The theoretical and psychometric properties of the Subjective Traumatic Outlook (STO) questionnaire.

PubMed

Palgi, Yuval; Shrira, Amit; Ben-Ezra, Menachem

2017-07-01

The present study aimed to develop the theoretical construct and examine the psychometric properties of a new scale for measuring subjective traumatic outlook (STO) among individuals exposed to traumatic events. The main idea behind this construct is to assess individual differences in the way people exposed to traumatic experiences subjectively perceive their trauma. Using four samples, we conducted five studies that examine the new questionnaire's exploratory/confirmatory factor analysis (EFA/CFA), test-retest reliability, and construct validity. The STO was best captured by a five-item factor construct. This construct was found to have good convergent validity with similar, related subjective evaluations of PTSD and PTSD-related constructs. Yet, the STO also has unique and divergent properties compared to other questionnaires. The STO is a new, short questionnaire with excellent psychometric properties. It may provide practitioners with a good screening tool for attaining first impression about one's inner traumatic world, and predicting future risk for developing PTSD. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Introducing the Astley-Francis Theology of Religions Index: Construct Validity among 13- to 15-Year-Old Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Astley, Jeff; Francis, Leslie J.

2016-01-01

The "theology of religions" is concerned with the interpretation and evaluation of the divergent truth-claims and views of salvation that are asserted or implied by different religious traditions. This study proposes a new multi-choice index that distinguishes between six current positions within the theology of religions, characterised…

Finite Element Analysis and Biomechanical Comparison of Short Posterior Spinal Instrumentation with Divergent Bridge Construct versus Parallel Tension Band Construct for Thoracolumbar Spine Fractures

PubMed Central

Ouellet, Jean A.; Richards, Corey; Sardar, Zeeshan M.; Giannitsios, Demetri; Noiseux, Nicholas; Strydom, Willem S.; Reindl, Rudy; Jarzem, Peter; Arlet, Vincent; Steffen, Thomas

2013-01-01

The ideal treatment for unstable thoracolumbar fractures remains controversial with posterior reduction and stabilization, anterior reduction and stabilization, combined posterior and anterior reduction and stabilization, and even nonoperative management advocated. Short segment posterior osteosynthesis of these fractures has less comorbidities compared with the other operative approaches but settles into kyphosis over time. Biomechanical comparison of the divergent bridge construct versus the parallel tension band construct was performed for anteriorly destabilized T11–L1 spine segments using three different models: (1) finite element analysis (FEA), (2) a synthetic model, and (3) a human cadaveric model. Outcomes measured were construct stiffness and ultimate failure load. Our objective was to determine if the divergent pedicle screw bridge construct would provide more resistance to kyphotic deforming forces. All three modalities showed greater stiffness with the divergent bridge construct. The FEA calculated a stiffness of 21.6 N/m for the tension band construct versus 34.1 N/m for the divergent bridge construct. The synthetic model resulted in a mean stiffness of 17.3 N/m for parallel tension band versus 20.6 N/m for the divergent bridge (p = 0.03), whereas the cadaveric model had an average stiffness of 15.2 N/m in the parallel tension band compared with 18.4 N/m for the divergent bridge (p = 0.02). Ultimate failure load with the cadaveric model was found to be 622 N for the divergent bridge construct versus 419 N (p = 0.15) for the parallel tension band construct. This study confirms our clinical experience that the short posterior divergent bridge construct provides greater stiffness for the management of unstable thoracolumbar fractures. PMID:24436856

Using individualism and collectivism to compare cultures--a critique of the validity and measurement of the constructs: comment on Oyserman et al. (2002).

PubMed

Fiske, Alan Page

2002-01-01

Analyzing national and ethnic differences in individualism and collectivism, D. Oyserman, H. M. Coon, and M. Kemmelmeier (2002) showed that small differences in scales or samples produce markedly divergent results, challenging the validity of these constructs. The author examines the following limitations of research on individualism and collectivism: It treats nations as cultures and culture as a continuous quantitative variable; conflates all kinds of social relations and distinct types of autonomy; ignores contextual specificity in norms and values; measures culture as the personal preferences and behavior reports of individuals; rarely establishes the external validity of the measures used; assumes cultural invariance in the meaning of self-reports and anchoring and interpretation of scales; and reduces culture to explicit, abstract verbal knowledge.

The Alliance Negotiation Scale: A psychometric investigation.

PubMed

Doran, Jennifer M; Safran, Jeremy D; Muran, J Christopher

2016-08-01

This study investigates the utility and psychometric properties of a new measure of psychotherapy process, the Alliance Negotiation Scale (ANS; Doran, Safran, Waizmann, Bolger, & Muran, 2012). The ANS was designed to operationalize the theoretical construct of negotiation (Safran & Muran, 2000), and to extend our current understanding of the working alliance concept (Bordin, 1979). The ANS was also intended to improve upon existing measures such as the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI; Horvath & Greenberg, 1986, 1989) and its short form (WAI-S; Tracey & Kokotovic, 1989) by expanding the emphasis on negative therapy process. The present study investigates the psychometric validity of the ANS test scores and interpretation-including confirming its original factor structure and evaluating its internal consistency and construct validity. Construct validity was examined through the ANS' convergence and divergence with several existing scales that measure theoretically related constructs. The results bolster and extend previous findings about the psychometric integrity of the ANS, and begin to illuminate the relationship between negotiation and other important variables in psychotherapy research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

A Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Model of Triarchic Psychopathy Constructs: Development and Initial Validation

PubMed Central

Latzman, Robert D.; Drislane, Laura E.; Hecht, Lisa K.; Brislin, Sarah J.; Patrick, Christopher J.; Lilienfeld, Scott O.; Freeman, Hani J.; Schapiro, Steven J.; Hopkins, William D.

2015-01-01

The current work sought to operationalize constructs of the triarchic model of psychopathy in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), a species well-suited for investigations of basic biobehavioral dispositions relevant to psychopathology. Across three studies, we generated validity evidence for scale measures of the triarchic model constructs in a large sample (N=238) of socially-housed chimpanzees. Using a consensus-based rating approach, we first identified candidate items for the chimpanzee triarchic (CHMP-Tri) scales from an existing primate personality instrument and refined these into scales. In Study 2, we collected data for these scales from human informants (N=301), and examined their convergent and divergent relations with scales from another triarchic inventory developed for human use. In Study 3, we undertook validation work examining associations between CHMP-Tri scales and task measures of approach-avoidance behavior (N=73) and ability to delay gratification (N=55). Current findings provide support for a chimpanzee model of core dispositions relevant to psychopathy and other forms of psychopathology. PMID:26779396

An Integrative Analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and the Hypomanic Personality Scale: Implications for Construct Validity.

PubMed

Stanton, Kasey; Daly, Elizabeth; Stasik-O'Brien, Sara M; Ellickson-Larew, Stephanie; Clark, Lee Anna; Watson, David

2017-09-01

The primary goal of this study was to explicate the construct validity of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) and the Hypomanic Personality Scale (HPS) by examining their relations both to each other and to measures of personality and psychopathology in a community sample ( N = 255). Structural evidence indicates that the NPI is defined by Leadership/Authority, Grandiose Exhibitionism, and Entitlement/Exploitativeness factors, whereas the HPS is characterized by specific dimensions reflecting Social Vitality, Mood Volatility, and Excitement. Our results establish that (a) factor-based subscales from these instruments display divergent patterns of relations that are obscured when relying exclusively on total scores and (b) some NPI and HPS subscales more clearly tap content specifically relevant to narcissism and mania, respectively, than others. In particular, our findings challenge the construct validity of the NPI Leadership/Authority and HPS Social Vitality subscales, which appear to assess overlapping assertiveness content that is largely adaptive in nature.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Life Attitude Schedule (LAS-C) in a sample of Taiwanese adolescents.

PubMed

Chang, Hsiu-Ju; Wu, Chiung-Jane; Chen, Tzen Wen; Cheng, Andrew Tai Ann; Lin, Kuan-Chia; Rong, Jiin-Ru; Lee, Hsin-Chien

2011-05-01

Although prior research has proposed that several risk factors are conceptually and positively related to suicidal behavior, researchers have also suggested that suicide may be multifaceted. The Life Attitude Schedule (LAS) measures a broad range of suicide-related behaviors, including life-enhancing and life-threatening behaviors. This study aimed to translate the LAS into Chinese and evaluate the psychometric properties of the new version (LAS-C). A cross-sectional and descriptive design was used. Data were collected from high schools in the city of Taipei in northern Taiwan. A convenience sample of 1492 high school students was recruited from five high schools in Taipei. We used the Multi-Health Systems (MHS) translation policy to guide the translation process. Reliability was evaluated by internal consistency (represented by Cronbach's α coefficients) and test-retest (represented by intraclass correlation). Validity was demonstrated by content, convergent, divergent, concurrent, and contrast group comparison. Confirmatory factor analysis was further used to examine the theoretical model and to support construct validity. The Cronbach's α coefficient for the whole scale of the LAS-C and its subscales ranged from 0.70 to 0.91. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) ranged from 0.76 to 0.89 on the whole scale and its subscales, and were all statistically significant, at least at the p<0.05 level, indicating good stability over a three-week period. Validity was supported by a Content Validity Index (CVI) of 0.99, convergent, divergent, current, and contrast group comparison validity. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the theoretical model, further providing solid evidence of construct validity. The LAS-C has proper psychometric properties. Future studies must be conducted to shorten the items to form a briefer version. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What to Do With "Moderate" Reliability and Validity Coefficients?

PubMed

Post, Marcel W

2016-07-01

Clinimetric studies may use criteria for test-retest reliability and convergent validity such that correlation coefficients as low as .40 are supportive of reliability and validity. It can be argued that moderate (.40-.60) correlations should not be interpreted in this way and that reliability coefficients <.70 should be considered as indicative of unreliability. Convergent validity coefficients in the .40 to .60 or .40 to .70 range should be considered as indications of validity problems, or as inconclusive at best. Studies on reliability and convergent should be designed in such a way that it is realistic to expect high reliability and validity coefficients. Multitrait multimethod approaches are preferred to study construct (convergent-divergent) validity. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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 Swedish Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES-S): reliability and validity in a rheumatoid arthritis population.

PubMed

Nessen, Thomas; Demmelmaier, Ingrid; Nordgren, Birgitta; Opava, Christina H

2015-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate aspects of reliability and validity of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES-S) in a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) population. A total of 244 people with RA participating in a physical activity study were included. The six-item ESES-S, exploring confidence in performing exercise, was assessed for test-retest reliability over 4-6 months, and for internal consistency. Construct validity investigated correlation with similar and other constructs. An intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.59 (95% CI 0.37-0.73) was found for 84 participants with stable health perceptions between measurement occasions. Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.87 and 0.89 were found at the first and second measurements. Corrected item-total correlation single ESES-S items ranged between 0.53 and 0.73. Construct convergent validity for the ESES-S was partly confirmed by correlations with health-enhancing physical activity and outcome expectations respectively (Pearson's r = 0.18, p < 0.01). Construct divergent validity was confirmed by the absence of correlations with age or gender. No floor or ceiling effects were found for ESES-S. The results indicate that the ESES-S has moderate test-retest reliability and respectable internal consistency in people with RA. Construct validity was partially supported in the present sample. Further research on construct validity of the ESES-S is recommended. Physical exercise is crucial for management of symptoms and co-morbidity in rheumatoid arthritis. Self-efficacy for exercise is important to address in rehabilitation as it regulates exercise motivation and behavior. Measurement properties of self-efficacy scales need to be assessed in specific populations and different languages.

Adaptation to Portuguese of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS).

PubMed

Apóstolo, João Luís Alves; Mendes, Aida Cruz; Azeredo, Zaida Aguiar

2006-01-01

To adapt to Portuguese, of Portugal, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales, a 21-item short scale (DASS 21), designed to measure depression, anxiety and stress. After translation and back-translation with the help of experts, the DASS 21 was administered to patients in external psychiatry consults (N=101), and its internal consistency, construct validity and concurrent validity were measured. The DASS 21 properties certify its quality to measure emotional states. The instrument reveals good internal consistency. Factorial analysis shows that the two-factor structure is more adequate. The first factor groups most of the items that theoretically assess anxiety and stress, and the second groups most of the items that assess depression, explaining, on the whole, 58.54% of total variance. The strong positive correlation between the DASS 21 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD) confirms the hypothesis regarding the criterion validity, however, revealing fragilities as to the divergence between theoretically different constructs.

Validity and reliability of the Short Form 36 Health Surveys (SF-36) among patients with spondyloarthritis in Singapore.

PubMed

Kwan, Yu Heng; Fong, Warren Weng Seng; Lui, Nai Lee; Yong, Si Ting; Cheung, Yin Bun; Malhotra, Rahul; Østbye, Truls; Thumboo, Julian

2016-12-01

The Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) is a popular health-related quality of life (HrQoL) tool. However, few studies have assessed its psychometric properties in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). We therefore aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the SF-36 in patients with SpA in Singapore. Cross-sectional data from a registry of 196 SpA patients recruited from a dedicated tertiary referral clinic in Singapore from 2011 to 2014 was used. Analyses were guided by the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments framework. Internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed through 33 a priori hypotheses by correlations of the eight subscales and two summary scores of SF-36 with other health outcomes. Known-group construct validity was assessed by comparison of the means of the subscales and summary scores of the SF-36 of SpA patients and the general population of Singapore using student's t tests. Among 196 patients (155 males (79.0 %), median (range) age: 36 (17-70), 166 Chinese (84.6 %)), SF-36 scales showed high internal consistency ranging from 0.88 to 0.90. Convergent construct validity was supported as shown by fulfillment of all hypotheses. Divergent construct validity was supported, as SF-36 MCS was not associated with PGA, pain and HAQ. Known-group construct validity showed SpA patients had lower scores of 3.8-12.5 when compared to the general population at p < 0.001. This study supports the SF-36 as a valid and reliable measure of HrQoL for use in patients with SpA at a single time point.

Safer Conception Methods and Counseling: Psychometric Evaluation of New Measures of Attitudes and Beliefs Among HIV Clients and Providers.

PubMed

Woldetsadik, Mahlet Atakilt; Goggin, Kathy; Staggs, Vincent S; Wanyenze, Rhoda K; Beyeza-Kashesya, Jolly; Mindry, Deborah; Finocchario-Kessler, Sarah; Khanakwa, Sarah; Wagner, Glenn J

2016-06-01

With data from 400 HIV clients with fertility intentions and 57 HIV providers in Uganda, we evaluated the psychometrics of new client and provider scales measuring constructs related to safer conception methods (SCM) and safer conception counselling (SCC). Several forms of validity (i.e., content, face, and construct validity) were examined using standard methods including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency was established using Cronbach's alpha correlation coefficient. The final scales consisted of measures of attitudes towards use of SCM and delivery of SCC, including measures of self-efficacy and motivation to use SCM, and perceived community stigma towards childbearing. Most client and all provider measures had moderate to high internal consistency (alphas 0.60-0.94), most had convergent validity (associations with other SCM or SCC-related measures), and client measures had divergent validity (poor associations with depression). These findings establish preliminary psychometric properties of these scales and should facilitate future studies of SCM and SCC.

Validation of a French version of the Sleep Condition Indicator: a clinical screening tool for insomnia disorder according to DSM-5 criteria.

PubMed

Bayard, Sophie; Lebrun, Cindy; Maudarbocus, Khaalid Hassan; Schellaert, Vanessa; Joffre, Alicia; Ferrante, Esther; Le Louedec, Marie; Cournoulat, Alice; Gely-Nargeot, Marie-Christine; Luik, Annemarie I

2017-12-01

Insomnia disorder is frequent in the population, yet there is no French screening instrument available that is based on the updated DSM-5 criteria. We evaluated the validity and reliability of the French version of an insomnia screening instrument based on DSM-5 criteria, the Sleep Condition Indicator, in a population-based sample of adults. A total of 366 community-dwelling participants completed a face-to-face clinical interview to determine insomnia disorder against DSM-5 criteria and several questionnaires including the French Sleep Condition Indicator version. Three-hundred and twenty-nine participants completed the Sleep Condition Indicator again after 1 month. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the reliability, construct validity, divergent validity and temporal stability of the French translation of the Sleep Condition Indicator. In addition, an explanatory factor analysis was performed to assess the underlying structure. The internal consistency (α = 0.87) and temporal stability (r = 0.86, P < 0.001) of the French Sleep Condition Indicator were high. When using the previously defined cut-off value of ≤ 16, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.93 with a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 75%. Additionally, good construct and divergent validity were demonstrated. The factor analyses showed a two-factor structure with a focus on sleep and daytime effects. The French version of the Sleep Condition Indicator demonstrates satisfactory psychometric properties while being a useful instrument in detecting cases of insomnia disorder, consistent with features of DSM-5, in the general population. © 2017 European Sleep Research Society.

Development and validation of a scale for mouth handicap in systemic sclerosis: the Mouth Handicap in Systemic Sclerosis scale

PubMed Central

Mouthon, L; Rannou, F; Bérezné, A; Pagnoux, C; Arène, J‐P; Foïs, E; Cabane, J; Guillevin, L; Revel, M; Fermanian, J; Poiraudeau, S

2007-01-01

Objective To develop and assess the reliability and construct validity of a scale assessing disability involving the mouth in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Methods We generated a 34‐item provisional scale from mailed responses of patients (n = 74), expert consensus (n = 10) and literature analysis. A total of 71 other SSc patients were recruited. The test–retest reliability was assessed using the intraclass coefficient correlation and divergent validity using the Spearman correlation coefficient. Factor analysis followed by varimax rotation was performed to assess the factorial structure of the scale. Results The item reduction process retained 12 items with 5 levels of answers (total score range 0–48). The mean total score of the scale was 20.3 (SD 9.7). The test–retest reliability was 0.96. Divergent validity was confirmed for global disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), r = 0.33), hand function (Cochin Hand Function Scale, r = 0.37), inter‐incisor distance (r = −0.34), handicap (McMaster‐Toronto Arthritis questionnaire (MACTAR), r = 0.24), depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD); HADd, r = 0.26) and anxiety (HADa, r = 0.17). Factor analysis extracted 3 factors with eigenvalues of 4.26, 1.76 and 1.47, explaining 63% of the variance. These 3 factors could be clinically characterised. The first factor (5 items) represents handicap induced by the reduction in mouth opening, the second (5 items) handicap induced by sicca syndrome and the third (2 items) aesthetic concerns. Conclusion We propose a new scale, the Mouth Handicap in Systemic Sclerosis (MHISS) scale, which has excellent reliability and good construct validity, and assesses specifically disability involving the mouth in patients with SSc. PMID:17502364

Reliability and validity in a nutshell.

PubMed

Bannigan, Katrina; Watson, Roger

2009-12-01

To explore and explain the different concepts of reliability and validity as they are related to measurement instruments in social science and health care. There are different concepts contained in the terms reliability and validity and these are often explained poorly and there is often confusion between them. To develop some clarity about reliability and validity a conceptual framework was built based on the existing literature. The concepts of reliability, validity and utility are explored and explained. Reliability contains the concepts of internal consistency and stability and equivalence. Validity contains the concepts of content, face, criterion, concurrent, predictive, construct, convergent (and divergent), factorial and discriminant. In addition, for clinical practice and research, it is essential to establish the utility of a measurement instrument. To use measurement instruments appropriately in clinical practice, the extent to which they are reliable, valid and usable must be established.

Adaptation of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory into Polish and its testing on a clinical population of tinnitus sufferers.

PubMed

Skarzynski, Piotr H; Raj-Koziak, Danuta; J Rajchel, Joanna; Pilka, Adam; Wlodarczyk, Andrzej W; Skarzynski, Henryk

2017-10-01

To describe how the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) was translated into Polish (THI-POL) and to present psychometric data on how well it performed in a clinical population of tinnitus sufferers. The original version of THI was adapted into Polish. The reliability of THI-POL was investigated using test-retest, Cronbach's alpha, endorsement rate and item-total correlation. Construct validity and convergent validity were also assessed based on confirmatory factor analysis, inter-item correlation and Pearson product-moment correlations using subscale A (Tinnitus) of the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey (THS-POL); divergent validity was checked using subscale B (Hearing) of THS-POL. A group of 167 adults filled in THI-POL twice over their three-day hospitalisation period. Test-retest reliability for the total THI-POL scores was strong (r = 0.91). Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total score was high (r = 0.95), confirming the questionnaire's stability. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and inter-item correlation did not confirm the three-factor model. Convergent validity from the Tinnitus subscale of THS showed a positive strong (r = 0.75) correlation. Divergent validity showed only a moderate correlation. All analyses were statistically significant (p <  0.01). THI-POL is a valid and reliable self-administered tool, which allows the overall tinnitus handicap of Polish-speaking patients to be effectively assessed.

[Validity and reliability of the Culture of Quality Health Services questionnaire in Mexico].

PubMed

Herrera-Kiengelher, L; Zepeda-Zaragoza, J; Austria-Corrales, F; Vázquez-Zarate, V M

2013-01-01

Patient Safety is a major public health problem worldwide and is responsibility of all those involved in health care. Establishing a Safety Culture has proved to be a factor that favors the integration of work teams, communication and construction of clear procedures in various organizations. Promote a culture of safety depends on several factors, such as organization, work unit and staff. Objective assessment of these factors will help to identify areas for improvement and establish strategic lines of action. [corrected] To adapt, validate and calibrate the questionnaire Culture of Quality in Health Services (CQHS) in Mexican population. A cross with a stratified representative sample of 522 health workers. The questionnaire was translated and adapted from Singer's. Content was validated by experts, internal consistency, confirmatory factorial validity and item calibration with Samejima's Graded Response Model. Convergent and divergent construct validity was confirmed from the CQHS, item calibration showed that the questionnaire is able to discriminate between patients and represent different levels of the hypothesized dimensions with greater accuracy and lower standard error. The CQHS is a valid and reliable instrument to assess patient safety culture in hospitals in Mexico. Copyright © 2013 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Using Wirtinger calculus and holomorphic matching to obtain the discharge potential for an elliptical pond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strack, O. D. L.

2009-01-01

We present in this paper a new method for deriving discharge potentials for groundwater flow. Discharge potentials are two-dimensional functions; the discharge potential to be presented represents steady groundwater flow with an elliptical pond of constant rate of extraction or infiltration. The method relies on Wirtinger calculus. We demonstrate that it is possible, in principle, to construct a holomorphic function Ω(z), defined so as to produce the same gradient vector in two dimensions as that obtained from an arbitrary function F(x, y) along any Jordan curve ?. We will call Ω(z) the holomorphic match of F(x, y) along ?. Let the line ? be a closed contour bounding a domain ?, and let F(x, y) be defined in ? and represent the discharge potential for some case of divergent groundwater flow. Holomorphic matching makes it possible to create a function Ω(z), valid outside ?, such that ?Ω equals F(x, y) and the gradient of ?Ω equals that of F(x, y) along ?. (Note that the technique applies also if ? is the domain outside ?.) We can use this technique to construct solutions for cases of flow where there is nonzero divergence (due to infiltration or leakage, for example) in ? but zero divergence outside ?. The special case that the divergence within ? is constant and is zero outside ? is chosen to illustrate the approach and to obtain a solution that, to the knowledge of the author, does not exist in the field of groundwater flow.

An Extended Validity Argument for Assessing Feedback Culture.

PubMed

Rougas, Steven; Clyne, Brian; Cianciolo, Anna T; Chan, Teresa M; Sherbino, Jonathan; Yarris, Lalena M

2015-01-01

NEGEA 2015 CONFERENCE ABSTRACT (EDITED): Measuring an Organization's Culture of Feedback: Can It Be Done? Steven Rougas and Brian Clyne. CONSTRUCT: This study sought to develop a construct for measuring formative feedback culture in an academic emergency medicine department. Four archetypes (Market, Adhocracy, Clan, Hierarchy) reflecting an organization's values with respect to focus (internal vs. external) and process (flexibility vs. stability and control) were used to characterize one department's receptiveness to formative feedback. The prevalence of residents' identification with certain archetypes served as an indicator of the department's organizational feedback culture. New regulations have forced academic institutions to implement wide-ranging changes to accommodate competency-based milestones and their assessment. These changes challenge residencies that use formative feedback from faculty as a major source of data for determining training advancement. Though various approaches have been taken to improve formative feedback to residents, there currently exists no tool to objectively measure the organizational culture that surrounds this process. Assessing organizational culture, commonly used in the business sector to represent organizational health, may help residency directors gauge their program's success in fostering formative feedback. The Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) is widely used, extensively validated, applicable to survey research, and theoretically based and may be modifiable to assess formative feedback culture in the emergency department. Using a modified Delphi technique and several iterations of focus groups amongst educators at one institution, four of the original six OCAI domains (which each contain 4 possible responses) were modified to create a 16-item Formative Feedback Culture Tool (FFCT) that was administered to 26 residents (response rate = 55%) at a single academic emergency medicine department. The mean score of each item on the FFCT (range = 0-100) was analyzed. Convergent and divergent properties of the four archetypes were assessed using a multitrait-multimethod matrix of Pearson's coefficients. Expecting that items in one archetype would diverge from the others, whereas items within an archetype should have strong convergent properties, convergent validity was assessed by comparing items across domains that all related to the same archetype. Similarly, divergent validity was assessed by comparing the correlation of items within an archetype to the correlations of those items within a hetero-domain block (i.e., to other items within the same domain). Three of the four domains of the FFCT (Overall Departmental Characteristics 35.4 ± 15.4, Departmental Foundation of Feedback 46.1 ± 16.7, and Departmental Emphasis of Feedback 30.3 ± 17.7) had the highest mean in the Market archetype (results/achievement oriented), whereas the final domain (Departmental Definition of Successful Feedback 34.8 ± 22.1) had the highest mean in the Clan archetype (personal growth/team achievement). Item responses in the Clan and Hierarchy archetypes had the strongest convergent and divergent validity, respectively. Item responses in the Adhocracy archetype had the weakest convergent and divergent validity. Although the sample size was small, this initial study demonstrates that a modified organizational culture assessment tool can feasibly be utilized to identify the primary formative feedback archetype of a cohort of residents. This may have future implications for measuring changes in culture after the implementation of strategic programs to address formative feedback. Future studies should examine the generalizability of the FFCT to other institutions, as well as address the weak validity evidence of the Adhocracy archetype in the FFCT.

Perceived visual informativeness (PVI): construct and scale development to assess visual information in printed materials.

PubMed

King, Andy J; Jensen, Jakob D; Davis, LaShara A; Carcioppolo, Nick

2014-01-01

There is a paucity of research on the visual images used in health communication messages and campaign materials. Even though many studies suggest further investigation of these visual messages and their features, few studies provide specific constructs or assessment tools for evaluating the characteristics of visual messages in health communication contexts. The authors conducted 2 studies to validate a measure of perceived visual informativeness (PVI), a message construct assessing visual messages presenting statistical or indexical information. In Study 1, a 7-item scale was created that demonstrated good internal reliability (α = .91), as well as convergent and divergent validity with related message constructs such as perceived message quality, perceived informativeness, and perceived attractiveness. PVI also converged with a preference for visual learning but was unrelated to a person's actual vision ability. In addition, PVI exhibited concurrent validity with a number of important constructs including perceived message effectiveness, decisional satisfaction, and three key public health theory behavior predictors: perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy. Study 2 provided more evidence that PVI is an internally reliable measure and demonstrates that PVI is a modifiable message feature that can be tested in future experimental work. PVI provides an initial step to assist in the evaluation and testing of visual messages in campaign and intervention materials promoting informed decision making and behavior change.

[Reliability and Validity of the Scale for Homophobia in Medicine Students].

PubMed

Campo-Arias, Adalberto; Lafaurie, María Mercedes; Gaitán-Duarte, Hernando G

2012-12-01

There are several scales to quantify homophobia in different populations. However, the reliability and validity of these instruments among Colombian students are unknown. Consequently, this work is intended to assess reliability (inner consistency) as well as the validity of the Scale for Homophobia in Medicine students from a private university in Bogotá (Colombia). Methodological study with 199 Medicine students from 1st to 5th semester that filled out the Homophobia Scale form, the general welfare questionnaire, the Attitude Towards Gays and Lesbians Scale (ATGL), WHO-5 (divergent validity) and the Francis Scale of Attitude Toward Christianity (nomologic validity). Pearson's correlations were computed, the Cronbach's alfa coefficient, the omega coefficient (construct's reliability) and confirmatory factorial analysis. The Scale for Homophobia showed an alpha Cronbach coefficient of 0,785, an omega coefficient of 0,790 and a Pearson correlation with the ATGL of 0,844; with WHO-5, -0,059; and a Francis Scale of Attitude Toward Christianity, 0,187. The Scale toward Homophobia exhibited a relevant factor of 44,7% of the total variance. The Scale for Homophobia showed acceptable reliability and validity. New studies should investigate the stability of the scale and the nomologic validity regarding other constructs. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

[Job stress and quality of life of primary care health-workers: evidence of validity of the PECVEC questionnaire].

PubMed

Fernández-López, Juan Antonio; Fernández-Fidalgo, María; Martín-Payo, Rubén; Rödel, Andreas

2007-08-01

To evaluate the relationship between Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) and stress at work among Primary Care workers, as evidence of the construct validity of the Spanish version (PECVEC) of the profile of quality of life in the chronically ill (PLC) questionnaire. In addition, to check its other psychometric properties. Cross-sectional study. Eighteen primary care centres in Health Area IV, Asturias (Oviedo), Spain, sharing similar socio-demographic conditions. Two hundred and thirty-three primary care nurses and physicians. HRQL was evaluated by the 6 general dimensions of the Spanish version of the PLC. Stress at work was evaluated by the three scales of the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire. The construct validity of the PECVEC was assessed by testing the inverse associations of QoL dimensions and job stress ones, when the most important confuser variables were monitored. The non-response rate was low (<3%), and no floor effects and only small ceiling effects were observed. Internal consistency analysis and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated high reliability, factorial validity and convergent/divergent validity of the PECVEC. The PECVEC demonstrates adequate psychometric properties for evaluating HRQL in healthy subjects.

The reliability and validity of the Maryland Assessment of Recovery in Serious Mental Illness Scale.

PubMed

Drapalski, Amy L; Medoff, Deborah; Dixon, Lisa; Bellack, Alan

2016-05-30

The current study aims to further evaluate the psychometric properties of the Maryland Assessment of Recovery in Serious Mental Illness (MARS), a relatively new instrument designed to assess personal recovery status in individuals with serious mental illness. Two hundred and fifty individuals with serious mental illness receiving outpatient mental health treatment completed a baseline assessment which included the MARS and measures to assess recovery-related constructs, clinical outcomes, and social and community functioning. The MARS demonstrated excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Good construct validity was evidenced by strong positive relationships between the MARS and recovery-related constructs (e.g. hope, empowerment, self-efficacy, and personal agency) and a strong negative relationship with self-stigma. Divergent validity was demonstrated by weaker relationships with cognitive and social functioning. The confirmatory factor analysis did not confirm the unitary factor structure found in previous research. Given the equivocal result of the CFA, additional exploratory work is needed to determine if a more complex factor structure is present. This study provides addition support for the psychometric soundness of the MARS and subsequently, its potential use as a measure of personal recovery status in people with serious mental illness. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Reliability and validity of selected measures associated with increased fall risk in females over the age of 45 years with distal radius fracture - A pilot study.

PubMed

Mehta, Saurabh P; MacDermid, Joy C; Richardson, Julie; MacIntyre, Norma J; Grewal, Ruby

2015-01-01

Clinical measurement. This study examined test-retest reliability and convergent/divergent construct validity of selected tests and measures that assess balance impairment, fear of falling (FOF), impaired physical activity (PA), and lower extremity muscle strength (LEMS) in females >45 years of age after the distal radius fracture (DRF) population. Twenty one female participants with DRF were assessed on two occasions. Timed Up and Go, Functional Reach, and One Leg Standing tests assessed balance impairment. Shortened Falls Efficacy Scale, Activity-specific Balance Confidence scale, and Fall Risk Perception Questionnaire assessed FOF. International Physical Activity Questionnaire and Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity were administered to assess PA level. Chair stand test and isometric muscle strength testing for hip and knee assessed LEMS. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) examined the test-retest reliability of the measures. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) examined concurrent relationships between the measures. The results demonstrated fair to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC between 0.50 and 0.96) and low to moderate concordance between the measures (low if r ≤ 0.4; moderate if r = 0.4-0.7). The results provide preliminary estimates of test-retest reliability and convergent/divergent construct validity of selected measures associated with increased risk for falling in the females >45 years of age after DRF. Further research directions to advance knowledge regarding fall risk assessment in DRF population have been identified. Copyright © 2015 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a measure for the assessment of peer-related positive emotional memories.

PubMed

Ferreira, Cláudia; Cunha, Marina; Marta-Simões, Joana; Duarte, Cristiana; Matos, Marcela; Pinto-Gouveia, José

2018-03-01

Previous research has demonstrated a link between early experiences of warmth, safeness, and soothing, and positive feelings, health, and well-being outcomes. Although the impact of positive parent-related early relationships and its posterior recall is well documented, research on the recall of warmth and safeness experiences within early peer relationships remains scarce. In fact, it is considered that the protective role of early positive peer relationships deserves intensive research; however, a specific measure that assesses this construct is still to be created. This study describes the development and validation of a new measure designed to assess the recall of early experiences of warmth, safeness, and affection in relation to peers (EMWSS-peers). Distinct samples, comprising individuals of both genders aged between 18 and 68 years old, were used to test the EMWSS-peers factorial structure through principal axis factoring (PAF) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and to examine its psychometric properties. Principal axis factoring's results indicated that the 12-item scale presents a one-factor structure explaining a total of 71.50% of the variance. The CFA confirmed the plausibility of this structure. The EMWSS-peers also presented excellent internal consistency and construct, concurrent, and divergent validities. The EMWSS-peers seems to be a new avenue for the study of memories of early experiences with friends and colleagues and may entail a relevant contribution to clinical and research fields, particularly for upcoming investigations on the relationship of peer-related affiliative memories with well-being and mental health. The EMWSS-peers is a specific measure to assess the recall of warmth and safeness in early peer relationships. The EMWSS-peers is a brief, robust, and reliable self-report instrument. The EMWSS-peers presented excellent internal consistency and construct, concurrent, and divergent validities. The EMWSS-peers may open a new avenue for the study of memories of early peer-related experiences, with potential clinical and research implications. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Validation of the NOSCA - nurses' observation scale of cognitive abilities.

PubMed

Persoon, Anke; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Melis, Rene J F; van Achterberg, Theo; Kessels, Roy P C; Rikkert, Marcel G M Olde

2012-11-01

To examine the psychometric properties of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities. Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities is a behavioural rating scale comprising eight subscales that represent different cognitive domains. It is based on observations during contact between nurse and patient. Observational study. A total of 50 patients from two geriatric wards in acute care hospitals participated in this study. Reliability was examined via internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. Construct validity of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities and its subscales were explored by means of convergent and divergent validity and post hoc analyses for group differences. Cronbach's αs of the total Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities and its subscales were 0·98 and 0·66-0·93, respectively. The item-total correlations were satisfactory (overall > 0·4). The intra-class coefficients were good (37 of 39 items > 0·4). The convergent validity of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities against cognitive ratings (MMSE, NOSGER) and severity of dementia (Clinical Dementia Rating) demonstrated satisfactory correlations (0·59-0·70, p < 0·01), except for IQCODE (0·30, p > 0·05). The divergent validity of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities against depressive symptoms was low (0·12, p > 0·05). The construct validity of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities subscales against 13 specific neuropsychological tests showed correlations varying from poor to fair (0·18-0·74; 10 of 13 correlations p < 0·05). Validity and reliability of the total Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities are excellent. The correlations between the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities subscales and standard neuropsychological tests were moderate. More conclusive results may be found if the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities subscales were to be validated using more ecologically valid tests and in a patient population with less cognitive impairment. Use of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities yields standardised, reliable and valid information about patient's cognitive behaviour in daily practice. The Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities aids in tailoring nursing interventions to patients' specific cognitive needs. We advocate the implementation of the Nurses' Observation Scale for Cognitive Abilities both in research and at geriatric units in acute care hospitals. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Divergent Thinking and Constructing Episodic Simulations

PubMed Central

Addis, Donna Rose; Pan, Ling; Musicaro, Regina; Schacter, Daniel L.

2014-01-01

Divergent thinking likely plays an important role in simulating autobiographical events. We investigated whether divergent thinking is differentially associated with the ability to construct detailed imagined future and imagined past events as opposed to recalling past events. We also examined whether age differences in divergent thinking might underlie the reduced episodic detail generated by older adults. The richness of episodic detail comprising autobiographical events in young and older adults was assessed using the Autobiographical Interview. Divergent thinking abilities were measured using the Alternate Uses Task. Divergent thinking was significantly associated with the amount of episodic detail for imagined future events. Moreover, while age was significantly associated with imagined episodic detail, this effect was strongly related to age-related changes in episodic retrieval rather than divergent thinking. PMID:25483132

Divergent thinking and constructing episodic simulations.

PubMed

Addis, Donna Rose; Pan, Ling; Musicaro, Regina; Schacter, Daniel L

2016-01-01

Divergent thinking likely plays an important role in simulating autobiographical events. We investigated whether divergent thinking is differentially associated with the ability to construct detailed imagined future and imagined past events as opposed to recalling past events. We also examined whether age differences in divergent thinking might underlie the reduced episodic detail generated by older adults. The richness of episodic detail comprising autobiographical events in young and older adults was assessed using the Autobiographical Interview. Divergent thinking abilities were measured using the Alternative Uses Task. Divergent thinking was significantly associated with the amount of episodic detail for imagined future events. Moreover, while age was significantly associated with imagined episodic detail, this effect was strongly related to age-related changes in episodic retrieval rather than divergent thinking.

Development and validation of a multi-dimensional measure of intellectual humility

PubMed Central

Alfano, Mark; Iurino, Kathryn; Stey, Paul; Robinson, Brian; Christen, Markus; Yu, Feng; Lapsley, Daniel

2017-01-01

This paper presents five studies on the development and validation of a scale of intellectual humility. This scale captures cognitive, affective, behavioral, and motivational components of the construct that have been identified by various philosophers in their conceptual analyses of intellectual humility. We find that intellectual humility has four core dimensions: Open-mindedness (versus Arrogance), Intellectual Modesty (versus Vanity), Corrigibility (versus Fragility), and Engagement (versus Boredom). These dimensions display adequate self-informant agreement, and adequate convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity. In particular, Open-mindedness adds predictive power beyond the Big Six for an objective behavioral measure of intellectual humility, and Intellectual Modesty is uniquely related to Narcissism. We find that a similar factor structure emerges in Germanophone participants, giving initial evidence for the model’s cross-cultural generalizability. PMID:28813478

Developing a Self-Scoring Comprehensive Instrument to Measure Rest's Four-Component Model of Moral Behavior: The Moral Skills Inventory.

PubMed

Chambers, David W

2011-01-01

One of the most extensively studied constructs in dental education is the four-component model of moral behavior proposed by James Rest and the set of instruments for measuring it developed by Rest, Muriel Bebeau, and others. Although significant associations have been identified between the four components Rest proposed (called here Moral Sensitivity, Moral Reasoning, Moral Integrity, and Moral Courage) and dental ethics courses and practitioners with disciplined licenses, there is no single instrument that measures all four components, and existing single component instruments require professional scoring. This article describes the development and validation of a short, self-scoring instrument, the Moral Skills Inventory, that measures all four components. Evidence of face validity, test/retest reliability, and concurrent convergent and divergent predictive validity are demonstrated in three populations: dental students, clinical dental faculty members, and regents and officers of the American College of Dentists. Significant issues remain in developing the Rest four-component model for use in dental education and practice. Specifically, further construct validation research is needed to understand the nature of the components. In particular, it remains undetermined whether moral constructs are characteristics of individuals that drive behavior in specific situations or whether particular patterns of moral behavior learned and used in response to individual circumstances are summarized by researchers and then imputed to practitioners.

Farsi version of social skills rating system-secondary student form: cultural adaptation, reliability and construct validity.

PubMed

Eslami, Ahmad Ali; Amidi Mazaheri, Maryam; Mostafavi, Firoozeh; Abbasi, Mohamad Hadi; Noroozi, Ensieh

2014-01-01

Assessment of social skills is a necessary requirement to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive and behavioral interventions. This paper reports the cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Farsi version of the social skills rating system-secondary students form (SSRS-SS) questionnaire (Gresham and Elliot, 1990), in a normative sample of secondary school students. A two-phase design was used that phase 1 consisted of the linguistic adaptation and in phase 2, using cross-sectional sample survey data, the construct validity and reliability of the Farsi version of the SSRS-SS were examined in a sample of 724 adolescents aged from 13 to 19 years. Content validity index was excellent, and the floor/ceiling effects were low. After deleting five of the original SSRS-SS items, the findings gave support for the item convergent and divergent validity. Factor analysis revealed four subscales. RESULTS showed good internal consistency (0.89) and temporal stability (0.91) for the total scale score. Findings demonstrated support for the use of the 27-item Farsi version in the school setting. Directions for future research regarding the applicability of the scale in other settings and populations of adolescents are discussed.

‘Emotional Intelligence’: Lessons from Lesions

PubMed Central

Hogeveen, J.; Salvi, C.; Grafman, J.

2018-01-01

‘Emotional intelligence’ (EI) is one of the most highly used psychological terms in popular nomenclature, yet its construct, divergent, and predictive validities are contentiously debated. Despite this debate, the EI construct is composed of a set of emotional abilities – recognizing emotional states in the self and others, using emotions to guide thought and behavior, understanding how emotions shape behavior, and emotion regulation – that undoubtedly influence important social and personal outcomes. In this review, evidence from human lesion studies is reviewed in order to provide insight into the necessary brain regions for each of these core emotional abilities. Critically, we consider how this neuropsychological evidence might help to guide efforts to define and measure EI. PMID:27647325

Conceptualization and Assessment of Disengagement in Romantic Relationships

PubMed Central

Barry, Robin A.; Lawrence, Erika; Langer, Amie

2008-01-01

Research examining relationship distress and dissolution highlights the importance of romantic disengagement. However, prior conceptualizations and measures of romantic disengagement have tended to combine disengagement with related but distinct constructs hindering the study of romantic disengagement. In the present study we conducted exploratory factor analyses to demonstrate that disengagement is a relatively distinct construct and to clarify the conceptualization of romantic disengagement. More importantly, we developed a novel measure– the Romantic Disengagement Scale (RDS). The RDS demonstrated adequate fit across samples of dating individuals, married couples and women in physically aggressive relationships. The RDS also demonstrated strong divergent and incremental validity. Implications for enhancing conceptual models, research methodology, and clinical interventions are discussed. PMID:19727315

'Emotional Intelligence': Lessons from Lesions.

PubMed

Hogeveen, J; Salvi, C; Grafman, J

2016-10-01

'Emotional intelligence' (EI) is one of the most highly used psychological terms in popular nomenclature, yet its construct, divergent, and predictive validities are contentiously debated. Despite this debate, the EI construct is composed of a set of emotional abilities - recognizing emotional states in the self and others, using emotions to guide thought and behavior, understanding how emotions shape behavior, and emotion regulation - that undoubtedly influence important social and personal outcomes. In this review, evidence from human lesion studies is reviewed in order to provide insight into the necessary brain regions for each of these core emotional abilities. Critically, we consider how this neuropsychological evidence might help to guide efforts to define and measure EI. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and Preliminary Psychometrics of the Exercise Therapy Burden Questionnaire for Patients With Chronic Conditions.

PubMed

Martin, William; Palazzo, Clémence; Poiraudeau, Serge

2017-11-01

To develop and validate a self-reporting questionnaire assessing the burden of exercise therapy for patients with chronic conditions. Measurement properties of an instrument. Outpatient clinics and tertiary care hospital. Patients (N=201) with at least 1 chronic condition and performing exercise therapy. Not applicable. The dimensional structure of the questionnaire was assessed by principal component analysis. Construct validity of the instrument was assessed by exploring convergent validity with the Treatment Burden Questionnaire (TBQ) and divergent validity with pain, self-efficacy, treatment satisfaction, and health state. Reliability was assessed with the Cronbach α coefficient, a test-retest method using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland-Altman plotting. A preliminary list of items was developed from semistructured interviews with 28 patients and reviewed by 2 expert physicians. Items obtained were reduced. Then a sample of 163 patients was used to measure the psychometrics of the Exercise Therapy Burden Questionnaire (ETBQ), consisting of 10 items. Principal component analysis extracted 1 dimension. The Cronbach α was .86 (.82-.89). Test-retest reliability (n=24 patients) was good with an ICC of .93 (.85-.97), and Bland-Altman analysis did not reveal a systematic trend. The ETBQ showed expected convergent validity with the TBQ (ρ=.52) and expected divergent validity with pain (ρ=.37), self-efficacy (ρ=-.34), treatment satisfaction (ρ=-.49), and perceived health state (ρ=-.28). The ETBQ is the first questionnaire assessing exercise therapy burden in patients with chronic conditions. Its psychometric properties are promising. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and Validation of the Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drug Use Schedule

PubMed Central

Langenbucher, James W.; Lai, Justine Karmin; Loeb, Katharine L.; Hollander, Eric

2011-01-01

Appearance-and-performance enhancing drug (APED) use is a form of drug use that includes use of a wide range of substances such as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs) and associated behaviors including intense exercise and dietary control. To date, there are no reliable or valid measures of the core features of APED use. The present study describes the development and psychometric evaluation of the Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drug Use Schedule (APEDUS) which is a semi-structured interview designed to assess the spectrum of drug use and related features of APED use. Eighty-five current APED using men and women (having used an illicit APED in the past year and planning to use an illicit APED in the future) completed the APEDUS and measures of convergent and divergent validity. Inter-rater agreement, scale reliability, one-week test-retest reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and construct validity were evaluated for each of the APEDUS scales. The APEDUS is a modular interview with 10 sections designed to assess the core drug and non-drug phenomena associated with APED use. All scales and individual items demonstrated high inter-rater agreement and reliability. Individual scales significantly correlated with convergent measures (DSM-IV diagnoses, aggression, impulsivity, eating disorder pathology) and were uncorrelated with a measure of social desirability. APEDUS subscale scores were also accurate measures of AAS dependence. The APEDUS is a reliable and valid measure of APED phenomena and an accurate measure of the core pathology associated with APED use. Issues with assessing APED use are considered and future research considered. PMID:21640487

Good reliability and validity for a new utility instrument measuring the birth experience, the Labor and Delivery Index.

PubMed

Gärtner, Fania R; de Miranda, Esteriek; Rijnders, Marlies E; Freeman, Liv M; Middeldorp, Johanna M; Bloemenkamp, Kitty W M; Stiggelbout, Anne M; van den Akker-van Marle, M Elske

2015-10-01

To validate the Labor and Delivery Index (LADY-X), a new delivery-specific utility measure. In a test-retest design, women were surveyed online, 6 to 8 weeks postpartum and again 1 to 2 weeks later. For reliability testing, we assessed the standard error of measurement (S.E.M.) and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). For construct validity, we tested hypotheses on the association with comparison instruments (Mackey Childbirth Satisfaction Rating Scale and Wijma Delivery Experience Questionnaire), both on domain and total score levels. We assessed known-group differences using eight obstetrical indicators: method and place of birth, induction, transfer, control over pain medication, complications concerning mother and child, and experienced control. The questionnaire was completed by 308 women, 257 (83%) completed the retest. The distribution of LADY-X scores was skewed. The reliability was good, as the ICC exceeded 0.80 and the S.E.M. was 0.76. Requirements for good construct validity were fulfilled: all hypotheses for convergent and divergent validity were confirmed, and six of eight hypotheses for known-group differences were confirmed as all differences were statistically significant (P-values: <0.001-0.023), but for two tests, difference scores did not exceed the S.E.M. The LADY-X demonstrates good reliability and construct validity. Despite its skewed distribution, the LADY-X can discriminate between groups. With the preference weights available, the LADY-X might fulfill the need for a utility measure for cost-effectiveness studies for perinatal care interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale: factor, convergent, and divergent validity.

PubMed

Levinson, Cheri A; Rodebaugh, Thomas L

2011-09-01

The Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS) was created to assess fear of overall appearance evaluation. Initial psychometric work indicated that the measure had a single-factor structure and exhibited excellent internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity. In the current study, the authors further examined the factor, convergent, and divergent validity of the SAAS in two samples of undergraduates. In Study 1 (N = 323), the authors tested the factor structure, convergent, and divergent validity of the SAAS with measures of the Big Five personality traits, negative affect, fear of negative evaluation, and social interaction anxiety. In Study 2 (N = 118), participants completed a body evaluation that included measurements of height, weight, and body fat content. The SAAS exhibited excellent convergent and divergent validity with self-report measures (i.e., self-esteem, trait anxiety, ethnic identity, and sympathy), predicted state anxiety experienced during the body evaluation, and predicted body fat content. In both studies, results confirmed a single-factor structure as the best fit to the data. These results lend additional support for the use of the SAAS as a valid measure of social appearance anxiety.

Construct validity of the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test in older adults with memory complaints.

PubMed

Clerici, Francesca; Ghiretti, Roberta; Di Pucchio, Alessandra; Pomati, Simone; Cucumo, Valentina; Marcone, Alessandra; Vanacore, Nicola; Mariani, Claudio; Cappa, Stefano Francesco

2017-06-01

The Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) is the memory test recommended by the International Working Group on Alzheimer's disease (AD) for the detection of amnestic syndrome of the medial temporal type in prodromal AD. Assessing the construct validity and internal consistency of the Italian version of the FCSRT is thus crucial. The FCSRT was administered to 338 community-dwelling participants with memory complaints (57% females, age 74.5 ± 7.7 years), including 34 with AD, 203 with Mild Cognitive Impairment, and 101 with Subjective Memory Impairment. Internal Consistency was estimated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. To assess convergent validity, five FCSRT scores (Immediate Free Recall, Immediate Total Recall, Delayed Free Recall, Delayed Total Recall, and Index of Sensitivity of Cueing) were correlated with three well-validated memory tests: Story Recall, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test, and Rey Complex Figure (RCF) recall (partial correlation analysis). To assess divergent validity, a principal component analysis (an exploratory factor analysis) was performed including, in addition to the above-mentioned memory tasks, the following tests: Word Fluencies, RCF copy, Clock Drawing Test, Trail Making Test, Frontal Assessment Battery, Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices, and Stroop Colour-Word Test. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for immediate recalls (IFR and ITR) and delayed recalls (DFR and DTR) were, respectively, .84 and .81. All FCSRT scores were highly correlated with those of the three well-validated memory tests. The factor analysis showed that the FCSRT does not load on the factors saturated by non-memory tests. These findings indicate that the FCSRT has a good internal consistency and has an excellent construct validity as an episodic memory measure. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

CODEMamb - an observational communication behavior assessment tool for use in ambulatory dementia care.

PubMed

Knebel, Maren; Haberstroh, Julia; Kümmel, Anne; Pantel, Johannes; Schröder, Johannes

2016-12-01

Communication improves well-being and quality of life for both people with dementia and their professional and family caregivers. Individualized communication, as required in informed consent procedures and psychosocial interventions, can improve quality of life, especially in ambulatory settings. However, few valid and reliable instruments exist that enable communication to be assessed and communication and behavioral resources to be identified. We, therefore, extended and adapted the newly developed observational instrument CODEM for use in ambulatory settings (CODEM amb ). Reliability and validity of the new instrument were studied in a total of 171 patients, whereby principal component analysis revealed three important factors: relationship aspects, verbal communication behavior and nonverbal communication behavior. CODEM amb [Formula: see text]s internal consistency, interrater and retest reliability were satisfactory to excellent. Convergent validity indices, as shown by examining correlations with similar but not identical constructs (CERAD-NP verbal subscales), were medium-high, while the divergent validity index (constructional praxis) was relatively low. The relationship to peer-rating remained nonsignificant. Criterion validity was investigated in groups of patients in accordance with their cognitive status. As expected, verbal communication abilities deteriorate faster than the relationship aspects of communication as the disease progresses. In summary, CODEM amb is a reliable and valid instrument that can be used to collect important information with the ultimate aim of supporting communication with people with dementia.

How do men and women help? Validation of a multidimensional measure of prosocial behavior.

PubMed

Nielson, Matthew G; Padilla-Walker, Laura; Holmes, Erin K

2017-04-01

The current study sought to address gender differences in prosocial behavior by creating and validating a multidimensional measure of prosocial behavior that more fully captures the ways that men help others. The new measure is directed toward family, friend, and strangers, and has five factors: defending, emotional support, inclusion, physical helping, and sharing. In Study 1, CFA analyses performed on a sample of 463 emerging adults online (mean age 23.42) revealed good model fit and divergent validity for each of the five factors. Study 2 replicated the analyses on a sample of 453 urban adolescents in the Northwest (mean age 18.37). Results established that all factors had good model fit, construct validity, and convergent validity. The discussion focuses on implications of this measure for future prosocial research including an increased diversity in how people (particularly men) help others and developmental differences toward different targets of prosocial behavior. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

INCLEN Diagnostic Tool for Autism Spectrum Disorder (INDT-ASD): development and validation.

PubMed

Juneja, Monica; Mishra, Devendra; Russell, Paul S S; Gulati, Sheffali; Deshmukh, Vaishali; Tudu, Poma; Sagar, Rajesh; Silberberg, Donald; Bhutani, Vinod K; Pinto, Jennifer M; Durkin, Maureen; Pandey, Ravindra M; Nair, M K C; Arora, Narendra K

2014-05-01

To develop and validate INCLEN Diagnostic Tool for Autism Spectrum Disorder (INDT-ASD). Diagnostic test evaluation by cross sectional design. Four tertiary pediatric neurology centers in Delhi and Thiruvanthapuram, India. Children aged 2-9 years were enrolled in the study. INDT-ASD and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) were administered in a randomly decided sequence by trained psychologist, followed by an expert evaluation by DSM-IV TR diagnostic criteria (gold standard). Psychometric parameters of diagnostic accuracy, validity (construct, criterion and convergent) and internal consistency. 154 children (110 boys, mean age 64.2 mo) were enrolled. The overall diagnostic accuracy (AUC=0.97, 95% CI 0.93, 0.99; P<0.001) and validity (sensitivity 98%, specificity 95%, positive predictive value 91%, negative predictive value 99%) of INDT-ASD for Autism spectrum disorder were high, taking expert diagnosis using DSM-IV-TR as gold standard. The concordance rate between the INDT-ASD and expert diagnosis for 'ASD group' was 82.52% [Cohen's k=0.89; 95% CI (0.82, 0.97); P=0.001]. The internal consistency of INDT-ASD was 0.96. The convergent validity with CARS (r = 0.73, P= 0.001) and divergent validity with Binet-Kamat Test of intelligence (r = -0.37; P=0.004) were significantly high. INDT-ASD has a 4-factor structure explaining 85.3% of the variance. INDT-ASD has high diagnostic accuracy, adequate content validity, good internal consistency high criterion validity and high to moderate convergent validity and 4-factor construct validity for diagnosis of Autistm spectrum disorder.

Convergent and Divergent Validity of the Student Engagement in School Success Skills Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villares, Elizabeth; Colvin, Kimberly; Carey, John; Webb, Linda; Brigman, Greg; Harrington, Karen

2014-01-01

This study examines the convergent validity and divergent validity of the Student Engagement in School Success Skills (SESSS) survey. The SESSS is easy to administer (it takes fewer than 15 minutes to complete) and is used in schools to provide educators with useful information about students' use of skills and strategies related to school…

A French adaptation of the Overt Behaviour Scale (OBS) measuring challenging behaviours following acquired brain injury: The Échelle des comportements observables (ÉCO).

PubMed

Gagnon, Jean; Simpson, Grahame Kenneth; Kelly, Glenn; Godbout, Denis; Ouellette, Michel; Drolet, Jacques

2016-01-01

To develop a French version of the Overt Behaviour Scale (OBS) and examine some of its psychometric properties. The scale was adapted and validated according to standard guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation of questionnaires (Échelle des comportements observables; ÉCO). The reliability and construct validity of the ÉCO were studied among 29 inpatients and outpatients who sustained an acquired brain injury. The instruments were administered by 12 clinicians located at eight rehabilitation centres and the local brain injury association. The ÉCO provided behaviour profile descriptives much like the original scale. It showed excellent reliability and good convergent and divergent validity, as reflected by significant associations with other measures that contained similar behavioural items and by the absence of signification correlations with broader constructs such as physical and cognitive abilities. This study provides evidence that the ÉCO behaves much like the original OBS, has promising initial findings with respect to reliability and validity and is a valuable research and clinical instrument to assess the severity and typology of challenging behaviour after an acquired brain injury and to monitor the evolution of behaviours after intervention in French and bilingual communities.

VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF THE SPIRITUAL COPING STRATEGIES SCALE ARABIC VERSION IN SAUDI PATIENTS UNDERGOING HAEMODIALYSIS.

PubMed

Cruz, Jonas P; Baldacchino, Donia R; Alquwez, Nahed

2016-06-01

Patients often resort to religious and spiritual activities to cope with physical and mental challenges. The effect of spiritual coping on overall health, adaptation and health-related quality of life among patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD) is well documented. Thus, it is essential to establish a valid and reliable instrument that can assess both the religious and non-religious coping methods in patients undergoing HD. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Spiritual Coping Strategies Scale Arabic version (SCS-A) in Saudi patients undergoing HD. A convenience sample of 60 Saudi patients undergoing HD was recruited for this descriptive, cross-sectional study. Data were collected between May and June 2015. Forward-backward translation was used to formulate the SCS-A. The SCS-A, Muslim Religiosity Scale and the Quality of Life Index Dialysis Version III were used to procure the data. Internal consistency reliability, stability reliability, factor analysis and construct validity tests were performed. Analyses were set at the 0.05 level of significance. The SCS-A showed an acceptable internal consistency and strong stability reliability over time. The EFA produced two factors (non-religious and religious coping). Satisfactory construct validity was established by the convergent and divergent validity and known-groups method. The SCS-A is a reliable and valid tool that can be used to measure the religious and non-religious coping strategies of patients undergoing HD in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim and Arabic-speaking countries. © 2016 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

Psychometric evaluation of a short measure of social capital at work.

PubMed

Kouvonen, Anne; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi; Oksanen, Tuula; Elovainio, Marko; Cox, Tom; Virtanen, Marianna; Pentti, Jaana; Cox, Sara J; Wilkinson, Richard G

2006-10-13

Prior studies on social capital and health have assessed social capital in residential neighbourhoods and communities, but the question whether the concept should also be applicable in workplaces has been raised. The present study reports on the psychometric properties of an 8-item measure of social capital at work. Data were derived from the Finnish Public Sector Study (N = 48,592) collected in 2000-2002. Based on face validity, an expert unfamiliar with the data selected 8 questionnaire items from the available items for a scale of social capital. Reliability analysis included tests of internal consistency, item-total correlations, and within-unit (interrater) agreement by rwg index. The associations with theoretically related and unrelated constructs were examined to assess convergent and divergent validity (construct validity). Criterion-related validity was explored with respect to self-rated health using multilevel logistic regression models. The effects of individual level and work unit level social capital were modelled on self-rated health. The internal consistency of the scale was good (Cronbach's alpha = 0.88). The rwg index was 0.88, which indicates a significant within-unit agreement. The scale was associated with, but not redundant to, conceptually close constructs such as procedural justice, job control, and effort-reward imbalance. Its associations with conceptually more distant concepts, such as trait anxiety and magnitude of change in work, were weaker. In multilevel models, significantly elevated age adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of poor self-rated health (OR = 2.42, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.24-2.61 for the women and OR = 2.99, 95% CI: 2.56-3.50 for the men) were observed for the employees in the lowest vs. highest quartile of individual level social capital. In addition, low social capital at the work unit level was associated with a higher likelihood of poor self-rated health. Psychometric techniques show our 8-item measure of social capital to be a valid tool reflecting the construct and displaying the postulated links with other variables.

Convergent and Divergent Validity of the Grammaticality and Utterance Length Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castilla-Earls, Anny; Fulcher-Rood, Katrina

2018-01-01

Purpose: This feasibility study examines the convergent and divergent validity of the Grammaticality and Utterance Length Instrument (GLi), a tool designed to assess the grammaticality and average utterance length of a child's prerecorded story retell. Method: Three raters used the GLi to rate audio-recorded story retells from 100 English-speaking…

Beck Self-Esteem Scale-Short Form: Development and psychometric evaluation of a scale for the assessment of self-concept in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Thomas, Elizabeth C; Murakami-Brundage, Jessica; Bertolami, Nina; Beck, Aaron T; Grant, Paul M

2018-05-01

A requisite step for testing cognitive theories regarding the role of self-concept in schizophrenia is the development of measures that follow a cognitive conceptualization and better capture the multifaceted nature of this construct. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties a new self-concept measure, the Beck Self-Esteem Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF), based on a sample of 204 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. We evaluated the BSES-SF's dimensionality, internal consistency reliability, and construct and divergent validity using confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, Pearson correlations, independent samples t-tests, and one-way analysis of variance. Findings indicate that the 10-item BSES-SF is a reliable and valid measure of self-concept that is appropriate for a broad group of individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Following cognitive theory, the scale demonstrated significant relationships with delusion severity, motivation, and depression, further signifying its utility for research and practice efforts that are designed to address psychopathology in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring the use of the Dementia Management Strategies Scale in caregivers of persons with dementia in Singapore.

PubMed

Tan, Louisa; Yap, Philip; Ng, Wai Yee; Luo, Nan

2013-01-01

Well-being in persons with dementia (PWD) depends much on the quality and type of care received. The Dementia Management Strategies Scale (DMSS) is a useful instrument to appraise care styles of caregivers. The present study expanded on previous research by refining and establishing the scale's content validity and psychometric properties in the Singapore context. Five family caregivers and four dementia care professionals (nurse, occupational therapist, social worker and doctor) reviewed the DMSS for content validity. Two hundred and forty-six family caregivers completed questionnaires which assessed caregiver and patient characteristics, and dementia management strategies with DMSS. Internal consistency reliability was assessed and construct validity was evaluated through Pearson's correlation with extant instruments. Eight items from the 28-item DMSS were omitted after content review as they were deemed inappropriate in our socio-cultural setting. A factor analysis with Varimax rotation confirmed a two-factor structure (positive and negative dimensions) for the revised DMSS (rDMSS). The two subscales showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha .89 and .87). Moderate to strong correlations (.35-.53) with the scales, Zarit Burden Instrument, Revised Memory and Behavioural Problems Checklist, General Health Questionnaire, Short Sense of Competence Scale, Gains in Alzheimer's Care Instrument and Positive Aspects of Caregiving established convergent and divergent construct validity of rDMSS. The shortened 20-item rDMSS is a psychometrically valid instrument which can serve as a measure of dementia care strategy from the perspective of the caregiver in Singapore.

