casework. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Sex estimation from measurements of the first rib in a contemporary Polish population.

PubMed

Kubicka, Anna Maria; Piontek, Janusz

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of sex assessment using measurements of the first rib from computed tomography (CT) to develop a discriminant formula. Four discriminant formulae were derived based on CT imaging of the right first rib of 85 female and 91 male Polish patients of known age and sex. In direct discriminant analysis, the first equation consisted of all first rib variables; the second included measurements of the rib body; the third comprised only two measurements of the sternal end of the first rib. The stepwise method selected the four best variables from all measurements. The discriminant function equation was then tested on a cross-validated group consisting of 23 females and 24 males. The direct discriminant analysis showed that sex assessment was possible in 81.5% of cases in the first group and in 91.5% in the cross-validated group when all variables for the first rib were included. The average accuracy for the original group for rib body and sternal end was 80.9 and 67.9%, respectively. The percentages of correctly assigned individuals for the functions based on the rib body and sternal end in the cross-validated group were 76.6 and 85.0%, respectively. Higher average accuracies were obtained for stepwise discriminant analysis: 83.1% for the original group and 91.2% for the cross-validated group. The exterior edge, anterior-posterior of the sternal end, and depth of the arc were the most reliable parameters. Our results suggest that the first rib is dimorphic and that the described method can be used for sex assessment.

The craving withdrawal model for alcoholism: towards the DSM-V. Improving the discriminant validity of alcohol use disorder diagnosis.

PubMed

de Bruijn, Carla; van den Brink, Wim; de Graaf, Ron; Vollebergh, Wilma A M

2005-01-01

To compare the discriminant validity of the DSM-IV and the ICD-10 classification of alcohol use disorders (AUD) with an alternative classification, the craving withdrawal model (CWM). CWM requires craving and withdrawal for the diagnosis of alcohol dependence and raises the alcohol abuse threshold to two DSM-IV AUD criteria. Data were derived from The Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study, a large representative sample of the general Dutch population. In the present study, only non-abstinent subjects were included (n=6041). Three diagnostic systems (DSM-IV, ICD-10, and CWM) were compared using the following discriminant variables: alcohol intake, psychiatric comorbidity, functional status, familial alcohol problems, and treatment sought. The year prevalence of CWM alcohol dependence was lower than the prevalence of ICD-10 and DSM-IV dependence (0.3% vs 1.4% and 1.4%). The year prevalence of abuse was similar for CWM and DSM-IV (4.7 and 4.9%), but lower for ICD-10 harmful use (1.7%). DSM-IV resulted in a poor distinction between normality and abuse and ICD-10 resulted in a poor distinction between harmful use and dependence. In contrast, the CWM distinctions between normality and abuse, and between abuse, and dependence were significant for most of the discriminant variables. This study indicates that CWM improves the discriminant validity of AUD diagnoses. The predictive validity of the CWM for alcohol and other substance use disorders remain to be studied.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gadbury-Amyot, Cynthia C.

This study examined validity and reliability of portfolio assessment using Messick's (1996, 1995) unified framework of construct validity. Theoretical and empirical evidence was sought for six aspects of construct validity. The sample included twenty student portfolios. Each portfolio were evaluated by seven faculty raters using a primary trait analysis scoring rubric. There was a significant relationship (r = .81--.95; p < .01) between the seven subscales in the scoring rubric demonstrating measurement of a common construct. Item analysis was conducted to examine convergent and discriminant empirical relationships of the 35 items in the scoring rubric. There was a significant relationship between all items ( p < .01), and all but one item was more strongly correlated with its own subscale than with other subscales. However, correlations of items across subscales were predominantly moderate in strength indicating that items did not strongly discriminate between subscales. A fully crossed, two facet generalizability (G) study design was used to examine reliability. Analysis of variance demonstrated that the greatest source of variance was the scoring rubric itself, accounting for 78% of the total variance. The smallest source of variance was the interaction between portfolio and rubric (1.15%) indicating that while the seven subscales varied in difficulty level, the relative standing of individual portfolios was maintained across subscales. Faculty rater variance accounted for only 1.28% of total variance. A phi coefficient of .86, analogous to a reliability coefficient in classical test theory, was obtained in the Decision study by increasing the subscales to fourteen and decreasing faculty raters to three. There was a significant relationship between portfolios and grade point average (r = .70; p < .01), and the National Dental Hygiene Board Examination (r = .60; p < .01). The relationship between portfolios and the Central Regional Dental Testing Service examination was both weak and nonsignificant (r = .19; p > .05). An open-ended survey was used to elicit student feedback on portfolio development. A majority of the students (76%) perceived value in the development of programmatic portfolios. In conclusion, the pattern of findings from this study suggest that portfolios can serve as a valid and reliable measure for assessing student competency.

The factorial and discriminant validity of the German version of the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory in stroke patients.

PubMed

Mack, Julian; Herrberg, Marlene; Hetzel, Andreas; Wallesch, Claus Werner; Bengel, Jürgen; Schulz, Moritz; Rohde, Nathalie; Schönberger, Michael

2015-01-01

Post-traumatic growth (PTG) is the experience of positive changes that can follow a traumatic event. The current study examined the factorial as well as the discriminant validity of the German version of the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI-G) in stroke patients. A total of 188 adult stroke patients (63.3% male; median age 69 years) completed the PTGI-G and the German version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D) at the end of their inpatient rehabilitation. Confirmatory factor analyses indicate an acceptable model fit of both the original five-factor solution as well as a second-order factor model of the PTGI-G (CFI > .95; RMSEA < .01). Small and non-significant correlations between the PTGI-G subscales and the depression scale of the HADS-D support the discriminant validity of the PTGI-G. The PTGI-G appears to be a valid tool in the context of stroke research.

Colour discrimination ellipses in choroideremia.

PubMed

Seitz, Immanuel P; Jolly, Jasleen K; Dominik Fischer, M; Simunovic, Matthew P

2018-04-01

The purpose of this study was to characterise alterations in colour discrimination in a cohort of patients with choroideremia prior to gene therapy, using a test previously validated for use in patients with retinal dystrophies. We tested 20 eyes of 10 patients with a diagnosis of choroideremia and an age-matched cohort of 10 eyes of 10 normal controls using the "Cambridge Colour Test" (CCT), in which subjects are required to distinguish the gap in a C presented in one of 4 orientations in a Stilling-type array. Colour discrimination was probed along eight axes in the CIE L*u*v* colour space, and the resulting data were plotted in the CIE 1976 chromaticity diagram and fitted with least-squares ellipses. Subsequently, we estimated the achromatic area for each subject by calculating the area of the resultant discrimination ellipse and calculated sensitivity thresholds along relevant colour confusion axes. Colour discrimination-as quantified by log 10 of the ellipse area expressed in square 1/1000th 2 units in CIE 1976-was 2.26 (range 1.82 to 2.67) for normal subjects and 3.85 (range 2.35 to 5.41) for choroideremia patients. There was a statistically significant correlation between both achromatic area and red-green colour discrimination at the CCT and BCVA, and to a lesser degree between blue colour discrimination at the CCT and BCVA. The majority of ellipses in choroideremia were aligned close to the tritan axis, and loss of sensitivity was significantly larger in the tritan direction than in the red-green. The majority of our patients demonstrated greater loss in tritan discrimination than in red-green colour discrimination using the CCT. There was a significant correlation between achromatic area and BCVA. In keeping with our current understanding of the machinery of colour vision, there was a significant correlation between BCVA and colour discrimination thresholds, which was stronger for red-green colour discrimination, than for tritan colour discrimination. We propose that this and similar tests of colour discrimination may prove to be suitable tools for assessing functional outcomes in gene therapy trials for choroideremia.

Curiosity about people: the development of a social curiosity measure in adults.

PubMed

Renner, Britta

2006-12-01

Curiosity refers to the desire for acquiring new information. The aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire to assess social curiosity, that is, interest in how other people think, feel, and behave. The questionnaire was administered to 312 participants. Factor analyses of the 10-item Social Curiosity Scale (SCS) yielded 2 factors: General Social Curiosity and Covert Social Curiosity. Evidence of convergent validity was provided by moderately high correlations of the SCS with other measures of curiosity and self-perceived curiosity, whereas discriminant validity was demonstrated by low correlations of the SCS with other personality traits, such as neuroticism and agreeableness. Of interest, social interaction anxiety was observed to facilitate covert social curiosity while inhibiting general social curiosity.

The Brief Peer Conflict Scale: Psychometric Properties Among a Sample of Incarcerated Male Juvenile Offenders.

PubMed

Pechorro, Pedro; Russell, Justin D; Ayala-Nunes, Lara; Gonçalves, Rui Abrunhosa; Nunes, Cristina

2018-06-01

Aggression can be considered a multidimensional construct that influences various forms of antisocial behavior, including juvenile delinquency and conduct problems. The aim of the present study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Brief Peer Conflict Scale-20 item version (PCS-20) among a Portuguese forensic sample (N = 192) of incarcerated male juvenile offenders ( M = 16.62 years; SD = 1.52 years; age range = 13-18 years). The PCS-20 demonstrated good psychometric properties in terms of its four-factor structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, and discriminant validity that generally justify its use among incarcerated male youth. The findings provide additional support for the extension of the PCS-20 across different cultures, ethnic groups, and samples.

Five-Factor Model personality disorder prototypes: a review of their development, validity, and comparison to alternative approaches.

PubMed

Miller, Joshua D

2012-12-01

In this article, the development of Five-Factor Model (FFM) personality disorder (PD) prototypes for the assessment of DSM-IV PDs are reviewed, as well as subsequent procedures for scoring individuals' FFM data with regard to these PD prototypes, including similarity scores and simple additive counts that are based on a quantitative prototype matching methodology. Both techniques, which result in very strongly correlated scores, demonstrate convergent and discriminant validity, and provide clinically useful information with regard to various forms of functioning. The techniques described here for use with FFM data are quite different from the prototype matching methods used elsewhere. © 2012 The Author. Journal of Personality © 2012, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Validation of the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6™) across episodic and chronic migraine

PubMed Central

Yang, Min; Rendas-Baum, Regina; Varon, Sepideh F; Kosinski, Mark

2011-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess psychometric properties of the six-item Headache Impact Text (HIT-6™) across episodic and chronic migraine. Methods: Using a migraine screener and number of headache days per month (HDPM), participants from the National Survey of Headache Impact (NSHI) study and the HIT-6 validation study (HIT6-V) were selected for this study. Eligible participants were categorized into three groups: chronic migraine (CM: ≥ 15 HDPM); episodic migraine (EM: < 15 HDPM); non-migraine headaches. Reliability and validity of the HIT-6 were evaluated. Results: A total of 2,049 survey participants met the inclusion/exclusion criteria for this study. Participants were identified as 6.4% CM; 42.1% EM; 51.5% non-migraine, with respective mean HIT-6 scores: 62.5 ± 7.8; 60.2 ± 6.8; and 49.1 ± 8.7. High reliability was demonstrated with internal consistency (time1/time2) of 0.83/0.87 in NSHI, and 0.82/0.92 in HIT6-V. Intra-class correlation for test-retest reliability was very good at 0.77. HIT-6 scores correlated significantly (p < .0001) with total Migraine Disability Assessment Scale scores (r = 0.56), headache pain severity (r = 0.46), and HDPM (r = 0.29). Discriminant validity analysis showed significantly different HIT-6 scores (F = 488.02, p < .0001) across the groups. Conclusion: Results from these analyses confirm that the HIT-6 is a reliable and valid tool for discriminating headache impact across episodic and chronic migraine. PMID:20819842

Multifactorial risk index for prediction of intraoperative blood transfusion in endovascular aneurysm repair.

PubMed

Mahmood, Eitezaz; Matyal, Robina; Mueller, Ariel; Mahmood, Feroze; Tung, Avery; Montealegre-Gallegos, Mario; Schermerhorn, Marc; Shahul, Sajid

2018-03-01

In some institutions, the current blood ordering practice does not discriminate minimally invasive endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) from open procedures, with consequent increasing costs and likelihood of blood product wastage for EVARs. This limitation in practice can possibly be addressed with the development of a reliable prediction model for transfusion risk in EVAR patients. We used the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database to create a model for prediction of intraoperative blood transfusion occurrence in patients undergoing EVAR. Afterward, we tested our predictive model on the Vascular Study Group of New England (VSGNE) database. We used the ACS NSQIP database for patients who underwent EVAR from 2011 to 2013 (N = 4709) as our derivation set for identifying a risk index for predicting intraoperative blood transfusion. We then developed a clinical risk score and validated this model using patients who underwent EVAR from 2003 to 2014 in the VSGNE database (N = 4478). The transfusion rates were 8.4% and 6.1% for the ACS NSQIP (derivation set) and VSGNE (validation) databases, respectively. Hemoglobin concentration, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, age, and aneurysm diameter predicted blood transfusion in the derivation set. When it was applied on the validation set, our risk index demonstrated good discrimination in both the derivation and validation set (C statistic = 0.73 and 0.70, respectively) and calibration using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (P = .27 and 0.31) for both data sets. We developed and validated a risk index for predicting the likelihood of intraoperative blood transfusion in EVAR patients. Implementation of this index may facilitate the blood management strategies specific for EVAR. Copyright © 2017 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modification and Evaluation of a Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Quality of Life Instrument

PubMed Central

Skirko, Jonathan R.; Weaver, Edward M; Perkins, Jonathan; Kinter, Sara; Sie, Kathleen C.Y.

2018-01-01

Objective Modify the existing 45-item velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) quality of life (QOL) instrument (VPIQL), assess the modified instrument for reliability and provide further validation. There are patient and parent versions of the instrument. Design Validation convenience sample from a previously conducted pilot study. Setting Two academic tertiary referral medical centers. Participants De-identified data were used from 29 subjects with VPI and 29 control subjects age 5–17 years, and parents. Outcome measures Subjects and parents completed VPIQL and a generic pediatric QOL instrument (PedsQL4-0). Data Analysis Twenty-two items were removed from the VPIQL for ceiling effects, floor effects, and redundancy, to produce the modified instrument, VPI Effects on Life Outcomes (VELO) instrument. VELO was tested for internal consistency (Chronbach’s alpha), discriminant validity (paired t-test with control subjects), and concurrent validity (Pearson correlation with the PedsQL4-0). These analyses were also completed for parents. Results The 45-item VPIQL instrument was reduced to the 23-item VELO instrument. The VELO had excellent internal consistency (Chronbach’s alpha 0.96 for parents and 0.95 for VPI subjects). The VELO discriminated well between VPI and control subjects, with mean score (SD) was significantly lower (worse) for VPI subjects (67.6 [23.9]) than for control subjects (97.0 [5.2]) (p<0.0001). The VELO total score was significantly correlated with the PedsQL4.0 (r=0.73) among subjects with VPI. Similar results were seen in parent responses. Conclusions The VELO is a 23-item QOL instrument that was designed to measure and follow QOL in subjects with VPI, with less burden than the original VPIQL. VELO demonstrates internal consistency, disciminant validty, and concurrent validity with the PedsQL4-0. PMID:23069823

Psychometric evaluation of the pediatric and parent-proxy Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System and the Neurology and Traumatic Brain Injury Quality of Life measurement item banks in pediatric traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Bertisch, Hilary; Rivara, Frederick P; Kisala, Pamela A; Wang, Jin; Yeates, Keith Owen; Durbin, Dennis; Zonfrillo, Mark R; Bell, Michael J; Temkin, Nancy; Tulsky, David S

2017-07-01

The primary objective is to provide evidence of convergent and discriminant validity for the pediatric and parent-proxy versions of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Peer Relations, Mobility, Pain Interference, and Fatigue item banks, the Neurology Quality of Life measurement system (Neuro-QOL) Cognition-General Concerns and Stigma item banks, and the Traumatic Brain Injury Quality of Life (TBI-QOL) Executive Function and Headache item banks in a pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) sample. Participants were 134 parent-child (ages 8-18 years) days. Children all sustained TBI and the dyads completed outcome ratings 6 months after injury at one of six medical centers across the United States. Ratings included PROMIS, Neuro-QOL, and TBI-QOL item banks, as well as the Pediatric Quality of Life inventory (PedsQL), the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) as legacy criterion measures against which these item banks were validated. The PROMIS, Neuro-QOL, and TBI-QOL item banks demonstrated good convergent validity, as evidenced by moderate to strong correlations with comparable scales on the legacy measures. PROMIS, Neuro-QOL, and TBI-QOL item banks showed weaker correlations with ratings of unrelated constructs on legacy measures, providing evidence of discriminant validity. Our results indicate that the constructs measured by the PROMIS, Neuro-QOL, and TBI-QOL item banks are valid in our pediatric TBI sample and that it is appropriate to use these standardized scores for our primary study analyses.

RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF A BIOMECHANICALLY BASED ANALYSIS METHOD FOR THE TENNIS SERVE

PubMed Central

Kibler, W. Ben; Lamborn, Leah; Smith, Belinda J.; English, Tony; Jacobs, Cale; Uhl, Tim L.

2017-01-01

Background An observational tennis serve analysis (OTSA) tool was developed using previously established body positions from three-dimensional kinematic motion analysis studies. These positions, defined as nodes, have been associated with efficient force production and minimal joint loading. However, the tool has yet to be examined scientifically. Purpose The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine the inter-observer reliability for each node between two health care professionals (HCPs) that developed the OTSA, and secondarily to investigate the validity of the OTSA. Methods Two separate studies were performed to meet these objectives. An inter-observer reliability study preceded the validity study by examining 28 videos of players serving. Two HCPs graded each video and scored the presence or absence of obtaining each node. Discriminant validity was determined in 33 tennis players using video taped records of three first serves. Serve mechanics were graded using the OSTA and categorized players into those with good ( ≥ 5) and poor ( ≤ 4) mechanics. Participants performed a series of field tests to evaluate trunk flexibility, lower extremity and trunk power, and dynamic balance. Results The group with good mechanics demonstrated greater backward trunk flexibility (p=0.02), greater rotational power (p=0.02), and higher single leg countermovement jump (p=0.05). Reliability of the OTSA ranged from K = 0.36-1.0, with the majority of all the nodes displaying substantial reliability (K>0.61). Conclusion This study provides HCPs with a valid and reliable field tool used to assess serve mechanics. Physical characteristics of trunk mobility and power appear to discriminate serve mechanics between players. Future intervention studies are needed to determine if improvement in physical function contribute to improved serve mechanics. Level of Evidence 3 PMID:28593098

Validation of SAPS3 admission score and its customization for use in Korean intensive care unit patients: a prospective multicentre study.

PubMed

Lim, So Yeon; Koh, Shin Ok; Jeon, Kyeongman; Na, Sungwon; Lim, Chae-Man; Choi, Won-Il; Lee, Young-Joo; Kim, Seok Chan; Chon, Gyu Rak; Kim, Je Hyeong; Kim, Jae Yeol; Lim, Jaemin; Rhee, Chin Kook; Park, Sunghoon; Kim, Ho Cheol; Lee, Jin Hwa; Lee, Ji Hyun; Park, Jisook; Koh, Younsuck; Suh, Gee Young

2013-08-01

To externally validate the simplified acute physiology score 3 (SAPS3) and to customize it for use in Korean intensive care unit (ICU) patients. This is a prospective multicentre cohort study involving 22 ICUs from 15 centres throughout Korea. The study population comprised patients who were consecutively admitted to participating ICUs from 1 July 2010 to 31 January 2011. A total of 4617 patients were enrolled. ICU mortality was 14.3%, and hospital mortality was 20.6%. The patients were randomly assigned into one of two cohorts: a development (n = 2309) or validation (n = 2308) cohort. In the development cohort, the general SAPS3 had good discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve = 0.829), but poor calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test H = 123.06, P < 0.001, C = 118.45, P < 0.001). The Australasia SAPS3 did not improve calibration (H = 73.53, P < 0.001, C = 70.52, P < 0.001). Customization was achieved by altering the logit of the original SAPS3 equation. The new equation for Korean ICU patients was validated in the validation cohort, and demonstrated both good discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve = 0.835) and good calibration (H = 4.61, P = 0.799, C = 5.67, P = 0.684). General and regional Australasia SAPS3 admission scores showed poor calibration for use in Korean ICU patients, but the prognostic power of the SAPS3 was significantly improved by customization. Prediction models should be customized before being used to predict mortality in different regions of the world. © 2013 The Authors. Respirology © 2013 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Development of the Abbreviated Masculine Gender Role Stress Scale

PubMed Central

Swartout, Kevin M.; Parrott, Dominic J.; Cohn, Amy M.; Hagman, Brett T.; Gallagher, Kathryn E.

2014-01-01

Data gathered from six independent samples (n = 1,729) that assessed men’s masculine gender role stress in college and community males were aggregated used to determine the reliability and validity of an abbreviated version of the Masculine Gender Role Stress Scale (MGRS scale). The 15 items with the highest item-to-total scale correlations were used to create an abbreviated MGRS scale. Psychometric properties of each of the 15-items were examined with Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis, using the discrimination and threshold parameters. IRT results showed that the abbreviated scale may hold promise at capturing the same amount of information as the full 40-item scale. Relative to the 40-item scale, the total score of the abbreviated MGRS scale demonstrated comparable convergent validity using the measurement domains of masculine identity, hyper-masculinity, trait anger, anger expression, and alcohol involvement. An abbreviated MGRS scale may be recommended for use in clinical practice and research settings to reduce cost, time, and patient/participant burden. Additionally, IRT analyses identified items with higher discrimination and threshold parameters that may be used to screen for problematic gender role stress in men who may be seen in routine clinical or medical practice. PMID:25528163

Development of the Abbreviated Masculine Gender Role Stress Scale.

PubMed

Swartout, Kevin M; Parrott, Dominic J; Cohn, Amy M; Hagman, Brett T; Gallagher, Kathryn E

2015-06-01

Data gathered from 6 independent samples (n = 1,729) that assessed men's masculine gender role stress in college and community males were aggregated used to determine the reliability and validity of an abbreviated version of the Masculine Gender Role Stress (MGRS) Scale. The 15 items with the highest item-to-total scale correlations were used to create an abbreviated MGRS Scale. Psychometric properties of each of the 15 items were examined with item response theory (IRT) analysis, using the discrimination and threshold parameters. IRT results showed that the abbreviated scale may hold promise at capturing the same amount of information as the full 40-item scale. Relative to the 40-item scale, the total score of the abbreviated MGRS Scale demonstrated comparable convergent validity using the measurement domains of masculine identity, hypermasculinity, trait anger, anger expression, and alcohol involvement. An abbreviated MGRS Scale may be recommended for use in clinical practice and research settings to reduce cost, time, and patient/participant burden. Additionally, IRT analyses identified items with higher discrimination and threshold parameters that may be used to screen for problematic gender role stress in men who may be seen in routine clinical or medical practice. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

External validation of preexisting first trimester preeclampsia prediction models.

PubMed

Allen, Rebecca E; Zamora, Javier; Arroyo-Manzano, David; Velauthar, Luxmilar; Allotey, John; Thangaratinam, Shakila; Aquilina, Joseph

2017-10-01

To validate the increasing number of prognostic models being developed for preeclampsia using our own prospective study. A systematic review of literature that assessed biomarkers, uterine artery Doppler and maternal characteristics in the first trimester for the prediction of preeclampsia was performed and models selected based on predefined criteria. Validation was performed by applying the regression coefficients that were published in the different derivation studies to our cohort. We assessed the models discrimination ability and calibration. Twenty models were identified for validation. The discrimination ability observed in derivation studies (Area Under the Curves) ranged from 0.70 to 0.96 when these models were validated against the validation cohort, these AUC varied importantly, ranging from 0.504 to 0.833. Comparing Area Under the Curves obtained in the derivation study to those in the validation cohort we found statistically significant differences in several studies. There currently isn't a definitive prediction model with adequate ability to discriminate for preeclampsia, which performs as well when applied to a different population and can differentiate well between the highest and lowest risk groups within the tested population. The pre-existing large number of models limits the value of further model development and future research should be focussed on further attempts to validate existing models and assessing whether implementation of these improves patient care. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of a tin-loaded liquid scintillator for gamma spectroscopy and neutron detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Xianfei; Harvey, Taylor; Weinmann-Smith, Robert; Walker, James; Noh, Young; Farley, Richard; Enqvist, Andreas

2018-07-01

A tin-loaded liquid scintillator has been developed for gamma spectroscopy and neutron detection. The scintillator was characterized in regard to energy resolution, pulse shape discrimination, neutron light output function, and timing resolution. The loading of tin into scintillators with low effective atomic number was demonstrated to provide photopeaks with acceptable energy resolution. The scintillator was shown to have reasonable neutron/gamma discrimination capability based on the charge comparison method. The effect on the discrimination quality of the total charge integration time and the initial delay time for tail charge integration was studied. To obtain the neutron light output function, the time-of-flight technique was utilized with a 252Cf source. The light output function was validated with the MCNPX-PoliMi code by comparing the measured and simulated pule height spectra. The timing resolution of the developed scintillator was also evaluated. The tin-loading was found to have negligible impact on the scintillation decay times. However, a relatively large degradation of timing resolution was observed due to the reduced light yield.

A Recurrent Probabilistic Neural Network with Dimensionality Reduction Based on Time-series Discriminant Component Analysis.

PubMed

Hayashi, Hideaki; Shibanoki, Taro; Shima, Keisuke; Kurita, Yuichi; Tsuji, Toshio

2015-12-01

This paper proposes a probabilistic neural network (NN) developed on the basis of time-series discriminant component analysis (TSDCA) that can be used to classify high-dimensional time-series patterns. TSDCA involves the compression of high-dimensional time series into a lower dimensional space using a set of orthogonal transformations and the calculation of posterior probabilities based on a continuous-density hidden Markov model with a Gaussian mixture model expressed in the reduced-dimensional space. The analysis can be incorporated into an NN, which is named a time-series discriminant component network (TSDCN), so that parameters of dimensionality reduction and classification can be obtained simultaneously as network coefficients according to a backpropagation through time-based learning algorithm with the Lagrange multiplier method. The TSDCN is considered to enable high-accuracy classification of high-dimensional time-series patterns and to reduce the computation time taken for network training. The validity of the TSDCN is demonstrated for high-dimensional artificial data and electroencephalogram signals in the experiments conducted during the study.

NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB): list sorting test to measure working memory.

PubMed

Tulsky, David S; Carlozzi, Noelle; Chiaravalloti, Nancy D; Beaumont, Jennifer L; Kisala, Pamela A; Mungas, Dan; Conway, Kevin; Gershon, Richard

2014-07-01

The List Sorting Working Memory Test was designed to assess working memory (WM) as part of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. List Sorting is a sequencing task requiring children and adults to sort and sequence stimuli that are presented visually and auditorily. Validation data are presented for 268 participants ages 20 to 85 years. A subset of participants (N=89) was retested 7 to 21 days later. As expected, the List Sorting Test had moderately high correlations with other measures of working memory and executive functioning (convergent validity) but a low correlation with a test of receptive vocabulary (discriminant validity). Furthermore, List Sorting demonstrates expected changes over the age span and has excellent test-retest reliability. Collectively, these results provide initial support for the construct validity of the List Sorting Working Memory Measure as a measure of working memory. However, the relationship between the List Sorting Test and general executive function has yet to be determined.

The Motivation and Pleasure Scale-Self-Report (MAP-SR): reliability and validity of a self-report measure of negative symptoms.

PubMed

Llerena, Katiah; Park, Stephanie G; McCarthy, Julie M; Couture, Shannon M; Bennett, Melanie E; Blanchard, Jack J

2013-07-01

The Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS) is an empirically developed interview measure of negative symptoms. Building on prior work, this study examined the reliability and validity of a self-report measure based on the CAINS-the Motivation and Pleasure Scale-Self-Report (MAP-SR)-that assesses the motivation and pleasure domain of negative symptoms. Thirty-seven participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder completed the 18-item MAP-SR, the CAINS, and other measures of functional outcome. Item analyses revealed three items that performed poorly. The revised 15-item MAP-SR demonstrated good internal consistency and convergent validity with the clinician-rated Motivation and Pleasure scale of the CAINS, as well as good discriminant validity, with little association with psychotic symptoms or depression/anxiety. MAP-SR scores were related to social anhedonia, social closeness, and clinician-rated social functioning. The MAP-SR is a promising self-report measure of severity of negative symptoms. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Alcohol Relapse Situation Appraisal Questionnaire: Development and Validation

PubMed Central

Martin, Rosemarie A.; MacKinnon, Selene M.; Johnson, Jennifer E.; Myers, Mark G.; Cook, Travis A. R.; Rohsenow, Damaris J.

2011-01-01

Background The role of cognitive appraisal of the threat of alcohol relapse has received little attention. A previous instrument, the Relapse Situation Appraisal Questionnaire (RSAQ), was developed to assess cocaine users’ primary appraisal of the threat of situations posing a high risk for cocaine relapse. The purpose of the present study was to modify the RSAQ in order to measure primary appraisal in situations involving a high risk for alcohol relapse. Methods The development and psychometric properties of this instrument, the Alcohol Relapse Situation Appraisal Questionnaire (A-RSAQ), were examined with two samples of abstinent adults with alcohol abuse or dependence. Factor structure and validity were examined in Study 1 (N=104). Confirmation of the factor structure and predictive validity were assessed in Study 2 (N=161). Results Results demonstrated construct, discriminant and predictive validity and reliability of the A-RSAQ. Discussion Results support the important role of primary appraisal of degree of risk in alcohol relapse situations. PMID:21237586

The Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory: Measurement Invariance and Psychometric Properties among Portuguese Youths

PubMed Central

Pechorro, Pedro; Ribeiro da Silva, Diana; Andershed, Henrik; Rijo, Daniel; Abrunhosa Gonçalves, Rui

2016-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) among a mixed-gender sample of 782 Portuguese youth (M = 15.87 years; SD = 1.72), in a school context. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed the expected three-factor first-order structure. Cross-gender measurement invariance and cross-sample measurement invariance using a forensic sample of institutionalized males were also confirmed. The Portuguese version of the YPI demonstrated generally adequate psychometric properties of internal consistency, mean inter-item correlation, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and criterion-related validity of statistically significant associations with conduct disorder symptoms, alcohol abuse, drug use, and unprotected sex. In terms of known-groups validity, males scored higher than females, and males from the school sample scored lower than institutionalized males. The use of the YPI among the Portuguese male and female youth population is psychometrically justified, and it can be a useful measure to identify adolescents with high levels of psychopathic traits. PMID:27571095

NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB): The List Sorting Test to Measure Working Memory

PubMed Central

Tulsky, David S.; Carlozzi, Noelle; Chiaravalloti, Nancy D.; Beaumont, Jennifer L.; Kisala, Pamela A.; Mungas, Dan; Conway, Kevin; Gershon, Richard

2015-01-01

The List Sorting Working Memory Test was designed to assess working memory (WM) as part of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. List Sorting is a sequencing task requiring children and adults to sort and sequence stimuli that are presented visually and auditorily. Validation data are presented for 268 participants ages 20 to 85 years. A subset of participants (N=89) was retested 7 to 21 days later. As expected, the List Sorting Test had moderately high correlations with other measures of working memory and executive functioning (convergent validity) but a low correlation with a test of receptive vocabulary (discriminant validity). Furthermore, List Sorting demonstrates expected changes over the age span and has excellent test-retest reliability. Collectively, these results provide initial support the construct validity of the List Sorting Working Memory Measure as a measure of working memory. However, the relation between the List Sorting Test and general executive function has yet to be determined. PMID:24959983

Validation study of a Chinese version of Partners in Health in Hong Kong (C-PIH HK).

PubMed

Chiu, Teresa Mei Lee; Tam, Katharine Tai Wo; Siu, Choi Fong; Chau, Phyllis Wai Ping; Battersby, Malcolm

2017-01-01

The Partners in Health (PIH) scale is a measure designed to assess the generic knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and impacts of self-management. A cross-cultural adaptation of the PIH for use in Hong Kong was evaluated in this study. This paper reports the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of PIH (C-PIH[HK]). A 12-item PIH was translated using forward-backward translation technique and reviewed by individuals with chronic diseases and health professionals. A total of 209 individuals with chronic diseases completed the scale. The construct validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were evaluated in two waves. The findings in Wave 1 (n = 73) provided acceptable psychometric properties of the C-PIH(HK) but supported the adaptation of question 5 to improve the cultural relevance, validity, and reliability of the scale. An adapted version of C-PIH(HK) was evaluated in Wave 2. The findings in Wave 2 (n = 136) demonstrated good construct validity and internal consistency of C-PIH(HK). A principal component analysis with Oblimin rotation yielded a 3-factor solution, and the Cronbach's alphas of the subscales ranged from 0.773 to 0.845. Participants were asked whether they perceived the self-management workshops they attended and education provided by health professionals as useful or not. The results showed that the C-PIH(HK) was able to discriminate those who agreed and those who disagreed related to the usefulness of individual health education (p < 0.0001 in all subscales) and workshops (p < 0.001 in the knowledge subscale) as hypothesized. The test-retest reliability was high (ICC = 0.818). A culturally adapted version of PIH for use in Hong Kong was evaluated. The study supported good construct validity, discriminate validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of the C-PIH(HK).

Measuring social anxiety in college students: a comprehensive evaluation of the psychometric properties of the SPAI-23.

PubMed

Schry, Amie R; Roberson-Nay, Roxann; White, Susan W

2012-12-01

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is 1 of the most prevalent psychological disorders, and among college students in particular, social anxiety has been associated with other problems such as substance use problems and increased vulnerability to other psychiatric disorders. The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory-23 (SPAI-23; Roberson-Nay, Strong, Nay, Beidel, & Turner, 2007) may be a useful, brief measure of problematic social anxiety in college students. Results from 4 studies (total n = 2,436) using the SPAI-23 with college student samples are presented. Scores on the SPAI-23 demonstrated strong convergent validity with other measures of social anxiety and discriminant validity as evidenced by lower correlations with measures of dissimilar constructs. Difference scores on the SPAI-23 also demonstrated adequate test-retest reliability over 5 ½ weeks (r = .72). Exploratory factor analysis suggested a two-factor structure: social anxiety and agoraphobia. Finally, differential item function analyses suggested that the items function similarly in men and women. In conclusion, the SPAI-23 demonstrated strong psychometric properties for use with college students.

Evaluating process in child and family interventions: aggression prevention as an example.

PubMed

Tolan, Patrick H; Hanish, Laura D; McKay, Mary M; Dickey, Mitchell H

2002-06-01

This article reports on 2 studies designed to develop and validate a set of measures for use in evaluating processes of child and family interventions. In Study 1 responses from 187 families attending an outpatient clinic for child behavior problems were factor analyzed to identify scales, consistent across sources: Alliance (Satisfactory Relationship with Interventionist and Program Satisfaction), Parenting Skill Attainment, Child Cooperation During Session, Child Prosocial Behavior, and Child Aggressive Behavior. Study 2 focused on patterns of scale scores among 78 families taking part in a 22-week preventive intervention designed to affect family relationships, parenting, and child antisocial and prosocial behaviors. The factor structure identified in Study 1 was replicated. Scale construct validity was demonstrated through across-source convergence, sensitivity to intervention change, and ability to discriminate individual differences. Path analysis validated the scales' utility in explaining key aspects of the intervention process. Implications for evaluating processes in family interventions are discussed.

Crafting the TALE: construction of a measure to assess the functions of autobiographical remembering.

PubMed

Bluck, Susan; Alea, Nicole

2011-07-01

Theory suggests that autobiographical remembering serves several functions. This research builds on previous empirical efforts (Bluck, Alea, Habermas, & Rubin, 2005) with the aim of constructing a brief, valid measure of three functions of autobiographical memory. Participants (N=306) completed 28 theoretically derived items concerning the frequency with which they use autobiographical memory to serve a variety of functions. To examine convergent and discriminant validity, participants rated their tendency to think about and talk about the past, and measures of future time orientation, self-concept clarity, and trait personality. Confirmatory factor analysis of the function items resulted in a respecified model with 15 items in three factors. The newly developed Thinking about Life Experiences scale (TALE) shows good internal consistency as well as convergent validity for three subscales: Self-Continuity, Social-Bonding, and Directing-Behaviour. Analyses demonstrate factorial equivalence across age and gender groups. Potential use and limitations of the TALE are discussed.

Convergent and discriminant validity of alternative measures of maladaptive personality traits.

PubMed

Crego, Cristina; Widiger, Thomas A

2016-12-01

The purpose of the current study was to test empirically the convergent and discriminant validity of 3 recently developed, alternative measures of maladaptive personality traits: the Personality Inventory for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5, PID-5; Krueger, Derringer, Markon, Watson, & Skodol, 2012), the Computerized Adaptive Test-Personality Disorder Static Form (CAT-PD-SF; Simms et al., 2011), and Five Factor Model Personality Disorder scales (FFMPD; Widiger, Lynam, Miller, & Oltmanns, 2012). These measures were constructed with different rationales and methods, yet the result was highly congruent. The PID-5 and CAT-PD-SF were administered to 286 community adults with current or a history of mental health treatment; the CAT-PD-SF and FFMPD scales to 262 such adults; and the PID-5 and FFMPD scales to 266. The results indicated good to excellent internal consistency, as well as good to excellent convergent and discriminant validity for most scales with a few notable exceptions. Suggestions for future research are provided, including the potential benefits of scales that are unique to a respective instrument, replication of a dependency factor, and exploration as to the basis for instances of questionable convergent or discriminant validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

German validation of the BIDQ-S questionnaire on body image disturbance in idiopathic scoliosis.

PubMed

Wetterkamp, Mark; Thielsch, Meinald T; Gosheger, Georg; Boertz, Patrick; Terheyden, Jan Henrik; Schulte, Tobias L

2017-02-01

The Body Image Disturbance Questionnaire-Scoliosis (BIDQ-S) is a seven-item questionnaire inquiring into patients' worries about back shape and associated problems at school, at work, with friends or family, and whether the patients are avoiding certain activities. The aim of this study was to translate the BIDQ-S into German (G-BIDQ-S), test its reliability, and establish its convergent, divergent, concurrent, and discriminant validity. In a prospective cohort study, 259 patients with idiopathic scoliosis (mean age 30.2; 221 female; mean Cobb angle 43.8°) completed the G-BIDQ-S; Scoliosis Research Society 22-r (SRS 22-r); Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9); Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS); Questionnaire on Body Dysmorphic Symptoms (FKS); and WHO-5 Well-Being Index. Healthy control individuals matched by age, sex and BMI (n = 149; mean age 36.1; 133 female; BMI = 23.0) answered the same questions to establish discriminant validity. Discriminant statistics, and Pearson and Spearman correlations were calculated. The G-BIDQ-S proved to be one-factorial, internally consistent (Cronbach alpha = 0.87), and stable over time (total score 2.22 vs. 2.21 during retest; retest reliability r = 0.79, P < 0.001). It correlated significantly with the mean SRS 22-r (r = -0.72, P < 0.001) and with Cobb angles (r = 0.30, P < 0.001)-convergent validity; much less with body mass index (r = 0.19, P < 0.001)-divergent validity; and with the PANAS (r = 0.55, P < 0.001), PHQ-9 (r = 0.53, P < 0.001), FKS (r = 0.67, P < 0.001), and WHO-5 (r = -0.54, P < 0.001)-concurrent validity. The G-BIDQ-S also showed discriminant validity, with a strong difference between the scoliosis group (total score 2.19) and the control group (total score 1.13; P < 0.001). The G-BIDQ-S showed good internal consistency, reliability, and convergent, divergent, concurrent, and discriminant validity. This questionnaire is the first one inquiring into patients' body image disturbances that has been validated and is available in German.

A Machine Learning and Cross-Validation Approach for the Discrimination of Vegetation Physiognomic Types Using Satellite Based Multispectral and Multitemporal Data.

PubMed

Sharma, Ram C; Hara, Keitarou; Hirayama, Hidetake

2017-01-01

This paper presents the performance and evaluation of a number of machine learning classifiers for the discrimination between the vegetation physiognomic classes using the satellite based time-series of the surface reflectance data. Discrimination of six vegetation physiognomic classes, Evergreen Coniferous Forest, Evergreen Broadleaf Forest, Deciduous Coniferous Forest, Deciduous Broadleaf Forest, Shrubs, and Herbs, was dealt with in the research. Rich-feature data were prepared from time-series of the satellite data for the discrimination and cross-validation of the vegetation physiognomic types using machine learning approach. A set of machine learning experiments comprised of a number of supervised classifiers with different model parameters was conducted to assess how the discrimination of vegetation physiognomic classes varies with classifiers, input features, and ground truth data size. The performance of each experiment was evaluated by using the 10-fold cross-validation method. Experiment using the Random Forests classifier provided highest overall accuracy (0.81) and kappa coefficient (0.78). However, accuracy metrics did not vary much with experiments. Accuracy metrics were found to be very sensitive to input features and size of ground truth data. The results obtained in the research are expected to be useful for improving the vegetation physiognomic mapping in Japan.

Development and Validation of Discriminating and Biorelevant Dissolution Test for Lornoxicam Tablets

PubMed Central

Anumolu, P. D.; Sunitha, G.; Bindu, S. Hima; Satheshbabu, P. R.; Subrahmanyam, C. V. S.

2015-01-01

The establishment of biorelevant and discriminating dissolution procedure for drug products with limited water solubility is a useful technique for qualitative forecasting of the in vivo behavior of formulations. It also characterizes the drug product performance in pharmaceutical development. Lornoxicam, a BCS class-II drug is a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug of the oxicam class, has no official dissolution media available in the literature. The objective of present work was to develop and validate a discriminating and biorelevant dissolution test for lornoxicam tablet dosage forms. To quantify the lornoxicam in dissolution samples, UV spectrophotometric method was developed using 0.01M sodium hydroxide solution as solvent at λma×376 nm. After evaluation of saturation solubility, dissolution, sink conditions and stability of lornoxicam bulk drug in different pH solutions and biorelevant media, the dissolution method was optimized using USP paddle type apparatus at 50 rpm rotation speed and 500 ml simulated intestinal fluid as discriminating and biorelevant dissolution medium. The similarity factor (f2) were investigated for formulations with changes in composition and manufacturing variations, values revealed that dissolution method having discriminating power and method was validated as per standard guidelines. The proposed dissolution method can be effectively applied for routine quality control in vitro dissolution studies of lornoxicam in tablets and helpful to pharmacopoeias. PMID:26180277

Development and Validation of Discriminating and Biorelevant Dissolution Test for Lornoxicam Tablets.

PubMed

Anumolu, P D; Sunitha, G; Bindu, S Hima; Satheshbabu, P R; Subrahmanyam, C V S

2015-01-01

The establishment of biorelevant and discriminating dissolution procedure for drug products with limited water solubility is a useful technique for qualitative forecasting of the in vivo behavior of formulations. It also characterizes the drug product performance in pharmaceutical development. Lornoxicam, a BCS class-II drug is a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug of the oxicam class, has no official dissolution media available in the literature. The objective of present work was to develop and validate a discriminating and biorelevant dissolution test for lornoxicam tablet dosage forms. To quantify the lornoxicam in dissolution samples, UV spectrophotometric method was developed using 0.01M sodium hydroxide solution as solvent at λma×376 nm. After evaluation of saturation solubility, dissolution, sink conditions and stability of lornoxicam bulk drug in different pH solutions and biorelevant media, the dissolution method was optimized using USP paddle type apparatus at 50 rpm rotation speed and 500 ml simulated intestinal fluid as discriminating and biorelevant dissolution medium. The similarity factor (f2) were investigated for formulations with changes in composition and manufacturing variations, values revealed that dissolution method having discriminating power and method was validated as per standard guidelines. The proposed dissolution method can be effectively applied for routine quality control in vitro dissolution studies of lornoxicam in tablets and helpful to pharmacopoeias.

Ecological Validity and Clinical Utility of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) instruments for detecting premenstrual symptoms of depression, anger, and fatigue

PubMed Central

Junghaenel, Doerte U.; Schneider, Stefan; Stone, Arthur A.; Christodoulou, Christopher; Broderick, Joan E.

2014-01-01

Objective This study examined the ecological validity and clinical utility of NIH Patient Reported-Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) instruments for anger, depression, and fatigue in women with premenstrual symptoms. Methods One-hundred women completed daily diaries and weekly PROMIS assessments over 4 weeks. Weekly assessments were administered through Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT). Weekly CATs and corresponding daily scores were compared to evaluate ecological validity. To test clinical utility, we examined if CATs could detect changes in symptom levels, if these changes mirrored those obtained from daily scores, and if CATs could identify clinically meaningful premenstrual symptom change. Results PROMIS CAT scores were higher in the pre-menstrual than the baseline (ps < .0001) and post-menstrual (ps < .0001) weeks. The correlations between CATs and aggregated daily scores ranged from .73 to .88 supporting ecological validity. Mean CAT scores showed systematic changes in accordance with the menstrual cycle and the magnitudes of the changes were similar to those obtained from the daily scores. Finally, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analyses demonstrated the ability of the CATs to discriminate between women with and without clinically meaningful premenstrual symptom change. Conclusions PROMIS CAT instruments for anger, depression, and fatigue demonstrated validity and utility in premenstrual symptom assessment. The results provide encouraging initial evidence of the utility of PROMIS instruments for the measurement of affective premenstrual symptoms. PMID:24630180

The Internal Consistency and Validity of the Vaccination Attitudes Examination Scale: A Replication Study.

PubMed

Wood, Louise; Smith, Michael; Miller, Christopher B; O'Carroll, Ronan E

2018-06-19

Vaccinations are important preventative health behaviors. The recently developed Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) Scale aims to measure the reasons behind refusal/hesitancy regarding vaccinations. The aim of this replication study is to conduct an independent test of the newly developed VAX Scale in the UK. We tested (a) internal consistency (Cronbach's α); (b) convergent validity by assessing its relationships with beliefs about medication, medical mistrust, and perceived sensitivity to medicines; and (c) construct validity by testing how well the VAX Scale discriminated between vaccinators and nonvaccinators. A sample of 243 UK adults completed the VAX Scale, the Beliefs About Medicines Questionnaire, the Perceived Sensitivity to Medicines Scale, and the Medical Mistrust Index, in addition to demographics of age, gender, education levels, and social deprivation. Participants were asked (a) whether they received an influenza vaccination in the past year and (b) if they had a young child, whether they had vaccinated the young child against influenza in the past year. The VAX (a) demonstrated high internal consistency (α = .92); (b) was positively correlated with medical mistrust and beliefs about medicines, and less strongly correlated with perceived sensitivity to medicines; and (c) successfully differentiated parental influenza vaccinators from nonvaccinators. The VAX demonstrated good internal consistency, convergent validity, and construct validity in an independent UK sample. It appears to be a useful measure to help us understand the health beliefs that promote or deter vaccination behavior.

Expressed emotion in children: associations with sibling relationships.

PubMed

Yelland, I; Daley, D

2009-07-01

To investigate the reliability and validity of the expressed emotion (EE) measure, the Pre-school Five Minute Speech Sample (PFMSS), in child-to-child sibling relationships. A total of 106 boys aged 7-11 were recruited from 12 mainstream primary schools in North Wales. The children completed the PFMSS regarding their sibling and two self-report measures of sibling relationship: the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (SRQ) and a Child Visual Analogue Scale (CVAS). The parents of 60 participants completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire regarding the behavioural problems of the participating child and his younger sibling. The PFMSS demonstrated good inter-rater and code-recode reliability. The significant associations between EE dimensions such as relationship, positive comments and critical comments with various components of the SRQ and CVAS provided support for the concurrent validity of the PFMSS. Significantly higher levels of Conflict and Rivalry and significantly lower levels of Warmth/Closeness on the SRQ were reported by children with high EE, demonstrating good discriminant validity for the PFMSS. There was no significant association between the child's EE profile and the behavioural difficulties of both siblings as reported by parents. The study found that the PFMSS is a valid and reliable measure of child EE. Future research is needed to clarify the concurrent validity of the warmth and initial statement components of the measure as well as the association between EE dimensions and behaviour.

The Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale: validation of the Japanese version.

PubMed

Tanabe, Yosuke; Hayashi, Kunihiko; Ideno, Yuki

2016-04-29

The present study investigated the reliability and validity of a Japanese version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale, designed to assess internalized stigma experienced by people with mental illness. A survey was conducted with 173 outpatients with mental illness who attended psychiatric clinics on a regular basis. A retest was conducted with 51 participants to evaluate the scale's psychometric properties. The alpha coefficient for the overall internal consistency was 0.91, and the coefficients of the individual ISMI subscales ranged from 0.57 to 0.81. The test-retest reliability was r = 0.85 (n = 51, P < 0.01). In terms of criterion-related validity, the Japanese version of the ISMI scale was significantly correlated with the Beck Depression Inventory (r = 0.61, P < 0.01), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (r = -0.53, P < 0.01), and the Empowerment Scale (r = -0.52, P < 0.01). In addition, factor analyses of the ISMI items demonstrated a four-factor solution for the alienation, stereotype endorsement, discrimination experience, and social withdrawal subscales, with the stigma resistance items excluded. The Japanese version of the ISMI scale demonstrated similar reliability and validity to the original English version. Therefore, the Japanese version of the ISMI scale may be an effective and valid tool to measure internalized stigma among Japanese people who have a mental illness.