Feature combinations and the divergence criterion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decell, H. P., Jr.; Mayekar, S. M.

1976-01-01

Classifying large quantities of multidimensional remotely sensed agricultural data requires efficient and effective classification techniques and the construction of certain transformations of a dimension reducing, information preserving nature. The construction of transformations that minimally degrade information (i.e., class separability) is described. Linear dimension reducing transformations for multivariate normal populations are presented. Information content is measured by divergence.

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.

Convergence and divergence across construction methods for human brain white matter networks: an assessment based on individual differences.

PubMed

Zhong, Suyu; He, Yong; Gong, Gaolang

2015-05-01

Using diffusion MRI, a number of studies have investigated the properties of whole-brain white matter (WM) networks with differing network construction methods (node/edge definition). However, how the construction methods affect individual differences of WM networks and, particularly, if distinct methods can provide convergent or divergent patterns of individual differences remain largely unknown. Here, we applied 10 frequently used methods to construct whole-brain WM networks in a healthy young adult population (57 subjects), which involves two node definitions (low-resolution and high-resolution) and five edge definitions (binary, FA weighted, fiber-density weighted, length-corrected fiber-density weighted, and connectivity-probability weighted). For these WM networks, individual differences were systematically analyzed in three network aspects: (1) a spatial pattern of WM connections, (2) a spatial pattern of nodal efficiency, and (3) network global and local efficiencies. Intriguingly, we found that some of the network construction methods converged in terms of individual difference patterns, but diverged with other methods. Furthermore, the convergence/divergence between methods differed among network properties that were adopted to assess individual differences. Particularly, high-resolution WM networks with differing edge definitions showed convergent individual differences in the spatial pattern of both WM connections and nodal efficiency. For the network global and local efficiencies, low-resolution and high-resolution WM networks for most edge definitions consistently exhibited a highly convergent pattern in individual differences. Finally, the test-retest analysis revealed a decent temporal reproducibility for the patterns of between-method convergence/divergence. Together, the results of the present study demonstrated a measure-dependent effect of network construction methods on the individual difference of WM network properties. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Reliability and validity of the EQ-5D-3L for Kashin-Beck disease in China.

PubMed

Fang, Hua; Farooq, Umer; Wang, Dimiao; Yu, Fangfang; Younus, Mohammad Imran; Guo, Xiong

2016-01-01

Kashin-Beck Disease (KBD) is an endemic osteoarthropathy in areas which extend from the North-East to the South-West of China. Most of the patients with KBD suffer multiple dysfunctions in major joints causing decreased health status. However because of their low education level and unique living habits, it is hard to find tools to measure the health-related quality of life (HRQOL). European quality of life (EQ-5D-3L) patient-reported instrument is widely used to measure HRQOL. This study aimed to establish the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the EQ-5D-3L for evaluating HRQOL of KBD individuals in rural area. 368 individuals who were suffering from KBD were recruited through stratified multistage random sampling from Shaanxi province, China. The EQ-5D-3L and the WHOQOL-BREF were administrated in each individual by face to face interview. Test-retest reliability was assessed at 10-14 days intervals. The test-retest reliability was measured by calculating the Kappa coefficients for EQ-5D-3L five dimensions. For the EQ VAS, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was computed. Convergent and divergent analysis, construct validity was established using Spearman's rank correlation between the EQ-5D-3L and the WHOQOL-BREF. Known groups' validity was examined by comparing groups with a priori expected differences in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). For 362 individuals (98%), comprehensive data of all the EQ-5D-3L dimensions were available. Kappa values of the EQ-5D-3L five items ranged from 0.324 to 0.554. ICC of the EQ VAS was 0.497. For convergent validity, the three items (self-care, usual activity, and mobility) of EQ-5D-3L, index scores, and VAS showed moderate correlations with the physical health domain of the WHOQOL-BREF (r absolute value ranged from 0.339 to 0.475). For divergent validity, the 5 items of EQ-5D-3L showed weak or no correlations with environment and social relationship domains of WHOQOL-BREF. The Chinese EQ-5D-3L clearly demarcated between groups which were reporting severe disease degree, poorer general health, more number of painful joints with worse HRQOL. The EQ-5D-3L Chinese Version demonstrated fair to moderate levels of test-retest reliability and adequate construct validity in KBD individuals in China.

Psychometric Properties of the Beck Depression Inventory-II in a Clinically-Identified Sample of Mexican American Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanVoorhis, Carmen R. Wilson; Blumentritt, Tracie L.

2007-01-01

We examined the internal consistency reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and factor structure of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) in a sample of 131 Mexican American youth. The BDI-II demonstrated excellent internal consistency reliability (alpha = 0.90) and solid convergent and divergent validity with various clinical scales…

A comparison of parallel and diverging screw angles in the stability of locked plate constructs.

PubMed

Wähnert, D; Windolf, M; Brianza, S; Rothstock, S; Radtke, R; Brighenti, V; Schwieger, K

2011-09-01

We investigated the static and cyclical strength of parallel and angulated locking plate screws using rigid polyurethane foam (0.32 g/cm(3)) and bovine cancellous bone blocks. Custom-made stainless steel plates with two conically threaded screw holes with different angulations (parallel, 10° and 20° divergent) and 5 mm self-tapping locking screws underwent pull-out and cyclical pull and bending tests. The bovine cancellous blocks were only subjected to static pull-out testing. We also performed finite element analysis for the static pull-out test of the parallel and 20° configurations. In both the foam model and the bovine cancellous bone we found the significantly highest pull-out force for the parallel constructs. In the finite element analysis there was a 47% more damage in the 20° divergent constructs than in the parallel configuration. Under cyclical loading, the mean number of cycles to failure was significantly higher for the parallel group, followed by the 10° and 20° divergent configurations. In our laboratory setting we clearly showed the biomechanical disadvantage of a diverging locking screw angle under static and cyclical loading.

Validity and reliability of Turkish Caregiver Burden Scale among family caregivers of haemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Cil Akinci, Ayse; Pinar, Rukiye

2014-02-01

To investigate the validity and reliability of the Caregiver Burden Scale in family members who provide primary care for haemodialysis patients. In Turkey, there is a need for a multi-dimensional instrument to evaluate the caregiver burden in people who provide care for patients with chronic diseases. A methodological study. The study sample consisted of 161 family members who provide primary care for haemodialysis patients. The forward-backward translation method was used to develop the Turkish Caregiver Burden Scale. The reliability was based on internal consistency investigated by Cronbach's alpha and item-total correlation. The factorial construct validity of the scale was tested with confirmatory factor analysis. By means of convergent and divergent validity, correlation between Caregiver Burden Scale and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and correlation between Caregiver Burden Scale and the Maslach Burnout Scale were investigated. Cronbach's alpha and item-total correlations results suggested that there was good internal reliability. We found five underlying factors similar to original Scale's five-factor solution. The confirmatory factor analysis five-factor model represented an acceptable fit. Factor loadings were significant, with standardised loadings ranging from 0·43-0·81. By means of divergent validity, all sub-dimension scores and the total score of the Caregiver Burden Scale were negatively correlated with the SF-36, whereas there was a positive correlation with the emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation subscales of the Maslach Burnout Scale as expected. These results suggest that the Caregiver Burden Scale is a reliable and valid instrument which can be used with confidence in Turkish caregivers for haemodialysis patients to screen caregiver burden. The burden experienced by people who provide care for patients with chronic diseases can be evaluated with the Caregiver Burden Scale. Additionally, the Caregiver Burden Scale can be used in the evaluation of the effectiveness of attempts to decrease caregiver burden. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

What Is Your Faction? Multidimensional Evidence for the Divergent Series As the Basis for a New Model of Personality and Work Life.

PubMed

de Souza, Bruno C; Roazzi, Antonio

2017-01-01

Introduction: The successful "Divergent" sci-fi trilogy by writer Veronica Roth portrays a dystopian and post-apocalyptic society where the population is divided into five groups called "Factions," each with a specific social role and associated to a specific set of psychological traits. Though fictional, such typology is compelling and may provide a significant contribution to personality studies. Objectives: To investigate the accuracy of the classification of psychological and sociocultural traits into five Factions as described in Divergent and their potential practical usefulness for understanding work life choices and experiences in organizations. Method: A total of 217 Brazilian adult men and women of various ages, socioeconomic status and ethnicities were submitted to measures of several psychological and sociocultural variables, as well as of how strongly they supposedly manifest each Faction. The resulting dataset was studied using Smallest Space Analysis (SSA) and Facet Theory. Results: The Factions were shown not only to be associated to psychological variables in ways consistent with the descriptions from Divergent, but also to be related to specific aspects of one's work life in organizations. Conclusion: The five Factions conceived by Roth appear to constitute an original set of constructs that are psychologically valid and, at the same time, of practical use in predicting work life choices and experiences. This justifies engaging in future empirical and theoretical work toward a new scientific model of potential practical value.

Assessment of capabilities in persons with advanced stage of dementia: Validation of The Montessori Assessment System (MAS).

PubMed

Erkes, Jérôme; Camp, Cameron J; Raffard, Stéphane; Gély-Nargeot And, Marie-Christine; Bayard, Sophie

2017-01-01

This study evaluated the validity and reliability of the Montessori Assessment System. The Montessori Assessment System assesses preserved abilities in persons with moderate to severe dementia. In this respect, this instrument provides crucial information for the development of effective person-centered care plans. A total of 196 persons with a diagnosis of dementia in the moderate to severe stages of dementia were recruited in 10 long-term care facilities in France. All participants completed the Montessori Assessment System, the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale and/or the Mini Mental State Examination and the Severe Impairment Battery-short form. The internal consistency and temporal stability of the Montessori Assessment System were high. Additionally, good construct and divergent validity were demonstrated. Factor analysis showed a one-factor structure. The Montessori Assessment System demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties while being a useful instrument to assess capabilities in persons with advanced stages of dementia and hence to develop person-centered plans of care.

Collateral Report of Psychopathy: Convergent and Divergent Validity of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Short Form

PubMed Central

Iyican, Susan; Sommer, Johannah M.; Kini, Sheetal; Babcock, Julia C.

2015-01-01

Psychopathy is a personality syndrome comprised of interpersonal, affective, and behavioral features that has emerged as a correlate of intimate partner violence perpetration. One commonly used self-report measure of psychopathy is the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Short Form. The current study employed a multi-trait, multi-method approach to test convergent and discriminant validity of the measure in partner-violent couples by comparing males’ self-report of psychopathy to the informant report of their female partner (N = 114). It was hypothesized that the female partner-report of the male’s psychopathy would be highly correlated with the male report of his own psychopathy, thus providing evidence for the construct validity and interrater reliability of the PPI-SF. Analyses found that male and female reports were correlated significantly on the two major factors of the PPI-SF. Furthermore, the female-report explained a significant amount of variance over and above men’s self-report on PAI scales designed to indicate antisocial personality traits. PMID:26213500

The Virtual Care Climate Questionnaire: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire Measuring Perceived Support for Autonomy in a Virtual Care Setting.

PubMed

Smit, Eline Suzanne; Dima, Alexandra Lelia; Immerzeel, Stephanie Annette Maria; van den Putte, Bas; Williams, Geoffrey Colin

2017-05-08

Web-based health behavior change interventions may be more effective if they offer autonomy-supportive communication facilitating the internalization of motivation for health behavior change. Yet, at this moment no validated tools exist to assess user-perceived autonomy-support of such interventions. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the virtual climate care questionnaire (VCCQ), a measure of perceived autonomy-support in a virtual care setting. Items were developed based on existing questionnaires and expert consultation and were pretested among experts and target populations. The virtual climate care questionnaire was administered in relation to Web-based interventions aimed at reducing consumption of alcohol (Study 1; N=230) or cannabis (Study 2; N=228). Item properties, structural validity, and reliability were examined with item-response and classical test theory methods, and convergent and divergent validity via correlations with relevant concepts. In Study 1, 20 of 23 items formed a one-dimensional scale (alpha=.97; omega=.97; H=.66; mean 4.9 [SD 1.0]; range 1-7) that met the assumptions of monotonicity and invariant item ordering. In Study 2, 16 items fitted these criteria (alpha=.92; H=.45; omega=.93; mean 4.2 [SD 1.1]; range 1-7). Only 15 items remained in the questionnaire in both studies, thus we proceeded to the analyses of the questionnaire's reliability and construct validity with a 15-item version of the virtual climate care questionnaire. Convergent validity of the resulting 15-item virtual climate care questionnaire was confirmed by positive associations with autonomous motivation (Study 1: r=.66, P<.001; Study 2: r=.37, P<.001) and perceived competence for reducing alcohol intake (Study 1: r=.52, P<.001). Divergent validity could only be confirmed by the nonsignificant association with perceived competence for learning (Study 2: r=.05, P=.48). The virtual climate care questionnaire accurately assessed participants' perceived autonomy-support offered by two Web-based health behavior change interventions. Overall, the scale showed the expected properties and relationships with relevant concepts, and the studies presented suggest this first version of the virtual climate care questionnaire to be reasonably valid and reliable. As a result, the current version may cautiously be used in future research and practice to measure perceived support for autonomy within a virtual care climate. Future research efforts are required that focus on further investigating the virtual climate care questionnaire's divergent validity, on determining the virtual climate care questionnaire's validity and reliability when used in the context of Web-based interventions aimed at improving nonaddictive or other health behaviors, and on developing and validating a short form virtual climate care questionnaire. ©Eline Suzanne Smit, Alexandra Lelia Dima, Stephanie Annette Maria Immerzeel, Bas van den Putte, Geoffrey Colin Williams. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 08.05.2017.

Assessing patient-centered care: one approach to health disparities education.

PubMed

Wilkerson, LuAnn; Fung, Cha-Chi; May, Win; Elliott, Donna

2010-05-01

Patient-centered care has been described as one approach to cultural competency education that could reduce racial and ethnic health disparities by preparing providers to deliver care that is respectful and responsive to the preferences of each patient. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of a curriculum in teaching patient-centered care (PCC) behaviors to medical students, we drew on the work of Kleinman, Eisenberg, and Good to develop a scale that could be embedded across cases in an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). To compare the reliability, validity, and feasibility of an embedded patient-centered care scale with the use of a single culturally challenging case in measuring students' use of PCC behaviors as part of a comprehensive OSCE. A total of 322 students from two California medical schools participated in the OSCE as beginning seniors. Cronbach's alpha was used to assess the internal consistency of each approach. Construct validity was addressed by establishing convergent and divergent validity using the cultural challenge case total score and OSCE component scores. Feasibility assessment considered cost and training needs for the standardized patients (SPs). Medical students demonstrated a moderate level of patient-centered skill (mean = 63%, SD = 11%). The PCC Scale demonstrated an acceptable level of internal consistency (alpha = 0.68) over the single case scale (alpha = 0.60). Both convergent and divergent validities were established through low to moderate correlation coefficients. The insertion of PCC items across multiple cases in a comprehensive OSCE can provide a reliable estimate of students' use of PCC behaviors without incurring extra costs associated with implementing a special cross-cultural OSCE. This approach is particularly feasible when an OSCE is already part of the standard assessment of clinical skills. Reliability may be increased with an additional investment in SP training.

The Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB): Feasibility and Psychometric Properties

PubMed Central

Meterko, Mark; Marfeo, Elizabeth E.; McDonough, Christine M.; Jette, Alan M.; Ni, Pengsheng; Bogusz, Kara; Rasch, Elizabeth K; Brandt, Diane E.; Chan, Leighton

2015-01-01

Objectives To assess the feasibility and psychometric properties of eight scales covering two domains of the newly developed Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB): physical function (PF) and behavioral health (BH) function. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Community. Participants Adults unable to work due to a physical (n=497) or mental (n=476) disability. Interventions None. Main Outcome Measures Each disability group responded to a survey consisting of the relevant WD-FAB scales and existing measures of established validity. The WD-FAB scales were evaluated with regard to data quality (score distribution; percent “I don’t know” responses), efficiency of administration (number of items required to achieve reliability criterion; time required to complete the scale) by computerized adaptive testing (CAT), and measurement accuracy as tested by person fit. Construct validity was assessed by examining both convergent and discriminant correlations between the WD-FAB scales and scores on same-domain and cross-domain established measures. Results Data quality was good and CAT efficiency was high across both WD-FAB domains. Measurement accuracy was very good for the PF scales; BH scales demonstrated more variability. Construct validity correlations, both convergent and divergent, between all WD-FAB scales and established measures were in the expected direction and range of magnitude. Conclusions The data quality, CAT efficacy, person fit and construct validity of the WD-FAB scales were well supported and suggest that the WD-FAB could be used to assess physical and behavioral health function related to work disability. Variation in scale performance suggests the need for future work on item replenishment and refinement, particularly regarding the Self-Efficacy scale. PMID:25528263

A Psychometric Examination of the Pathological Obsessive Compulsive Personality Scale (POPS): Initial Study in an Undergraduate Sample.

PubMed

Sadri, Shalane K; McEvoy, Peter M; Pinto, Anthony; Anderson, Rebecca A; Egan, Sarah J

2018-03-01

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) has been subject to numerous definition and classification changes, which has contributed to difficulties in reliable measurement of the disorder. Consequently, OCPD measures have yielded poor validity and inconsistent prevalence estimates. Reliable and valid measures of OCPD are needed. The aim of the current study was to examine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Pathological Obsessive Compulsive Personality Scale (POPS). Participants (N = 571 undergraduates) completed a series of self-report measures online, including the POPS. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare the fit of unidimensional, five factor, and bifactor models of the POPS. Convergent and divergent validity were assessed in relation to other personality dimensions. A bifactor model provided the best fit to the data, indicating that the total POPS scale and four subscales can be scored to obtain reliable indicators of OCPD. The POPS was most strongly associated with a disorder-specific measure of OCPD, however there were also positive associations with theoretically disparate constructs, thus further research is needed to clarify validity of the scale.

Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Persian version of Shoulder Activity Scale in a group of patients with shoulder disorders.

PubMed

Negahban, Hossein; Mohtasebi, Elham; Goharpey, Shahin

2015-01-01

The aim of this methodological study was to cross-culturally translate the Shoulder Activity Scale (SAS) into the Persian and determine its clinimetric properties including reliability, validity, and responsiveness in patients with shoulder disorders. Persian version of the SAS was obtained after standard forward-backward translation. Three questionnaires were completed by the respondents: SAS, shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI), and Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). The patients completed the SAS, 1 week after the first visit to evaluate the test-retest reliability. Construct validity was evaluated by examining the associations between the scores on the SAS and the scores obtained from the SPADI, SF-36, and age of the patients. To assess responsiveness, data were collected in the first visit and then again after 4 weeks physiotherapy intervention. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed using Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. To evaluate construct validity, Spearman's rank correlation was used. The ability of the SAS to detect changes was evaluated by the receiver-operating characteristics method. No problem or language difficulties were reported during translation process. Test-retest reliability of the SAS was excellent with an ICC of 0.98. Also, the marginal Cronbach's alpha level of 0.64 was obtained. The correlation between the SAS and the SPADI was low, proving divergent validity, whereas the correlations between the SAS and the SF-36/age were moderate proving convergent validity. A marginally acceptable responsiveness was achieved for the Persian SAS. The study provides some evidences to support the test-retest reliability, internal consistency, construct validity, and responsiveness of the Persian version of the SAS in patients with shoulder disorders. Therefore, it seems that this instrument is a useful measure of shoulder activity level in research setting and clinical practice. The shoulder activity scale (SAS) is a reliable, valid, and responsive measure of shoulder activity level in Persian-speaking patients with different shoulder disorders. The results on clinimetric properties of the Persian SAS are comparable with its original, English version. Persian version of the SAS can be used in "clinical" and "research" settings of patients with shoulder disorders.

Developing a model for hospital inherent safety assessment: Conceptualization and validation.

PubMed

Yari, Saeed; Akbari, Hesam; Gholami Fesharaki, Mohammad; Khosravizadeh, Omid; Ghasemi, Mohammad; Barsam, Yalda; Akbari, Hamed

2018-01-01

Paying attention to the safety of hospitals, as the most crucial institute for providing medical and health services wherein a bundle of facilities, equipment, and human resource exist, is of significant importance. The present research aims at developing a model for assessing hospitals' safety based on principles of inherent safety design. Face validity (30 experts), content validity (20 experts), construct validity (268 examples), convergent validity, and divergent validity have been employed to validate the prepared questionnaire; and the items analysis, the Cronbach's alpha test, ICC test (to measure reliability of the test), composite reliability coefficient have been used to measure primary reliability. The relationship between variables and factors has been confirmed at 0.05 significance level by conducting confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equations modeling (SEM) technique with the use of Smart-PLS. R-square and load factors values, which were higher than 0.67 and 0.300 respectively, indicated the strong fit. Moderation (0.970), simplification (0.959), substitution (0.943), and minimization (0.5008) have had the most weights in determining the inherent safety of hospital respectively. Moderation, simplification, and substitution, among the other dimensions, have more weight on the inherent safety, while minimization has the less weight, which could be due do its definition as to minimize the risk.

Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of Needs Based Biopsychosocial Distress Instrument for Cancer Patients (CANDI)

PubMed Central

Beyhun, Nazim Ercument; Can, Gamze; Tiryaki, Ahmet; Karakullukcu, Serdar; Bulut, Bekir; Yesilbas, Sehbal; Kavgaci, Halil; Topbas, Murat

2016-01-01

Background Needs based biopsychosocial distress instrument for cancer patients (CANDI) is a scale based on needs arising due to the effects of cancer. Objectives The aim of this research was to determine the reliability and validity of the CANDI scale in the Turkish language. Patients and Methods The study was performed with the participation of 172 cancer patients aged 18 and over. Factor analysis (principal components analysis) was used to assess construct validity. Criterion validities were tested by computing Spearman correlation between CANDI and hospital anxiety depression scale (HADS), and brief symptom inventory (BSI) (convergent validity) and quality of life scales (FACT-G) (divergent validity). Test-retest reliabilities and internal consistencies were measured with intraclass correlation (ICC) and Cronbach-α. Results A three-factor solution (emotional, physical and social) was found with factor analysis. Internal reliability (α = 0.94) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.87) were significantly high. Correlations between CANDI and HADS (rs = 0.67), and BSI (rs = 0.69) and FACT-G (rs = -0.76) were moderate and significant in the expected direction. Conclusions CANDI is a valid and reliable scale in cancer patients with a three-factor structure (emotional, physical and social) in the Turkish language. PMID:27621931

Development and content validity of a screening instrument for gaming addiction in adolescents: the Gaming Addiction Identification Test (GAIT).

PubMed

Vadlin, Sofia; Åslund, Cecilia; Nilsson, Kent W

2015-08-01

This study describes the development of a screening tool for gaming addiction in adolescents - the Gaming Addiction Identification Test (GAIT). Its development was based on the research literature on gaming and addiction. An expert panel comprising professional raters (n = 7), experiential adolescent raters (n = 10), and parent raters (n = 10) estimated the content validity of each item (I-CVI) as well as of the whole scale (S-CVI/Ave), and participated in a cognitive interview about the GAIT scale. The mean scores for both I-CVI and S-CVI/Ave ranged between 0.97 and 0.99 compared with the lowest recommended I-CVI value of 0.78 and the S-CVI/Ave value of 0.90. There were no sex differences and no differences between expert groups regarding ratings in content validity. No differences in the overall evaluation of the scale emerged in the cognitive interviews. Our conclusions were that GAIT showed good content validity in capturing gaming addiction. The GAIT needs further investigation into its psychometric properties of construct validity (convergent and divergent validity) and criterion-related validity, as well as its reliability in both clinical settings and in community settings with adolescents. © 2015 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Flexible or leaky attention in creative people? Distinct patterns of attention for different types of creative thinking.

PubMed

Zabelina, Darya; Saporta, Arielle; Beeman, Mark

2016-04-01

Creativity has been putatively linked to distinct forms of attention, but which aspects of creativity and which components of attention remains unclear. Two experiments examined how divergent thinking and creative achievement relate to visual attention. In both experiments, participants identified target letters (S or H) within hierarchical stimuli (global letters made of local letters), after being cued to either the local or global level. In Experiment 1, participants identified the targets more quickly following valid cues (80% of trials) than following invalid cues. However, this smaller validity effect was associated with higher divergent thinking, suggesting that divergent thinking was related to quicker overcoming of invalid cues, and thus to flexible attention. Creative achievement was unrelated to the validity effect. Experiment 2 examined whether divergent thinking (or creative achievement) is related to "leaky attention," so that when cued to one level of a stimulus, some information is still processed, or leaks in, from the non-cued level. In this case, the cued stimulus level always contained a target, and the non-cued level was congruent, neutral, or incongruent with the target. Divergent thinking did not relate to stimulus congruency. In contrast, high creative achievement was related to quicker responses to the congruent than to the incongruent stimuli, suggesting that real-world creative achievement is indeed associated with leaky attention, whereas standard laboratory tests of divergent thinking are not. Together, these results elucidate distinct patterns of attention for different measures of creativity. Specifically, creative achievers may have leaky attention, as suggested by previous literature, whereas divergent thinkers have selective yet flexible attention.

A Look at Infinite Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basor, Estelle

1978-01-01

Sums for divergent series that were seriously considered by eighteenth century mathematicians are shown to have reappeared as result of new interpretations for divergent series that make these previous conclusions valid. (MN)

Fine-Tuning Cross-Battery Assessment Procedures: After Follow-Up Testing, Use All Valid Scores, Cohesive or Not

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, W. Joel; Roman, Zachary

2018-01-01

We used data simulations to test whether composites consisting of cohesive subtest scores are more accurate than composites consisting of divergent subtest scores. We demonstrate that when multivariate normality holds, divergent and cohesive scores are equally accurate. Furthermore, excluding divergent scores results in biased estimates of…

Achievement Emotions and Achievement Goals in Support of the Convergent, Divergent and Criterion Validity of the Spanish-Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sánchez-Rosas, Javier; Furlan, Luis Alberto

2017-01-01

Based on the control-value theory of achievement emotions and theory of achievement goals, this research provides evidence of convergent, divergent, and criterion validity of the Spanish Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale (S-CTAS). A sample of Argentinean undergraduates responded to several scales administered at three points. At time 1 and 3, the…

[Desing and validation of a scale to measure caregiving dedication in caregivers of dependent older people].

PubMed

Serrano-Ortega, Natalia; Frías-Osuna, Antonio; Recio-Gómez, Juan M; Del-Pino-Casado, Rafael

2015-11-01

To develop and validate a scale to measure caregiving dedication regarding activities of daily living in caregivers of dependent older people. Cross-sectional study. Primary Health Care (Andalusia, Spain). a probabilistic sample of 200 caregivers of older relatives from Córdoba, Spain. Content validation by experts, construct validity (by exploratory factor analysis), divergent validity and reliability (internal consistency, test-retest reliability and inter-observers reliability). Cronbach's alpha was 0.86. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient was 0.96 for test-retest reliability and 0.88 for inter-observers reliability. When the sample was divided in two groups according to perceived burden level (presence and absence), the perceived burden was significantly different in each group (P=.001). The factor analysis revealed one only factor that explained 64% of the variance. The scale allows a suitable measure of caregiving dedication regarding activities of daily living in caregivers of older people, because this scale allows a quickly, easy administration, is well accepted by caregivers, has acceptable psychometric results and includes the frequency of caregiving, the kind of attended need and the dependence level in each need. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Exercise stereotypes and health-related outcomes in French people living with HIV: development and validation of an HIV Exercise Stereotypes Scale (HIVESS).

PubMed

Gray, Laura; Falzon, Charlène; Bergamaschi, Alessandro; Schuft, Laura; Durant, Jacques; Rosenthal, Eric; Pradier, Christian; Duracinsky, Martin; Rouanet, Isabelle; Colson, Serge S; d'Arripe-Longueville, Fabienne

2016-11-14

The main objective of the current study was to develop and validate a French exercise stereotype scale for people living with HIV (PLHIV) in order to gain visibility to the possible barriers and facilitators for exercise in PLHIV and thus enhance their quality of life. A series of four complementary studies was carried out with a total sample of 524 participants to: (a) develop a preliminary version of the HIV Exercise Stereotype Scale (HIVESS) (Stage 1), (b) confirm the factorial structure of the instrument (Stage 2), (c) evaluate the stability of the instrument (Stage 3), and (d) examine the construct and divergent validity of the scale (Stage 4). Results provided support for a 14-item scale with three sub-scales reporting stereotypes related to exercise benefits, exercise risks and lack of capacity for exercise with Cronbach's alphas of .77, .69 and .76 respectively. Results showed good factorial structure, strong reliability and indicators of convergent validity relating to self-efficacy, exercise and quality of life. The HIVESS presented satisfactory psychometric properties, constitutes a reliable and valid instrument to measure exercise stereotypes among PLHIV and has applications for future research and clinical practice.

The assessment of commitment: advantages of a unidimensional, target-free approach.

PubMed

Klein, Howard J; Cooper, Joseph T; Molloy, Janice C; Swanson, Jacqueline A

2014-03-01

This study presents a new approach to assessing commitment reflecting the Klein, Molloy, and Brinsfield (2012) reconceptualization. Klein et al. recast the construct to address issues hindering commitment scholarship, but their claims cannot be tested with existing measures. This paper presents a 4-item measure consistent with the Klein et al. conceptual definition, a measure intended to be unidimensional and applicable across all workplace targets. Our purpose is to present the development of and provide initial validity evidence for this new commitment measure and to compare it to existing alternative measures. Hypotheses around these objectives were tested with data gathered across 5 samples yielding 2,487 participants representing a wide range of jobs, organizations, and industries. Each sample examined a unique set of variables and targets that together provide a comprehensive test of this new measure relative to 8 different targets, several constructs within the nomological network, and 4 prior commitment measures. Results support our hypotheses regarding (a) the measure's properties and structure, (b) convergence and divergence with prior measures of commitment and other constructs in the nomological network, and (c) advantages over prior measures. These findings support the validity of this new approach to assessing commitment, laying the foundation for future research to address critiques of the commitment construct; better examine the multiple commitments individuals simultaneously hold; and bring consistency, synergy, and integration to commitment scholarship across workplace targets. The conceptual, methodological, and practical benefits of the measure are discussed, along with study limitations and future research opportunities.

Lymphoedema Functioning, Disability and Health Questionnaire for Lower Limb Lymphoedema (Lymph-ICF-LL): reliability and validity.

PubMed

Devoogdt, Nele; De Groef, An; Hendrickx, Ad; Damstra, Robert; Christiaansen, Anke; Geraerts, Inge; Vervloesem, Nele; Vergote, Ignace; Van Kampen, Marijke

2014-05-01

Patients may develop primary (congenital) or secondary (acquired) lymphedema, causing significant physical and psychosocial problems. To plan treatment for lymphedema and monitor a patient's progress, swelling, and problems in functioning associated with lymphedema development should be assessed at baseline and follow-up. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability (test-retest, internal consistency, and measurement variability) and validity (content and construct) of data obtained with the Lymphoedema Functioning, Disability and Health Questionnaire for Lower Limb Lymphoedema (Lymph-ICF-LL). This was a multicenter, cross-sectional study. The Lymph-ICF-LL is a descriptive, evaluative tool containing 28 questions about impairments in function, activity limitations, and participation restrictions in patients with lower limb lymphedema. The questionnaire has 5 domains: physical function, mental function, general tasks/household activities, mobility activities, and life domains/social life. The reliability and validity of the Lymph-ICF-LL were examined in 30 participants with objective lower limb lymphedema. Intraclass correlation coefficients for test-retest reliability ranged from .69 to .94, and Cronbach alpha coefficients for internal consistency ranged from .82 to .97. Measurement variability was acceptable (standard error of measurement=5.9-12.6). Content validity was good because all questions were understandable for 93% of participants, the scoring system (visual analog scale) was clear, and the questionnaire was comprehensive for 90% of participants. Construct validity was good. All hypotheses for assessing convergent validity and divergent validity were accepted. The known-groups validity and responsiveness of the Dutch Lymph-ICF-LL and the cross-cultural validity of the English version of the Lymph-ICF-LL were not investigated. The Lymph-ICF-LL is a Dutch questionnaire with evidence of reliability and validity for assessing impairments in function, activity limitations, and participation restrictions in people with primary or secondary lower limb lymphedema.

Development, linguistic and clinimetric validation of the WOMAC VA3.01 Bangla for Bangladesh Index.

PubMed

Rabbani, M G; Haq, S A; Bellamy, N; Islam, M N; Choudhury, M R; Naheed, A; Ahmed, S; Shahin, A

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to develop and to validate a Bengali version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) index in Bangladesh. The WOMAC was translated into the local language of Bangladesh (Bengali) and adapted in the local sociocultural context, following the standard guidelines by Beaton et al. Content validity of the preliminary Bengali version was assessed by using the index of content validity (ICV) and floor and ceiling effects. Patients were assessed at the Department of Rheumatology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and were diagnosed to have knee OA by American College of Rheumatology criteria and recruited according to the requirements of the validation study. Convergent and divergent validity were measured by comparing with Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36), and internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The questionnaire was readministered to 40 patients within a week for assessing reliability by using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. In addition, factor analysis of Bengali WOMAC questionnaire was performed to examine the number of factors influencing a common set of items. A Bengali version was developed with changes in three items to suit local practices. The ICV of the content validity was 1 for all items. The Bengali WOMAC had similar construct validity when compared to the HAQ (ρ 0.74, n = 70) and SF-36 bodily pain and physical functioning. It had dissimilar construct validity to SF-36 mental health domain except WOMAC pain. Factor analysis revealed five factors with eigenvalues of more than 1.0. Cronbach's alpha and ICC exceeded 0.7 in all domains. In the test-retest reliability testing, Spearman's ρ for all items exceeded 0.4 (n = 40). This study has demonstrated that the Bengali version of WOMAC is a valid tool for assessing quality of life of patients with knee osteoarthritis in Bangladesh and is reliable.

Ideal GLM-MHD: About the entropy consistent nine-wave magnetic field divergence diminishing ideal magnetohydrodynamics equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derigs, Dominik; Winters, Andrew R.; Gassner, Gregor J.; Walch, Stefanie; Bohm, Marvin

2018-07-01

The paper presents two contributions in the context of the numerical simulation of magnetized fluid dynamics. First, we show how to extend the ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations with an inbuilt magnetic field divergence cleaning mechanism in such a way that the resulting model is consistent with the second law of thermodynamics. As a byproduct of these derivations, we show that not all of the commonly used divergence cleaning extensions of the ideal MHD equations are thermodynamically consistent. Secondly, we present a numerical scheme obtained by constructing a specific finite volume discretization that is consistent with the discrete thermodynamic entropy. It includes a mechanism to control the discrete divergence error of the magnetic field by construction and is Galilean invariant. We implement the new high-order MHD solver in the adaptive mesh refinement code FLASH where we compare the divergence cleaning efficiency to the constrained transport solver available in FLASH (unsplit staggered mesh scheme).

Diverging diamond interchange performance evaluation (I-44 and Route 13)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-02-01

Performance evaluation was conducted on the first diverging diamond interchange (DDI) or double : crossover interchange (DCD) constructed in the United States. This evaluation assessed traffic operations, safety and : public perceptions t...

Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT).

PubMed

Boysan, Murat; Kuss, Daria J; Barut, Yaşar; Ayköse, Nafi; Güleç, Mustafa; Özdemir, Osman

2017-01-01

Of many instruments developed to assess Internet addiction, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), an expanded version of the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ), has been the most widely used scale in English and non-English speaking populations. In this study, our aim was to investigate the psychometric properties of short and expanded versions of the IAT in a Turkish undergraduate sample. Overall, 455 undergraduate students from Turkey aged between 18 and 30 participated in the study (63.53% were females). Explanatory and confirmatory factor analytic procedures investigated factor structures of the IADQ and IAT. The Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) and Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) were administered to assess convergent and divergent validities of the IADQ and IAT. Internal consistency and 15-day test-retest reliability were computed. In the factorial analytic investigation, we found a unidimensional factor structure for each measure fit the current data best. Significant but weak to moderate correlations of the IADQ and the IAT with the CISS, OCI-R and DES provided empirical evidence for divergent validity, whereas strong associations with the subscales of the IAS pointed to the convergent validity of Young's Internet addiction construct. Internal consistency of the IADQ was weak (α=0.67) and of the IAT was high (α=0.93). Temporal reliability of both instruments was very high (α=0.81 and α=0.87; respectively). The IAT revealed promising and sound psychometric properties in a Turkish sample. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laser-Induced Thermal Acoustic Measurements in a Highly Back-Pressured Scramjet Isolator Model: A Research Plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middleton, Troy F.; Balla, Robert J.; Baurle, Robert A.; Wilson, Lloyd G.

2008-01-01

Under the Propulsion Discipline of NASA s Fundamental Aeronautics Program s Hypersonics Project, a test apparatus, for testing a scramjet isolator model, is being constructed at NASA's Langley Research Center. The test apparatus will incorporate a 1-inch by 2-inch by 15-inch-long scramjet isolator model supplied with 2.1 lbm/sec of unheated dry air through a Mach 2.5 converging-diverging nozzle. The planned research will incorporate progressively more challenging measurement techniques to characterize the flow field within the isolator, concluding with the application of the Laser-Induced Thermal Acoustic (LITA) measurement technique. The primary goal of this research is to use the data acquired to validate Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models employed to characterize the complex flow field of a scramjet isolator. This paper describes the test apparatus being constructed, pre-test CFD simulations, and the LITA measurement technique.

Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21): psychometric analysis across four racial groups.

PubMed

Norton, Peter J

2007-09-01

Growing cross-cultural awareness has led researchers to examine frequently used research instruments and assessment tools in racially diverse populations. The present study was conducted to assess the psychometric characteristics of the 21-item version of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21) among different racial groups. The DASS-21 was chosen because it appears to be a reliable and easy to administer measure, ideal for both clinical and research purposes. Results suggest that the internal consistency, and convergent and divergent validity of the DASS-21 are similar across racial groups. Multigroup CFA, however, indicated that item loadings were invariant, while scale covariances were not invariant. This suggests that, although the items may load similarly on the depression, anxiety and stress constructs, these constructs may be differentially inter-related across groups. Implications for application in clinical practice are discussed.

The Construct Validity of the German Academic Self-regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A) within Primary and Secondary School Children.

PubMed

Kröner, Julia; Goussios, Christina; Schaitz, Caroline; Streb, Judith; Sosic-Vasic, Zrinka

2017-01-01

The assessment of students' motivation can be a powerful tool in enhancing and understanding students' learning. One valid and often applied self-report measure is the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A) which is grounded in the self-determination theory. However, to date, there is still no German equivalent to the English version of this questionnaire. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to adapt and validate the SRQ-A on a representative German student sample, consisting of 672 children (327 girls), ages 8-14 from one primary and two secondary German schools. First, the translation-back-translation method was used to ensure the linguistic equivalence of the German questionnaire. Second, item analysis of the generated scores of the German SRQ-A were conducted. Third, the multidimensional factorial structure of the original measure was tested with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using maximum likelihood estimation. Last, additional construct validity of the German SRQ-A was tested using correlational analyses with convergent and divergent measures. After conducting CFA, four items were excluded from the original questionnaire, due to loadings lower than 0.40, resulting in 28 items. The German SRQ-A showed good internal consistency for all subscales, with Chronbach's α ranging between 0.75 and 0.88. The simplex-structure of the original measurement could also be confirmed, however, the four-factorial model could not be replicated. The measurement showed good convergent and discriminant validity with other related questionnaires. In summary, the German SRQ-A is a reliable and valid self-report instrument for the assessment of self-determined motivational styles within the school context.

The Construct Validity of the German Academic Self-regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A) within Primary and Secondary School Children

PubMed Central

Kröner, Julia; Goussios, Christina; Schaitz, Caroline; Streb, Judith; Sosic-Vasic, Zrinka

2017-01-01

The assessment of students' motivation can be a powerful tool in enhancing and understanding students' learning. One valid and often applied self-report measure is the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A) which is grounded in the self-determination theory. However, to date, there is still no German equivalent to the English version of this questionnaire. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to adapt and validate the SRQ-A on a representative German student sample, consisting of 672 children (327 girls), ages 8–14 from one primary and two secondary German schools. First, the translation-back-translation method was used to ensure the linguistic equivalence of the German questionnaire. Second, item analysis of the generated scores of the German SRQ-A were conducted. Third, the multidimensional factorial structure of the original measure was tested with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using maximum likelihood estimation. Last, additional construct validity of the German SRQ-A was tested using correlational analyses with convergent and divergent measures. After conducting CFA, four items were excluded from the original questionnaire, due to loadings lower than 0.40, resulting in 28 items. The German SRQ-A showed good internal consistency for all subscales, with Chronbach's α ranging between 0.75 and 0.88. The simplex-structure of the original measurement could also be confirmed, however, the four-factorial model could not be replicated. The measurement showed good convergent and discriminant validity with other related questionnaires. In summary, the German SRQ-A is a reliable and valid self-report instrument for the assessment of self-determined motivational styles within the school context. PMID:28690567

Transcultural adaptation and validation of a satisfaction with life scale for Chilean adolescents.

PubMed

Álvarez, Carola A; Briceño, Ana M; Álvarez, Karla; Abufhele, Marcela; Delgado, Iris

2018-02-01

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the determinants of subjecti ve well-being and happiness. In that context, life satisfaction is one of the measures used to assess subjective well-being, with emphasis in adult population. Adapt and validate (cultu rally and linguistically) the Canadian "Satisfaction with Life adapted for Children" (SWLS-C) in Chilean adolescents, in order to assess their global judgement about their own lives. Cross-sectional study, with adolescents between 10 to 18 years old, of both sexes and three socioeconomic levels in the Metropolitan region of Chile. After a process of translation and back translation, the scale SWLS-C was applied in 3 groups: cognitive interviews (n = 23) to evaluate se mantics, content, reliability and construct validity, a second group was used as pretest (n = 24) and a third for the validation of the test (n = 200). Factor analysis was performed and measurement of convergent and divergent validity. The internal consistency of the scale through Cronbach's alpha was 0.815, with item-total correlations between 0.51 and 0.7. The correlation between scale items varies between 0.390 and 0.607. In the main component analysis, all items met the require ment of a factor greater than 0.3. The inverse correlation between SWLS-C and CDI was significant, with a linear R2 of 0.465. The Chilean version of the SWLS-C shows adequate psycho metric properties, construct validity, confirming its unidimensional character and the need to keep each item of the Canadian version. SWLS-C, in its Chilean version, is suitable to be self-applied in adolescent population. Further studies are needed to provide further evidence.

Psychometric evaluation of a short measure of social capital at work

PubMed Central

Kouvonen, Anne; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi; Oksanen, Tuula; Elovainio, Marko; Cox, Tom; Virtanen, Marianna; Pentti, Jaana; Cox, Sara J; Wilkinson, Richard G

2006-01-01

Background Prior studies on social capital and health have assessed social capital in residential neighbourhoods and communities, but the question whether the concept should also be applicable in workplaces has been raised. The present study reports on the psychometric properties of an 8-item measure of social capital at work. Methods Data were derived from the Finnish Public Sector Study (N = 48,592) collected in 2000–2002. Based on face validity, an expert unfamiliar with the data selected 8 questionnaire items from the available items for a scale of social capital. Reliability analysis included tests of internal consistency, item-total correlations, and within-unit (interrater) agreement by rwg index. The associations with theoretically related and unrelated constructs were examined to assess convergent and divergent validity (construct validity). Criterion-related validity was explored with respect to self-rated health using multilevel logistic regression models. The effects of individual level and work unit level social capital were modelled on self-rated health. Results The internal consistency of the scale was good (Cronbach's alpha = 0.88). The rwg index was 0.88, which indicates a significant within-unit agreement. The scale was associated with, but not redundant to, conceptually close constructs such as procedural justice, job control, and effort-reward imbalance. Its associations with conceptually more distant concepts, such as trait anxiety and magnitude of change in work, were weaker. In multilevel models, significantly elevated age adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of poor self-rated health (OR = 2.42, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.24–2.61 for the women and OR = 2.99, 95% CI: 2.56–3.50 for the men) were observed for the employees in the lowest vs. highest quartile of individual level social capital. In addition, low social capital at the work unit level was associated with a higher likelihood of poor self-rated health. Conclusion Psychometric techniques show our 8-item measure of social capital to be a valid tool reflecting the construct and displaying the postulated links with other variables. PMID:17038200

Psychometric Evaluation of the PSQI in U.S. College Students

PubMed Central

Dietch, Jessica R.; Taylor, Daniel J.; Sethi, Kevin; Kelly, Kimberly; Bramoweth, Adam D.; Roane, Brandy M.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: Examine the psychometric properties of the PSQI in two U.S. college samples. Methods: Study I assessed convergent and divergent validity in 866 undergraduates who completed a sleep diary, PSQI, and other sleep and psychosocial measures. Study II assessed PSQI insomnia diagnostic accuracy in a separate sample of 147 healthy undergraduates with and without insomnia. Results: The PSQI global score had only moderate convergent validity with sleep diary sleep efficiency (prospective global measure of sleep continuity; r = 0.53), the Insomnia Severity Index (r = 0.63), and fatigue (r = 0.44). The PSQI global score demonstrated good divergent validity with measures of excessive daytime sleepiness (r = 0.18), circadian preference (r = −0.08), alcohol (r = 0.08) and marijuana (r = 0.05) abuse scales, and poor divergent validity with depression (r = 0.48), anxiety (r = 0.40), and perceived stress (r = 0.33). Examination of other analogous PSQI and sleep diary components showed low to moderate convergent validity: sleep latency (r = 0.70), wake after sleep onset (r = 0.37), sleep duration (r = 0.51), and sleep efficiency (r = −0.32). Diagnostic accuracy of the PSQI to detect insomnia was very high (area under the curve = 0.999). Sensitivity and specificity were maximized at a cutoff of 6. Conclusions: The PSQI demonstrated moderate convergent validity compared to measures of insomnia and fatigue and good divergent validity with measures of daytime sleepiness, circadian phase preference, and alcohol and marijuana use. The PSQI demonstrated considerable overlap with depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. Therefore, caution should be used with interpretation. Citation: Dietch JR, Taylor DJ, Sethi K, Kelly K, Bramoweth AD, Roane BM. Psychometric evaluation of the PSQI in U.S. college students. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(8):1121–1129. PMID:27166299

Psychometric analysis of the Chinese version of Social Adaptation Self-evaluation Scale (C-SASS).

PubMed

Tse, Wai S; Bond, Alyson J

2007-12-03

There are only a very limited number of scales available to measure social motivation in Chinese. Studying social motivation might help researchers to understand more of the relationship between social skills and depression. An English version of the Social Adaptation Self-evaluation Scale (SASS) is a valid measure of social motivation. A Chinese translated version of the SASS was validated in 208 healthy volunteers, who were also evaluated with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Principal Component Analysis showed the C-SASS had a one-factor solution. The Cronbach alpha of the scale was 0.97, but no item redundancy was found. The C-SASS was negatively associated with the BDI (r=-0.39) as predicted. Furthermore, the C-SASS was positively associated with the Cooperativeness (r=0.34) and Self-directedness factors (r=0.37), but negatively associated with the Harm Avoidance factor (r=-0.36) of the TCI as predicted. C-SASS scores were not associated with the Novelty Seeking or Self-transcendence factors of the TCI. Therefore, the C-SASS had adequate construct validity, and internal consistency. The results also supported the external validity, convergent validity and divergent validity of the C-SASS.

On the divergence of triangular and eccentric spherical sums of double Fourier series

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

Karagulyan, G A

We construct a continuous function on the torus with almost everywhere divergent triangular sums of double Fourier series. We also prove an analogous theorem for eccentric spherical sums. Bibliography: 14 titles.

Interfacial Ordering and Accompanying Divergent Capacitance at Ionic Liquid-Metal Interfaces.

PubMed

Limmer, David T

2015-12-18

A theory is constructed for dense ionic solutions near charged planar walls that is valid for strong interionic correlations. This theory predicts a fluctuation-induced, first-order transition and spontaneous charge density ordering at the interface, in the presence of an otherwise disordered bulk solution. The surface ordering is driven by applied voltage and results in an anomalous differential capacitance, in agreement with recent simulation results and consistent with experimental observations of a wide array of systems. Explicit forms for the charge density profile and capacitance are given. The theory is compared with numerical results for the charge frustrated Ising model, which is also found to exhibit a voltage driven first-order transition.

Interfacial Ordering and Accompanying Divergent Capacitance at Ionic Liquid-Metal Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limmer, David T.

2015-12-01

A theory is constructed for dense ionic solutions near charged planar walls that is valid for strong interionic correlations. This theory predicts a fluctuation-induced, first-order transition and spontaneous charge density ordering at the interface, in the presence of an otherwise disordered bulk solution. The surface ordering is driven by applied voltage and results in an anomalous differential capacitance, in agreement with recent simulation results and consistent with experimental observations of a wide array of systems. Explicit forms for the charge density profile and capacitance are given. The theory is compared with numerical results for the charge frustrated Ising model, which is also found to exhibit a voltage driven first-order transition.

Virtual design and construction of plumbing systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filho, João Bosco P. Dantas; Angelim, Bruno Maciel; Guedes, Joana Pimentel; de Castro, Marcelo Augusto Farias; Neto, José de Paula Barros

2016-12-01

Traditionally, the design coordination process is carried out by overlaying and comparing 2D drawings made by different project participants. Detecting information errors from a composite drawing is especially challenging and error prone. This procedure usually leaves many design errors undetected until construction begins, and typically lead to rework. Correcting conflict issues, which were not identified during design and coordination phase, reduces the overall productivity for everyone involved in the construction process. The identification of construction issues in the field generate Request for Information (RFIs) that is one of delays causes. The application of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) tools to the coordination processes can bring significant value to architecture, structure, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) designs in terms of a reduced number of errors undetected and requests for information. This paper is focused on evaluating requests for information (RFI) associated with water/sanitary facilities of a BIM model. Thus, it is expected to add improvements of water/sanitary facility designs, as well as to assist the virtual construction team to notice and identify design problems. This is an exploratory and descriptive research. A qualitative methodology is used. This study adopts RFI's classification in six analyzed categories: correction, omission, validation of information, modification, divergence of information and verification. The results demonstrate VDC's contribution improving the plumbing system designs. Recommendations are suggested to identify and avoid these RFI types in plumbing system design process or during virtual construction.

Validation of the kidney disease quality of life-short form: a cross-sectional study of a dialysis-targeted health measure in Singapore.

PubMed

Joshi, Veena D; Mooppil, Nandakumar; Lim, Jeremy Fy

2010-12-20

In Singapore, the prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and the number of people on dialysis is increasing. The impact of ESRD on patient quality of life has been recognized as an important outcome measure. The Kidney Disease Quality Of Life-Short Form (KDQOL-SF™) has been validated and is widely used as a measure of quality of life in dialysis patients in many countries, but not in Singapore. We aimed to determine the reliability and validity of the KDQOL-SF™ for haemodialysis patients in Singapore. From December 2006 through January 2007, this cross-sectional study gathered data on patients ≥21 years old, who were undergoing haemodialysis at National Kidney Foundation in Singapore. We used exploratory factor analysis to determine construct validity of the eight KDQOL-SF™ sub-scales, Cronbach's alpha coefficient to determine internal consistency reliability, correlation of the overall health rating with kidney disease-targeted scales to confirm validity, and correlation of the eight sub-scales with age, income and education to determine convergent and divergent validity. Of 1980 haemodialysis patients, 1180 (59%) completed the KDQOL-SF™. Full information was available for 980 participants, with a mean age of 56 years. The sample was representative of the total dialysis population in Singapore, except Indian ethnicity that was over-represented. The instrument designers' proposed eight sub-scales were confirmed, which together accounted for 68.4% of the variance. All sub-scales had a Cronbach's α above the recommended minimum value of 0.7 to indicate good reliability (range: 0.72 to 0.95), except for Social function (0.66). Correlation of items within subscales was higher than correlation of items outside subscales in 90% of the cases. The overall health rating positively correlated with kidney disease-targeted scales, confirming validity. General health subscales were found to have significant associations with age, income and education, confirming convergent and divergent validity. The psychometric properties of the KDQOL-SF™ resulting from this first-time administration of the instrument support the validity and reliability of the KDQOL-SF™ as a measure of quality of life of haemodialysis patients in Singapore. It is, however, necessary to determine the test-retest reliability of the KDQOL-SF™ among the haemodialysis population of Singapore.

Comparison of Depressive Symptom Severity Scores in Low-Income Women

PubMed Central

Kneipp, Shawn M.; Kairalla, John A.; Stacciarini, Jeanne Marie R.; Pereira, Deidre; Miller, M. David

2010-01-01

Background The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) are considered reliable and valid for measuring depressive symptom severity and screening for a depressive disorder. Few studies have examined the convergent or divergent validity of these two measures, and none have been conducted among low-income women – even though rates of depression in this group are extremely high. Moreover, variation in within-subject scores suggests these measures may be less comparable in select subgroups. Objective We sought to compare these two measures in terms of construct validity, and examine whether within-subject differences in depressive symptom severity scores could be accounted for by select characteristics in low-income women. Method In a sample of 308 low-income women, construct validity was assessed using a multitrait-monomethod matrix approach, between-instrument differences in continuous symptom severity scores were regressed on select characteristics using backward stepwise selection, and differences in depressive symptom classification were assessed using the Mantel-Haenszel test. Results Convergent validity was high (rs = 0.80, p < .001). Among predictors that included age, race, education, number of chronic health conditions, history of depression, perceived stress, anxiety, and/or the number of generalized symptoms, none explained within-subject differences in depressive symptom scores between the BDI-II and PHQ-9 (p > .05, R2 < 0.04). Similarly, there was consistency in depressive symptom classification (X2 = 172 and 172.6, p < .0001). Discussion These findings demonstrate the BDI-II and PHQ-9 perform similarly among low-income women in terms of depressive symptom severity measurement and classifying levels of depressive symptoms, and do not vary across subgroups based on select demographics. PMID:21048482

Development and evaluation of the Expressions of Moral Injury Scale-Military Version.

PubMed

Currier, Joseph M; Farnsworth, Jacob K; Drescher, Kent D; McDermott, Ryon C; Sims, Brook M; Albright, David L

2018-05-01

There is consensus that military personnel can encounter a far more diverse set of challenges than researchers and clinicians have historically appreciated. Moral injury (MI) represents an emerging construct to capture behavioural, social, and spiritual suffering that may transcend and overlap with mental health diagnoses (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder). The Expressions of Moral Injury Scale-Military Version (EMIS-M) was developed to provide a reliable and valid means for assessing the warning signs of a MI in military populations. Drawing on independent samples of veterans who had served in a war-zone environment, factor analytic results revealed 2 distinct factors related to MI expressions directed at both self (9 items) and others (8 items). These subscales generated excellent internal consistency and temporal stability over a 6-month period. When compared to measures of post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and other theoretically relevant constructs (e.g., forgiveness, social support, moral emotions, and combat exposure), EMIS-M scores demonstrated strong convergent, divergent, and incremental validity. In addition, although structural equation modelling findings supported a possible general MI factor in Study 2, the patterns of associations for self- and other-directed expressions yielded evidence for differential validity with varying forms of forgiveness and combat exposure. As such, the EMIS-M provides a face valid, psychometrically validated tool for assessing expressions of apparent MI subtypes in research and clinical settings. Looking ahead, the EMIS-M will hopefully advance the scientific understanding of MI while supporting innovation for clinicians to tailor evidence-based treatments and/or develop novel approaches for addressing MI in their work. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Translation and validation of European organization for research and treatment of cancer quality of life Questionnaire -C30 into Moroccan version for cancer patients in Morocco

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Understanding the effects of cancer on the quality of life of affected patients is critical to clinical research as well as to optimal management and care. The aim of this study was to adapt the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) questionnaire into Moroccan Arabic and to determine its psychometric properties. After translation, back translation and pretesting of the pre-final version, the translated version was submitted to a committee of professionals composed by oncologists and epidemiologists. The psychometric properties were tested in patients with cancer. Internal consistency was tested using Cronbach’s alpha and the test-retest reliability using interclass correlation coefficients. Construct validity was assessed by examining item-convergent and divergent validity. It was also tested using Spearman’s correlation between QLQ-C30 scales and EQ-5D. Results The study was conducted in 125 patients. The Moroccan version was internally reliable, Cronbach’s α was 0.87 for the total scale and ranged from 0.34 to 0.97 for the subscales. The intraclass correlation coefficient of the test-retest reliability ranged from 0.64 for “social functioning” to 0.89 for “physical activities” subscales. The instrument demonstrated a good construct and concomitant validity. Conclusions We have developed a semantically equivalent translation with cultural adaptation of EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. The assessment of its measurement properties showed that it is quite reliable and a valid measure of the effect of cancer on the quality of life in Moroccan patients. PMID:24721384

Measuring Adaptive Coping of Hospitalized Patients With a Severe Medical Condition: The Sickness Insight in Coping Questionnaire.

PubMed

Boezeman, Edwin J; Hofhuis, José G M; Hovingh, Aly; Cox, Christopher E; de Vries, Reinout E; Spronk, Peter E

2016-09-01

Adaptive coping strategies are associated with less psychological distress. However, there is no brief, specific, and validated instrument for assessing adaptive coping among seriously ill patients. Our objective was to examine the validity and patient-proxy agreement of a novel instrument, the Sickness Insight in Coping Questionnaire. A cross-sectional design which included two related studies. A single university-affiliated Dutch hospital. Hospitalized patients (study 1) and ICU-patients and proxies (study 2). None. Study 1 (n = 103 hospitalized patients) addressed the Sickness Insight in Coping Questionnaire's performance relative to questionnaires addressing similar content areas. Coping subscales of the BRIEF COPE, Illness Cognition Questionnaire, and Utrecht Coping List were used as comparator measures in testing the construct validity of the Sickness Insight in Coping Questionnaire-subscales (fighting spirit, toughness, redefinition, positivism, and non-acceptance). The Sickness Insight in Coping Questionnaire had good internal consistency (0.64 ≤ α ≤ 0.79), a clear initial factor structure, and fair convergent (0.24 ≤ r ≤ 0.50) and divergent (r, ≤ 0.12) construct validity. Study 2 examined the performance of the Sickness Insight in Coping Questionnaire among 100 ICU patients and their close family members. This study showed that the Sickness Insight in Coping Questionnaire has good structural validity (confirmatory factor analyses with Comparative Fit Index > 0.90 and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation < 0.08) and moderate (r, 0.37; non-acceptance) to strong (r, > 0.50; fighting spirit, toughness, redefinition, and positivism) patient-close proxy agreement. Overall, the Sickness Insight in Coping Questionnaire has good psychometric properties. ICU clinicians can use the Sickness Insight in Coping Questionnaire to gain insight in adaptive coping style of patients through ratings of patients or their close family members.

The Italian version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21: Factor structure and psychometric properties on community and clinical samples.

PubMed

Bottesi, Gioia; Ghisi, Marta; Altoè, Gianmarco; Conforti, Erica; Melli, Gabriele; Sica, Claudio

2015-07-01

The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) is the short version of a self-report measure that was originally developed to provide maximum differentiation between depressive and anxious symptoms. Despite encouraging evidence, the factor structure and other features of the DASS-21 are yet to be firmly established. A community sample of 417 participants and two clinical groups (32 depressive patients and 25 anxious patients) completed the Italian version of the DASS-21 along with several measures of psychopathology. Confirmatory factor analyses suggested that the DASS-21 is a measure of general distress plus three additional orthogonal dimensions (anxiety, depression, and stress). The internal consistency and temporal stability of the measure were good; each DASS-21 scale correlated more strongly with a measure of a similar construct, demonstrating good convergent and divergent validity. Lastly, the DASS-21 demonstrated good criterion-oriented validity. The validity of the Italian DASS-21 and its utility, both for community and clinical individuals, are supported. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Validation of the Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S) Screen Scale in Patients with Bipolar Disorder I].

PubMed

Castaño Ramírez, Oscar Mauricio; Martínez Ramírez, Yeferson André; Marulanda Mejía, Felipe; Díaz Cabezas, Ricardo; Valderrama Sánchez, Lenis Alexandra; Varela Cifuentes, Vilma; Aguirre Acevedo, Daniel Camilo

2015-01-01

The Spanish version of the cognitive impairment in psychiatry scale screening scale has been developed as a response to the needs arising in clinical practice during the evaluation of mental illness patients, but the performance is not known in the Colombian population with bipolar disorder I. This paper tries to establish construct validity and stability of the scale in patients with bipolar disorder I in the city of Manizales. Construct validity was estimated by comparing the measurement in two divergent groups, a control group and a group with bipolar disorder I. It was also compared to a Neuropsychological battery measuring the same scale domains. The correlation between each one of the sub-tests of the scale and stability was evaluated through the reliability test-retest in the group with bipolar disorder I. The scale showed discriminatory capacity in cognitive functioning between the control group and the group with bipolar disorder I. The correlation with the neuropsychological battery was estimated by the Spearman test showing results between 0.36 and 0.77, and the correlation between each sub-test of the scale showed correlations between 0.39 and 0.72. Test-retest was measured with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and their values were between 0.77 and 0.91. The Spanish version of screening scale in the cognitive disorder in psychiatry shows acceptable validity and reliability as a measurement tool in clinical psychiatric practice. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Positive clinical psychology and Schema Therapy (ST): The development of the Young Positive Schema Questionnaire (YPSQ) to complement the Young Schema Questionnaire 3 Short Form (YSQ-S3).

PubMed

Louis, John P; Wood, Alex M; Lockwood, George; Ho, Moon-Ho Ringo; Ferguson, Eamonn

2018-04-19

Negative schemas have been widely recognized as being linked to psychopathology and mental health, and they are central to the Schema Therapy (ST) model. This study is the first to report on the psychometric properties of the Young Positive Schema Questionnaire (YPSQ). In a combined community sample (Manila, Philippines, n = 559; Bangalore, India, n = 350; Singapore, n = 628), we identified a 56-item, 14-factor solution for the YPSQ. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis supported the 14-factor model using data from two other independent samples: an Eastern sample from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (n = 229) and a Western sample from the United States (n = 214). Construct validity was demonstrated with the Young Schema Questionnaire 3 Short Form (YSQ-S3) that measures negative schemas, and divergent validity was demonstrated for 11 of the YPSQ subscales with their respective negative schema counterparts. Convergent validity of the 14 subscales of YPSQ was demonstrated with measures of personality dispositions, emotional distress, well-being, trait gratitude, and humor styles. Positive schemas also showed incremental validity over and above negative schemas for these same measures, thus demonstrating that both positive and negative schemas are separate constructs that relate in unique ways to mental health. Implications for using both the YPSQ and the YSQ-S3 scales in tandem in ST as well as cultural nuances from the use of Asian samples were discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Divergence Free High Order Filter Methods for Multiscale Non-ideal MHD Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yee, H. C.; Sjoegreen, Bjoern

2003-01-01

Low-dissipative high order filter finite difference methods for long time wave propagation of shock/turbulence/combustion compressible viscous MHD flows has been constructed. Several variants of the filter approach that cater to different flow types are proposed. These filters provide a natural and efficient way for the minimization of the divergence of the magnetic field (Delta . B) numerical error in the sense that no standard divergence cleaning is required. For certain 2-D MHD test problems, divergence free preservation of the magnetic fields of these filter schemes has been achieved.