Development and Validation of a Fatigue Assessment Scale for U.S. Construction Workers

PubMed Central

Zhang, Mingzong; Sparer, Emily H.; Murphy, Lauren A.; Dennerlein, Jack T.; Fang, Dongping; Katz, Jeffrey N.; Caban-Martinez, Alberto J.

2015-01-01

Objective To develop a fatigue assessment scale and test its reliability and validity for commercial construction workers. Methods Using a two-phased approach, we first identified items for the development of a Fatigue Assessment Scale for Construction Workers (FASCW) through review of existing scales in the scientific literature, key informant interviews (n=11) and focus groups (3 groups with 6 workers each) with construction workers. The second phase included assessment for the reliability, validity and sensitivity of the new scale using a repeated-measures study design with a convenience sample of construction workers (n=144). Results Phase one resulted in a 16-item preliminary scale that after factor analysis yielded a final 10-item scale with two sub-scales (“Lethargy” and “Bodily Ailment”).. During phase two, the FASCW and its subscales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (alpha coefficients were FASCW (0.91), Lethargy (0.86) and Bodily Ailment (0.84)) and acceptable test-retest reliability (Pearson Correlations Coefficients: 0.59–0.68; Intraclass Correlation Coefficients: 0.74–0.80). Correlation analysis substantiated concurrent and convergent validity. A discriminant analysis demonstrated that the FASCW differentiated between groups with arthritis status and different work hours. Conclusions The 10-item FASCW with good reliability and validity is an effective tool for assessing the severity of fatigue among construction workers. PMID:25603944

What do Demand-Control and Effort-Reward work stress questionnaires really measure? A discriminant content validity study of relevance and representativeness of measures.

PubMed

Bell, Cheryl; Johnston, Derek; Allan, Julia; Pollard, Beth; Johnston, Marie

2017-05-01

The Demand-Control (DC) and Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) models predict health in a work context. Self-report measures of the four key constructs (demand, control, effort, and reward) have been developed and it is important that these measures have good content validity uncontaminated by content from other constructs. We assessed relevance (whether items reflect the constructs) and representativeness (whether all aspects of the construct are assessed, and all items contribute to that assessment) across the instruments and items. Two studies examined fourteen demand/control items from the Job Content Questionnaire and seventeen effort/reward items from the Effort-Reward Imbalance measure using discriminant content validation and a third study developed new methods to assess instrument representativeness. Both methods use judges' ratings and construct definitions to get transparent quantitative estimates of construct validity. Study 1 used dictionary definitions while studies 2 and 3 used published phrases to define constructs. Overall, 3/5 demand items, 4/9 control items, 1/6 effort items, and 7/11 reward items were uniquely classified to the appropriate theoretical construct and were therefore 'pure' items with discriminant content validity (DCV). All pure items measured a defining phrase. However, both the DC and ERI assessment instruments failed to assess all defining aspects. Finding good discriminant content validity for demand and reward measures means these measures are usable and our quantitative results can guide item selection. By contrast, effort and control measures had limitations (in relevance and representativeness) presenting a challenge to the implementation of the theories. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? While the reliability and construct validity of Demand-Control and Effort-Reward-Imbalance (DC and ERI) work stress measures are routinely reported, there has not been adequate investigation of their content validity. This paper investigates their content validity in terms of both relevance and representativeness and provides a model for the investigation of content validity of measures in health psychology more generally. What does this study add? A new application of an existing method, discriminant content validity, and a new method of assessing instrument representativeness. 'Pure' DC and ERI items are identified, as are constructs that are not fully represented by their assessment instruments. The findings are important for studies attempting to distinguish between the main DC and ERI work stress constructs. The quantitative results can be used to guide item selection for future studies. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Development and Preliminary Validation of the Drinking Expectancy Sexual Vulnerabilities Questionnaire (DESV-Q): A Purpose-Specific Instrument for Rape-Perception Research.

PubMed

Starfelt, Louise Charlotte; Young, Ross McD; White, Katherine M; Palk, Gavan

2016-01-01

Alcohol expectancies likely play a role in people's perceptions of alcohol-involved sexual violence. However, no appropriate measure exists to examine this link comprehensively. The aim of this research was to develop an alcohol expectancy measure which captures young adults' beliefs about alcohol's role in sexual aggression and victimization. Two cross-sectional samples of young Australian adults (18-25 years) were recruited for scale development (Phase 1) and scale validation (Phase 2). In Phase 1, participants (N = 201; 38.3% males) completed an online survey with an initial pool of alcohol expectancy items stated in terms of three targets (self, men, women) to identify the scale's factor structure and most effective items. A revised alcohol expectancy scale was then administered online to 322 young adults (39.6% males) in Phase 2. To assess the predictive, convergent, and discriminant validity of the scale, participants also completed established measures of personality, social desirability, alcohol use, general and context-specific alcohol expectancies, and impulsiveness. Principal axis factoring (Phase 1) and confirmatory factor analysis (Phase 2) resulted in a target-equivalent five-factor structure for the final 66-item Drinking Expectancy Sexual Vulnerabilities Questionnaire (DESV-Q). The factors were labeled (1) Sexual Coercion, (2) Sexual Vulnerability, (3) Confidence, (4) Self-Centeredness, and (5) Negative Cognitive and Behavioral Changes. The measure demonstrated effective items, high internal consistency, and satisfactory predictive, convergent, and discriminant validity. The DESV-Q is a purpose-specific instrument that could be used in future research to elucidate people's attributions for alcohol-involved sexual aggression and victimization.

The Behavioural Assessment of Self-Structuring (BASS): psychometric properties in a post-acute brain injury rehabilitation programme.

PubMed

Jackson, Howard F; Tunstall, Victoria; Hague, Gemma; Daniels, Leanne; Crompton, Stacey; Taplin, Kimberly

2014-01-01

Jackson et al. (this edition) argue that structure is an important component in reducing the handicaps caused by cognitive impairments following acquired brain injury and that post-acute neuropsychological brain injury rehabilitation programmes should not only endeavour to provide structure but also aim to develop self-structuring. However, at present there is no standardized device for assessing self-structuring. To provide preliminary analysis of the psychometric properties of the Behavioural Assessment of Self-Structuring (BASS) staff rating scale (a 26 item informant five point rating scale based on the degree of support client requires to achieve self-structuring item). BASS data was utilised for clients attending residential rehabilitation. Reliability (inter-rarer and intra-rater), validity (construct, concurrent and discriminate) and sensitivity to change were investigated. Initial results indicate that the BASS has reasonably good reliability, good construct validity (via principal components analysis), good discriminant validity, and good concurrent validity correlating well with a number of other outcome measures (HoNOS; NPDS, Supervision Rating Scale, MPAI, FIM and FAM). The BASS did not correlate well with the NPCNA. Finally, the BASS was shown to demonstrate sensitivity to change. Although some caution is required in drawing firm conclusions at the present time and further exploration of the psychometric properties of the BASS is required, initial results are encouraging for the use of the BASS in assessing rehabilitation progress. These findings are discussed in terms of the value of the concept of self-structuring to the rehabilitation process for individuals with neuropsychological impairments consequent on acquired brain injury.

Developmental validation of a Nextera XT mitogenome Illumina MiSeq sequencing method for high-quality samples.

PubMed

Peck, Michelle A; Sturk-Andreaggi, Kimberly; Thomas, Jacqueline T; Oliver, Robert S; Barritt-Ross, Suzanne; Marshall, Charla

2018-05-01

Generating mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) data from reference samples in a rapid and efficient manner is critical to harnessing the greater power of discrimination of the entire mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) marker. The method of long-range target enrichment, Nextera XT library preparation, and Illumina sequencing on the MiSeq is a well-established technique for generating mitogenome data from high-quality samples. To this end, a validation was conducted for this mitogenome method processing up to 24 samples simultaneously along with analysis in the CLC Genomics Workbench and utilizing the AQME (AFDIL-QIAGEN mtDNA Expert) tool to generate forensic profiles. This validation followed the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) for forensic DNA testing laboratories and the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) validation guidelines. The evaluation of control DNA, non-probative samples, blank controls, mixtures, and nonhuman samples demonstrated the validity of this method. Specifically, the sensitivity was established at ≥25 pg of nuclear DNA input for accurate mitogenome profile generation. Unreproducible low-level variants were observed in samples with low amplicon yields. Further, variant quality was shown to be a useful metric for identifying sequencing error and crosstalk. Success of this method was demonstrated with a variety of reference sample substrates and extract types. These studies further demonstrate the advantages of using NGS techniques by highlighting the quantitative nature of heteroplasmy detection. The results presented herein from more than 175 samples processed in ten sequencing runs, show this mitogenome sequencing method and analysis strategy to be valid for the generation of reference data. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Novel Spectroscopically Determined Pharmacodynamic Biomarker for Skin Toxicity in Cancer Patients Treated with Targeted Agents.

PubMed

Azan, Antoine; Caspers, Peter J; Bakker Schut, Tom C; Roy, Séverine; Boutros, Céline; Mateus, Christine; Routier, Emilie; Besse, Benjamin; Planchard, David; Seck, Atmane; Kamsu Kom, Nyam; Tomasic, Gorana; Koljenović, Senada; Noordhoek Hegt, Vincent; Texier, Matthieu; Lanoy, Emilie; Eggermont, Alexander M M; Paci, Angelo; Robert, Caroline; Puppels, Gerwin J; Mir, Lluis M

2017-01-15

Raman spectroscopy is a noninvasive and label-free optical technique that provides detailed information about the molecular composition of a sample. In this study, we evaluated the potential of Raman spectroscopy to predict skin toxicity due to tyrosine kinase inhibitors treatment. We acquired Raman spectra of skin of patients undergoing treatment with MEK, EGFR, or BRAF inhibitors, which are known to induce severe skin toxicity; for this pilot study, three patients were included for each inhibitor. Our algorithm, based on partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and cross-validation by bootstrapping, discriminated to variable degrees spectra from patient suffering and not suffering cutaneous adverse events. For MEK and EGFR inhibitors, discriminative power was more than 90% in the viable epidermis skin layer; whereas for BRAF inhibitors, discriminative power was 71%. There was a 81.5% correlation between blood drug concentration and Raman signature of skin in the case of EGFR inhibitors and viable epidermis skin layer. Our results demonstrate the power of Raman spectroscopy to detect apparition of skin toxicity in patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors at levels not detectable via dermatological inspection and histological evaluation. Cancer Res; 77(2); 557-65. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Mapping Informative Clusters in a Hierarchial Framework of fMRI Multivariate Analysis

PubMed Central

Xu, Rui; Zhen, Zonglei; Liu, Jia

2010-01-01

Pattern recognition methods have become increasingly popular in fMRI data analysis, which are powerful in discriminating between multi-voxel patterns of brain activities associated with different mental states. However, when they are used in functional brain mapping, the location of discriminative voxels varies significantly, raising difficulties in interpreting the locus of the effect. Here we proposed a hierarchical framework of multivariate approach that maps informative clusters rather than voxels to achieve reliable functional brain mapping without compromising the discriminative power. In particular, we first searched for local homogeneous clusters that consisted of voxels with similar response profiles. Then, a multi-voxel classifier was built for each cluster to extract discriminative information from the multi-voxel patterns. Finally, through multivariate ranking, outputs from the classifiers were served as a multi-cluster pattern to identify informative clusters by examining interactions among clusters. Results from both simulated and real fMRI data demonstrated that this hierarchical approach showed better performance in the robustness of functional brain mapping than traditional voxel-based multivariate methods. In addition, the mapped clusters were highly overlapped for two perceptually equivalent object categories, further confirming the validity of our approach. In short, the hierarchical framework of multivariate approach is suitable for both pattern classification and brain mapping in fMRI studies. PMID:21152081

Measuring striving for understanding and learning value of geometry: a validity study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ubuz, Behiye; Aydınyer, Yurdagül

2017-11-01

The current study aimed to construct a questionnaire that measures students' personality traits related to striving for understanding and learning value of geometry and then examine its psychometric properties. Through the use of multiple methods on two independent samples of 402 and 521 middle school students, two studies were performed to address this issue to provide support for its validity. In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis indicated the two-factor model. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis indicated the better fit of two-factor model compared to one or three-factor model. Convergent and discriminant validity evidence provided insight into the distinctiveness of the two factors. Subgroup validity evidence revealed gender differences for striving for understanding geometry trait favouring girls and grade level differences for learning value of geometry trait favouring the sixth- and seventh-grade students. Predictive validity evidence demonstrated that the striving for understanding geometry trait but not learning value of geometry trait was significantly correlated with prior mathematics achievement. In both studies, each factor and the entire questionnaire showed satisfactory reliability. In conclusion, the questionnaire was psychometrically sound.

Validation of Self-Report Impairment Measures for Section III Obsessive-Compulsive and Avoidant Personality Disorders.

PubMed

Liggett, Jacqueline; Carmichael, Kieran L C; Smith, Alexander; Sellbom, Martin

2017-01-01

This study examined the validity of newly developed disorder-specific impairment scales (IS), modeled on the Level of Personality Functioning Scale, for obsessive-compulsive (OCPD) and avoidant (AvPD) personality disorders. The IS focused on content validity (items directly reflected the disorder-specific impairments listed in DSM-5 Section III) and severity of impairment. A community sample of 313 adults completed personality inventories indexing the DSM-5 Sections II and III diagnostic criteria for OCPD and AvPD, as well as measures of impairment in the domains of self- and interpersonal functioning. Results indicated that both impairment measures (for AvPD in particular) showed promise in their ability to measure disorder-specific impairment, demonstrating convergent validity with their respective Section II counterparts and discriminant validity with their noncorresponding Section II disorder and with each other. The pattern of relationships between scores on the IS and scores on external measures of personality functioning, however, did not indicate that it is useful to maintain a distinction between impairment in the self- and interpersonal domains, at least for AvPD and OCPD.

Construct validity of the ovine model in endoscopic sinus surgery training.

PubMed

Awad, Zaid; Taghi, Ali; Sethukumar, Priya; Tolley, Neil S

2015-03-01

To demonstrate construct validity of the ovine model as a tool for training in endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Prospective, cross-sectional evaluation study. Over 18 consecutive months, trainees and experts were evaluated in their ability to perform a range of tasks (based on previous face validation and descriptive studies conducted by the same group) relating to ESS on the sheep-head model. Anonymized randomized video recordings of the above were assessed by two independent and blinded assessors. A validated assessment tool utilizing a five-point Likert scale was employed. Construct validity was calculated by comparing scores across training levels and experts using mean and interquartile range of global and task-specific scores. Subgroup analysis of the intermediate group ascertained previous experience. Nonparametric descriptive statistics were used, and analysis was carried out using SPSS version 21 (IBM, Armonk, NY). Reliability of the assessment tool was confirmed. The model discriminated well between different levels of expertise in global and task-specific scores. A positive correlation was noted between year in training and both global and task-specific scores (P < .001). Experience of the intermediate group was variable, and the number of ESS procedures performed under supervision had the highest impact on performance. This study describes an alternative model for ESS training and assessment. It is also the first to demonstrate construct validity of the sheep-head model for ESS training. © 2014 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

MMPI Indices in the Discrimination of Brain-Damaged and Schizophrenic Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Terrill R.; And Others

1975-01-01

The results of this investigation support Watson's (1971) hypothesis that his Schizophrenia-Organicity scales might be valid discriminators of braindamaged and schizophrenic patients equated for degree of intellectual deficit. (Author)

Further development and validation of the Unhelpful Thoughts and Beliefs About Stuttering (UTBAS) scales: relationship to anxiety and social phobia among adults who stutter.

PubMed

Iverach, Lisa; Menzies, Ross; Jones, Mark; O'Brian, Sue; Packman, Ann; Onslow, Mark

2011-01-01

In an initial validation study, the Unhelpful Thoughts and Beliefs About Stuttering (UTBAS I) scale, demonstrated excellent psychometric properties as a self-report measure of the frequency of unhelpful cognitions associated with social anxiety for adults who stutter. The aim was to further validate the original UTBAS I scale, and to develop two additional scales to assess beliefs (UTBAS II) and anxiety (UTBAS III) associated with negative thoughts. A total of 140 adults seeking speech-restructuring treatment for stuttering completed the original UTBAS I scale, the newly developed UTBAS II and III scales, and self-report measures of psychological functioning. Participants also completed a first-stage screener for the presence of anxious personality disorder, and a diagnostic assessment to evaluate the presence of social phobia, according to criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). The mean UTBAS I score for the present sample did not differ significantly from the mean score reported in the original UTBAS I validation study. Convergent validity was confirmed by significant correlations between the UTBAS Total score and all anxiety-related measures. Discriminant validity was established by the absence of strong correlations between the UTBAS Total score and some of the self-report measures of unrelated constructs, although it was found to tap into the negative cognitions associated with depression and life problems. Approximately one-quarter of participants met criteria for a diagnosis of DSM-IV or ICD-10 social phobia (23.5% and 27.2% respectively), and nearly one-third met first-stage screening criteria for anxious personality disorder (30%). The mean UTBAS scores for participants who met criteria for these disorders were significantly higher than scores for participants who did not, confirming known-groups validity. The present study demonstrates the validity and utility of the UTBAS scales in assessing negative cognitions associated with speech-related anxiety among adults who stutter. Results also confirm previous evidence of a high rate of social phobia among adults who stutter, and reveal that the UTBAS discriminates between adults with and without social phobia. In terms of clinical applications, the UTBAS scales could be used to screen for indicators of social phobia among adults who stutter, and may prove useful in identifying negative cognitions which have the potential to impact treatment outcomes. © 2011 Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists.

Validation of the Chinese version of the Modified Caregivers Strain Index among Hong Kong caregivers: an initiative of medical social workers.

PubMed

Chan, Wallace Chi Ho; Chan, Christopher L F; Suen, Margaret

2013-11-01

Family caregivers may often experience caregiving stress and burden. To systematically assess this issue, medical social workers may need to use a brief and valid measurement in their practice. In the Hong Kong Chinese context, one additional challenge is to examine whether a measurement developed in the West is valid for Hong Kong Chinese caregivers. Thus, medical social workers in Hong Kong initiated this research study to validate the Chinese version of the Modified Caregiver Strain Index (C-M-CSI). A total of 223 Chinese caregivers of patients with various chronic illnesses were recruited for this validation study. C-M-CSI demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = .91), concurrent validity with the Chinese version of the Caregiver Burden Inventory, and discriminant validity with the Chinese version of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. Factor analysis yielded a single factor as the original M-CSI, which explained 49 percent of variance. Construct validity was shown by differentiating spousal and nonspousal caregivers, as well as caregivers of patients with and without behavioral problems. C-M-CSI is recommended as a brief and valid measurement that can be used by medical social workers in assessing the caregiving strain of Chinese caregivers of patients in Hong Kong.

Patient-reported Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales in pediatric patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and comorbid psychiatric disorders: feasibility, reliability, and validity.

PubMed

Limbers, Christine A; Ripperger-Suhler, Jane; Heffer, Robert W; Varni, James W

2011-06-01

The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the feasibility, reliability, and validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scales as a patient self-reported health-related quality of life measurement instrument in pediatric patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and physician-diagnosed comorbid psychiatric disorders being seen in a pediatric psychiatric clinic. The secondary objective was to evaluate parent proxy-reported PedsQL in this population. One hundred seventy-nine children with ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders ages 5 to 18 years and 181 parents completed the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales and parents also completed the Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scales. Known-groups discriminant validity comparisons were made between the sample of pediatric patients with ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders and healthy, cancer, and type 1 diabetes samples. The PedsQL evidenced minimal missing responses for patient self-report and parent proxy-report (0.2% and 0.5%, respectively), demonstrated no significant floor or ceiling effects, and achieved excellent reliability for the Total Scale Score (α = 0.85 patient self-report, 0.92 parent proxy-report). Pediatric patients with ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders and their parents reported statistically significantly worse PedsQL scores than healthy children, with large effect sizes across all domains, supporting known-groups discriminant validity. Pediatric patients with ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders and their parents reported worse PedsQL scores compared to pediatric patients with cancer and diabetes with the exception of physical health, in which pediatric cancer patients manifested lower physical health, indicating the relative severe impact of ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders. More severe ADHD symptoms were generally associated with more impaired PedsQL scores, supporting construct validity. These data demonstrate the feasibility, reliability, and validity of patient self-reported PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales in this high risk population of pediatric patients and highlight the profound negative impact of ADHD and comorbid psychiatric disorders on generic health-related quality of life, comparable to or worse than serious pediatric chronic physical diseases. Copyright © 2011 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30: factorial models to Brazilian cancer patients

PubMed Central

Campos, Juliana Alvares Duarte Bonini; Spexoto, Maria Cláudia Bernardes; da Silva, Wanderson Roberto; Serrano, Sergio Vicente; Marôco, João

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the psychometric properties of the seven theoretical models proposed in the literature for European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), when applied to a sample of Brazilian cancer patients. Methods Content and construct validity (factorial, convergent, discriminant) were estimated. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed. Convergent validity was analyzed using the average variance extracted. Discriminant validity was analyzed using correlational analysis. Internal consistency and composite reliability were used to assess the reliability of instrument. Results A total of 1,020 cancer patients participated. The mean age was 53.3±13.0 years, and 62% were female. All models showed adequate factorial validity for the study sample. Convergent and discriminant validities and the reliability were compromised in all of the models for all of the single items referring to symptoms, as well as for the “physical function” and “cognitive function” factors. Conclusion All theoretical models assessed in this study presented adequate factorial validity when applied to Brazilian cancer patients. The choice of the best model for use in research and/or clinical protocols should be centered on the purpose and underlying theory of each model. PMID:29694609

Typification of cider brandy on the basis of cider used in its manufacture.

PubMed

Rodríguez Madrera, Roberto; Mangas Alonso, Juan J

2005-04-20

A study of typification of cider brandies on the basis of the origin of the raw material used in their manufacture was conducted using chemometric techniques (principal component analysis, linear discriminant analysis, and Bayesian analysis) together with their composition in volatile compounds, as analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization to detect the major volatiles and by mass spectrometric to detect the minor ones. Significant principal components computed by a double cross-validation procedure allowed the structure of the database to be visualized as a function of the raw material, that is, cider made from fresh apple juice versus cider made from apple juice concentrate. Feasible and robust discriminant rules were computed and validated by a cross-validation procedure that allowed the authors to classify fresh and concentrate cider brandies, obtaining classification hits of >92%. The most discriminating variables for typifying cider brandies according to their raw material were 1-butanol and ethyl hexanoate.

Application of the OMERACT filter to measures of core outcome domains in recent clinical studies of acute gout.

PubMed

Taylor, William J; Redden, David; Dalbeth, Nicola; Schumacher, H Ralph; Edwards, N Lawrence; Simon, Lee S; John, Markus R; Essex, Margaret N; Watson, Douglas J; Evans, Robert; Rome, Keith; Singh, Jasvinder A

2014-03-01

To determine the extent to which instruments that measure core outcome domains in acute gout fulfill the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) filter requirements of truth, discrimination, and feasibility. Patient-level data from 4 randomized controlled trials of agents designed to treat acute gout and 1 observational study of acute gout were analyzed. For each available measure, construct validity, test-retest reliability, within-group change using effect size, between-group change using the Kruskall-Wallis statistic, and repeated measures generalized estimating equations were assessed. Floor and ceiling effects were also assessed and minimal clinically important difference was estimated. These analyses were presented to participants at OMERACT 11 to help inform voting for possible endorsement. There was evidence for construct validity and discriminative ability for 3 measures of pain [0 to 4 Likert, 0 to 10 numeric rating scale (NRS), 0 to 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS)]. Likewise, there appears to be sufficient evidence for a 4-point Likert scale to possess construct validity and discriminative ability for physician assessment of joint swelling and joint tenderness. There was some evidence for construct validity and within-group discriminative ability for the Health Assessment Questionnaire as a measure of activity limitations, but not for discrimination between groups allocated to different treatment. There is sufficient evidence to support measures of pain (using Likert, NRS, or VAS), joint tenderness, and swelling (using Likert scale) as fulfilling the requirements of the OMERACT filter. Further research on a measure of activity limitations in acute gout clinical trials is required.