How to measure the impact of premenstrual symptoms? Development and validation of the German PMS-Impact Questionnaire.

PubMed

Kues, Johanna N; Janda, Carolyn; Kleinstäuber, Maria; Weise, Cornelia

2016-10-01

With 75% of women of reproductive age affected, premenstrual symptoms are very common, ranging from emotional and cognitive to physical symptoms. Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder can lead to substantial functional interference and psychological distress comparable to that of dysthymic disorders. The assessment of this impact is required as a part of the diagnostic procedure in the DSM-5. In the absence of a specific measure, the authors developed the PMS-Impact Questionnaire. A sample of 101 women reporting severe premenstrual complaints was assessed with the twenty-two items in the questionnaire during their premenstrual phase in an ongoing intervention study at the Philipps-University Marburg from August 2013 until January 2015. An exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor solution (labeled Psychological Impact and Functional Impact) with 18 items. A Cronbach's alpha of 0.90 for Psychological Impact and of 0.90 for Functional Impact indicated good reliability. Convergent construct validity was demonstrated by moderate to high correlations with the Pain Disability Index. Low correlations with the Big Five Inventory-10 indicated good divergent validity. The PMS-Impact Questionnaire was found to be a valid, reliable, and an economic measure to assess the impact of premenstrual symptoms. In future research, cross validations and confirmatory factor analyses should be conducted.

25 CFR 39.114 - What characteristics may qualify a student as gifted and talented for purposes of supplemental...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... intellectual ability. (b) Creativity/Divergent Thinking means scoring in the top 5 percent of performance on a statistically valid and reliable measurement tool of creativity/divergent thinking. (c) Academic Aptitude...

25 CFR 39.114 - What characteristics may qualify a student as gifted and talented for purposes of supplemental...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... intellectual ability. (b) Creativity/Divergent Thinking means scoring in the top 5 percent of performance on a statistically valid and reliable measurement tool of creativity/divergent thinking. (c) Academic Aptitude...

25 CFR 39.114 - What characteristics may qualify a student as gifted and talented for purposes of supplemental...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... intellectual ability. (b) Creativity/Divergent Thinking means scoring in the top 5 percent of performance on a statistically valid and reliable measurement tool of creativity/divergent thinking. (c) Academic Aptitude...

25 CFR 39.114 - What characteristics may qualify a student as gifted and talented for purposes of supplemental...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... intellectual ability. (b) Creativity/Divergent Thinking means scoring in the top 5 percent of performance on a statistically valid and reliable measurement tool of creativity/divergent thinking. (c) Academic Aptitude...

Measuring engagement in nurses: the psychometric properties of the Persian version of Utrecht Work Engagement Scale

PubMed Central

Torabinia, Mansour; Mahmoudi, Sara; Dolatshahi, Mojtaba; Abyaz, Mohamad Reza

2017-01-01

Background: Considering the overall tendency in psychology, researchers in the field of work and organizational psychology have become progressively interested in employees’ effective and optimistic experiments at work such as work engagement. This study was conducted to investigate 2 main purposes: assessing the psychometric properties of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and finding any association between work engagement and burnout in nurses. Methods: The present methodological study was conducted in 2015 and included 248 females and 34 males with 6 months to 30 years of job experience. After the translation process, face and content validity were calculated by qualitative and quantitative methods. Moreover, content validation ratio, scale-level content validity index and item-level content validity index were measured for this scale. Construct validity was determined by factor analysis. Moreover, internal consistency and stability reliability were assessed. Factor analysis, test-retest, Cronbach’s alpha, and association analysis were used as statistical methods. Results: Face and content validity were acceptable. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a new 3- factor model. In this new model, some items from the construct model of the original version were dislocated with the same 17 items. The new model was confirmed by divergent Copenhagen Burnout Inventory as the Persian version of UWES. Internal consistency reliability for the total scale and the subscales was 0.76 to 0.89. Results from Pearson correlation test indicated a high degree of test-retest reliability (r = 0. 89). ICC was also 0.91. Engagement was negatively related to burnout and overtime per month, whereas it was positively related with age and job experiment. Conclusion: The Persian 3– factor model of Utrecht Work Engagement Scale is a valid and reliable instrument to measure work engagement in Iranian nurses as well as in other medical professionals. PMID:28955665

Validating survey measurement scales for AIDS-related knowledge and stigma among construction workers in South Africa.

PubMed

Bowen, Paul; Govender, Rajen; Edwards, Peter

2016-01-23

Construction workers in South Africa are regarded as a high-risk group in the context of HIV/AIDS. HIV testing is pivotal to controlling HIV transmission and providing palliative care and AIDS-related knowledge and stigma are key issues in addressing the likelihood of testing behaviour. In exploring these issues, various studies have employed an 11-item AIDS-related knowledge scale (Kalichman and Simbayi, AIDS Care 16:572-580, 2004) and a 9-item stigma scale (Kalichman et al., AIDS Behav 9:135-143, 2005), but little evidence exists confirming the psychometric properties of these scales. Using survey data from 512 construction workers in the Western Cape, South Africa, this research examines the validity and reliability of the two scales through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency tests. From confirmatory factor analysis, a revised 10-item knowledge scale was developed (χ2 /df ratio = 1.675, CFI = 0.982, RMSEA = 0.038, and Hoelter (95 %) = 393). A revised 8-item stigma scale was also developed (χ2 /df ratio = 1.929, CFI = 0.974, RMSEA = 0.045, and Hoelter (95 %) = 380). Both revised scales demonstrated good model fit and all factor loadings were significant (p < 0.01). Reliability analysis demonstrated excellent to good internal consistency, with alpha values of 0.80 and 0.74, respectively. Both revised scales also demonstrated satisfactory convergent and divergent validity. Limitations of the original survey from which the data was obtained include the failure to properly account for respondent selection of language for completion of the survey, use of ethnicity as a proxy for identifying the native language of participants, the limited geographical area from which the survey data was collected, and the limitations associated with the convenience sample. A limitation of the validation study was the lack of available data for a more robust examination of reliability beyond internal consistency, such as test-retest reliability. The revised knowledge and stigma scales offered here hold considerable promise as measures of AIDS-related knowledge and stigma among South African construction workers.

How Do You Play? A Comparison among Children Aged 4–10

PubMed Central

Delvecchio, Elisa; Li, Jian-Bin; Pazzagli, Chiara; Lis, Adriana; Mazzeschi, Claudia

2016-01-01

Pretend play has a central role for children's development and psychological well-being. However, there is a paucity of standardized and valid measures specifically devoted to assess the core domains involved in play activities in preschool and primary school children. The Affect in Play Scale-Preschool (4–5 years) and the Affect in Play Scale-Preschool Extended Version (6–10 years) are semi-structured parallel tools designed to explore child's cognitive and affective processes using a standardized play task. The current study administered this 5-min play task to 538 Italian children aged 4–10. The purposes were to compare play abilities in boys vs. girls and in preschool vs. primary school children, to correlate pretend play with divergent thinking and to evaluate the structural validity of the measure along the considered age span. No differences, excepting for Organization, were found between boys and girls, whereas school age children reported higher play abilities then the younger ones. External validity was assessed using correlational analysis with the divergent thinking task (the Alternate Uses Test) for preschoolers and primary school-aged children, in line with findings from Manova. Construct validity, assessed through the Confirmatory Factor Analysis, showed good fits for the two-factor model with cognitive and affective factor for both the Affect in Play Scale-Preschool and its Extended Version. A multi-group factor analysis suggested a partial invariance of the two-factor model across preschool (4–5 years old) and primary school-aged (6–10 years old) children. Results supported the use of the Affect in Play Scale-Preschool and its Extended Version as adequate measures to assess the interplay of cognitive and affective skills in preschool and school age children. The discussion highlights clinical and research implications linked to the possibility to have a unique play task able to assess child's affective and cognitive abilities throughout a quite wide life span (from 4 to 10 years old). PMID:27909423

Ego-resiliency reloaded: a three-component model of general resiliency.

PubMed

Farkas, Dávid; Orosz, Gábor

2015-01-01

Ego-resiliency (ER) is a capacity that enables individuals to adapt to constantly changing environmental demands. The goal of our research was to identify components of Ego-resiliency, and to test the reliability and the structural and convergent validity of the refined version of the ER11 Ego-resiliency scale. In Study 1 we used a factor analytical approach to assess structural validity and to identify factors of Ego-resiliency. Comparing alternative factor-structures, a hierarchical model was chosen including three factors: Active Engagement with the World (AEW), Repertoire of Problem Solving Strategies (RPSS), and Integrated Performance under Stress (IPS). In Study 2, the convergent and divergent validity of the ER11 scale and its factors and their relationship with resilience were tested. The results suggested that resiliency is a double-faced construct, with one function to keep the personality system stable and intact, and the other function to adjust the personality system in an adaptive way to the dynamically changing environment. The stability function is represented by the RPSS and IPS components of ER. Their relationship pattern is similar to other constructs of resilience, e.g. the Revised Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (R-CD-RISC). The flexibility function is represented by the unit of RPSS and AEW components. In Study 3 we tested ER11 on a Hungarian online representative sample and integrated the results in a model of general resiliency. This framework allows us to grasp both the stability-focused and the plasticity-focused nature of resiliency.

Ego-Resiliency Reloaded: A Three-Component Model of General Resiliency

PubMed Central

Farkas, Dávid; Orosz, Gábor

2015-01-01

Ego-resiliency (ER) is a capacity that enables individuals to adapt to constantly changing environmental demands. The goal of our research was to identify components of Ego-resiliency, and to test the reliability and the structural and convergent validity of the refined version of the ER11 Ego-resiliency scale. In Study 1 we used a factor analytical approach to assess structural validity and to identify factors of Ego-resiliency. Comparing alternative factor-structures, a hierarchical model was chosen including three factors: Active Engagement with the World (AEW), Repertoire of Problem Solving Strategies (RPSS), and Integrated Performance under Stress (IPS). In Study 2, the convergent and divergent validity of the ER11 scale and its factors and their relationship with resilience were tested. The results suggested that resiliency is a double-faced construct, with one function to keep the personality system stable and intact, and the other function to adjust the personality system in an adaptive way to the dynamically changing environment. The stability function is represented by the RPSS and IPS components of ER. Their relationship pattern is similar to other constructs of resilience, e.g. the Revised Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (R-CD-RISC). The flexibility function is represented by the unit of RPSS and AEW components. In Study 3 we tested ER11 on a Hungarian online representative sample and integrated the results in a model of general resiliency. This framework allows us to grasp both the stability-focused and the plasticity-focused nature of resiliency. PMID:25815881

Structural and Predictive Properties of the Emotional Quotient Inventory Youth Version-Short Form (EQ-i:YV[S]).

PubMed

Davis, Sarah K; Wigelsworth, Michael

2018-01-01

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a popular construct with concentrated areas of application in education and health contexts. There is a need for reliable and valid measurement of EI in young people, with brief yet sensitive measures of the construct preferable for use in time-limited settings. However, the proliferation of EI measures has often outpaced rigorous psychometric evaluation (Gignac, 2009 ). Using data from 849 adolescents (407 females, 422 males) aged 11 to 16 years (M age 13.4, SD = 1.2 years), this article systematically examines the structural and predictive properties of a frequently employed measure of adolescent trait EI-the Emotional Quotient Inventory Youth Version-Short Form (EQ-i:YV[S]); Bar-On & Parker, 2000 ). Although the intended multidimensional factor structure was recovered through confirmatory factor analysis, the statistical and conceptual coherency of the underlying model was inadequate. Using a multitrait-multimethod approach, the EQ-i:YV(S) was found to converge with other measures of EI; however, evidence for divergent validity (Big Five personality dimensions) was less robust. Predictive utility for adolescent mental health outcomes (depression, disruptive behavior) was also limited. Findings suggest that use of the EQ-i:YV(S) for predictive or evaluative purposes should be avoided until refinements to the scale are made.

Creativity Development in Adolescence: Insight from Behavior, Brain, and Training Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleibeuker, Sietske W.; De Dreu, Carsten K. W.; Crone, Eveline A.

2016-01-01

Creativity is a multifaceted construct that recruits different cognitive processes. Here, we summarize studies that show that creativity develops considerably during adolescence with different developmental trajectories for insight, verbal divergent thinking, and visuospatial divergent thinking. Next, these developmental time courses are mapped to…

Existential Well-Being: Spirituality or Well-Being?

PubMed

Visser, Anja; Garssen, Bert; Vingerhoets, Ad Jjm

2017-03-01

Measures of spirituality often contain the dimension existential well-being (EWB). However, EWB has been found to overlap with emotional and psychological well-being. Using the Spiritual Attitude and Involvement List (SAIL), we have further investigated the overlap between aspects of spirituality and of well-being among patients with cancer, by determining a) the divergent validity of the subscales of the SAIL compared with a well-being questionnaire and b) the differences in their associations to changes in pain and fatigue, and the occurrence of negative life events. Our findings suggest that a sense of trust that one is able to cope with difficulties of life belongs to the realm of well-being, instead of spirituality. Other aspects, such as a sense of meaning in life, seem more similar to spirituality than to well-being. These results can bring researchers a step further toward constructing "pure" spirituality and well-being measures, which will allow them to investigate the (causal) relationship between these constructs.

Perception of facial esthetics by native Chinese participants by using manipulated digital imagery techniques.

PubMed

Maganzini, A L; Tseng, J Y; Epstein, J Z

2000-10-01

This investigation utilized a manipulated digital video imaging model to elicit profile facial esthetics preferences in a lay population of native Chinese participants from Beijing. A series of 4 distinct digitized distortions were constructed from an initial lateral cephalogram. These images represented skeletal or dental changes that differed by 2 standard deviations from the normative values for Chinese adults. Video morphing then created soft-tissue profiles. A series of nonparametric tests validated the digitized distortion model. The native Chinese participants in this sample found that the profile distortions most acceptable were the "flatter", or bimaxillary retrusive distortion, in the male stimulus face and the "anterior divergent", or maxillary deficiency, in the female stimulus face.

Adaptive Low Dissipative High Order Filter Methods for Multiscale MHD Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yee, H. C.; Sjoegreen, Bjoern

2004-01-01

Adaptive low-dissipative high order filter finite difference methods for long time wave propagation of shock/turbulence/combustion compressible viscous MHD flows has been constructed. Several variants of the filter approach that cater to different flow types are proposed. These filters provide a natural and efficient way for the minimization of the divergence of the magnetic field [divergence of B] numerical error in the sense that no standard divergence cleaning is required. For certain 2-D MHD test problems, divergence free preservation of the magnetic fields of these filter schemes has been achieved.

Pathological video-game use among youth ages 8 to 18: a national study.

PubMed

Gentile, Douglas

2009-05-01

Researchers have studied whether some youth are "addicted" to video games, but previous studies have been based on regional convenience samples. Using a national sample, this study gathered information about video-gaming habits and parental involvement in gaming, to determine the percentage of youth who meet clinical-style criteria for pathological gaming. A Harris poll surveyed a randomly selected sample of 1,178 American youth ages 8 to 18. About 8% of video-game players in this sample exhibited pathological patterns of play. Several indicators documented convergent and divergent validity of the results: Pathological gamers spent twice as much time playing as nonpathological gamers and received poorer grades in school; pathological gaming also showed comorbidity with attention problems. Pathological status significantly predicted poorer school performance even after controlling for sex, age, and weekly amount of video-game play. These results confirm that pathological gaming can be measured reliably, that the construct demonstrates validity, and that it is not simply isomorphic with a high amount of play.

The contribution of alu elements to mutagenic DNA double-strand break repair.

PubMed

Morales, Maria E; White, Travis B; Streva, Vincent A; DeFreece, Cecily B; Hedges, Dale J; Deininger, Prescott L

2015-03-01

Alu elements make up the largest family of human mobile elements, numbering 1.1 million copies and comprising 11% of the human genome. As a consequence of evolution and genetic drift, Alu elements of various sequence divergence exist throughout the human genome. Alu/Alu recombination has been shown to cause approximately 0.5% of new human genetic diseases and contribute to extensive genomic structural variation. To begin understanding the molecular mechanisms leading to these rearrangements in mammalian cells, we constructed Alu/Alu recombination reporter cell lines containing Alu elements ranging in sequence divergence from 0%-30% that allow detection of both Alu/Alu recombination and large non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) deletions that range from 1.0 to 1.9 kb in size. Introduction of as little as 0.7% sequence divergence between Alu elements resulted in a significant reduction in recombination, which indicates even small degrees of sequence divergence reduce the efficiency of homology-directed DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. Further reduction in recombination was observed in a sequence divergence-dependent manner for diverged Alu/Alu recombination constructs with up to 10% sequence divergence. With greater levels of sequence divergence (15%-30%), we observed a significant increase in DSB repair due to a shift from Alu/Alu recombination to variable-length NHEJ which removes sequence between the two Alu elements. This increase in NHEJ deletions depends on the presence of Alu sequence homeology (similar but not identical sequences). Analysis of recombination products revealed that Alu/Alu recombination junctions occur more frequently in the first 100 bp of the Alu element within our reporter assay, just as they do in genomic Alu/Alu recombination events. This is the first extensive study characterizing the influence of Alu element sequence divergence on DNA repair, which will inform predictions regarding the effect of Alu element sequence divergence on both the rate and nature of DNA repair events.

Constructive Conflict Talk in Classrooms: Divergent Approaches to Addressing Divergent Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bickmore, Kathy; Parker, Christina

2014-01-01

Dialogue about social and political conflicts is a key element of democratic citizenship education that is frequently advocated in scholarship but rarely fully implemented, especially in classrooms populated by ethnically and economically heterogeneous students. Qualitative case studies describe the contrasting ways 2 primary and 2 middle-grade…

[French validation of the Frustration Discomfort Scale].

PubMed

Chamayou, J-L; Tsenova, V; Gonthier, C; Blatier, C; Yahyaoui, A

2016-08-01

Rational emotive behavior therapy originally considered the concept of frustration intolerance in relation to different beliefs or cognitive patterns. Psychological disorders or, to some extent, certain affects such as frustration could result from irrational beliefs. Initially regarded as a unidimensional construct, recent literature considers those irrational beliefs as a multidimensional construct; such is the case for the phenomenon of frustration. In order to measure frustration intolerance, Harrington (2005) developed and validated the Frustration Discomfort Scale. The scale includes four dimensions of beliefs: emotional intolerance includes beliefs according to which emotional distress is intolerable and must be controlled or avoided as soon as possible. The intolerance of discomfort or demand for comfort is the second dimension based on beliefs that life should be peaceful and comfortable and that any inconvenience, effort or hassle should be avoided. The third dimension is entitlement, which includes beliefs about personal goals, such as merit, fairness, respect and gratification, and that others must not frustrate those non-negotiable desires. The fourth dimension is achievement, which reflects demands for high expectations or standards. The aim of this study was to translate and validate in a French population the Frustration and Discomfort Scale developed by Harrington (2005), assess its psychometric properties, highlight the four factors structure of the scale, and examine the relationships between this concept and both emotion regulation and perceived stress. We translated the Frustration Discomfort Scale from English to French and back from French to English in order to ensure good quality of translation. We then submitted the scale to 289 students (239 females and 50 males) from the University of Savoy in addition to the Cognitive Emotional Regulation Questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale. The results showed satisfactory psychometric qualities. After removing five items from the original scale, the internal consistency appeared satisfactory for both the full scale (α=0.86), and the four sub-dimensions, with alphas ranging from 0.64 to 0.71. Although these values are lower than those from the original tool (Harrington, 2005), they are very close to the validation data in other languages (Ozer et al., 2012). Interestingly, the FDS score was related to the Perceived Stress Scale and non-adaptive emotion regulation factor but not to the adaptive emotion regulation factor. However, the factorial analyses do not unambiguously support the original four factors structure proposed by Harrington (2005). Reliability as well as convergent and divergent validity indicate that the French version of the Frustration Discomfort Scale is a relevant measure of frustration intolerance. However, divergent validity has not been completely demonstrated. The validation data is more congruent with a one-dimensional factor structure than with the original four-dimensional structure. Frustration intolerance could therefore be understood as a unitary concept. Copyright © 2015 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

What Is Your Faction? Multidimensional Evidence for the Divergent Series As the Basis for a New Model of Personality and Work Life

PubMed Central

de Souza, Bruno C.; Roazzi, Antonio

2017-01-01

Introduction: The successful “Divergent” sci-fi trilogy by writer Veronica Roth portrays a dystopian and post-apocalyptic society where the population is divided into five groups called “Factions,” each with a specific social role and associated to a specific set of psychological traits. Though fictional, such typology is compelling and may provide a significant contribution to personality studies. Objectives: To investigate the accuracy of the classification of psychological and sociocultural traits into five Factions as described in Divergent and their potential practical usefulness for understanding work life choices and experiences in organizations. Method: A total of 217 Brazilian adult men and women of various ages, socioeconomic status and ethnicities were submitted to measures of several psychological and sociocultural variables, as well as of how strongly they supposedly manifest each Faction. The resulting dataset was studied using Smallest Space Analysis (SSA) and Facet Theory. Results: The Factions were shown not only to be associated to psychological variables in ways consistent with the descriptions from Divergent, but also to be related to specific aspects of one’s work life in organizations. Conclusion: The five Factions conceived by Roth appear to constitute an original set of constructs that are psychologically valid and, at the same time, of practical use in predicting work life choices and experiences. This justifies engaging in future empirical and theoretical work toward a new scientific model of potential practical value. PMID:29056922

Conceptual issues in Bayesian divergence time estimation

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Bayesian inference of species divergence times is an unusual statistical problem, because the divergence time parameters are not identifiable unless both fossil calibrations and sequence data are available. Commonly used marginal priors on divergence times derived from fossil calibrations may conflict with node order on the phylogenetic tree causing a change in the prior on divergence times for a particular topology. Care should be taken to avoid confusing this effect with changes due to informative sequence data. This effect is illustrated with examples. A topology-consistent prior that preserves the marginal priors is defined and examples are constructed. Conflicts between fossil calibrations and relative branch lengths (based on sequence data) can cause estimates of divergence times that are grossly incorrect, yet have a narrow posterior distribution. An example of this effect is given; it is recommended that overly narrow posterior distributions of divergence times should be carefully scrutinized. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Dating species divergences using rocks and clocks’. PMID:27325831

Conceptual issues in Bayesian divergence time estimation.

PubMed

Rannala, Bruce

2016-07-19

Bayesian inference of species divergence times is an unusual statistical problem, because the divergence time parameters are not identifiable unless both fossil calibrations and sequence data are available. Commonly used marginal priors on divergence times derived from fossil calibrations may conflict with node order on the phylogenetic tree causing a change in the prior on divergence times for a particular topology. Care should be taken to avoid confusing this effect with changes due to informative sequence data. This effect is illustrated with examples. A topology-consistent prior that preserves the marginal priors is defined and examples are constructed. Conflicts between fossil calibrations and relative branch lengths (based on sequence data) can cause estimates of divergence times that are grossly incorrect, yet have a narrow posterior distribution. An example of this effect is given; it is recommended that overly narrow posterior distributions of divergence times should be carefully scrutinized.This article is part of the themed issue 'Dating species divergences using rocks and clocks'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Validity of the Timed Up and Go Test as a Measure of Functional Mobility in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis.

PubMed

Sebastião, Emerson; Sandroff, Brian M; Learmonth, Yvonne C; Motl, Robert W

2016-07-01

To examine the validity of the timed Up and Go (TUG) test as a measure of functional mobility in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) by using a comprehensive framework based on construct validity (ie, convergent and divergent validity). Cross-sectional study. Hospital setting. Community-residing persons with MS (N=47). Not applicable. Main outcome measures included the TUG test, timed 25-foot walk test, 6-minute walk test, Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12, Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument, posturography evaluation, Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale, Symbol Digits Modalities Test, Expanded Disability Status Scale, and the number of steps taken per day. The TUG test was strongly associated with other valid outcome measures of ambulatory mobility (Spearman rank correlation, rs=.71-.90) and disability status (rs=.80), moderately to strongly associated with balance confidence (rs=.66), and weakly associated with postural control (ie, balance) (rs=.31). The TUG test was moderately associated with cognitive processing speed (rs=.59), but not associated with other nonambulatory measures (ie, Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument-upper extremity function). Our findings support the validity of the TUG test as a measure of functional mobility. This warrants its inclusion in patients' assessment alongside other valid measures of functional mobility in both clinical and research practice in persons with MS. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Contigency Model for Predicting Institutionalization of Innovation Across Divergent Organizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howes, Nancy J.

This study was undertaken to compare the variables related to the successful institutionalization of changes across divergent organizations, and to design, through cross-validation, an interorganization model of change. Descriptive survey questionnaires and structured interviews were the instruments used. The respondent sample consisted of 1,500…

Enhanced Divergent Thinking and Creativity in Musicians: A Behavioral and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Crystal; Folley, Bradley S.; Park, Sohee

2009-01-01

Empirical studies of creativity have focused on the importance of divergent thinking, which supports generating novel solutions to loosely defined problems. The present study examined creativity and frontal cortical activity in an externally-validated group of creative individuals (trained musicians) and demographically matched control…

The juvenile arthritis foot disability index: development and evaluation of measurement properties.

PubMed

André, Marie; Hagelberg, Stefan; Stenström, Christina H

2004-12-01

To develop a new juvenile arthritis foot disability index (JAFI) and to test it for validity and reliability. Samples of 14 children/adolescents and 30 children/adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and 29 healthy children/adolescents participated. We used a questionnaire derived from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health that included 27 statements divided into the dimensions Impairment, Activity Limitation, and Participation Restriction. Comments on the contents were invited from parents and adolescents. Convergent and divergent construct validity was examined by comparing the 3 JAFI dimensions to joint impairment scores, the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ), and self-rated, foot-related participation restriction. Known groups construct validity was assessed by comparing answers from children with JIA to those from healthy children. Test-retest stability was investigated over one week. One item was added after suggestions from 2 participants. A consistent pattern of increasing JAFI scores was found with increasing joint impairment scores, CHAQ scores, and self-rated foot-related participation restriction. Foot-related disability as assessed by JAFI was more pronounced in children with JIA than in healthy controls. One statement showing a floor effect was excluded. No internal redundancy (rs > 0.90) between items was found, and internal consistency within each subscale was satisfactory (rs > 0.50) for all items but one. No systematic differences were found between test and retest, and weighted kappa coefficients for the 3 JAFI dimensions were 0.90, 0.85, and 0.88. The JAFI appears to be valid and reliable for assessing foot-related disability among children/adolescents with JIA. Its sensitivity to change remains to be investigated.

The Effect of Structured Divergent Prompts on Knowledge Construction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howell, Ginger S.; Akpanudo, Usenime; Chen, Mengyi; Sutherlin, Autumn L.; James, Laura E.

2014-01-01

Discussion forums are a widely used activity in online courses. However, knowledge construction within online discussion rarely reaches higher levels. Therefore, it is important to understand which aspects of online discussion encourage learning and increase knowledge construction. This paper investigates the effect three Structured Divergent…

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the persian version of the oxford knee score in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Ebrahimzadeh, Mohammad Hosein; Makhmalbaf, Hadi; Birjandinejad, Ali; Soltani-Moghaddas, Seyed Hosein

2014-11-01

The Oxford Knee Score (OKS) is a short patient-reported outcome instrument that measures pain and physical activity related to knee osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate, construct validity and consistent reliability of the Persian version of the OKS. The case series consisted of 80 patients who were clinically diagnosed with having knee osteoarthritis. All patients were requested to fill-in the Persian OKS and Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). Correlation analysis between the Persian versions of these two instruments was then carried out. The scores of the Persian SF-36 were used to evaluate convergent and divergent validity of the 12-item Persian OKS. From a total of 80 patients, 63 were female (79%) and the remaining 17 were male (21%) with a mean age of 52.2 years. In the present study, high Cronbach's alpha of 0.95 confirms excellent internal consistency of the Persian OKS scale similar to previous investigations. The results confirm that the Persian version of this instrument is valid and reliable, similar to its English index and its subsequent translations in different languages. The Persian OKS is a reliable instrument to evaluate knee function in patients with knee osteoarthritis and is a useful tool for outcome measurement in clinical research.

Validation of the Weight Concerns Scale Applied to Brazilian University Students.

PubMed

Dias, Juliana Chioda Ribeiro; da Silva, Wanderson Roberto; Maroco, João; Campos, Juliana Alvares Duarte Bonini

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Portuguese version of the Weight Concerns Scale (WCS) when applied to Brazilian university students. The scale was completed by 1084 university students from Brazilian public education institutions. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. The stability of the model in independent samples was assessed through multigroup analysis, and the invariance was estimated. Convergent, concurrent, divergent, and criterion validities as well as internal consistency were estimated. Results indicated that the one-factor model presented an adequate fit to the sample and values of convergent validity. The concurrent validity with the Body Shape Questionnaire and divergent validity with the Maslach Burnout Inventory for Students were adequate. Internal consistency was adequate, and the factorial structure was invariant in independent subsamples. The results present a simple and short instrument capable of precisely and accurately assessing concerns with weight among Brazilian university students. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

If Constructively Creative Divergent Thinking Equals Entrepreneur...How Can We Help Create More of Them?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipper, Arthur, III

1987-01-01

The early training of children in divergent thinking skills can help foster entrepreneurship. Such training would include activities to develop natural creativity, activities allowing children to win, activities which accept different solutions, teachers who recognize and encourage creative children, and an understanding of basic business…

Bicultural Effects on the Creative Potential of Chinese and French Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lau, Sing; Cheung, Ping Chung; Lubart, Todd; Tong, Toby M. Y.; Chu, Dennis H. W.

2013-01-01

This study examined possible bicultural effects on creative potential of children in four groups of Chinese and French children in Hong Kong and Paris. An international battery of widely used divergent measures (Wallach-Kogan Creativity Tests; WKCT) and newly constructed divergent-plus-integrative measures (Evaluation of Potential Creativity;…

Translation and Validation of the Korean Version of the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form

PubMed Central

Kim, Jin Goo; Lee, Joong Yub; Seo, Seung Suk; Choi, Choong Hyeok; Lee, Myung Chul

2013-01-01

Purpose To perform a cross-cultural adaptation and to test the measurement properties of the Korean version of International Knee Documentation Committee (K-IKDC) Subjective Knee Form. Materials and Methods According to the guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation, translation and backward translation of the English version of the IKDC Subjective Knee Form were performed. After translation into the Korean version, 150 patients who had knee-related problems were asked to complete the K-IKDC, Lysholm score, and Short Form-36 (SF-36). Of these patients, 126 were retested 2 weeks later to evaluate test-retest reliability, and 104 were recruited 3 months later to evaluate responsiveness. Construct validity was analyzed by investigating the correlation with Lysholm score and SF-36; content validity was also evaluated. Standardized mean response was calculated for evaluating responsiveness. Results The test-retest reliability proved excellent with a high value for the intraclass correlation coefficient (r=0.94). The internal consistency was strong (Cronbach's α=0.91). Good content validity with absence of floor not ceiling effects and good convergent and divergent validity were observed. Moderate responsiveness was shown (standardized mean response=0.689). Conclusions The K-IKDC demonstrated good measurement properties. We suggest that this instrument is an excellent evaluation instrument that can be used for Korean patients with knee-related injuries. PMID:24032098

The Hip Sports Activity Scale (HSAS) for patients with femoroacetabular impingement.

PubMed

Naal, Florian D; Miozzari, Hermes H; Kelly, Bryan T; Magennis, Erin M; Leunig, Michael; Noetzli, Hubert P

2013-01-01

To develop and validate a sports activity scale for patients with a diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).
 A nine level Hip Sports Activity Scale (HSAS) was constructed both in German and English languages. Fifty-nine consecutive patients undergoing surgical treatment for FAI at two centers in Switzerland and in the US completed a questionnaire set consisting of the HSAS, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) activity scale and different hip joint-specific and generic outcome tools. For reliability assessment, the HSAS was completed twice about nine days apart. Evidence of reliability, validity and responsiveness was investigated by classical psychometric analyses.
 Reliability was excellent for both the German and the English versions with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.94 and 0.96, respectively. Evidence of convergent validity was supported by moderate to high correlations with the UCLA activity scale and with the joint-specific measures used. Evidence of divergent validity was supported by low correlations with the SF-12 Mental Component Scale and the WOMAC stiffness subscale. The standardised response mean was 0.69.
 The HSAS is a reliable and valid tool to determine sports levels in patients suffering from FAI. Its use in future studies investigating outcomes in young patients with hip disease can be recommended.
 Level III, Diagnostic Studies - An independent, masked comparison with an appropriate population of patients, but reference standard not applied to all study patients.

Users’ Support as a Social Resource in Educational Services: Construct Validity and Measurement Invariance of the User-Initiated Support Scale (UISS)

PubMed Central

Loera, Barbara; Martini, Mara; Viotti, Sara; Converso, Daniela

2016-01-01

Social support is an important resource for reducing the risks of stress and burnout at work. It seems to be particularly helpful for educational and social professionals. The constant and intense relationships with users that characterize this kind of service can be very demanding, increasing stress and leading to burnout. While significant attention has been paid to supervisors and colleagues in the literature, users have rarely been considered as possible sources of social support. The only exception is the Zimmermann et al.’s (2011) research, focused on customer support as a resource for workers’ well-being. This paper proposes the validation of the customer-initiated support scale developed by Zimmermann et al. (2011), translated into Italian and focused on educational services users (children’s parents), to measure the user support perceived by workers: the User-Initiated Support Scale (UISS). In Study 1 (105 teachers), which specifically involved educators and kindergarten teachers, the items and scale properties were preliminarily examined using descriptive analyses and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In Study 2 (304 teachers), the construct and criterion validity and scale dimensionality were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In Study 3 (304 teachers from Study 2 and 296 educators), measurement invariance (MI) was tested. The EFA results from Study 1 showed a one-factor solution (explained variance, 67.2%). The scale showed good internal coherence (alpha = 0.88). The CFA in Study 2 validated the one-factor solution (comparative fit index = 0.987; standardized root mean square residual = 0.054). Bivariate correlations confirmed construct validity; the UISS was positively associated (convergent) with user gratitude, and not associated (divergent) with disproportionate customer expectations. Regarding the criterion validity test, the UISS was strongly correlated with burnout and job satisfaction. The analysis of MI performed on the Study 3 data confirmed the equality of the parameters of the covariance structure model between the two samples of kindergarten teachers and educators. This research study offers a useful version of a tool for measuring a crucial, but often ignored, protective resource for all professionals working directly with people (patients, students, and service users) that can represent important sources of well-being, directly or indirectly lessening the negative impacts of job demands. PMID:27602008

Users' Support as a Social Resource in Educational Services: Construct Validity and Measurement Invariance of the User-Initiated Support Scale (UISS).

PubMed

Loera, Barbara; Martini, Mara; Viotti, Sara; Converso, Daniela

2016-01-01

Social support is an important resource for reducing the risks of stress and burnout at work. It seems to be particularly helpful for educational and social professionals. The constant and intense relationships with users that characterize this kind of service can be very demanding, increasing stress and leading to burnout. While significant attention has been paid to supervisors and colleagues in the literature, users have rarely been considered as possible sources of social support. The only exception is the Zimmermann et al.'s (2011) research, focused on customer support as a resource for workers' well-being. This paper proposes the validation of the customer-initiated support scale developed by Zimmermann et al. (2011), translated into Italian and focused on educational services users (children's parents), to measure the user support perceived by workers: the User-Initiated Support Scale (UISS). In Study 1 (105 teachers), which specifically involved educators and kindergarten teachers, the items and scale properties were preliminarily examined using descriptive analyses and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In Study 2 (304 teachers), the construct and criterion validity and scale dimensionality were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In Study 3 (304 teachers from Study 2 and 296 educators), measurement invariance (MI) was tested. The EFA results from Study 1 showed a one-factor solution (explained variance, 67.2%). The scale showed good internal coherence (alpha = 0.88). The CFA in Study 2 validated the one-factor solution (comparative fit index = 0.987; standardized root mean square residual = 0.054). Bivariate correlations confirmed construct validity; the UISS was positively associated (convergent) with user gratitude, and not associated (divergent) with disproportionate customer expectations. Regarding the criterion validity test, the UISS was strongly correlated with burnout and job satisfaction. The analysis of MI performed on the Study 3 data confirmed the equality of the parameters of the covariance structure model between the two samples of kindergarten teachers and educators. This research study offers a useful version of a tool for measuring a crucial, but often ignored, protective resource for all professionals working directly with people (patients, students, and service users) that can represent important sources of well-being, directly or indirectly lessening the negative impacts of job demands.

Assessing teachers' positive psychological functioning at work: Development and validation of the Teacher Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire.

PubMed

Renshaw, Tyler L; Long, Anna C J; Cook, Clayton R

2015-06-01

This study reports on the initial development and validation of the Teacher Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (TSWQ) with 2 samples of educators-a general sample of 185 elementary and middle school teachers, and a target sample of 21 elementary school teachers experiencing classroom management challenges. The TSWQ is an 8-item self-report instrument for assessing teachers' subjective wellbeing, which is operationalized via subscales measuring school connectedness and teaching efficacy. The conceptualization and development processes underlying the TSWQ are described, and results from a series of preliminary psychometric and exploratory analyses are reported to establish initial construct validity. Findings indicated that the TSWQ was characterized by 2 conceptually sound latent factors, that both subscales and the composite scale demonstrated strong internal consistency, and that all scales demonstrated convergent validity with self-reported school supports and divergent validity with self-reported stress and emotional burnout. Furthermore, results indicated that TSWQ scores did not differ according to teachers' school level (i.e., elementary vs. middle), but that they did differ according to unique school environment (e.g., 1 middle school vs. another middle school) and teacher stressors (i.e., general teachers vs. teachers experiencing classroom management challenges). Results also indicated that, for teachers experiencing classroom challenges, the TSWQ had strong short-term predictive validity for psychological distress, accounting for approximately half of the variance in teacher stress and emotional burnout. Implications for theory, research, and the practice of school psychology are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Validation of a 4-item Negative Symptom Assessment (NSA-4): a short, practical clinical tool for the assessment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Alphs, Larry; Morlock, Robert; Coon, Cheryl; Cazorla, Pilar; Szegedi, Armin; Panagides, John

2011-06-01

The 16-item Negative Symptom Assessment (NSA-16) scale is a validated tool for evaluating negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The psychometric properties and predictive power of a four-item version (NSA-4) were compared with the NSA-16. Baseline data from 561 patients with predominant negative symptoms of schizophrenia who participated in two identically designed clinical trials were evaluated. Ordered logistic regression analysis of ratings using NSA-4 and NSA-16 were compared with ratings using several other standard tools to determine predictive validity and construct validity. Internal consistency and test--retest reliability were also analyzed. NSA-16 and NSA-4 scores were both predictive of scores on the NSA global rating (odds ratio = 0.83-0.86) and the Clinical Global Impressions--Severity scale (odds ratio = 0.91-0.93). NSA-16 and NSA-4 showed high correlation with each other (Pearson r = 0.85), similar high correlation with other measures of negative symptoms (demonstrating convergent validity), and lesser correlations with measures of other forms of psychopathology (demonstrating divergent validity). NSA-16 and NSA-4 both showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach α, 0.85 and 0.64, respectively) and test--retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.87 and 0.82). This study demonstrates that NSA-4 offers accuracy comparable to the NSA-16 in rating negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Short Measure of the Revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory - RSQ17.

PubMed

Čolović, Petar; Smederevac, Snežana; Oljača, Milan; Nikolašević, Željka; Mitrović, Dušanka

2018-04-03

The need for a research and practical tool, such as a short, reliable, and valid personality assessment test, suggests researchers to create shortened versions of original instruments. Reinforcement sensitivity questionnaire (RSQ) was created in line with some basic premises of revised Reinforcement sensitivity theory, which proposes three motivational and emotional systems: Behavioral inhibition system (BIS), responsible for scanning environment for potential threats, Behavioral activation system (BAS), responsible for aproaching behavior, and the Fight/Flight/Freeze system (FFFS), responsible for behavior in the present threat. RSQ comprises five scales: BIS, BAS, Fight, Flight, and Freeze. The aim of this study was to develop a short version of RSQ, which would be beneficial to both research and practical purposes. Item response theory analyses were used for item selection. The study comprised two samples of participants, whereby Sample 1 (N = 837, 34.6% male, aged 18 - 82, M = 31.63, SD = 13.54) served as the derivation sample, while Sample 2 (818 participants, 43.6% male, 18-75 years, M = 29.65, SD = 12.52) served as validation sample. Factorial validity of the short RSQ was examined on both Sample 1 and Sample 2. Convergent and divergent validity of the short RSQ was examined using RST-PQ, Jackson-5, BIS/BAS scales, and Big Five Inventory. The results point to satisfactory internal consistency, factorial validity, and construct validity of the short RSQ, suggesting that it is an adequate measure for research settings or other contexts which require the use of short personality questionnaires.

Does the Eye of the Beholder Construct Beauty? Contributions of Self-Efficacy Factors to Divergent Thinking Traits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kharkhurin, Anatoliy V.

2017-01-01

The study initiated a project exploring a contribution of creative perception to creative behavior. This study investigated the factors in creative self-perception contributing to creative potential. Creative potential was operationalized as divergent thinking and measured by the Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults. Creative self-perception was…

Divergent Explanatory Production (DEP): The Relationship between Resilience and Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernández, Óscar Sánchez; Méndez, Francisco Xavier; Garber, Judy

2015-01-01

Introduction: The aim of the study is to describe and analyze a new test and construct, Divergent Explanatory Production (DEP), defined as the ability to observe adverse situations from various points of view. At the theoretical level, it is a bridge between the reformulated model of learned helplessness (as a resilience model), and creative…

Caught in the struggle with food craving: Development and validation of a new cognitive fusion measure.

PubMed

Duarte, Cristiana; Pinto-Gouveia, José; Ferreira, Cláudia; Silva, Bárbara

2016-06-01

Cognitive fusion has been related to the development and maintenance of a series of mental health difficulties. Specifically, growing research on eating psychopathology has been demonstrating the important role of cognitive fusion related to body image in these disorders. Nonetheless, cognitive fusion specifically focused on eating remained to be investigated. The current study aimed at developing and validating the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire-Food Craving, a measure assessing the extent to which an individual is fused with food-craving undesirable and disturbing thoughts and urges. This study was conducted with distinct samples comprising men and women from the student and general population. A principal component analysis was conducted to assess the scale's structure, which was further examined in a confirmatory factor analysis. The scale's reliability and validities were also analysed. Results indicated that the CFQ-FC presented a one-dimensional structure with 7 items, accounting for 66.14% of the variance. A CFA confirmed the plausibility of the measurement model, which was found to be invariant in both sexes. The CFQ-FC also revealed very good internal consistency, construct reliability, temporal stability, and convergent and divergent validity, being positively associated with similar constructs and with indicators of eating and general psychopathology. CFQ-FC also discriminated individuals with clinically significant symptoms of binge eating from participants with no symptoms. Finally, the CFQ-FC presents incremental validity over a global measure of cognitive fusion in predicting eating psychopathology, namely binge eating. The CFQ-FC is a psychometrically sound measure that allows for a brief and reliable assessment of eating-related cognitive fusion. This is a novel measure that may significantly contribute for the assessment of this specific dimension of cognitive fusion and for the understanding of its role in eating psychopathology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of a health-related quality of life instrument for primary ciliary dyskinesia (QOL-PCD).

PubMed

Behan, Laura; Leigh, Margaret W; Dell, Sharon D; Dunn Galvin, Audrey; Quittner, Alexandra L; Lucas, Jane S

2017-09-01

Quality of life (QOL)-primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is the first disease-specific, health-related QOL instrument for PCD. Psychometric validation of QOL-PCD assesses the performance of this measure in adults, including its reliability, validity and responsiveness to change. Seventy-two adults (mean (range) age: 33 years (18-79 years); mean (range) FEV 1 % predicted: 68 (26-115)) with PCD completed the 49-item QOL-PCD and generic QOL measures: Short-Form 36 Health Survey, Sino-Nasal Outcome Test 20 (SNOT-20) and St George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ)-C. Thirty-five participants repeated QOL-PCD 10-14 days later to measure stability or reproducibility of the measure. Multitrait analysis was used to evaluate how the items loaded on 10 hypothesised scales: physical, emotional, role and social functioning, treatment burden, vitality, health perceptions, upper respiratory symptoms, lower respiratory symptoms and ears and hearing symptoms. This analysis of item-to-total correlations led to 9 items being dropped; the validated measure now comprises 40 items. Each scale had excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α: 0.74 to 0.94). Two-week test-retest demonstrated stability for all scales (intraclass coefficients 0.73 to 0.96). Significant correlations were obtained between QOL-PCD scores and age and FEV 1 . Strong relationships were also found between QOL-PCD scales and similar constructs on generic questionnaires, for example, lower respiratory symptoms and SGRQ-C (r=0.72, p<0.001), while weak correlations were found between measures of different constructs. QOL-PCD has demonstrated good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent and divergent validity. QOL-PCD offers a promising tool for evaluating new therapies and for measuring symptoms, functioning and QOL during routine care. 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/.

Training in the Adolescent Brain: An FMRI Training Study on Divergent Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleibeuker, Sietske W.; Stevenson, Claire E.; van der Aar, Laura; Overgaauw, Sandy; van Duijvenvoorde, Anna C.; Crone, Eveline A.

2017-01-01

Prior research suggests that adolescence is a time of enhanced sensitivity for practice and learning. In this study we tested the neural correlates of divergent thinking training in 15- to 16-year-old adolescents relative to an age-matched active control group. All participants performed an alternative uses task, a valid measure to test divergent…

Intelligence and Personality as Predictors of Divergent Thinking: The Role of General, Fluid and Crystallised Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batey, Mark; Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas; Furnham, Adrian

2009-01-01

Two studies examined the relationships between measures of intelligence, personality and divergent thinking (DT) in student samples. Study one investigated the incremental validity of measures of IQ and fluid intelligence with the Big Five Personality Inventory with regards to DT. Significant relationships of DT to fluid intelligence, Extraversion…

Dynamic Investigation of Static Divergence: Analysis and Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heeg, Jennifer

2000-01-01

The phenomenon known as aeroelastic divergence is the focus of this work. The analyses and experiment presented here show that divergence can occur without a structural dynamic mode losing its oscillatory nature. Aeroelastic divergence occurs when the structural restorative capability or stiffness of a structure is overwhelmed by the static aerodynamic moment. This static aeroelastic coupling does not require the structural dynamic system behavior to cease, however. Aeroelastic changes in the dynamic mode behavior are governed not only by the stiffness, but by damping and inertial properties. The work presented here supports these fundamental assertions by examining a simple system: a typical section airfoil with only a rotational structural degree of freedom. Analytical results identified configurations that exhibit different types of dynamic mode behavior as the system encounters divergence. A wind tunnel model was designed and tested to examine divergence experimentally. The experimental results validate the analytical calculations and explicitly examine the divergence phenomenon where the dynamic mode persists. Three configurations of the wind tunnel model were tested. The experimental results agree very well with the analytical predictions of subcritical characteristics, divergence velocity, and behavior of the noncritical dynamic mode at divergence.

Validation of the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale: Factor, Convergent, and Divergent Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levinson, Cheri A.; Rodebaugh, Thomas L.

2011-01-01

The Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS) was created to assess fear of overall appearance evaluation. Initial psychometric work indicated that the measure had a single-factor structure and exhibited excellent internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity. In the current study, the authors further examined the factor,…

Reliability and validity of the Dutch version of the Consultation and Relational Empathy Measure in primary care.

PubMed

van Dijk, Inge; Scholten Meilink Lenferink, Nick; Lucassen, Peter L B J; Mercer, Stewart W; van Weel, Chris; Olde Hartman, Tim C; Speckens, Anne E M

2017-02-01

Empathy is an essential skill in doctor-patient communication with positive effects on compliance, patient satisfaction and symptom duration. There are no validated patient-rated empathy measures available in Dutch. To investigate the validity and reliability of a Dutch version of the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure, a widely used 10-item patient-rated questionnaire of physician empathy. After translation and back translation, the Dutch CARE Measure was distributed among patients from 19 general practitioners in 5 primary care centers. Tests of internal reliability and validity included Cronbach's alpha, item total correlations and factor analysis. Seven items of the QUality Of care Through the patient's Eyes (QUOTE) questionnaire assessing 'affective performance' of the physician were included in factor analysis and used to investigate convergent validity. Of the 800 distributed questionnaires, 655 (82%) were returned. Acceptability and face validity were supported by a low number of 'does not apply' responses (range 0.2%-11.9%). Internal reliability was high (Cronbach's alpha 0.974). Corrected item total correlations were at a minimum of 0.837. Factor analysis on the 10 items of the CARE Measure and 7 QUOTE items resulted in two factors (Eigenvalue > 1), the first containing the CARE Measure items and the second containing the QUOTE items. Convergent construct validity between the CARE Measure and QUOTE was confirmed with a modest positive correlation (r = 0.34, n = 654, P < 0.001). The findings support the preliminary validity and reliability of the Dutch CARE Measure. Future research is required to investigate divergent validity and discriminant ability between doctors. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Psychometric properties of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) and its short-form (GAI-SF) in a clinical and non-clinical sample of older adults.

PubMed

Johnco, Carly; Knight, Ashleigh; Tadic, Dusanka; Wuthrich, Viviana M

2015-07-01

The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory is a 20-item geriatric-specific measure of anxiety severity. While studies suggest good internal consistency and convergent validity, divergent validity from measures of depression are weak. Clinical cutoffs have been developed that vary across studies due to the small clinical samples used. A six-item short form (GAI-SF) has been developed, and while this scale is promising, the research assessing the psychometrics of this scale is limited. This study examined the psychometric properties of GAI and GAI-SF in a large sample of 197 clinical geriatric participants with a comorbid anxiety and unipolar mood disorder, and a non-clinical control sample (N = 59). The internal consistency and convergent validity with other measures of anxiety was adequate for GAI and GAI-SF. Divergent validity from depressive symptoms was good in the clinical sample but weak in the total and non-clinical samples. Divergent validity from cognitive functioning was good in all samples. The one-factor structure was replicated for both measures. Receiver Operating Characteristic analyses indicated that the GAI is more accurate at identifying clinical status than the GAI-SF, although the sensitivity and specificity for the recommended cutoffs was adequate for both measures. Both GAI and GAI-SF show good psychometric properties for identifying geriatric anxiety. The GAI-SF may be a useful alternative screening measure for identifying anxiety in older adults.

Comparison of African American Children's Performances on a Minimal Competence Core for Morphosyntax and the Index of Productive Syntax.

PubMed

Stockman, Ida J; Newkirk-Turner, Brandi L; Swartzlander, Elaina; Morris, Lekeitha R

2016-02-01

This study is a response to the need for evidence-based measures of spontaneous oral language to assess African American children under the age of 4 years. We determined if pass/fail status on a minimal competence core for morphosyntax (MCC-MS) was more highly related to scores on the Index of Productive Syntax (IPSyn)-the measure of convergent criterion validity-than to scores on 3 measures of divergent validity: number of different words (Watkins, Kelly, Harbers, & Hollis, 1995), Percentage of Consonants Correct-Revised (Shriberg, Austin, Lewis, McSweeney, & Wilson, 1997), and the Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised (Roid & Miller, 1997). Archival language samples for 68 African American 3-year-olds were analyzed to determine MCC-MS pass/fail status and the scores on measures of convergent and divergent validity. Higher IPSyn scores were observed for 60 children who passed the MCC-MS than for 8 children who did not. A significant positive correlation, rpb = .73, between MCC-MS pass/fail status and IPSyn scores was observed. This coefficient was higher than MCC-MS correlations with measures of divergent validity: rpb = .13 (Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised), rpb = .42 (number of different words in 100 utterances), and rpb = .46 (Percentage of Consonants Correct-Revised). The MCC-MS has convergent criterion validity with the IPSyn. Although more research is warranted, both measures can be potentially used in oral language assessments of African American 3-year-olds.

Development of an improved system of wood-frame house construction

Treesearch

L.O. Anderson

1965-01-01

A new system of wood-frame house construction has been developed which combines increased use of low-grade wood, prefinished components, and rapid field assembly methods without much divergence from conventional construction. Laboratory evaluations of the components of the Nu-frame system indicated that; (a) 4-foot spacing of the W-trusses tested provides a safety...

The Preferred Learning Styles of Neurosurgeons, Neurosurgery Residents, and Neurology Residents: Implications in the Neurosurgical Field.

PubMed

Lai, Hung-Yi; Lee, Ching-Yi; Chiu, Angela; Lee, Shih-Tseng

2014-01-01

To delineate the learning style that best defines a successful practitioner in the field of neurosurgery by using a validated learning style inventory. The Kolb Learning Style Inventory, a validated assessment tool, was administered to all practicing neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents, and neurology residents employed at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, an institution that provides primary and tertiary clinical care in 3 locations, Linkou, Kaohsiung, and Chiayi. There were 81 participants who entered the study, and all completed the study. Neurosurgeons preferred the assimilating learning style (52%), followed by the diverging learning style (39%). Neurosurgery residents were slightly more evenly distributed across the learning styles; however, they still favored assimilating (32%) and diverging (41%). Neurology residents had the most clearly defined preferred learning style with assimilating (76%) obtaining the large majority and diverging (12%) being a distant second. The assimilating and diverging learning styles are the preferred learning styles among neurosurgeons, neurosurgery residents, and neurology residents. The assimilating learning style typically is the primary learning style for neurosurgeons and neurology residents. Neurosurgical residents start off with a diverging learning style and progress toward an assimilating learning style as they work toward becoming practicing neurosurgeons. The field of neurosurgery has limited opportunities for active experimentation, which may explain why individuals who prefer reflective observation are more likely to succeed in this field. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The risk-taking and self-harm inventory for adolescents: development and psychometric evaluation.

PubMed

Vrouva, Ioanna; Fonagy, Peter; Fearon, Pasco R M; Roussow, Trudie

2010-12-01

In this study, we report on the development and psychometric evaluation of the Risk-Taking (RT) and Self-Harm (SH) Inventory for Adolescents (RTSHIA), a self-report measure designed to assess adolescent RT and SH in community and clinical settings. 651 young people from secondary schools in England ranging in age from 11.6 years to 18.7 years and 71 young people referred to mental health services for SH behavior in London between the ages of 11.9 years and 17.5 years completed the RTSHIA along with standardized measures of adolescent psychopathology. Two factors emerged from the principal axis factoring, and RT and SH were further validated by a confirmatory factor analysis as related, but different, constructs, rather than elements of a single continuum. Inter-item and test-retest reliabilities were high for both components (Cronbach's α = .85, ru = .90; Cronbach's α .93, ru = .87), and considerable evidence emerged in support of the measure's convergent, concurrent, and divergent validity. The findings are discussed with regard to potential usefulness of the RTSHIA for research and clinical purposes with adolescents.

[Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT): elements for construct validity in Portuguese adolescents].

PubMed

Oliveira, Ema; Almeida, Leandro; Ferrándiz, Carmen; Ferrando, Mercedes; Sainz, Marta; Prieto, María Dolores

2009-11-01

The aim of this work is to study the unidimensional and multidimensional nature of creativity when assessed through divergent thinking tasks, as proposed in Torrance's battery (Torrance Creative Thinking Test, TTCT). This battery is made up of various tasks with verbal and figurative content, aimed at estimating the level of creativity according to the dimensions or cognitive functions of fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration of the individuals' ideas. This work used a sample of 595 Portuguese students from 5th and 6th grade. The results of confirmatory factor analysis reveals that the unidimensional model (a general factor of creativity) and the model of factors as a function of the cognitive dimensions of creativity, based on task content, do not fit well. The model with the best fit has a hierarchical factor structure, in which the first level comprises the factors for each of the subtests applied and the second level includes verbal or figurative content. The difficulty to verify the structural validity of the TTCT is noted, and the need for further studies to achieve, in practice, better individual creativity scores.

The international phase 4 validation study of the EORTC QLQ-SWB32: A stand-alone measure of spiritual well-being for people receiving palliative care for cancer.

PubMed

Vivat, B; Young, T E; Winstanley, J; Arraras, J I; Black, K; Boyle, F; Bredart, A; Costantini, A; Guo, J; Irarrazaval, M E; Kobayashi, K; Kruizinga, R; Navarro, M; Omidvari, S; Rohde, G E; Serpentini, S; Spry, N; Van Laarhoven, H W M; Yang, G M

2017-11-01

The EORTC Quality of Life Group has just completed the final phase (field-testing and validation) of an international project to develop a stand-alone measure of spiritual well-being (SWB) for palliative cancer patients. Participants (n = 451)-from 14 countries on four continents; 54% female; 188 Christian; 50 Muslim; 156 with no religion-completed a provisional 36-item measure of SWB plus the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL (PAL), then took part in a structured debriefing interview. All items showed good score distribution across response categories. We assessed scale structure using principal component analysis and Rasch analysis, and explored construct validity, and convergent/divergent validity with the PAL. Twenty-two items in four scoring scales (Relationship with Self, Relationships with Others, Relationship with Someone or Something Greater, and Existential) explained 53% of the variance. The measure also includes a global SWB item and nine other items. Scores on the PAL global quality-of-life item and Emotional Functioning scale weakly-moderately correlated with scores on the global SWB item and two of the four SWB scales. This new validated 32-item SWB measure addresses a distinct aspect of quality-of-life, and is now available for use in research and clinical practice, with a role as both a measurement and an intervention tool. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Gibbsian Stationary Non-equilibrium States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Carlo, Leonardo; Gabrielli, Davide

2017-09-01

We study the structure of stationary non-equilibrium states for interacting particle systems from a microscopic viewpoint. In particular we discuss two different discrete geometric constructions. We apply both of them to determine non reversible transition rates corresponding to a fixed invariant measure. The first one uses the equivalence of this problem with the construction of divergence free flows on the transition graph. Since divergence free flows are characterized by cyclic decompositions we can generate families of models from elementary cycles on the configuration space. The second construction is a functional discrete Hodge decomposition for translational covariant discrete vector fields. According to this, for example, the instantaneous current of any interacting particle system on a finite torus can be canonically decomposed in a gradient part, a circulation term and an harmonic component. All the three components are associated with functions on the configuration space. This decomposition is unique and constructive. The stationary condition can be interpreted as an orthogonality condition with respect to an harmonic discrete vector field and we use this decomposition to construct models having a fixed invariant measure.

Social curiosity and gossip: related but different drives of social functioning.

PubMed

Hartung, Freda-Marie; Renner, Britta

2013-01-01

The present online-questionnaire study examined two fundamental social behaviors, social curiosity and gossip, and their interrelations in an English (n = 218) and a German sample (n = 152). Analyses showed that both samples believed that they are less gossipy but more curious than their peers. Multidimensional SEM of self and trait conceptions indicated that social curiosity and gossip are related constructs but with different patterns of social functions. Gossip appears to serve predominantly entertainment purposes whereas social curiosity appears to be more driven by a general interest in gathering information about how other people feel, think, and behave and the need to belong. Relationships to other personality traits (N, E, O) provided additional evidence for divergent validity. The needs for gathering and disseminating social information might represent two interlinked but different drives of cultural learning.

Social Curiosity and Gossip: Related but Different Drives of Social Functioning

PubMed Central

Hartung, Freda-Marie; Renner, Britta

2013-01-01

The present online-questionnaire study examined two fundamental social behaviors, social curiosity and gossip, and their interrelations in an English (n = 218) and a German sample (n = 152). Analyses showed that both samples believed that they are less gossipy but more curious than their peers. Multidimensional SEM of self and trait conceptions indicated that social curiosity and gossip are related constructs but with different patterns of social functions. Gossip appears to serve predominantly entertainment purposes whereas social curiosity appears to be more driven by a general interest in gathering information about how other people feel, think, and behave and the need to belong. Relationships to other personality traits (N, E, O) provided additional evidence for divergent validity. The needs for gathering and disseminating social information might represent two interlinked but different drives of cultural learning. PMID:23936130

Characterization of Encapsulated and Noncapsulated Haemophilus influenzae and Determination of Phylogenetic Relationships by Multilocus Sequence Typing

PubMed Central

Meats, Emma; Feil, Edward J.; Stringer, Suzanna; Cody, Alison J.; Goldstein, Richard; Kroll, J. Simon; Popovic, Tanja; Spratt, Brian G.

2003-01-01

A multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme has been developed for the unambiguous characterization of encapsulated and noncapsulated Haemophilus influenzae isolates. The sequences of internal fragments of seven housekeeping genes were determined for 131 isolates, comprising a diverse set of 104 serotype a, b, c, d, e, and f isolates and 27 noncapsulated isolates. Many of the encapsulated isolates had previously been characterized by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE), and the validity of the MLST scheme was established by the very similar clustering of isolates obtained by these methods. Isolates of serotypes c, d, e, and f formed monophyletic groups on a dendrogram constructed from the differences in the allelic profiles of the isolates, whereas there were highly divergent lineages of both serotype a and b isolates. Noncapsulated isolates were distinct from encapsulated isolates and, with one exception, were within two highly divergent clusters. The relationships between the major lineages of encapsulated H. influenzae inferred from MLEE data could not be discerned on a dendrogram constructed from differences in the allelic profiles, but were apparent on a tree reconstructed from the concatenated nucleotide sequences. Recombination has not therefore completely eliminated phylogenetic signal, and in support of this, for encapsulated isolates, there was significant congruence between many of the trees reconstructed from the sequences of the seven individual loci. Congruence was less apparent for noncapsulated isolates, suggesting that the impact of recombination is greater among noncapsulated than encapsulated isolates. The H. influenzae MLST scheme is available at www.mlst.net, it allows any isolate to be compared with those in the MLST database, and (for encapsulated isolates) it assigns isolates to their phylogenetic lineage, via the Internet. PMID:12682154

Screening Poststroke Fatigue; Feasibility and Validation of an Instrument for the Screening of Poststroke Fatigue throughout the Rehabilitation Process.

PubMed

Kruithof, Nena; Van Cleef, Melanie Hubertina Maria; Rasquin, Sascha Maria Cornelia; Bovend'Eerdt, Thamar Johannes Henricus

2016-01-01

Our objective is to investigate the feasibility and validity of a new instrument to screen for determinants of poststroke fatigue during the rehabilitation process. This prospective cohort study was conducted within the stroke department of a rehabilitation center. The participants in the study were postacute adult stroke patients. The Detection List Fatigue (DLF)was administered 2 weeks after the start of the rehabilitation program and again 6 weeks later. To determine the construct validity, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Checklist Individual Strength subscale fatigue, and the Fatigue Severity Scale--7-item version were administered. A fatigue rating scale was used to measure the patients' fatigue experience. Frequency analyses of the number of patients reporting poststroke fatigue determinants according to the DLF were performed. One hundred seven patients (mean age 60 years) without severe communication difficulties were included in the study. The DLF was easy to understand and quick to administer. The DLF showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: .79 and .87), high convergent validity (rs = .85 and rs = .79), and good divergent validity (rs = .31 and rs = .45). The majority of the patients (88.4%-90.2%) experienced at least 2 poststroke fatigue (PSF) determinants,of which "sleeping problem" was most frequently reported. The DLF is a feasible and valid instrument for the screening of PSF determinants throughout the rehabilitation process in stroke patients. Future studies should investigate whether the use of the list in determining a treatment plan prevents the development of PSF.

Measuring health-related quality of life: psychometric evaluation of the Tunisian version of the SF-12 health survey.

PubMed

Younsi, Moheddine; Chakroun, Mohamed

2014-09-01

The 12-item short-form health survey (SF-12) was developed as a shorter alternative to the SF-36 for use in large-scale studies as an applicable instrument for measuring health-related quality of life. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Tunisian version of the SF-12. A stratified representative sample (N = 3,582) of the general Tunisian population aged 18 years and over was interviewed. SF-12 summary scores were derived using the standard US algorithm. Factor analysis was used to confirm the hypothesized component structure of the SF-12 items. Reliability was estimated using internal consistency, and construct validity was investigated with "known groups" validity testing and via convergent and divergent validity. SF-12 summary scores distinguished well, and in the expected manner, between groups of respondents on the basis of gender, age, education and socioeconomic status, thus providing evidence of construct validity. Mean scores in the total sample were 50.11 (SD 8.53) for the physical component summary (PCS) score and 47.96 (SD 9.82) for the mental component summary (MCS) score. The results showed satisfactory internal consistency and acceptable convergent validity for both summary scores. Cronbach's α coefficient for PCS-12 and MCS-12 was 0.73 and 0.72, respectively. Known groups comparison showed that the SF-12 discriminated well between groups of respondents on the basis of gender, age, education and socioeconomic status. In addition, no floor or ceiling effects at baseline were observed. The PCA confirmed the two-factor structure of the SF-12 items. Items belonging to the physical component correlated more strongly with the PCS-12 than those with the MCS-12. Similarly, items belonging to the mental component correlated more strongly with the MCS-12 than those with the PCS-12. The findings suggest that the SF-12 appears to be a valid and reliable measure that can be used for measuring of population health status. However, for optimal measurement, modifications to traditional scoring methods for the SF-12 should be considered.

Closed-Form Jensen-Renyi Divergence for Mixture of Gaussians and Applications to Group-Wise Shape Registration*

PubMed Central

Wang, Fei; Syeda-Mahmood, Tanveer; Vemuri, Baba C.; Beymer, David; Rangarajan, Anand

2010-01-01

In this paper, we propose a generalized group-wise non-rigid registration strategy for multiple unlabeled point-sets of unequal cardinality, with no bias toward any of the given point-sets. To quantify the divergence between the probability distributions – specifically Mixture of Gaussians – estimated from the given point sets, we use a recently developed information-theoretic measure called Jensen-Renyi (JR) divergence. We evaluate a closed-form JR divergence between multiple probabilistic representations for the general case where the mixture models differ in variance and the number of components. We derive the analytic gradient of the divergence measure with respect to the non-rigid registration parameters, and apply it to numerical optimization of the group-wise registration, leading to a computationally efficient and accurate algorithm. We validate our approach on synthetic data, and evaluate it on 3D cardiac shapes. PMID:20426043

Closed-form Jensen-Renyi divergence for mixture of Gaussians and applications to group-wise shape registration.

PubMed

Wang, Fei; Syeda-Mahmood, Tanveer; Vemuri, Baba C; Beymer, David; Rangarajan, Anand

2009-01-01

In this paper, we propose a generalized group-wise non-rigid registration strategy for multiple unlabeled point-sets of unequal cardinality, with no bias toward any of the given point-sets. To quantify the divergence between the probability distributions--specifically Mixture of Gaussians--estimated from the given point sets, we use a recently developed information-theoretic measure called Jensen-Renyi (JR) divergence. We evaluate a closed-form JR divergence between multiple probabilistic representations for the general case where the mixture models differ in variance and the number of components. We derive the analytic gradient of the divergence measure with respect to the non-rigid registration parameters, and apply it to numerical optimization of the group-wise registration, leading to a computationally efficient and accurate algorithm. We validate our approach on synthetic data, and evaluate it on 3D cardiac shapes.

Construct validity of the pediatric evaluation of disability inventory computer adaptive test (PEDI-CAT) in children with medical complexity.

PubMed

Dumas, Helene M; Fragala-Pinkham, Maria A; Rosen, Elaine L; O'Brien, Jane E

2017-11-01

To assess construct (convergent and divergent) validity of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT) in a sample of children with complex medical conditions. Demographics, clinical information, PEDI-CAT normative score, and the Post-Acute Acuity Rating for Children (PAARC) level were collected for all post-acute hospital admissions (n = 110) from 1 April 2015 to 1 March 2016. Correlations between the PEDI-CAT Daily Activities, Mobility, and Social/Cognitive domain scores for the total sample and across three age groups (infant, preschool, and school-age) were calculated. Differences in mean PEDI-CAT scores for each domain across two groups, children with "Less Complexity," or "More Complexity" based on PAARC level were examined. All correlations for the total sample and age subgroups were statistically significant and trends across age groups were evident with the stronger associations between domains for the infant group. Significant differences were found between mean PEDI-CAT Daily Activities, Mobility, and Social/Cognitive normative scores across the two complexity groups with children in the "Less Complex" group having higher PEDI-CAT scores for all domains. This study provides evidence indicating the PEDI-CAT can be used with confidence in capturing and differentiating children's level of function in a post-acute care setting. Implications for Rehabilitation The PEDI-CAT is measure of function for children with a variety of conditions and can be used in any clinical setting. Convergent validity of the PEDI-CAT's Daily Activities, Mobility, and Social/Cognitive domains was significant and particularly strong for infants and young children with medical complexity. The PEDI-CAT was able to discriminate groups of children with differing levels of medical complexity admitted to a pediatric post-acute care hospital.

The Impact of Visit Frequency on the Relationship between Service Quality and Outpatient Satisfaction: A South Korean Study

PubMed Central

Cho, Woo Hyun; Lee, Hanjoon; Kim, Chankon; Lee, Sunhee; Choi, Kui-Son

2004-01-01

Objective To examine the relative impact of four service quality dimensions on outpatient satisfaction and to test the invariance of the structural relationships between the service quality dimensions and satisfaction across three patient groups of varying numbers of prior visits to the same hospital as outpatients. Data Sources/Study Setting Survey of 557 outpatients using a self-administered questionnaire over a 10-day period at a general hospital in Sungnam, South Korea. Data Collection Patients answered questions related to two main constructs, patient satisfaction and health care service quality. The health care service quality measures (30 items) were developed based on the results of three focus group interviews and the SERVQUAL scale, while satisfaction (3 items) was measured using a previously validated scale. Study Design Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the construct validity of the service quality scale by testing convergent and divergent validity. A structural equation model specifying the four service quality dimensions as exogenous variables and patient satisfaction as an endogenous variable was estimated to assess the relative impact of each of the service quality dimensions on satisfaction. This was followed by a multigroup LISREL analysis that tested the invariance of structural coefficients across three groups with different frequencies of outpatient visits to the hospital. Principal Findings Findings support the causal relationship between service quality and satisfaction in the context of the South Korean health care environment. The four service quality dimensions showed varying patterns of impact on patient satisfaction across the three different outpatient groups. Conclusion The hospital management needs to be aware of the relative importance of each of the service quality dimensions in satisfaction formation of outpatients, which varies across different hospital utilization groups, and use this in strategic considerations. PMID:14965075

Convergent and discriminant validity and reliability of the pediatric anxiety rating scale in youth with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Storch, Eric A; Wood, Jeffrey J; Ehrenreich-May, Jill; Jones, Anna M; Park, Jennifer M; Lewin, Adam B; Murphy, Tanya K

2012-11-01

The psychometric properties of the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (PARS), a clinician-administered measure for assessing severity of anxiety symptoms, were examined in 72 children and adolescents diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The internal consistency of the PARS was 0.59, suggesting that the items were related but not repetitive. The PARS showed high 26-day test-retest (ICC = 0.83) and inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.86). The PARS was strongly correlated with clinician-ratings of overall anxiety severity and parent-report anxiety measures, supporting convergent validity. Results for divergent validity were mixed. Although the PARS was not associated with the sum of the Social and Communication items on the Autism Diagnostic Observation System, it was moderately correlated with parent-reported inattention, aggression and externalizing behavior. Overall, these results suggest that the psychometric properties of the PARS are adequate for assessing anxiety symptoms in youth with ASD, although additional clarification of divergent validity is needed.

Validation of the geriatric anxiety inventory in a duloxetine clinical trial for elderly adults with generalized anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Ball, Susan G; Lipsius, Sarah; Escobar, Rodrigo

2015-09-01

The Generalized Anxiety Inventory (GAI) has been developed for use in the assessment of anxiety symptoms in older adults (≥ 65 years), but previous validation work has not examined the psychometric qualities of the instrument in relation to treatment. The objective of this study was to examine the performance of the GAI for its internal reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and its sensitivity to treatment. Elderly patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) participated in a 10-week double-blind study of duloxetine treatment for patients with GAD. Anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) anxiety and depression subscales, and the GAI. Internal reliability of the GAI was assessed with Cronbach's α. Correlations among the HAMA, HADS, and GAI scores were analyzed to determine convergent and divergent validity. Patients were also compared on remission status using recommended cut-off scores for the GAI. Patients with GAD, who were at least 65 years of age, were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment with either duloxetine (N = 151) or placebo (N = 140) for 10 weeks acute therapy. The mean change on the GAI was significantly greater with duloxetine compared with placebo treatment (-8.36 vs. -4.96, respectively, p ≤ 0.001). The GAI demonstrated good internal consistency, good convergent and divergent validity, but suggested cut-off values for caseness with the GAI did not correspond to remission status as measured by the HAMA. Within an elderly patient population with GAD, the GAI demonstrated sound psychometric qualities and sensitivity to change with treatment.

Possible antigravity regions in F(R) theory?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bamba, Kazuharu; Nojiri, Shin'ichi; Odintsov, Sergei D.; Sáez-Gómez, Diego

2014-03-01

We construct an F(R) gravity theory corresponding to the Weyl invariant two scalar field theory. We investigate whether such F(R) gravity can have the antigravity regions where the Weyl curvature invariant does not diverge at the Big Bang and Big Crunch singularities. It is revealed that the divergence cannot be evaded completely but can be much milder than that in the original Weyl invariant two scalar field theory.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, internal consistency and validation of the Hand Function Sort (HFS©) for French speaking patients with upper limb complaints.

PubMed

Konzelmann, M; Burrus, C; Hilfiker, R; Rivier, G; Deriaz, O; Luthi, F

2015-03-01

Functional evaluation of upper limb is not only based on clinical findings but requires self-administered questionnaires to address patients' perspective. The Hand Function Sort (HFS©) was only validated in English. The aim of this study was the French cross cultural adaptation and validation of the HFS© (HFS-F). 150 patients with various upper limbs impairments were recruited in a rehabilitation center. Translation and cross-cultural adaptation were made according to international guidelines. Construct validity was estimated through correlations with Disabilities Arm Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, SF-36 mental component summary (MCS),SF-36 physical component summary (PCS) and pain intensity. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's α and test-retest reliability by intraclass correlation. Cronbach's α was 0.98, test-retest reliability was excellent at 0.921 (95 % CI 0.871-0.971) same as original HFS©. Correlations with DASH were-0.779 (95 % CI -0.847 to -0.685); with SF 36 PCS 0.452 (95 % CI 0.276-0.599); with pain -0.247 (95 % CI -0.429 to -0.041); with SF 36 MCS 0.242 (95 % CI 0.042-0.422). There were no floor or ceiling effects. The HFS-F has the same good psychometric properties as the original HFS© (internal consistency, test retest reliability, convergent validity with DASH, divergent validity with SF-36 MCS, and no floor or ceiling effects). The convergent validity with SF-36 PCS was poor; we found no correlation with pain. The HFS-F could be used with confidence in a population of working patients. Other studies are necessary to study its psychometric properties in other populations.

Notes on the birth-death prior with fossil calibrations for Bayesian estimation of species divergence times.

PubMed

Dos Reis, Mario

2016-07-19

Constructing a multi-dimensional prior on the times of divergence (the node ages) of species in a phylogeny is not a trivial task, in particular, if the prior density is the result of combining different sources of information such as a speciation process with fossil calibration densities. Yang & Rannala (2006 Mol. Biol. Evol 23, 212-226. (doi:10.1093/molbev/msj024)) laid out the general approach to combine the birth-death process with arbitrary fossil-based densities to construct a prior on divergence times. They achieved this by calculating the density of node ages without calibrations conditioned on the ages of the calibrated nodes. Here, I show that the conditional density obtained by Yang & Rannala is misspecified. The misspecified density can sometimes be quite strange-looking and can lead to unintentionally informative priors on node ages without fossil calibrations. I derive the correct density and provide a few illustrative examples. Calculation of the density involves a sum over a large set of labelled histories, and so obtaining the density in a computer program seems hard at the moment. A general algorithm that may provide a way forward is given.This article is part of the themed issue 'Dating species divergences using rocks and clocks'. © 2016 The Author(s).

The role of East Asian monsoon system in shaping population divergence and dynamics of a constructive desert shrub Reaumuria soongarica

PubMed Central

Yin, Hengxia; Yan, Xia; Shi, Yong; Qian, Chaoju; Li, Zhonghu; Zhang, Wen; Wang, Lirong; Li, Yi; Li, Xiaoze; Chen, Guoxiong; Li, Xinrong; Nevo, Eviatar; Ma, Xiao-Fei

2015-01-01

Both of the uplift of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and the development of East Asian monsoon system (EAMS) could have comprehensively impacted the formation and evolution of Arid Central Asia (ACA). To understand how desert plants endemic to ACA responded to these two factors, we profiled the historical population dynamics and distribution range shift of a constructive desert shrub Reaumuria soongarica (Tamaricaceae) based on species wide investigation of sequence variation of chloroplast DNA and nuclear ribosomal ITS. Phylogenetic analysis uncovered a deep divergence occurring at ca. 2.96 Mya between the western and eastern lineages of R. soongarica, and ecological niche modeling analysis strongly supported that the monsoonal climate could have fragmented its habitats in both glacial and interglacial periods and impelled its intraspecific divergence. Additionally, the population from the east monsoonal zone expanded rapidly, suggesting that the local monsoonal climate significantly impacted its population dynamics. The isolation by distance tests supported strong maternal gene flow along the direction of the East Asian winter monsoon, whose intensification induced the genetic admixture along the latitudinal populations of R. soongarica. Our results presented a new case that the development of EAMS had prominently impacted the intraspecific divergence and population dynamics of this desert plant. PMID:26510579

'Peace' and 'life worthwhile' as measures of spiritual well-being in African palliative care: a mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Selman, Lucy; Speck, Peter; Gysels, Marjolein; Agupio, Godfrey; Dinat, Natalya; Downing, Julia; Gwyther, Liz; Mashao, Thandi; Mmoledi, Keletso; Moll, Tony; Sebuyira, Lydia Mpanga; Ikin, Barbara; Higginson, Irene J; Harding, Richard

2013-06-10

Patients with incurable, progressive disease receiving palliative care in sub-Saharan Africa experience high levels of spiritual distress with a detrimental impact on their quality of life. Locally validated measurement tools are needed to identify patients' spiritual needs and evaluate and improve spiritual care, but up to now such tools have been lacking in Africa. The African Palliative Care Association (APCA) African Palliative Outcome Scale (POS) contains two items relating to peace and life worthwhile. We aimed to determine the content and construct validity of these items as measures of spiritual wellbeing in African palliative care populations. The study was conducted at five palliative care services, four in South Africa and one in Uganda. The mixed-methods study design involved: (1) cognitive interviews with 72 patients, analysed thematically to explore the items' content validity, and (2) quantitative data collection (n = 285 patients) using the POS and the Spirit 8 to assess construct validity. (1) Peace was interpreted according to the themes 'perception of self and world', 'relationship to others', 'spiritual beliefs' and 'health and healthcare'. Life worthwhile was interpreted in relation to 'perception of self and world', 'relationship to others' and 'identity'. (2) Conceptual convergence and divergence were also evident in the quantitative data: there was moderate correlation between peace and Spirit 8 spiritual well-being (r = 0.46), but little correlation between life worthwhile and Spirit 8 spiritual well-being (r = 0.18) (both p < 0.001). Correlations with Spirit 8 items were weak to moderate. Findings demonstrate the utility of POS items peace and life worthwhile as distinct but related measures of spiritual well-being in African palliative care. Peace and life worthwhile are brief and simple enough to be integrated into routine practice and can be used to measure this important but neglected outcome in this population.

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.

Calibrated tree priors for relaxed phylogenetics and divergence time estimation.

PubMed

Heled, Joseph; Drummond, Alexei J

2012-01-01

The use of fossil evidence to calibrate divergence time estimation has a long history. More recently, Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo has become the dominant method of divergence time estimation, and fossil evidence has been reinterpreted as the specification of prior distributions on the divergence times of calibration nodes. These so-called "soft calibrations" have become widely used but the statistical properties of calibrated tree priors in a Bayesian setting hashave not been carefully investigated. Here, we clarify that calibration densities, such as those defined in BEAST 1.5, do not represent the marginal prior distribution of the calibration node. We illustrate this with a number of analytical results on small trees. We also describe an alternative construction for a calibrated Yule prior on trees that allows direct specification of the marginal prior distribution of the calibrated divergence time, with or without the restriction of monophyly. This method requires the computation of the Yule prior conditional on the height of the divergence being calibrated. Unfortunately, a practical solution for multiple calibrations remains elusive. Our results suggest that direct estimation of the prior induced by specifying multiple calibration densities should be a prerequisite of any divergence time dating analysis.

Medical sociology and epidemiology: convergences, divergences and legitimate boundaries.

PubMed

Spruit, I P; Kromhout, D

1987-01-01

For the purpose of exploring the existence of problem areas that may give rise to the question whether there is a tendency to (illegitimately) trespass across boundaries between medical sociology and epidemiology, important convergences and divergences between both disciplines are described. To assemble arguments for the legitimacy of fields of study we trace comparatively the history of both disciplines, definitions of their fields under study and aims of study, as well as characteristic concepts and constructs. Current research themes are taken from international journals; divergent interests are briefly described and potential 'trespassing' of boundaries is discussed, referring to themes showing convergences of interest.

Construct Validity: Advances in Theory and Methodology

PubMed Central

Strauss, Milton E.; Smith, Gregory T.

2008-01-01

Measures of psychological constructs are validated by testing whether they relate to measures of other constructs as specified by theory. Each test of relations between measures reflects on the validity of both the measures and the theory driving the test. Construct validation concerns the simultaneous process of measure and theory validation. In this chapter, we review the recent history of validation efforts in clinical psychological science that has led to this perspective, and we review five recent advances in validation theory and methodology of importance for clinical researchers. These are: the emergence of nonjustificationist philosophy of science; an increasing appreciation for theory and the need for informative tests of construct validity; valid construct representation in experimental psychopathology; the need to avoid representing multidimensional constructs with a single score; and the emergence of effective new statistical tools for the evaluation of convergent and discriminant validity. PMID:19086835

Immersogeometric cardiovascular fluid–structure interaction analysis with divergence-conforming B-splines

PubMed Central

Kamensky, David; Hsu, Ming-Chen; Yu, Yue; Evans, John A.; Sacks, Michael S.; Hughes, Thomas J. R.

2016-01-01

This paper uses a divergence-conforming B-spline fluid discretization to address the long-standing issue of poor mass conservation in immersed methods for computational fluid–structure interaction (FSI) that represent the influence of the structure as a forcing term in the fluid subproblem. We focus, in particular, on the immersogeometric method developed in our earlier work, analyze its convergence for linear model problems, then apply it to FSI analysis of heart valves, using divergence-conforming B-splines to discretize the fluid subproblem. Poor mass conservation can manifest as effective leakage of fluid through thin solid barriers. This leakage disrupts the qualitative behavior of FSI systems such as heart valves, which exist specifically to block flow. Divergence-conforming discretizations can enforce mass conservation exactly, avoiding this problem. To demonstrate the practical utility of immersogeometric FSI analysis with divergence-conforming B-splines, we use the methods described in this paper to construct and evaluate a computational model of an in vitro experiment that pumps water through an artificial valve. PMID:28239201

Investigating the Effect of Discussion Prompts on Knowledge Construction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howell, Ginger S.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Andrews' (1980) three structured divergent prompt designs (Playground prompt, Brainstorm prompt, and Focal prompt) on knowledge construction. Sixty-five online graduate participants at a university in a South Atlantic state were a part of the study. Students' posts were analyzed using the…

A rigorous approach to the formulation of extended Born-Oppenheimer equation for a three-state system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Biplab; Adhikari, Satrajit

If a coupled three-state electronic manifold forms a sub-Hilbert space, it is possible to express the non-adiabatic coupling (NAC) elements in terms of adiabatic-diabatic transformation (ADT) angles. Consequently, we demonstrate: (a) Those explicit forms of the NAC terms satisfy the Curl conditions with non-zero Divergences; (b) The formulation of extended Born-Oppenheimer (EBO) equation for any three-state BO system is possible only when there exists coordinate independent ratio of the gradients for each pair of ADT angles leading to zero Curls at and around the conical intersection(s). With these analytic advancements, we formulate a rigorous EBO equation and explore its validity as well as necessity with respect to the approximate one (Sarkar and Adhikari, J Chem Phys 2006, 124, 074101) by performing numerical calculations on two different models constructed with different chosen forms of the NAC elements.

Family's difficulty scale in end-of-life home care: a new measure of the family's difficulties in caring for patients with cancer at the end of life at home from bereaved family's perspective.

PubMed

Ishii, Yoko; Miyashita, Mitsunori; Sato, Kazuki; Ozawa, Taketoshi

2012-02-01

The aim of this study was to develop a tool to measure the family's difficulties in caring for cancer patients at the end of life at home: Family's Difficulty Scale in end-of-life home care (FDS). The draft of the FDS was derived from a pilot interview survey and literature reviews. The questionnaires were sent to 395 bereaved family caregivers whose family members were patients with terminal cancer receiving home service. We obtained 306 responses (response rate, 81%). Factor analysis resulted in 29 items and 8 factors: Burden of Care, Concerns about Home Care Doctor, Balance of Work and Care, Patient's Pain and Condition, Concerns about Visiting Nurse, Concerns about Home Care Service, Relationship between Family Caregivers and their Families, and Funeral Preparations. The cumulative rate of contribution was 71.8%. Cronbach coefficient α for the FDS was 0.73-0.75; the intraclass correlation coefficient in the test-retest examination was 0.75-0.85. Evidence for construct validity was confirmed by convergent and divergent validity. Concurrent validity was confirmed by significant correlations between identified factors and concurrent measures. The validity and reliability of this new instrument were confirmed. This scale should help home care providers to assess and focus on family difficulties and provide individualized care for the family who cares for a patient with terminal cancer at home.

Divergent trait and environment relationships among parallel radiations in Pelargonium (Geraniaceae): a role for evolutionary legacy?

PubMed

Moore, Timothy E; Schlichting, Carl D; Aiello-Lammens, Matthew E; Mocko, Kerri; Jones, Cynthia S

2018-05-11

Functional traits in closely related lineages are expected to vary similarly along common environmental gradients as a result of shared evolutionary and biogeographic history, or legacy effects, and as a result of biophysical tradeoffs in construction. We test these predictions in Pelargonium, a relatively recent evolutionary radiation. Bayesian phylogenetic mixed effects models assessed, at the subclade level, associations between plant height, leaf area, leaf nitrogen content and leaf mass per area (LMA), and five environmental variables capturing temperature and rainfall gradients across the Greater Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. Trait-trait integration was assessed via pairwise correlations within subclades. Of 20 trait-environment associations, 17 differed among subclades. Signs of regression coefficients diverged for height, leaf area and leaf nitrogen content, but not for LMA. Subclades also differed in trait-trait relationships and these differences were modulated by rainfall seasonality. Leave-one-out cross-validation revealed that whether trait variation was better predicted by environmental predictors or trait-trait integration depended on the clade and trait in question. Legacy signals in trait-environment and trait-trait relationships were apparently lost during the earliest diversification of Pelargonium, but then retained during subsequent subclade evolution. Overall, we demonstrate that global-scale patterns are poor predictors of patterns of trait variation at finer geographic and taxonomic scales. © 2018 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2018 New Phytologist Trust.

Optimal projection method determination by Logdet Divergence and perturbed von-Neumann Divergence.

PubMed

Jiang, Hao; Ching, Wai-Ki; Qiu, Yushan; Cheng, Xiao-Qing

2017-12-14

Positive semi-definiteness is a critical property in kernel methods for Support Vector Machine (SVM) by which efficient solutions can be guaranteed through convex quadratic programming. However, a lot of similarity functions in applications do not produce positive semi-definite kernels. We propose projection method by constructing projection matrix on indefinite kernels. As a generalization of the spectrum method (denoising method and flipping method), the projection method shows better or comparable performance comparing to the corresponding indefinite kernel methods on a number of real world data sets. Under the Bregman matrix divergence theory, we can find suggested optimal λ in projection method using unconstrained optimization in kernel learning. In this paper we focus on optimal λ determination, in the pursuit of precise optimal λ determination method in unconstrained optimization framework. We developed a perturbed von-Neumann divergence to measure kernel relationships. We compared optimal λ determination with Logdet Divergence and perturbed von-Neumann Divergence, aiming at finding better λ in projection method. Results on a number of real world data sets show that projection method with optimal λ by Logdet divergence demonstrate near optimal performance. And the perturbed von-Neumann Divergence can help determine a relatively better optimal projection method. Projection method ia easy to use for dealing with indefinite kernels. And the parameter embedded in the method can be determined through unconstrained optimization under Bregman matrix divergence theory. This may provide a new way in kernel SVMs for varied objectives.

Psychological distress screening in cancer patients: psychometric properties of tools available in Italy.

PubMed

Muzzatti, Barbara; Annunziata, Maria Antonietta

2012-01-01

The main national and international organisms recommend continuous monitoring of psychological distress in cancer patients throughout the disease trajectory. The reasons for this concern are the high prevalence of psychological distress in cancer patients and its association with a worse quality of life, poor adherence to treatment, and stronger assistance needs. Most screening tools for psychological distress were developed in English-speaking countries. To be fit for use in different cultural contexts (like the Italian), they need to undergo accurate translation and specific validation. In the present work we summarized the validation studies for psychological distress screening tools available in Italian that are most widely employed internationally, with the aim of helping clinicians choose the adequate instrument. With knowledge of the properties of the corresponding Italian versions, researchers would be better able to identify the instruments that deserve further investigation. We carried out a systematic review of the literature. Results. Twenty-nine studies of eight different instruments (five relating to psychological distress, three to its depressive component) were identified. Ten of these studies involved cancer patients and 19 referred to the general population or to non-cancer, non-psychiatric subjects. For seven of the eight tools, data on concurrent and discriminant validity were available. For five instruments data on criterion validity were available, for four there were data on construct validity, and for one tool divergent and cross-cultural validity data were provided. For six of the eight tools the literature provided data on reliability (mostly about internal consistency). Since none of the eight instruments for which we found validation studies relative to the Italian context had undergone a complete and organic validation process, their use in the clinical context must be cautious. Italian researchers should be proactive and make a valid and reliable screening tool for Italian patients available.

The substance use risk profile scale: a scale measuring traits linked to reinforcement-specific substance use profiles.

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

Woicik, P.A.; Stewart, S.H.; Pihl, R.O.

The Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS) is based on a model of personality risk for substance abuse in which four personality dimensions (hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking) are hypothesized to differentially relate to specific patterns of substance use. The current series of studies is a preliminary exploration of the psychometric properties of the SURPS in two populations (undergraduate and high school students). In study 1, an analysis of the internal structure of two versions of the SURPS shows that the abbreviated version best reflects the 4-factor structure. Concurrent, discriminant, and incremental validity of the SURPS is supportedmore » by convergent/divergent relationships between the SURPS subscales and other theoretically relevant personality and drug use criterion measures. In Study 2, the factorial structure of the SURPS is confirmed and evidence is provided for its test-retest reliability and validity with respect to measuring personality vulnerability to reinforcement-specific substance use patterns. In Study 3, the SURPS was administered in a more youthful population to test its sensitivity in identifying younger problematic drinkers. The results from the current series of studies demonstrate support for the reliability and construct validity of the SURPS, and suggest that four personality dimensions may be linked to substance-related behavior through different reinforcement processes. This brief assessment tool may have important implications for clinicians and future research.« less

The Substance Use Risk Profile Scale: a scale measuring traits linked to reinforcement-specific substance use profiles.

PubMed

Woicik, Patricia A; Stewart, Sherry H; Pihl, Robert O; Conrod, Patricia J

2009-12-01

The Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS) is based on a model of personality risk for substance abuse in which four personality dimensions (hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking) are hypothesized to differentially relate to specific patterns of substance use. The current series of studies is a preliminary exploration of the psychometric properties of the SURPS in two populations (undergraduate and high school students). In study 1, an analysis of the internal structure of two versions of the SURPS shows that the abbreviated version best reflects the 4-factor structure. Concurrent, discriminant, and incremental validity of the SURPS is supported by convergent/divergent relationships between the SURPS subscales and other theoretically relevant personality and drug use criterion measures. In Study 2, the factorial structure of the SURPS is confirmed and evidence is provided for its test-retest reliability and validity with respect to measuring personality vulnerability to reinforcement-specific substance use patterns. In Study 3, the SURPS was administered in a more youthful population to test its sensitivity in identifying younger problematic drinkers. The results from the current series of studies demonstrate support for the reliability and construct validity of the SURPS, and suggest that four personality dimensions may be linked to substance-related behavior through different reinforcement processes. This brief assessment tool may have important implications for clinicians and future research.

Construct Validity of the Nepalese School Leaving English Reading Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawadi, Saraswati; Shrestha, Prithvi N.

2018-01-01

There has been a steady interest in investigating the validity of language tests in the last decades. Despite numerous studies on construct validity in language testing, there are not many studies examining the construct validity of a reading test. This paper reports on a study that explored the construct validity of the English reading test in…

Constructing Student Knowledge in the Online Classroom: The Effectiveness of Focal Prompts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howell, Ginger S.; LaCour, Misty M.; McGlawn, Penny A.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of three Structured Divergent discussion board prompt designs on knowledge construction in a graduate online course. According to Andrews (1980), the form of the question affects the extent of the response within a discussion. The Playground prompt, the Brainstorming prompt, and the Focal prompt…

Comparative sequence analysis of Mycobacterium leprae and the new leprosy-causing Mycobacterium lepromatosis.

PubMed

Han, Xiang Y; Sizer, Kurt C; Thompson, Erika J; Kabanja, Juma; Li, Jun; Hu, Peter; Gómez-Valero, Laura; Silva, Francisco J

2009-10-01

Mycobacterium lepromatosis is a newly discovered leprosy-causing organism. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis of its 16S rRNA gene and a few other gene segments revealed significant divergence from Mycobacterium leprae, a well-known cause of leprosy, that justifies the status of M. lepromatosis as a new species. In this study we analyzed the sequences of 20 genes and pseudogenes (22,814 nucleotides). Overall, the level of matching of these sequences with M. leprae sequences was 90.9%, which substantiated the species-level difference; the levels of matching for the 16S rRNA genes and 14 protein-encoding genes were 98.0% and 93.1%, respectively, but the level of matching for five pseudogenes was only 79.1%. Five conserved protein-encoding genes were selected to construct phylogenetic trees and to calculate the numbers of synonymous substitutions (dS values) and nonsynonymous substitutions (dN values) in the two species. Robust phylogenetic trees constructed using concatenated alignment of these genes placed M. lepromatosis and M. leprae in a tight cluster with long terminal branches, implying that the divergence occurred long ago. The dS and dN values were also much higher than those for other closest pairs of mycobacteria. The dS values were 14 to 28% of the dS values for M. leprae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a more divergent pair of species. These results thus indicate that M. lepromatosis and M. leprae diverged approximately 10 million years ago. The M. lepromatosis pseudogenes analyzed that were also pseudogenes in M. leprae showed nearly neutral evolution, and their relative ages were similar to those of M. leprae pseudogenes, suggesting that they were pseudogenes before divergence. Taken together, the results described above indicate that M. lepromatosis and M. leprae diverged from a common ancestor after the massive gene inactivation event described previously for M. leprae.

Concrete ensemble Kalman filters with rigorous catastrophic filter divergence

PubMed Central

Kelly, David; Majda, Andrew J.; Tong, Xin T.

2015-01-01

The ensemble Kalman filter and ensemble square root filters are data assimilation methods used to combine high-dimensional, nonlinear dynamical models with observed data. Ensemble methods are indispensable tools in science and engineering and have enjoyed great success in geophysical sciences, because they allow for computationally cheap low-ensemble-state approximation for extremely high-dimensional turbulent forecast models. From a theoretical perspective, the dynamical properties of these methods are poorly understood. One of the central mysteries is the numerical phenomenon known as catastrophic filter divergence, whereby ensemble-state estimates explode to machine infinity, despite the true state remaining in a bounded region. In this article we provide a breakthrough insight into the phenomenon, by introducing a simple and natural forecast model that transparently exhibits catastrophic filter divergence under all ensemble methods and a large set of initializations. For this model, catastrophic filter divergence is not an artifact of numerical instability, but rather a true dynamical property of the filter. The divergence is not only validated numerically but also proven rigorously. The model cleanly illustrates mechanisms that give rise to catastrophic divergence and confirms intuitive accounts of the phenomena given in past literature. PMID:26261335

Concrete ensemble Kalman filters with rigorous catastrophic filter divergence.

PubMed

Kelly, David; Majda, Andrew J; Tong, Xin T

2015-08-25

The ensemble Kalman filter and ensemble square root filters are data assimilation methods used to combine high-dimensional, nonlinear dynamical models with observed data. Ensemble methods are indispensable tools in science and engineering and have enjoyed great success in geophysical sciences, because they allow for computationally cheap low-ensemble-state approximation for extremely high-dimensional turbulent forecast models. From a theoretical perspective, the dynamical properties of these methods are poorly understood. One of the central mysteries is the numerical phenomenon known as catastrophic filter divergence, whereby ensemble-state estimates explode to machine infinity, despite the true state remaining in a bounded region. In this article we provide a breakthrough insight into the phenomenon, by introducing a simple and natural forecast model that transparently exhibits catastrophic filter divergence under all ensemble methods and a large set of initializations. For this model, catastrophic filter divergence is not an artifact of numerical instability, but rather a true dynamical property of the filter. The divergence is not only validated numerically but also proven rigorously. The model cleanly illustrates mechanisms that give rise to catastrophic divergence and confirms intuitive accounts of the phenomena given in past literature.

Impact of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Scale: Initial Psychometric Validation

PubMed Central

Burke, Taylor A.; Ammerman, Brooke A.; Hamilton, Jessica L.; Alloy, Lauren B.

2017-01-01

The current study examined the psychometric properties of the Impact of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Scale (INS), a scale developed to assess the social, behavioral, and emotional consequences of engaging in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). University students (N=128) who endorsed a history of NSSI were administered the INS, as well as measures of hypothesized convergent and divergent validity. Results suggested that the INS is best conceptualized as a one-factor scale, and internal consistency analyses indicated excellent reliability. The INS was significantly correlated with well-known measures of NSSI severity (i.e., NSSI frequency, NSSI recency), and measures of suicide attempt history and emotional reactivity. Logistic regression analyses indicated that the INS contributed unique variance to the prediction of physical disfigurement (i.e., NSSI scarring) and clinically significant social anxiety, even after taking into account NSSI frequency. Furthermore, the INS demonstrated divergent validity. Implications for research on NSSI disorder and clinical practice are discussed. PMID:28824214

Conflicting Discourses in Qualitative Research: The Search for Divergent Data within Cases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antin, Tamar M. J.; Constantine, Norman A.; Hunt, Geoffrey

2015-01-01

The search for disconfirming evidence, or negative cases, is often considered a valuable strategy for assessing the credibility or validity of qualitative research claims. This article draws on a multimethod qualitative research project to illustrate how a search for disconfirming evidence evolved from a check on the validity of findings to a…

Gene expression-based molecular diagnostic system for malignant gliomas is superior to histological diagnosis.

PubMed

Shirahata, Mitsuaki; Iwao-Koizumi, Kyoko; Saito, Sakae; Ueno, Noriko; Oda, Masashi; Hashimoto, Nobuo; Takahashi, Jun A; Kato, Kikuya

2007-12-15

Current morphology-based glioma classification methods do not adequately reflect the complex biology of gliomas, thus limiting their prognostic ability. In this study, we focused on anaplastic oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma, which typically follow distinct clinical courses. Our goal was to construct a clinically useful molecular diagnostic system based on gene expression profiling. The expression of 3,456 genes in 32 patients, 12 and 20 of whom had prognostically distinct anaplastic oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma, respectively, was measured by PCR array. Next to unsupervised methods, we did supervised analysis using a weighted voting algorithm to construct a diagnostic system discriminating anaplastic oligodendroglioma from glioblastoma. The diagnostic accuracy of this system was evaluated by leave-one-out cross-validation. The clinical utility was tested on a microarray-based data set of 50 malignant gliomas from a previous study. Unsupervised analysis showed divergent global gene expression patterns between the two tumor classes. A supervised binary classification model showed 100% (95% confidence interval, 89.4-100%) diagnostic accuracy by leave-one-out cross-validation using 168 diagnostic genes. Applied to a gene expression data set from a previous study, our model correlated better with outcome than histologic diagnosis, and also displayed 96.6% (28 of 29) consistency with the molecular classification scheme used for these histologically controversial gliomas in the original article. Furthermore, we observed that histologically diagnosed glioblastoma samples that shared anaplastic oligodendroglioma molecular characteristics tended to be associated with longer survival. Our molecular diagnostic system showed reproducible clinical utility and prognostic ability superior to traditional histopathologic diagnosis for malignant glioma.

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.

Preliminary validation of the Review of Musculoskeletal System (ROMS) questionnaire.

PubMed

Bershadsky, Boris; Kane, Robert L; Wuerz, Thomas; Jones, Morgan; Brighton, Brian; Stitzlein, Russell; Parker, Richard; Iannotti, Joseph P

2015-04-01

Measurement of clinical outcomes is necessary to define best practice. It requires a validated tool that can be easily applied as part of clinical practice. We present the preliminary validation of a brief self-reported Review of Musculoskeletal System (ROMS) questionnaire that captures functional limitations due to musculoskeletal problems and other medical and emotional conditions. Data were derived from a clinical outcomes database (Orthopaedic Minimal Data Set [OrthoMiDaS]) that combines patient-reported data collected as part of routine care and secondary data extracted from electronic medical records. The study utilized 82,873 encounters collected from 24,116 consecutive patients with problems in the upper and lower extremities. In addition to the ROMS, the study used version 2 of the Short Form-12 (SF-12v2), the Penn Shoulder Score (PSS), the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS), and the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaires. Fifteen cross-sectional samples were used to evaluate the floor and ceiling effects as well as the construct and content validity. Five longitudinal cohorts were used to measure test-retest reliability and responsiveness. Standard statistical tests were applied. The floor and ceiling effects of the ROMS questionnaire in patients with shoulder, hip, and knee problems ranged from 1.3% to 8.5%. Construct-validity tests confirmed convergent and divergent validity of the ROMS. The tests also justified its additional value when the ROMS was used with joint-specific tools. When measuring test-retest reliability of the ROMS scales, intraclass correlation ranged from 0.80 to 0.90 at approximately one week and from 0.71 to 0.87 at approximately four weeks. Responsiveness of the ROMS was greater than that of the SF-12 and less than that of the joint-specific questionnaires. The ROMS is compatible with routine clinical process and has good psychometric properties in patients with shoulder, hip, and knee disorders. It can be used as a primary outcome tool for large observational studies and can supplement more specific tools in controlled studies. The ROMS was developed as a tool to measure and monitor the clinical status of the musculoskeletal system in a population of patients during and after treatment as well as over time. Copyright © 2015 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, internal consistency and validation of the Spinal Function Sort (SFS) for French- and German-speaking patients with back complaints.

PubMed

Borloz, S; Trippolini, M A; Ballabeni, P; Luthi, F; Deriaz, O

2012-09-01

Functional subjective evaluation through questionnaire is fundamental, but not often realized in patients with back complaints, lacking validated tools. The Spinal Function Sort (SFS) was only validated in English. We aimed to translate, adapt and validate the French (SFS-F) and German (SFS-G) versions of the SFS. Three hundred and forty-four patients, experiencing various back complaints, were recruited in a French (n = 87) and a German-speaking (n = 257) center. Construct validity was estimated via correlations with SF-36 physical and mental scales, pain intensity and hospital anxiety and depression scales (HADS). Scale homogeneities were assessed by Cronbach's α. Test-retest reliability was assessed on 65 additional patients using intraclass correlation (IC). For the French and German translations, respectively, α were 0.98 and 0.98; IC 0.98 (95% CI: [0.97; 1.00]) and 0.94 (0.90; 0.98). Correlations with physical functioning were 0.63 (0.48; 0.74) and 0.67 (0.59; 0.73); with physical summary 0.60 (0.44; 0.72) and 0.52 (0.43; 0.61); with pain -0.33 (-0.51; -0.13) and -0.51 (-0.60; -0.42); with mental health -0.08 (-0.29; 0.14) and 0.25 (0.13; 0.36); with mental summary 0.01 (-0.21; 0.23) and 0.28 (0.16; 0.39); with depression -0.26 (-0.45; -0.05) and -0.42 (-0.52; -0.32); with anxiety -0.17 (-0.37; -0.04) and -0.45 (-0.54; -0.35). Reliability was excellent for both languages. Convergent validity was good with SF-36 physical scales, moderate with VAS pain. Divergent validity was low with SF-36 mental scales in both translated versions and with HADS for the SFS-F (moderate in SFS-G). Both versions seem to be valid and reliable for evaluating perceived functional capacity in patients with back complaints.

Assessing ecological and molecular divergence between the closely related species Hydrolagus pallidus and H. affinis (Chimaeridae).

PubMed

Violi, B; Gaither, M R; Burns, F; Rus Hoelzel, A; Neat, F

2018-04-01

This study investigated taxonomic validity of the pale ghost shark Hydrolagus pallidus Hardy & Stehmann, 1990, which was described as a species distinct from the smalleyed rabbitfish H. affinis (de Brito Capello 1868). While few morphological characters distinguish the two taxa, a striking difference in sex ratio and fixed differences (1·1-1·6% divergence) in the cytochrome oxidase subunit I barcoding gene support the recognition of both species. © 2018 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

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.

Gender and Heritage Spanish Bilingual Grammars: A Study of Code-Mixed Determiner Phrases and Copula Constructions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valenzuela, Elena; Faure, Ana; Ramirez-Trujillo, Alma P.; Barski, Ewelina; Pangtay, Yolanda; Diez, Adriana

2012-01-01

The study examined heritage speaker grammars and to what extent they diverge with respect to grammatical gender from adult L2 learners. Results from a preference task involving code-mixed Determiner Phrases (DPs) and code-mixed copula constructions show a difference between these two types of operations. Heritage speakers patterned with the…

Validation of the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Schiehser, Dawn M; Ayers, Catherine R; Liu, Lin; Lessig, Stephanie; Song, David S; Filoteo, J Vincent

2013-03-01

Fatigue is a common symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD); however, a multidimensional scale that measures the impact of fatigue on functioning has yet to be validated in this population. The aim of this study was to examine the validity of the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), a self-report measure that assesses the effects of fatigue on physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning, in a sample of nondemented PD patients. PD patients (N = 100) completed the MFIS, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-X), and several additional measures of psychosocial, cognitive, and motor functioning. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and item analysis using Cronbach's alpha were conducted to determine structural validity and internal consistency of the MFIS. Correlational analyses were performed between the MFIS and the PANAS-X fatigue subscale to evaluate convergent validity and between the MFIS and measures of depression, anxiety, apathy, and disease-related symptoms to determine divergent validity. The PCA identified two viable MFIS subscales: a cognitive subscale and a combination of the original scale's physical and psychosocial subscales as one factor. Item analysis revealed high internal consistency of all 21 items and the items within the two subscales. The MFIS had strong convergent validity with the PANAS-X fatigue subscale and adequate divergent validity with measures of disease stage, motor function, and cognition. Overall, this study demonstrates that the MFIS is a valid multidimensional measure that can be used to evaluate the impact of fatigue on cognitive and physical/social functioning in PD patients without dementia. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Cultural adaptation and analysis of the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Spiritual Distress Scale.

PubMed

Simão, Talita Prado; Lopes Chaves, Erika de Cássia; Campos de Carvalho, Emília; Nogueira, Denismar Alves; Carvalho, Camila Csizmar; Ku, Ya-Li; Iunes, Denise Hollanda

2016-01-01

To culturally adapt and test the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Spiritual Distress Scale. In Brazil, there is currently a lack of validated instruments that assess the spiritual dimension, which includes the spiritual distress phenomenon that can be experienced at different moments in a person's life. This can include times when a person is affected by a disease such as cancer, which occurs suddenly and causes significant life changes. Methodological and cross-sectional study. Cultural adaptation of the Spiritual Distress Scale was performed using translation and back-translation stages, evaluation of cultural equivalence, committee review and pretesting. An interview using the Brazilian version of the scale was conducted with 170 patients in a cancer treatment unit of a charitable general hospital (not state funded). The following psychometric properties were evaluated: construct validity (divergence and factor analysis) and internal consistency/reliability (Cronbach's α and Kappa). Reliability analysis in the intra- and inter-rater phase showed that more than half of the items had Kappa values > 0·75. A correlation between the Spiritual Well-Being Scale and the Spiritual Distress Scale was found. Overall, the Spiritual Distress Scale showed a Cronbach's α of 0·87, with three of its four domains showing significant parameters. The Brazilian version of the Spiritual Distress Scale proved to be a reliable, valid and efficient instrument that is capable of assessing spiritual distress. The Brazilian Spiritual Distress Scale presented reliability and validity parameters that correspond to the original English version of the scale. The existence of an internationally validated instrument that assesses spiritual distress will assist healthcare professionals and researchers in recognising this phenomenon in clinical practice. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development and validation of the Female Sexual Function Index adaptation for breast cancer patients (FSFI-BC).

PubMed

Bartula, Iris; Sherman, Kerry A

2015-08-01

Sexual dysfunction following breast cancer treatment is common and screening for this is recommended. This study determined the reliability, validity, and acceptability of a breast cancer-specific adaptation of the Female Sexual Function Index, the FSFI-BC. This new measure addresses limitations in the FSFI when assessing sexual dysfunction of women with breast cancer regarding applicability to non-sexually active women, measuring distress and changes after cancer. Female breast cancer survivors (n = 596; 429 sexually active, 166 non-sexually active) completed an online survey including demographic/medical information, the FSFI-BC, and scales measuring sexual functioning, fatigue, body image, physical and mental health, and relationship adjustment (Time 1). Three weeks later, 326 women (245 sexually active; 81 non-sexually active) completed the Time 2 survey including the FSFI-BC, and questions regarding its acceptability and perceived change in sexual functioning. Reliability, construct validity, and acceptability were examined using standard scale validation techniques. Exploratory factor analysis delineated seven factors: Changes after cancer, desire/arousal, lubrication, orgasm, pain, satisfaction, and distress, accounting for 79.98 % (sexually active) and 77.19 % (non-active) variance in responses. Acceptable internal consistencies (non-active: α = 0.71-0.96; sexually active: α = 0.89-0.96) and test-retest reliabilities (non-active: r = 0.63-0.86; sexually active: r = 0.71-0.88) were evident. Inter-scale correlations provided evidence for convergent and divergent validities of the FSFI-BC. Both sexually active and non-active women provided positive feedback about the FSFI-BC. The optional partner questions demonstrated clinical utility. With desirable psychometric properties and acceptability to participants, the FSFI-BC is suitable for screening for sexual dysfunction in women with breast cancer.

Psychometric Evaluation of a Turkish Version of the Diabetes Fear of Self-injecting and Self-testing Questionnaire (D-FISQ).

PubMed

Celik, Selda; Pinar, Rukiye

2016-09-01

To examine the psychometric properties of a Turkish version of the Diabetes Fear of Injecting and Self-testing Questionnaire (D-FISQ). Forward-backward translation of the D-FISQ from English into Turkish was conducted. Original English and translated forms were examined by a panel group. Validity was investigated using content, confirmatory factor analysis, and divergent validity. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach α values, item-total correlations, and intraclass correlations. The sample comprised 350 patients with diabetes. Data were analyzed using SPSS 15.0 for Windows and LISREL 8. The content validity index for the panel members was .90, which indicated perfect content validity; items in D-FISQ were clear, concise, readable, and distinct. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the original construct of the D-FISQ. All items had factor loadings higher than the recommended level of .40. The D-FISQ scores were discriminated by the level of anxiety. Reliability results were also satisfactory. Cronbach α values were within ideal limits. Item-total correlation coefficient ranged from .72 to .86. In terms of test-retest reliability, intraclass correlation coefficient was found to be over .90. D-FISQ is a valid and reliable questionnaire in assessing needle-prick fear among Turkish patients with diabetes. We recommend performing the Turkish D-FISQ in determining and screening patients with diabetes who have fear related to self-insulin injection and finger-prick test. Thus, health care professionals should be aware of the potential consequences of injection fear such as insulin misuse and poor self-monitoring of blood glucose, which may have unfavorable effects on optimal diabetes management. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The european organization for research and treatment of cancer quality of life questionnaire-BR 23 breast cancer-specific quality of life questionnaire: psychometric properties in a Moroccan sample of breast cancer patients

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Quality of life (QOL) and its measurement in cancer patients is becoming increasingly important. Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment are often associated with psychological distress and reduced QoL. In Arabic-speaking countries, QoL of patients with cancer is inadequately studied. The aim of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Moroccan Arabic version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Breast Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-BR23). Methods After translation and cross-cultural adaptation, the questionnaire was tested on breast cancer patients. The participants’ number for the test and the retest were 105 and 37 respectively. Internal consistency was tested using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (α), the test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Construct validity was assessed by examining item-convergent and divergent validity. Results The questionnaire was administered to 105 patients. The mean age of patients was 48 years (SD: 16), 62.9% were married. 68.6% of all participants lived in urban area. The average time to complete the QLQ- BR23 was 15 min. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, were all >0.7, with the exception of breast symptoms and arm symptoms. All items exceeded the 0.4 criterion for convergent validity except item 20 and 23 related to pain and skin problems in the affected breast respectively. Conclusion In general, the findings of this study indicated that the Moroccan Arabic version of the EORTC QLQ-BR23 is a reliable and valid supplementary measure of the QOL in breast cancer patients and can be used in clinical trials and studies of outcome research in oncology. PMID:24447401

The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire-BR23 Breast Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire: psychometric properties in a Moroccan sample of breast cancer patients.

PubMed

El Fakir, Samira; Abda, Naima; Bendahhou, Karima; Zidouh, Ahmed; Bennani, Maria; Errihani, Hassan; Benider, Abdelatif; Bekkali, Rachid; Nejjari, Chakib

2014-01-21

Quality of life (QOL) and its measurement in cancer patients is becoming increasingly important. Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment are often associated with psychological distress and reduced QoL. In Arabic-speaking countries, QoL of patients with cancer is inadequately studied.The aim of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Moroccan Arabic version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Breast Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-BR23). After translation and cross-cultural adaptation, the questionnaire was tested on breast cancer patients. The participants' number for the test and the retest were 105 and 37 respectively. Internal consistency was tested using Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α), the test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Construct validity was assessed by examining item-convergent and divergent validity. The questionnaire was administered to 105 patients. The mean age of patients was 48 years (SD: 16), 62.9% were married. 68.6% of all participants lived in urban area.The average time to complete the QLQ- BR23 was 15 min. Cronbach's alpha coefficient, were all >0.7, with the exception of breast symptoms and arm symptoms. All items exceeded the 0.4 criterion for convergent validity except item 20 and 23 related to pain and skin problems in the affected breast respectively. In general, the findings of this study indicated that the Moroccan Arabic version of the EORTC QLQ-BR23 is a reliable and valid supplementary measure of the QOL in breast cancer patients and can be used in clinical trials and studies of outcome research in oncology.

The current conceptualization of negative symptoms in schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Marder, Stephen R.; Galderisi, Silvana

2017-01-01

Negative symptoms have long been conceptualized as a core aspect of schizophrenia. They play a key role in the functional outcome of the disorder, and their management represents a significant unmet need. Improvements in definition, characterization, assessment instruments and experimental models are needed in order to foster research aimed at developing effective interventions. A consensus has recently been reached on the following aspects: a) five constructs should be considered as negative symptoms, i.e. blunted affect, alogia, anhedonia, asociality and avolition; b) for each construct, symptoms due to identifiable factors, such as medication effects, psychotic symptoms or depression, should be distinguished from those regarded as primary; c) the five constructs cluster in two factors, one including blunted affect and alogia and the other consisting of anhedonia, avolition and asociality. In this paper, for each construct, we report the current definition; highlight differences among the main assessment instruments; illustrate quantitative measures, if available, and their relationship with the evaluations based on rating scales; and describe correlates as well as experimental models. We conclude that: a) the assessment of the negative symptom dimension has recently improved, but even current expert consensus‐based instruments diverge on several aspects; b) the use of objective measures might contribute to overcome uncertainties about the reliability of rating scales, but these measures require further investigation and validation; c) the boundaries with other illness components, in particular neurocognition and social cognition, are not well defined; and d) without further reducing the heterogeneity within the negative symptom dimension, attempts to develop successful interventions are likely to lead to great efforts paid back by small rewards. PMID:28127915

Reconsideration of systematic relationships within the order Euplotida (Protista, Ciliophora) using new sequences of the gene coding for small-subunit rRNA and testing the use of combined data sets to construct phylogenies of the Diophrys-complex.

PubMed

Yi, Zhenzhen; Song, Weibo; Clamp, John C; Chen, Zigui; Gao, Shan; Zhang, Qianqian

2009-03-01

Comprehensive molecular analyses of phylogenetic relationships within euplotid ciliates are relatively rare, and the relationships among some families remain questionable. We performed phylogenetic analyses of the order Euplotida based on new sequences of the gene coding for small-subunit RNA (SSrRNA) from a variety of taxa across the entire order as well as sequences from some of these taxa of other genes (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region and histone H4) that have not been included in previous analyses. Phylogenetic trees based on SSrRNA gene sequences constructed with four different methods had a consistent branching pattern that included the following features: (1) the "typical" euplotids comprised a paraphyletic assemblage composed of two divergent clades (family Uronychiidae and families Euplotidae-Certesiidae-Aspidiscidae-Gastrocirrhidae), (2) in the family Uronychiidae, the genera Uronychia and Paradiophrys formed a clearly outlined, well-supported clade that seemed to be rather divergent from Diophrys and Diophryopsis, suggesting that the Diophrys-complex may have had a longer and more separate evolutionary history than previously supposed, (3) inclusion of 12 new SSrRNA sequences in analyses of Euplotidae revealed two new clades of species within the family and cast additional doubt on the present classification of genera within the family, and (4) the intraspecific divergence among five species of Aspidisca was far greater than those of closely related genera. The ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 coding regions and partial histone H4 genes of six morphospecies in the Diophrys-complex were sequenced along with their SSrRNA genes and used to compare phylogenies constructed from single data sets to those constructed from combined sets. Results indicated that combined analyses could be used to construct more reliable, less ambiguous phylogenies of complex groups like the order Euplotida, because they provide a greater amount and diversity of information.

Discretely Self-Similar Solutions to the Navier-Stokes Equations with Besov Space Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradshaw, Zachary; Tsai, Tai-Peng

2018-07-01

We construct self-similar solutions to the three dimensional Navier-Stokes equations for divergence free, self-similar initial data that can be large in the critical Besov space \\dot{B}_{p,∞}^{3/p-1} where 3 < p < 6. We also construct discretely self-similar solutions for divergence free initial data in \\dot{B}_{p,∞}^{3/p-1} for 3 < p < 6 that is discretely self-similar for some scaling factor λ > 1. These results extend those of Bradshaw and Tsai (Ann Henri Poincaré 2016. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00023-016-0519-0) which dealt with initial data in L 3 w since {L^3_w\\subsetneq \\dot{B}_{p,∞}^{3/p-1}} for p > 3. We also provide several concrete examples of vector fields in the relevant function spaces.

Reliability and Validity of the Psychoeducational Profile-Third Edition Caregiver Report in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fu, Chung-Pei; Chen, Kuan-Lin; Tseng, Mei-Hui; Chiang, Fu-Mei; Hsieh, Ching-Lin

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the internal consistency, inter-respondent reliability, and convergent and divergent validity of the Psychoeducational Profile-third edition Caregiver Report (PEP3-CR) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). We examined the internal consistency on 66 mothers of children with ASD who completed the…

Phylogeny and dating of divergences within the genus Thymallus (Salmonidae: Thymallinae) using complete mitochondrial genomes.

PubMed

Ma, Bo; Jiang, Haiying; Sun, Peng; Chen, Jinping; Li, Linmiao; Zhang, Xiujuan; Yuan, Lihong

2016-09-01

The genus Thymallus has attracted increasing attention in recent years because of its sharp demographic decline. In this study, we reported four complete mitochondrial genomes in the Thymallus genus: Baikal-Lena grayling (T. arcticus baicalolenensis), lower Amur grayling (T. tugarinae), Yalu grayling (T. a. yaluensis), and Mongolian grayling (T. brevirostris). The total length of the four new grayling mtDNAs ranged from 16 658 to 16 663 bp, all of which contained 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and one control region. The results suggested that mitochondrial genomes could be a powerful marker for resolving the phylogeny within Thymallinae. Our study validated that the Yalu grayling should be a synonym of the Amur grayling (T. grubii) at the whole mitogenome level. The phylogenetic and dating analyses placed the Amur grayling at the deepest divergence node within Thymallus, diverging at ∼14.95 Ma. The lower Amur grayling diverged at the next deepest node (∼12.14 Ma). This was followed by T. thymallus, which diverged at ∼9.27 Ma. The Mongolian grayling and the ancestor of the sister species, T. arcticus and T. arcticus baicalolenensis, diverged at ∼7.79 Ma, with T. arcticus and T. arcticus baicalolenensis separating at ∼6.64 Ma. Our study provides far better resolution of the phylogenetic relationships and divergence dates of graylings than previous studies.

Thin slices of child personality: Perceptual, situational, and behavioral contributions.

PubMed

Tackett, Jennifer L; Herzhoff, Kathrin; Kushner, Shauna C; Rule, Nicholas

2016-01-01

The present study examined whether thin-slice ratings of child personality serve as a resource-efficient and theoretically valid measurement of child personality traits. We extended theoretical work on the observability, perceptual accuracy, and situational consistency of childhood personality traits by examining intersource and interjudge agreement, cross-situational consistency, and convergent, divergent, and predictive validity of thin-slice ratings. Forty-five unacquainted independent coders rated 326 children's (ages 8-12) personality in 1 of 15 thin-slice behavioral scenarios (i.e., 3 raters per slice, for over 14,000 independent thin-slice ratings). Mothers, fathers, and children rated children's personality, psychopathology, and competence. We found robust evidence for correlations between thin-slice and mother/father ratings of child personality, within- and across-task consistency of thin-slice ratings, and convergent and divergent validity with psychopathology and competence. Surprisingly, thin-slice ratings were more consistent across situations in this child sample than previously found for adults. Taken together, these results suggest that thin slices are a valid and reliable measure to assess child personality, offering a useful method of measurement beyond questionnaires, helping to address novel questions of personality perception and consistency in childhood. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Measuring Sexual Motives: A Test of the Psychometric Properties of the Sexual Motivations Scale.

PubMed

Jardin, Charles; Garey, Lorra; Zvolensky, Michael J

2017-01-01

Sexual motives refer to functions served by sexual behavior. The Sex Motivations Scale (SMS) has frequently been used to assess sexual motives. At its development, the SMS demonstrated good internal consistency; convergent, divergent, and criterion validity; and configural invariance across sex, age, and Caucasians and African Americans. Yet the metric and scalar invariance of the SMS has not been examined, nor has the measurement invariance of the SMS across Hispanic and Asian Americans, sexual minority status, and relationship status been tested. The criterion validity of the SMS also has yet to be examined for nonintercourse sexual behaviors, such as sexting. The present study aimed to address these gaps in a diverse sample of 2,201 college students (77.60% female; M age  = 22.06; 27.84% Caucasian). Results further affirmed the configural, metric, and scalar invariance of the SMS. The convergent and divergent validity of the SMS was supported in relation to positive and negative affect and attachment patterns; and specific SMS subscales demonstrated associations with sexual intercourse behaviors and sexting, supporting the criterion validity of the SMS. These findings suggest the relevance of the SMS in assessing sexual motives across diverse populations and behaviors.

Customized oligonucleotide microarray gene expression-based classification of neuroblastoma patients outperforms current clinical risk stratification.

PubMed

Oberthuer, André; Berthold, Frank; Warnat, Patrick; Hero, Barbara; Kahlert, Yvonne; Spitz, Rüdiger; Ernestus, Karen; König, Rainer; Haas, Stefan; Eils, Roland; Schwab, Manfred; Brors, Benedikt; Westermann, Frank; Fischer, Matthias

2006-11-01

To develop a gene expression-based classifier for neuroblastoma patients that reliably predicts courses of the disease. Two hundred fifty-one neuroblastoma specimens were analyzed using a customized oligonucleotide microarray comprising 10,163 probes for transcripts with differential expression in clinical subgroups of the disease. Subsequently, the prediction analysis for microarrays (PAM) was applied to a first set of patients with maximally divergent clinical courses (n = 77). The classification accuracy was estimated by a complete 10-times-repeated 10-fold cross validation, and a 144-gene predictor was constructed from this set. This classifier's predictive power was evaluated in an independent second set (n = 174) by comparing results of the gene expression-based classification with those of risk stratification systems of current trials from Germany, Japan, and the United States. The first set of patients was accurately predicted by PAM (cross-validated accuracy, 99%). Within the second set, the PAM classifier significantly separated cohorts with distinct courses (3-year event-free survival [EFS] 0.86 +/- 0.03 [favorable; n = 115] v 0.52 +/- 0.07 [unfavorable; n = 59] and 3-year overall survival 0.99 +/- 0.01 v 0.84 +/- 0.05; both P < .0001) and separated risk groups of current neuroblastoma trials into subgroups with divergent outcome (NB2004: low-risk 3-year EFS 0.86 +/- 0.04 v 0.25 +/- 0.15, P < .0001; intermediate-risk 1.00 v 0.57 +/- 0.19, P = .018; high-risk 0.81 +/- 0.10 v 0.56 +/- 0.08, P = .06). In a multivariate Cox regression model, the PAM predictor classified patients of the second set more accurately than risk stratification of current trials from Germany, Japan, and the United States (P < .001; hazard ratio, 4.756 [95% CI, 2.544 to 8.893]). Integration of gene expression-based class prediction of neuroblastoma patients may improve risk estimation of current neuroblastoma trials.