Application of the OMERACT filter to measures of core outcome domains in recent clinical studies of acute gout

PubMed Central

Taylor, William J; Redden, David; Dalbeth, Nicola; Schumacher, H Ralph; Edwards, N Lawrence; Simon, Lee S; John, Markus R; Essex, Margaret N; Watson, Douglas J; Evans, Robert; Rome, Keith; Singh, Jasvinder A

2014-01-01

Objective To determine the extent to which instruments that measure core outcome domains in acute gout fulfil the OMERACT filter requirements of truth, discrimination and feasibility. Methods Patient-level data from four randomised controlled trials of agents designed to treat acute gout and one observational study of acute gout were analysed. For each available measure construct validity, test-retest reliability, within-group change using effect size, between-group change using the Kruskall-Wallis statistic and repeated measures generalised estimating equations were assessed. Floor and ceiling effects were also assessed and MCID was estimated. These analyses were presented to participants at OMERACT 11 to help inform voting for possible endorsement. Results There was evidence for construct validity and discriminative ability for 3 measures of pain (0 to 4 Likert, 0 to 10 numeric rating scale, 0 to 100 mm visual analogue scale). Likewise, there appears to be sufficient evidence for a 4-point Likert scale to possess construct validity and discriminative ability for physician assessment of joint swelling and joint tenderness. There was some evidence for construct validity and within-group discriminative ability for the Health Assessment Questionnaire as a measure of activity limitations, but not for discrimination between groups allocated to different treatment. Conclusions There is sufficient evidence to support measures of pain (using Likert, numeric rating scale or visual analogue scales), joint tenderness and swelling (using Likert scale) as fulfilling the requirements of the OMERACT filter. Further research on a measure of activity limitations in acute gout clinical trials is required. PMID:24429178

Independent external validation of predictive models for urinary dysfunction following external beam radiotherapy of the prostate: Issues in model development and reporting.

PubMed

Yahya, Noorazrul; Ebert, Martin A; Bulsara, Max; Kennedy, Angel; Joseph, David J; Denham, James W

2016-08-01

Most predictive models are not sufficiently validated for prospective use. We performed independent external validation of published predictive models for urinary dysfunctions following radiotherapy of the prostate. Multivariable models developed to predict atomised and generalised urinary symptoms, both acute and late, were considered for validation using a dataset representing 754 participants from the TROG 03.04-RADAR trial. Endpoints and features were harmonised to match the predictive models. The overall performance, calibration and discrimination were assessed. 14 models from four publications were validated. The discrimination of the predictive models in an independent external validation cohort, measured using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, ranged from 0.473 to 0.695, generally lower than in internal validation. 4 models had ROC >0.6. Shrinkage was required for all predictive models' coefficients ranging from -0.309 (prediction probability was inverse to observed proportion) to 0.823. Predictive models which include baseline symptoms as a feature produced the highest discrimination. Two models produced a predicted probability of 0 and 1 for all patients. Predictive models vary in performance and transferability illustrating the need for improvements in model development and reporting. Several models showed reasonable potential but efforts should be increased to improve performance. Baseline symptoms should always be considered as potential features for predictive models. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Which Tasks Best Discriminate between Dyslexic University Students and Controls in a Transparent Language?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Re, Anna Maria; Tressoldi, Patrizio E.; Cornoldi, Cesare; Lucangeli, Daniela

2011-01-01

The need for a battery for testing adult dyslexia, and especially university students, is being increasingly recognized in view of the increased number of adult requests for a dyslexia examination in relation to both assistance and protection from discrimination. The present study examines the discriminative validity of a battery we have…

The Relationship of Selected Supply- and Demand-Side Factors to Forms of Perceived Discrimination among Adults with Multiple Sclerosis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roessler, Richard T.; Neath, Jeanne; McMahon, Brian T.; Rumrill, Phillip D.

2007-01-01

Single-predictor and stepwise multinomial logistic regression analyses and an external validation were completed on 3,082 allegations of employment discrimination by adults with multiple sclerosis. Women filed two thirds of the allegations, and individuals between 31 and 50 made the vast majority of discrimination charges (73%). Allegations…

Switchable in-line monitor for multi-dimensional multiplexed photonic integrated circuit.

PubMed

Chen, Guanyu; Yu, Yu; Ye, Mengyuan; Zhang, Xinliang

2016-06-27

A flexible monitor suitable for the discrimination of on-chip transmitted mode division multiplexed (MDM) and wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signals is proposed and fabricated. By selectively extracting part of the incoming signals through the tunable wavelength and mode dependent drop filter, the in-line and switchable monitor can discriminate the wavelength, mode and power information of the transmitted signals. Being different from a conventional mode and wavelength demultiplexer, the monitor is specifically designed to ensure a flexible in-line monitoring. For demonstration, three mode and three wavelength multiplexed signals are successfully processed. Assisted by the integrated photodetectors (PDs), both the measured photo currents and eye diagrams validate the performance of the proposed device. The bit error ratio (BER) measurement results show less than 0.4 dB power penalty between different modes and ~2 dB power penalty for single wavelength and WDM cases under 10^-9 BER level.

Exploring difference and overlap between schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar disorders using resting-state brain functional networks.

PubMed

Du, Yuhui; Liu, Jingyu; Sui, Jing; He, Hao; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Calhoun, Vince D

2014-01-01

Schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar disorders share some common symptoms. However, the biomarkers underlying those disorders remain unclear. In fact, there is still controversy about the schizoaffective disorder with respect to its validity of independent category and its relationship with schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. In this paper, based on brain functional networks extracted from resting-state fMRI using a recently proposed group information guided ICA (GIG-ICA) method, we explore the biomarkers for discriminating healthy controls, schizophrenia patients, bipolar patients, and patients with two symptom defined subsets of schizoaffective disorder, and then investigate the relationship between different groups. The results demonstrate that the discriminating regions mainly including frontal, parietal, precuneus, cingulate, supplementary motor, cerebellar, insular and supramarginal cortices perform well in distinguishing the different diagnostic groups. The results also suggest that schizoaffective disorder may be an independent disorder, although its subtype characterized by depressive episodes shares more similarity with schizophrenia.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for differentiation between benign and malignant thyroid tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zuanfang; Li, Chao; Lin, Duo; Huang, Zufang; Pan, Jianji; Chen, Guannan; Lin, Juqiang; Liu, Nenrong; Yu, Yun; Feng, Shangyuan; Chen, Rong

2014-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of applying silver nano-particle based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to discriminate different types of human thyroid tissues. SERS measurements were performed on three groups of tissue samples including thyroid cancers (n = 32), nodular goiters (n = 20) and normal thyroid tissues (n = 25). Tentative assignments of the measured tissue SERS spectra suggest interesting cancer specific biomolecular differences. The principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminate analysis (LDA) together with the leave-one-out, cross-validated technique yielded diagnostic sensitivities of 92%, 75% and 87.5%; and specificities of 82.6%, 89.4% and 84.4%, respectively, for differentiation among normal, nodular and malignant thyroid tissue samples. This work demonstrates that tissue SERS spectroscopy associated with multivariate analysis diagnostic algorithms has great potential for detection of thyroid cancer at the molecular level.

On the validity of time-dependent AUC estimators.

PubMed

Schmid, Matthias; Kestler, Hans A; Potapov, Sergej

2015-01-01

Recent developments in molecular biology have led to the massive discovery of new marker candidates for the prediction of patient survival. To evaluate the predictive value of these markers, statistical tools for measuring the performance of survival models are needed. We consider estimators of discrimination measures, which are a popular approach to evaluate survival predictions in biomarker studies. Estimators of discrimination measures are usually based on regularity assumptions such as the proportional hazards assumption. Based on two sets of molecular data and a simulation study, we show that violations of the regularity assumptions may lead to over-optimistic estimates of prediction accuracy and may therefore result in biased conclusions regarding the clinical utility of new biomarkers. In particular, we demonstrate that biased medical decision making is possible even if statistical checks indicate that all regularity assumptions are satisfied. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The development of an instrument to measure teachers' use of fear appeals in the GCSE classroom.

PubMed

Putwain, David W; Roberts, Christine M

2009-12-01

Previous work has suggested that teachers of General Certificate of Secondary Education classes may use fear appeals as a motivational device but these may have unwanted consequences by increasing examination-related anxiety in students. To facilitate future work in this area, an instrument was developed to measure teachers' use of fear appeals in the course of normal classroom instruction. Students in their final 2 years of compulsory schooling in England: 192 in Study 1 and 133 in Study 2. A construct validity approach was used in the development of this instrument. Study 1 reports the development and piloting of this measure. Study 2 reports refinement of this measure and relations with other constructs. A three-factor structure provided a reasonable model fit and all factors demonstrated acceptable reliability. Factors 1 and 2 described the perceived frequency of fear appeals made in relation to educational/occupational consequences and the third factor described the perceived threat of fear appeals. This instrument has demonstrated sufficient convergent and discriminant validity and reliability to be used in subsequent research, although the validation process should continue and it is hoped that the instrument will be adapted for use in other contexts.

Nursing Care Interpersonal Relationship Questionnaire: elaboration and validation 1

PubMed Central

Borges, José Wicto Pereira; Moreira, Thereza Maria Magalhães; de Andrade, Dalton Franscisco

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to elaborate an instrument for the measurement of the interpersonal relationship in nursing care through the Item Response Theory, and the validation thereof. Method: methodological study, which followed the three poles of psychometry: theoretical, empirical and analytical. The Nursing Care Interpersonal Relationship Questionnaire was developed in light of the Imogene King’s Interpersonal Conceptual Model and the psychometric properties were studied through the Item Response Theory in a sample of 950 patients attended in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Health Care. Results: the final instrument consisted of 31 items, with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.90 and McDonald’s Omega of 0.92. The parameters of the Item Response Theory demonstrated high discrimination in 28 items, being developed a five-level interpretive scale. At the first level, the communication process begins, gaining a wealth of interaction. Subsequent levels demonstrate qualitatively the points of effectiveness of the interpersonal relationship with the involvement of behaviors related to the concepts of transaction and interaction, followed by the concept of role. Conclusion: the instrument was created and proved to be consistent to measure interpersonal relationship in nursing care, as it presented adequate reliability and validity parameters. PMID:29319743

The Arabic Version of The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21: Cumulative scaling and discriminant-validation testing.

PubMed

Ali, Amira Mohammed; Ahmed, Anwar; Sharaf, Amira; Kawakami, Norito; Abdeldayem, Samia M; Green, Joseph

2017-12-01

This study aimed to examine the validity of the Arabic version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) in 149 illicit drug users. We calculated α coefficient, inter-item and item-total correlations, coefficients of reproducibility and scalability (CR and CS), item difficulty and discrimination indices. The DASS-21 had an acceptable reliability; but values of the CR and the CS were less than acceptable. Items varied in difficulty and discrimination; some items are candidates for elimination. The DASS-21 is a probabilistic and not a deterministic measure of distress; it has problematic items and needs further investigations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The diagnostic value of specific IgE to Ara h 2 to predict peanut allergy in children is comparable to a validated and updated diagnostic prediction model.

PubMed

Klemans, Rob J B; Otte, Dianne; Knol, Mirjam; Knol, Edward F; Meijer, Yolanda; Gmelig-Meyling, Frits H J; Bruijnzeel-Koomen, Carla A F M; Knulst, André C; Pasmans, Suzanne G M A

2013-01-01

A diagnostic prediction model for peanut allergy in children was recently published, using 6 predictors: sex, age, history, skin prick test, peanut specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE), and total IgE minus peanut sIgE. To validate this model and update it by adding allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and sIgE to peanut components Ara h 1, 2, 3, and 8 as candidate predictors. To develop a new model based only on sIgE to peanut components. Validation was performed by testing discrimination (diagnostic value) with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and calibration (agreement between predicted and observed frequencies of peanut allergy) with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test and a calibration plot. The performance of the (updated) models was similarly analyzed. Validation of the model in 100 patients showed good discrimination (88%) but poor calibration (P < .001). In the updating process, age, history, and additional candidate predictors did not significantly increase discrimination, being 94%, and leaving only 4 predictors of the original model: sex, skin prick test, peanut sIgE, and total IgE minus sIgE. When building a model with sIgE to peanut components, Ara h 2 was the only predictor, with a discriminative ability of 90%. Cutoff values with 100% positive and negative predictive values could be calculated for both the updated model and sIgE to Ara h 2. In this way, the outcome of the food challenge could be predicted with 100% accuracy in 59% (updated model) and 50% (Ara h 2) of the patients. Discrimination of the validated model was good; however, calibration was poor. The discriminative ability of Ara h 2 was almost comparable to that of the updated model, containing 4 predictors. With both models, the need for peanut challenges could be reduced by at least 50%. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and Validation of New Discriminative Dissolution Method for Carvedilol Tablets

PubMed Central

Raju, V.; Murthy, K. V. R.

2011-01-01

The objective of the present study was to develop and validate a discriminative dissolution method for evaluation of carvedilol tablets. Different conditions such as type of dissolution medium, volume of dissolution medium and rotation speed of paddle were evaluated. The best in vitro dissolution profile was obtained using Apparatus II (paddle), 50 rpm, 900 ml of pH 6.8 phosphate buffer as dissolution medium. The drug release was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatographic method. The dissolution method was validated according to current ICH and FDA guidelines using parameters such as the specificity, accuracy, precision and stability were evaluated and obtained results were within the acceptable range. The comparison of the obtained dissolution profiles of three different products were investigated using ANOVA-based, model-dependent and model-independent methods, results showed that there is significant difference between the products. The dissolution test developed and validated was adequate for its higher discriminative capacity in differentiating the release characteristics of the products tested and could be applied for development and quality control of carvedilol tablets. PMID:22923865

Establishment and validation of the scoring system for preoperative prediction of central lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

PubMed

Liu, Wen; Cheng, Ruochuan; Ma, Yunhai; Wang, Dan; Su, Yanjun; Diao, Chang; Zhang, Jianming; Qian, Jun; Liu, Jin

2018-05-03

Early preoperative diagnosis of central lymph node metastasis (CNM) is crucial to improve survival rates among patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Here, we analyzed clinical data from 2862 PTC patients and developed a scoring system using multivariable logistic regression and testified by the validation group. The predictive diagnostic effectiveness of the scoring system was evaluated based on consistency, discrimination ability, and accuracy. The scoring system considered seven variables: gender, age, tumor size, microcalcification, resistance index >0.7, multiple nodular lesions, and extrathyroid extension. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.742, indicating a good discrimination. Using 5 points as a diagnostic threshold, the validation results for validation group had an AUC of 0.758, indicating good discrimination and consistency in the scoring system. The sensitivity of this predictive model for preoperative diagnosis of CNM was 4 times higher than a direct ultrasound diagnosis. These data indicate that the CNM prediction model would improve preoperative diagnostic sensitivity for CNM in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Construct validity, test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the Thai version of the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand questionnaire (DASH-TH) in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.

PubMed

Buntragulpoontawee, Montana; Phutrit, Suphatha; Tongprasert, Siam; Wongpakaran, Tinakon; Khunachiva, Jeeranan

2018-03-27

This study evaluated additional psychometric properties of the Thai version of the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand questionnaire (DASH-TH) which included, test-retest reliability, construct validity, internal consistency of in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. As for determining construct validity, the Thai EuroQOL questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) was also administered in order to examine convergent and divergent validity. Fifty patients completed both questionnaires. The DASH-TH showed excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.811) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.911). The exploratory factor analysis yielded a six-factor solution while the confirmatory factor analysis denoted that the hypothesized model adequately fit the data with a comparative fit index of 0.967 and a Tucker-Lewis index of 0.964. The related subscales between the DASH-TH and the Thai EQ-5D-5L were significantly correlated, indicating the DASH-TH's convergent and discriminant validity. The DASH-TH demonstrated good reliability, internal consistency construct validity, and multidimensionality, in assessing the upper extremity function in carpal tunnel syndrome patients.

Reliability and Validity of the Korean Version of the Cancer Stigma Scale.

PubMed

So, Hyang Sook; Chae, Myeong Jeong; Kim, Hye Young

2017-02-01

In this study the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Cancer Stigma Scale (KCSS) was evaluated. The KCSS was formed through translation and modification of Cataldo Lung Cancer Stigma Scale. The KCSS, Psychological Symptom Inventory (PSI), and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire - Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) were administered to 247 men and women diagnosed with one of the five major cancers. Construct validity, item convergent and discriminant validity, concurrent validity, known-group validity, and internal consistency reliability of the KCSS were evaluated. Exploratory factor analysis supported the construct validity with a six-factor solution; that explained 65.7% of the total variance. The six-factor model was validated by confirmatory factor analysis (Q (χ²/df)= 2.28, GFI=.84, AGFI=.81, NFI=.80, TLI=.86, RMR=.03, and RMSEA=.07). Concurrent validity was demonstrated with the QLQ-C30 (global: r=-.44; functional: r=-.19; symptom: r=.42). The KCSS had known-group validity. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the 24 items was .89. The results of this study suggest that the 24-item KCSS has relatively acceptable reliability and validity and can be used in clinical research to assess cancer stigma and its impacts on health-related quality of life in Korean cancer patients. © 2017 Korean Society of Nursing Science

The Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale: Validity and Reliability of the Persian Version in the Assessment of Patients With Muscle Tension Dysphonia.

PubMed

Torabi, Hadi; Khoddami, Seyyedeh Maryam; Ansari, Noureddin Nakhostin; Dabirmoghaddam, Payman

2016-11-01

To cross-culturally adapt of Persian Vocal Tract Discomfort (VTDp) scale and evaluate its validity and reliability in the assessment of patients with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD). A cross-sectional and prospective cohort design was used to psychometrically test the VTDp. The VTD scale was cross-culturally adapted into Persian language following standard forward-backward translations. The VTDp scale was administrated to 100 patients with MTD (54 men and 46 women; mean age: 38.05 ± 10.02 years) and 50 healthy volunteers (26 men and 24 women; mean age: 36.50 ± 12.27 years). Forty-five patients with MTD completed the VTDp 7 days later for test-retest reliability. Patients also completed the Persian Voice Handicap Index (VHIp) to assess construct validity. The results of discriminative validity demonstrated that the VTDp was able to discriminate between patients with MTD and healthy participants. The internal consistency was confirmed with Cronbach α .77 and 0.73 for VTDp frequency and severity subscales, respectively. The test-retest reliability was excellent with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC agreement ) of 0.93 for the frequency subscale and 0.91 for the severity subscale. Construct validity of the VTDp was shown with significant correlations between the VTDp frequency and severity subscales and the VHIp total scores (0.36 and 0.37, respectively). The standard error of measurement and smallest detectable change values for VTDp frequency (2.11 and 5.85, respectively) and severity (2.25 and 6.23, respectively) were acceptable. The Bland-Altman analysis for assessing the agreement between test and retest measurements showed no systematic bias. The VTDp is a valid and reliable self-administered scale to measure patient's vocal tract sensations in Persian-speaking population. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of the Fibromyalgia Survey Questionnaire within a Cross-Sectional Survey

PubMed Central

Häuser, Winfried; Jung, Eva; Erbslöh-Möller, Brigitte; Gesmann, Mechthild; Kühn-Becker, Hedi; Petermann, Franz; Langhorst, Jost; Weiss, Thomas; Winkelmann, Andreas; Wolfe, Frederick

2012-01-01

The Fibromyalgia Survey Questionnaire (FSQ) assesses the key symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome. The FSQ can be administrated in survey research and settings where the use of interviews to evaluate the number of pain sites and extent of somatic symptom intensity and tender point examination would be difficult. We validated the FSQ in a cross-sectional survey with FMS patients. In a cross-sectional survey, participants with physician diagnosis of FMS were recruited by FMS-self help organisations and nine clinical institutions of different levels of care. Participants answered the FSQ (composed by the Widespread Pain Index [WPI] and the Somatic Severity Score [SSS]) assessing the Fibromyalgia Survey Diagnostic Criteria (FSDC) and the Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ 4. American College of Rheumatology 1990 classification criteria were assessed in a subgroup of participants. 1,651 persons diagnosed with FMS were included into analysis. The acceptance of the FSQ-items ranged between 78.9 to 98.1% completed items. The internal consistency of the items of the SSS ranged between 0.75–0.82. 85.5% of the study participants met the FSDC. The concordance rate of the FSDC and ACR 1990 criteria was 72.7% in a subsample of 128 patients. The Pearson correlation of the SSS with the PHQ 4 depression score was 0.52 (p<0.0001) and with the PHQ anxiety score was 0.51 (p<0.0001) (convergent validity). 64/202 (31.7%) of the participants not meeting the FSDC criteria and 152/1283 (11.8%) of the participants meeting the FSDC criteria reported an improvement (slightly too very much better) in their health status since FMS-diagnosis (Chi2 = 55, p<0.0001) (discriminant validity). The study demonstrated the feasibility of the FSQ in a cross-sectional survey with FMS-patients. The reliability, convergent and discriminant validity of the FSQ were good. Further validation studies of the FSQ in clinical and general population settings are necessary. PMID:22662163

Factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Japanese version of the Hoarding Rating Scale-Self-Report (HRS-SR-J).

PubMed

Tsuchiyagaito, Aki; Horiuchi, Satoshi; Igarashi, Toko; Kawanori, Yoshiya; Hirano, Yoshiyuki; Yabe, Hirooki; Nakagawa, Akiko

2017-01-01

The Hoarding Rating Scale-Self-Report (HRS-SR) is a five-item scale that assesses the symptoms of hoarding. These symptoms include excessive acquisition, difficulty in discarding, and excessive clutter that causes distress. We conducted three studies to examine the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Japanese version of the HRS-SR (HRS-SR-J). Study 1 examined its reliability; 193 college students and 320 adolescents and adults completed the HRS-SR-J and, of the college students, 32 took it again 2 weeks later. Study 2 aimed to confirm that its scores in a sample of 210 adolescents and adults are independent of social desirability. Study 3 aimed to validate the HRS-SR-J in the aspects of convergent and discriminant validity in a sample of 550 adults. The HRS-SR-J showed good internal consistency and 2-week test-retest reliability. Based on the nonsignificant correlations between the HRS-SR-J and social desirability, the HRS-SR-J was not strongly affected by social desirability. In addition, it also had a good convergent validity with the Japanese version of the Saving Inventory-Revised (SI-R-J) and the hoarding subscale of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, while having a significantly weaker correlation with the five subscales of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, except for the hoarding subscale. In addition, the strength of the correlation between the HRS-SR-J and the Japanese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and that between the HRS-SR-J and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 were significantly weaker than the correlation between the HRS-SR-J and the SI-R-J. These results demonstrate that the HRS-SR-J has good convergent and discriminant validity. The HRS-SR-J is a notable self-report scale for examining the severity of hoarding symptoms.

The validation of a computer-adaptive test (CAT) for assessing health-related quality of life in children and adolescents in a clinical sample: study design, methods and first results of the Kids-CAT study.

PubMed

Barthel, D; Otto, C; Nolte, S; Meyrose, A-K; Fischer, F; Devine, J; Walter, O; Mierke, A; Fischer, K I; Thyen, U; Klein, M; Ankermann, T; Rose, M; Ravens-Sieberer, U

2017-05-01

Recently, we developed a computer-adaptive test (CAT) for assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents: the Kids-CAT. It measures five generic HRQoL dimensions. The aims of this article were (1) to present the study design and (2) to investigate its psychometric properties in a clinical setting. The Kids-CAT study is a longitudinal prospective study with eight measurements over one year at two University Medical Centers in Germany. For validating the Kids-CAT, 270 consecutive 7- to 17-year-old patients with asthma (n = 52), diabetes (n = 182) or juvenile arthritis (n = 36) answered well-established HRQoL instruments (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL), KIDSCREEN-27) and scales measuring related constructs (e.g., social support, self-efficacy). Measurement precision, test-retest reliability, convergent and discriminant validity were investigated. The mean standard error of measurement ranged between .38 and .49 for the five dimensions, which equals a reliability between .86 and .76, respectively. The Kids-CAT measured most reliably in the lower HRQoL range. Convergent validity was supported by moderate to high correlations of the Kids-CAT dimensions with corresponding PedsQL dimensions ranging between .52 and .72. A lower correlation was found between the social dimensions of both instruments. Discriminant validity was confirmed by lower correlations with non-corresponding subscales of the PedsQL. The Kids-CAT measures pediatric HRQoL reliably, particularly in lower areas of HRQoL. Its test-retest reliability should be re-investigated in future studies. The validity of the instrument was demonstrated. Overall, results suggest that the Kids-CAT is a promising candidate for detecting psychosocial needs in chronically ill children.

The Validity of a New Structured Assessment of Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scale (SAGIS) for Evaluating Symptoms in the Clinical Setting.

PubMed

Koloski, N A; Jones, M; Hammer, J; von Wulffen, M; Shah, A; Hoelz, H; Kutyla, M; Burger, D; Martin, N; Gurusamy, S R; Talley, N J; Holtmann, G

2017-08-01

The clinical assessments of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms can be time-consuming, and the symptoms captured during the consultation may be influenced by a variety of patient and non-patient factors. To facilitate standardized symptom assessment in the routine clinical setting, we developed the Structured Assessment of Gastrointestinal Symptom (SAGIS) instrument to precisely characterize symptoms in a routine clinical setting. We aimed to validate SAGIS including its reliability, construct and discriminant validity, and utility in the clinical setting. Development of the SAGIS consisted of initial interviews with patients referred for the diagnostic work-up of digestive symptoms and relevant complaints identified. The final instrument consisted of 22 items as well as questions on extra intestinal symptoms and was given to 1120 consecutive patients attending a gastroenterology clinic randomly split into derivation (n = 596) and validation datasets (n = 551). Discriminant validity along with test-retest reliability was assessed. The time taken to perform a clinical assessment with and without the SAGIS was recorded along with doctor satisfaction with this tool. Exploratory factor analysis conducted on the derivation sample suggested five symptom constructs labeled as abdominal pain/discomfort (seven items), gastroesophageal reflux disease/regurgitation symptoms (four items), nausea/vomiting (three items), diarrhea/incontinence (five items), and difficult defecation and constipation (2 items). Confirmatory factor analysis conducted on the validation sample supported the initially developed five-factor measurement model ([Formula: see text], p < 0.0001, χ 2 /df = 4.6, CFI = 0.90, TLI = 0.88, RMSEA = 0.08). All symptom groups demonstrated differentiation between disease groups. The SAGIS was shown to be reliable over time and resulted in a 38% reduction of the time required for clinical assessment. The SAGIS instrument has excellent psychometric properties and supports the clinical assessment of and symptom-based categorization of patients with a wide spectrum of gastrointestinal symptoms.

External validation of the Probability of repeated admission (Pra) risk prediction tool in older community-dwelling people attending general practice: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Wallace, Emma; McDowell, Ronald; Bennett, Kathleen; Fahey, Tom; Smith, Susan M

2016-11-14

Emergency admission is associated with the potential for adverse events in older people and risk prediction models are available to identify those at highest risk of admission. The aim of this study was to externally validate and compare the performance of the Probability of repeated admission (Pra) risk model and a modified version (incorporating a multimorbidity measure) in predicting emergency admission in older community-dwelling people. 15 general practices (GPs) in the Republic of Ireland. n=862, ≥70 years, community-dwelling people prospectively followed up for 2 years (2010-2012). Pra risk model (original and modified) calculated for baseline year where ≥0.5 denoted high risk (patient questionnaire, GP medical record review) of future emergency admission. Emergency admission over 1 year (GP medical record review). descriptive statistics, model discrimination (c-statistic) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic). Of 862 patients, a total of 154 (18%) had ≥1 emergency admission(s) in the follow-up year. 63 patients (7%) were classified as high risk by the original Pra and of these 26 (41%) were admitted. The modified Pra classified 391 (45%) patients as high risk and 103 (26%) were subsequently admitted. Both models demonstrated only poor discrimination (original Pra: c-statistic 0.65 (95% CI 0.61 to 0.70); modified Pra: c-statistic 0.67 (95% CI 0.62 to 0.72)). When categorised according to risk-category model, specificity was highest for the original Pra at cut-point of ≥0.5 denoting high risk (95%), and for the modified Pra at cut-point of ≥0.7 (95%). Both models overestimated the number of admissions across all risk strata. While the original Pra model demonstrated poor discrimination, model specificity was high and a small number of patients identified as high risk. Future validation studies should examine higher cut-points denoting high risk for the modified Pra, which has practical advantages in terms of application in GP. The original Pra tool may have a role in identifying higher-risk community-dwelling older people for inclusion in future trials aiming to reduce emergency admissions. 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/.

Development and validation of a measure of display rule knowledge: the display rule assessment inventory.

PubMed

Matsumoto, David; Yoo, Seung Hee; Hirayama, Satoko; Petrova, Galina

2005-03-01

As one component of emotion regulation, display rules, which reflect the regulation of expressive behavior, have been the topic of many studies. Despite their theoretical and empirical importance, however, to date there is no measure of display rules that assesses a full range of behavioral responses that are theoretically possible when emotion is elicited. This article reports the development of a new measure of display rules that surveys 5 expressive modes: expression, deamplification, amplification, qualification, and masking. Two studies provide evidence for its internal and temporal reliability and for its content, convergent, discriminant, external, and concurrent predictive validity. Additionally, Study 1, involving American, Russian, and Japanese participants, demonstrated predictable cultural differences on each of the expressive modes. Copyright 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

Further Validation of the Coach Identity Prominence Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pope, J. Paige; Hall, Craig R.

2014-01-01

This study was designed to examine select psychometric properties of the Coach Identity Prominence Scale (CIPS), including the reliability, factorial validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and predictive validity. Coaches (N = 338) who averaged 37 (SD = 12.27) years of age, had a mean of 13 (SD = 9.90) years of coaching experience,…

The Category Cued Recall test in very mild Alzheimer's disease: discriminative validity and correlation with semantic memory functions.

PubMed

Vogel, A; Mortensen, E L; Gade, A; Waldemar, G

2007-01-01

Episodic memory tests that measure cued recall may be particularly effective in the diagnosis of early Alzheimer's disease (AD) because they examine both episodic and semantic memory functions. The Category Cued Recall (CCR) test provides superordinate semantic cues at encoding and retrieval, and high discriminative validity has been claimed for this test. The aim of this study was to investigate the discriminative validity for this test when compared with the 10-word memory list from Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog) that measures free recall. The clinical diagnosis of AD was taken as the standard. It was also investigated whether the two episodic memory tests correlated with measures of semantic memory. The tests were administered to 35 patients with very mild AD (Mini Mental State Examination score >22) and 28 control subjects. Both tests had high sensitivity (>88%) with high specificity (>89%). One out of the five semantic memory tests was significantly correlated to performances on CCR, whereas delayed recall on the ADAS-cog memory test was significantly correlated to two semantic tests. In conclusion, the discriminative validity of the CCR test and the ADAS-cog memory test was equivalent in very mild AD. This may be because CCR did not tap more semantic processes, which are impaired in the earliest phases of AD, than a test of free recall.

Discrimination of whisky brands and counterfeit identification by UV-Vis spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis.

PubMed

Martins, Angélica Rocha; Talhavini, Márcio; Vieira, Maurício Leite; Zacca, Jorge Jardim; Braga, Jez Willian Batista

2017-08-15

The discrimination of whisky brands and counterfeit identification were performed by UV-Vis spectroscopy combined with partial least squares for discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). In the proposed method all spectra were obtained with no sample preparation. The discrimination models were built with the employment of seven whisky brands: Red Label, Black Label, White Horse, Chivas Regal (12years), Ballantine's Finest, Old Parr and Natu Nobilis. The method was validated with an independent test set of authentic samples belonging to the seven selected brands and another eleven brands not included in the training samples. Furthermore, seventy-three counterfeit samples were also used to validate the method. Results showed correct classification rates for genuine and false samples over 98.6% and 93.1%, respectively, indicating that the method can be helpful for the forensic analysis of whisky samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differences in Clinical Features of Methamphetamine Users with Persistent Psychosis and Patients with Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Wang, Liang-Jen; Lin, Shih-Ku; Chen, Yi-Chih; Huang, Ming-Chyi; Chen, Tzu-Ting; Ree, Shao-Chun; Chen, Chih-Ken

Methamphetamine exerts neurotoxic effects and elicits psychotic symptoms. This study attempted to compare clinical differences between methamphetamine users with persistent psychosis (MAP) and patients with schizophrenia. In addition, we examined the discrimination validity by using symptom clusters to differentiate between MAP and schizophrenia. We enrolled 53 MAP patients and 53 patients with schizophrenia. The psychopathology of participants was assessed using the Chinese version of the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies and the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Logistic regression was used to examine the predicted probability scores of different symptom combinations on discriminating between MAP and schizophrenia. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses and area under the curve (AUC) were further applied to examine the discrimination validity of the predicted probability scores on differentiating between MAP and schizophrenia. We found that MAP and schizophrenia demonstrated similar patterns of delusions. Compared to patients with schizophrenia, MAP experienced significantly higher proportions of visual hallucinations and of somatic or tactile hallucinations. However, MAP exhibited significantly lower severity in conceptual disorganization, mannerism/posturing, blunted affect, emotional withdrawal, and motor retardation compared to patients with schizophrenia. The ROC analysis showed that a predicted probability score combining the aforementioned 7 items of symptoms could significantly differentiate between MAP and schizophrenia (AUC = 0.77). Findings in the current study suggest that nuanced differences might exist in the clinical presentation of secondary psychosis (MAP) and primary psychosis (schizophrenia). Combining the symptoms as a whole may help with differential diagnosis for MAP and schizophrenia. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Predicting Subtype Selectivity for Adenosine Receptor Ligands with Three-Dimensional Biologically Relevant Spectrum (BRS-3D)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Song-Bing; Ben Hu; Kuang, Zheng-Kun; Wang, Dong; Kong, De-Xin

2016-11-01

Adenosine receptors (ARs) are potential therapeutic targets for Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, pain, stroke and cancers. Prediction of subtype selectivity is therefore important from both therapeutic and mechanistic perspectives. In this paper, we introduced a shape similarity profile as molecular descriptor, namely three-dimensional biologically relevant spectrum (BRS-3D), for AR selectivity prediction. Pairwise regression and discrimination models were built with the support vector machine methods. The average determination coefficient (r2) of the regression models was 0.664 (for test sets). The 2B-3 (A2B vs A3) model performed best with q2 = 0.769 for training sets (10-fold cross-validation), and r2 = 0.766, RMSE = 0.828 for test sets. The models’ robustness and stability were validated with 100 times resampling and 500 times Y-randomization. We compared the performance of BRS-3D with 3D descriptors calculated by MOE. BRS-3D performed as good as, or better than, MOE 3D descriptors. The performances of the discrimination models were also encouraging, with average accuracy (ACC) 0.912 and MCC 0.792 (test set). The 2A-3 (A2A vs A3) selectivity discrimination model (ACC = 0.882 and MCC = 0.715 for test set) outperformed an earlier reported one (ACC = 0.784). These results demonstrated that, through multiple conformation encoding, BRS-3D can be used as an effective molecular descriptor for AR subtype selectivity prediction.

A test of the validity of the motivational interviewing treatment integrity code.

PubMed

Forsberg, Lars; Berman, Anne H; Kallmén, Håkan; Hermansson, Ulric; Helgason, Asgeir R

2008-01-01

To evaluate the Swedish version of the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Code (MITI), MITI coding was applied to tape-recorded counseling sessions. Construct validity was assessed using factor analysis on 120 MITI-coded sessions. Discriminant validity was assessed by comparing MITI coding of motivational interviewing (MI) sessions with information- and advice-giving sessions as well as by comparing MI-trained practitioners with untrained practitioners. A principal-axis factoring analysis yielded some evidence for MITI construct validity. MITI differentiated between practitioners with different levels of MI training as well as between MI practitioners and advice-giving counselors, thus supporting discriminant validity. MITI may be used as a training tool together with supervision to confirm and enhance MI practice in clinical settings. MITI can also serve as a tool for evaluating MI integrity in clinical research.

Reliability and validity of the McDonald Play Inventory.

PubMed

McDonald, Ann E; Vigen, Cheryl

2012-01-01

This study examined the ability of a two-part self-report instrument, the McDonald Play Inventory, to reliably and validly measure the play activities and play styles of 7- to 11-yr-old children and to discriminate between the play of neurotypical children and children with known learning and developmental disabilities. A total of 124 children ages 7-11 recruited from a sample of convenience and a subsample of 17 parents participated in this study. Reliability estimates yielded moderate correlations for internal consistency, total test intercorrelations, and test-retest reliability. Validity estimates were established for content and construct validity. The results suggest that a self-report instrument yields reliable and valid measures of a child's perceived play performance and discriminates between the play of children with and without disabilities. Copyright © 2012 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Development and Validation of the Pride in Eating Pathology Scale (PEP-S).

PubMed

Faija, Cintia L; Fox, John R E; Tierney, Stephanie; Peters, Sarah; Gooding, Patricia A

2017-01-01

There is a growing body of theoretical and clinical literature highlighting the role of pride in maintaining eating disordered behaviours. Despite its clinical importance, there are no measures to assess feelings of pride associated with eating psychopathology. This study describes the development and validation of the Pride in Eating Pathology Scale (PEP-S), a self-report questionnaire that examines feelings of pride towards eating disordered symptoms (e.g., pride in food restriction, thinness and weight loss). Participants were 390 females, recruited from university and community populations, whose mean age was 26.99 years. Respondents rated pride in eating pathology on a 7-point Likert-scale. Principal Component Analysis indicated that the 60-item scale comprised a four component structure: (1) pride in weight loss, food control and thinness, (2) pride in healthy weight and healthy eating, (3) pride in outperforming others and social recognition and (4) pride in capturing other people's attention due to extreme thinness. These four components explained a total of 65.31% of the variance. The PEP-S demonstrated very good internal reliability (α ranging from 0.88 to 0.98) and very good test-retest reliability over a 3-week time-span (r ranging from 0.81 to 0.93). The PEP-S also showed excellent convergent and discriminant validity. Furthermore, the scale discriminated between women with high and low levels of eating psychopathology. The PEP-S is a psychometrically robust measure of pride in eating pathology. It has the potential to advance theoretical understanding and may also be clinically useful. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The PEP-S is a valid, reliable, quick and easy to administer self-report questionnaire that measures pride related to eating pathology. The PEP-S assesses four clinically relevant dimensions: (1) pride in weight loss, food control and thinness, (2) pride in healthy weight and healthy eating, (3) pride in outperforming others and social recognition and (4) pride in capturing other people's attention due to extreme thinness. The PEP-S has very good internal and test-retest reliability, and very good convergent and discriminant validity. The PEP-S distinguishes between women with higher and lower levels of eating psychopathology. The PEP-S makes an important contribution to understanding pride in eating psychopathology, which is essential from both clinical and theoretical perspectives. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessing multiple dimensions of urgency sensation: The University of South Australia Urinary Sensation Assessment (USA2 ).

PubMed

Das, Rebekah; Buckley, Jonathan; Williams, Marie

2017-03-01

To develop and assess structure, test-retest reliability, and discriminative validity of a self-report questionnaire (University of South Australia Urinary Sensation Assessment: USA 2 ) to assess multiple dimensions of urgency sensation. The USA 2 was designed and tested over two prospective, observational studies (2013-2014). Participants were English speaking Australians aged 50 or more with and without overactive bladder (OAB; determined by OAB awareness tool), recruited via health and recreation centers. In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis determined USA 2 structure and subscales. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis reassessed structure; Mann-Whitney U-tests determined discriminative validity (OAB vs. non-OAB for subscale and total scores) with Cohen's d effect sizes. Thirty-three individuals completed the USA 2 twice; intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Wilcoxon signed rank tests assessed test-retest reliability. Questionnaires were returned by 189 eligible participants in Study 1 and 211 in Study 2. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three subscales: "urgency," "affective," "fullness." Confirmatory factor analysis supported these subscales. Subscale and total scores were significantly different between groups with and without OAB (P < 0.001). Cohen's d effect sizes (95%CI) were total score 1.8 (0.5-3.1), "urgency" subscale 1.8 (1.3-2.3), "affective" 1.7 (0.95-2.4), and "fullness" 0.75 (0.42-1.09). Total and subscales scores demonstrated test-retest reliability; ICCs (95%CIs) of 0.95 (0.9-0.98), 0.96 (0.92-0.98), 0.94 (0.88-0.97), and 0.78 (0.56-0.89). The USA 2 assesses multiple dimensions of urgency sensation, is reliable over a 2-week period, and discriminates between older adults with and without OAB. Further validation is required in conditions other than overactive bladder. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:667-672, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Discrimination of Aspergillus isolates at the species and strain level by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry fingerprinting.

PubMed

Hettick, Justin M; Green, Brett J; Buskirk, Amanda D; Kashon, Michael L; Slaven, James E; Janotka, Erika; Blachere, Francoise M; Schmechel, Detlef; Beezhold, Donald H

2008-09-15

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was used to generate highly reproducible mass spectral fingerprints for 12 species of fungi of the genus Aspergillus and 5 different strains of Aspergillus flavus. Prior to MALDI-TOF MS analysis, the fungi were subjected to three 1-min bead beating cycles in an acetonitrile/trifluoroacetic acid solvent. The mass spectra contain abundant peaks in the range of 5 to 20kDa and may be used to discriminate between species unambiguously. A discriminant analysis using all peaks from the MALDI-TOF MS data yielded error rates for classification of 0 and 18.75% for resubstitution and cross-validation methods, respectively. If a subset of 28 significant peaks is chosen, resubstitution and cross-validation error rates are 0%. Discriminant analysis of the MALDI-TOF MS data for 5 strains of A. flavus using all peaks yielded error rates for classification of 0 and 5% for resubstitution and cross-validation methods, respectively. These data indicate that MALDI-TOF MS data may be used for unambiguous identification of members of the genus Aspergillus at both the species and strain levels.

Development and validation of a novel patient-reported treatment satisfaction measure for hyperfunctional facial lines: facial line satisfaction questionnaire.

PubMed

Pompilus, Farrah; Burgess, Somali; Hudgens, Stacie; Banderas, Benjamin; Daniels, Selena

2015-12-01

Facial lines or wrinkles are among the most visible signs of aging, and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures are becoming increasingly popular. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Facial Line Satisfaction Questionnaire (FLSQ) for use in adults with upper facial lines (UFL). A literature review, concept elicitation interviews (n = 33), and cognitive debriefing interviews (n = 23) of adults with UFL were conducted to develop the FLSQ. The FLSQ comprises Baseline and Follow-up versions and was field-tested with 150 subjects in a US observational study designed to assess its psychometric performance. Analyses included acceptability (item and scale distribution [i.e. missingness, floor, and ceiling effects]), reliability, and validity (including concurrent validity). In total, 69 concepts were elicited during patient interviews. Following cognitive debriefing interviews, the FLSQ-Baseline version included 11 items and the Follow-up version included 13 items. Response rates for the FLSQ were 100% and 73% at baseline and follow-up, respectively; no items had excessive missing data. Questionnaire scale scores were normally distributed. Most domain scores demonstrated good internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's α ≥ 0.70). Most items within their respective domains exhibited good convergent (item-scale correlations > 0.40) and discriminant (items had higher correlation with their hypothesized scales than other scales) validity. Concurrent validity correlation coefficients of the FLSQ domain scores with the associated concurrent measures were acceptable (range: r = 0.40-0.70). Six FLSQ items demonstrated reliability and validity as stand-alone items outside their domains. The FLSQ is a valid questionnaire for assessing treatment expectations, satisfaction, impact, and preference in adults with UFL. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development and validation of a music performance anxiety inventory for gifted adolescent musicians.

PubMed

Osborne, Margaret S; Kenny, Dianna T

2005-01-01

Music performance anxiety (MPA) is a distressing experience for musicians of all ages, yet the empirical investigation of MPA in adolescents has received little attention to date. No measures specifically targeting MPA in adolescents have been empirically validated. This article presents findings of an initial study into the psychometric properties and validation of the Music Performance Anxiety Inventory for Adolescents (MPAI-A), a new self-report measure of MPA for this group. Data from 381 elite young musicians aged 12-19 years was used to investigate the factor structure, internal reliability, construct and divergent validity of the MPAI-A. Cronbach's alpha for the full measure was .91. Factor analysis identified three factors, which together accounted for 53% of the variance. Construct validity was demonstrated by significant positive relationships with social phobia (measured using the Social Phobia Anxiety Inventory [Beidel, D. C., Turner, S. M., & Morris, T. L. (1995). A new inventory to assess childhood social anxiety and phobia: The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children. Psychological Assessment, 7(1), 73-79; Beidel, D. C., Turner, S. M., & Morris, T. L. (1998). Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children (SPAI-C). North Tonawanda, NY: Multi-Health Systems Inc.]) and trait anxiety (measured using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory [Spielberger, C. D. (1983). State-Trait Anxiety Inventory STAI (Form Y). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc.]). The MPAI-A demonstrated convergent validity by a moderate to strong positive correlation with an adult measure of MPA. Discriminant validity was established by a weaker positive relationship with depression, and no relationship with externalizing behavior problems. It is hoped that the MPAI-A, as the first empirically validated measure of adolescent musicians' performance anxiety, will enhance and promote phenomenological and treatment research in this area.

Technical considerations in the evaluation of pediatric motor scales.

PubMed

Berk, R A; DeGangi, G A

1979-04-01

Guidelines are suggested for evaluating the validity and reliability of fine and gross motor scales. In the process of examining three types of validity (domain, construct, discriminant) and two types of reliability (interobserver, decision-making), it was found that there were marked deficiencies in most of the instruments currently available, particularly in the areas of discriminant validity and decision-making reliability. Each psychometric property of the scales was addressed from both scale-developer and user perspectives. An evaluative checklist is generated to assist occupational therapists who need to decide on the quality and appropriateness of a motor behavior scale for specific decision applications.

VALIDATION OF A CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF SPECTRAL RIPPLE RESOLUTION FOR COCHLEAR-IMPLANT USERS

PubMed Central

Drennan, Ward. R.; Anderson, Elizabeth S.; Won, Jong Ho; Rubinstein, Jay T.

2013-01-01

Objectives Non-speech psychophysical tests of spectral resolution, such as the spectral-ripple discrimination task, have been shown to correlate with speech recognition performance in cochlear implant (CI) users (Henry et al., 2005; Won et al. 2007, 2011; Drennan et al. 2008; Anderson et al. 2011). However, these tests are best suited for use in the research laboratory setting and are impractical for clinical use. A test of spectral resolution that is quicker and could more easily be implemented in the clinical setting has been developed. The objectives of this study were 1) To determine if this new clinical ripple test would yield individual results equivalent to the longer, adaptive version of the ripple discrimination test; 2) To evaluate test-retest reliability for the clinical ripple measure; and 3) To examine the relationship between clinical ripple performance and monosyllabic word recognition in quiet for a group of CI listeners. Design Twenty-eight CI recipients participated in the study. Each subject was tested on both the adaptive and the clinical versions of spectral ripple discrimination, as well as CNC word recognition in quiet. The adaptive version of spectral ripple employed a 2-up, 1-down procedure for determining spectral ripple discrimination threshold. The clinical ripple test used a method of constant stimuli, with trials for each of 12 fixed ripple densities occurring six times in random order. Results from the clinical ripple test (proportion correct) were then compared to ripple discrimination thresholds (in ripples per octave) from the adaptive test. Results The clinical ripple test showed strong concurrent validity, evidenced by a good correlation between clinical ripple and adaptive ripple results (r=0.79), as well as a correlation with word recognition (r = 0.7). Excellent test-retest reliability was also demonstrated with a high test-retest correlation (r = 0.9). Conclusions The clinical ripple test is a reliable non-linguistic measure of spectral resolution, optimized for use with cochlear implant users in a clinical setting. The test might be useful as a diagnostic tool or as a possible surrogate outcome measure for evaluating treatment effects in hearing. PMID:24552679

Novel Automated Morphometric and Kinematic Handwriting Assessment: A Validity Study in Children with ASD and ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dirlikov, Benjamin; Younes, Laurent; Nebel, Mary Beth; Martinelli, Mary Katherine; Tiedemann, Alyssa Nicole; Koch, Carolyn A.; Fiorilli, Diana; Bastian, Amy J.; Denckla, Martha Bridge; Miller, Michael I.; Mostofsky, Stewart H.