Divergence of Iron Metabolism in Wild Malaysian Yeast

PubMed Central

Lee, Hana N.; Mostovoy, Yulia; Hsu, Tiffany Y.; Chang, Amanda H.; Brem, Rachel B.

2013-01-01

Comparative genomic studies have reported widespread variation in levels of gene expression within and between species. Using these data to infer organism-level trait divergence has proven to be a key challenge in the field. We have used a wild Malaysian population of S. cerevisiae as a test bed in the search to predict and validate trait differences based on observations of regulatory variation. Malaysian yeast, when cultured in standard medium, activated regulatory programs that protect cells from the toxic effects of high iron. Malaysian yeast also showed a hyperactive regulatory response during culture in the presence of excess iron and had a unique growth defect in conditions of high iron. Molecular validation experiments pinpointed the iron metabolism factors AFT1, CCC1, and YAP5 as contributors to these molecular and cellular phenotypes; in genome-scale sequence analyses, a suite of iron toxicity response genes showed evidence for rapid protein evolution in Malaysian yeast. Our findings support a model in which iron metabolism has diverged in Malaysian yeast as a consequence of a change in selective pressure, with Malaysian alleles shifting the dynamic range of iron response to low-iron concentrations and weakening resistance to extreme iron toxicity. By dissecting the iron scarcity specialist behavior of Malaysian yeast, our work highlights the power of expression divergence as a signpost for biologically and evolutionarily relevant variation at the organismal level. Interpreting the phenotypic relevance of gene expression variation is one of the primary challenges of modern genomics. PMID:24142925

Divergence of iron metabolism in wild Malaysian yeast.

PubMed

Lee, Hana N; Mostovoy, Yulia; Hsu, Tiffany Y; Chang, Amanda H; Brem, Rachel B

2013-12-09

Comparative genomic studies have reported widespread variation in levels of gene expression within and between species. Using these data to infer organism-level trait divergence has proven to be a key challenge in the field. We have used a wild Malaysian population of S. cerevisiae as a test bed in the search to predict and validate trait differences based on observations of regulatory variation. Malaysian yeast, when cultured in standard medium, activated regulatory programs that protect cells from the toxic effects of high iron. Malaysian yeast also showed a hyperactive regulatory response during culture in the presence of excess iron and had a unique growth defect in conditions of high iron. Molecular validation experiments pinpointed the iron metabolism factors AFT1, CCC1, and YAP5 as contributors to these molecular and cellular phenotypes; in genome-scale sequence analyses, a suite of iron toxicity response genes showed evidence for rapid protein evolution in Malaysian yeast. Our findings support a model in which iron metabolism has diverged in Malaysian yeast as a consequence of a change in selective pressure, with Malaysian alleles shifting the dynamic range of iron response to low-iron concentrations and weakening resistance to extreme iron toxicity. By dissecting the iron scarcity specialist behavior of Malaysian yeast, our work highlights the power of expression divergence as a signpost for biologically and evolutionarily relevant variation at the organismal level. Interpreting the phenotypic relevance of gene expression variation is one of the primary challenges of modern genomics.

Theoretical study on second-harmonic generation of focused vortex beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Daolong; Wang, Jing; Ma, Jingui; Zhou, Bingjie; Yuan, Peng; Xie, Guoqiang; Zhu, Heyuan; Qian, Liejia

2018-03-01

Second-harmonic generation (SHG) provides a promising route for generating vortex beams of both short wavelength and large topological charge. Here we theoretically investigate the efficiency optimization and beam characteristics of focused vortex-beam SHG. Owing to the increasing beam divergence, vortex beams have distinct features in SHG optimization compared with a Gaussian beam. We show that, under the noncritical phase-matching condition, the Boyd and Kleinman prediction of the optimal focusing parameter for Gaussian-beam SHG remains valid for vortex-beam SHG. However, under the critical phase-matching condition, which is sensitive to the beam divergence, the Boyd and Kleinman prediction is no longer valid. In contrast, the optimal focusing parameter for maximizing the SHG efficiency strongly depends on the vortex order. We also investigate the effects of focusing and phase-matching conditions on the second-harmonic beam characteristics.

Field Validation of the Los Angeles Motor Scale as a Tool for Paramedic Assessment of Stroke Severity.

PubMed

Kim, Joon-Tae; Chung, Pil-Wook; Starkman, Sidney; Sanossian, Nerses; Stratton, Samuel J; Eckstein, Marc; Pratt, Frank D; Conwit, Robin; Liebeskind, David S; Sharma, Latisha; Restrepo, Lucas; Tenser, May-Kim; Valdes-Sueiras, Miguel; Gornbein, Jeffrey; Hamilton, Scott; Saver, Jeffrey L

2017-02-01

The Los Angeles Motor Scale (LAMS) is a 3-item, 0- to 10-point motor stroke-deficit scale developed for prehospital use. We assessed the convergent, divergent, and predictive validity of the LAMS when performed by paramedics in the field at multiple sites in a large and diverse geographic region. We analyzed early assessment and outcome data prospectively gathered in the FAST-MAG trial (Field Administration of Stroke Therapy-Magnesium phase 3) among patients with acute cerebrovascular disease (cerebral ischemia and intracranial hemorrhage) within 2 hours of onset, transported by 315 ambulances to 60 receiving hospitals. Among 1632 acute cerebrovascular disease patients (age 70±13 years, male 57.5%), time from onset to prehospital LAMS was median 30 minutes (interquartile range 20-50), onset to early postarrival (EPA) LAMS was 145 minutes (interquartile range 119-180), and onset to EPA National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was 150 minutes (interquartile range 120-180). Between the prehospital and EPA assessments, LAMS scores were stable in 40.5%, improved in 37.6%, and worsened in 21.9%. In tests of convergent validity, against the EPA National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, correlations were r=0.49 for the prehospital LAMS and r=0.89 for the EPA LAMS. Prehospital LAMS scores did diverge from the prehospital Glasgow Coma Scale, r=-0.22. Predictive accuracy (adjusted C statistics) for nondisabled 3-month outcome was as follows: prehospital LAMS, 0.76 (95% confidence interval 0.74-0.78); EPA LAMS, 0.85 (95% confidence interval 0.83-0.87); and EPA National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, 0.87 (95% confidence interval 0.85-0.88). In this multicenter, prospective, prehospital study, the LAMS showed good to excellent convergent, divergent, and predictive validity, further establishing it as a validated instrument to characterize stroke severity in the field. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Empirical validation of the Horowitz Multiple Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome Questionnaire for suspected Lyme disease.

PubMed

Citera, Maryalice; Freeman, Phyllis R; Horowitz, Richard I

2017-01-01

Lyme disease is spreading worldwide, with multiple Borrelia species causing a broad range of clinical symptoms that mimic other illnesses. A validated Lyme disease screening questionnaire would be clinically useful for both providers and patients. Three studies evaluated such a screening tool, namely the Horowitz Multiple Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome (MSIDS) Questionnaire. The purpose was to see if the questionnaire could accurately distinguish between Lyme patients and healthy individuals. Study 1 examined the construct validity of the scale examining its factor structure and reliability of the questionnaire among 537 individuals being treated for Lyme disease. Study 2 involved an online sample of 999 participants, who self-identified as either healthy (N=217) or suffering from Lyme now (N=782) who completed the Horowitz MSIDS Questionnaire (HMQ) along with an outdoor activity survey. We examined convergent validity among components of the scale and evaluated discriminant validity with the Big Five personality characteristics. The third study compared a sample of 236 patients with confirmed Lyme disease with an online sample of 568 healthy individuals. Factor analysis results identified six underlying latent dimensions; four of these overlapped with critical symptoms identified by Horowitz - neuropathy, cognitive dysfunction, musculoskeletal pain, and fatigue. The HMQ showed acceptable levels of internal reliability using Cronbach's coefficient alpha and exhibited evidence of convergent and divergent validity. Components of the HMQ correlated more highly with each other than with unrelated traits. The results consistently demonstrated that the HMQ accurately differentiated those with Lyme disease from healthy individuals. Three migratory pain survey items (persistent muscular pain, arthritic pain, and nerve pain/paresthesias) robustly identified individuals with verified Lyme disease. The results support the use of the HMQ as a valid, efficient, and low-cost screening tool for medical practitioners to decide if additional testing is warranted to distinguish between Lyme disease and other illnesses.

Empirical validation of the Horowitz Multiple Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome Questionnaire for suspected Lyme disease

PubMed Central

Citera, Maryalice; Freeman, Phyllis R; Horowitz, Richard I

2017-01-01

Purpose Lyme disease is spreading worldwide, with multiple Borrelia species causing a broad range of clinical symptoms that mimic other illnesses. A validated Lyme disease screening questionnaire would be clinically useful for both providers and patients. Three studies evaluated such a screening tool, namely the Horowitz Multiple Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome (MSIDS) Questionnaire. The purpose was to see if the questionnaire could accurately distinguish between Lyme patients and healthy individuals. Methods Study 1 examined the construct validity of the scale examining its factor structure and reliability of the questionnaire among 537 individuals being treated for Lyme disease. Study 2 involved an online sample of 999 participants, who self-identified as either healthy (N=217) or suffering from Lyme now (N=782) who completed the Horowitz MSIDS Questionnaire (HMQ) along with an outdoor activity survey. We examined convergent validity among components of the scale and evaluated discriminant validity with the Big Five personality characteristics. The third study compared a sample of 236 patients with confirmed Lyme disease with an online sample of 568 healthy individuals. Results Factor analysis results identified six underlying latent dimensions; four of these overlapped with critical symptoms identified by Horowitz – neuropathy, cognitive dysfunction, musculoskeletal pain, and fatigue. The HMQ showed acceptable levels of internal reliability using Cronbach’s coefficient alpha and exhibited evidence of convergent and divergent validity. Components of the HMQ correlated more highly with each other than with unrelated traits. Discussion The results consistently demonstrated that the HMQ accurately differentiated those with Lyme disease from healthy individuals. Three migratory pain survey items (persistent muscular pain, arthritic pain, and nerve pain/paresthesias) robustly identified individuals with verified Lyme disease. The results support the use of the HMQ as a valid, efficient, and low-cost screening tool for medical practitioners to decide if additional testing is warranted to distinguish between Lyme disease and other illnesses. PMID:28919803

Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric testing of the Quality of Dying and Death Questionnaire for the Spanish population.

PubMed

Gutiérrez Sánchez, Daniel; Cuesta-Vargas, Antonio I

2018-04-01

Many measurements have been developed to assess the quality of death (QoD). Among these, the Quality of Dying and Death Questionnaire (QODD) is the most widely studied and best validated. Informal carers and health professionals who care for the patient during their last days of life can complete this assessment tool. The aim of the study is to carry out a cross-cultural adaptation and a psychometric analysis of the QODD for the Spanish population. The translation was performed using a double forward and backward method. An expert panel evaluated the content validity. The questionnaire was tested in a sample of 72 Spanish-speaking adult carers of deceased cancer patients. A psychometric analysis was performed to evaluate internal consistency, divergent criterion-related validity with the Mini-Suffering State Examination (MSSE) and concurrent criterion-related validity with the Palliative Outcome Scale (POS). Some items were deleted and modified to create the Spanish version of the QODD (QODD-ESP-26). The instrument was readable and acceptable. The content validity index was 0.96, suggesting that all items are relevant for the measure of the QoD. This questionnaire showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's α coefficient = 0.88). Divergent validity with MSSE (r = -0.64) and convergent validity with POS (r = -0.61) were also demonstrated. The QODD-ESP-26 is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of the QoD of deceased cancer patients that can be used in a clinical and research setting. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of the FFM PD count technique for screening personality pathology in later middle-aged and older adults.

PubMed

Van den Broeck, Joke; Rossi, Gina; De Clercq, Barbara; Dierckx, Eva; Bastiaansen, Leen

2013-01-01

Research on the applicability of the five factor model (FFM) to capture personality pathology coincided with the development of a FFM personality disorder (PD) count technique, which has been validated in adolescent, young, and middle-aged samples. This study extends the literature by validating this technique in an older sample. Five alternative FFM PD counts based upon the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) are computed and evaluated in terms of both convergent and divergent validity with the Assessment of DSM-IV Personality Disorders Questionnaire (shortly ADP-IV; DSM-IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth edition). For the best working count for each PD normative data are presented, from which cut-off scores are derived. The validity of these cut-offs and their usefulness as a screening tool is tested against both a categorical (i.e., the DSM-IV - Text Revision), and a dimensional (i.e., the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology; DAPP) measure of personality pathology. All but the Antisocial and Obsessive-Compulsive counts exhibited adequate convergent and divergent validity, supporting the use of this method in older adults. Using the ADP-IV and the DAPP - Short Form as validation criteria, results corroborate the use of the FFM PD count technique to screen for PDs in older adults, in particular for the Paranoid, Borderline, Histrionic, Avoidant, and Dependent PDs. Given the age-neutrality of the NEO PI-R and the considerable lack of valid personality assessment tools, current findings appear to be promising for the assessment of pathology in older adults.

An application of belief-importance theory in the domain of academic achievement.

PubMed

Petrides, K V; Frederickson, Norah

2011-03-01

BACKGROUND. Belief-importance (belimp; Petrides, 2010a,b) theory posits that personality traits confer on the individual a propensity to perceive convergences and divergences between their belief that they can attain goals and the importance that they place on these goals. The theory suggests that these convergences and divergences have important implications for affect, motivation, and action. AIMS. To test belimp theory using performance-based criteria relating to academic achievement and constructs from the personality domain. SAMPLES. Two hundred and forty-two students, of whom 121 were male and 117 were female (4 unreported). They were approximately 18 years old at the time of testing. METHODS. Data were collected on the belief and importance of academic achievement, the Giant Three personality dimensions, and trait emotional intelligence (trait EI). Academic achievement was operationalized via Key Stage 3 and A-level assessment results. RESULTS. Four hypotheses concerning academic achievement were tested and confirmed, with the Motivation quadrant scoring higher than the other three belimp quadrants (Hubris, Depression, and Apathy). Four hypotheses concerning personality were tested, of which two were confirmed, with the Hubris quadrant scoring highest on psychoticism and the Depression quadrant scoring highest on neuroticism. Four hierarchical regressions demonstrated the incremental validity of the belief and importance belimp coordinates over the Giant Three personality dimensions in the prediction of academic achievement. CONCLUSIONS. The results are encouraging for belimp theory and complement similarly supportive findings in Petrides (2010b,c). ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Construct Validity and Scoring Methods of the World Health Organization: Health and Work Performance Questionnaire Among Workers With Arthritis and Rheumatological Conditions.

PubMed

AlHeresh, Rawan; LaValley, Michael P; Coster, Wendy; Keysor, Julie J

2017-06-01

To evaluate construct validity and scoring methods of the world health organization-health and work performance questionnaire (HPQ) for people with arthritis. Construct validity was examined through hypothesis testing using the recommended guidelines of the consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments (COSMIN). The HPQ using the absolute scoring method showed moderate construct validity as four of the seven hypotheses were met. The HPQ using the relative scoring method had weak construct validity as only one of the seven hypotheses were met. The absolute scoring method for the HPQ is superior in construct validity to the relative scoring method in assessing work performance among people with arthritis and related rheumatic conditions; however, more research is needed to further explore other psychometric properties of the HPQ.

The Convergent and Divergent Validity of the Matson Evaluation of Drug Side-Effects (MEDS) and the Dyskinesia Identification System: Condensed User Scale (DISCUS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny L.; Fodstad, Jill C.; Rivet, Tessa T.

2008-01-01

Background: Medication side-effects such as tardive dyskinesia (TD) are known to occur in individuals with a history of psychotropic drug use. This study aimed to contribute to the development of measures for assessing TD by examining the validity of the "Matson Evaluation of Drug Side-effects" (MEDS) with the "Dyskinesia…

Quantification of construction waste prevented by BIM-based design validation: Case studies in South Korea.

PubMed

Won, Jongsung; Cheng, Jack C P; Lee, Ghang

2016-03-01

Waste generated in construction and demolition processes comprised around 50% of the solid waste in South Korea in 2013. Many cases show that design validation based on building information modeling (BIM) is an effective means to reduce the amount of construction waste since construction waste is mainly generated due to improper design and unexpected changes in the design and construction phases. However, the amount of construction waste that could be avoided by adopting BIM-based design validation has been unknown. This paper aims to estimate the amount of construction waste prevented by a BIM-based design validation process based on the amount of construction waste that might be generated due to design errors. Two project cases in South Korea were studied in this paper, with 381 and 136 design errors detected, respectively during the BIM-based design validation. Each design error was categorized according to its cause and the likelihood of detection before construction. The case studies show that BIM-based design validation could prevent 4.3-15.2% of construction waste that might have been generated without using BIM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability and Validity of the Turkish Version of the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale.

PubMed

Turan, Nuray; Aşt, Türkinaz Atabek; Kaya, Nurten

The purpose of this methodological study is to investigate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS). The scale was adapted to the Turkish language via backward translation. Content validity was examined by referring to experts. Reliability was examined via test-retest reliability and internal consistency, and validity was examined with divergent and convergent validity. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MCSDS) were used for divergent validity. As for convergent validity, the Constipation Severity Instrument (CSI) and the Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life Scale (PAC-QOLQ) were utilized. The relationship between the GSRS and the health-related quality of life (36-item short-form health survey [SF-36]) was also analyzed. The study population consisted of patients in orthopedic clinic who volunteered to participate. Test-retest reliability was examined with the participation of 30 patients; internal consistency and validity were examined with 150 patients. Test-retest reliability correlation coefficients of the GSRS varied from 0.39 to 0.87 for all items. For internal consistency, the GSRS's item total correlation was found to be 0.17-0.67, and Cronbach α was 0.82 for all items. There was a positive linear significant correlation between the GSRS, CSI, and PAC-QOLQ. There was no significant correlation between the GSRS, MCSDS, and ESS. Higher GSRS scores inversely correlated with general quality of life (SF-36). The Turkish version of the GSRS has been found to be a reliable and valid instrument for assessing patients' gastrointestinal symptoms. Therefore, this instrument can be confidently used with Turkish individuals.

Extracting built-up areas from TerraSAR-X data using object-oriented classification method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, SuYun; Sun, Z. C.

2017-02-01

Based on single-polarized TerraSAR-X, the approach generates homogeneous segments on an arbitrary number of scale levels by applying a region-growing algorithm which takes the intensity of backscatter and shape-related properties into account. The object-oriented procedure consists of three main steps: firstly, the analysis of the local speckle behavior in the SAR intensity data, leading to the generation of a texture image; secondly, a segmentation based on the intensity image; thirdly, the classification of each segment using the derived texture file and intensity information in order to identify and extract build-up areas. In our research, the distribution of BAs in Dongying City is derived from single-polarized TSX SM image (acquired on 17th June 2013) with average ground resolution of 3m using our proposed approach. By cross-validating the random selected validation points with geo-referenced field sites, Quick Bird high-resolution imagery, confusion matrices with statistical indicators are calculated and used for assessing the classification results. The results demonstrate that an overall accuracy 92.89 and a kappa coefficient of 0.85 could be achieved. We have shown that connect texture information with the analysis of the local speckle divergence, combining texture and intensity of construction extraction is feasible, efficient and rapid.

The Mental Health Continuum–Short Form (MHC–SF) in the Argentinean Context: Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Measurement Invariance

PubMed Central

Lupano Perugini, María Laura; de la Iglesia, Guadalupe; Castro Solano, Alejandro; Keyes, Corey Lee M.

2017-01-01

The present research aimed at studying the psychometric properties of the Mental Health Continuum–Short Form (MHC–SF; Keyes, 2005) in a sample of 1,300 Argentinean adults (50% males; 50% females). Their mean age was 40.28 years old (SD = 13.59). The MHC–SF is a 14 item test that assesses three components (i.e., emotional, social, and psychological) of well-being. Convergent and divergent evidence of construct validity was assessed by conducting confirmatory factor analysis, cross-validation, factorial invariance, and correlations with external criteria. Internal consistency was studied using Cronbach’s alphas. Results indicated an adequate fit of a three-dimensional model. This structure was also confirmed, and was invariant throughout sex and age. The emotional well-being scores converged with life satisfaction and positive affect measures; the psychological well-being scale had a positive association with the presence of meaning in life; and the social well-being scores showed a positive and strong correlation with an external measure of well-being. Also, all scores were negatively associated with negative affect, search of meaning in life, and presence of depression symptoms. Internal consistency was .89 for the MHC–SF. Furthermore, the findings supported the two - continua model of mental health. PMID:28344677

The Modified Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale: A Valid and Reliable Instrument for Use with Children.

PubMed

Carey, Emma; Hill, Francesca; Devine, Amy; Szűcs, Dénes

2017-01-01

Mathematics anxiety (MA) can be observed in children from primary school age into the teenage years and adulthood, but many MA rating scales are only suitable for use with adults or older adolescents. We have adapted one such rating scale, the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS), to be used with British children aged 8-13. In this study, we assess the scale's reliability, factor structure, and divergent validity. The modified AMAS (mAMAS) was administered to a very large ( n = 1746) cohort of British children and adolescents. This large sample size meant that as well as conducting confirmatory factor analysis on the scale itself, we were also able to split the sample to conduct exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of items from the mAMAS alongside items from child test anxiety and general anxiety rating scales. Factor analysis of the mAMAS confirmed that it has the same underlying factor structure as the original AMAS, with subscales measuring anxiety about Learning and Evaluation in math. Furthermore, both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the mAMAS alongside scales measuring test anxiety and general anxiety showed that mAMAS items cluster onto one factor (perceived to represent MA). The mAMAS provides a valid and reliable scale for measuring MA in children and adolescents, from a younger age than is possible with the original AMAS. Results from this study also suggest that MA is truly a unique construct, separate from both test anxiety and general anxiety, even in childhood.

Vector splines on the sphere with application to the estimation of vorticity and divergence from discrete, noisy data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wahba, G.

1982-01-01

Vector smoothing splines on the sphere are defined. Theoretical properties are briefly alluded to. The appropriate Hilbert space norms used in a specific meteorological application are described and justified via a duality theorem. Numerical procedures for computing the splines as well as the cross validation estimate of two smoothing parameters are given. A Monte Carlo study is described which suggests the accuracy with which upper air vorticity and divergence can be estimated using measured wind vectors from the North American radiosonde network.

Divergence correction schemes in finite difference method for 3D tensor CSAMT in axial anisotropic media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Kunpeng; Tan, Handong; Zhang, Zhiyong; Li, Zhiqiang; Cao, Meng

2017-05-01

Resistivity anisotropy and full-tensor controlled-source audio-frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT) have gradually become hot research topics. However, much of the current anisotropy research for tensor CSAMT only focuses on the one-dimensional (1D) solution. As the subsurface is rarely 1D, it is necessary to study three-dimensional (3D) model response. The staggered-grid finite difference method is an effective simulation method for 3D electromagnetic forward modelling. Previous studies have suggested using the divergence correction to constrain the iterative process when using a staggered-grid finite difference model so as to accelerate the 3D forward speed and enhance the computational accuracy. However, the traditional divergence correction method was developed assuming an isotropic medium. This paper improves the traditional isotropic divergence correction method and derivation process to meet the tensor CSAMT requirements for anisotropy using the volume integral of the divergence equation. This method is more intuitive, enabling a simple derivation of a discrete equation and then calculation of coefficients related to the anisotropic divergence correction equation. We validate the result of our 3D computational results by comparing them to the results computed using an anisotropic, controlled-source 2.5D program. The 3D resistivity anisotropy model allows us to evaluate the consequences of using the divergence correction at different frequencies and for two orthogonal finite length sources. Our results show that the divergence correction plays an important role in 3D tensor CSAMT resistivity anisotropy research and offers a solid foundation for inversion of CSAMT data collected over an anisotropic body.

Robust boundary treatment for open-channel flows in divergence-free incompressible SPH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pahar, Gourabananda; Dhar, Anirban

2017-03-01

A robust Incompressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (ISPH) framework is developed to simulate specified inflow and outflow boundary conditions for open-channel flow. Being purely divergence-free, the framework offers smoothed and structured pressure distribution. An implicit treatment of Pressure Poison Equation and Dirichlet boundary condition is applied on free-surface to minimize error in velocity-divergence. Beyond inflow and outflow threshold, multiple layers of dummy particles are created according to specified boundary condition. Inflow boundary acts as a soluble wave-maker. Fluid particles beyond outflow threshold are removed and replaced with dummy particles with specified boundary velocity. The framework is validated against different cases of open channel flow with different boundary conditions. The model can efficiently capture flow evolution and vortex generation for random geometry and variable boundary conditions.

A Prescriptive, Intergenerational-Tension Ageism Scale: Succession, Identity, and Consumption (SIC)

PubMed Central

North, Michael S.; Fiske, Susan T.

2014-01-01

We introduce a novel ageism scale, focusing on prescriptive beliefs concerning potential intergenerational tensions: active, envied resource Succession, symbolic Identity avoidance, and passive, shared-resource Consumption (SIC). Four studies (2,010 total participants) developed the scale. EFA formed an initial 20-item, three-factor solution (Study 1). The scale converges appropriately with other prejudice measures and diverges from other social control measures (Study 2). It diverges from anti-youth ageism (Study 3). Study 4’s experiment yielded both predictive and divergent validity apropos another ageism measure. Structural equation modeling confirmed model fit across all studies. Per an intergenerational-tension focus, younger people consistently scored the highest. As generational equity issues intensify, the scale provides a contemporary tool for current and future ageism research. PMID:23544391

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.

Topics in Nonsupersymmetric Scattering Amplitudes in Gauge and Gravity Theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nohle, Joshua David

In Chapters 1 and 2, we introduce and review the duality between color and kinematics in Yang-Mills theory uncovered by Bern, Carrasco and Johansson (BCJ). In Chapter 3, we provide evidence in favor of the conjectured duality between color and kinematics for the case of nonsupersymmetric pure Yang-Mills amplitudes by constructing a form of the one-loop four-point amplitude of this theory that makes the duality manifest. Our construction is valid in any dimension. We also describe a duality-satisfying representation for the two-loop four-point amplitude with identical four-dimensional external helicities. We use these results to obtain corresponding gravity integrands for a theory containing a graviton, dilaton, and antisymmetric tensor, simply by replacing color factors with specified diagram numerators. Using this, we give explicit forms of ultraviolet divergences at one loop in four, six, and eight dimensions, and at two loops in four dimensions. In Chapter 4, we extend the four-point one-loop nonsupersymmetric pure Yang-Mills discussion of Chapter 3 to include fermions and scalars circulating in the loop with all external gluons. This gives another nontrivial loop-level example showing that the duality between color and kinematics holds in nonsupersymmetric gauge theory. The construction is valid in any spacetime dimension and written in terms of formal polarization vectors. We also convert these expressions into a four-dimensional form with explicit external helicity states. Using this, we compare our results to one-loop duality-satisfying amplitudes that are already present in literature. In Chapter 5, we switch from the topic of color-kinematics duality to discuss the recently renewed interest in the soft behavior of gravitons and gluons. Specifically, we discuss the subleading low-energy behavior. Cachazo and Strominger recently proposed an extension of the soft-graviton theorem found by Weinberg. In addition, they proved the validity of their extension at tree level. This was motivated by a Virasoro symmetry of the gravity S-matrix related to BMS symmetry. As shown long ago by Weinberg, the leading soft behavior is not corrected by loops. In contrast, we show in Chapter 6 that with the standard definition of soft limits in dimensional regularization, the subleading behavior is anomalous and modified by loop effects. We argue that there are no new types of corrections to the first subleading behavior beyond one loop and to the second subleading behavior beyond two loops. To facilitate our investigation, we introduce a new momentum-conservation prescription for defining the subleading terms of the soft limit. We discuss the loop-level subleading soft behavior of gauge-theory amplitudes before turning to gravity amplitudes. In Chapter 7, we show that at tree level, on-shell gauge invariance can be used to fully determine the first subleading soft-gluon behavior and the first two subleading soft-graviton behaviors. Our proofs of the behaviors for n-gluon and n-graviton tree amplitudes are valid in D dimensions and are similar to Low's proof of universality of the first subleading behavior of photons. In contrast to photons coupling to massive particles, in four dimensions the soft behaviors of gluons and gravitons are corrected by loop effects. We comment on how such corrections arise from this perspective. We also show that loop corrections in graviton amplitudes arising from scalar loops appear only at the second soft subleading order. This case is particularly transparent because it is not entangled with graviton infrared singularities. Our result suggests that if we set aside the issue of infrared singularities, soft-graviton Ward identities of extended BMS symmetry are not anomalous through the first subleading order. Finally, in Chapter 8, we conclude this dissertation with a discussion of the evanescent effects on nonsupersymmetric gravity at two loops. Evanescent operators such as the Gauss- Bonnet term have vanishing perturbative matrix elements in exactly D = 4 dimensions. Similarly, evanescent fields do not propagate in D = 4; a three-form field is in this class, since it is dual to a cosmological-constant contribution. In this chapter, we show that evanescent operators and fields modify the leading ultraviolet divergence in pure gravity. To analyze the divergence, we compute the two-loop identical-helicity four-graviton amplitude and determine the coefficient of the associated (non-evanescent) R3 counterterm studied long ago by Goroff and Sagnotti. We compare two pairs of theories that are dual in D = 4: gravity coupled to nothing or to three-form matter, and gravity coupled to zero-form or to two-form matter. Duff and van Nieuwenhuizen showed that, curiously, the one-loop conformal anomaly---the coefficient of the Gauss-Bonnet operator---changes under p-form duality transformations. We concur, and also find that the leading R3 divergence changes under duality transformations. Nevertheless, in both cases the physical renormalized two-loop identical-helicity four-graviton amplitude can be chosen to respect duality. Its renormalization-scale dependence is unaltered. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

Toward a periodic table of personality: Mapping personality scales between the five-factor model and the circumplex model.

PubMed

Woods, Stephen A; Anderson, Neil R

2016-04-01

In this study, we examine the structures of 10 personality inventories (PIs) widely used for personnel assessment by mapping the scales of PIs to the lexical Big Five circumplex model resulting in a Periodic Table of Personality. Correlations between 273 scales from 10 internationally popular PIs with independent markers of the lexical Big Five are reported, based on data from samples in 2 countries (United Kingdom, N = 286; United States, N = 1,046), permitting us to map these scales onto the Abridged Big Five Dimensional Circumplex model (Hofstee, de Raad, & Goldberg, 1992). Emerging from our findings we propose a common facet framework derived from the scales of the PIs in our study. These results provide important insights into the literature on criterion-related validity of personality traits, and enable researchers and practitioners to understand how different PI scales converge and diverge and how compound PI scales may be constructed or replicated. Implications for research and practice are considered. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

A Comparison of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Scales

PubMed Central

Samuel, Douglas B.; Widiger, Thomas A.

2010-01-01

The current study utilized a large undergraduate sample (n = 536), oversampled for DSM-IV-TR obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) pathology, to compare eight self-report measures of OCPD. No prior study has compared more than three measures and the results indicated that the scales had only moderate convergent validity. We also went beyond the existing literature to compare these scales to two external reference points: Their relationships with a well established measure of the five-factor model of personality (FFM) and clinicians' ratings of their coverage of the DSM-IV-TR criterion set. When the FFM was used as a point of comparison the results suggested important differences among the measures with respect to their divergent representation of conscientiousness, neuroticism, and agreeableness. Additionally, an analysis of the construct coverage indicated that the measures also varied in terms of their representation of particular diagnostic criteria. For example, while some scales contained items distributed across the diagnostic criteria, others were concentrated more heavily on particular features of the DSM-IV-TR disorder. PMID:20408023

Individualism and collectivism: cultural orientation in locus of control and moral attribution under conditions of social change.

PubMed

Santiago, Jose H; Tarantino, Santo J

2002-12-01

This study examined the validity of the view that the constructs of individualism and collectivism are coherent cultural manifestations necessarily reflected in an individual's attribution patterns. It was hypothesized that the attribution patterns of locus of control and moral accountability would show divergent individualistic and collectivistic influences in a culture during change from a collectivist culture to an individualist culture. 98 university students from the United States and Puerto Rico were administered the Singelis Individualism-Collectivism Scale, Rotter's Locus of Control Scale, and Miller and Luthar's justice-related moral accountability vignettes. Contrary to expectation, the Puerto Rican sample scored less external in locus of control than the United States sample. No cultural differences in moral accountability were found. No strong correlations were found among the variables at the individual level of analysis. Accounting for these results included the lack of representativeness of the samples, the independence of relation between variables at different levels of analysis, and social change.

Health as Submission and Social Responsibilities: Embodied Experiences of Javanese Women With Type II Diabetes.

PubMed

Pitaloka, Dyah; Hsieh, Elaine

2015-08-01

By examining women's experiences with type II diabetes, we explore how illness can provide resources to construct meanings of everyday life in Javanese culture. We conducted in-depth interviews with 30 female participants in Central Java, Indonesia, and adopted grounded theory for data analysis. We identified four themes that diabetes serves as resources for women in Indonesia to (a) normalize suffering, (b) resist social control, (c) accept fate, and (d) validate faith. We concluded by noting three unique aspects of Javanese women's illness management. First, through the performance of submission, our participants demonstrated spirituality and religiosity as essential elements of health. Second, diabetes empowers individuals in everyday suffering through two divergent processes: embracing submission and resisting control. Finally, diabetes provides opportunities for individuals within a social network to (re)negotiate social responsibilities. In summary, diabetes provides unique resources to empower our participants to obtain voices that they otherwise would not have had. © The Author(s) 2015.

Antisocial personality disorder in DSM-5: missteps and missed opportunities.

PubMed

Lynam, Donald R; Vachon, David D

2012-10-01

This paper evaluates the proposal for antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-fifth edition (DSM-5). Some aspects of the proposal are appealing: personality disorders will be assessed using trait criteria, and these criteria are similar to trait descriptions of DSM-IV ASPD. Other aspects of the proposal are less appealing. First, the DSM-5 will depend on a newly constructed personality trait system rather than relying on a well validated, widely studied one. Second, the trait profile of ASPD is incomplete; although this profile reflects the traits included in DSM-IV, it maps poorly onto the full personality profile of ASPD. Third, the DSM Workgroup missed an opportunity to finally unify ASPD and psychopathy; history and research suggest that these disorders have diverged mistakenly. Fourth, the newly proposed criteria of impairments in self- and interpersonal functioning are of questionable derivation and utility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

The NASA Langley Isolator Dynamics Research Lab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middleton, Troy F.; Balla, Robert J.; Baurle, Robert A.; Humphreys, William M.; Wilson, Lloyd G.

2010-01-01

The Isolator Dynamics Research Lab (IDRL) is under construction at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. A unique test apparatus is being fabricated to support both wall and in-stream measurements for investigating the internal flow of a dual-mode scramjet isolator model. The test section is 24 inches long with a 1-inch by 2-inch cross sectional area and is supplied with unheated, dry air through a Mach 2.5 converging-diverging nozzle. The test section is being fabricated with two sets (glass and metallic) of interchangeable sidewalls to support flow visualization and laser-based measurement techniques as well as static pressure, wall temperature, and high frequency pressure measurements. During 2010, a CFD code validation experiment will be conducted in the lab in support of NASA s Fundamental Aerodynamics Program. This paper describes the mechanical design of the Isolator Dynamics Research Lab test apparatus and presents a summary of the measurement techniques planned for investigating the internal flow field of a scramjet isolator model.

Initial Psychometric Validation of the Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Scar Cognition Scale.

PubMed

Burke, Taylor A; Olino, Thomas M; Alloy, Lauren B

2017-09-01

Given the growing literature on the detrimental psychological consequences of NSSI, it is surprising that scarce research has focused on the permanent physical consequences of NSSI, scarring to one's tissue (Burke et al. 2015; Lewis 2016). Indeed, with recent research suggesting that upwards of half of those with a history of NSSI bear scarring as a result of the behavior (Burke et al. 2016), the psychological implications of scarring are important to understand. Given preliminary literature suggesting that the vast majority of individuals who bear NSSI scars ascribe a great deal of meaning to their scarring, and that this meaning varies widely, a psychometrically sound scale is needed to comprehensively and systematically assess NSSI scar-related cognitions. The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Scar Cognition Scale (NSSI-SCS). A sample of 110 undergraduates with at least one scar from NSSI completed the NSSI-SCS as well as measures of concurrent and divergent validity. Exploratory Factor Analysis was conducted to determine the factor structure of the NSSI-SCS. Results indicated that a five-factor solution offered the best fit for the data. Psychometric analyses support the validity of the NSSI-SCS given evidence of concurrent validity, divergent validity, and reliability. Future research should examine the test-retest reliability of the NSSI-SCS, as well as its sensitivity to change, particularly in the context of treatment research.

Validation of Multilevel Constructs: Validation Methods and Empirical Findings for the EDI

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forer, Barry; Zumbo, Bruno D.

2011-01-01

The purposes of this paper are to highlight the foundations of multilevel construct validation, describe two methodological approaches and associated analytic techniques, and then apply these approaches and techniques to the multilevel construct validation of a widely-used school readiness measure called the Early Development Instrument (EDI;…

Adaptation of the QoL-AGHDA scale for adults with growth hormone deficiency in four Slavic languages.

PubMed

McKenna, Stephen P; Wilburn, Jeanette; Twiss, James; Crawford, Sigrid R; Hána, Václav; Karbownik-Lewinska, Malgorzata; Popovic, Vera; Pura, Mikulas; Koltowska-Häggström, Maria

2011-08-02

The Quality of Life in Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency Assessment (QoL-AGHDA) is a disease-specific quality of life measure specific to individuals who are growth hormone deficient. The present study describes the adaptation of the QoL-AGHDA for use in the following four Slavic languages; Czech, Polish, Serbian and Slovakian. The study involved three stages in each language; translation, cognitive debriefing and validation. The validation stage assessed internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), reproducibility (test-retest reliability using Spearman's rank correlations), convergent and divergent validity (Correlations with the NHP) and known group validity. The QoL-AGHDA was successfully translated into the target languages with minimal problems. Cognitive debriefing interviewees (n = 15-18) found the measures easy to complete and identified few problems with the content. Internal consistency (Czech Republic = 0.91, Poland = 0.91, Serbia = 0.91 and Slovakia = 0.89) and reproducibility (Czech Republic = 0.91, Poland = 0.91, Serbia = 0.88 and Slovakia = 0.93) were good in all adaptations. Convergent and divergent validity and known group validity data were not available for Slovakia. The QoL-AGHDA correlated as expected with the NHP scales most relevant to GHD. The QoL-AGHDA was able to distinguish between participants based on a range of variables. The QoL-AGHDA was successfully adapted for use in the Czech Republic, Poland, Serbia and Slovakia. Further validation of the Slovakian version would be beneficial. The addition of these new language versions will prove valuable to multinational clinical trials and to clinical practice in the respective countries.

Constructive tensorial group field theory II: the {U(1)-T^4_4} model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lahoche, Vincent

2018-05-01

In this paper, we continue our program of non-pertubative constructions of tensorial group field theories (TGFT). We prove analyticity and Borel summability in a suitable domain of the coupling constant of the simplest super-renormalizable TGFT which contains some ultraviolet divergencies, namely the color-symmetric quartic melonic rank-four model with Abelian gauge invariance, nicknamed . We use a multiscale loop vertex expansion. It is an extension of the loop vertex expansion (the basic constructive technique for non-local theories) which is required for theories that involve non-trivial renormalization.

Psychometric properties of the 30-m walking test in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy: results from two prospective multicenter cohort studies.

PubMed

Bohm, Parker E; Fehlings, Michael G; Kopjar, Branko; Tetreault, Lindsay A; Vaccaro, Alexander R; Anderson, Karen K; Arnold, Paul M

2017-02-01

The timed 30-m walking test (30MWT) is used in clinical practice and in research to objectively quantify gait impairment. The psychometric properties of 30MWT have not yet been rigorously evaluated. This study aimed to determine test-retest reliability, divergent and convergent validity, and responsiveness to change of the 30MWT in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). A retrospective observational study was carried out. The sample consisted of patients with symptomatic DCM enrolled in the AOSpine North America or AOSpine International cervical spondylotic myelopathy studies at 26 sites. Modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association scale (mJOA), Nurick scale, 30MWT, Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Short-Form-36 (SF-36v2) physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS) were the outcome measures. Data from two prospective multicenter cohort myelopathy studies were merged. Each patient was evaluated at baseline and 6 months postoperatively. Of 757 total patients, 682 (90.09%) attempted to perform the 30MWT at baseline. Of these 682 patients, 602 (88.12%) performed the 30MWT at baseline. One patient was excluded, leaving601 in the analysis. At baseline, 81 of 682 (11.88%) patients were unable to perform the test, and their mJOA, NDI, and SF-36v2 PCS scores were lower compared with those who performed the test at baseline. In patients who performed the 30MWT at baseline, there was very high correlation among the three baseline 30MWT measurements (r=0.9569-0.9919). The 30MWT demonstrated good convergent and divergent validity. It was moderately correlated with the Nurick (r=0.4932), mJOA (r=-0.4424), and SF-36v2 PCS (r=-0.3537) (convergent validity) and poorly correlated with the NDI (r=0.2107) and SF-36v2 MCS (r=-0.1984) (divergent validity). Overall, the 30MWT was not responsive to change (standardized response mean [SRM]=0.30). However, for patients who had a baseline time above the median value of 29 seconds, the SRM was 0.45. The 30MWT shows high test-retest reliability and good divergent and convergent validity. It is responsive to change only in patients with more severe myelopathy. The 30MWT is a simple, quick, and affordable test, and should be used as an ancillary test to evaluate gait parameters in patients with DCM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Item-Pair Presentation and Construct Validity of the Navy Computer Adaptive Personality Scales (NCAPS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

Investigation of Item-Pair Presentation and Construct Validity of the Navy Computer Adaptive Personality Scales ( NCAPS ) Christina M. Underhill, Ph.D...Construct Validity of the Navy Computer Adaptive Personality Scales ( NCAPS ) Christina M. Underhill, Ph.D. Reviewed and Approved by Jacqueline A. Mottern...and Construct Validity of the Navy Computer Adaptive Personality Scales ( NCAPS ) 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 0602236N and 0603236N 6

The Validity of the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits: Part 1 (BISCUIT-- Part 1)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny L.; Wilkins, Jonathan; Fodstad, Jill C.

2011-01-01

A top priority in the field of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is the development of precise early diagnostic tools that can be completed with minimal time and training. We report on the convergent and divergent validity of the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits (BISCUIT), specifically the BISCUIT-Part 1. Previous research with…

Validating emotional attention regulation as a component of emotional intelligence: A Stroop approach to individual differences in tuning in to and out of nonverbal cues.

PubMed

Elfenbein, Hillary Anger; Jang, Daisung; Sharma, Sudeep; Sanchez-Burks, Jeffrey

2017-03-01

Emotional intelligence (EI) has captivated researchers and the public alike, but it has been challenging to establish its components as objective abilities. Self-report scales lack divergent validity from personality traits, and few ability tests have objectively correct answers. We adapt the Stroop task to introduce a new facet of EI called emotional attention regulation (EAR), which involves focusing emotion-related attention for the sake of information processing rather than for the sake of regulating one's own internal state. EAR includes 2 distinct components. First, tuning in to nonverbal cues involves identifying nonverbal cues while ignoring alternate content, that is, emotion recognition under conditions of distraction by competing stimuli. Second, tuning out of nonverbal cues involves ignoring nonverbal cues while identifying alternate content, that is, the ability to interrupt emotion recognition when needed to focus attention elsewhere. An auditory test of valence included positive and negative words spoken in positive and negative vocal tones. A visual test of approach-avoidance included green- and red-colored facial expressions depicting happiness and anger. The error rates for incongruent trials met the key criteria for establishing the validity of an EI test, in that the measure demonstrated test-retest reliability, convergent validity with other EI measures, divergent validity from factors such as general processing speed and mostly personality, and predictive validity in this case for well-being. By demonstrating that facets of EI can be validly theorized and empirically assessed, results also speak to the validity of EI more generally. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Validating MEDIQUAL Constructs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sang-Gun; Min, Jae H.

In this paper, we validate MEDIQUAL constructs through the different media users in help desk service. In previous research, only two end-users' constructs were used: assurance and responsiveness. In this paper, we extend MEDIQUAL constructs to include reliability, empathy, assurance, tangibles, and responsiveness, which are based on the SERVQUAL theory. The results suggest that: 1) five MEDIQUAL constructs are validated through the factor analysis. That is, importance of the constructs have relatively high correlations between measures of the same construct using different methods and low correlations between measures of the constructs that are expected to differ; and 2) five MEDIQUAL constructs are statistically significant on media users' satisfaction in help desk service by regression analysis.

Examining the validity of the unitary theory of clinical relationships: comparison of observed and experienced parent-doctor interaction.

PubMed

Young, Bridget; Ward, Jo; Forsey, Mary; Gravenhorst, Katja; Salmon, Peter

2011-10-01

We explored parent-doctor relationships in the care of children with leukaemia from three perspectives simultaneously: parents', doctors' and observers'. Our aim was to investigate convergence and divergence between these perspectives and thereby examine the validity of unitary theory of emotionality and authority in clinical relationships. 33 audiorecorded parent-doctor consultations and separate interviews with parents and doctors, which we analysed qualitatively and from which we selected three prototype cases. Across the whole sample doctors' sense of relationship generally converged with our observations of consultation, but parents' sense of relationship diverged strongly from each. Contrary to current assumptions, parents' sense of emotional connection with doctors did not depend on doctors' emotional behaviour, and parents did not feel disempowered by doctors' authority. Moreover, authority and emotionality were not conceptually distinct for parents, who gained emotional support from doctors' exercise of authority. The relationships looked very different from the three perspectives. These divergences indicate weaknesses in current ideas of emotionality and authority in clinical relationships and the necessity of multisource datasets to develop these ideas in a way that characterises clinical relationships from all perspectives. Methodological development will be needed to address the challenges posed by multisource datasets. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Weighted divergence correction scheme and its fast implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, ChengYue; Gao, Qi; Wei, RunJie; Li, Tian; Wang, JinJun

2017-05-01

Forcing the experimental volumetric velocity fields to satisfy mass conversation principles has been proved beneficial for improving the quality of measured data. A number of correction methods including the divergence correction scheme (DCS) have been proposed to remove divergence errors from measurement velocity fields. For tomographic particle image velocimetry (TPIV) data, the measurement uncertainty for the velocity component along the light thickness direction is typically much larger than for the other two components. Such biased measurement errors would weaken the performance of traditional correction methods. The paper proposes a variant for the existing DCS by adding weighting coefficients to the three velocity components, named as the weighting DCS (WDCS). The generalized cross validation (GCV) method is employed to choose the suitable weighting coefficients. A fast algorithm for DCS or WDCS is developed, making the correction process significantly low-cost to implement. WDCS has strong advantages when correcting velocity components with biased noise levels. Numerical tests validate the accuracy and efficiency of the fast algorithm, the effectiveness of GCV method, and the advantages of WDCS. Lastly, DCS and WDCS are employed to process experimental velocity fields from the TPIV measurement of a turbulent boundary layer. This shows that WDCS achieves a better performance than DCS in improving some flow statistics.

An integrated assessment instrument: Developing and validating instrument for facilitating critical thinking abilities and science process skills on electrolyte and nonelectrolyte solution matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astuti, Sri Rejeki Dwi; Suyanta, LFX, Endang Widjajanti; Rohaeti, Eli

2017-05-01

The demanding of assessment in learning process was impact by policy changes. Nowadays, assessment is not only emphasizing knowledge, but also skills and attitudes. However, in reality there are many obstacles in measuring them. This paper aimed to describe how to develop integrated assessment instrument and to verify instruments' validity such as content validity and construct validity. This instrument development used test development model by McIntire. Development process data was acquired based on development test step. Initial product was observed by three peer reviewer and six expert judgments (two subject matter experts, two evaluation experts and two chemistry teachers) to acquire content validity. This research involved 376 first grade students of two Senior High Schools in Bantul Regency to acquire construct validity. Content validity was analyzed used Aiken's formula. The verifying of construct validity was analyzed by exploratory factor analysis using SPSS ver 16.0. The result show that all constructs in integrated assessment instrument are asserted valid according to content validity and construct validity. Therefore, the integrated assessment instrument is suitable for measuring critical thinking abilities and science process skills of senior high school students on electrolyte solution matter.

How Much Do Adolescents Cybergossip? Scale Development and Validation in Spain and Colombia.

PubMed

Romera, Eva M; Herrera-López, Mauricio; Casas, José A; Ortega Ruiz, Rosario; Del Rey, Rosario

2018-01-01

Cybergossip is the act of two or more people making evaluative comments via digital devices about somebody who is not present. This cyberbehavior affects the social group in which it occurs and can either promote or hinder peer relationships. Scientific studies that assess the nature of this emerging and interactive behavior in the virtual world are limited. Some research on traditional gossip has identified it as an inherent and defining element of indirect relational aggression. This paper adopts and argues for a wider definition of gossip that includes positive comments and motivations. This work also suggests that cybergossip has to be measured independently from traditional gossip due to key differences when it occurs through ICT. This paper presents the Colombian and Spanish validation of the Cybergossip Questionnaire for Adolescents (CGQ-A), involving 3,747 high school students ( M = 13.98 years old, SD = 1.69; 48.5% male), of which 1,931 were Colombian and 1,816 were Spanish. Test models derived from item response theory, confirmatory factor analysis, content validation, and multi-group analysis were run on the full sample and subsamples for each country and both genders. The obtained optimal fit and psychometric properties confirm the robustness and suitability of a one-dimensional structure for the cybergossip instrument. The multi-group analysis shows that the cybergossip construct is understood similarly in both countries and between girls and boys. The composite reliability ratifies convergent and divergent validity of the scale. Descriptive results show that Colombian adolescents gossip less than their Spanish counterparts and that boys and girls use cybergossip to the same extent. As a conclusion, this study confirmes the relationship between cybergossip and cyberbullying, but it also supports a focus on positive cybergossip in psychoeducational interventions to build positive virtual relationships and prevent risky cyberbehaviors.

The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study-Neurocognitive Questionnaire (CCSS-NCQ) Revised: Item Response Analysis and Concurrent Validity

PubMed Central

Kenzik, Kelly M.; Huang, I-Chan; Brinkman, Tara M.; Baughman, Brandon; Ness, Kirsten K.; Shenkman, Elizabeth A.; Hudson, Melissa M.; Robison, Leslie L.; Krull, Kevin R.

2014-01-01

Objective Childhood cancer survivors are at risk for neurocognitive impairment related to cancer diagnosis or treatment. This study refined and further validated the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study Neurocognitive Questionnaire (CCSS-NCQ), a scale developed to screen for impairment in long-term survivors of childhood cancer. Method Items related to task efficiency, memory, organization and emotional regulation domains were examined using item response theory (IRT). Data were collected from 833 adult survivors of childhood cancer in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study who completed self-report and direct neurocognitive testing. The revision process included: 1) content validity mapping of items to domains, 2) constructing a revised CCSS-NCQ, 3) selecting items within specific domains using IRT, and 4) evaluating concordance between the revised CCSS-NCQ and direct neurocognitive assessment. Results Using content and measurement properties, 32 items were retained (8 items in 4 domains). Items captured low to middle levels of neurocognitive concerns. The latent domain scores demonstrated poor convergent/divergent validity with the direct assessments. Adjusted effect sizes (Cohen's d) for agreement between self-reported memory and direct memory assessment were moderate for total recall (ES=0.66), long-term memory (ES=0.63), and short-term memory (ES=0.55). Effect sizes between self-rated task efficiency and direct assessment of attention were moderate for focused attention (ES=0.70) and attention span (ES=0.50), but small for sustained attention (ES=0.36). Cranial radiation therapy and female gender were associated with lower self-reported neurocognitive function. Conclusion The revised CCSS-NCQ demonstrates adequate measurement properties for assessing day-to-day neurocognitive concerns in childhood cancer survivors, and adds useful information to direct assessment. PMID:24933482

Pauli-Zeldovich cancellation of the vacuum energy divergences, auxiliary fields and supersymmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamenshchik, Alexander Yu.; Starobinsky, Alexei A.; Tronconi, Alessandro; Vardanyan, Tereza; Venturi, Giovanni

2018-03-01

We have considered the Pauli-Zeldovich mechanism for the cancellation of the ultraviolet divergences in vacuum energy. This mechanism arises because bosons and fermions give contributions of the opposite signs. In contrast with the preceding papers devoted to this topic wherein mainly free fields were studied, here we have taken their interactions into account to the lowest order of perturbation theory. We have constructed some simple toy models having particles with spin 0 and spin 1 / 2, where masses of the particles are equal while the interactions can be quite non-trivial.

Late-stage divergent synthesis and antifouling activity of geraniol-butenolide hybrid molecules.

PubMed

Takamura, Hiroyoshi; Ohashi, Takumi; Kikuchi, Takahiro; Endo, Noriyuki; Fukuda, Yuji; Kadota, Isao

2017-07-05

Hybrid molecules consisting of geraniol and butenolide were designed and synthesized by the late-stage divergent strategy. In the synthetic route, ring-closing metathesis was utilized for the construction of a butenolide moiety. A biological evaluation of the eight synthetic hybrid compounds revealed that these molecules exhibit antifouling activity against the cypris larvae of the barnacle Balanus (Amphibalanus) amphitrite with EC 50 values of 0.30-1.31 μg mL -1 . These results show that hybridization of the geraniol and butenolide structural motifs resulted in the enhancement of the antifouling activity.

A Simple Class Exercise on Plate Tectonic Motion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Denis E. B.

1990-01-01

Presented is an activity in which students construct a model of plate divergence with two sheets of paper to show the separation of two continental plates in a system of spreading ridges and faults. Diagrams and procedures are described. (CW)

A Philosophical Perspective on Construct Validation: Application of Inductive Logic to the Analysis of Experimental Episode Construct Validity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rossi, Robert Joseph

Methods drawn from four logical theories associated with studies of inductive processes are applied to the assessment and evaluation of experimental episode construct validity. It is shown that this application provides for estimates of episode informativeness with respect to the person examined in terms of the construct and to the construct…

Determining the Scoring Validity of a Co-Constructed CEFR-Based Rating Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deygers, Bart; Van Gorp, Koen

2015-01-01

Considering scoring validity as encompassing both reliable rating scale use and valid descriptor interpretation, this study reports on the validation of a CEFR-based scale that was co-constructed and used by novice raters. The research questions this paper wishes to answer are (a) whether it is possible to construct a CEFR-based rating scale with…

Construct Validity of Neuropsychological Tests in Schizophrenia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Daniel N.; Aldarondo, Felito; Goldstein, Gerald; Huegel, Stephen G.; Gilbertson, Mark; van Kammen, Daniel P.

1998-01-01

The construct validity of neuropsychological tests in patients with schizophrenia was studied with 39 patients who were evaluated with a battery of six tests assessing attention, memory, and abstract reasoning abilities. Results support the construct validity of the neuropsychological tests in patients with schizophrenia. (SLD)

Student mathematical imagination instruments: construction, cultural adaptation and validity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwijayanti, I.; Budayasa, I. K.; Siswono, T. Y. E.

2018-03-01

Imagination has an important role as the center of sensorimotor activity of the students. The purpose of this research is to construct the instrument of students’ mathematical imagination in understanding concept of algebraic expression. The researcher performs validity using questionnaire and test technique and data analysis using descriptive method. Stages performed include: 1) the construction of the embodiment of the imagination; 2) determine the learning style questionnaire; 3) construct instruments; 4) translate to Indonesian as well as adaptation of learning style questionnaire content to student culture; 5) perform content validation. The results stated that the constructed instrument is valid by content validation and empirical validation so that it can be used with revisions. Content validation involves Indonesian linguists, english linguists and mathematics material experts. Empirical validation is done through a legibility test (10 students) and shows that in general the language used can be understood. In addition, a questionnaire test (86 students) was analyzed using a biserial point correlation technique resulting in 16 valid items with a reliability test using KR 20 with medium reability criteria. While the test instrument test (32 students) to find all items are valid and reliability test using KR 21 with reability is 0,62.

A scalable block-preconditioning strategy for divergence-conforming B-spline discretizations of the Stokes problem

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

Cortes, Adriano M.; Dalcin, Lisandro; Sarmiento, Adel F.

The recently introduced divergence-conforming B-spline discretizations allow the construction of smooth discrete velocity–pressure pairs for viscous incompressible flows that are at the same time inf–sup stable and pointwise divergence-free. When applied to the discretized Stokes problem, these spaces generate a symmetric and indefinite saddle-point linear system. The iterative method of choice to solve such system is the Generalized Minimum Residual Method. This method lacks robustness, and one remedy is to use preconditioners. For linear systems of saddle-point type, a large family of preconditioners can be obtained by using a block factorization of the system. In this paper, we show howmore » the nesting of “black-box” solvers and preconditioners can be put together in a block triangular strategy to build a scalable block preconditioner for the Stokes system discretized by divergence-conforming B-splines. Lastly, besides the known cavity flow problem, we used for benchmark flows defined on complex geometries: an eccentric annulus and hollow torus of an eccentric annular cross-section.« less

Optimal Divergence-Free Hatch Filter for GNSS Single-Frequency Measurement.

PubMed

Park, Byungwoon; Lim, Cheolsoon; Yun, Youngsun; Kim, Euiho; Kee, Changdon

2017-02-24

The Hatch filter is a code-smoothing technique that uses the variation of the carrier phase. It can effectively reduce the noise of a pseudo-range with a very simple filter construction, but it occasionally causes an ionosphere-induced error for low-lying satellites. Herein, we propose an optimal single-frequency (SF) divergence-free Hatch filter that uses a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) message to reduce the ionospheric divergence and applies the optimal smoothing constant for its smoothing window width. According to the data-processing results, the overall performance of the proposed filter is comparable to that of the dual frequency (DF) divergence-free Hatch filter. Moreover, it can reduce the horizontal error of 57 cm to 37 cm and improve the vertical accuracy of the conventional Hatch filter by 25%. Considering that SF receivers dominate the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) market and that most of these receivers include the SBAS function, the filter suggested in this paper is of great value in that it can make the differential GPS (DGPS) performance of the low-cost SF receivers comparable to that of DF receivers.

Optimal Divergence-Free Hatch Filter for GNSS Single-Frequency Measurement

PubMed Central

Park, Byungwoon; Lim, Cheolsoon; Yun, Youngsun; Kim, Euiho; Kee, Changdon

2017-01-01

The Hatch filter is a code-smoothing technique that uses the variation of the carrier phase. It can effectively reduce the noise of a pseudo-range with a very simple filter construction, but it occasionally causes an ionosphere-induced error for low-lying satellites. Herein, we propose an optimal single-frequency (SF) divergence-free Hatch filter that uses a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) message to reduce the ionospheric divergence and applies the optimal smoothing constant for its smoothing window width. According to the data-processing results, the overall performance of the proposed filter is comparable to that of the dual frequency (DF) divergence-free Hatch filter. Moreover, it can reduce the horizontal error of 57 cm to 37 cm and improve the vertical accuracy of the conventional Hatch filter by 25%. Considering that SF receivers dominate the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) market and that most of these receivers include the SBAS function, the filter suggested in this paper is of great value in that it can make the differential GPS (DGPS) performance of the low-cost SF receivers comparable to that of DF receivers. PMID:28245584

A scalable block-preconditioning strategy for divergence-conforming B-spline discretizations of the Stokes problem

DOE PAGES

Cortes, Adriano M.; Dalcin, Lisandro; Sarmiento, Adel F.; ...

2016-10-19

The recently introduced divergence-conforming B-spline discretizations allow the construction of smooth discrete velocity–pressure pairs for viscous incompressible flows that are at the same time inf–sup stable and pointwise divergence-free. When applied to the discretized Stokes problem, these spaces generate a symmetric and indefinite saddle-point linear system. The iterative method of choice to solve such system is the Generalized Minimum Residual Method. This method lacks robustness, and one remedy is to use preconditioners. For linear systems of saddle-point type, a large family of preconditioners can be obtained by using a block factorization of the system. In this paper, we show howmore » the nesting of “black-box” solvers and preconditioners can be put together in a block triangular strategy to build a scalable block preconditioner for the Stokes system discretized by divergence-conforming B-splines. Lastly, besides the known cavity flow problem, we used for benchmark flows defined on complex geometries: an eccentric annulus and hollow torus of an eccentric annular cross-section.« less

Exploring corridor operations in the vicinity of a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-06-27

This research effort examined the corridor impacts of various signal timing and geometric strategies to improve the : operational challenges observed at DDIs. A microsimulation analysis was conducted using a calibrated and validated DDI : modeled aft...

Astrobiology in culture: the search for extraterrestrial life as "science".

PubMed

Billings, Linda

2012-10-01

This analysis examines the social construction of authority, credibility, and legitimacy for exobiology/astrobiology and, in comparison, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), considering English-language conceptions of these endeavors in scientific culture and popular culture primarily in the United States. The questions that define astrobiology as a scientific endeavor are multidisciplinary in nature, and this endeavor is broadly appealing to public audiences as well as to the scientific community. Thus, it is useful to examine astrobiology in culture-in scientific culture, official culture, and popular culture. A researcher may explore science in culture, science as culture, by analyzing its rhetoric, the primary means that people use to construct their social realities-their cultural environment, as it were. This analysis follows this path, considering scientific and public interest in astrobiology and SETI and focusing on scientific and official constructions of the two endeavors. This analysis will also consider whether and how scientific and public conceptions of astrobiology and SETI, which are related but at the same time separate endeavors, converge or diverge and whether and how these convergences or divergences affect the scientific authority, credibility, and legitimacy of these endeavors.

The Genetic Basis of Upland/Lowland Ecotype Divergence in Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

PubMed Central

Milano, Elizabeth R.; Lowry, David B.; Juenger, Thomas E.

2016-01-01

The evolution of locally adapted ecotypes is a common phenomenon that generates diversity within plant species. However, we know surprisingly little about the genetic mechanisms underlying the locally adapted traits involved in ecotype formation. The genetic architecture underlying locally adapted traits dictates how an organism will respond to environmental selection pressures, and has major implications for evolutionary ecology, conservation, and crop breeding. To understand the genetic architecture underlying the divergence of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) ecotypes, we constructed a genetic mapping population through a four-way outbred cross between two northern upland and two southern lowland accessions. Trait segregation in this mapping population was largely consistent with multiple independent loci controlling the suite of traits that characterizes ecotype divergence. We assembled a joint linkage map using ddRADseq, and mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) for traits that are divergent between ecotypes, including flowering time, plant size, physiological processes, and disease resistance. Overall, we found that most QTL had small to intermediate effects. While we identified colocalizing QTL for multiple traits, we did not find any large-effect QTL that clearly controlled multiple traits through pleiotropy or tight physical linkage. These results indicate that ecologically important traits in switchgrass have a complex genetic basis, and that similar loci may underlie divergence across the geographic range of the ecotypes. PMID:27613751

Morphological divergence and flow-induced phenotypic plasticity in a native fish from anthropogenically altered stream habitats.

PubMed

Franssen, Nathan R; Stewart, Laura K; Schaefer, Jacob F

2013-11-01

Understanding population-level responses to human-induced changes to habitats can elucidate the evolutionary consequences of rapid habitat alteration. Reservoirs constructed on streams expose stream fishes to novel selective pressures in these habitats. Assessing the drivers of trait divergence facilitated by these habitats will help identify evolutionary and ecological consequences of reservoir habitats. We tested for morphological divergence in a stream fish that occupies both stream and reservoir habitats. To assess contributions of genetic-level differences and phenotypic plasticity induced by flow variation, we spawned and reared individuals from both habitats types in flow and no flow conditions. Body shape significantly and consistently diverged in reservoir habitats compared with streams; individuals from reservoirs were shallower bodied with smaller heads compared with individuals from streams. Significant population-level differences in morphology persisted in offspring but morphological variation compared with field-collected individuals was limited to the head region. Populations demonstrated dissimilar flow-induced phenotypic plasticity when reared under flow, but phenotypic plasticity in response to flow variation was an unlikely explanation for observed phenotypic divergence in the field. Our results, together with previous investigations, suggest the environmental conditions currently thought to drive morphological change in reservoirs (i.e., predation and flow regimes) may not be the sole drivers of phenotypic change.

Are we really measuring what we say we're measuring? Using video techniques to supplement traditional construct validation procedures.

PubMed

Podsakoff, Nathan P; Podsakoff, Philip M; Mackenzie, Scott B; Klinger, Ryan L

2013-01-01

Several researchers have persuasively argued that the most important evidence to consider when assessing construct validity is whether variations in the construct of interest cause corresponding variations in the measures of the focal construct. Unfortunately, the literature provides little practical guidance on how researchers can go about testing this. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to describe how researchers can use video techniques to test whether their scales measure what they purport to measure. First, we discuss how researchers can develop valid manipulations of the focal construct that they hope to measure. Next, we explain how to design a study to use this manipulation to test the validity of the scale. Finally, comparing and contrasting traditional and contemporary perspectives on validation, we discuss the advantages and limitations of video-based validation procedures. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Is There Life Outside of Standard Deviations? Measuring Creativity in a Tests and Measurements Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demetrulias, Diana Mayer

1980-01-01

Even in an educational tests and measurements classroom it is possible to stimulate student creativity and divergent thinking. Examples of projects and test constructions are given to provide food for thought for the creative teacher. (JN)

Construct validity of the individual work performance questionnaire.

PubMed

Koopmans, Linda; Bernaards, Claire M; Hildebrandt, Vincent H; de Vet, Henrica C W; van der Beek, Allard J

2014-03-01

To examine the construct validity of the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ). A total of 1424 Dutch workers from three occupational sectors (blue, pink, and white collar) participated in the study. First, IWPQ scores were correlated with related constructs (convergent validity). Second, differences between known groups were tested (discriminative validity). First, IWPQ scores correlated weakly to moderately with absolute and relative presenteeism, and work engagement. Second, significant differences in IWPQ scores were observed for workers differing in job satisfaction, and workers differing in health. Overall, the results indicate acceptable construct validity of the IWPQ. Researchers are provided with a reliable and valid instrument to measure individual work performance comprehensively and generically, among workers from different occupational sectors, with and without health problems.

The English and Chinese versions of the five-level EuroQoL Group's five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) were valid and reliable and provided comparable scores in Asian breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Lee, Chun Fan; Ng, Raymond; Luo, Nan; Wong, Nan Soon; Yap, Yoon Sim; Lo, Soo Kien; Chia, Whay Kuang; Yee, Alethea; Krishna, Lalit; Wong, Celest; Goh, Cynthia; Cheung, Yin Bun

2013-01-01

To examine the measurement properties of and comparability between the English and Chinese versions of the five-level EuroQoL Group's five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) in breast cancer patients in Singapore. This is an observational study of 269 patients. Known-group validity and responsiveness of the EQ-5D utility index and visual analog scale (VAS) were assessed in relation to various clinical characteristics and longitudinal change in performance status, respectively. Convergent and divergent validity was examined by correlation coefficients between the EQ-5D and a breast cancer-specific instrument. Test-retest reliability was evaluated. The two language versions were compared by multiple regression analyses. For both English and Chinese versions, the EQ-5D utility index and VAS demonstrated known-group validity and convergent and divergent validity, and presented sufficient test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation = 0.72 to 0.83). The English version was responsive to changes in performance status. The Chinese version was responsive to decline in performance status, but there was no conclusive evidence about its responsiveness to improvement in performance status. In the comparison analyses of the utility index and VAS between the two language versions, borderline results were obtained, and equivalence cannot be definitely confirmed. The five-level EQ-5D is valid, responsive, and reliable in assessing health outcome of breast cancer patients. The English and Chinese versions provide comparable measurement results.

Development and Construct Validation of an Academic Emotions Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Govaerts, Sophie; Gregoire, Jacques

2008-01-01

This article describes the development and two studies on the construct validity of the Academic Emotions Scale (AES). The AES is a French self-report questionnaire assessing six emotions in the context of school learning: enjoyment, hope, pride, anxiety, shame and frustration. Its construct validity was studied through exploratory and…

Construction and Validation of a Professional Suitability Scale for Social Work Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tam, Dora M. Y.; Coleman, Heather

2009-01-01

This article reports on the construction and validation of a professional suitability scale, designed for assessing students' suitability for social work practice. Data were collected from 188 field supervisors who provided usable questionnaires, representing a response rate of 74%. Construct validation by exploratory factor analysis identified a…

Construct Validation of the Fairy Tale Test--Standardization Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulacoglou, Carina

2002-01-01

Studied the construct validity of the Fairy Tale Test (C. Coulacoglu, 1993), a personality projective test for children, in a sample of 800 Greek children aged 8, 10, and 12. Factor analysis led to identification of eight primary factors, and correlations with other measures provide construct validity evidence. (SLD)

An exploratory study into the effect of time-restricted internet access on face-validity, construct validity and reliability of postgraduate knowledge progress testing

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Yearly formative knowledge testing (also known as progress testing) was shown to have a limited construct-validity and reliability in postgraduate medical education. One way to improve construct-validity and reliability is to improve the authenticity of a test. As easily accessible internet has become inseparably linked to daily clinical practice, we hypothesized that allowing internet access for a limited amount of time during the progress test would improve the perception of authenticity (face-validity) of the test, which would in turn improve the construct-validity and reliability of postgraduate progress testing. Methods Postgraduate trainees taking the yearly knowledge progress test were asked to participate in a study where they could access the internet for 30 minutes at the end of a traditional pen and paper test. Before and after the test they were asked to complete a short questionnaire regarding the face-validity of the test. Results Mean test scores increased significantly for all training years. Trainees indicated that the face-validity of the test improved with internet access and that they would like to continue to have internet access during future testing. Internet access did not improve the construct-validity or reliability of the test. Conclusion Improving the face-validity of postgraduate progress testing, by adding the possibility to search the internet for a limited amount of time, positively influences test performance and face-validity. However, it did not change the reliability or the construct-validity of the test. PMID:24195696

Biogenetically inspired synthesis and skeletal diversification of indole alkaloids.

PubMed

Mizoguchi, Haruki; Oikawa, Hideaki; Oguri, Hiroki

2014-01-01

To access architecturally complex natural products, chemists usually devise a customized synthetic strategy for constructing a single target skeleton. In contrast, biosynthetic assembly lines often employ divergent intramolecular cyclizations of a polyunsaturated common intermediate to produce diverse arrays of scaffolds. With the aim of integrating such biogenetic strategies, we show the development of an artificial divergent assembly line generating unprecedented numbers of scaffold variations of terpenoid indole alkaloids. This approach not only allows practical access to multipotent intermediates, but also enables systematic diversification of skeletal, stereochemical and functional group properties without structural simplification of naturally occurring alkaloids. Three distinct modes of [4+2] cyclizations and two types of redox-mediated annulations provided divergent access to five skeletally distinct scaffolds involving iboga-, aspidosperma-, andranginine- and ngouniensine-type skeletons and a non-natural variant within six to nine steps from tryptamine. The efficiency of our approach was demonstrated by successful total syntheses of (±)-vincadifformine, (±)-andranginine and (-)-catharanthine.

Flowfield characterization and model development in detonation tubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owens, Zachary Clark

A series of experiments and numerical simulations are performed to advance the understanding of flowfield phenomena and impulse generation in detonation tubes. Experiments employing laser-based velocimetry, high-speed schlieren imaging and pressure measurements are used to construct a dataset against which numerical models can be validated. The numerical modeling culminates in the development of a two-dimensional, multi-species, finite-rate-chemistry, parallel, Navier-Stokes solver. The resulting model is specifically designed to assess unsteady, compressible, reacting flowfields, and its utility for studying multidimensional detonation structure is demonstrated. A reduced, quasi-one-dimensional model with source terms accounting for wall losses is also developed for rapid parametric assessment. Using these experimental and numerical tools, two primary objectives are pursued. The first objective is to gain an understanding of how nozzles affect unsteady, detonation flowfields and how they can be designed to maximize impulse in a detonation based propulsion system called a pulse detonation engine. It is shown that unlike conventional, steady-flow propulsion systems where converging-diverging nozzles generate optimal performance, unsteady detonation tube performance during a single-cycle is maximized using purely diverging nozzles. The second objective is to identify the primary underlying mechanisms that cause velocity and pressure measurements to deviate from idealized theory. An investigation of the influence of non-ideal losses including wall heat transfer, friction and condensation leads to the development of improved models that reconcile long-standing discrepancies between predicted and measured detonation tube performance. It is demonstrated for the first time that wall condensation of water vapor in the combustion products can cause significant deviations from ideal theory.

Mothers' questionnaire of preschoolers' language and motor skills: a validation study.

PubMed

Gudmundsson, E; Gretarsson, S J

2013-03-01

Parent questionnaires of child motor and language skills are useful in many contexts. This study validates one such measure, the Preschool Child Development Inventory (PCDI), a mother-answered standardized measure of motor (fine and gross) and language (expression and comprehension) skills of 3-6-year-old children. Eighty-one mothers answered the inventory and their children were concurrently tested on six verbal subtests of WPPSI-R(IS). The six language and motor subtests of the PCDI revealed the predicted convergent and divergent correlations with the verbal subtests of the WPPSI-R(IS). As predicted, the motor subtests diverged and the language subtests converged with the expected WPPSI-R(IS) subtests. Principal components analysis of all the measures (the PCDI and the WPPSI-R(IS) subtests) revealed two components, verbal and motor in content. The findings support the validity of a mother-answered inventory to assess language and motor development. It is pointed out that such inventories are a viable brief and cost effective alternative to individual testing, both to supplement such measures in clinical practice and as main information in research, for example on determinants of development. Some suggestions are made for future research and applications. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Dynamic, Dogmatic, & Divergent: How United States Marine Corps Officers Learn the Innovative Art of Constructive Rule-Breaking

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-16

been properly screened and evaluated, and certified as possessing exemplary moral character. Any decision-making construct that knowingly and...to generate optimal outcomes in the grip of chaos.34 In his book Corps Business (2000), David Freeman isolates this idea even further: What sets...and Robb Webb, Battle Ready, Pg. 142. 35 Freedman, David H., Corps Business : The 30 Management Principles of the U.S. Marines, Pg. 68. 36 Interview

Developing a validation for environmental sustainability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adewale, Bamgbade Jibril; Mohammed, Kamaruddeen Ahmed; Nawi, Mohd Nasrun Mohd; Aziz, Zulkifli

2016-08-01

One of the agendas for addressing environmental protection in construction is to reduce impacts and make the construction activities more sustainable. This important consideration has generated several research interests within the construction industry, especially considering the construction damaging effects on the ecosystem, such as various forms of environmental pollution, resource depletion and biodiversity loss on a global scale. Using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling technique, this study validates environmental sustainability (ES) construct in the context of large construction firms in Malaysia. A cross-sectional survey was carried out where data was collected from Malaysian large construction firms using a structured questionnaire. Results of this study revealed that business innovativeness and new technology are important in determining environmental sustainability (ES) of the Malaysian construction firms. It also established an adequate level of internal consistency reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity for each of this study's constructs. And based on this result, it could be suggested that the indicators for organisational innovativeness dimensions (business innovativeness and new technology) are useful to measure these constructs in order to study construction firms' tendency to adopt environmental sustainability (ES) in their project execution.

Divergence of perturbation theory in large scale structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pajer, Enrico; van der Woude, Drian

2018-05-01

We make progress towards an analytical understanding of the regime of validity of perturbation theory for large scale structures and the nature of some non-perturbative corrections. We restrict ourselves to 1D gravitational collapse, for which exact solutions before shell crossing are known. We review the convergence of perturbation theory for the power spectrum, recently proven by McQuinn and White [1], and extend it to non-Gaussian initial conditions and the bispectrum. In contrast, we prove that perturbation theory diverges for the real space two-point correlation function and for the probability density function (PDF) of the density averaged in cells and all the cumulants derived from it. We attribute these divergences to the statistical averaging intrinsic to cosmological observables, which, even on very large and "perturbative" scales, gives non-vanishing weight to all extreme fluctuations. Finally, we discuss some general properties of non-perturbative effects in real space and Fourier space.

Development and Psychometric Properties of the OCD Family Functioning (OFF) Scale

PubMed Central

Stewart, S. Evelyn; Hu, Yu-Pei; Hezel, Dianne M.; Proujansky, Rachel; Lamstein, Abby; Walsh, Casey; Ben-Joseph, Elana Pearl; Gironda, Christina; Jenike, Michael; Geller, Daniel A.; Pauls, David L.

2013-01-01

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) influences not only patients but also family members. Although the construct of family accommodation has received attention in OCD literature, no measures of overall family functioning are currently available. The OCD Family Functioning (OFF) Scale was developed to explore the context, extent, and perspectives of functional impairment in families affected by OCD. It is a three-part, self-report measure capturing independent perspectives of patients and relatives. A total of 400 subjects were enrolled between 2008 and 2010 from specialized OCD clinics and OCD research studies. Psychometric properties of this scale were examined including internal consistency, test–retest reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and exploratory factor analyses. Both patient and relative versions of the OFF Scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient = 0.96). The test–retest reliability was also adequate (ICC = 0.80). Factor analyses determined that the OFF Scale comprises a family functioning impairment factor and four OCD symptom factors that were consistent with previously reported OCD symptom dimension studies. The OFF Scale demonstrated excellent convergent validity with the Family Accommodation Scale and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale. Information gathered regarding emotional impact and family role-specific impairment was novel and not captured by other examined scales. The OFF Scale is a reliable and valid instrument for the clinical and research assessment of family functioning in pediatric and adult OCD. This will facilitate the exploration of family functioning impairment as a potential risk factor, as a moderator and as a treatment outcome measure in OCD. PMID:21553962

Validating Measurement of Knowledge Integration in Science Using Multiple-Choice and Explanation Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hee-Sun; Liu, Ou Lydia; Linn, Marcia C.

2011-01-01

This study explores measurement of a construct called knowledge integration in science using multiple-choice and explanation items. We use construct and instructional validity evidence to examine the role multiple-choice and explanation items plays in measuring students' knowledge integration ability. For construct validity, we analyze item…

Validity and Reliability of Psychosocial Factors Related to Breast Cancer Screening.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zapka, Jane G.; And Others

1991-01-01

The construct validity of hypothesized survey items and data reduction procedures for selected psychosocial constructs frequently used in breast cancer screening research were investigated in telephone interviews with randomly selected samples of 1,184 and 903 women and a sample of 169 Hispanic clinic clients. Validity of the constructs is…

Using multi-locus allelic sequence data to estimate genetic divergence among four Lilium (Liliaceae) cultivars

PubMed Central

Shahin, Arwa; Smulders, Marinus J. M.; van Tuyl, Jaap M.; Arens, Paul; Bakker, Freek T.

2014-01-01

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) may enable estimating relationships among genotypes using allelic variation of multiple nuclear genes simultaneously. We explored the potential and caveats of this strategy in four genetically distant Lilium cultivars to estimate their genetic divergence from transcriptome sequences using three approaches: POFAD (Phylogeny of Organisms from Allelic Data, uses allelic information of sequence data), RAxML (Randomized Accelerated Maximum Likelihood, tree building based on concatenated consensus sequences) and Consensus Network (constructing a network summarizing among gene tree conflicts). Twenty six gene contigs were chosen based on the presence of orthologous sequences in all cultivars, seven of which also had an orthologous sequence in Tulipa, used as out-group. The three approaches generated the same topology. Although the resolution offered by these approaches is high, in this case there was no extra benefit in using allelic information. We conclude that these 26 genes can be widely applied to construct a species tree for the genus Lilium. PMID:25368628

Evaluating, Comparing, and Interpreting Protein Domain Hierarchies

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Abstract Arranging protein domain sequences hierarchically into evolutionarily divergent subgroups is important for investigating evolutionary history, for speeding up web-based similarity searches, for identifying sequence determinants of protein function, and for genome annotation. However, whether or not a particular hierarchy is optimal is often unclear, and independently constructed hierarchies for the same domain can often differ significantly. This article describes methods for statistically evaluating specific aspects of a hierarchy, for probing the criteria underlying its construction and for direct comparisons between hierarchies. Information theoretical notions are used to quantify the contributions of specific hierarchical features to the underlying statistical model. Such features include subhierarchies, sequence subgroups, individual sequences, and subgroup-associated signature patterns. Underlying properties are graphically displayed in plots of each specific feature's contributions, in heat maps of pattern residue conservation, in “contrast alignments,” and through cross-mapping of subgroups between hierarchies. Together, these approaches provide a deeper understanding of protein domain functional divergence, reveal uncertainties caused by inconsistent patterns of sequence conservation, and help resolve conflicts between competing hierarchies. PMID:24559108

Monte Carlo simulation for coherent backscattering with diverging illumination (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Wenli; Radosevich, Andrew J.; Eshein, Adam; Nguyen, The-Quyen; Backman, Vadim

2016-03-01

Diverging beam illumination is widely used in many optical techniques especially in fiber optic applications and coherence phenomenon is one of the most important properties to consider for these applications. Until now, people have used Monte Carlo simulations to study the backscattering coherence phenomenon in collimated beam illumination only. We are the first one to study the coherence phenomenon under the exact diverging beam geometry by taking into account the impossibility of the existence for the exact time-reversed path pairs of photons, which is the main contribution to the backscattering coherence pattern in collimated beam. In this work, we present a Monte Carlo simulation that considers the influence of the illumination numerical aperture. The simulation tracks the electric field for the unique paths of forward path and reverse path in time-reversed pairs of photons as well as the same path shared by them. With this approach, we can model the coherence pattern formed between the pairs by considering their phase difference at the collection plane directly. To validate this model, we use the Low-coherence Enhanced Backscattering Spectroscopy, one of the instruments looking at the coherence pattern using diverging beam illumination, as the benchmark to compare with. In the end, we show how this diverging configuration would significantly change the coherent pattern under coherent light source and incoherent light source. This Monte Carlo model we developed can be used to study the backscattering phenomenon in both coherence and non-coherence situation with both collimated beam and diverging beam setups.

Sheehan Suicidality Tracking Scale (S-STS): reliability, convergent and discriminative validity in young Italian adults.

PubMed

Preti, Antonio; Sheehan, David V; Coric, Vladimir; Distinto, Marco; Pitanti, Mirko; Vacca, Irene; Siddi, Alessandra; Masala, Carmelo; Petretto, Donatella Rita

2013-10-01

The Sheehan Suicidality Tracking Scale (S-STS) is a patient self-report or clinician-administered rating scale that tracks spontaneous and treatment-emergent suicidal ideation and behaviors. This study set out to evaluate the reliability, convergent and divergent validity of the S-STS in a sample of college students, a population with a high risk of completed and attempted suicide. Cross-sectional, survey design. Participants (303 undergraduate students; males: 42%) completed several measures assessing psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire; GHQ); self-esteem (Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale; RSES); social support (Modified Social Support Survey; MOSSS); and suicidal behavior, including ideation and attempts (S-STS). Both internal consistency and test-retest stability were excellent for the S-STS-global score. The S-STS subscale on suicide ideation also showed good reliability, while the subscale on suicidal behavior showed some inconsistency at retest. Convergent and divergent validity of S-STS was confirmed. All S-STS items loaded on a single factor, which had an excellent fit for the unidimensional model, thus justifying the use of the S-STS as a screening tool. In a mediation model, self-esteem and social support explained 45% of the effects of psychological distress on suicide ideation and behavior as measured by the S-STS-global score. This study provided promising evidence on the convergent, divergent, internal consistency and test-retest stability of the Sheehan Suicidality Tracking Scale. The cross-sectional design and lack of measures of hopelessness and helplessness prevent any conclusion about the links of suicidal behavior with self-esteem and social support. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular cloning, sequence characterization and recombinant expression of Nanog gene in goat fibroblast cells using lentiviral based expression system.

PubMed

Singhal, Dinesh K; Singhal, Raxita; Malik, Hruda N; Kumar, Surender; Kumar, Sudarshan; Mohanty, Ashok K; Kaushik, Jai K; Malakar, Dhruba

2014-01-01

Nanog is a homeodomain containing protein which plays important roles in regulation of signaling pathways for maintenance and induction of pluripotency in stem cells. Because of its unique expression in stem cells it is also regarded as pluripotency marker. In this study goat Nanog (gNanog) gene has been amplified, cloned and characterized at sequence level with successful over-expression in CHO-K1 cell line using a lentiviral based system. gNanog ORF is 903 bp long which codes for Nanog protein of size 300 amino acids (aas). Complete nucleotide sequence shows some evolutionary mutation in goat in comparision to other species. Protein sequence of goat is highly similar to other species. Overall, gNanog nucleotide sequence and predicted protein sequence showed high similarity and minimum divergence with cattle (96 % identity/4 % divergence) and buffalo (94/5 %) while low similarity and high divergence with pig (84/15 %), human (81/23 %) and mouse (69/40 %) indicating evolutionary closeness of gNanog to cattle and buffalo. gNanog lentiviral expression construct was prepared for over-expression of Nanog gene in adult goat fibroblast cells. Lentiviral expression construct of Nanog enabled continuous protein expression for induction and maintenance of pluripotency. Western blotting revealed the expression of Nanog gene at protein level which supported that the lentiviral expression system is highly promising for Nanog protein expression in differentiated goat cell.

LinkFinder: An expert system that constructs phylogenic trees

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Inglehart, James; Nelson, Peter C.

1991-01-01

An expert system has been developed using the C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) that automates the process of constructing DNA sequence based phylogenies (trees or lineages) that indicate evolutionary relationships. LinkFinder takes as input homologous DNA sequences from distinct individual organisms. It measures variations between the sequences, selects appropriate proportionality constants, and estimates the time that has passed since each pair of organisms diverged from a common ancestor. It then designs and outputs a phylogenic map summarizing these results. LinkFinder can find genetic relationships between different species, and between individuals of the same species, including humans. It was designed to take advantage of the vast amount of sequence data being produced by the Genome Project, and should be of value to evolution theorists who wish to utilize this data, but who have no formal training in molecular genetics. Evolutionary theory holds that distinct organisms carrying a common gene inherited that gene from a common ancestor. Homologous genes vary from individual to individual and species to species, and the amount of variation is now believed to be directly proportional to the time that has passed since divergence from a common ancestor. The proportionality constant must be determined experimentally; it varies considerably with the types of organisms and DNA molecules under study. Given an appropriate constant, and the variation between two DNA sequences, a simple linear equation gives the divergence time.

Characterizing problematic hypoglycaemia: iterative design and preliminary psychometric validation of the Hypoglycaemia Awareness Questionnaire (HypoA-Q).

PubMed

Speight, J; Barendse, S M; Singh, H; Little, S A; Inkster, B; Frier, B M; Heller, S R; Rutter, M K; Shaw, J A M

2016-03-01

To design and conduct preliminary validation of a measure of hypoglycaemia awareness and problematic hypoglycaemia, the Hypoglycaemia Awareness Questionnaire. Exploratory and cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted with 17 adults (nine of whom were women) with Type 1 diabetes (mean ± sd age 48 ± 10 years). Questionnaire items were modified in consultation with diabetologists/psychologists. Psychometric validation was undertaken using data from 120 adults (53 women) with Type 1 diabetes (mean ± sd age 44 ± 16 years; 50% with clinically diagnosed impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia), who completed the following questionnaires: the Hypoglycaemia Awareness Questionnaire, the Gold score, the Clarke questionnaire and the Problem Areas in Diabetes questionnaire. Iterative design resulted in 33 items eliciting responses about awareness of hypoglycaemia when awake/asleep and hypoglycaemia frequency, severity and impact (healthcare utilization). Psychometric analysis identified three subscales reflecting 'impaired awareness', 'symptom level' and 'symptom frequency'. Convergent validity was indicated by strong correlations between the 'impaired awareness' subscale and existing measures of awareness: (Gold: rs =0.75, P < 0.01; Clarke: rs =0.76, P < 0.01). Divergent validity was indicated by weaker correlations with diabetes-related distress (Problem Areas in Diabetes: rs =0.25, P < 0.01) and HbA1c (rs =-0.05, non-significant). The 'impaired awareness' subscale and other items discriminated between those with impaired and intact awareness (Gold score). The 'impaired awareness' subscale and other items contributed significantly to models explaining the occurrence of severe hypoglycaemia and hypoglycaemia when asleep. This preliminary validation shows the Hypoglycaemia Awareness Questionnaire has robust face and content validity; satisfactory structure; internal reliability; convergent, divergent and known groups validity. The impaired awareness subscale and other items contribute significantly to models explaining recall of severe and nocturnal hypoglycaemia. Prospective validation, including determination of a threshold to identify impaired awareness, is now warranted. © 2015 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine © 2015 Diabetes UK.

Screening for social phobia in medical in- and outpatients with the German version of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN).

PubMed

Sosic, Z; Gieler, U; Stangier, U

2008-06-01

To evaluate the German version of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) as a screening device and to report corresponding cut-off scores for different populations. In Study 1, 2043 subjects from a representative sample completed the SPIN. Cut-off values were established on the basis of means and standard deviations. In Study 2, different aspects of validity were examined in a clinical sample comprising 164 subjects, including social phobic individuals, individuals with other anxiety disorders and depression, and non-clinical control subjects. Internal consistency was evaluated. Convergent and divergent validity were explored using several established measures. Finally, the sensitivity and specificity of the German SPIN with regard to social anxiety classification were investigated by means of receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analyses. In Study 1, mean scores and standard deviations were used to determine cut-off scores for the German SPIN. In Study 2, excellent internal consistency and good convergent and divergent validity were obtained. ROC analyses revealed that the German SPIN performed well in discriminating between social phobic individuals on the one hand and psychiatric and non-psychiatric controls on the other. A cut-off score of 25 represented the best balance between sensitivity and specificity. Comparable to the original version, the German SPIN demonstrates solid psychometric properties and shows promise as an economic, reliable, and valid screening device.

Measuring social impacts of breast carcinoma treatment in Chinese women.

PubMed

Fielding, Richard; Lam, Wendy W T

2004-06-15

There is no existing instrument that is suitable for measuring the social impact of breast carcinoma (BC) and its treatment among women of Southern Chinese descent. In the current study, the authors assessed the validity of the Chinese Social Adjustment Scale, which was designed to address the need for such an instrument. Five dimensions of social concern were identified in a previous study of Cantonese-speaking Chinese women with BC; these dimensions were family and other relationships, intimacy, private self-image, and public self-image. The authors designed 40 items to address perceptions of change in these areas. These items were administered to a group of 226 women who had received treatment for BC, and factor analysis subsequently was performed to determine construct characteristics. The resulting draft instrument then was administered, along with other measures for the assessment of basic psychometric properties, to a second group of 367 women who recently had undergone surgery for BC. Factor analysis optimally identified 5 factors (corresponding to 33 items): 1) Relationships with Family (10 items, accounting for 22% of variance); 2) Self-Image (7 items, accounting for 15% of variance); 3) Relationships with Friends (7 items, accounting for 8% of variance); 4) Social Enjoyment (4 items, accounting for 6% of variance); and 5) Attractiveness and Sexuality (5 items, accounting for 5% of variance). Subscales were reliable (alpha = 0.63-0.93) and exhibited convergent validity in positive correlations with related measures and divergent validity in appropriate inverse or nonsignificant correlations with other measures. Criterion validity was good, and sensitivity was acceptable. Patterns of change on the scales were consistent with reports in the literature. Self-administration resulted in improved sensitivity. The 33-item Chinese Social Adjustment Scale validly, reliably, and sensitively measures the social impact of BC on Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong Chinese women. Further development of the scale to increase its sensitivity is underway. Copyright 2004 American Cancer Society.

Repeated adaptive divergence of microhabitat specialization in avian feather lice.

PubMed

Johnson, Kevin P; Shreve, Scott M; Smith, Vincent S

2012-06-20

Repeated adaptive radiations are evident when phenotypic divergence occurs within lineages, but this divergence into different forms is convergent when compared across lineages. Classic examples of such repeated adaptive divergence occur in island (for example, Caribbean Anolis lizards) and lake systems (for example, African cichlids). Host-parasite systems in many respects are analogous to island systems, where host species represent isolated islands for parasites whose life cycle is highly tied to that of their hosts. Thus, host-parasite systems might exhibit interesting cases of repeated adaptive divergence as seen in island and lake systems.The feather lice of birds spend their entire life cycle on the body of the host and occupy distinct microhabitats on the host: head, wing, body and generalist. These microhabitat specialists show pronounced morphological differences corresponding to how they escape from host preening. We tested whether these different microhabitat specialists were a case of repeated adaptive divergence by constructing both morphological and molecular phylogenies for a diversity of avian feather lice, including many examples of head, wing, body and generalist forms. Morphological and molecular based phylogenies were highly incongruent, which could be explained by rampant convergence in morphology related to microhabitat specialization on the host. In many cases lice from different microhabitat specializations, but from the same group of birds, were sister taxa. This pattern indicates a process of repeated adaptive divergence of these parasites within host group, but convergence when comparing parasites across host groups. These results suggest that host-parasite systems might be another case in which repeated adaptive radiations could be relatively common, but potentially overlooked, because morphological convergence can obscure evolutionary relationships.

Repeated adaptive divergence of microhabitat specialization in avian feather lice

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Repeated adaptive radiations are evident when phenotypic divergence occurs within lineages, but this divergence into different forms is convergent when compared across lineages. Classic examples of such repeated adaptive divergence occur in island (for example, Caribbean Anolis lizards) and lake systems (for example, African cichlids). Host-parasite systems in many respects are analogous to island systems, where host species represent isolated islands for parasites whose life cycle is highly tied to that of their hosts. Thus, host-parasite systems might exhibit interesting cases of repeated adaptive divergence as seen in island and lake systems. The feather lice of birds spend their entire life cycle on the body of the host and occupy distinct microhabitats on the host: head, wing, body and generalist. These microhabitat specialists show pronounced morphological differences corresponding to how they escape from host preening. We tested whether these different microhabitat specialists were a case of repeated adaptive divergence by constructing both morphological and molecular phylogenies for a diversity of avian feather lice, including many examples of head, wing, body and generalist forms. Results Morphological and molecular based phylogenies were highly incongruent, which could be explained by rampant convergence in morphology related to microhabitat specialization on the host. In many cases lice from different microhabitat specializations, but from the same group of birds, were sister taxa. Conclusions This pattern indicates a process of repeated adaptive divergence of these parasites within host group, but convergence when comparing parasites across host groups. These results suggest that host-parasite systems might be another case in which repeated adaptive radiations could be relatively common, but potentially overlooked, because morphological convergence can obscure evolutionary relationships. PMID:22717002

Punishment insensitivity in early childhood: A developmental, dimensional approach

PubMed Central

Nichols, Sara R.; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret; Estabrook, Ryne; Burns, James; Kestler, Jacqueline; Berman, Grace; Henry, David; Wakschlag, Lauren

2014-01-01

Impairment in learning from punishment ("punishment insensitivity") is an established feature of severe antisocial behavior in adults and youth but it has not been well studied as a developmental phenomenon. In early childhood, differentiating a normal:abnormal spectrum of punishment insensitivity is key for distinguishing normative misbehavior from atypical manifestations. This study employed a novel measure, the Multidimensional Assessment Profile of Disruptive Behavior (MAPDB), to examine the distribution, dimensionality, and external validity of punishment insensitivity in a large, demographically diverse community sample of preschoolers (three-five years) recruited from pediatric clinics (N=1,855). Caregivers completed surveys from which a seven-item Punishment Insensitivity scale was derived. Findings indicated that Punishment Insensitivity behaviors are relatively common in young children, with at least 50% of preschoolers exhibiting them sometimes. Item response theory analyses revealed a Punishment Insensitivity spectrum. Items varied along a severity continuum: most items needed to occur "Often" in order to be severe and behaviors that were qualitatively atypical or intense were more severe. Although there were item-level differences across sociodemographic groups, these were small. Construct, convergent, and divergent validity were demonstrated via association to low concern for others and noncompliance, motivational regulation, and a disruptive family context. Incremental clinical utility was demonstrated in relation to impairment. Early childhood punishment insensitivity varies along a severity continuum and is atypical when it predominates. Implications for understanding the phenomenology of emergent disruptive behavior are discussed. PMID:25425187

Olfactory identification and Stroop interference converge in schizophrenia.

PubMed Central

Purdon, S E

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To test the discriminant validity of a model predicting a dissociation between measures of right and left frontal lobe function in people with schizophrenia. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were administered the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), the Stroop Color-Word Test (Stroop), and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). OUTCOME MEASURES: Scores on these tests and relation among scores. RESULTS: There was a convergence of UPSII and Stroop interference scores consistent with a common cerebral basis for limitations in olfactory identification and inhibition of distraction. There was also a divergence of UPSIT and Stroop reading scores suggesting that the olfactory identification limitation is distinct from a general limitation of attention or a dysfunction of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Most notable was the 81% classification convergence between the UPSIT and Stroop incongruous colour naming scores compared with the near-random 57% classification convergence of the UPSIT and Stroop reading scores. CONCLUSIONS: These data are consistent with a right orbitofrontal dysfunction in a subgroup of patients with schizophrenia, although the involvement of mesial temporal structures in both tasks must be ruled out with further study. A multifactorial model depicting contributions from diverse cerebral structures is required to describe the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Valid behavioural methods for classifying suspected subgroups of patients with particular cerebral dysfunction would be of value in the construction of this model. PMID:9595890

Measuring epistemic curiosity and its diversive and specific components.

PubMed

Litman, Jordan A; Spielberger, Charles D

2003-02-01

A questionnaire constructed to assess epistemic curiosity (EC) and perceptual curiosity (PC) curiosity was administered to 739 undergraduates (546 women, 193 men) ranging in age from 18 to 65. The study participants also responded to the trait anxiety, anger, depression, and curiosity scales of the State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI; Spielberger et al., 1979) and selected subscales of the Sensation Seeking (SSS; Zuckerman, Kolin, Price, & Zoob, 1964) and Novelty Experiencing (NES; Pearson, 1970) scales. Factor analyses of the curiosity items with oblique rotation identified EC and PC factors with clear simple structure. Subsequent analyses of the EC items provided the basis for developing an EC scale, with Diversive and Specific Curiosity subscales. Moderately high correlations of the EC scale and subscales with other measures of curiosity provided strong evidence of convergent validity. Divergent validity was demonstrated by minimal correlations with trait anxiety and the sensation-seeking measures, and essentially zero correlations with the STPI trait anger and depression scales. Male participants had significantly higher scores on the EC scale and the NES External Cognition subscale (effect sizes of r =.16 and.21, respectively), indicating that they were more interested than female participants in solving problems and discovering how things work. Male participants also scored significantly higher than female participants on the SSS Thrill-and-Adventure and NES External Sensation subscales (r =.14 and.22, respectively), suggesting that they were more likely to engage in sensation-seeking activities.

Strategies for improving approximate Bayesian computation tests for synchronous diversification.

PubMed

Overcast, Isaac; Bagley, Justin C; Hickerson, Michael J

2017-08-24

Estimating the variability in isolation times across co-distributed taxon pairs that may have experienced the same allopatric isolating mechanism is a core goal of comparative phylogeography. The use of hierarchical Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) and coalescent models to infer temporal dynamics of lineage co-diversification has been a contentious topic in recent years. Key issues that remain unresolved include the choice of an appropriate prior on the number of co-divergence events (Ψ), as well as the optimal strategies for data summarization. Through simulation-based cross validation we explore the impact of the strategy for sorting summary statistics and the choice of prior on Ψ on the estimation of co-divergence variability. We also introduce a new setting (β) that can potentially improve estimation of Ψ by enforcing a minimal temporal difference between pulses of co-divergence. We apply this new method to three empirical datasets: one dataset each of co-distributed taxon pairs of Panamanian frogs and freshwater fishes, and a large set of Neotropical butterfly sister-taxon pairs. We demonstrate that the choice of prior on Ψ has little impact on inference, but that sorting summary statistics yields substantially more reliable estimates of co-divergence variability despite violations of assumptions about exchangeability. We find the implementation of β improves estimation of Ψ, with improvement being most dramatic given larger numbers of taxon pairs. We find equivocal support for synchronous co-divergence for both of the Panamanian groups, but we find considerable support for asynchronous divergence among the Neotropical butterflies. Our simulation experiments demonstrate that using sorted summary statistics results in improved estimates of the variability in divergence times, whereas the choice of hyperprior on Ψ has negligible effect. Additionally, we demonstrate that estimating the number of pulses of co-divergence across co-distributed taxon-pairs is improved by applying a flexible buffering regime over divergence times. This improves the correlation between Ψ and the true variability in isolation times and allows for more meaningful interpretation of this hyperparameter. This will allow for more accurate identification of the number of temporally distinct pulses of co-divergence that generated the diversification pattern of a given regional assemblage of sister-taxon-pairs.

A Planet-Wide Information System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahamer, Gilbert

2013-01-01

Purpose: Various economic growth theories propose a view of globalisation resulting in economic convergence. However, others suggest economic divergence (i.e. a widening gap between global rich and poor) and others still, different patterns of development. Hence it is necessary to validate such globalisation hypotheses with sound quantitative…

New insights in symptom assessment: the Chinese Versions of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale Short Form (MSAS-SF) and the Condensed MSAS (CMSAS).

PubMed

Lam, Wendy Wing Tak; Law, Chi Ching; Fu, Yiu Tung; Wong, Kam Hung; Chang, Victor T; Fielding, Richard

2008-12-01

There are very few symptom assessment instruments in Chinese. We present the validity and reliability of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale Short Form (MSAS-SF) and the Condensed Form MSAS (CMSAS) in Chinese cancer patients. The Chinese version of the 32-item MSAS-SF, a self-report measure for assessing symptom distress and frequency in cancer patients, was administered to 256 Chinese patients with colorectal cancer at a clinical oncology outpatient unit. Highly prevalent symptoms included worrying (59%), dry mouth (54%), lack of energy (54%), feeling sad (48%), feeling irritable (48%), and pain (41%). Both the MSAS-SF and CMSAS demonstrated good validity and reliability. For the MSAS-SF subscales, Cronbach alphas ranged from 0.84 to 0.91, and for CMSAS subscales, from 0.79 to 0.87. Moderate-to-high correlations of MSAS-SF and CMSAS subscales with appropriate European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 subscales (0.42-0.71, Ps<0.001) indicated acceptable convergent validity. Low correlations with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem and Optimism Scale (0.22, P<0.001) indicated divergent validity. MSAS subscales varied as expected with other Chinese scales--the Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ) and the Life Orientation Scale. Construct validity of both MSAS versions was demonstrated by effective differentiation between clinically distinct patient groups (Karnofsky scores <80% vs. > or =80% [P<0.001]; no active treatment vs. active treatment [P<0.002-0.034]; CHQ-12 scores < or =4 vs. CHQ-12 scores >4 [P<0.001]). The Number of Symptoms subscale correlated appropriately with the EORTC QLQ-C30 function (-0.46 to -0.60, P<0.001) and symptom scales (0.31-0.64, P<0.001). The average time to complete the MSAS-SF was six minutes. The Chinese versions of the MSAS-SF and CMSAS are valid and practical measures. Further validation is needed for Chinese patients with other cancer types and with other symptom instruments.

Psychometric properties of the Child Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) applied to children and adolescents with cerebral palsy

PubMed Central

Morales, Nívea MO; Funayama, Carolina AR; Rangel, Viviane O; Frontarolli, Ana Cláudia; Araújo, Renata RH; Pinto, Rogério MC; Rezende, Carlos HA; Silva, Carlos HM

2008-01-01

Background Cerebral palsy (CP) patients have motor limitations that can affect functionality and abilities for activities of daily living (ADL). Health related quality of life and health status instruments validated to be applied to these patients do not directly approach the concepts of functionality or ADL. The Child Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) seems to be a good instrument to approach this dimension, but it was never used for CP patients. The purpose of the study was to verify the psychometric properties of CHAQ applied to children and adolescents with CP. Methods Parents or guardians of children and adolescents with CP, aged 5 to 18 years, answered the CHAQ. A healthy group of 314 children and adolescents was recruited during the validation of the CHAQ Brazilian-version. Data quality, reliability and validity were studied. The motor function was evaluated by the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM). Results Ninety-six parents/guardians answered the questionnaire. The age of the patients ranged from 5 to 17.9 years (average: 9.3). The rate of missing data was low (<9.3%). The floor effect was observed in two domains, being higher only in the visual analogue scales (≤ 35.5%). The ceiling effect was significant in all domains and particularly high in patients with quadriplegia (81.8 to 90.9%) and extrapyramidal (45.4 to 91.0%). The Cronbach alpha coefficient ranged from 0.85 to 0.95. The validity was appropriate: for the discriminant validity the correlation of the disability index with the visual analogue scales was not significant; for the convergent validity CHAQ disability index had a strong correlation with the GMFM (0.77); for the divergent validity there was no correlation between GMFM and the pain and overall evaluation scales; for the criterion validity GMFM as well as CHAQ detected differences in the scores among the clinical type of CP (p < 0.01); for the construct validity, the patients' disability index score (mean:2.16; SD:0.72) was higher than the healthy group (mean:0.12; SD:0.23)(p < 0.01). Conclusion CHAQ reliability and validity were adequate to this population. However, further studies are necessary to verify the influence of the ceiling effect on the responsiveness of the instrument. PMID:19055820

Detection and Analysis of Circular RNAs by RT-PCR.

PubMed

Panda, Amaresh C; Gorospe, Myriam

2018-03-20

Gene expression in eukaryotic cells is tightly regulated at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Posttranscriptional processes, including pre-mRNA splicing, mRNA export, mRNA turnover, and mRNA translation, are controlled by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and noncoding (nc)RNAs. The vast family of ncRNAs comprises diverse regulatory RNAs, such as microRNAs and long noncoding (lnc)RNAs, but also the poorly explored class of circular (circ)RNAs. Although first discovered more than three decades ago by electron microscopy, only the advent of high-throughput RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and the development of innovative bioinformatic pipelines have begun to allow the systematic identification of circRNAs (Szabo and Salzman, 2016; Panda et al ., 2017b; Panda et al ., 2017c). However, the validation of true circRNAs identified by RNA sequencing requires other molecular biology techniques including reverse transcription (RT) followed by conventional or quantitative (q) polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and Northern blot analysis (Jeck and Sharpless, 2014). RT-qPCR analysis of circular RNAs using divergent primers has been widely used for the detection, validation, and sometimes quantification of circRNAs (Abdelmohsen et al ., 2015 and 2017; Panda et al ., 2017b). As detailed here, divergent primers designed to span the circRNA backsplice junction sequence can specifically amplify the circRNAs and not the counterpart linear RNA. In sum, RT-PCR analysis using divergent primers allows direct detection and quantification of circRNAs.

The Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life for Children (CP QOL-Child): Evidence of Construct Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Kuan-Lin; Wang, Hui-Yi; Tseng, Mei-Hui; Shieh, Jeng-Yi; Lu, Lu; Yao, Kai-Ping Grace; Huang, Chien-Yu

2013-01-01

The Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life for Children (CP QOL-Child) is the first health condition-specific questionnaire designed for measuring QOL in children with cerebral palsy (CP). However, its construct validity has not yet been confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Hence, this study assessed the construct validity of the caregiver…

Development and Construct Validation of a Situational Judgment Test of Strategic Knowledge of Classroom Management in Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gold, Bernadette; Holodynski, Manfred

2015-01-01

The current study describes the development and construct validation of a situational judgment test for assessing the strategic knowledge of classroom management in elementary schools. Classroom scenarios and accompanying courses of action were constructed, of which 17 experts confirmed the content validity. A pilot study and a cross-validation…

The development and validation of Science Learning Inventory (SLI): A conceptual change framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seyedmonir, Mehdi

2000-12-01

A multidimensional theoretical model, Conceptual Change Science Learning (CCSL), was developed based on Standard Model of Conceptual Change and Cognitive Reconstruction of Knowledge Model. The model addresses three main components of science learning, namely the learner's conceptual ecology, the message along with its social context, and the cognitive engagement. A learner's conceptual ecology is organized around three clusters, including epistemological beliefs, existing conceptions, and motivation. Learner's cognitive engagement is represented by a continuum from peripheral processing involving shallow cognitive engagement to central processing involving deep cognitive engagement. Through reciprocal, non-sequential interactions of such constructs, the learners' conceptual change is achieved. Using a quantitative empirical approach, three studies were conducted to investigate the theoretical constructs based on the CCSL Model. The first study reports the development and validation of the hypothesized and factor-analytic scales comprising the instrument, Science Learning Inventory (SLI) intended for college students. The self-report instrument was designed in two parts, SLI-A (conceptual ecology and cognitive engagement) with 48 initial items, and SLI-B (science epistemology) with 49 initial items. The items for SLI-B were based on the tenets of Nature of Science as reflected in the recent reform documents, Science for All Americans (Project 2061) and National Science Education Standards. The results of factor analysis indicated seven factors for SLI-A and four factors for SLI-B. The second study investigated the criterion-related (conceptual change) predictive validity of the SLI in an instructional setting (a college-level physics course). The findings suggested the possibility of different interplay of factors and dynamics depending on the nature of the criterion (gain scores from a three-week intervention versus final course grade). Gain scores were predicted by "self-reflective study behavior" and "science self-efficacy" scales of SLI, whereas the course grade was predicted by "metacognitive engagement" and "dynamic scientific truth," (a factor from science epistemology). The third study investigated the effects of text-based conceptual-change strategy (Enhanced Refutational Text; ERT) on Newtonian Laws of Motion, and the efficacy of the SLI scales in a controlled setting. Also, initial divergent and convergent validity procedures are reported in the study. The results provided partial support for the superiority of ERT over expository text. The ERT was an effective intervention for students with no prior physics background but not for students with prior physics background.

Division within the North American boreal forest: Ecological niche divergence between the Bicknell's Thrush (Catharus bicknelli) and Gray-cheeked Thrush (C. minimus).

PubMed

FitzGerald, Alyssa M

2017-07-01

Sister species that diverged in allopatry in similar environments are expected to exhibit niche conservatism. Using ecological niche modeling and a multivariate analysis of climate and habitat data, I test the hypothesis that the Bicknell's Thrush ( Catharus bicknelli ) and Gray-cheeked Thrush ( C. mimimus ), sister species that breed in the North American boreal forest, show niche conservatism. Three tree species that are important components of breeding territories of both thrush species were combined with climatic variables to create niche models consisting of abiotic and biotic components. Abiotic-only, abiotic+biotic, and biotic-only models were evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC) criterion. Abiotic+biotic models had higher AUC scores and did not over-project thrush distributions compared to abiotic-only or biotic-only models. From the abiotic+biotic models, I tested for niche conservatism or divergence by accounting for the differences in the availability of niche components by calculating (1) niche overlap from ecological niche models and (2) mean niche differences of environmental values at occurrence points. Niche background similarity tests revealed significant niche divergence in 10 of 12 comparisons, and multivariate tests revealed niche divergence along 2 of 3 niche axes. The Bicknell's Thrush breeds in warmer and wetter regions with a high abundance of balsam fir ( Abies balsamea ), whereas Gray-cheeked Thrush often co-occurs with black spruce ( Picea mariana ). Niche divergence, rather than conservatism, was the predominant pattern for these species, suggesting that ecological divergence has played a role in the speciation of the Bicknell's Thrush and Gray-cheeked Thrush. Furthermore, because niche models were improved by the incorporation of biotic variables, this study validates the inclusion of relevant biotic factors in ecological niche modeling to increase model accuracy.

Relationships among Constructs of L2 Chinese Reading and Language Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Wei-Li

2016-01-01

Extensive research has been conducted on the relationships of Chinese-character recognition to reading development; strategic competence to reading comprehension; and home linguistic exposure to heritage language acquisition. However, studies of these relationships have been marked by widely divergent theoretical underpinnings, and their results…

Greenpeace Greenspeak: A Transcultural Discourse Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinz, Bettina; Cheng, Hsin-I; Inuzuka, Ako

2007-01-01

This cross-cultural discourse analysis examines the construction of environmental issues on Greenpeace web pages in China, Japan and Germany. To uncover the semantic representation of environmental activism on these sites, the authors sought to identify discursive homogeneity and divergence and to bring to light embedded cultural assumptions. The…

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.

Loop-corrected Virasoro symmetry of 4D quantum gravity

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

He, T.; Kapec, D.; Raclariu, A.

Recently a boundary energy-momentum tensor T zz has been constructed from the soft graviton operator for any 4D quantum theory of gravity in asymptotically flat space. Up to an “anomaly” which is one-loop exact, T zz generates a Virasoro action on the 2D celestial sphere at null infinity. Here we show by explicit construction that the effects of the IR divergent part of the anomaly can be eliminated by a one-loop renormalization that shifts T zz .

Loop-corrected Virasoro symmetry of 4D quantum gravity

DOE PAGES

He, T.; Kapec, D.; Raclariu, A.; ...

2017-08-16

Recently a boundary energy-momentum tensor T zz has been constructed from the soft graviton operator for any 4D quantum theory of gravity in asymptotically flat space. Up to an “anomaly” which is one-loop exact, T zz generates a Virasoro action on the 2D celestial sphere at null infinity. Here we show by explicit construction that the effects of the IR divergent part of the anomaly can be eliminated by a one-loop renormalization that shifts T zz .

Power corrections to the HTL effective Lagrangian of QED

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carignano, Stefano; Manuel, Cristina; Soto, Joan

2018-05-01

We present compact expressions for the power corrections to the hard thermal loop (HTL) Lagrangian of QED in d space dimensions. These are corrections of order (L / T) 2, valid for momenta L ≪ T, where T is the temperature. In the limit d → 3 we achieve a consistent regularization of both infrared and ultraviolet divergences, which respects the gauge symmetry of the theory. Dimensional regularization also allows us to witness subtle cancellations of infrared divergences. We also discuss how to generalize our results in the presence of a chemical potential, so as to obtain the power corrections to the hard dense loop (HDL) Lagrangian.

Transtheoretical Model Constructs for Physical Activity Behavior are Invariant across Time among Ethnically Diverse Adults in Hawaii

PubMed Central

Nigg, Claudio R; Motl, Robert W; Horwath, Caroline; Dishman, Rod K

2012-01-01

Objectives Physical activity (PA) research applying the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) to examine group differences and/or change over time requires preliminary evidence of factorial validity and invariance. The current study examined the factorial validity and longitudinal invariance of TTM constructs recently revised for PA. Method Participants from an ethnically diverse sample in Hawaii (N=700) completed questionnaires capturing each TTM construct. Results Factorial validity was confirmed for each construct using confirmatory factor analysis with full-information maximum likelihood. Longitudinal invariance was evidenced across a shorter (3-month) and longer (6-month) time period via nested model comparisons. Conclusions The questionnaires for each validated TTM construct are provided, and can now be generalized across similar subgroups and time points. Further validation of the provided measures is suggested in additional populations and across extended time points. PMID:22778669

The Persian Version of the "Life Satisfaction Scale": Construct Validity and Test-Re-Test Reliability among Iranian Older Adults.

PubMed

Moghadam, Manije; Salavati, Mahyar; Sahaf, Robab; Rassouli, Maryam; Moghadam, Mojgan; Kamrani, Ahmad Ali Akbari

2018-03-01

After forward-backward translation, the LSS was administered to 334 Persian speaking, cognitively healthy elderly aged 60 years and over recruited through convenience sampling. To analyze the validity of the model's constructs and the relationships between the constructs, a confirmatory factor analysis followed by PLS analysis was performed. The Construct validity was further investigated by calculating the correlations between the LSS and the "Short Form Health Survey" (SF-36) subscales measuring similar and dissimilar constructs. The LSS was re-administered to 50 participants a month later to assess the reliability. For the eight-factor model of the life satisfaction construct, adequate goodness of fit between the hypothesized model and the model derived from the sample data was attained (positive and statistically significant beta coefficients, good R-squares and acceptable GoF). Construct validity was supported by convergent and discriminant validity, and correlations between the LSS and SF-36 subscales. Minimum Intraclass Correlation Coefficient level of 0.60 was exceeded by all subscales. Minimum level of reliability indices (Cronbach's α, composite reliability and indicator reliability) was exceeded by all subscales. The Persian-version of the Life Satisfaction Scale is a reliable and valid instrument, with psychometric properties which are consistent with the original version.

Test-retest reliability and construct validity of the ENERGY-parent questionnaire on parenting practices, energy balance-related behaviours and their potential behavioural determinants: the ENERGY-project.

PubMed

Singh, Amika S; Chinapaw, Mai J M; Uijtdewilligen, Léonie; Vik, Froydis N; van Lippevelde, Wendy; Fernández-Alvira, Juan M; Stomfai, Sarolta; Manios, Yannis; van der Sluijs, Maria; Terwee, Caroline; Brug, Johannes

2012-08-13

Insight in parental energy balance-related behaviours, their determinants and parenting practices are important to inform childhood obesity prevention. Therefore, reliable and valid tools to measure these variables in large-scale population research are needed. The objective of the current study was to examine the test-retest reliability and construct validity of the parent questionnaire used in the ENERGY-project, assessing parental energy balance-related behaviours, their determinants, and parenting practices among parents of 10-12 year old children. We collected data among parents (n = 316 in the test-retest reliability study; n = 109 in the construct validity study) of 10-12 year-old children in six European countries, i.e. Belgium, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain. Test-retest reliability was assessed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and percentage agreement comparing scores from two measurements, administered one week apart. To assess construct validity, the agreement between questionnaire responses and a subsequent interview was assessed using ICC and percentage agreement.All but one item showed good to excellent test-retest reliability as indicated by ICCs > .60 or percentage agreement ≥ 75%. Construct validity appeared to be good to excellent for 92 out of 121 items, as indicated by ICCs > .60 or percentage agreement ≥ 75%. From the other 29 items, construct validity was moderate for 24 and poor for 5 items. The reliability and construct validity of the items of the ENERGY-parent questionnaire on multiple energy balance-related behaviours, their potential determinants, and parenting practices appears to be good. Based on the results of the validity study, we strongly recommend adapting parts of the ENERGY-parent questionnaire if used in future research.

Measuring genetic distances between breeds: use of some distances in various short term evolution models

PubMed Central

Laval, Guillaume; SanCristobal, Magali; Chevalet, Claude

2002-01-01

Many works demonstrate the benefits of using highly polymorphic markers such as microsatellites in order to measure the genetic diversity between closely related breeds. But it is sometimes difficult to decide which genetic distance should be used. In this paper we review the behaviour of the main distances encountered in the literature in various divergence models. In the first part, we consider that breeds are populations in which the assumption of equilibrium between drift and mutation is verified. In this case some interesting distances can be expressed as a function of divergence time, t, and therefore can be used to construct phylogenies. Distances based on allele size distribution (such as (δμ)2 and derived distances), taking a mutation model of microsatellites, the Stepwise Mutation Model, specifically into account, exhibit large variance and therefore should not be used to accurately infer phylogeny of closely related breeds. In the last section, we will consider that breeds are small populations and that the divergence times between them are too small to consider that the observed diversity is due to mutations: divergence is mainly due to genetic drift. Expectation and variance of distances were calculated as a function of the Wright-Malécot inbreeding coefficient, F. Computer simulations performed under this divergence model show that the Reynolds distance [57]is the best method for very closely related breeds. PMID:12270106

The Genetic Basis of Upland/Lowland Ecotype Divergence in Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

DOE PAGES

Milano, E. R.; Lowry, D. B.; Juenger, T. E.

2016-09-09

The evolution of locally adapted ecotypes is a common phenomenon that generates diversity within plant species. However, we know surprisingly little about the genetic mechanisms underlying the locally adapted traits involved in ecotype formation. The genetic architecture underlying locally adapted traits dictates how an organism will respond to environmental selection pressures, and has major implications for evolutionary ecology, conservation, and crop breeding. To understand the genetic architecture underlying the divergence of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) ecotypes, we constructed a genetic mapping population through a four-way outbred cross between two northern upland and two southern lowland accessions. Trait segregation in this mappingmore » population was largely consistent with multiple independent loci controlling the suite of traits that characterizes ecotype divergence. We assembled a joint linkage map using ddRADseq, and mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) for traits that are divergent between ecotypes, including flowering time, plant size, physiological processes, and disease resistance. Overall, we found that most QTL had small to intermediate effects. While we identified colocalizing QTL for multiple traits, we did not find any large-effect QTL that clearly controlled multiple traits through pleiotropy or tight physical linkage. These results indicate that ecologically important traits in switchgrass have a complex genetic basis, and that similar loci may underlie divergence across the geographic range of the ecotypes.« less

The Genetic Basis of Upland/Lowland Ecotype Divergence in Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

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

Milano, E. R.; Lowry, D. B.; Juenger, T. E.

The evolution of locally adapted ecotypes is a common phenomenon that generates diversity within plant species. However, we know surprisingly little about the genetic mechanisms underlying the locally adapted traits involved in ecotype formation. The genetic architecture underlying locally adapted traits dictates how an organism will respond to environmental selection pressures, and has major implications for evolutionary ecology, conservation, and crop breeding. To understand the genetic architecture underlying the divergence of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) ecotypes, we constructed a genetic mapping population through a four-way outbred cross between two northern upland and two southern lowland accessions. Trait segregation in this mappingmore » population was largely consistent with multiple independent loci controlling the suite of traits that characterizes ecotype divergence. We assembled a joint linkage map using ddRADseq, and mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) for traits that are divergent between ecotypes, including flowering time, plant size, physiological processes, and disease resistance. Overall, we found that most QTL had small to intermediate effects. While we identified colocalizing QTL for multiple traits, we did not find any large-effect QTL that clearly controlled multiple traits through pleiotropy or tight physical linkage. These results indicate that ecologically important traits in switchgrass have a complex genetic basis, and that similar loci may underlie divergence across the geographic range of the ecotypes.« less

Psychometric validation and reliability analysis of a Spanish version of the patient satisfaction with cancer-related care measure: a patient navigation research program study.

PubMed

Jean-Pierre, Pascal; Fiscella, Kevin; Winters, Paul C; Paskett, Electra; Wells, Kristen; Battaglia, Tracy

2012-09-01

Patient satisfaction (PS), a key measure of quality of cancer care, is a core study outcome of the multi-site National Cancer Institute-funded Patient Navigation Research Program. Despite large numbers of underserved monolingual Spanish speakers (MSS) residing in USA, there is no validated Spanish measure of PS that spans the whole spectrum of cancer-related care. The present study reports on the validation of the Patient Satisfaction with Cancer Care (PSCC) measure for Spanish (PSCC-Sp) speakers receiving diagnostic and therapeutic cancer-related care. Original PSCC items were professionally translated and back translated to ensure cultural appropriateness, meaningfulness, and equivalence. Then, the resulting 18-item PSCC-Sp measure was administered to 285 MSS. We evaluated latent structure and internal consistency of the PSCC-Sp using principal components analysis (PCA) and Cronbach coefficient alpha (α). We used correlation analyses to demonstrate divergence and convergence of the PSCC-Sp with a Spanish version of the Patient Satisfaction with Interpersonal Relationship with Navigator (PSN-I-Sp) measure and patients' demographics. The PCA revealed a coherent set of items that explicates 47% of the variance in PS. Reliability assessment demonstrated that the PSCC-Sp had high internal consistency (α = 0.92). The PSCC-Sp demonstrated good face validity and convergent and divergent validities as indicated by moderate correlations with the PSN-I-Sp (p = 0.003) and nonsignificant correlations with marital status and household income (all p(s) > 0.05). The PSCC-Sp is a valid and reliable measure of PS and should be tested in other MSS populations.

Construct Validity of Fresh Frozen Human Cadaver as a Training Model in Minimal Access Surgery

PubMed Central

Macafee, David; Pranesh, Nagarajan; Horgan, Alan F.

2012-01-01

Background: The construct validity of fresh human cadaver as a training tool has not been established previously. The aims of this study were to investigate the construct validity of fresh frozen human cadaver as a method of training in minimal access surgery and determine if novices can be rapidly trained using this model to a safe level of performance. Methods: Junior surgical trainees, novices (<3 laparoscopic procedure performed) in laparoscopic surgery, performed 10 repetitions of a set of structured laparoscopic tasks on fresh frozen cadavers. Expert laparoscopists (>100 laparoscopic procedures) performed 3 repetitions of identical tasks. Performances were scored using a validated, objective Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills scale. Scores for 3 consecutive repetitions were compared between experts and novices to determine construct validity. Furthermore, to determine if the novices reached a safe level, a trimmed mean of the experts score was used to define a benchmark. Mann-Whitney U test was used for construct validity analysis and 1-sample t test to compare performances of the novice group with the benchmark safe score. Results: Ten novices and 2 experts were recruited. Four out of 5 tasks (nondominant to dominant hand transfer; simulated appendicectomy; intracorporeal and extracorporeal knot tying) showed construct validity. Novices’ scores became comparable to benchmark scores between the eighth and tenth repetition. Conclusion: Minimal access surgical training using fresh frozen human cadavers appears to have construct validity. The laparoscopic skills of novices can be accelerated through to a safe level within 8 to 10 repetitions. PMID:23318058

Divergent Vegetation Growth Patterns Relative to Bioinfiltration Unit Size and Plant Placement

EPA Science Inventory

In 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency constructed six experimental bioinfiltration units at the Edison Environmental Center in Edison, New Jersey. They were designed as two sets of three bioinfiltration units with drainage area to surface area ratios of 5.5:1, 11:1, ...