2017-01-01

This study presents construct validity for a novel automated morphometric and kinematic handwriting assessment, including (1) convergent validity, establishing reliability of automated measures with traditional manual-derived Minnesota Handwriting Assessment (MHA), and (2) discriminant validity, establishing that the automated methods distinguish…

Validation of the Child Sport Cohesion Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Luc J.; Carron, Albert V.; Eys, Mark A.; Loughead, Todd

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to test the validity evidence of the Child Sport Cohesion Questionnaire (CSCQ). To accomplish this task, convergent, discriminant, and known-group difference validity were examined, along with factorial validity via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Child athletes (N = 290, M[subscript age] = 10.73 plus or…

Measuring the psychosocial consequences of hearing loss in a working adult population: focus on validity and reliability of the Italian translation of the Hearing Handicap Inventory

PubMed Central

Monzani, D; Genovese, E; Palma, S; Rovatti, V; Borgonzoni, M; Martini, A

2007-01-01

Summary Despite increasing demand for questionnaires for assessing hearing handicap and the effectiveness of some tools across different languages, empirical studies to evaluate the reliability and the validity of translations of original English questionnaires into an Italian version have not been reported in the literature, thus making comparisons of Italian experimental and clinical data across cultures and countries impossible. This study tested the global assumption that the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults (HHIA), that is one of the most widely used instruments in English-speaking countries, can be adapted to the Italian language maintaining the reliability and clinical validity of the original version. The English version of this 25-item, self-assessment questionnaire was developed by Newman et al. in 1990 and special emphasis was placed on emotional reaction and social limitations perceived by hearing-impaired subjects and scored separately. This tool was translated into the Italian language by a forward and backward technique, as established by the IQOLA (International Quality of Life Assessment) project. Overall, 94 subjects, aged 18-65 years, with acquired hearing impairment and 104 individuals with no hearing problems, well-matched for socio-demographic variables, were enrolled in the study in a case-control design. Reliability of the Italian version of HHIA was tested by measuring internal consistency and test-retest reproducibility. Validity was assessed by using construct, convergent and discriminant methods. A Cronbach’s alpha coefficient near 0.90 confirmed a more than acceptable internal consistency and a highly statistically significant Spearman’s correlation coefficient (< 0.005) between scores of the two administrations at an interval of one month documented an excellent stability of the questionnaire over time. Construct validity was demonstrated by a correlation between the severity of hearing loss and the score of questionnaire (< 0.005) and convergent validity was supported by a significant correlation between the scores of the emotional and socio/situational subscales of the HHIA to the analogous subscales of a health-related quality of life questionnaire (MOS 36-Item Short Form Health Survey) (< 0.005). Finally, since hearing-impaired subjects scored significantly higher than controls on HHIA (< 0.005), it clearly emerged that also the Italian version of HHIA differentiates the two populations (those with and those without hearing problems) demonstrating a robust discriminant validity. Given the lack of appropriate measures to assess hearing handicap in Italy, the results achieved in this study, confirm that the HHIA, Italian version, is suitable for both experimental and clinical use. PMID:17957849

Psychometric properties and reliability of the Assessment Screen to Identify Survivors Toolkit for Gender Based Violence (ASIST-GBV): results from humanitarian settings in Ethiopia and Colombia.

PubMed

Vu, Alexander; Wirtz, Andrea; Pham, Kiemanh; Singh, Sonal; Rubenstein, Leonard; Glass, Nancy; Perrin, Nancy

2016-01-01

Refugees and internally displaced persons who are affected by armed-conflict are at increased vulnerability to some forms of sexual violence or other types of gender-based violence. A validated, brief and easy-to-administer screening tool will help service providers identify GBV survivors and refer them to appropriate GBV services. To date, no such GBV screening tool exists. We developed the 7-item ASIST-GBV screening tool from qualitative research that included individual interviews and focus groups with GBV refugee and IDP survivors. This study presents the psychometric properties of the ASIST-GBV with female refugees living in Ethiopia and IDPs in Colombia. Several strategies were used to validate ASIST-GBV, including a 3 month implementation to validate the brief screening tool with women/girls seeking health services, aged ≥15 years in Ethiopia (N = 487) and female IDPs aged ≥ 18 years in Colombia (N = 511). High proportions of women screened positive for past-year GBV according to the ASIST-GBV: 50.6 % in Ethiopia and 63.4 % in Colombia. The factor analysis identified a single dimension, meaning that all items loaded on the single factor. Cronbach's α = 0.77. A 2-parameter logistic IRT model was used for estimating the precision and discriminating power of each item. Item difficulty varied across the continuum of GBV experiences in the following order (lowest to highest): threats of violence (0.690), physical violence (1.28), forced sex (2.49), coercive sex for survival (2.25), forced marriage (3.51), and forced pregnancy (6.33). Discrimination results showed that forced pregnancy was the item with the strongest ability to discriminate between different levels of GBV. Physical violence and forced sex also have higher levels of discrimination with threats of violence discriminating among women at the low end of the GBV continuum and coercive sex for survival among women at the mid-range of the continuum. The findings demonstrate that the ASIST-GBV has strong psychometric properties and good reliability. The tool can be used to screen and identify female GBV survivors confidentially and efficiently among IDPs in Colombia and refugees in Ethiopia. Early identification of GBV survivors can enable safety planning, early referral for treatment, and psychosocial support to prevent long-term harmful consequence of GBV.

Psychometrics of the Home Safety Self-Assessment Tool (HSSAT) to prevent falls in community-dwelling older adults.

PubMed

Tomita, Machiko R; Saharan, Sumandeep; Rajendran, Sheela; Nochajski, Susan M; Schweitzer, Jo A

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE. To identify psychometric properties of the Home Safety Self-Assessment Tool (HSSAT) to prevent falls in community-dwelling older adults. METHOD. We tested content validity, test-retest reliability, interrater reliability, construct validity, convergent and discriminant validity, and responsiveness to change. RESULTS. The content validity index was .98, the intraclass correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability was .97, and the interrater reliability was .89. The difference on identified risk factors between the use and nonuse of the HSSAT was significant (p = .005). Convergent validity with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Home Safety Checklist was high (r = .65), and discriminant validity with fear of falling was very low (r = .10). The responsiveness to change was moderate (standardized response mean = 0.57). CONCLUSION. The HSSAT is a reliable and valid instrument to identify fall risks in a home environment, and the HSSAT booklet is effective as educational material leading to improvement in home safety. Copyright © 2014 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Validation of hierarchical cluster analysis for identification of bacterial species using 42 bacterial isolates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghebremedhin, Meron; Yesupriya, Shubha; Luka, Janos; Crane, Nicole J.

2015-03-01

Recent studies have demonstrated the potential advantages of the use of Raman spectroscopy in the biomedical field due to its rapidity and noninvasive nature. In this study, Raman spectroscopy is applied as a method for differentiating between bacteria isolates for Gram status and Genus species. We created models for identifying 28 bacterial isolates using spectra collected with a 785 nm laser excitation Raman spectroscopic system. In order to investigate the groupings of these samples, partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was implemented. In addition, cluster analyses of the isolates were performed using various data types consisting of, biochemical tests, gene sequence alignment, high resolution melt (HRM) analysis and antimicrobial susceptibility tests of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and degree of antimicrobial resistance (SIR). In order to evaluate the ability of these models to correctly classify bacterial isolates using solely Raman spectroscopic data, a set of 14 validation samples were tested using the PLSDA models and consequently the HCA models. External cluster evaluation criteria of purity and Rand index were calculated at different taxonomic levels to compare the performance of clustering using Raman spectra as well as the other datasets. Results showed that Raman spectra performed comparably, and in some cases better than, the other data types with Rand index and purity values up to 0.933 and 0.947, respectively. This study clearly demonstrates that the discrimination of bacterial species using Raman spectroscopic data and hierarchical cluster analysis is possible and has the potential to be a powerful point-of-care tool in clinical settings.

Update of the German Diabetes Risk Score and external validation in the German MONICA/KORA study.

PubMed

Mühlenbruch, Kristin; Ludwig, Tonia; Jeppesen, Charlotte; Joost, Hans-Georg; Rathmann, Wolfgang; Meisinger, Christine; Peters, Annette; Boeing, Heiner; Thorand, Barbara; Schulze, Matthias B

2014-06-01

Several published diabetes prediction models include information about family history of diabetes. The aim of this study was to extend the previously developed German Diabetes Risk Score (GDRS) with family history of diabetes and to validate the updated GDRS in the Multinational MONItoring of trends and determinants in CArdiovascular Diseases (MONICA)/German Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) study. We used data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Potsdam study for extending the GDRS, including 21,846 participants. Within 5 years of follow-up 492 participants developed diabetes. The definition of family history included information about the father, the mother and/or sibling/s. Model extension was evaluated by discrimination and reclassification. We updated the calculation of the score and absolute risks. External validation was performed in the MONICA/KORA study comprising 11,940 participants with 315 incident cases after 5 years of follow-up. The basic ROC-AUC of 0.856 (95%-CI: 0.842-0.870) was improved by 0.007 (0.003-0.011) when parent and sibling history was included in the GDRS. The net reclassification improvement was 0.110 (0.072-0.149), respectively. For the updated score we demonstrated good calibration across all tenths of risk. In MONICA/KORA, the ROC-AUC was 0.837 (0.819-0.855); regarding calibration we saw slight overestimation of absolute risks. Inclusion of the number of diabetes-affected parents and sibling history improved the prediction of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, we updated the GDRS algorithm accordingly. Validation in another German cohort study showed good discrimination and acceptable calibration for the vast majority of individuals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Implementation Leadership Scale (ILS): development of a brief measure of unit level implementation leadership.

PubMed

Aarons, Gregory A; Ehrhart, Mark G; Farahnak, Lauren R

2014-04-14

In healthcare and allied healthcare settings, leadership that supports effective implementation of evidenced-based practices (EBPs) is a critical concern. However, there are no empirically validated measures to assess implementation leadership. This paper describes the development, factor structure, and initial reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of a very brief measure of implementation leadership: the Implementation Leadership Scale (ILS). Participants were 459 mental health clinicians working in 93 different outpatient mental health programs in Southern California, USA. Initial item development was supported as part of a two United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) studies focused on developing implementation leadership training and implementation measure development. Clinician work group/team-level data were randomly assigned to be utilized for an exploratory factor analysis (n = 229; k = 46 teams) or for a confirmatory factor analysis (n = 230; k = 47 teams). The confirmatory factor analysis controlled for the multilevel, nested data structure. Reliability and validity analyses were then conducted with the full sample. The exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 12-item scale with four subscales representing proactive leadership, knowledgeable leadership, supportive leadership, and perseverant leadership. Confirmatory factor analysis supported an a priori higher order factor structure with subscales contributing to a single higher order implementation leadership factor. The scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency reliability as well as convergent and discriminant validity. The ILS is a brief and efficient measure of unit level leadership for EBP implementation. The availability of the ILS will allow researchers to assess strategic leadership for implementation in order to advance understanding of leadership as a predictor of organizational context for implementation. The ILS also holds promise as a tool for leader and organizational development to improve EBP implementation.

Cross-cultural validation of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 in China.

PubMed

Wang, Kui; Shi, Hai-Song; Geng, Fu-Lei; Zou, Lai-Quan; Tan, Shu-Ping; Wang, Yi; Neumann, David L; Shum, David H K; Chan, Raymond C K

2016-05-01

The gap between the demand and delivery of mental health services in mainland China can be reduced by validating freely available and psychometrically sound psychological instruments. The present research examined the Chinese version of the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Study 1 administered the DASS-21 to 1,815 Chinese college students and found internal consistency indices (Cronbach's alpha) of .83, .80, and .82 for the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress subscales, respectively, and .92 for the total DASS total. Test-retest reliability over a 6-month interval was .39 to .46 for each of the 3 subscales and .46 for the total DASS. Moderate convergent validity of the Depression and Anxiety subscales was demonstrated via significant correlations with the Chinese Beck Depression Inventory (r = .51 at Time 1 and r = .64 at Time 2) and the Chinese State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (r = .41), respectively. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the original 3-factor model with 1 minor change (nonnormed fit index [NNFI] = .964, comparative fit index [CFI] = .968, and root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = .079). Study 2 examined the clinical utility of the Chinese DASS-21 in 166 patients with schizophrenia and 90 matched healthy controls. Patients had higher Depression and Anxiety but not Stress subscale scores than healthy controls. A discriminant function composed of the linear combination of 3 subscale scores correctly discriminated 69.92% of participants, which again supported the potential clinical utility of the DASS in mainland China. Taken together, findings in these studies support the cross-cultural validity of the DASS-21 in China. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The Moral Injury Symptom Scale-Military Version.

PubMed

Koenig, Harold G; Ames, Donna; Youssef, Nagy A; Oliver, John P; Volk, Fred; Teng, Ellen J; Haynes, Kerry; Erickson, Zachary D; Arnold, Irina; O'Garo, Keisha; Pearce, Michelle

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a multi-dimensional measure of moral injury symptoms that can be used as a primary outcome measure in intervention studies that target moral injury (MI) in Veterans and Active Duty Military with PTSD. This was a multi-center study of 427 Veterans and Active Duty Military with PTSD symptoms recruited from VA Medical Centers in Augusta, Los Angeles, Durham, Houston, and San Antonio, and from Liberty University in Lynchburg. Internal reliability of the Moral Injury Symptom Scale-Military Version (MISS-M) was examined along with factor analytic, discriminant, and convergent validity. Participants were randomly split into two equal samples, with exploratory factor analysis conducted in the first sample and confirmatory factor analysis in the second. Test-retest reliability was assessed in a subsample of 64 Veterans. The 45-item MISS-M consists of 10 theoretically grounded subscales assessing guilt, shame, moral concerns, religious struggles, loss of religious faith/hope, loss of meaning/purpose, difficulty forgiving, loss of trust, and self-condemnation. The Cronbach's alpha of the overall scale was .92 and of individual subscales ranged from .56 to .91. The test-retest reliability was .91 for the total scale and ranged from .78 to .90 for subscales. Discriminant validity was demonstrated by relatively weak correlations with other psychosocial, religious, and physical health constructs, and convergent validity was indicated by strong correlations with PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms. The MISS-M is a reliable and valid multi-dimensional symptom measure of moral injury that can be used in studies targeting MI in Veterans and Active Duty Military with PTSD symptoms and may also be used by clinicians to identify those at risk.

Assessing Depression Related Severity and Functional Impairment: The Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale (ODSIS)

PubMed Central

Ito, Masaya; Bentley, Kate H.; Oe, Yuki; Nakajima, Shun; Fujisato, Hiroko; Kato, Noriko; Miyamae, Mitsuhiro; Kanie, Ayako; Horikoshi, Masaru; Barlow, David H.

2015-01-01

Background The Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale (ODSIS) is a brief, five-item measure for assessing the frequency and intensity of depressive symptoms, as well as functional impairments in pleasurable activities, work or school, and interpersonal relationships due to depression. Although this scale is expected to be useful in various psychiatric and mental health settings, the reliability, validity, and interpretability have not yet been fully examined. This study was designed to examine the reliability, factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity of a Japanese version of the ODSIS, as well as its ability to distinguish between individuals with and without a major depressive disorder diagnosis. Methods From a pool of registrants at an internet survey company, 2830 non-clinical and clinical participants were selected randomly (619 with major depressive disorder, 619 with panic disorder, 576 with social anxiety disorder, 645 with obsessive–compulsive disorder, and 371 non-clinical panelists). Participants were asked to respond to the ODSIS and conventional measures of depression, functional impairment, anxiety, neuroticism, satisfaction with life, and emotion regulation. Results Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of three split subsamples indicated the unidimensional factor structure of ODSIS. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis showed invariance of factor loadings between non-clinical and clinical subsamples. The ODSIS also showed excellent internal consistency and test–retest intraclass correlation coefficients. Convergence and discriminance of the ODSIS with various measures were in line with our expectations. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed that the ODSIS was able to detect a major depressive syndrome accurately. Conclusions This study supports the reliability and validity of ODSIS in a non-western population, which can be interpreted as demonstrating cross-cultural validity. PMID:25874558

The implementation leadership scale (ILS): development of a brief measure of unit level implementation leadership

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In healthcare and allied healthcare settings, leadership that supports effective implementation of evidenced-based practices (EBPs) is a critical concern. However, there are no empirically validated measures to assess implementation leadership. This paper describes the development, factor structure, and initial reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of a very brief measure of implementation leadership: the Implementation Leadership Scale (ILS). Methods Participants were 459 mental health clinicians working in 93 different outpatient mental health programs in Southern California, USA. Initial item development was supported as part of a two United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) studies focused on developing implementation leadership training and implementation measure development. Clinician work group/team-level data were randomly assigned to be utilized for an exploratory factor analysis (n = 229; k = 46 teams) or for a confirmatory factor analysis (n = 230; k = 47 teams). The confirmatory factor analysis controlled for the multilevel, nested data structure. Reliability and validity analyses were then conducted with the full sample. Results The exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 12-item scale with four subscales representing proactive leadership, knowledgeable leadership, supportive leadership, and perseverant leadership. Confirmatory factor analysis supported an a priori higher order factor structure with subscales contributing to a single higher order implementation leadership factor. The scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency reliability as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Conclusions The ILS is a brief and efficient measure of unit level leadership for EBP implementation. The availability of the ILS will allow researchers to assess strategic leadership for implementation in order to advance understanding of leadership as a predictor of organizational context for implementation. The ILS also holds promise as a tool for leader and organizational development to improve EBP implementation. PMID:24731295

Family Impact Scale (FIS): Cross-cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties for the Peruvian Spanish Language.

PubMed

Abanto, Jenny; Albites, Ursula; Bönecker, Marcelo; Paiva, Saul M; Castillo, Jorge L; Aguilar-Gálvez, Denisse

2015-12-01

The lack of a Family Impact Scale (FIS) in Spanish language limits its use as an indicator in Spanish-speaking countries and precludes comparisons with data from other cultural and ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was therefore to adapt the FIS cross-culturally to the Peruvian Spanish language and assess its reliability and validity. In order to translate and adapt the FIS cross-culturally, it was answered by 60 parents in two pilot tests, after which it was tested on 200 parents of children aged 11 to 14 years who were clinically examined for dental caries experience and malocclusions. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient while repeat administration of the FIS on the same 200 parents enabled the test-retest reliability to be assessed via intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Construct and discriminant validity were based on associations of the FIS with global ratings of oral health and clinical groups, respectively. Mean (standard deviation) FIS total score was 5.20 (5.86). Internal consistency was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha 0.84. Test-retest reliability revealed excellent reproducibility (ICC = 0.96). Construct validity was good, demonstrating statistically significant associations between total FIS score and global ratings of oral health (p=0.007) and overall wellbeing (p=0.002), as well as for the subscale scores (p<0.05) with exception of the financial burden subscale. The FIS was also able to discriminate between children with and without dental caries experience and malocclusions (p<0.05). Satisfactory psychometric results for the Peruvian Spanish FIS confirm it as a reliable, valid instrument for assessing the impact on the family caused by children's oral conditions. Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Odontológica.

Ecological validity and clinical utility of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) instruments for detecting premenstrual symptoms of depression, anger, and fatigue.

PubMed

Junghaenel, Doerte U; Schneider, Stefan; Stone, Arthur A; Christodoulou, Christopher; Broderick, Joan E

2014-04-01

This study examined the ecological validity and clinical utility of NIH Patient Reported-Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) instruments for anger, depression, and fatigue in women with premenstrual symptoms. One-hundred women completed daily diaries and weekly PROMIS assessments over 4weeks. Weekly assessments were administered through Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT). Weekly CATs and corresponding daily scores were compared to evaluate ecological validity. To test clinical utility, we examined if CATs could detect changes in symptom levels, if these changes mirrored those obtained from daily scores, and if CATs could identify clinically meaningful premenstrual symptom change. PROMIS CAT scores were higher in the pre-menstrual than the baseline (ps<.0001) and post-menstrual (ps<.0001) weeks. The correlations between CATs and aggregated daily scores ranged from .73 to .88 supporting ecological validity. Mean CAT scores showed systematic changes in accordance with the menstrual cycle and the magnitudes of the changes were similar to those obtained from the daily scores. Finally, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analyses demonstrated the ability of the CATs to discriminate between women with and without clinically meaningful premenstrual symptom change. PROMIS CAT instruments for anger, depression, and fatigue demonstrated validity and utility in premenstrual symptom assessment. The results provide encouraging initial evidence of the utility of PROMIS instruments for the measurement of affective premenstrual symptoms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of a discriminative dissolution method for atorvastatin calcium tablets using in vivo data by LC and UV methods.

PubMed

Machado, J C; Lange, A D; Todeschini, V; Volpato, N M

2014-02-01

A dissolution method to analyze atorvastatin tablets using in vivo data for RP and test pilot (PB) was developed and validated. The appropriate conditions were determined after solubility tests using different media, and sink conditions were established. The conditions used were equipment paddle at 50 rpm and 900 mL of potassium phosphate buffer pH 6.0 as dissolution medium. In vivo release profiles were obtained from the bioequivalence study of RP and the generic candidate PB. The fraction of dose absorbed was calculated using the Loo-Riegelman method. It was necessary to use a scale factor of time similar to 6.0, to associate the values of absorbed fraction and dissolved fraction, obtaining an in vivo-in vitro correlation level A. The dissolution method to quantify the amount of drug dissolved was validated using high-performance liquid chromatography and ultraviolet spectrophotometry, and validated according to the USP protocol. The discriminative power of dissolution conditions was assessed using two different pilot batches of atorvastatin tablets (PA and PB) and RP. The dissolution test was validated and may be used as a discriminating method in quality control and in the development of the new formulations.

Cross-cultural application of the Korean version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Breast-Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-BR23).

PubMed

Yun, Young Ho; Bae, Sung Heui; Kang, Im Ok; Shin, Kyung Hwan; Lee, Ran; Kwon, So Im; Park, Young Suk; Lee, Eun Sook

2004-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Breast-Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-BR23). A total of 153 patients with breast cancer and 153 normal subjects completed three questionnaires of the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-BR23. Multitrait scaling analyses demonstrated that all scales met multidimensional conceptualization criteria in terms of convergence and discrimination validity. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for five multiple-item scales were greater than 0.70 (range, 0.72-0.91). In known-group comparisons, there were marked group differences between patients differing in disease stage. In breast cancer patients, performance on the questionnaires was in the expected direction for almost all functioning and symptom scores. In addition, comparison between the patient and control groups showed that almost all variables discriminated between patients and normal individuals. In conclusion, the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-BR23 was found to be a reliable and valid measure of quality of life in breast cancer patients, indicating that it should be used in clinical and epidemiological cancer research.

Age determination of bottled Chinese rice wine by VIS-NIR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Haiyan; Lin, Tao; Ying, Yibin; Pan, Xingxiang

2006-10-01

The feasibility of non-invasive visible and near infrared (VIS-NIR) spectroscopy for determining wine age (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years) of Chinese rice wine was investigated. Samples of Chinese rice wine were analyzed in 600 mL square brown glass bottles with side length of approximately 64 mm at room temperature. VIS-NIR spectra of 100 bottled Chinese rice wine samples were collected in transmission mode in the wavelength range of 350-1200 nm by a fiber spectrometer system. Discriminant models were developed based on discriminant analysis (DA) together with raw, first and second derivative spectra. The concentration of alcoholic degree, total acid, and °Brix was determined to validate the NIR results. The calibration result for raw spectra was better than that for first and second derivative spectra. The percentage of samples correctly classified for raw spectra was 98%. For 1-, 2-, and 3-year-old sample groups, the sample were all correctly classified, and for 4- and 5-year-old sample groups, the percentage of samples correctly classified was 92.9%, respectively. In validation analysis, the percentage of samples correctly classified was 100%. The results demonstrated that VIS-NIR spectroscopic technique could be used as a non-invasive, rapid and reliable method for predicting wine age of bottled Chinese rice wine.

Validity and reliability of a Nigerian-Yoruba version of the stroke-specific quality of life scale 2.0.

PubMed

Odetunde, Marufat Oluyemisi; Akinpelu, Aderonke Omobonike; Odole, Adesola Christiana

2017-10-19

Psychometric evidence is necessary to establish scientific integrity and clinical usefulness of translations and cultural adaptations of the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life (SS-QoL) scale. However, the limited evidence on psychometrics of Yoruba version of SS-QoL 2.0 (SS-QoL(Y)) is a significant shortcoming. This study assessed the test-retest reliability, internal consistency, convergent, divergent, discriminant and known-group validity of the SS-QoL(Y). Yoruba version of the WHOQoL-BREF was used to test the convergent and divergent validity of the SS-QoL(Y) among 100 consenting stroke survivors. The WHOQoL-BREF and SS-QoL(Y) was administered randomly in order to eliminate bias. The test-retest reliability of the SS-QoL(Y) was carried out among 68 of the respondents within an interval of 7 days. All respondents were purposively recruited from selected secondary and tertiary health facilities in South-west Nigeria. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistics of Spearman correlation, Cronbach's alpha, Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC), Independent t-test and One-way ANOVA. Alpha level was set at p < 0.05. The physical health, psychological health, social relationship and environment domains on WHOQoL-BREF with correlation coefficient that ranged from 0.214 to 0.360 showed significant correlation with similar domains on SS-QoL(Y). Dissimilar domains between the two scales had r values from 0.035 to 0.366. Discriminant validity of SS-QoL(Y) showed that items' r value ranged from 0.711 to 0.920 with their hypothesized domains. The scale demonstrated moderate to strong test-retest reliability with Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for the domains and overall scores (r = 0.47 to 0.81) and moderate to high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha =0.61 to 0.82) for domains scores. These correlations were also significant for the domains and overall scores (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences across different age groups or gender for the domains or overall scores of SS-QoL(Y). Discriminant and known-group validity, test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the Yoruba version of the Stroke Specific Quality of Life 2.0 are adequate while the convergent and divergent validity are low but acceptable. The SS-QoL(Y) is recommended for assessing health-related quality of life among Yoruba stroke survivors.