A Classification Framework for Exploring Technology-Enabled Practice--Frame TEP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prestridge, Sarah; de Aldama, Carlos

2016-01-01

This article theorizes the construction of a classification framework to explore teachers' beliefs and pedagogical practices for the use of digital technologies in the classroom. There are currently many individual schemas and models that represent both developmental and divergent concepts associated with technology-enabled practice. This article…

Sweeping the Floor or Putting a Man on the Moon: How to Define and Measure Meaningful Work.

PubMed

Both-Nwabuwe, Jitske M C; Dijkstra, Maria T M; Beersma, Bianca

2017-01-01

Meaningful work is integral to well-being and a flourishing life. The construct of "meaningful work" is, however, consistently affected by conceptual ambiguity. Although there is substantial support for arguments to maintain the status of conceptual ambiguity, we make a case for the benefits of having consensus on a definition and scale of meaningful work in the context of paid work. The objective of this article, therefore, was twofold. Firstly, we wanted to develop a more integrative definition of meaningful work. Secondly, we wanted to establish a corresponding operationalization. We reviewed the literature on the existing definitions of meaningful work and the scales designed to measure it. We found 14 definitions of meaningful work. Based on these definitions, we identified four categories of definitions, which led us to propose an integrative and comprehensive definition of meaningful work. We identified two validated scales that were partly aligned with the proposed definition. Based on our review, we conclude that scholars in this field should coalesce rather than diverge their efforts to conceptualize and measure meaningful work.

A comparison of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder scales.

PubMed

Samuel, Douglas B; Widiger, Thomas A

2010-05-01

In this study, we utilized a large undergraduate sample (N = 536), oversampled for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text revision [DSM-IV-TR]; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) pathology, to compare 8 self-report measures of OCPD. No prior study has compared more than 3 measures, and the results indicate that the scales had only moderate convergent validity. We also went beyond the existing literature to compare these scales to 2 external reference points: their relationships with a well-established measure of the five-factor model of personality (FFM) and clinicians' ratings of their coverage of the DSM-IV-TR criterion set. When the FFM was used as a point of comparison, the results suggest important differences among the measures with respect to their divergent representation of conscientiousness, neuroticism, and agreeableness. Additionally, an analysis of the construct coverage indicated that the measures also varied in terms of their representation of particular diagnostic criteria. For example, whereas some scales contained items distributed across the diagnostic criteria, others were concentrated more heavily on particular features of the DSM-IV-TR disorder.

Measuring Supportive Music and Imagery Interventions: The Development of the Music Therapy Self-Rating Scale.

PubMed

Meadows, Anthony; Burns, Debra S; Perkins, Susan M

2015-01-01

Previous research has demonstrated modest benefits from music-based interventions, specifically music and imagery interventions, during cancer care. However, little attention has been paid to measuring the benefits of music-based interventions using measurement instruments specifically designed to account for the multidimensional nature of music-imagery experiences. The purpose of this study was to describe the development of, and psychometrically evaluate, the Music Therapy Self-Rating Scale (MTSRS) as a measure for cancer patients engaged in supportive music and imagery interventions. An exploratory factor analysis using baseline data from 76 patients who consented to participate in a music-based intervention study during chemotherapy. Factor analysis of 14 items revealed four domains: Awareness of Body, Emotionally Focused, Personal Resources, and Treatment Specific. Internal reliability was excellent (Cronbach alphas ranging from 0.75 to 0.88) and construct and divergent-discriminant validity supported. The MTSRS is a psychometrically sound, brief instrument that captures essential elements of patient experience during music and imagery interventions. © the American Music Therapy Association 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Sweeping the Floor or Putting a Man on the Moon: How to Define and Measure Meaningful Work

PubMed Central

Both-Nwabuwe, Jitske M. C.; Dijkstra, Maria T. M.; Beersma, Bianca

2017-01-01

Meaningful work is integral to well-being and a flourishing life. The construct of “meaningful work” is, however, consistently affected by conceptual ambiguity. Although there is substantial support for arguments to maintain the status of conceptual ambiguity, we make a case for the benefits of having consensus on a definition and scale of meaningful work in the context of paid work. The objective of this article, therefore, was twofold. Firstly, we wanted to develop a more integrative definition of meaningful work. Secondly, we wanted to establish a corresponding operationalization. We reviewed the literature on the existing definitions of meaningful work and the scales designed to measure it. We found 14 definitions of meaningful work. Based on these definitions, we identified four categories of definitions, which led us to propose an integrative and comprehensive definition of meaningful work. We identified two validated scales that were partly aligned with the proposed definition. Based on our review, we conclude that scholars in this field should coalesce rather than diverge their efforts to conceptualize and measure meaningful work. PMID:29033867

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation Questionnaire on lateral elbow tendinopathy for French-speaking patients.

PubMed

Kaux, Jean-François; Delvaux, François; Schaus, Jean; Demoulin, Christophe; Locquet, Médéa; Buckinx, Fanny; Beaudart, Charlotte; Dardenne, Nadia; Van Beveren, Julien; Croisier, Jean-Louis; Forthomme, Bénédicte; Bruyère, Olivier

Translation and validation of algo-functional questionnaire. The lateral elbow tendinopathy is a common injury in tennis players and physical workers. The Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) Questionnaire was specifically designed to measure pain and functional limitations in patients with lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). First developed in English, this questionnaire has since been translated into several languages. The aims of the study were to translate and cross-culturally adapt the PRTEE questionnaire into French and to evaluate the reliability and validity of this translated version of the questionnaire (PRTEE-F). The PRTEE was translated and cross-culturally adapted into French according to international guidelines. To assess the reliability and validity of the PRTEE-F, 115 participants were asked twice to fill in the PRTEE-F, and once the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (DASH) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Internal consistency (using Cronbach's alpha), test-retest reliability (using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change), and convergent and divergent validity (using the Spearman's correlation coefficients respectively with the DASH and with some subscales of the SF-36) were assessed. The PRTEE was translated into French without any problems. PRTEE-F showed a good test-retest reliability for the overall score (ICC 0.86) and for each item (ICC 0.8-0.96) and a high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.98). The correlation analyses revealed high correlation coefficients between PRTEE-F and DASH (convergent validity) and, as expected, a low or moderate correlation with the divergent subscales of the SF-36 (discriminant validity). There was no floor or ceiling effect. The PRTEE questionnaire was successfully cross-culturally adapted into French. The PRTEE-F is reliable and valid for evaluating French-speaking patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy. Copyright © 2016 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation study of the EORTC information questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-INFO25) in Iranian cancer patients.

PubMed

Asadi-Lari, Mohsen; Ahmadi Pishkuhi, Mahin; Almasi-Hashiani, Amir; Safiri, Saeid; Sepidarkish, Mahdi

2015-07-01

Developing a tool for measuring patient's needs is a vital step in the process of cancer treatment and research. In recent years, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) made a questionnaire to measure cancer patients' received information. Since validity and reliability of any instrument should be evaluated in the new environment and culture, the aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the EORTC QLQ-INFO25 in Iranian cancer patients. One hundred seventy-three patients with different stages of cancer filled questionnaire EORTC QLQ-INFO25, EORTC QLQ-C30, and EORTC IN-PATSAT32. Twenty-five patients answered the questionnaire twice at an interval of 2 weeks. Reliability and validity of the questionnaire was measured by Cronbach's alpha, interclass correlation, test retest, inter-rater agreement (IRA), and exploratory factorial analyses. Using a conservative approach, the IRA for the overall relevancy and clarity of the tool was 87/86% and 83.33%, respectively. Overall appropriateness and clarity were 94.13 and 91.87%, respectively. Overall integrity of the instrument was determined to be 85%. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for all domains and total inventory were top 70 and 90%, respectively. Interclass correlation index ranges between 0.708 and 0.965. Exploratory factorial analyses demonstrate six fields suitable for instrument. Correlation between areas of the questionnaires EORTC QLQ-INFO25 and EORTC in-Patsat32 represents the convergent validity of the questionnaire. Also, results show a standard divergent validity in all domains of the questionnaire (Rho <0.3). Low correlation between the areas of the questionnaires EORTC QLQ-INFO25 and EORTC QLQ-C30 (<0.3) demonstrates the divergence validity of the questionnaire. The results showed that Persian version of the questionnaire EORTC QLQ-INFO25 is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the perception of information in cancer patients.

Anxiety in early Parkinson's disease: Validation of the Italian observer-rated version of the Parkinson Anxiety Scale (OR-PAS).

PubMed

Santangelo, Gabriella; Falco, Fabrizia; D'Iorio, Alfonsina; Cuoco, Sofia; Raimo, Simona; Amboni, Marianna; Pellecchia, Maria Teresa; Longo, Katia; Vitale, Carmine; Barone, Paolo

2016-08-15

Anxiety disorders are common in Parkinson's Disease (PD) and their identification is relevant even at early stages. The Parkinson Anxiety Scale (PAS) evaluates anxiety in PD; it was used only in the original validation study in PD patients mainly at 2-3 stages of Hoehn & Yahr system (H&Y). The study aimed to investigate psychometric properties of observer-rated version of the PAS (OR-PAS), prevalence rate of anxiety and its features, compared with diagnostic criteria in early PD patients. A sample of 101 PD patients with H&Y:1-2 underwent the OR-PAS. To assess convergent and divergent validity, PD patients underwent Beck Anxiety Inventory, and scales assessing depression, apathy, anhedonia and cognition. To diagnose anxiety disorders, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Inventory was used as gold standard. A "receiver operating characteristics" curve was obtained; positive and negative predictive values were calculated for different cut-off points of the OR-PAS and its subscales. There was no missing data, no floor and ceiling effects; mean score was 12.2±10.1; Cronbach's alpha was 0.899. The OR-PAS showed good convergent and divergent validity. Maximum discrimination was obtained with a cut-off score of 8.5. The anxiety occurred in 59 patients (58.4%). The OR-PAS is a reliable and valid screening instrument for assessing anxiety in patients at early PD. Anxiety was found in 58.4% of PD patients, demonstrating that anxiety occurs even at early stages. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Latent structure and reliability analysis of the measure of body apperception: cross-validation for head and neck cancer patients.

PubMed

Jean-Pierre, Pascal; Fundakowski, Christopher; Perez, Enrique; Jean-Pierre, Shadae E; Jean-Pierre, Ashley R; Melillo, Angelica B; Libby, Rachel; Sargi, Zoukaa

2013-02-01

Cancer and its treatments are associated with psychological distress that can negatively impact self-perception, psychosocial functioning, and quality of life. Patients with head and neck cancers (HNC) are particularly susceptible to psychological distress. This study involved a cross-validation of the Measure of Body Apperception (MBA) for HNC patients. One hundred and twenty-two English-fluent HNC patients between 20 and 88 years of age completed the MBA on a Likert scale ranging from "1 = disagree" to "4 = agree." We assessed the latent structure and internal consistency reliability of the MBA using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Cronbach's coefficient alpha (α), respectively. We determined convergent and divergent validities of the MBA using correlations with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), observer disfigurement rating, and patients' clinical and demographic variables. The PCA revealed a coherent set of items that explained 38 % of the variance. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.73 and the Bartlett's test of sphericity was statistically significant (χ (2) (28) = 253.64; p < 0.001), confirming the suitability of the data for dimension reduction analysis. The MBA had good internal consistency reliability (α = 0.77) and demonstrated adequate convergent and divergent validities based on statistically significant moderate correlations with the HADS (p < 0.01) and observer rating of disfigurement (p < 0.026) and nonstatistically significant correlations with patients' clinical and demographic variables: tumor location, age at diagnosis, and birth place (all p (s) > 0.05). The MBA is a valid and reliable screening measure of body apperception for HNC patients.

Cross-cultural reliability and validity of ADHD assessed by the ADHD Rating Scale in a pan-European study.

PubMed

Döpfner, Manfred; Steinhausen, Hans-Christoph; Coghill, David; Dalsgaard, Søren; Poole, Lynne; Ralston, Stephen J; Rothenberger, Aribert

2006-12-01

To provide psychometric information on the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Rating Scale-IV (ADHD-RS-IV) in a large population of children with ADHD. Patients aged 6-18 years (n=1,478 in baseline analysis) were rated by 244 physicians on the ADHD-RS-IV based on a semi-structured interview with the patient's parent. Physicians additionally rated functional impairment (CGAS) and health status (CGI-S), and parents rated their child's behavioural and emotional problems (SDQ) and quality of life (CHIP-CE). Inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity as dimensions of ADHD were replicated. 3-factor solutions reflecting the ICD-10 definition, with hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention as separate dimensions were extracted in some national sub-samples and in separate analyses for boys and younger children.Good internal consistencies, strong country effects and small effects of age were found. Based on ADHD-RS-IV, 88.5% of patients met the criteria for any ADHD diagnosis. Correlations between ADHD-RS-IV and measures of functional impairment were low but statistically significant. The correlations with SDQ and CHIP-CE scales confirm the convergent and divergent validity of ADHD-RS-IV. Impressive evidence for the cross-cultural factorial validity, internal consistency as well as convergent and divergent validity of ADHD-RS-IV was found. ADHD can be assessed reliably and validly in routine care across Europe. The ICD-10 3-factor model seems to be less robust than the DSM-IV 2-factor model, but may be a good description for special populations (boys, younger children).

Retroposon analysis and recent geological data suggest near-simultaneous divergence of the three superorders of mammals

PubMed Central

Nishihara, Hidenori; Maruyama, Shigenori; Okada, Norihiro

2009-01-01

As a consequence of recent developments in molecular phylogenomics, all extant orders of placental mammals have been grouped into 3 lineages: Afrotheria, Xenarthra, and Boreotheria, which originated in Africa, South America, and Laurasia, respectively. Despite this advancement, the order of divergence of these 3 lineages remains unresolved. Here, we performed extensive retroposon analysis with mammalian genomic data. Surprisingly, we identified a similar number of informative retroposon loci that support each of 3 possible phylogenetic hypotheses: the basal position for Afrotheria (22 loci), Xenarthra (25 loci), and Boreotheria (21 loci). This result indicates that the divergence of the placental common ancestor into the 3 lineages occurred nearly simultaneously. Thus, we examined whether these molecular data could be integrated into the geological context by incorporating recent geological data. We obtained firm evidence that complete separation of Gondwana into Africa and South America occurred 120 ± 10 Ma. Accordingly, the previous reported time frame (division of Pangea into Gondwana and Laurasia at 148–138 Ma and division of Gondwana at 105 Ma) cannot be used to validate mammalian divergence order. Instead, we use our retroposon results and the recent geological data to propose that near-simultaneous divisions of continents leading to isolated Africa, South America, and Laurasia caused nearly concomitant divergence of the ancient placental ancestor into 3 lineages, Afrotheria, Xenarthra, and Boreotheria, ≈120 Ma. PMID:19286970

Retroposon analysis and recent geological data suggest near-simultaneous divergence of the three superorders of mammals.

PubMed

Nishihara, Hidenori; Maruyama, Shigenori; Okada, Norihiro

2009-03-31

As a consequence of recent developments in molecular phylogenomics, all extant orders of placental mammals have been grouped into 3 lineages: Afrotheria, Xenarthra, and Boreotheria, which originated in Africa, South America, and Laurasia, respectively. Despite this advancement, the order of divergence of these 3 lineages remains unresolved. Here, we performed extensive retroposon analysis with mammalian genomic data. Surprisingly, we identified a similar number of informative retroposon loci that support each of 3 possible phylogenetic hypotheses: the basal position for Afrotheria (22 loci), Xenarthra (25 loci), and Boreotheria (21 loci). This result indicates that the divergence of the placental common ancestor into the 3 lineages occurred nearly simultaneously. Thus, we examined whether these molecular data could be integrated into the geological context by incorporating recent geological data. We obtained firm evidence that complete separation of Gondwana into Africa and South America occurred 120 +/- 10 Ma. Accordingly, the previous reported time frame (division of Pangea into Gondwana and Laurasia at 148-138 Ma and division of Gondwana at 105 Ma) cannot be used to validate mammalian divergence order. Instead, we use our retroposon results and the recent geological data to propose that near-simultaneous divisions of continents leading to isolated Africa, South America, and Laurasia caused nearly concomitant divergence of the ancient placental ancestor into 3 lineages, Afrotheria, Xenarthra, and Boreotheria, approximately 120 Ma.

Molecular evolution and functional divergence of the cytochrome P450 3 (CYP3) Family in Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish).

PubMed

Yan, Jun; Cai, Zhonghua

2010-12-10

The cytochrome P450 (CYP) superfamily is a multifunctional hemethiolate enzyme that is widely distributed from Bacteria to Eukarya. The CYP3 family contains mainly the four subfamilies CYP3A, CYP3B, CYP3C and CYP3D in vertebrates; however, only the Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) have all four subfamilies and detailed understanding of the evolutionary relationship of Actinopterygii CYP3 family members would be valuable. Phylogenetic relationships were constructed to trace the evolutionary history of the Actinopterygii CYP3 family genes. Selection analysis, relative rate tests and functional divergence analysis were combined to interpret the relationship of the site-specific evolution and functional divergence in the Actinopterygii CYP3 family. The results showed that the four CYP3 subfamilies in Actinopterygii might be formed by gene duplication. The first gene duplication event was responsible for divergence of the CYP3B/C clusters from ancient CYP3 before the origin of the Actinopterygii, which corresponded to the fish-specific whole genome duplication (WGD). Tandem repeat duplication in each of the homologue clusters produced stable CYP3B, CYP3C, CYP3A and CYP3D subfamilies. Acceleration of asymmetric evolutionary rates and purifying selection together were the main force for the production of new subfamilies and functional divergence in the new subset after gene duplication, whereas positive selection was detected only in the retained CYP3A subfamily. Furthermore, nearly half of the functional divergence sites appear to be related to substrate recognition, which suggests that site-specific evolution is closely related with functional divergence in the Actinopterygii CYP3 family. The split of fish-specific CYP3 subfamilies was related to the fish-specific WGD, and site-specific acceleration of asymmetric evolutionary rates and purifying selection was the main force for the origin of the new subfamilies and functional divergence in the new subset after gene duplication. Site-specific evolution in substrate recognition was related to functional divergence in the Actinopterygii CYP3 family.

Evaluating the Unintended Consequences of Assessment Practices: Construct Irrelevance and Construct Underrepresentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spurgeon, Shawn L.

2017-01-01

Construct irrelevance (CI) and construct underrepresentation (CU) are 2 major threats to validity, yet they are rarely discussed within the counseling literature. This article provides information about the relevance of these threats to internal validity. An illustrative case example will be provided to assist counselors in understanding these…

Delineating Personality Traits in Childhood and Adolescence: Associations across Measures, Temperament, and Behavioral Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tackett, Jennifer L.; Kushner, Shauna C.; De Fruyt, Filip; Mervielde, Ivan

2013-01-01

The current investigation addressed several questions in the burgeoning area of child personality assessment. Specifically, the present study examined overlapping and nonoverlapping variance in two prominent measures of child personality assessment, followed by tests of convergent and divergent validity with child temperament and psychopathology.…

Beliefs about the Consequences of Maternal Employment for Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenberger, Ellen; And Others

1988-01-01

Developed a 24-item scale to measure Beliefs about the Consequences of Maternal Employment for Children, including beliefs about both benefits and costs. Demonstrated reliability and high convergent, divergent, and concurrent validity. Assessed sex-role traditionalism, women's employment status, work hours, age of child at which employment is…

Evaluating Measures of Optimism and Sport Confidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fogarty, Gerard J.; Perera, Harsha N.; Furst, Andrea J.; Thomas, Patrick R.

2016-01-01

The psychometric properties of the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), the Sport Confidence Inventory (SCI), and the Carolina SCI (CSCI) were examined in a study involving 260 athletes. The study aimed to test the dimensional structure, convergent and divergent validity, and invariance over competition level of scores generated by these…

Validity of Self-Report Screening Scale for Elder Abuse: Women's Health Australia Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schofield, Margot J.; Mishra, Gita D.

2003-01-01

Examines the reliability and validity of the Vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale (VASS) for the early identification of elder abuse. Results confirmed the VASS factor structure and construct validity. The Vulnerability and Coercion factors held the strongest face and construct validity for physical and psychological abuse. (Contains 52…

Rater Cognition: Implications for Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bejar, Issac I.

2012-01-01

The scoring process is critical in the validation of tests that rely on constructed responses. Documenting that readers carry out the scoring in ways consistent with the construct and measurement goals is an important aspect of score validity. In this article, rater cognition is approached as a source of support for a validity argument for scores…

Assessing the stability of human locomotion: a review of current measures

PubMed Central

Bruijn, S. M.; Meijer, O. G.; Beek, P. J.; van Dieën, J. H.

2013-01-01

Falling poses a major threat to the steadily growing population of the elderly in modern-day society. A major challenge in the prevention of falls is the identification of individuals who are at risk of falling owing to an unstable gait. At present, several methods are available for estimating gait stability, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. In this paper, we review the currently available measures: the maximum Lyapunov exponent (λS and λL), the maximum Floquet multiplier, variability measures, long-range correlations, extrapolated centre of mass, stabilizing and destabilizing forces, foot placement estimator, gait sensitivity norm and maximum allowable perturbation. We explain what these measures represent and how they are calculated, and we assess their validity, divided up into construct validity, predictive validity in simple models, convergent validity in experimental studies, and predictive validity in observational studies. We conclude that (i) the validity of variability measures and λS is best supported across all levels, (ii) the maximum Floquet multiplier and λL have good construct validity, but negative predictive validity in models, negative convergent validity and (for λL) negative predictive validity in observational studies, (iii) long-range correlations lack construct validity and predictive validity in models and have negative convergent validity, and (iv) measures derived from perturbation experiments have good construct validity, but data are lacking on convergent validity in experimental studies and predictive validity in observational studies. In closing, directions for future research on dynamic gait stability are discussed. PMID:23516062

Reliability and concurrent and construct validity of the Strategies for Weight Management measure for adults.

PubMed

Kolodziejczyk, Julia K; Norman, Gregory J; Rock, Cheryl L; Arredondo, Elva M; Roesch, Scott C; Madanat, Hala; Patrick, Kevin

2016-01-01

This study evaluates the reliability and validity of the strategies for weight management (SWM) measure, a questionnaire that assesses weight management strategies for adults. The SWM includes 20 items that are categorized within the following subscales: (1) energy intake, (2) energy expenditure, (3) self-monitoring, and (4) self-regulation. Baseline and 6-month data were collected from 404 overweight/obese adults (mean age=22±3.8 years, 68% ethnic minority) enrolled in a randomized controlled trial aiming to reduce weight by improving diet and physical activity behaviours. Reliability and validity were assessed for each subscale separately. Cronbach alpha was conducted to assess reliability. Concurrent, construct I (sensitivity to the study treatment condition), and construct II (relationship to the outcomes) validity were assessed using linear regressions with the following outcome measures: weight, self-reported diet, and weekly energy expenditure. All subscales showed strong internal consistency. The strength of the validity evidence depended on subscale and validity type. The strongest validity evidence was concurrent validity of the energy intake and energy expenditure subscales; construct I validity of the energy intake and self-monitoring subscales; and construct II validity of the energy intake, energy expenditure, and self-regulation subscales. Results indicate that the SWM can be used to assess weight management strategies among an ethnically diverse sample of adults as each subscale showed evidence of reliability and select types of validity. As validity is an accumulation of evidence over multiple studies, this study provides initial reliability and validity evidence in one population segment. Copyright © 2015 Asia Oceania Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Test-retest reliability and construct validity of the ENERGY-child questionnaire on energy balance-related behaviours and their potential determinants: the ENERGY-project.

PubMed

Singh, Amika S; Vik, Froydis N; Chinapaw, Mai J M; Uijtdewilligen, Léonie; Verloigne, Maïté; Fernández-Alvira, Juan M; Stomfai, Sarolta; Manios, Yannis; Martens, Marloes; Brug, Johannes

2011-12-09

Insight in children's energy balance-related behaviours (EBRBs) and their determinants is important to inform obesity prevention research. Therefore, reliable and valid tools to measure these variables in large-scale population research are needed. To examine the test-retest reliability and construct validity of the child questionnaire used in the ENERGY-project, measuring EBRBs and their potential determinants among 10-12 year old children. We collected data among 10-12 year old children (n = 730 in the test-retest reliability study; n = 96 in the construct validity study) in six European countries, i.e. Belgium, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain. Test-retest reliability was assessed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and percentage agreement comparing scores from two measurements, administered one week apart. To assess construct validity, the agreement between questionnaire responses and a subsequent face-to-face interview was assessed using ICC and percentage agreement. Of the 150 questionnaire items, 115 (77%) showed good to excellent test-retest reliability as indicated by ICCs > .60 or percentage agreement ≥ 75%. Test-retest reliability was moderate for 34 items (23%) and poor for one item. Construct validity appeared to be good to excellent for 70 (47%) of the 150 items, as indicated by ICCs > .60 or percentage agreement ≥ 75%. From the other 80 items, construct validity was moderate for 39 (26%) and poor for 41 items (27%). Our results demonstrate that the ENERGY-child questionnaire, assessing EBRBs of the child as well as personal, family, and school-environmental determinants related to these EBRBs, has good test-retest reliability and moderate to good construct validity for the large majority of items.

Test-retest reliability and construct validity of the ENERGY-child questionnaire on energy balance-related behaviours and their potential determinants: the ENERGY-project

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Insight in children's energy balance-related behaviours (EBRBs) and their determinants is important to inform obesity prevention research. Therefore, reliable and valid tools to measure these variables in large-scale population research are needed. Objective To examine the test-retest reliability and construct validity of the child questionnaire used in the ENERGY-project, measuring EBRBs and their potential determinants among 10-12 year old children. Methods We collected data among 10-12 year old children (n = 730 in the test-retest reliability study; n = 96 in the construct validity study) in six European countries, i.e. Belgium, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain. Test-retest reliability was assessed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and percentage agreement comparing scores from two measurements, administered one week apart. To assess construct validity, the agreement between questionnaire responses and a subsequent face-to-face interview was assessed using ICC and percentage agreement. Results Of the 150 questionnaire items, 115 (77%) showed good to excellent test-retest reliability as indicated by ICCs > .60 or percentage agreement ≥ 75%. Test-retest reliability was moderate for 34 items (23%) and poor for one item. Construct validity appeared to be good to excellent for 70 (47%) of the 150 items, as indicated by ICCs > .60 or percentage agreement ≥ 75%. From the other 80 items, construct validity was moderate for 39 (26%) and poor for 41 items (27%). Conclusions Our results demonstrate that the ENERGY-child questionnaire, assessing EBRBs of the child as well as personal, family, and school-environmental determinants related to these EBRBs, has good test-retest reliability and moderate to good construct validity for the large majority of items. PMID:22152048

Nuclear Resonance Scattering of Circularly Polarized SR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szymanski, K.; Satula, D.; Dobrzynski, L.; Kalska, B.

2004-09-01

Results of the experiments with nuclear resonance scattering of synchrotron radiation aiming at construction of the circularly polarized beam suitable for nuclear hyperfine studies are reported. Si(4 0 0) single crystal slab, 100 μ m thick, was used as a quarter wave plate. Observed twofold reduction of the intensity in proposed geometry is due to the Si crystal itself. Hyperfine interactions are used to probe polarization state of the synchrotron beam. Too large angular beam divergence did not allow for achieving full circular polarization of photons. Consequently, further experiments are proposed to overcame beam divergence problems. A number of calculations presented in the paper show that cheap and easily available Si plate can serve as an effective desired polarizer.

Validation of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) in Women with Female Orgasmic Disorder and in Women with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

PubMed Central

Meston, Cindy M.

2010-01-01

The Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI; Rosen et al., 2000) is a self-report measure of sexual functioning that has been validated on a clinically diagnosed sample of women with female sexual arousal disorder. The present investigation extended the validation of the FSFI to include women with a primary clinical diagnosis of female orgasmic disorder (FOD; n = 71) or hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD; n = 44). Internal consistency and divergent validity of the FSFI were within the acceptable range for these populations of women. Significant differences between women with FOD and controls and between women with HSDD and controls were noted for each of the FSFI domain and total scores. PMID:12519665

Facile construction of structurally diverse thiazolidinedione-derived compounds via divergent stereoselective cascade organocatalysis and their biological exploratory studies.

PubMed

Zhang, Yongqiang; Wang, Shengzheng; Wu, Shanchao; Zhu, Shiping; Dong, Guoqiang; Miao, Zhenyuan; Yao, Jianzhong; Zhang, Wannian; Sheng, Chunquan; Wang, Wei

2013-06-10

In this article, we present a new approach by merging two powerful synthetic tactics, divergent synthesis and cascade organocatalysis, to create a divergent cascade organocatalysis strategy for the facile construction of new "privileged" substructure-based DOS (pDOS) library. As demonstrated, notably 5 distinct molecular architectures are produced facilely from readily available simple synthons thiazolidinedione and its analogues and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes in 1-3 steps with the powerful strategy. The beauty of the chemistry is highlighted by the efficient formation of structurally new and diverse products from structurally close reactants under the similar reaction conditions. Notably, structurally diverse spiro-thiazolidinediones and -rhodanines are produced from organocatalytic enantioselective 3-component Michael-Michael-aldol cascade reactions of respective thiazolidinediones and rhodanines with enals. Nevertheless, under the similar reaction conditions, reactions of isorhodanine via a Michael-cyclization cascade lead to structurally different fused thiopyranoid scaffolds. This strategy significantly minimizes time- and cost-consuming synthetic works. Furthermore, these molecules possess high structural complexity and functional, stereochemical, and skeletal diversity with similarity to natural scaffolds. In the preliminary biological studies of these molecules, compounds 4f, 8a, and 10a exhibit inhibitory activity against the human breast cancer cells, while compounds 8a, 9a, and 9b display good antifungal activities against Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. Notably, their structures are different from clinically used triazole antifungal drugs. Therefore, they could serve as good lead compounds for the development of new generation of antifungal agents.

DNA barcodes for two scale insect families, mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and armored scales (Hemiptera: Diaspididae).

PubMed

Park, D-S; Suh, S-J; Hebert, P D N; Oh, H-W; Hong, K-J

2011-08-01

Although DNA barcode coverage has grown rapidly for many insect orders, there are some groups, such as scale insects, where sequence recovery has been difficult. However, using a recently developed primer set, we recovered barcode records from 373 specimens, providing coverage for 75 species from 31 genera in two families. Overall success was >90% for mealybugs and >80% for armored scale species. The G·C content was very low in most species, averaging just 16.3%. Sequence divergences (K2P) between congeneric species averaged 10.7%, while intra-specific divergences averaged 0.97%. However, the latter value was inflated by high intra-specific divergence in nine taxa, cases that may indicate species overlooked by current taxonomic treatments. Our study establishes the feasibility of developing a comprehensive barcode library for scale insects and indicates that its construction will both create an effective system for identifying scale insects and reveal taxonomic situations worthy of deeper analysis.

Psychometric properties of the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised among a sample of non-clinical Iranian women.

PubMed

Ghassami, Maryam; Asghari, Ali; Shaeeri, Mohammad R; Soltaninejad, Zahra; Safarinejad, Mohammad R

2014-10-01

The present study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of a Persian version of the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (P-FSDS-R) among a sample of healthy Iranian women. A total of 562 healthy Iranian women completed a battery of questionnaires, including the P-FSDS-R, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), Positive and Negative Affect Scales (PANAS) and Locke-Wallace-Marital Adjustment Test (LWMAT). The factor structure and the convergent and divergent validity of the P-FSDS-R were examined, using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and Pearson product-moment correlations, respectively. To examine the discriminant validity of the P-FSDS-R, data collected from 562 healthy participants were compared with data from 108 women with sexual problems who completed the P-FSDS-R measure. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicate that the P-FSDS-R is conceptualized within a one - factor model. The results also indicate that the P-FSDS-R has good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Significant correlations in the predicted directions between the P-FSDS-R scores and the scores of DASS, PANAS and LWMAT support both the convergent and divergent validity of the FSDS-R. The results also indicate that the scores of the P-FSDS-R tests significantly differentiated women with and without sexual problems. In general, these findings support the reliability and the validity of the P-FSDS-R among Iranian women.

Test Score Stability and Construct Validity of the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-College Version Scores among College Students: A Brief Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Patricia A.; Papanastasiou, Elena C.; DeRuyck, Kimberly A.; Reynolds, Cecil R.

2005-01-01

In this study, the authors investigated the temporal stability and construct validity of the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-College Version (AMAS-C; C. R. Reynolds, B. O. Richmond, & P. A. Lowe, 2003b) scores. Results indicated that the AMAS-C scores had adequate to excellent test score stability, and evidence supported the construct validity of the…

High-Frame-Rate Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography.

PubMed

Joos, Philippe; Poree, Jonathan; Liebgott, Herve; Vray, Didier; Baudet, Mathilde; Faurie, Julia; Tournoux, Francois; Cloutier, Guy; Nicolas, Barbara; Garcia, Damien; Baudet, Mathilde; Tournoux, Francois; Joos, Philippe; Poree, Jonathan; Cloutier, Guy; Liebgott, Herve; Faurie, Julia; Vray, Didier; Nicolas, Barbara; Garcia, Damien

2018-05-01

Conventional echocardiography is the leading modality for noninvasive cardiac imaging. It has been recently illustrated that high-frame-rate echocardiography using diverging waves could improve cardiac assessment. The spatial resolution and contrast associated with this method are commonly improved by coherent compounding of steered beams. However, owing to fast tissue velocities in the myocardium, the summation process of successive diverging waves can lead to destructive interferences if motion compensation (MoCo) is not considered. Coherent compounding methods based on MoCo have demonstrated their potential to provide high-contrast B-mode cardiac images. Ultrafast speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) based on common speckle-tracking algorithms could substantially benefit from this original approach. In this paper, we applied STE on high-frame-rate B-mode images obtained with a specific MoCo technique to quantify the 2-D motion and tissue velocities of the left ventricle. The method was first validated in vitro and then evaluated in vivo in the four-chamber view of 10 volunteers. High-contrast high-resolution B-mode images were constructed at 500 frames/s. The sequences were generated with a Verasonics scanner and a 2.5-MHz phased array. The 2-D motion was estimated with standard cross correlation combined with three different subpixel adjustment techniques. The estimated in vitro velocity vectors derived from STE were consistent with the expected values, with normalized errors ranging from 4% to 12% in the radial direction and from 10% to 20% in the cross-range direction. Global longitudinal strain of the left ventricle was also obtained from STE in 10 subjects and compared to the results provided by a clinical scanner: group means were not statistically different ( value = 0.33). The in vitro and in vivo results showed that MoCo enables preservation of the myocardial speckles and in turn allows high-frame-rate STE.

Validation of learning style measures: implications for medical education practice.

PubMed

Chapman, Dane M; Calhoun, Judith G

2006-06-01

It is unclear which learners would most benefit from the more individualised, student-structured, interactive approaches characteristic of problem-based and computer-assisted learning. The validity of learning style measures is uncertain, and there is no unifying learning style construct identified to predict such learners. This study was conducted to validate learning style constructs and to identify the learners most likely to benefit from problem-based and computer-assisted curricula. Using a cross-sectional design, 3 established learning style inventories were administered to 97 post-Year 2 medical students. Cognitive personality was measured by the Group Embedded Figures Test, information processing by the Learning Styles Inventory, and instructional preference by the Learning Preference Inventory. The 11 subscales from the 3 inventories were factor-analysed to identify common learning constructs and to verify construct validity. Concurrent validity was determined by intercorrelations of the 11 subscales. A total of 94 pre-clinical medical students completed all 3 inventories. Five meaningful learning style constructs were derived from the 11 subscales: student- versus teacher-structured learning; concrete versus abstract learning; passive versus active learning; individual versus group learning, and field-dependence versus field-independence. The concurrent validity of 10 of 11 subscales was supported by correlation analysis. Medical students most likely to thrive in a problem-based or computer-assisted learning environment would be expected to score highly on abstract, active and individual learning constructs and would be more field-independent. Learning style measures were validated in a medical student population and learning constructs were established for identifying learners who would most likely benefit from a problem-based or computer-assisted curriculum.

The Physician Values in Practice Scale: Construction and Initial Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartung, Paul J.; Taber, Brian J.; Richard, George V.

2005-01-01

Measures of values typically appraise the construct globally, across life domains or relative to a broad life domain such as work. We conducted two studies to construct and initially validate an occupation- and context-specific values measure. Study 1, based on a sample of 192 medical students, describes the initial construction and item analysis…

Integration of hybridization-based markers (overgos) into physical maps for comparative and evolutionary explorations in the genus Oryza and in Sorghum

PubMed Central

Hass-Jacobus, Barbara L; Futrell-Griggs, Montona; Abernathy, Brian; Westerman, Rick; Goicoechea, Jose-Luis; Stein, Joshua; Klein, Patricia; Hurwitz, Bonnie; Zhou, Bin; Rakhshan, Fariborz; Sanyal, Abhijit; Gill, Navdeep; Lin, Jer-Young; Walling, Jason G; Luo, Mei Zhong; Ammiraju, Jetty Siva S; Kudrna, Dave; Kim, Hye Ran; Ware, Doreen; Wing, Rod A; Miguel, Phillip San; Jackson, Scott A

2006-01-01

Background With the completion of the genome sequence for rice (Oryza sativa L.), the focus of rice genomics research has shifted to the comparison of the rice genome with genomes of other species for gene cloning, breeding, and evolutionary studies. The genus Oryza includes 23 species that shared a common ancestor 8–10 million years ago making this an ideal model for investigations into the processes underlying domestication, as many of the Oryza species are still undergoing domestication. This study integrates high-throughput, hybridization-based markers with BAC end sequence and fingerprint data to construct physical maps of rice chromosome 1 orthologues in two wild Oryza species. Similar studies were undertaken in Sorghum bicolor, a species which diverged from cultivated rice 40–50 million years ago. Results Overgo markers, in conjunction with fingerprint and BAC end sequence data, were used to build sequence-ready BAC contigs for two wild Oryza species. The markers drove contig merges to construct physical maps syntenic to rice chromosome 1 in the wild species and provided evidence for at least one rearrangement on chromosome 1 of the O. sativa versus Oryza officinalis comparative map. When rice overgos were aligned to available S. bicolor sequence, 29% of the overgos aligned with three or fewer mismatches; of these, 41% gave positive hybridization signals. Overgo hybridization patterns supported colinearity of loci in regions of sorghum chromosome 3 and rice chromosome 1 and suggested that a possible genomic inversion occurred in this syntenic region in one of the two genomes after the divergence of S. bicolor and O. sativa. Conclusion The results of this study emphasize the importance of identifying conserved sequences in the reference sequence when designing overgo probes in order for those probes to hybridize successfully in distantly related species. As interspecific markers, overgos can be used successfully to construct physical maps in species which diverged less than 8 million years ago, and can be used in a more limited fashion to examine colinearity among species which diverged as much as 40 million years ago. Additionally, overgos are able to provide evidence of genomic rearrangements in comparative physical mapping studies. PMID:16895597

Diagnostic budgets of analyzed and modelled tropical plumes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcguirk, James P.; Vest, Gerry W.

1993-01-01

Blackwell et al. successfully simulated tropical plumes in a global barotropic model valid at 200 mb. The plume evolved in response to strong equatorial convergence which simulated a surge in the Walker Circulation. The defining characteristics of simulated plumes are: a subtropical jet with southerlies emanating from the deep tropics; a tropical/mid-latitude trough to the west; a convergence/divergence dipole straddling the trough; and strong cross contour flow at the tropical base of the jet. Diagnostic budgets of vorticity, divergence, and kinetic energy are calculated to explain the evolution of the modelled plumes. Budgets describe the unforced (basic) state, forced plumes, forced cases with no plumes, and ECMWF analyzed plumes.

Flutter and divergence instability in the Pflüger column: Experimental evidence of the Ziegler destabilization paradox

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bigoni, Davide; Kirillov, Oleg N.; Misseroni, Diego; Noselli, Giovanni; Tommasini, Mirko

2018-07-01

Flutter instability in elastic structures subject to follower load, the most important cases being the famous Beck's and Pflüger's columns (two elastic rods in a cantilever configuration, with an additional concentrated mass at the end of the rod in the latter case), have attracted, and still attract, a thorough research interest. In this field, the most important issue is the validation of the model itself of follower force, a nonconservative action which was harshly criticized and never realized in practice for structures with diffused elasticity. An experimental setup to introduce follower tangential forces at the end of an elastic rod was designed, realized, validated, and tested, in which the follower action is produced by exploiting Coulomb friction on an element (a freely-rotating wheel) in sliding contact against a flat surface (realized by a conveyor belt). It is therefore shown that follower forces can be realized in practice and the first experimental evidence is given for both the flutter and divergence instabilities occurring in the Pflüger's column. In particular, load thresholds for the two instabilities are measured and the detrimental effect of dissipation on the critical load for flutter is experimentally demonstrated, while a slight increase in load is found for the divergence instability. The presented approach to follower forces discloses new horizons for testing self-oscillating structures and for exploring and documenting dynamic instabilities possible when nonconservative loads are applied.

WORMHOLE: Novel Least Diverged Ortholog Prediction through Machine Learning

PubMed Central

Sutphin, George L.; Mahoney, J. Matthew; Sheppard, Keith; Walton, David O.; Korstanje, Ron

2016-01-01

The rapid advancement of technology in genomics and targeted genetic manipulation has made comparative biology an increasingly prominent strategy to model human disease processes. Predicting orthology relationships between species is a vital component of comparative biology. Dozens of strategies for predicting orthologs have been developed using combinations of gene and protein sequence, phylogenetic history, and functional interaction with progressively increasing accuracy. A relatively new class of orthology prediction strategies combines aspects of multiple methods into meta-tools, resulting in improved prediction performance. Here we present WORMHOLE, a novel ortholog prediction meta-tool that applies machine learning to integrate 17 distinct ortholog prediction algorithms to identify novel least diverged orthologs (LDOs) between 6 eukaryotic species—humans, mice, zebrafish, fruit flies, nematodes, and budding yeast. Machine learning allows WORMHOLE to intelligently incorporate predictions from a wide-spectrum of strategies in order to form aggregate predictions of LDOs with high confidence. In this study we demonstrate the performance of WORMHOLE across each combination of query and target species. We show that WORMHOLE is particularly adept at improving LDO prediction performance between distantly related species, expanding the pool of LDOs while maintaining low evolutionary distance and a high level of functional relatedness between genes in LDO pairs. We present extensive validation, including cross-validated prediction of PANTHER LDOs and evaluation of evolutionary divergence and functional similarity, and discuss future applications of machine learning in ortholog prediction. A WORMHOLE web tool has been developed and is available at http://wormhole.jax.org/. PMID:27812085

WORMHOLE: Novel Least Diverged Ortholog Prediction through Machine Learning.

PubMed

Sutphin, George L; Mahoney, J Matthew; Sheppard, Keith; Walton, David O; Korstanje, Ron

2016-11-01

The rapid advancement of technology in genomics and targeted genetic manipulation has made comparative biology an increasingly prominent strategy to model human disease processes. Predicting orthology relationships between species is a vital component of comparative biology. Dozens of strategies for predicting orthologs have been developed using combinations of gene and protein sequence, phylogenetic history, and functional interaction with progressively increasing accuracy. A relatively new class of orthology prediction strategies combines aspects of multiple methods into meta-tools, resulting in improved prediction performance. Here we present WORMHOLE, a novel ortholog prediction meta-tool that applies machine learning to integrate 17 distinct ortholog prediction algorithms to identify novel least diverged orthologs (LDOs) between 6 eukaryotic species-humans, mice, zebrafish, fruit flies, nematodes, and budding yeast. Machine learning allows WORMHOLE to intelligently incorporate predictions from a wide-spectrum of strategies in order to form aggregate predictions of LDOs with high confidence. In this study we demonstrate the performance of WORMHOLE across each combination of query and target species. We show that WORMHOLE is particularly adept at improving LDO prediction performance between distantly related species, expanding the pool of LDOs while maintaining low evolutionary distance and a high level of functional relatedness between genes in LDO pairs. We present extensive validation, including cross-validated prediction of PANTHER LDOs and evaluation of evolutionary divergence and functional similarity, and discuss future applications of machine learning in ortholog prediction. A WORMHOLE web tool has been developed and is available at http://wormhole.jax.org/.

Biophysical Constraints Arising from Compositional Context in Synthetic Gene Networks.

PubMed

Yeung, Enoch; Dy, Aaron J; Martin, Kyle B; Ng, Andrew H; Del Vecchio, Domitilla; Beck, James L; Collins, James J; Murray, Richard M

2017-07-26

Synthetic gene expression is highly sensitive to intragenic compositional context (promoter structure, spacing regions between promoter and coding sequences, and ribosome binding sites). However, much less is known about the effects of intergenic compositional context (spatial arrangement and orientation of entire genes on DNA) on expression levels in synthetic gene networks. We compare expression of induced genes arranged in convergent, divergent, or tandem orientations. Induction of convergent genes yielded up to 400% higher expression, greater ultrasensitivity, and dynamic range than divergent- or tandem-oriented genes. Orientation affects gene expression whether one or both genes are induced. We postulate that transcriptional interference in divergent and tandem genes, mediated by supercoiling, can explain differences in expression and validate this hypothesis through modeling and in vitro supercoiling relaxation experiments. Treatment with gyrase abrogated intergenic context effects, bringing expression levels within 30% of each other. We rebuilt the toggle switch with convergent genes, taking advantage of supercoiling effects to improve threshold detection and switch stability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Research to Clinical Settings: Validation of the Affect in Play Scale – Preschool Brief Version in a Sample of Preschool and School Aged Italian Children

PubMed Central

Di Riso, Daniela; Salcuni, Silvia; Lis, Adriana; Delvecchio, Elisa

2017-01-01

Affect in Play Scale-Preschool (APS-P) is one of the few standardized tools to measure pretend play. APS-P is an effective measure of symbolic play, able to detect both cognitive and affective dimensions which classically designated play in children, but often are evaluated separately and are scarcely integrated. The scale uses 5 min standardized play task with a set of toys. Recently the scale was extended from 6 to 10 years old and validated in Italy preschool and school-aged children. Some of the main limitations of this measure are that it requires videotaping, verbatim transcripts, and an extensive scoring training, which could compromise its clinical utility. For these reasons, a Brief version of the measure was developed by the original authors. This paper will focus on an APS-P Brief Version and its Extended Version through ages (6–10 years), which consists “in vivo” coding. This study aimed to evaluate construct and external validity of this APS-P Brief Version and its Extended Version in a sample of 538 Italian children aged 4-to-10 years. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded a two correlated factor structure including an affective and a cognitive factor. APS-P-BR and its Extended Version factor scores strongly related to APS-P Extended Version factor scores. Significant relationships were found with a divergent thinking task. Results suggest that the APS-P-BR and its Extended Version is an encouraging brief measure assessing pretend play using toys. It would easily substitute the APS-P and its Extended Version in clinical and research settings, reducing time and difficulties in scoring procedures and maintaining the same strengths. PMID:28553243

The development and evaluation of a five-language multi-perspective standardised measure: clinical decision-making involvement and satisfaction (CDIS)

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a brief quantitative five-language measure of involvement and satisfaction in clinical decision-making (CDIS) – with versions for patients (CDIS-P) and staff (CDIS-S) – for use in mental health services. Methods An English CDIS was developed by reviewing existing measures, focus groups, semistructured interviews and piloting. Translations into Danish, German, Hungarian and Italian followed the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Task Force principles of good practice for translation and cultural adaptation. Psychometricevaluation involved testing the measure in secondary mental health services in Aalborg, Debrecen, London, Naples, Ulm and Zurich. Results After appraising 14 measures, the Control Preference Scale and Satisfaction With Decision-making English-language scales were modified and evaluated in interviews (n = 9), focus groups (n = 22) and piloting (n = 16). Translations were validated through focus groups (n = 38) and piloting (n = 61). A total of 443 service users and 403 paired staff completed CDIS. The Satisfaction sub-scale had internal consistency of 0.89 (0.86-0.89 after item-level deletion) for staff and 0.90 (0.87-0.90) for service users, both continuous and categorical (utility) versions were associated with symptomatology and both staff-rated and service userrated therapeutic alliance (showing convergent validity), and not with social disability (showing divergent validity), and satisfaction predicted staff-rated (OR 2.43, 95%CI 1.54- 3.83 continuous, OR 5.77, 95%CI 1.90-17.53 utility) and service user-rated (OR 2.21, 95%CI 1.51-3.23 continuous, OR 3.13, 95%CI 1.10-8.94 utility) decision implementation two months later. The Involvement sub-scale had appropriate distribution and no floor or ceiling effects, was associated with stage of recovery, functioning and quality of life (staff only) (showing convergent validity), and not with symptomatology or social disability (showing divergent validity), and staff-rated passive involvement by the service user predicted implementation (OR 3.55, 95%CI 1.53-8.24). Relationships remained after adjusting for clustering by staff. Conclusions CDIS demonstrates adequate internal consistency, no evidence of item redundancy, appropriate distribution, and face, content, convergent, divergent and predictive validity. It can be recommended for research and clinical use. CDIS-P and CDIS-S in all 3 five languages can be downloaded at http://www.cedar-net.eu/instruments. Trial registration ISRCTN75841675. PMID:25066212

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.

Sourcing While Reading Divergent Expert Accounts: Pathways from Views of Knowing to Written Argumentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barzilai, Sarit; Tzadok, Eynav; Eshet-Alkalai, Yoram

2015-01-01

Sourcing is vital for knowledge construction from online information sources, yet learners may find it difficult to engage in effective sourcing. Sourcing can be particularly challenging when lay readers encounter conflicting expert accounts of controversial topics, a situation which is increasingly common when learning online. The aim of this…

Translation and validation of a Nepalese version of the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetic Questionnaire (PIDAQ).

PubMed

Singh, Varun Pratap; Singh, Rajkumar

2014-03-01

The aim of this study was to develop a reliable and valid Nepali version of the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetic Questionnaire (PIDAQ). Cross-sectional descriptive validation study. B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. A rigorous translation process including conceptual and semantic evaluation, translation, back translation and pre-testing was carried out. Two hundred and fifty-two undergraduates, including equal numbers of males and females with an age ranging from 18 to 29 years (mean age: 22·33±2·114 years), participated in this study. Reliability was assessed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the coefficient of correlation was used to assess correlation between items and test-retest reliability. The construct validity was tested by factorial analysis. Convergent construct validity was tested by comparison of PIDAQ scores with the aesthetic component of the index of orthodontic treatment needs (IOTN-AC) and perception of occlusion scale (POS), respectively. Discriminant construct validity was assessed by differences in score for those who demand treatment and those who did not. The response rate was 100%. One hundred and twenty-three individuals had a demand for orthodontic treatment. The Nepali PIDAQ had excellent reliability with Cronbach's alpha of 0·945, corrected item correlation between 0·525 and 0·790 and overall test-retest reliability of 0·978. The construct validity was good with formation of a new sub-domain 'Dental self-consciousness'. The scale had good correlation with IOTN-AC and POS fulfilling convergent construct validity. The discriminant construct validity was proved by significant differences in scores for subjects with demand and without demand for treatment. To conclude, Nepali version of PIDAQ has good psychometric properties and can be used effectively in this population group for further research.

Alternative dimensional reduction via the density matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Carvalho, C. A.; Cornwall, J. M.; da Silva, A. J.

2001-07-01

We give graphical rules, based on earlier work for the functional Schrödinger equation, for constructing the density matrix for scalar and gauge fields in equilibrium at finite temperature T. More useful is a dimensionally reduced effective action (DREA) constructed from the density matrix by further functional integration over the arguments of the density matrix coupled to a source. The DREA is an effective action in one less dimension which may be computed order by order in perturbation theory or by dressed-loop expansions; it encodes all thermal matrix elements. We term the DREA procedure alternative dimensional reduction, to distinguish it from the conventional dimensionally reduced field theory (DRFT) which applies at infinite T. The DREA is useful because it gives a dimensionally reduced theory usable at any T including infinity, where it yields the DRFT, and because it does not and cannot have certain spurious infinities which sometimes occur in the density matrix itself or the conventional DRFT; these come from ln T factors at infinite temperature. The DREA can be constructed to all orders (in principle) and the only regularizations needed are those which control the ultraviolet behavior of the zero-T theory. An example of spurious divergences in the DRFT occurs in d=2+1φ4 theory dimensionally reduced to d=2. We study this theory and show that the rules for the DREA replace these ``wrong'' divergences in physical parameters by calculable powers of ln T; we also compute the phase transition temperature of this φ4 theory in one-loop order. Our density-matrix construction is equivalent to a construction of the Landau-Ginzburg ``coarse-grained free energy'' from a microscopic Hamiltonian.

PULSED ION SOURCE

DOEpatents

Ford, F.C.; Ruff, J.W.; Zizzo, S.G.; Cook, B.

1958-11-11

An ion source is described adapted for pulsed operation and producing copious quantities of ions with a particular ion egress geometry. The particular source construction comprises a conical member having a conducting surface formed of a metal with a gas occladed therein and narrow non-conducting portions hereon dividing the conducting surface. A high voltage pulse is applied across the conducting surface or producing a discharge across the surface. After the gas ions have been produced by the discharge, the ions are drawn from the source in a diverging conical beam by a specially constructed accelerating electrode.

Are loss of control while eating and overeating valid constructs? A critical review of the literature

PubMed Central

Goldschmidt, Andrea B.

2017-01-01

Background Binge eating is a marker of weight gain and obesity, and a hallmark feature of eating disorders. Yet, its component constructs—overeating and loss of control (LOC) while eating—are poorly understood and difficult to measure. Objective To critically review the human literature concerning the validity of LOC and overeating across the age and weight spectrum. Data sources English-language articles addressing the face, convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity of LOC and overeating were included. Results LOC and overeating appear to have adequate face validity. Emerging evidence supports the convergent and predictive validity of the LOC construct, given its unique cross-sectional and prospective associations with numerous anthropometric, psychosocial, and eating behavior-related factors. Overeating may be best conceptualized as a marker of excess weight status. Limitations Binge eating constructs, particularly in the context of subjectively large episodes, are challenging to measure reliably. Few studies addressed overeating in the absence of LOC, thereby limiting conclusions about the validity of the overeating construct independent of LOC. Additional studies addressing the discriminant validity of both constructs are warranted. Discussion Suggestions for future weight-related research and for appropriately defining binge eating in the eating disorders diagnostic scheme are presented. PMID:28165655

Validation of the ArthroS virtual reality simulator for arthroscopic skills.

PubMed

Stunt, J J; Kerkhoffs, G M M J; van Dijk, C N; Tuijthof, G J M

2015-11-01

Virtual reality simulator training has become important for acquiring arthroscopic skills. A new simulator for knee arthroscopy ArthroS™ has been developed. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate face and construct validity, executed according to a protocol used previously to validate arthroscopic simulators. Twenty-seven participants were divided into three groups having different levels of arthroscopic experience. Participants answered questions regarding general information and the outer appearance of the simulator for face validity. Construct validity was assessed with one standardized navigation task. Face validity, educational value and user friendliness were further determined by giving participants three exercises and by asking them to fill out the questionnaire. Construct validity was demonstrated between experts and beginners. Median task times were not significantly different for all repetitions between novices and intermediates, and between intermediates and experts. Median face validity was 8.3 for the outer appearance, 6.5 for the intra-articular joint and 4.7 for surgical instruments. Educational value and user friendliness were perceived as nonsatisfactory, especially because of the lack of tactile feedback. The ArthroS™ demonstrated construct validity between novices and experts, but did not demonstrate full face validity. Future improvements should be mainly focused on the development of tactile feedback. It is necessary that a newly presented simulator is validated to prove it actually contributes to proficiency of skills.

Validity of Sensory Systems as Distinct Constructs

PubMed Central

Su, Chia-Ting

2014-01-01

This study investigated the validity of sensory systems as distinct measurable constructs as part of a larger project examining Ayres’s theory of sensory integration. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to test whether sensory questionnaire items represent distinct sensory system constructs. Data were obtained from clinical records of two age groups, 2- to 5-yr-olds (n = 231) and 6- to 10-yr-olds (n = 223). With each group, we tested several CFA models for goodness of fit with the data. The accepted model was identical for each group and indicated that tactile, vestibular–proprioceptive, visual, and auditory systems form distinct, valid factors that are not age dependent. In contrast, alternative models that grouped items according to sensory processing problems (e.g., over- or underresponsiveness within or across sensory systems) did not yield valid factors. Results indicate that distinct sensory system constructs can be measured validly using questionnaire data. PMID:25184467

A validation of the construct and reliability of an emotional intelligence scale applied to nursing students1

PubMed Central

Espinoza-Venegas, Maritza; Sanhueza-Alvarado, Olivia; Ramírez-Elizondo, Noé; Sáez-Carrillo, Katia

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to validate the construct and reliability of an emotional intelligence scale. METHOD: The Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24 was applied to 349 nursing students. The process included content validation, which involved expert reviews, pilot testing, measurements of reliability using Cronbach's alpha, and factor analysis to corroborate the validity of the theoretical model's construct. RESULTS: Adequate Cronbach coefficients were obtained for all three dimensions, and factor analysis confirmed the scale's dimensions (perception, comprehension, and regulation). CONCLUSION: The Trait Meta-Mood Scale is a reliable and valid tool to measure the emotional intelligence of nursing students. Its use allows for accurate determinations of individuals' abilities to interpret and manage emotions. At the same time, this new construct is of potential importance for measurements in nursing leadership; educational, organizational, and personal improvements; and the establishment of effective relationships with patients. PMID:25806642

Parent- and Self-Reported Dimensions of Oppositionality in Youth: Construct Validity, Concurrent Validity, and the Prediction of Criminal Outcomes in Adulthood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aebi, Marcel; Plattner, Belinda; Metzke, Christa Winkler; Bessler, Cornelia; Steinhausen, Hans-Christoph

2013-01-01

Background: Different dimensions of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) have been found as valid predictors of further mental health problems and antisocial behaviors in youth. The present study aimed at testing the construct, concurrent, and predictive validity of ODD dimensions derived from parent- and self-report measures. Method: Confirmatory…

Development and empirical validation of symmetric component measures of multidimensional constructs: customer and competitor orientation.

PubMed

Sørensen, Hans Eibe; Slater, Stanley F

2008-08-01

Atheoretical measure purification may lead to construct deficient measures. The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretically driven procedure for the development and empirical validation of symmetric component measures of multidimensional constructs. Particular emphasis is placed on establishing a formalized three-step procedure for achieving a posteriori content validity. Then the procedure is applied to development and empirical validation of two symmetrical component measures of market orientation, customer orientation and competitor orientation. Analysis suggests that average variance extracted is particularly critical to reliability in the respecification of multi-indicator measures. In relation to this, the results also identify possible deficiencies in using Cronbach alpha for establishing reliable and valid measures.

Issues in cross-cultural validity: example from the adaptation, reliability, and validity testing of a Turkish version of the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire.

PubMed

Küçükdeveci, Ayse A; Sahin, Hülya; Ataman, Sebnem; Griffiths, Bridget; Tennant, Alan

2004-02-15

Guidelines have been established for cross-cultural adaptation of outcome measures. However, invariance across cultures must also be demonstrated through analysis of Differential Item Functioning (DIF). This is tested in the context of a Turkish adaptation of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). Internal construct validity of the adapted HAQ is assessed by Rasch analysis; reliability, by internal consistency and the intraclass correlation coefficient; external construct validity, by association with impairments and American College of Rheumatology functional stages. Cross-cultural validity is tested through DIF by comparison with data from the UK version of the HAQ. The adapted version of the HAQ demonstrated good internal construct validity through fit of the data to the Rasch model (mean item fit 0.205; SD 0.998). Reliability was excellent (alpha = 0.97) and external construct validity was confirmed by expected associations. DIF for culture was found in only 1 item. Cross-cultural validity was found to be sufficient for use in international studies between the UK and Turkey. Future adaptation of instruments should include analysis of DIF at the field testing stage in the adaptation process.

The Relationship Quality Interview: Evidence of Reliability, Convergent and Divergent Validity, and Incremental Utility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Erika; Barry, Robin A.; Brock, Rebecca L.; Bunde, Mali; Langer, Amie; Ro, Eunyoe; Fazio, Emily; Mulryan, Lorin; Hunt, Sara; Madsen, Lisa; Dzankovic, Sandra

2011-01-01

Relationship satisfaction and adjustment have been the target outcome variables for almost all couple research and therapies. In contrast, far less attention has been paid to the assessment of relationship quality. The present study introduces the Relationship Quality Interview (RQI), a semistructured, behaviorally anchored individual interview.…

Validation of Predictive Relationship of Creative Problem-Solving Attrubutes with Math Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pham, Linh Hung

2014-01-01

This study was designed to investigate the predictive relationships of creative problem-solving attributes, which comprise divergent thinking, convergent thinking, motivation, general and domain knowledge and skills, and environment, with mathematical creativity of sixth grade students in Thai Nguyen City, Viet Nam. The study also aims to revise…

The Metacognitions about Gambling Questionnaire: Development and psychometric properties.

PubMed

Caselli, Gabriele; Fernie, Bruce; Canfora, Flaviano; Mascolo, Cristina; Ferrari, Andrea; Antonioni, Maria; Giustina, Lucia; Donato, Gilda; Marcotriggiani, Antonella; Bertani, Andrea; Altieri, Antonella; Pellegrini, Eliana; Spada, Marcantonio M

2018-03-01

Recent research has suggested that metacognitions may play a role across the spectrum of addictive behaviours. The goal of our studies was to develop the first self-report scale of metacognitions about gambling. We conducted three studies with one community (n = 165) and two clinical (n = 110; n = 87) samples to test the structure and psychometric properties of the Metacognitions about Gambling Questionnaire and examined its capacity to prospectively predict severity of gambling. Findings supported a two factor solution consisting of positive and negative metacognitions about gambling. Internal consistency, predictive and divergent validity were acceptable. All the factors of the Metacognitions about Gambling Questionnaire correlated positively with gambling severity. Regression analyses showed that negative metacognitions about gambling were significantly associated to gambling severity over and above negative affect and gambling-specific cognitive distortions. Finally only gambling severity and negative metacognitions about gambling were significant prospective predictors of gambling severity as measured three months later. The Metacognitions about Gambling Questionnaire was shown to possess good psychometric properties, as well as predictive and divergent validity within the populations that were tested. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Openness to Experience and Intellect differentially predict creative achievement in the arts and sciences

PubMed Central

Kaufman, Scott Barry; Quilty, Lena C.; Grazioplene, Rachael G.; Hirsh, Jacob B.; Gray, Jeremy R.; Peterson, Jordan B.; DeYoung, Colin G.