Language Recognition via Sparse Coding

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-08

a posteriori (MAP) adaptation scheme that further optimizes the discriminative quality of sparse-coded speech fea - tures. We empirically validate the...significantly improve the discriminative quality of sparse-coded speech fea - tures. In Section 4, we evaluate the proposed approaches against an i-vector

A signal detection-item response theory model for evaluating neuropsychological measures.

PubMed

Thomas, Michael L; Brown, Gregory G; Gur, Ruben C; Moore, Tyler M; Patt, Virginie M; Risbrough, Victoria B; Baker, Dewleen G

2018-02-05

Models from signal detection theory are commonly used to score neuropsychological test data, especially tests of recognition memory. Here we show that certain item response theory models can be formulated as signal detection theory models, thus linking two complementary but distinct methodologies. We then use the approach to evaluate the validity (construct representation) of commonly used research measures, demonstrate the impact of conditional error on neuropsychological outcomes, and evaluate measurement bias. Signal detection-item response theory (SD-IRT) models were fitted to recognition memory data for words, faces, and objects. The sample consisted of U.S. Infantry Marines and Navy Corpsmen participating in the Marine Resiliency Study. Data comprised item responses to the Penn Face Memory Test (PFMT; N = 1,338), Penn Word Memory Test (PWMT; N = 1,331), and Visual Object Learning Test (VOLT; N = 1,249), and self-report of past head injury with loss of consciousness. SD-IRT models adequately fitted recognition memory item data across all modalities. Error varied systematically with ability estimates, and distributions of residuals from the regression of memory discrimination onto self-report of past head injury were positively skewed towards regions of larger measurement error. Analyses of differential item functioning revealed little evidence of systematic bias by level of education. SD-IRT models benefit from the measurement rigor of item response theory-which permits the modeling of item difficulty and examinee ability-and from signal detection theory-which provides an interpretive framework encompassing the experimentally validated constructs of memory discrimination and response bias. We used this approach to validate the construct representation of commonly used research measures and to demonstrate how nonoptimized item parameters can lead to erroneous conclusions when interpreting neuropsychological test data. Future work might include the development of computerized adaptive tests and integration with mixture and random-effects models.

Power counting to better jet observables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larkoski, Andrew J.; Moult, Ian; Neill, Duff

2014-12-01

Optimized jet substructure observables for identifying boosted topologies will play an essential role in maximizing the physics reach of the Large Hadron Collider. Ideally, the design of discriminating variables would be informed by analytic calculations in perturbative QCD. Unfortunately, explicit calculations are often not feasible due to the complexity of the observables used for discrimination, and so many validation studies rely heavily, and solely, on Monte Carlo. In this paper we show how methods based on the parametric power counting of the dynamics of QCD, familiar from effective theory analyses, can be used to design, understand, and make robust predictions for the behavior of jet substructure variables. As a concrete example, we apply power counting for discriminating boosted Z bosons from massive QCD jets using observables formed from the n-point energy correlation functions. We show that power counting alone gives a definite prediction for the observable that optimally separates the background-rich from the signal-rich regions of phase space. Power counting can also be used to understand effects of phase space cuts and the effect of contamination from pile-up, which we discuss. As these arguments rely only on the parametric scaling of QCD, the predictions from power counting must be reproduced by any Monte Carlo, which we verify using Pythia 8 and Herwig++. We also use the example of quark versus gluon discrimination to demonstrate the limits of the power counting technique.

MALDI imaging mass spectrometry: discrimination of pathophysiological regions in traumatized skeletal muscle by characteristic peptide signatures.

PubMed

Klein, Oliver; Strohschein, Kristin; Nebrich, Grit; Oetjen, Janina; Trede, Dennis; Thiele, Herbert; Alexandrov, Theodore; Giavalisco, Patrick; Duda, Georg N; von Roth, Philipp; Geissler, Sven; Klose, Joachim; Winkler, Tobias

2014-10-01

Due to formation of fibrosis and the loss of contractile muscle tissue, severe muscle injuries often result in insufficient healing marked by a significant reduction of muscle force and motor activity. Our previous studies demonstrated that the local transplantation of mesenchymal stromal cells into an injured skeletal muscle of the rat improves the functional outcome of the healing process. Since, due to the lack of sufficient markers, the accurate discrimination of pathophysiological regions in injured skeletal muscle is inadequate, underlying mechanisms of the beneficial effects of mesenchymal stromal cell transplantation on primary trauma and trauma adjacent muscle area remain elusive. For discrimination of these pathophysiological regions, formalin-fixed injured skeletal muscle tissue was analyzed by MALDI imaging MS. By using two computational evaluation strategies, a supervised approach (ClinProTools) and unsupervised segmentation (SCiLS Lab), characteristic m/z species could be assigned to primary trauma and trauma adjacent muscle regions. Using "bottom-up" MS for protein identification and validation of results by immunohistochemistry, we could identify two proteins, skeletal muscle alpha actin and carbonic anhydrase III, which discriminate between the secondary damage on adjacent tissue and the primary traumatized muscle area. Our results underscore the high potential of MALDI imaging MS to describe the spatial characteristics of pathophysiological changes in muscle. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Validation of the Older Adult Social Evaluative Scale (OASES) as a measure of social anxiety.

PubMed

Kok, Brian C; Ma, Vanessa K; Gould, Christine E

2018-03-21

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) (formerly called social phobia) is among the most common mental health diagnoses among older adults; however, the research on late-life social anxiety is scarce. A limited number of studies have examined the assessment and diagnosis of social anxiety disorder in this population, and there are few social anxiety measures that are validated for use with older adults. One such measure, the Older Adult Social Evaluative Scale (OASES), was designed for use with this population, but until now has lacked validation against a gold-standard diagnostic interview. Using a sample of 47 community-dwelling older adults (aged 60 years and over) with anxiety, the present study compared OASES performance to that of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders (SCID-5), as well as other measures of anxiety and depression. The OASES demonstrated convergent validity with other measures of anxiety, and demonstrated discriminant validity on other measures (e.g. depression, somatic symptoms). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that a cut-point of ≥76 optimized sensitivity and specificity compared to SCID-5 derived diagnoses of social anxiety disorder. This study is the first study to provide psychometric validation for the OASES and one of the first to administer the SCID-5 to an older adult sample. In addition to establishing a clinically significant cut-off, this study also describes the clinical utility of the OASES, which can be used to identify distressing situations, track anxiety severity, and monitor behavioral avoidance across a variety of social situations.

Factor structure and construct validity of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index among island Puerto Ricans.

PubMed

Cintrón, Jennifer A; Carter, Michele M; Suchday, Sonia; Sbrocco, Tracy; Gray, James

2005-01-01

The factor structure and convergent and discriminant validity of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) were examined among a sample of 275 island Puerto Ricans. Results from a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) comparing our data to factor solutions commonly reported as representative of European American and Spanish populations indicated a poor fit. A subsequent exploratory factor analysis (EFA) indicated that a two-factor solution (Factor 1, Anxiety Sensitivity; Factor 2, Emotional Concerns) provided the best fit. Correlations between the ASI and anxiety measures were moderately high providing evidence of convergent validity, while correlations between the ASI and BDI were significantly lower providing evidence of discriminant validity. Scores on all measures were positively correlated with acculturation, suggesting that those who ascribe to more traditional Hispanic culture report elevated anxiety.

Development and Validation of a Nausea Severity Scale for Assessment of Nausea in Children with Abdominal Pain-Related Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders.

PubMed

Russell, Alexandra C; Stone, Amanda L; Wang, Andi; Walker, Lynn S

2018-06-01

The objective of this study was to develop a pediatric measure of chronic nausea severity, the Nausea Severity Scale (NSS), and evaluate its reliability and validity in youth with abdominal pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders (AP-FGID). Pediatric patients (aged 11⁻17 years-old, n = 236) presenting to an outpatient clinic for evaluation of abdominal pain completed the NSS, Children's Somatization Inventory (CSI), Functional Disability Inventory (FDI), Abdominal Pain Index (API), Patient-Report Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS), Anxiety and Depression Scales and the Pediatric Rome III Questionnaire for FGIDs. The NSS demonstrated good concurrent, discriminant, and construct validity, as well as good internal consistency. One-third (34%) of AP-FGID patients reported experiencing nausea "most" or "every day" in the previous two weeks. The severity of nausea was higher in females than males and correlated significantly with the severity of somatic symptoms, functional disability, anxiety, and depression. The NSS is a valid and reliable measure of nausea in children with AP-FGID.

Construction and Validation of the Perceived Opportunity to Craft Scale.

PubMed

van Wingerden, Jessica; Niks, Irene M W

2017-01-01

We developed and validated a scale to measure employees' perceived opportunity to craft (POC) in two separate studies conducted in the Netherlands (total N = 2329). POC is defined as employees' perception of their opportunity to craft their job. In Study 1, the perceived opportunity to craft scale (POCS) was developed and tested for its factor structure and reliability in an explorative way. Study 2 consisted of confirmatory analyses of the factor structure and reliability of the scale as well as examination of the discriminant and criterion-related validity of the POCS. The results indicated that the scale consists of one dimension and could be reliably measured with five items. Evidence was found for the discriminant validity of the POCS. The scale also showed criterion-related validity when correlated with job crafting (+), job resources (autonomy +; opportunities for professional development +), work engagement (+), and the inactive construct cynicism (-). We discuss the implications of these findings for theory and practice.

Construction and Initial Validation of the Multiracial Experiences Measure (MEM)

PubMed Central

Yoo, Hyung Chol; Jackson, Kelly; Guevarra, Rudy P.; Miller, Matthew J.; Harrington, Blair

2015-01-01

This article describes the development and validation of the Multiracial Experiences Measure (MEM): a new measure that assesses uniquely racialized risks and resiliencies experienced by individuals of mixed racial heritage. Across two studies, there was evidence for the validation of the 25-item MEM with 5 subscales including Shifting Expressions, Perceived Racial Ambiguity, Creating Third Space, Multicultural Engagement, and Multiracial Discrimination. The 5-subscale structure of the MEM was supported by a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Evidence of criterion-related validity was partially supported with MEM subscales correlating with measures of racial diversity in one’s social network, color-blind racial attitude, psychological distress, and identity conflict. Evidence of discriminant validity was supported with MEM subscales not correlating with impression management. Implications for future research and suggestions for utilization of the MEM in clinical practice with multiracial adults are discussed. PMID:26460977

Construction and initial validation of the Multiracial Experiences Measure (MEM).

PubMed

Yoo, Hyung Chol; Jackson, Kelly F; Guevarra, Rudy P; Miller, Matthew J; Harrington, Blair

2016-03-01

This article describes the development and validation of the Multiracial Experiences Measure (MEM): a new measure that assesses uniquely racialized risks and resiliencies experienced by individuals of mixed racial heritage. Across 2 studies, there was evidence for the validation of the 25-item MEM with 5 subscales including Shifting Expressions, Perceived Racial Ambiguity, Creating Third Space, Multicultural Engagement, and Multiracial Discrimination. The 5-subscale structure of the MEM was supported by a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Evidence of criterion-related validity was partially supported with MEM subscales correlating with measures of racial diversity in one's social network, color-blind racial attitude, psychological distress, and identity conflict. Evidence of discriminant validity was supported with MEM subscales not correlating with impression management. Implications for future research and suggestions for utilization of the MEM in clinical practice with multiracial adults are discussed. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The Reliability and Predictive Validity of the Stalking Risk Profile.

PubMed

McEwan, Troy E; Shea, Daniel E; Daffern, Michael; MacKenzie, Rachel D; Ogloff, James R P; Mullen, Paul E

2018-03-01

This study assessed the reliability and validity of the Stalking Risk Profile (SRP), a structured measure for assessing stalking risks. The SRP was administered at the point of assessment or retrospectively from file review for 241 adult stalkers (91% male) referred to a community-based forensic mental health service. Interrater reliability was high for stalker type, and moderate-to-substantial for risk judgments and domain scores. Evidence for predictive validity and discrimination between stalking recidivists and nonrecidivists for risk judgments depended on follow-up duration. Discrimination was moderate (area under the curve = 0.66-0.68) and positive and negative predictive values good over the full follow-up period ( Mdn = 170.43 weeks). At 6 months, discrimination was better than chance only for judgments related to stalking of new victims (area under the curve = 0.75); however, high-risk stalkers still reoffended against their original victim(s) 2 to 4 times as often as low-risk stalkers. Implications for the clinical utility and refinement of the SRP are discussed.

The development and initial validation of the Decent Work Scale.

PubMed

Duffy, Ryan D; Allan, Blake A; England, Jessica W; Blustein, David L; Autin, Kelsey L; Douglass, Richard P; Ferreira, Joaquim; Santos, Eduardo J R

2017-03-01

Decent work is positioned as the centerpiece of the recently developed Psychology of Working Theory (PWT; Duffy, Blustein, Diemer, & Autin, 2016). However, to date, no instrument exists which assesses all 5 components of decent work from a psychological perspective. In the current study, we developed the Decent Work Scale (DWS) and demonstrated several aspects of validity with 2 samples of working adults. In Study 1 (N = 275), a large pool of items were developed and exploratory factor analysis was conducted resulting in a final 15-item scale with 5 factors/subscales corresponding to the 5 components of decent work: (a) physically and interpersonally safe working conditions, (b) access to health care, (c) adequate compensation, (d) hours that allow for free time and rest, and (e) organizational values that complement family and social values. In Study 2 (N = 589), confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that a 5-factor, bifactor model offered the strongest and most parsimonious fit to the data. Configural, metric, and scalar invariance models were tested demonstrating that the structure of the instrument did not differ across gender, income, social class, and majority/minority racial/ethnic groups. Finally, the overall scale score and 5 subscale scores correlated in the expected directions with similar constructs supporting convergent and discriminant evidence of validity, and subscale scores evidenced predictive validity in the prediction of job satisfaction, work meaning, and withdrawal intentions. The development of this scale provides a useful tool for researchers and practitioners seeking to assess the attainment of decent work among employed adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Defining and validating a short form Montreal Cognitive Assessment (s-MoCA) for use in neurodegenerative disease

PubMed Central

Roalf, David R; Moore, Tyler M; Wolk, David A; Arnold, Steven E; Mechanic-Hamilton, Dawn; Rick, Jacqueline; Kabadi, Sushila; Ruparel, Kosha; Chen-Plotkin, Alice S; Chahine, Lama M; Dahodwala, Nabila A; Duda, John E; Weintraub, Daniel A; Moberg, Paul J

2016-01-01

Introduction Screening for cognitive deficits is essential in neurodegenerative disease. Screening tests, such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), are easily administered, correlate with neuropsychological performance and demonstrate diagnostic utility. Yet, administration time is too long for many clinical settings. Methods Item response theory and computerised adaptive testing simulation were employed to establish an abbreviated MoCA in 1850 well-characterised community-dwelling individuals with and without neurodegenerative disease. Results 8 MoCA items with high item discrimination and appropriate difficulty were identified for use in a short form (s-MoCA). The s-MoCA was highly correlated with the original MoCA, showed robust diagnostic classification and cross-validation procedures substantiated these items. Discussion Early detection of cognitive impairment is an important clinical and public health concern, but administration of screening measures is limited by time constraints in demanding clinical settings. Here, we provide as-MoCA that is valid across neurological disorders and can be administered in approximately 5 min. PMID:27071646

Spanish adolescents' attitudes toward transpeople: proposal and validation of a short form of the Genderism and Transphobia Scale.

PubMed

Carrera-Fernández, María Victoria; Lameiras-Fernández, María; Rodríguez-Castro, Yolanda; Vallejo-Medina, Pablo

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a short form of the Genderism and Transphobia Scale and assess adolescents' attitudes toward transpeople. A total of 800 Spanish adolescents aged between 14 and 18 years (50.70% girls, 49.30% boys) completed the Spanish version of the scale and other related questionnaires. The short form of the scale is composed of 12 items clustered into two factors (Transphobia/Genderism and Gender Bashing) that explain 54.22% of the variance. All the items showed good discriminating power, and the present scale demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. In the study, boys exhibited significantly more negative attitudes toward transpeople than girls did, both in the affective/cognitive dimension (Transphobia/Genderism) and in the behavioral dimension (Gender Bashing). Moreover, adolescents showed significantly more negative attitudes toward gender-nonconforming men than toward gender-nonconforming women. These results are discussed in terms of their relevance to the maintenance of discriminatory attitudes toward sexual diversity.

Validation of a literature-based adherence score to Mediterranean diet: the MEDI-LITE score.

PubMed

Sofi, Francesco; Dinu, Monica; Pagliai, Giuditta; Marcucci, Rossella; Casini, Alessandro

2017-09-01

Numerous studies have demonstrated a relationship between adherence to Mediterranean diet and prevention of chronic degenerative diseases. The aim of this study was to validate a novel instrument to measure adherence to Mediterranean diet based on the literature (the MEDI-LITE score). Two-hundred-and-four clinically healthy subjects completed both the MEDI-LITE score and the validated MedDietScore (MDS). Significant positive correlation between the MEDI-LITE and the MDS scores was found in the study population (R = .70; p < .0001). Furthermore, statistically significant positive correlations were found for all the nine different food groups. According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, MEDI-LITE evidenced a significant discriminative capacity between adherents and non-adherents to the Mediterranean diet pattern (optimal cut-off point = 8.50; sensitivity = 96%; specificity = 38%). In conclusion, our findings show that the MEDI-LITE score well correlate with MDS in both global score and in most of the items related to the specific food categories.

Validation of the Parental Facilitation of Mastery Scale-II.

PubMed

Zalta, Alyson K; Allred, Kelly M; Jayawickreme, Eranda; Blackie, Laura E R; Chambless, Dianne L

2017-10-01

To develop a more reliable and comprehensive version of the Parental Facilitation of Mastery Scale (PFMS) METHOD: In Study 1, 387 undergraduates completed an expanded PFMS (PFMS-II) and measures of parenting, perceived control, responses to early life challenges, and psychopathology. In Study 2, 182 trauma-exposed community participants completed the PFMS-II and measures of perceived control, psychopathology, and well-being RESULTS: In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis of the PFMS-II revealed two factors. These factors replicated in Study 2; one item was removed to achieve measurement invariance across race. The final PFMS-II comprised a 10-item overprotection scale and a 7-item challenge scale. In both samples, this measure demonstrated good convergent and discriminant validity and was more reliable than the original PFMS. Parental challenge was a unique predictor of perceived control in both samples CONCLUSION: The PFMS-II is a valid measure of important parenting behaviors not fully captured in other measures. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Anticipatory Traumatic Reaction: Outcomes Arising From Secondary Exposure to Disasters and Large-Scale Threats.

PubMed

Hopwood, Tanya L; Schutte, Nicola S; Loi, Natasha M

2017-09-01

Two studies, with a total of 707 participants, developed and examined the reliability and validity of a measure for anticipatory traumatic reaction (ATR), a novel construct describing a form of distress that may occur in response to threat-related media reports and discussions. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a scale comprising three subscales: feelings related to future threat; preparatory thoughts and actions; and disruption to daily activities. Internal consistency was .93 for the overall ATR scale. The ATR scale demonstrated convergent validity through associations with negative affect, depression, anxiety, stress, neuroticism, and repetitive negative thinking. The scale showed discriminant validity in relationships to Big Five characteristics. The ATR scale had some overlap with a measure of posttraumatic stress disorder, but also showed substantial separate variance. This research provides preliminary evidence for the novel construct of ATR as well as a measure of the construct. The ATR scale will allow researchers to further investigate anticipatory traumatic reaction in the fields of trauma, clinical practice, and social psychology.

Development and preliminary validation of a self-report measure of psychopathic personality traits in noncriminal populations.

PubMed

Lilienfeld, S O; Andrews, B P

1996-06-01

Research on psychopathology has been hindered by persisting difficulties and controversies regarding its assessment. The primary goals of this set of studies were to (a) develop, and initiate the construct validation of, a self-report measure that assesses the major personality traits of psychopathy in noncriminal populations and (b) clarify the nature of these traits via an exploratory approach to test construction. This measure, the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI), was developed by writing items to assess a large number of personality domains relevant to psychopathy and performing successive item-level factor analyses and revisions on three undergraduate samples. The PPI total score and its eight subscales were found to possess satisfactory internal consistency and test-retest reliability. In four studies with undergraduates, the PPI and its subscales exhibited a promising pattern of convergent and discriminant validity with self-report, psychiatric interview, observer rating, and family history data. In addition, the PPI total score demonstrated incremental validity relative to several commonly used self-report psychopathy-related measures. Future construct validation studies, unresolved conceptual issues regarding the assessment of psychopathy, and potential research uses of the PPI are outlined.

Measuring cancer-specific child adjustment difficulties: Development and validation of the Children's Oncology Child Adjustment Scale (ChOCs).

PubMed

Burke, Kylie; McCarthy, Maria; Lowe, Cherie; Sanders, Matthew R; Lloyd, Erin; Bowden, Madeleine; Williams, Lauren

2017-03-01

Childhood cancer is associated with child adjustment difficulties including, eating and sleep disturbance, and emotional and other behavioral difficulties. However, there is a lack of validated instruments to measure the specific child adjustment issues associated with pediatric cancer treatments. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the reliability and validity of a parent-reported, child adjustment scale. One hundred thirty-two parents from two pediatric oncology centers who had children (aged 2-10 years) diagnosed with cancer completed the newly developed measure and additional measures of child behavior, sleep, diet, and quality of life. Children were more than 4 weeks postdiagnosis and less than 12 months postactive treatment. Factor structure, internal consistency, and construct (convergent) validity analyses were conducted. Principal component analysis revealed five distinct and theoretically coherent factors: Sleep Difficulties, Impact of Child's Illness, Eating Difficulties, Hospital-Related Behavior Difficulties, and General Behavior Difficulties. The final 25-item measure, the Children's Oncology Child Adjustment Scale (ChOCs), demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.79-0.91). Validity of the ChOCs was demonstrated by significant correlations between the subscales and measures of corresponding constructs. The ChOCs provides a new measure of child adjustment difficulties designed specifically for pediatric oncology. Preliminary analyses indicate strong theoretical and psychometric properties. Future studies are required to further examine reliability and validity of the scale, including test-retest reliability, discriminant validity, as well as change sensitivity and generalizability across different oncology samples and ages of children. The ChOCs shows promise as a measure of child adjustment relevant for oncology clinical settings and research purposes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The stigma of obesity in customer service: a mechanism for remediation and bottom-line consequences of interpersonal discrimination.

PubMed

King, Eden B; Shapiro, Jenessa R; Hebl, Michelle R; Singletary, Sarah L; Turner, Stacey

2006-05-01

Using a customer service paradigm, the authors extended the justification-suppression model (JSM) of prejudice (C. S. Crandall & A. Eshleman, 2003) to include contemporary, covert forms of discrimination and to identify a discrimination remediation mechanism. Overall, the results of 3 studies revealed that actual and confederate obese shoppers in high-prejudice justification conditions faced more interpersonal discrimination than average-weight shoppers. Furthermore, Studies 1 and 2 demonstrate that adopting strategies that remove perceivers' justifications for discriminating against obese individuals (i.e., the controllability of weight) decreases the incidence of interpersonal discrimination. Additionally, Study 3 demonstrates negative bottom-line consequences of interpersonal discrimination for organizations (e.g., customer loyalty, purchasing behavior). Together, these studies confirm that the JSM applies to covert forms of discrimination, show the importance of examining subtle discrimination, and offer a mechanism for theory-driven strategies for the reduction of covert forms of discrimination.

Construct, concurrent and discriminant validity of Type D personality in the general population: associations with anxiety, depression, stress and cardiac output.

PubMed

Howard, Siobhán; Hughes, Brian M

2012-01-01

The Type D personality, identified by high negative affectivity paired with high social inhibition, has been associated with a number of health-related outcomes in (mainly) cardiac populations. However, despite its prevalence in the health-related literature, how this personality construct fits within existing personality theory has not been directly tested. Using a sample of 134 healthy university students, this study examined the Type D personality in terms of two well-established personality traits; introversion and neuroticism. Construct, concurrent and discriminant validity of this personality type was established through examination of the associations between the Type D personality and psychometrically assessed anxiety, depression and stress, as well as measurement of resting cardiovascular function. Results showed that while the Type D personality was easily represented using alternative measures of both introversion and neuroticism, associations with anxiety, depression and stress were mainly accounted for by neuroticism. Conversely, however, associations with resting cardiac output were attributable to the negative affectivity-social inhibition synergy, explicit within the Type D construct. Consequently, both the construct and concurrent validity of this personality type were confirmed, with discriminant validity evident on examination of physiological indices of well-being.

Validity and reliability of the Internalized Stigma of Smoking Inventory: An exploration of shame, isolation, and discrimination in smokers with mental health diagnoses.

PubMed

Brown-Johnson, Cati G; Cataldo, Janine K; Orozco, Nicholas; Lisha, Nadra E; Hickman, Norval J; Prochaska, Judith J

2015-08-01

De-normalization of smoking as a public health strategy may create shame and isolation in vulnerable groups unable to quit. To examine the nature and impact of smoking stigma, we developed the Internalized Stigma of Smoking Inventory (ISSI), tested its validity and reliability, and explored factors that may contribute to smoking stigma. We evaluated the ISSI in a sample of smokers with mental health diagnoses (N = 956), using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and assessed construct validity. Results reduced the ISSI to eight items with three subscales: smoking self-stigma related to shame, felt stigma related to social isolation, and discrimination experiences. Discrimination was the most commonly endorsed of the three subscales. A multivariate generalized linear model predicted 21-30% of the variance in the smoking stigma subscales. Self-stigma was greatest among those intending to quit; felt stigma was highest among those experiencing stigma in other domains, namely ethnicity and mental illness-based; and smoking-related discrimination was highest among women, Caucasians, and those with more education. Smoking stigma may compound stigma experiences in other areas. Aspects of smoking stigma in the domains of shame, isolation, and discrimination were related to modeled stigma responses, particularly readiness to quit and cigarette addiction, and were found to be more salient for groups where tobacco use is least prevalent. The ISSI measure is useful for quantifying smoking-related stigma in multiple domains. © American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

Further development of the talent development environment questionnaire for sport.

PubMed

Li, Chunxiao; Wang, Chee Keng John; Pyun, Do Young; Martindale, Russell

2015-01-01

Given the significance of monitoring the critical environmental factors that facilitate athlete performance, this two-phase research aimed to validate and refine the revised talent development environment questionnaire (TDEQ). The TDEQ is a multidimensional self-report scale that assesses talented athletes' environmental experiences. Study 1 (the first phase) involved the examination of the revised TDEQ through an exploratory factor analysis (n = 363). This exploratory investigation identified a 28-item five-factor structure (i.e., TDEQ-5) with adequate internal consistency. Study 2 (the second phase) examined the factorial structure of the TDEQ-5, including convergent validity, discriminant validity, and group invariance (i.e., gender and sports type). The second phase was carried out with 496 talented athletes through the application of confirmatory factor analyses and multigroup invariance tests. The results supported the convergent validity, discriminant validity, and group invariance of the TDEQ-5. In conclusion, the TDEQ-5 with 25 items appears to be a reliable and valid scale for use in talent development environments.

A simple test of choice stepping reaction time for assessing fall risk in people with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Tijsma, Mylou; Vister, Eva; Hoang, Phu; Lord, Stephen R

2017-03-01

Purpose To determine (a) the discriminant validity for established fall risk factors and (b) the predictive validity for falls of a simple test of choice stepping reaction time (CSRT) in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Method People with MS (n = 210, 21-74y) performed the CSRT, sensorimotor, balance and neuropsychological tests in a single session. They were then followed up for falls using monthly fall diaries for 6 months. Results The CSRT test had excellent discriminant validity with respect to established fall risk factors. Frequent fallers (≥3 falls) performed significantly worse in the CSRT test than non-frequent fallers (0-2 falls). With the odds of suffering frequent falls increasing 69% with each SD increase in CSRT (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.27-2.26, p = <0.001). In regression analysis, CSRT was best explained by sway, time to complete the 9-Hole Peg test, knee extension strength of the weaker leg, proprioception and the time to complete the Trails B test (multiple R 2   =   0.449, p < 0.001). Conclusions A simple low tech CSRT test has excellent discriminative and predictive validity in relation to falls in people with MS. This test may prove useful in documenting longitudinal changes in fall risk in relation to MS disease progression and effects of interventions. Implications for rehabilitation Good choice stepping reaction time (CSRT) is required for maintaining balance. A simple low-tech CSRT test has excellent discriminative and predictive validity in relation to falls in people with MS. This test may prove useful documenting longitudinal changes in fall risk in relation to MS disease progression and effects of interventions.

Development and validation of parenting measures for body image and eating patterns in childhood.

PubMed

Damiano, Stephanie R; Hart, Laura M; Paxton, Susan J

2015-01-01

Evidence-based parenting interventions are important in assisting parents to help their children develop healthy body image and eating patterns. To adequately assess the impact of parenting interventions, valid parent measures are required. The aim of this study was to develop and assess the validity and reliability of two new parent measures, the Parenting Intentions for Body image and Eating patterns in Childhood (Parenting Intentions BEC) and the Knowledge Test for Body image and Eating patterns in Childhood (Knowledge Test BEC). Participants were 27 professionals working in research or clinical treatment of body dissatisfaction or eating disorders, and 75 parents of children aged 2-6 years, who completed the measures via an online questionnaire. Seven scenarios were developed for the Parenting Intentions BEC to describe common experiences about the body and food that parents might need to respond to in front of their child. Parents ranked four behavioural intentions, derived from the current literature on parenting risk factors for body dissatisfaction and unhealthy eating patterns in children. Two subscales were created, one representing positive behavioural intentions, the other negative behavioural intentions. After piloting a larger pool of items, 13 statements were used to construct the Knowledge Test BEC. These were designed to be factual statements about the influence of parent language, media, family meals, healthy eating, and self-esteem on child eating and body image. The validity of both measures was tested by comparing parent and professional scores, and reliability was assessed by comparing parent scores over two testing occasions. Compared with parents, professionals reported significantly higher scores on the Positive Intentions subscale and significantly lower on the Negative Intentions subscale of the Parenting Intentions BEC; confirming the discriminant validity of six out of the seven scenarios. Test-retest reliability was also confirmed as parent scores on the two Parenting Intentions subscales did not differ over time. Eleven out of the 13 Knowledge Test items demonstrated sufficient discriminant validity and test-retest reliability. Overall, results indicated that the six-scenario Parenting Intentions BEC and the 11-item Knowledge Test BEC are valid and reliable measures for parents of young children.

Translation, adaptation and validation of two versions of the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire in Malaysian patients for speakers of both English and Malay languages: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Khairullah, Shasha; Mahadeva, Sanjiv

2017-01-01

Objective We aimed to adapt, translate and validate the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) in Malaysian patients with chronic liver diseases of various aetiologies. Setting Tertiary level teaching institution in Malaysia. Participants The validation process involved 211 adult patients (English language n=101, Malay language n=110) with chronic liver disease. Characteristics of the study subjects were as follows: mean (SD) age was 56 (12.8) years, 58.3% were male and 41.7% female. The inclusion criteria were patients 18 years or older with chronic hepatitis and/or liver cirrhosis of any aetiology. The exclusion criteria were as follows: presence of hepatic encephalopathy, ongoing treatment with interferon and presence of other chronic conditions that have an impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. Cultural adaptation of the English version of the CLDQ was performed, and a Malay version was developed following standard forward–backward translation by independent native speakers. Psychometric properties of both versions were determined by assessing their internal consistency, test–retest reliability and discriminant and convergent validity. Results Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency across the various domains of the CLDQ was 0.95 for the English version and 0.92 for the Malay version. Test–retest analysis showed excellent reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.89 for the English version and 0.93 for the Malay version. The average scores of both the English and Malay versions of the CLDQ demonstrated adequate discriminant validity by differentiating between non-cirrhosis (English 6.3, Malay 6.1), compensated cirrhosis (English 5.6, Malay 6.0) and decompensated cirrhosis (English 5.1, Malay 4.9) (p<0.001). Convergent validity showed that correlation was fair between the English (ρ=0.59) and Malay (p=0.47) CLDQ versions with the EQ-5D, a generic HRQOL instrument. Conclusion The English and Malay versions of the CLDQ are reliable and valid disease-specific instruments for assessing HRQOL in Malaysian patients with chronic liver disease. PMID:28550020

Psychometric characteristics of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General when applied to Brazilian cancer patients: a cross-cultural adaptation and validation.

PubMed

Campos, Juliana Alvares Duarte Bonini; Spexoto, Maria Cláudia Bernardes; Serrano, Sergio Vicente; Maroco, João

2016-01-13

The psychometric properties of an instrument should be evaluated routinely when using different samples. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) when applied to a sample of Brazilian cancer patients. The face, content, and construct (factorial, convergent, and discriminant) validities of the FACT-G were estimated. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted the ratio chi-square by degrees of freedom (χ (2)/df), the comparative fit index (CFI), the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), and the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) as indices. The invariance of the best model was assessed with multi-group analysis using the difference of chi-squares method (Δχ(2)). Convergent validity was assessed using Average Variance Extracted (AVE) and discriminant validity was determined via correlational analysis. Internal consistency was assessed using the Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficient, and the Composite Reliability (CR) was estimated. A total of 975 cancer patients participated in the study, with a mean age of 53.3 (SD = 13.0) years. Of these participants, 61.5 % were women. In CFA, five correlations between errors were included to fit the FACT-G to the sample (χ (2)/df = 8.611, CFI = .913, TLI = .902, RMSEA = .088). The model did not indicate invariant independent samples (Δχ(2): μ: p < .001, i: p < .958, Cov: p < .001, Res: p < .001). While there was adequate convergent validity for the physical well-being (AVE = .54) and social and family Well-being factors (AVE = .55), there was low convergent validity for the other factors. Reliability was adequate (CR = .76-.89 and α = .71-.82). Functional well-being, emotional well-being, and physical well-being were the factors that demonstrated a strong contribution to patients' health-related quality of life (β = -.99, .88, and .64, respectively). The FACT-G was found to be a valid and reliable assessment of health-related quality of life in a Brazilian sample of patients with cancer.

[Psychometric properties of the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2) in adolescents].

PubMed

Salbach-Andrae, Harriet; Schneider, Nora; Bürger, Arne; Pfeiffer, Ernst; Lehmkuhl, Ulrike; Holzhausen, Martin

2010-05-01

The present study examines the psychometric properties of the German version of the Eating Disorder Inventory EDI-2 (1997) in 371 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years. Internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity were examined and a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. Internal consistency was high for the group of patients and satisfactory for both control groups. Associations with other clinical instruments point in the expected direction and support the external validity of the EDI-2. The EDI-2 differentiated very well between the group of eating disorder patients (n=71) and the female (n=150) and male control groups (n=150). A discriminant analysis demonstrated that 86.0% of the cases were correctly classified, and a confirmatory factor analysis largely supported the six-factor structure generated by the German version of the EDI-2 (Thiel et al., 1997).

The development and psychometric properties of the selective mutism questionnaire.

PubMed

Bergman, R Lindsey; Keller, Melody L; Piacentini, John; Bergman, Andrea J

2008-04-01

Research on selective mutism (SM) has been limited by the absence of standardized, psychometrically sound assessment measures. The purpose of our investigation was to present two studies that examined the factor structure and initial reliability and validity of the Selective Mutism Questionnaire (SMQ), a 17-item parent report measure of failure to speak related to SM. Study 1 (N = 589) utilized an Internet sample of parents of children ages 3 to 11 to demonstrate that the SMQ has a theoretically and clinically meaningful factor structure accounting for a significant portion of variance in responses with good internal consistency. Study 2 (N = 66) supported the validity of the SMQ in that scores discriminated clinic-referred children with SM from children with other anxiety disorders. Scores on the SMQ were correlated with measures of several theoretically and clinically important dimensions.

Task analysis exemplified: the process of resolving unfinished business.

PubMed

Greenberg, L S; Foerster, F S

1996-06-01

The steps of a task-analytic research program designed to identify the in-session performances involved in resolving lingering bad feelings toward a significant other are described. A rational-empirical methodology of repeatedly cycling between rational conjecture and empirical observations is demonstrated as a method of developing an intervention manual and the components of client processes of resolution. A refined model of the change process developed by these procedures is validated by comparing 11 successful and 11 unsuccessful performances. Four performance components-intense expression of feeling, expression of need, shift in representation of other, and self-validation or understanding of the other-were found to discriminate between resolution and nonresolution performances. These components were measured on 4 process measures: the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior, the Experiencing Scale, the Client's Emotional Arousal Scale, and a need scale.

Assessing fidelity in individual and family therapy for adolescent substance abuse.

PubMed

Hogue, Aaron; Dauber, Sarah; Chinchilla, Priscilla; Fried, Adam; Henderson, Craig; Inclan, Jaime; Reiner, Robert H; Liddle, Howard A

2008-09-01

This study introduces an observational measure of fidelity in evidence-based practices for adolescent substance abuse treatment. The Therapist Behavior Rating Scale-Competence (TBRS-C) measures adherence and competence in individual cognitive-behavioral therapy and multidimensional family therapy for adolescent substance abuse. The TBRS-C assesses fidelity to the core therapeutic goals of each approach and also contains global ratings of therapist competence. Study participants were 136 clinically referred adolescents and their families observed in 437 treatment sessions. The TBRS-C demonstrated strong interrater reliability for goal-specific ratings of treatment adherence, and modest reliability for goal-specific and global ratings of therapist competence, evidence of construct validity, and discriminant validity with an observational measure of therapeutic alliance. The utility of the TBRS-C for evaluating treatment fidelity in field settings is discussed.

Qualitative analysis of pure and adulterated canola oil via SIMCA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basri, Katrul Nadia; Khir, Mohd Fared Abdul; Rani, Rozina Abdul; Sharif, Zaiton; Rusop, M.; Zoolfakar, Ahmad Sabirin

2018-05-01

This paper demonstrates the utilization of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to classify pure and adulterated sample of canola oil. Soft Independent Modeling Class Analogies (SIMCA) algorithm was implemented to discriminate the samples to its classes. Spectral data obtained was divided using Kennard Stone algorithm into training and validation dataset by a fixed ratio of 7:3. The model accuracy obtained based on the model built is 0.99 whereas the sensitivity and precision are 0.92 and 1.00. The result showed the classification model is robust to perform qualitative analysis of canola oil for future application.

Signal peptide discrimination and cleavage site identification using SVM and NN.

PubMed

Kazemian, H B; Yusuf, S A; White, K

2014-02-01

About 15% of all proteins in a genome contain a signal peptide (SP) sequence, at the N-terminus, that targets the protein to intracellular secretory pathways. Once the protein is targeted correctly in the cell, the SP is cleaved, releasing the mature protein. Accurate prediction of the presence of these short amino-acid SP chains is crucial for modelling the topology of membrane proteins, since SP sequences can be confused with transmembrane domains due to similar composition of hydrophobic amino acids. This paper presents a cascaded Support Vector Machine (SVM)-Neural Network (NN) classification methodology for SP discrimination and cleavage site identification. The proposed method utilises a dual phase classification approach using SVM as a primary classifier to discriminate SP sequences from Non-SP. The methodology further employs NNs to predict the most suitable cleavage site candidates. In phase one, a SVM classification utilises hydrophobic propensities as a primary feature vector extraction using symmetric sliding window amino-acid sequence analysis for discrimination of SP and Non-SP. In phase two, a NN classification uses asymmetric sliding window sequence analysis for prediction of cleavage site identification. The proposed SVM-NN method was tested using Uni-Prot non-redundant datasets of eukaryotic and prokaryotic proteins with SP and Non-SP N-termini. Computer simulation results demonstrate an overall accuracy of 0.90 for SP and Non-SP discrimination based on Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC) tests using SVM. For SP cleavage site prediction, the overall accuracy is 91.5% based on cross-validation tests using the novel SVM-NN model. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Opinion Survey -- Revision and Validation

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-01

the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. 24. Gays shouldn’t be given special protection against discrimination because...special protection against discrimination because homosexuality is a decision to violate the laws of God and nature. 25. The savings and loan mess is...about taxing the rich. They’ve never been interested in helping the poor. 24. Gays shouldn’t be given special protection against discrimination

Validation of a highly integrated SiPM readout system with a TOF-PET demonstrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niknejad, T.; Setayeshi, S.; Tavernier, S.; Bugalho, R.; Ferramacho, L.; Di Francesco, A.; Leong, C.; Rolo, M. D.; Shamshirsaz, M.; Silva, J. C.; Silva, R.; Silveira, M.; Zorraquino, C.; Varela, J.

2016-12-01

We have developed a highly integrated, fast and compact readout electronics for Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) based Time of Flight Positron Emission Tomography (TOF-PET) scanners. The readout is based on the use of TOP-PET Application Specific Integrated Circuit (PETsys TOFPET1 ASIC) with 64 channels, each with its amplifier, discriminator, Time to Digital Converter (TDC) and amplitude determination using Time Over Threshold (TOT). The ASIC has 25 ps r.m.s. intrinsic time resolution and fully digital output. The system is optimised for high rates, good timing, low power consumption and low cost. For validating the readout electronics, we have built a technical PET scanner, hereafter called ``demonstrator'', with 2'048 SiPM channels. The PET demonstrator has 16 compact Detector Modules (DM). Each DM has two ASICs reading 128 SiPM pixels in one-to-one coupling to 128 Lutetium Yttrium Orthosilicate (LYSO) crystals measuring 3.1 × 3.1 × 15 mm3 each. The data acquisition system for the demonstrator has two Front End Boards type D (FEB/D), each collecting the data of 1'024 channels (8 DMs), and transmitting assembled data frames through a serial link (4.8 Gbps), to a single Data Acquisition (DAQ) board plugged into the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) bus of the data acquisition PC. Results obtained with this PET demonstrator are presented.

[Study on the classification of dominant pathogens related to febrile respiratory syndrome, based on the method of Bayes discriminant analysis].

PubMed

Li, X C; Li, J S; Meng, L; Bai, Y N; Yu, D S; Liu, X N; Liu, X F; Jiang, X J; Ren, X W; Yang, X T; Shen, X P; Zhang, J W

2017-08-10

Objective: To understand the dominant pathogens of febrile respiratory syndrome (FRS) patients in Gansu province and to establish the Bayes discriminant function in order to identify the patients infected with the dominant pathogens. Methods: FRS patients were collected in various sentinel hospitals of Gansu province from 2009 to 2015 and the dominant pathogens were determined by describing the composition of pathogenic profile. Significant clinical variables were selected by stepwise discriminant analysis to establish the Bayes discriminant function. Results: In the detection of pathogens for FRS, both influenza virus and rhinovirus showed higher positive rates than those caused by other viruses (13.79%, 8.63%), that accounting for 54.38%, 13.73% of total viral positive patients. Most frequently detected bacteria would include Streptococcus pneumoniae , and haemophilus influenza (44.41%, 18.07%) that accounting for 66.21% and 24.55% among the bacterial positive patients. The original-validated rate of discriminant function, established by 11 clinical variables, was 73.1%, with the cross-validated rate as 70.6%. Conclusion: Influenza virus, Rhinovirus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae were the dominant pathogens of FRS in Gansu province. Results from the Bayes discriminant analysis showed both higher accuracy in the classification of dominant pathogens, and applicative value for FRS.

Hangover in Post-College-Aged Drinkers: Psychometric Properties of the Hangover Symptom Scale (HSS) and the Hangover Symptom Scale-Short Form (HSS-5).

PubMed

Chavarria, Jesus; Rueger, Sandra Y; King, Andrea C

2018-04-16

Alcohol hangovers have been found to be a common and costly consequence of alcohol misuse. However, there is only limited psychometric support for instruments to accurately measure hangovers beyond the college-age years. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Hangover Symptom Scale (HSS) and the Hangover Symptom Scale-Short Form (HSS-5) including the internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity, construct validity, and the measurement invariance of these scales between light and heavy drinkers, individuals with a positive and negative family history of alcohol use disorder (AUD), and men and women in a post-college-aged sample. The association of the HSS and HSS-5 with alcohol use problems was also tested. Participants were 294 nonalcoholic light and heavy social drinkers (age range 21 to 35 years; 57.8% male) enrolled in the Chicago Social Drinking Project. They completed the HSS as part of a take-home packet completed outside of the laboratory. The psychometric properties of the HSS and HSS-5 were tested. Stronger psychometric support was found for the HSS-5 relative to the full HSS. While both measures demonstrated strong internal consistency reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, and an association with alcohol use problems, only the HSS-5 showed construct validity as determined by confirmatory factor analysis. Further, only the HSS-5 showed measurement invariance between men and women, light and heavy drinkers, and individuals with a positive and negative family history of AUD. This was the first study to examine the psychometric properties of the HSS and HSS-5 in a post-college-aged sample and the first to investigate the measurement invariance of these measures as a function of sex, drinking history, and family history of AUD. This study supports the use of the HSS-5 as a reliable and valid brief measure of frequency of hangover symptoms. Copyright © 2018 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Development of Chinese Version of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (Chi-PCOSQ)

PubMed Central

Ou, Huang-tz; Chen, Pei-Chi

2015-01-01

Objectives To develop the Chinese version of the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (Chi-PCOSQ). Research Design and Method This cross-sectional study was conducted in a medical center in Taiwan. Eighty women who met the criteria were enrolled: female, age range of 18–45 years, competent in the Chinese language, had been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and were regularly followed at outpatient clinics (defined as at least two outpatient visits before enrollment). The PCOSQ was translated and culturally adapted according to standard procedures. A semi-structured interview was applied to assess face validity. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied to determine scale constructs. Measurements of internal consistency via Cronbach’s α, test-retest reliability via intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), construct validity, and discriminative validity were performed. Results Five additional items, representing the issues of acne, hair loss, and fear of getting diabetes, were incorporated into the original scale. A six-factor structure emerged as a result of the EFA, explaining 71.9% of the variance observed. The reliability analyses demonstrated satisfactory results for Cronbach’s α ranging from 0.78–0.96, and for ICC ranging from 0.73–0.86. Construct validity was confirmed by significant correlation between the domains of the Chi-PCOSQ and generic health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures (WHOQOL-BREF, EQ-5D) and clinical parameters (body mass index, waist-hip ratio, blood pressure). The known-group analysis indicated that the Chi-PCOSQ is a discriminative tool that differentiates patients according to their HRQoL. Conclusion The Chi-PCOSQ seems internally consistent, culturally acceptable, and our preliminary evidence suggests that it may be reliable and valid. The Chi-PCOSQ is a promising assessment tool to address the HRQoL of women affected by PCOS in Chinese-speaking countries and to further identify ethnic/cultural differences in the HRQoL of women with PCOS. PMID:26452153

Psychometric properties of the Sinhala version of the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales in early adolescents in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Danansuriya, Manjula Nishanthi; Rajapaksa, Lalini C

2012-09-04

The concept Health related Quality of life (HRQOL) is increasingly recognized as an important health outcome measure in clinical and research fields. The present study attempted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Sinhala version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 (PedsQL™ 4.0) Generic Core Scales among adolescents in Sri Lanka. The original US PedsQL™ was translated into Sinhala and conceptually validated according to international guidelines. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 142 healthy school going adolescents (12-14 years), their parents (n = 120) and a group of adolescents with asthma who attended asthma clinics (n = 115). Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and validity by examining scale structure, exploring inter-scale correlations and comparing across known groups (healthy vs. chronically ill). The PedsQL™ Sinhala version was found to be acceptable with minimal missing responses. All scales demonstrated satisfactory reliability. Cronbach's alpha for the total scale scores was 0.85 for adolescent self-report while for the parent proxy-report for the healthy group it was 0.86. No floor effects were observed. Ceiling effects were noticed in self-report and parent proxy-report for the healthy group. Overall results of the multi trait scaling analysis confirmed the scale structure with 74% item-convergent validity, 88% item-discriminant validity and an overall scaling success of 72%. Moderate to high correlations were shown among the domains of teen self-report (Spearman rho = .37-.54) and between teen self-report and parent proxy-reports (Spearman rho = .41-.57). The PedsQL™ tool was able to discriminate between the quality of life in healthy adolescents and adolescents with asthma. The findings support the reliability and validity of the Sinhala version of the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales as a generic instrument to measure HRQOL among early adolescents in Sri Lanka in a population setting.