2014-01-01

Objective The Big Five personality dimension Openness/Intellect is the trait most closely associated with creativity and creative achievement. Little is known, however, regarding the discriminant validity of its two aspects— Openness to Experience (reflecting cognitive engagement with perception, fantasy, aesthetics, and emotions) and Intellect (reflecting cognitive engagement with abstract and semantic information, primarily through reasoning)— in relation to creativity. Method In four demographically diverse samples totaling 1035 participants, we investigated the independent predictive validity of Openness and Intellect by assessing the relations among cognitive ability, divergent thinking, personality, and creative achievement across the arts and sciences. Results and Conclusions We confirmed the hypothesis that whereas Openness predicts creative achievement in the arts, Intellect predicts creative achievement in the sciences. Inclusion of performance measures of general cognitive ability and divergent thinking indicated that the relation of Intellect to scientific creativity may be due at least in part to these abilities. Lastly, we found that Extraversion additionally predicted creative achievement in the arts, independently of Openness. Results are discussed in the context of dual-process theory. PMID:25487993

Training in the adolescent brain: An fMRI training study on divergent thinking.

PubMed

Kleibeuker, Sietske W; Stevenson, Claire E; van der Aar, Laura; Overgaauw, Sandy; van Duijvenvoorde, Anna C; Crone, Eveline A

2017-02-01

Prior research suggests that adolescence is a time of enhanced sensitivity for practice and learning. In this study we tested the neural correlates of divergent thinking training in 15- to 16-year-old adolescents relative to an age-matched active control group. All participants performed an alternative uses task, a valid measure to test divergent thinking, while functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) images were acquired before and after a training program. In between the 2 scanning sessions the experimental group completed 2 weeks of divergent thinking training (8 sessions) and the control group completed 2 weeks of rule switching training (8 session). A Group × Time interaction demonstrated stable divergent thinking performance for the experimental group, whereas in the control group performance declined. Generating alternative uses (experimental task condition) relative to generating ordinary characteristics of objects (control task condition) was associated with increased activation in the supramarginal gyrus (SMG), angular gyrus (AG), and middle temporal gyrus (MTG). Test-retest analyses showed that within-individuals-activation in these regions was stable over time in both groups. Changes in alternative uses fluency over time, however, were positively associated with changes in superior lateral PFC activation over time. Together, the results indicate that core brain regions for creativity (SMG, AG, and MTG) are consistently recruited in adolescence, and that changes in performance are associated with changes in activation in lateral PFC. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, 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.

Two is better than one: joint statistics of density and velocity in concentric spheres as a cosmological probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uhlemann, C.; Codis, S.; Hahn, O.; Pichon, C.; Bernardeau, F.

2017-08-01

The analytical formalism to obtain the probability distribution functions (PDFs) of spherically averaged cosmic densities and velocity divergences in the mildly non-linear regime is presented. A large-deviation principle is applied to those cosmic fields assuming their most likely dynamics in spheres is set by the spherical collapse model. We validate our analytical results using state-of-the-art dark matter simulations with a phase-space resolved velocity field finding a 2 per cent level agreement for a wide range of velocity divergences and densities in the mildly non-linear regime (˜10 Mpc h-1 at redshift zero), usually inaccessible to perturbation theory. From the joint PDF of densities and velocity divergences measured in two concentric spheres, we extract with the same accuracy velocity profiles and conditional velocity PDF subject to a given over/underdensity that are of interest to understand the non-linear evolution of velocity flows. Both PDFs are used to build a simple but accurate maximum likelihood estimator for the redshift evolution of the variance of both the density and velocity divergence fields, which have smaller relative errors than their sample variances when non-linearities appear. Given the dependence of the velocity divergence on the growth rate, there is a significant gain in using the full knowledge of both PDFs to derive constraints on the equation of state-of-dark energy. Thanks to the insensitivity of the velocity divergence to bias, its PDF can be used to obtain unbiased constraints on the growth of structures (σ8, f) or it can be combined with the galaxy density PDF to extract bias parameters.

How Much Do Adolescents Cybergossip? Scale Development and Validation in Spain and Colombia

PubMed Central

Romera, Eva M.; Herrera-López, Mauricio; Casas, José A.; Ortega Ruiz, Rosario; Del Rey, Rosario

2018-01-01

Cybergossip is the act of two or more people making evaluative comments via digital devices about somebody who is not present. This cyberbehavior affects the social group in which it occurs and can either promote or hinder peer relationships. Scientific studies that assess the nature of this emerging and interactive behavior in the virtual world are limited. Some research on traditional gossip has identified it as an inherent and defining element of indirect relational aggression. This paper adopts and argues for a wider definition of gossip that includes positive comments and motivations. This work also suggests that cybergossip has to be measured independently from traditional gossip due to key differences when it occurs through ICT. This paper presents the Colombian and Spanish validation of the Cybergossip Questionnaire for Adolescents (CGQ-A), involving 3,747 high school students (M = 13.98 years old, SD = 1.69; 48.5% male), of which 1,931 were Colombian and 1,816 were Spanish. Test models derived from item response theory, confirmatory factor analysis, content validation, and multi-group analysis were run on the full sample and subsamples for each country and both genders. The obtained optimal fit and psychometric properties confirm the robustness and suitability of a one-dimensional structure for the cybergossip instrument. The multi-group analysis shows that the cybergossip construct is understood similarly in both countries and between girls and boys. The composite reliability ratifies convergent and divergent validity of the scale. Descriptive results show that Colombian adolescents gossip less than their Spanish counterparts and that boys and girls use cybergossip to the same extent. As a conclusion, this study confirmes the relationship between cybergossip and cyberbullying, but it also supports a focus on positive cybergossip in psychoeducational interventions to build positive virtual relationships and prevent risky cyberbehaviors. PMID:29483887

The Spanish version of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report (QIDS-SR16): a psychometric analysis in a clinical sample.

PubMed

Trujols, Joan; de Diego-Adeliño, Javier; Feliu-Soler, Albert; Iraurgi, Ioseba; Puigdemont, Dolors; Alvarez, Enric; Pérez, Víctor; Portella, Maria J

2014-12-01

Psychometrically robust and easy-to-administer scales for depressive symptoms are necessary for research and clinical assessment. This is a psychometric study of the Spanish version of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report (QIDS-SR16) in a clinical sample. One-hundred and seventy-three patients (65% women) with a psychiatric disorder including depressive symptoms were recruited. Such symptoms were assessed by means of the QIDS-SR16 and two interviewer-rated instruments: the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS17) and the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scale. Self-rated measures of health-related quality of life, subjective happiness and perceived social support were also obtained. Dimensionality, internal consistency, construct validity, criterion validity, and responsiveness to change of the QIDS-SR16 were examined. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses replicated the original one-factor structure. The Spanish version of the QIDS-SR16 showed good to excellent internal consistency (α=0.88), convergent validity [HDRS17 (r=0.77), CGI-S (r=0.78)], and divergent validity [EuroQol-5D Visual Analogue Scale (r=-0.78), Subjective Happiness Scale (r=-0.72)]. The QIDS-SR16 was excellent in discriminating clinically significant from non-significant depressive symptomatology (area under ROC curve=0.93). It also showed a high sensitivity to treatment-related changes: patients with greater clinical improvement showed a greater decrease in QIDS-SR16 scores (p<0.001). The study was conducted in a single center, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. The Spanish version of the QIDS-SR16 retains the soundness of metric characteristics of the original version which makes the scale an invaluable instrument to assess depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coevolution of female and male genital components to avoid genital size mismatches in sexually dimorphic spiders.

PubMed

Lupše, Nik; Cheng, Ren-Chung; Kuntner, Matjaž

2016-08-17

In most animal groups, it is unclear how body size variation relates to genital size differences between the sexes. While most morphological features tend to scale with total somatic size, this does not necessarily hold for genitalia because divergent evolution in somatic size between the sexes would cause genital size mismatches. Theory predicts that the interplay of female-biased sexual size dimorphism (SSD) and sexual genital size dimorphism (SGD) should adhere to the 'positive genital divergence', the 'constant genital divergence', or the 'negative genital divergence' model, but these models remain largely untested. We test their validity in the spider family Nephilidae known for the highest degrees of SSD among terrestrial animals. Through comparative analyses of sex-specific somatic and genital sizes, we first demonstrate that 99 of the 351 pairs of traits are phylogenetically correlated. Through factor analyses we then group these traits for MCMCglmm analyses that test broader correlation patterns, and these reveal significant correlations in 10 out of the 36 pairwise comparisons. Both types of analyses agree that female somatic and internal genital sizes evolve independently. While sizes of non-intromittent male genital parts coevolve with male body size, the size of the intromittent male genital parts is independent of the male somatic size. Instead, male intromittent genital size coevolves with female (external and, in part, internal) genital size. All analyses also agree that SGD and SSD evolve independently. Internal dimensions of female genitalia evolve independently of female body size in nephilid spiders, and similarly, male intromittent genital size evolves independently of the male body size. The size of the male intromittent organ (the embolus) and the sizes of female internal and external genital components thus seem to respond to selection against genital size mismatches. In accord with these interpretations, we reject the validity of the existing theoretical models of genital and somatic size dimorphism in spiders.

Changes in cis-regulatory elements of a key floral regulator are associated with divergence of inflorescence architectures.

PubMed

Kusters, Elske; Della Pina, Serena; Castel, Rob; Souer, Erik; Koes, Ronald

2015-08-15

Higher plant species diverged extensively with regard to the moment (flowering time) and position (inflorescence architecture) at which flowers are formed. This seems largely caused by variation in the expression patterns of conserved genes that specify floral meristem identity (FMI), rather than changes in the encoded proteins. Here, we report a functional comparison of the promoters of homologous FMI genes from Arabidopsis, petunia, tomato and Antirrhinum. Analysis of promoter-reporter constructs in petunia and Arabidopsis, as well as complementation experiments, showed that the divergent expression of leafy (LFY) and the petunia homolog aberrant leaf and flower (ALF) results from alterations in the upstream regulatory network rather than cis-regulatory changes. The divergent expression of unusual floral organs (UFO) from Arabidopsis, and the petunia homolog double top (DOT), however, is caused by the loss or gain of cis-regulatory promoter elements, which respond to trans-acting factors that are expressed in similar patterns in both species. Introduction of pUFO:UFO causes no obvious defects in Arabidopsis, but in petunia it causes the precocious and ectopic formation of flowers. This provides an example of how a change in a cis-regulatory region can account for a change in the plant body plan. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Darwin's diagram of divergence of taxa as a causal model for the origin of species.

PubMed

Bouzat, Juan L

2014-03-01

On the basis that Darwin's theory of evolution encompasses two logically independent processes (common descent and natural selection), the only figure in On the Origin of Species (the Diagram of Divergence of Taxa) is often interpreted as illustrative of only one of these processes: the branching patterns representing common ancestry. Here, I argue that Darwin's Diagram of Divergence of Taxa represents a broad conceptual model of Darwin's theory, illustrating the causal efficacy of natural selection in producing well-defined varieties and ultimately species. The Tree Diagram encompasses the idea that natural selection explains common descent and the origin of organic diversity, thus representing a comprehensive model of Darwin's theory on the origin of species. I describe Darwin's Tree Diagram in relation to his argumentative strategy under the vera causa principle, and suggest that the testing of his theory based on the evidence from the geological record, the geographical distribution of organisms, and the mutual affinities of organic beings can be framed under the hypothetico-deductive method. Darwin's Diagram of Divergence of Taxa therefore represents a broad conceptual model that helps understanding the causal construction of Darwin's theory of evolution, the structure of his argumentative strategy, and the nature of his scientific methodology.

On the origin of smallpox: correlating variola phylogenics with historical smallpox records.

PubMed

Li, Yu; Carroll, Darin S; Gardner, Shea N; Walsh, Matthew C; Vitalis, Elizabeth A; Damon, Inger K

2007-10-02

Human disease likely attributable to variola virus (VARV), the etiologic agent of smallpox, has been reported in human populations for >2,000 years. VARV is unique among orthopoxviruses in that it is an exclusively human pathogen. Because VARV has a large, slowly evolving DNA genome, we were able to construct a robust phylogeny of VARV by analyzing concatenated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from genome sequences of 47 VARV isolates with broad geographic distributions. Our results show two primary VARV clades, which likely diverged from an ancestral African rodent-borne variola-like virus either approximately 16,000 or approximately 68,000 years before present (YBP), depending on which historical records (East Asian or African) are used to calibrate the molecular clock. One primary clade was represented by the Asian VARV major strains, the more clinically severe form of smallpox, which spread from Asia either 400 or 1,600 YBP. Another primary clade included both alastrim minor, a phenotypically mild smallpox described from the American continents, and isolates from West Africa. This clade diverged from an ancestral VARV either 1,400 or 6,300 YBP, and then further diverged into two subclades at least 800 YBP. All of these analyses indicate that the divergence of alastrim and variola major occurred earlier than previously believed.

Inpatients with major depressive disorder: Psychometric properties of the new Multidimensional Depression Scale.

PubMed

Darharaj, Mohammad; Habibi, Mojtaba; Power, Michael J; Farzadian, Farzaneh; Rahimi, Maesoumeh; Kholghi, Habibeh; Kazemitabar, Maryam

2016-12-01

The New Multi-dimensional Depression Scale (NMDS) is one of the most comprehensive scales that measures depression symptoms in four domains, including emotional, cognitive, somatic, and interpersonal. This study aimed to evaluate the factor structure and psychometric properties of the NMDS in a group of Iranian inpatients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). At first, the scale was translated into Persian and used as part of a battery consisting of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). The battery was administered to 271 inpatients with MDD (90 men and 181 women) aged from 18 to 60 who had been referred to psychiatric hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Confirmatory factor analysis of the Persian version of the NMDS upheld its original four-factor structure. Moreover, the results showed its good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient ranging from 0.70 for the emotional subscale to 0.83 for the interpersonal subscale). In addition, the NMDS scores were correlated with other constructs in empirically and theoretically expected ways, which provides evidence for the convergent (positive significant relationships with anxiety and cognitive and somatic-affective symptoms of depression) and divergent (negative significant relationships with happiness and mental health and physical health) validity of the scale. These findings supported the Persian version of the NMDS as a reliable and valid measure for the assessment of depression symptoms in patients with MDD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Freiburg Questionnaire of linguistic pragmatics (FQLP): psychometric properties based on a psychiatric sample.

PubMed

Riedel, Andreas; Suh, Heejung; Haser, Verena; Hermann, Ismene; Ebert, Dieter; Riemann, Dieter; Bubl, Emanuel; Tebartz van Elst, Ludger; Hölzel, Lars P

2014-12-24

Asperger's Syndrome (AS) is an autism spectrum disorder that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. Difficulties with respect to pragmatic speech, reading emotional and social cues, differentiating between fact and fiction, and taking into account the influence of context on a statement are commonly described features. However, hitherto established questionnaires did not focus on these symptoms. In this study we present a short (11 questions) questionnaire which focuses on self-rated pragmatic speech abilities, the Freiburg Questionnaire of linguistic pragmatics (FQLP). Psychometric properties of the questionnaire were explored in a sample of 57 patients with Asperger's Syndrome, 66 patients with other psychiatric disorders, and a convenience sample of 56 people. Reliability analysis showed a high Cronbach's α. Strong correlations could be demonstrated for the FQLP with the Autism Quotient and the Empathy Quotient. Concerning divergent validity a moderate correlation was found between the FQLP and self-rated symptoms of personality disorders. No significant correlation was found between the FQLP and the vocabulary skills. The receiver operating characteristics curve showed an excellent diagnostic accuracy of the FQLP (.97). As the control group consisted of people without mental disorder and patients with different psychiatric disorders, the results indicate that the construct examined by the FQLP is quite specific to the peculiarities of AS. The FQLP is a reliable, brief and valid instrument. First results regarding sensitivity and specificity are highly promising.

The Unintentional Procrastination Scale.

PubMed

Fernie, Bruce A; Bharucha, Zinnia; Nikčević, Ana V; Spada, Marcantonio M

2017-01-01

Procrastination refers to the delay or postponement of a task or decision and is often conceptualised as a failure of self-regulation. Recent research has suggested that procrastination could be delineated into two domains: intentional and unintentional. In this two-study paper, we aimed to develop a measure of unintentional procrastination (named the Unintentional Procrastination Scale or the 'UPS') and test whether this would be a stronger marker of psychopathology than intentional and general procrastination. In Study 1, a community sample of 139 participants completed a questionnaire that consisted of several items pertaining to unintentional procrastination that had been derived from theory, previous research, and clinical experience. Responses were subjected to a principle components analysis and assessment of internal consistency. In Study 2, a community sample of 155 participants completed the newly developed scale, along with measures of general and intentional procrastination, metacognitions about procrastination, and negative affect. Data from the UPS were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis and revised accordingly. The UPS was then validated using correlation and regression analyses. The six-item UPS possesses construct and divergent validity and good internal consistency. The UPS appears to be a stronger marker of psychopathology than the pre-existing measures of procrastination used in this study. Results from the regression models suggest that both negative affect and metacognitions about procrastination differentiate between general, intentional, and unintentional procrastination. The UPS is brief, has good psychometric properties, and has strong associations with negative affect, suggesting it has value as a research and clinical tool.

Punishment Insensitivity in Early Childhood: A Developmental, Dimensional Approach.

PubMed

Nichols, Sara R; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J; Estabrook, Ryne; Burns, James L; Kestler, Jacqueline; Berman, Grace; Henry, David B; Wakschlag, Lauren S

2015-08-01

Impairment in learning from punishment ("punishment insensitivity") is an established feature of severe antisocial behavior in adults and youth but it has not been well studied as a developmental phenomenon. In early childhood, differentiating a normal: abnormal spectrum of punishment insensitivity is key for distinguishing normative misbehavior from atypical manifestations. This study employed a novel measure, the Multidimensional Assessment Profile of Disruptive Behavior (MAP-DB), to examine the distribution, dimensionality, and external validity of punishment insensitivity in a large, demographically diverse community sample of preschoolers (3-5 years) recruited from pediatric clinics (N = 1,855). Caregivers completed surveys from which a seven-item Punishment Insensitivity scale was derived. Findings indicated that Punishment Insensitivity behaviors are relatively common in young children, with at least 50 % of preschoolers exhibiting them sometimes. Item response theory analyses revealed a Punishment Insensitivity spectrum. Items varied along a severity continuum: most items needed to occur "Often" in order to be severe and behaviors that were qualitatively atypical or intense were more severe. Although there were item-level differences across sociodemographic groups, these were small. Construct, convergent, and divergent validity were demonstrated via association to low concern for others and noncompliance, motivational regulation, and a disruptive family context. Incremental clinical utility was demonstrated in relation to impairment. Early childhood punishment insensitivity varies along a severity continuum and is atypical when it predominates. Implications for understanding the phenomenology of emergent disruptive behavior are discussed.

Relationship of COP System Interest Inventory Scales to Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI) Scales in a College Sample: Construct Validity of Scales Based on Progressed Occupational Interest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Omizo, Michael M.; And Others

1983-01-01

Construct validity data found some support for the California Occupational Preference System constructs when its results were evaluated on a sample of 213 female undergraduates relative to the Vocational Preference Inventory results. (PN)

Measurement Invariance of the UTAUT Constructs in the Caribbean

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Troy D.; Singh, Lenandlar; Gaffar, Kemuel; Thakur, Dhanaraj; Jackman, Grace-Ann; Thomas, Michael; Gajraj, Roger; Allen, Claudine; Tooma, Keron

2014-01-01

This article employs confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the factorial validity and the cross-national comparability of the UTAUT constructs with respect to mobile learning in higher education in four Caribbean countries. Except for the measurement of one factor, the UTAUT constructs exhibit adequate reliability and validity. Though full…

The Modified Cognitive Constructions Coding System: Reliability and Validity Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moran, Galia S.; Diamond, Gary M.

2006-01-01

The cognitive constructions coding system (CCCS) was designed for coding client's expressed problem constructions on four dimensions: intrapersonal-interpersonal, internal-external, responsible-not responsible, and linear-circular. This study introduces, and examines the reliability and validity of, a modified version of the CCCS--a version that…

Utility of pedometers for assessing physical activity: construct validity.

PubMed

Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Williams, Joel E; Reis, Jared P; Pluto, Delores

2004-01-01

Valid assessment of physical activity is necessary to fully understand this important health-related behaviour for research, surveillance, intervention and evaluation purposes. This article is the second in a companion set exploring the validity of pedometer-assessed physical activity. The previous article published in Sports Medicine dealt with convergent validity (i.e. the extent to which an instrument's output is associated with that of other instruments intended to measure the same exposure of interest). The present focus is on construct validity. Construct validity is the extent to which the measurement corresponds with other measures of theoretically-related parameters. Construct validity is typically evaluated by correlational analysis, that is, the magnitude of concordance between two measures (e.g. pedometer-determined steps/day and a theoretically-related parameter such as age, anthropometric measures and fitness). A systematic literature review produced 29 articles published since > or =1980 directly relevant to construct validity of pedometers in relation to age, anthropometric measures and fitness. Reported correlations were combined and a median r-value was computed. Overall, there was a weak inverse relationship (median r = -0.21) between age and pedometer-determined physical activity. A weak inverse relationship was also apparent with both body mass index and percentage overweight (median r = -0.27 and r = -0.22, respectively). Positive relationships regarding indicators of fitness ranged from weak to moderate depending on the fitness measure utilised: 6-minute walk test (median r = 0.69), timed treadmill test (median r = 0.41) and estimated maximum oxygen uptake (median r = 0.22). Studies are warranted to assess the relationship of pedometer-determined physical activity with other important health-related outcomes including blood pressure and physiological parameters such as blood glucose and lipid profiles. The aggregated evidence of convergent validity (presented in the previous companion article) and construct validity herein provides support for considering simple and inexpensive pedometers in both research and practice.

Construct Validation of the Behavior and Instructional Management Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Nancy K.; Sass, Daniel A.

2010-01-01

Beliefs related to classroom management vary among teachers and play an important role in classrooms. Despite the importance of this construct, valid measures have proven difficult to develop. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Behavior and Instructional Management Scale (BIMS), a short but valid measure of teachers'…

Development and Construct Validation of the Mentor Behavior Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodeur, Pascale; Larose, Simon; Tarabulsy, George; Feng, Bei; Forget-Dubois, Nadine

2015-01-01

Researchers suggest that certain supportive behaviors of mentors could increase the benefits of school-based mentoring for youth. However, the literature contains few validated instruments to measure these behaviors. In our present study, we aimed to construct and validate a tool to measure the supportive behaviors of mentors participating in…

Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Mental Vulnerability Questionnaire in Undergraduate Students.

PubMed

Sequeira, Carlos Alberto da Cruz; Barbosa, Elsa Natalina Mendes; Nogueira, Maria José Carvalho; Sampaio, Francisco Miguel Correia

2017-10-01

Translate, adapt the language, and assess the psychometric properties of the Mental Vulnerability Questionnaire (MVQ) in a Portuguese population sample of young adults. A psychometric validation study was performed. The sample comprised 166 undergraduate students. Factor analysis was applied to extract three indicators. The MVQ showed divergent validity with the Positive Mental Health Questionnaire (p < .001) and convergent validity with the Mental Health Inventory including five items (p < .001). Reliability was verified through the assessment of internal consistency, evidencing positive outcomes (Cronbach's α = 0.81). The MVQ shows psychometric properties enabling its adaptation to clinical practice and research, essential to an effective screening of mental vulnerability. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Construct Validity of the Nutrition and Activity Knowledge Scale in a French Sample of Adolescents with Mild to Moderate Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maiano, Christophe; Begarie, Jerome; Morin, Alexandre J. S.; Garbarino, Jean-Marie; Ninot, Gregory

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability (i.e. internal consistency and test-retest reliability) and construct validity (i.e. content validity, factor validity, measurement invariance, and latent mean invariance) of the Nutrition and Activity Knowledge Scale (NAKS) in a sample of French adolescents with mild to moderate Intellectual…

Development of a proficiency-based virtual reality simulation training curriculum for laparoscopic appendicectomy.

PubMed

Sirimanna, Pramudith; Gladman, Marc A

2017-10-01

Proficiency-based virtual reality (VR) training curricula improve intraoperative performance, but have not been developed for laparoscopic appendicectomy (LA). This study aimed to develop an evidence-based training curriculum for LA. A total of 10 experienced (>50 LAs), eight intermediate (10-30 LAs) and 20 inexperienced (<10 LAs) operators performed guided and unguided LA tasks on a high-fidelity VR simulator using internationally relevant techniques. The ability to differentiate levels of experience (construct validity) was measured using simulator-derived metrics. Learning curves were analysed. Proficiency benchmarks were defined by the performance of the experienced group. Intermediate and experienced participants completed a questionnaire to evaluate the realism (face validity) and relevance (content validity). Of 18 surgeons, 16 (89%) considered the VR model to be visually realistic and 17 (95%) believed that it was representative of actual practice. All 'guided' modules demonstrated construct validity (P < 0.05), with learning curves that plateaued between sessions 6 and 9 (P < 0.01). When comparing inexperienced to intermediates to experienced, the 'unguided' LA module demonstrated construct validity for economy of motion (5.00 versus 7.17 versus 7.84, respectively; P < 0.01) and task time (864.5 s versus 477.2 s versus 352.1 s, respectively, P < 0.01). Construct validity was also confirmed for number of movements, path length and idle time. Validated modules were used for curriculum construction, with proficiency benchmarks used as performance goals. A VR LA model was realistic and representative of actual practice and was validated as a training and assessment tool. Consequently, the first evidence-based internationally applicable training curriculum for LA was constructed, which facilitates skill acquisition to proficiency. © 2017 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Examining construct and predictive validity of the Health-IT Usability Evaluation Scale: confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling results

PubMed Central

Yen, Po-Yin; Sousa, Karen H; Bakken, Suzanne

2014-01-01

Background In a previous study, we developed the Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES), which is designed to support customization at the item level. Such customization matches the specific tasks/expectations of a health IT system while retaining comparability at the construct level, and provides evidence of its factorial validity and internal consistency reliability through exploratory factor analysis. Objective In this study, we advanced the development of Health-ITUES to examine its construct validity and predictive validity. Methods The health IT system studied was a web-based communication system that supported nurse staffing and scheduling. Using Health-ITUES, we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate users’ perception toward the web-based communication system after system implementation. We examined Health-ITUES's construct validity through first and second order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and its predictive validity via structural equation modeling (SEM). Results The sample comprised 541 staff nurses in two healthcare organizations. The CFA (n=165) showed that a general usability factor accounted for 78.1%, 93.4%, 51.0%, and 39.9% of the explained variance in ‘Quality of Work Life’, ‘Perceived Usefulness’, ‘Perceived Ease of Use’, and ‘User Control’, respectively. The SEM (n=541) supported the predictive validity of Health-ITUES, explaining 64% of the variance in intention for system use. Conclusions The results of CFA and SEM provide additional evidence for the construct and predictive validity of Health-ITUES. The customizability of Health-ITUES has the potential to support comparisons at the construct level, while allowing variation at the item level. We also illustrate application of Health-ITUES across stages of system development. PMID:24567081

[Comparison of the Wechsler Memory Scale-III and the Spain-Complutense Verbal Learning Test in acquired brain injury: construct validity and ecological validity].

PubMed

Luna-Lario, P; Pena, J; Ojeda, N

2017-04-16

To perform an in-depth examination of the construct validity and the ecological validity of the Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III) and the Spain-Complutense Verbal Learning Test (TAVEC). The sample consists of 106 adults with acquired brain injury who were treated in the Area of Neuropsychology and Neuropsychiatry of the Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra and displayed memory deficit as the main sequela, measured by means of specific memory tests. The construct validity is determined by examining the tasks required in each test over the basic theoretical models, comparing the performance according to the parameters offered by the tests, contrasting the severity indices of each test and analysing their convergence. The external validity is explored through the correlation between the tests and by using regression models. According to the results obtained, both the WMS-III and the TAVEC have construct validity. The TAVEC is more sensitive and captures not only the deficits in mnemonic consolidation, but also in the executive functions involved in memory. The working memory index of the WMS-III is useful for predicting the return to work at two years after the acquired brain injury, but none of the instruments anticipates the disability and dependence at least six months after the injury. We reflect upon the construct validity of the tests and their insufficient capacity to predict functionality when the sequelae become chronic.

Assessing impact of physical activity-based youth development programs: validation of the Life Skills Transfer Survey (LSTS).

PubMed

Weiss, Maureen R; Bolter, Nicole D; Kipp, Lindsay E

2014-09-01

A signature characteristic of positive youth development (PYD) programs is the opportunity to develop life skills, such as social, behavioral, and moral competencies, that can be generalized to domains beyond the immediate activity. Although context-specific instruments are available to assess developmental outcomes, a measure of life skills transfer would enable evaluation of PYD programs in successfully teaching skills that youth report using in other domains. The purpose of our studies was to develop and validate a measure of perceived life skills transfer, based on data collected with The First Tee, a physical activity-based PYD program. In 3 studies, we conducted a series of steps to provide content and construct validity and internal consistency reliability for the Life Skills Transfer Survey (LSTS), a measure of perceived life skills transfer. Study 1 provided content validity for the LSTS that included 8 life skills and 50 items. Study 2 revealed construct validity (structural validity) through a confirmatory factor analysis and convergent validity by correlating scores on the LSTS with scores on an assessment tool that measures a related construct. Study 3 offered additional construct validity by reassessing youth 1 year later and showing that scores during both time periods were invariant in factor pattern, loadings, and variances and covariances. Studies 2 and 3 demonstrated internal consistency reliability of the LSTS. RESULTS from 3 studies provide evidence of content and construct validity and internal consistency reliability for the LSTS, which can be used in evaluation research with youth development programs.

Information Measures for Multisensor Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-11

permuted to generate spectra that were non- physical but preserved the entropy of the source spectra. Another 1000 spectra were constructed to mimic co...Research Laboratory (NRL) has yielded probabilistic models for spectral data that enable the computation of information measures such as entropy and...22308 Chemical sensing Information theory Spectral data Information entropy Information divergence Mass spectrometry Infrared spectroscopy Multisensor

Further Evidence of the Divergent Correlates of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory Factors: Prediction of Institutional Misconduct among Male Prisoners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edens, John F.; Poythress, Norman G.; Lilienfeld, Scott O.; Patrick, Christopher J.; Test, Amy

2008-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that 2 largely orthogonal dimensions underpin the latent construct assessed by the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI; Lilienfeld & Andrews, 1996): Fearless Dominance (PPI-I) and Impulsive Antisociality (PPI-II). Relatively few data exist on the correlates of these 2 dimensions in offender samples, however. The…

Urban School Formation: Identity Work and Constructing an Origin Story

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silver, Lauren J.

2015-01-01

In this article, I analyze the formation of Shearwater High School in St. Louis, Missouri and I explore the identity work involved in building the school. Diverging from standardization trends in urban education, the school came to fruition through a creative process, which was in-flux and supported by diverse communities in St. Louis. This…

The Praxis of Gandhi's "Satyagraha": The Scholar-Practitioner Educational Leader as Moral "Truth Holder"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowery, Charles L.; Gautam, Chetanath; Mays, Chance D.

2016-01-01

Through contemplation of a drastic divergence in thought from a paradigm of physical discipline and retaliation in learning environments to one of a peaceful demonstration of reflection and respect the authors construct a framework of spiritual leadership. From this framework a metaphor of satyagraha emerges as a means of leading schools and…

Assessing the Everyday Discrimination Scale Among American Indians and Alaska Natives

PubMed Central

Gonzales, Kelly L.; Noonan, Carolyn; Goins, R. Turner; Henderson, William G.; Beals, Janette; Manson, Spero M.; Acton, Kelly J.; Roubideaux, Yvette

2015-01-01

The Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS) has been used widely as a measure of subjective experiences of discrimination. The usefulness of this measure for assessments of perceived experiences of discrimination by American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) peoples has not been explored. Data derived from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians – Healthy Heart Demonstration Project (SDPI-HH), a large-scale initiative to reduce cardiovascular risk among AI/ANs with Type 2 diabetes. Participants (N=3,039) completed a self-report survey that included the EDS and measures of convergent and divergent validity. Missing data were estimated by multiple imputation techniques. Reliability estimates for the EDS were calculated, yielding a single factor with high internal consistency (α=0.92). Younger, more educated respondents reported greater perceived discrimination; retired or widowed respondents reported less. Convergent validity was evidenced by levels of distress, anger, and hostility, which increased as the level of perceived discrimination increased (all p<0.001). Divergent validity was evidenced by the absence of an association between EDS and resilient coping. Resilient coping and insulin-specific diabetes knowledge were not significantly associated with perceived discrimination (p=0.61 and 0.16, respectively). However, general diabetes-related health knowledge was significantly associated with perceived discrimination (p=0.02). The EDS is a promising measure for assessing perceived experiences of discrimination among those AI/ANs who participated in the SDPI-HH. PMID:26146948

Preliminary investigation of the STBBI Stigma Scale: Description and pilot results.

PubMed

Wagner, Anne C; MacLean, Rachel

2017-11-09

Sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) are associated with stigmatizing attitudes and beliefs, which can affect the quality of and access to health care, as well as mental health and quality of life. The current study describes the adaptation from an HIV-related stigma scale and pilot testing of a new STBBI Stigma Scale, assessing the stigmatizing attitudes and beliefs of health and social service providers in Canada. 144 health and social service providers from across Canada completed the newly adapted scale assessing stigma associated with HIV, hepatitis C, other viral STBBIs and bacterial STBBIs, as well as demographic information, a scale of social desirability and measures of convergent and divergent validity. Participants were recruited through listservs and completed the scale online. The new scale, consisting of 21 items for each category, demonstrated excellent internal consistency, reliability, and convergent and divergent validity. The factor structure of the scale supports a tripartite model of stigma consisting of stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination. Stereotyping had the highest relative scores on the subscales, and attitudes regarding other viral STBBIs differed significantly from the other STBBI categories. The new scale provides a contextually relevant and applicable psychometrically valid tool to assess STBBI-related stigma among health and social service providers in Canada. The tool can be used to assess attitudes and beliefs, as well as guide self-assessment and possible trainings for providers.

The Construct Validity of Language Aptitude: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Shaofeng

2016-01-01

A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the construct validity of language aptitude by synthesizing the existing research that has been accumulated over the past five decades. The study aimed to provide a thorough understanding of the construct by aggregating the data reported in the primary research on its correlations with other individual…

Motivation and Engagement across the Academic Life Span: A Developmental Construct Validity Study of Elementary School, High School, and University/College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Andrew J.

2009-01-01

From a developmental construct validity perspective, this study examines motivation and engagement across elementary school, high school, and university/college, with particular focus on the Motivation and Engagement Scale (comprising adaptive, impeding/maladaptive, and maladaptive factors). Findings demonstrated developmental construct validity…

Construct Validity of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 in Clinical Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemper, Christoph J.; Lutz, Johannes; Bahr, Tobias; Ruddel, Heinz; Hock, Michael

2012-01-01

Using two clinical samples of patients, the presented studies examined the construct validity of the recently revised Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3). Confirmatory factor analyses established a clear three-factor structure that corresponds to the postulated subdivision of the construct into correlated somatic, social, and cognitive components.…

Selection of Marine Corps Drill Instructors

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

8 4. ., ey- Construction and Cross-Validation Statistics for Drill Instructor School Performance Success Keys...Race, and School Attrition ........... ............................. ... 15 13. Key- Construction and Cross-Validation Statistics for Drill... constructed form, the Alternation Ranking of Series Drill Instruc- tors. In this form, DIs in a Series are ranked from highest to lowest in terms of their

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.

Transplantation of Tissue-Engineered Cartilage in an Animal Model (Xenograft and Autograft): Construct Validation.

PubMed

Nemoto, Hitoshi; Watson, Deborah; Masuda, Koichi

2015-01-01

Tissue engineering holds great promise for cartilage repair with minimal donor-site morbidity. The in vivo maturation of a tissue-engineered construct can be tested in the subcutaneous tissues of the same species for autografts or of immunocompromised animals for allografts or xenografts. This section describes detailed protocols for the surgical transplantation of a tissue-engineered construct into an animal model to assess construct validity.

In Search of Validity Evidence in Support of the Interpretation and Use of Assessments of Complex Constructs: Discussion of Research on Assessing 21st Century Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ercikan, Kadriye; Oliveri, María Elena

2016-01-01

Assessing complex constructs such as those discussed under the umbrella of 21st century constructs highlights the need for a principled assessment design and validation approach. In our discussion, we made a case for three considerations: (a) taking construct complexity into account across various stages of assessment development such as the…

Applying the Mixed Methods Instrument Development and Construct Validation Process: the Transformative Experience Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koskey, Kristin L. K.; Sondergeld, Toni A.; Stewart, Victoria C.; Pugh, Kevin J.

2018-01-01

Onwuegbuzie and colleagues proposed the Instrument Development and Construct Validation (IDCV) process as a mixed methods framework for creating and validating measures. Examples applying IDCV are lacking. We provide an illustrative case integrating the Rasch model and cognitive interviews applied to the development of the Transformative…

Validity of Childhood Career Development Scale Scores in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stead, Graham B.; Schultheiss, Donna E. Palladino

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to provide evidence of the construct and concurrent validity of the Childhood Career Development Scale's (CCDS) scores among South African primary school children. Using a sample of 808 children in grades four through seven, evidence for the CCDS's construct validity was provided using confirmatory factor analysis,…

Construct and Concurrent Validity of a Prototype Questionnaire to Survey Public Attitudes toward Stuttering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Louis, Kenneth O.; Reichel, Isabella K.; Yaruss, J. Scott; Lubker, Bobbie Boyd

2009-01-01

Purpose: Construct validity and concurrent validity were investigated in a prototype survey instrument, the "Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Experimental Edition" (POSHA-E). The POSHA-E was designed to measure public attitudes toward stuttering within the context of eight other attributes, or "anchors," assumed to range from negative…

Development and Validation of an Observation System for Analyzing Teaching Roles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southwell, Reba K.; Webb, Jeaninne N.

The construction and validation of a theoretically based sign system for the analysis of teaching roles in childhood education is described. A theoretical and empirical approach to validation were developed. In the first, the general concept of teacher role was identified as a viable construct for investigating characteristic patterns of classroom…

The Construct of the Learning Organization: Dimensions, Measurement, and Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Baiyin; Watkins, Karen E.; Marsick, Victoria J.

2004-01-01

This research describes efforts to develop and validate a multidimensional measure of the learning organization. An instrument was developed based on a critical review of both the conceptualization and practice of this construct. Supporting validity evidence for the instrument was obtained from several sources, including best model-data fit among…

Multinational Validation of the Spanish Bracken Basic Concept Scale for Cross-Cultural Assessments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bracken, Bruce A.; And Others

1990-01-01

Investigated construct validity of the Spanish translation of the Bracken Basic Concept Scale (BBCS) in Latino children (n=293) including monolingual Spanish-speaking children from Puerto Rico and Venezuela and Spanish-dominant bilingual Latino children from Texas. Results provided support for construct validity of the Spanish version of the…

Mobile Phone Use in a Developing Country: A Malaysian Empirical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeow, Paul H. P.; Yen Yuen, Yee; Connolly, Regina

2008-01-01

This study examined the factors that influence consumer satisfaction with mobile telephone use in Malaysia. The validity of the study's constructs, criterion, and content was confirmed. Construct validity was verified through the factor analysis with a total variance of 73.72 percent explained by all six independent factors. Content validity was…

The Worry Behaviors Inventory: Assessing the behavioral avoidance associated with generalized anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Mahoney, Alison E J; Hobbs, Megan J; Newby, Jill M; Williams, Alishia D; Sunderland, Matthew; Andrews, Gavin

2016-10-01

Understanding behavioral avoidance associated with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has implications for the classification, theoretical conceptualization, and clinical management of the disorder. This study describes the development and preliminary psychometric evaluation of a self-report measure of avoidant behaviors associated with GAD: the Worry Behaviors Inventory (WBI). The WBI was administered to treatment-seeking patients (N=1201). Convergent validity was assessed by correlating the WBI with measures of GAD symptom severity. Divergent validity was assessed by correlating the WBI with measures of general disability and measures of depression, social anxiety and panic disorder symptom severity. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a two-factor structure (Safety Behaviors and Avoidance). Internal reliability was acceptable for the 10-item WBI scale (α=.86), Safety Behaviors (α=.85) and Avoidance subscales (α=.75). Evidence of convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity is reported. WBI subscales demonstrated differential associations with measures of symptom severity. The Safety Behaviors subscale was more strongly associated with GAD symptoms than symptoms of other disorders, whereas the Avoidance subscale was as strongly correlated with GAD severity as it was with depression, social anxiety and panic disorder severity. Structured diagnostic interviews were not conducted therefor validity analyses are limited to probable diagnoses based on self-report. The cross-sectional design precluded examination of the WBI's temporal stability and treatment sensitivity. Preliminary evidence supports the use of the WBI in research and clinical settings and may assist clinicians to identify behaviors that are theorized to maintain GAD and that can be targeted during psychological treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Construct Validation of the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franklin, Melvin R., Jr.; And Others

1981-01-01

Results indicated that the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale demonstrates both convergent and discriminant validity in an assessment of a relatively stable and internally consistent construct. (Author/BW)

Validation of the French translation-adaptation of the impact of cancer questionnaire version 2 (IOCv2) in a breast cancer survivor population.

PubMed

Blanchin, Myriam; Dauchy, Sarah; Cano, Alejandra; Brédart, Anne; Aaronson, Neil K; Hardouin, Jean-Benoit

2015-07-29

The Impact of Cancer version 2 (IOCv2) was designed to assess the physical and psychosocial health experience of cancer survivors through its positive and negative impacts. Although the IOCv2 is available in English and Dutch, it has not yet been validated for use in French-speaking populations. The current study was undertaken to provide a comprehensive assessment of the reliability and validity of the French language version of the IOCv2 in a sample of breast cancer survivors. An adapted French version of the IOCv2 as well as demographic and medical information were completed by 243 women to validate the factor structure divergent/divergent validities and reliability. Concurrent validity was assessed by correlating the IOCv2 scales with measures from the SF-12, PostTraumatic Growth Inventory and Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory. The French version of the IOCv2 supports the structure of the original version, with four positive impact dimensions and four negative impact dimensions. This result was suggested by the good fit of the confirmatory factor analysis and the adequate reliability revealed by Cronbach's alpha coefficients and other psychometric indices. The concurrent validity analysis revealed patterns of association between IOCv2 scale scores and other measures. Unlike the original version, a structure with a Positive Impact domain consisting in the IOCv2 positive dimensions and a Negative Impact domain consisting in the negative ones has not been clearly evidenced in this study. The limited practical use of the conditional dimensions Employment Concerns and Relationship Concerns, whether the patient is partnered or not, did not make possible to provide evidence of validity and reliability of these dimensions as the subsets of sample to work with were not large enough. The scores of these conditional dimensions have to be used with full knowledge of the facts of this limitation of the study. Integrating IOCv2 into studies will contribute to evaluate the psychosocial health experience of the growing population of cancer survivors, enabling better understanding of the multi-dimensional impact of cancer.

[Do Current German-Language Intelligence Tests Take into Consideration the Special Needs of Children with Disabilities?].

PubMed

Mickley, Manfred; Renner, Gerolf

2015-01-01

Do Current German-Language Intelligence Tests Take into Consideration the Special Needs of Children with Disabilities? A review of 23 German intelligence test manuals shows that test-authors do not exclude the use of their tests for children with disabilities. However, these special groups play a minor role in the construction, standardization, and validation of intelligence tests. There is no sufficient discussion and reflection concerning the issue which construct-irrelevant requirements may reduce the validity of the test or which individual test-adaptations are allowed or recommended. Intelligence testing of children with disabilities needs more empirical evidence on objectivity, reliability, and validity of the assessment-procedures employed. Future test construction and validation should systematically analyze construct-irrelevant variance in item format, the special needs of handicapped children, and should give hints for useful test-adaptations.

Reliability and construct validity of the Malay version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) among secondary school teachers in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.

PubMed

Hadi, Azlihanis Abdul; Naing, Nyi Nyi; Daud, Aziah; Nordin, Rusli

2006-11-01

This study was conducted to assess the reliability and construct validity of the Malay version of Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) among secondary school teachers in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. A total of 68 teachers consented to participate in the study and were administered the Malay version of JCQ. Reliability was determined using Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency whilst construct validity was assessed using factor analysis. The results indicated that Cronbach's alpha coefficients revealed decision latitude (0.75), psychological job demand (0.50) and social support (0.84). Factor analysis showed three meaningful common factors that could explain the construct of Karasek's demand-control-social support model. The study suggests the JCQ scales are reliable and valid tools for assessing job stress in school teachers.

Construct validity of adolescents' self-reported big five personality traits: importance of conceptual breadth and initial validation of a short measure.

PubMed

Morizot, Julien

2014-10-01

While there are a number of short personality trait measures that have been validated for use with adults, few are specifically validated for use with adolescents. To trust such measures, it must be demonstrated that they have adequate construct validity. According to the view of construct validity as a unifying form of validity requiring the integration of different complementary sources of information, this article reports the evaluation of content, factor, convergent, and criterion validities as well as reliability of adolescents' self-reported personality traits. Moreover, this study sought to address an inherent potential limitation of short personality trait measures, namely their limited conceptual breadth. In this study, starting with items from a known measure, after the language-level was adjusted for use with adolescents, items tapping fundamental primary traits were added to determine the impact of added conceptual breadth on the psychometric properties of the scales. The resulting new measure was named the Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire (BFPTSQ). A group of expert judges considered the items to have adequate content validity. Using data from a community sample of early adolescents, the results confirmed the factor validity of the Big Five structure in adolescence as well as its measurement invariance across genders. More important, the added items did improve the convergent and criterion validities of the scales, but did not negatively affect their reliability. This study supports the construct validity of adolescents' self-reported personality traits and points to the importance of conceptual breadth in short personality measures. © The Author(s) 2014.

Testing the construct validity of willingness to pay valuations using objective information about risk and health benefit.

PubMed

Philips, Zoë; Whynes, David K; Avis, Mark

2006-02-01

This paper describes an experiment to test the construct validity of contingent valuation, by eliciting women's valuations for the NHS cervical cancer screening programme. It is known that, owing to low levels of knowledge of cancer and screening in the general population, women both over-estimate the risk of disease and the efficacy of screening. The study is constructed as a randomised experiment, in which one group is provided with accurate information about cervical cancer screening, whilst the other is not. The first hypothesis supporting construct validity, that controls who perceive greater benefits from screening will offer higher valuations, is substantiated. Both groups are then provided with objective information on an improvement to the screening programme, and are asked to value the improvement as an increment to their original valuations. The second hypothesis supporting construct validity, that controls who perceive the benefits of the programme to be high already will offer lower incremental valuations, is also substantiated. Copyright 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Statistically Controlling for Confounding Constructs Is Harder than You Think

PubMed Central

Westfall, Jacob; Yarkoni, Tal

2016-01-01

Social scientists often seek to demonstrate that a construct has incremental validity over and above other related constructs. However, these claims are typically supported by measurement-level models that fail to consider the effects of measurement (un)reliability. We use intuitive examples, Monte Carlo simulations, and a novel analytical framework to demonstrate that common strategies for establishing incremental construct validity using multiple regression analysis exhibit extremely high Type I error rates under parameter regimes common in many psychological domains. Counterintuitively, we find that error rates are highest—in some cases approaching 100%—when sample sizes are large and reliability is moderate. Our findings suggest that a potentially large proportion of incremental validity claims made in the literature are spurious. We present a web application (http://jakewestfall.org/ivy/) that readers can use to explore the statistical properties of these and other incremental validity arguments. We conclude by reviewing SEM-based statistical approaches that appropriately control the Type I error rate when attempting to establish incremental validity. PMID:27031707

Developing a Psychometric Instrument to Measure Physical Education Teachers' Job Demands and Resources.

PubMed

Zhang, Tan; Chen, Ang

2017-01-01

Based on the job demands-resources model, the study developed and validated an instrument that measures physical education teachers' job demands-resources perception. Expert review established content validity with the average item rating of 3.6/5.0. Construct validity and reliability were determined with a teacher sample ( n = 397). Exploratory factor analysis established a five-dimension construct structure matching the theoretical construct deliberated in the literature. The composite reliability scores for the five dimensions range from .68 to .83. Validity coefficients (intraclass correlational coefficients) are .69 for job resources items and .82 for job demands items. Inter-scale correlational coefficients range from -.32 to .47. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the construct validity with high dimensional factor loadings (ranging from .47 to .84 for job resources scale and from .50 to .85 for job demands scale) and adequate model fit indexes (root mean square error of approximation = .06). The instrument provides a tool to measure physical education teachers' perception of their working environment.

Physics Metacognition Inventory Part II: Confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taasoobshirazi, Gita; Bailey, MarLynn; Farley, John

2015-11-01

The Physics Metacognition Inventory was developed to measure physics students' metacognition for problem solving. In one of our earlier studies, an exploratory factor analysis provided evidence of preliminary construct validity, revealing six components of students' metacognition when solving physics problems including knowledge of cognition, planning, monitoring, evaluation, debugging, and information management. The college students' scores on the inventory were found to be reliable and related to students' physics motivation and physics grade. However, the results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated that the questionnaire could be revised to improve its construct validity. The goal of this study was to revise the questionnaire and establish its construct validity through a confirmatory factor analysis. In addition, a Rasch analysis was applied to the data to better understand the psychometric properties of the inventory and to further evaluate the construct validity. Results indicated that the final, revised inventory is a valid, reliable, and efficient tool for assessing student metacognition for physics problem solving.

Developing a Psychometric Instrument to Measure Physical Education Teachers’ Job Demands and Resources

PubMed Central

Zhang, Tan; Chen, Ang

2017-01-01

Based on the job demands–resources model, the study developed and validated an instrument that measures physical education teachers’ job demands–resources perception. Expert review established content validity with the average item rating of 3.6/5.0. Construct validity and reliability were determined with a teacher sample (n = 397). Exploratory factor analysis established a five-dimension construct structure matching the theoretical construct deliberated in the literature. The composite reliability scores for the five dimensions range from .68 to .83. Validity coefficients (intraclass correlational coefficients) are .69 for job resources items and .82 for job demands items. Inter-scale correlational coefficients range from −.32 to .47. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the construct validity with high dimensional factor loadings (ranging from .47 to .84 for job resources scale and from .50 to .85 for job demands scale) and adequate model fit indexes (root mean square error of approximation = .06). The instrument provides a tool to measure physical education teachers’ perception of their working environment. PMID:29200808

An introduction to generalized functions with some applications in aerodynamics and aeroacoustics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farassat, F.

1994-01-01

In this paper, we start with the definition of generalized functions as continuous linear functionals on the space of infinitely differentiable functions with compact support. The concept of generalization differentiation is introduced next. This is the most important concept in generalized function theory and the applications we present utilize mainly this concept. First, some of the results of classical analysis, such as Leibniz rule of differentiation under the integral sign and the divergence theorem, are derived using the generalized function theory. It is shown that the divergence theorem remains valid for discontinuous vector fields provided that the derivatives are all viewed as generalized derivatives. This implies that all conservation laws of fluid mechanics are valid as they stand for discontinuous fields with all derivatives treated as generalized deriatives. Once these derivatives are written as ordinary derivatives and jumps in the field parameters across discontinuities, the jump conditions can be easily found. For example, the unsteady shock jump conditions can be derived from mass and momentum conservation laws. By using a generalized function theory, this derivative becomes trivial. Other applications of the generalized function theory in aerodynamics discussed in this paper are derivation of general transport theorems for deriving governing equations of fluid mechanics, the interpretation of finite part of divergent integrals, derivation of Oswatiitsch integral equation of transonic flow, and analysis of velocity field discontinuities as sources of vorticity. Applications in aeroacoustics presented here include the derivation of the Kirchoff formula for moving surfaces,the noise from moving surfaces, and shock noise source strength based on the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings equation.

The influence of locus number and information content on species delimitation: an empirical test case in an endangered Mexican salamander.

PubMed

Hime, Paul M; Hotaling, Scott; Grewelle, Richard E; O'Neill, Eric M; Voss, S Randal; Shaffer, H Bradley; Weisrock, David W

2016-12-01

Perhaps the most important recent advance in species delimitation has been the development of model-based approaches to objectively diagnose species diversity from genetic data. Additionally, the growing accessibility of next-generation sequence data sets provides powerful insights into genome-wide patterns of divergence during speciation. However, applying complex models to large data sets is time-consuming and computationally costly, requiring careful consideration of the influence of both individual and population sampling, as well as the number and informativeness of loci on species delimitation conclusions. Here, we investigated how locus number and information content affect species delimitation results for an endangered Mexican salamander species, Ambystoma ordinarium. We compared results for an eight-locus, 137-individual data set and an 89-locus, seven-individual data set. For both data sets, we used species discovery methods to define delimitation models and species validation methods to rigorously test these hypotheses. We also used integrated demographic model selection tools to choose among delimitation models, while accounting for gene flow. Our results indicate that while cryptic lineages may be delimited with relatively few loci, sampling larger numbers of loci may be required to ensure that enough informative loci are available to accurately identify and validate shallow-scale divergences. These analyses highlight the importance of striking a balance between dense sampling of loci and individuals, particularly in shallowly diverged lineages. They also suggest the presence of a currently unrecognized, endangered species in the western part of A. ordinarium's range. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Persian version of the Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale: psychometric study among subjects with physical disability.

PubMed

Rajati, Fatemeh; Ghanbari, Masoud; Hasandokht, Tolou; Hosseini, Seyed Younes; Akbarzadeh, Rasool; Ashtarian, Hossein

2017-11-01

Self-efficacy plays a key role in varying areas of human conditions which can be measured by different scales. The present study was aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES) in Iranian Subjects with Physical Disability (SWPD). Data were collected by face-to-face interviews and self-report surveys from 214 subjects. The face and content validity, and reliability were evaluated. Discriminates were evaluated between the sub-groups of disability levels, physical activity, and health condition levels. The concurrent, convergent, divergent, and construct validity were assessed by short form health survey scale (SF-36), general self-efficacy scale (GSES), hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), respectively. Replaceable exploratory factor analysis was evaluated. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. There were acceptable face and content validity, and reliability. Furthermore, significant correlation was found between PSES and SF-36 (p < 0.001). Self-efficacy was statistically different among the disability levels (p = 0.02), physical activity levels (p < 0.001), and health status (p = 0.001). The correlation of Persian Self-Efficacy Scale (PSES) scores with GSES (r = 0.61, p < 0.001), and HADS (R = -0.53, p < 0.001) was significant. This scale yielded a two-dimensional structure, with a good internal replicability. The external replicability was satisfactory when we compared factor loadings with the original study. The PSES is a valid, reliable and sensitive tool to measure the self-efficacy among SWPD for planning and managing of disability problems. Implications for rehabilitation Psychometric properties of the Persian version of self-Efficacy scale (PSES) appear to be similar to original, English version. The PSES has been shown to have validity and reliability in Persian physical disables and can be used for patients with more different types of physical disability than individuals suffering from only Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). The PSES can be used in clinical practice and research work to evaluate the patients' confidence in performing daily activities.

Constructive tensorial group field theory I: The {U(1)} -{T^4_3} model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lahoche, Vincent

2018-05-01

The loop vertex expansion (LVE) is a constructive technique using canonical combinatorial tools. It works well for quantum field theories without renormalization, which is the case of the field theory studied in this paper. Tensorial group field theories (TGFTs) are a new class of field theories proposed to quantize gravity. This paper is devoted to a very simple TGFT for rank three tensors with U(1) group and quartic interactions, hence nicknamed -. It has no ultraviolet divergence, and we show, with the LVE, that it is Borel summable in its coupling constant.

Dentromers, a Family of Super Dendrimers with Specific Properties and Applications.

PubMed

Astruc, Didier; Deraedt, Christophe; Djeda, Rodrigue; Ornelas, Catia; Liu, Xiang; Rapakousiou, Amalia; Ruiz, Jaime; Wang, Yanlan; Wang, Qi

2018-04-20

Dentromer s (from dentro, δεντρο: tree in Greek), and meros (μεροσ, in greek: part) are introduced as a family of dendrimers constructed according to successive divergent 1 → 3 branching. The smaller dentromers have 27 terminal branches. With alcohol termini they were originally named arborols by Newkome, who pioneered 1 → 3 constructions of dendrimers and dendrons. Giant dentromers have been constructed and decorated in particular with ferrocene and other redox active groups. The synthesis, specific properties, and applications are examined in this mini review article dedicated to Don Tomalia, with an emphasis on dense peripheral packing favoring the functions of encapsulation, redox sensing, and micellar template for catalysis in water and aqueous solvents.

Optimizing Electrospray Interfaces Using Slowly Diverging Conical Duct (ConDuct) Electrodes

PubMed Central

Krutchinsky, Andrew N.; Padovan, Júlio C.; Cohen, Herbert; Chait, Brian T.

2015-01-01

We demonstrate that the efficiency of ion transmission from atmosphere to vacuum through stainless steel electrodes that contain slowly divergent conical duct (ConDuct) channels can be close to 100%. Here, we explore the properties of 2.5 cm long electrodes with angles of divergence of 0°, 1°, 2°, 3°, 5°, 8°, 13°, and 21°, respectively. The ion transmission efficiency was observed to jump from 10–20% for the 0° (straight) channels to 90–95% for channels with an angle of divergence as small as 1°. Furthermore, the 2–3° ConDuct electrodes produced extraordinarily low divergence ion beams that propagated in a laser-like fashion over long distances in vacuum. To take advantage of these newly discovered properties, we constructed a novel atmosphere-to-vacuum ion interface utilizing a 2° ConDuct as an inlet electrode and compared its ion transmission efficiency with that of the interface used in the commercial (Thermo) Velos Orbitrap and Q Exactive mass spectrometers. We observed that the ConDuct interface transmitted up to 17 times more ions than the commercial reference interface and also yielded improved signal-to-noise mass spectra of peptides. We infer from these results that the performance of many current atmosphere-tovacuum interfaces utilizing metal capillaries can be substantially improved by replacing them with 1° or 2° metal ConDuct electrodes, which should preserve the convenience of supplying ion desolvation energy by heating the electrode while greatly increasing the efficiency of ion transmission into the mass spectrometer. PMID:25667060

Functional and evolutionary relationships between bacteriorhodopsin and halorhodopsin in the archaebacterium, halobacterium halobium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lanyi, J. K.

1986-01-01

The archaebacteria occupy a unique place in phylogenetic trees constructed from analyses of sequences from key informational macromolecules, and their study continues to yield interesting ideas on the early evolution and divergence of biological forms. It is now known that the halobacteria among these species contain various retinal-proteins, resembling eukaryotic rhodopsins, but with different functions. Two of these pigments, located in the cytoplasmic membranes of the bacteria, are bacteriorhodopsin (a light-driven proton pump) and halorhodopsin (a light-driven chloride pump). Comparison of these systems is expected to reveal structure/function relationships in these simple (primitive?) energy transducing membrane components and evolutionary relationships which had produced the structural features which allow the divergent functions. Findings indicate that very different primary structures are needed for these proteins to accomplish their different functions. Indeed, analysis of partial amino acid sequences from halo-opsin shows already that few if any long segments exist which are homologous to bacterio-opsin. Either these proteins diverged a very long time ago to allow for the observed differences, or the evolutionary clock in the halobacteria runs faster than usual.

Retroposon analysis of major cetacean lineages: The monophyly of toothed whales and the paraphyly of river dolphins

PubMed Central

Nikaido, Masato; Matsuno, Fumio; Hamilton, Healy; Brownell, Robert L.; Cao, Ying; Ding, Wang; Zuoyan, Zhu; Shedlock, Andrew M.; Fordyce, R. Ewan; Hasegawa, Masami; Okada, Norihiro

2001-01-01

SINE (short interspersed element) insertion analysis elucidates contentious aspects in the phylogeny of toothed whales and dolphins (Odontoceti), especially river dolphins. Here, we characterize 25 informative SINEs inserted into unique genomic loci during evolution of odontocetes to construct a cladogram, and determine a total of 2.8 kb per taxon of the flanking sequences of these SINE loci to estimate divergence times among lineages. We demonstrate that: (i) Odontocetes are monophyletic; (ii) Ganges River dolphins, beaked whales, and ocean dolphins diverged (in this order) after sperm whales; (iii) three other river dolphin taxa, namely the Amazon, La Plata, and Yangtze river dolphins, form a monophyletic group with Yangtze River dolphins being the most basal; and (iv) the rapid radiation of extant cetacean lineages occurred some 28–33 million years B.P., in strong accord with the fossil record. The combination of SINE and flanking sequence analysis suggests a topology and set of divergence times for odontocete relationships, offering alternative explanations for several long-standing problems in cetacean evolution. PMID:11416211

Validation of the updated ArthroS simulator: face and construct validity of a passive haptic virtual reality simulator with novel performance metrics.

PubMed

Garfjeld Roberts, Patrick; Guyver, Paul; Baldwin, Mathew; Akhtar, Kash; Alvand, Abtin; Price, Andrew J; Rees, Jonathan L

2017-02-01

To assess the construct and face validity of ArthroS, a passive haptic VR simulator. A secondary aim was to evaluate the novel performance metrics produced by this simulator. Two groups of 30 participants, each divided into novice, intermediate or expert based on arthroscopic experience, completed three separate tasks on either the knee or shoulder module of the simulator. Performance was recorded using 12 automatically generated performance metrics and video footage of the arthroscopic procedures. The videos were blindly assessed using a validated global rating scale (GRS). Participants completed a survey about the simulator's realism and training utility. This new simulator demonstrated construct validity of its tasks when evaluated against a GRS (p ≤ 0.003 in all cases). Regarding it's automatically generated performance metrics, established outputs such as time taken (p ≤ 0.001) and instrument path length (p ≤ 0.007) also demonstrated good construct validity. However, two-thirds of the proposed 'novel metrics' the simulator reports could not distinguish participants based on arthroscopic experience. Face validity assessment rated the simulator as a realistic and useful tool for trainees, but the passive haptic feedback (a key feature of this simulator) is rated as less realistic. The ArthroS simulator has good task construct validity based on established objective outputs, but some of the novel performance metrics could not distinguish between surgical experience. The passive haptic feedback of the simulator also needs improvement. If simulators could offer automated and validated performance feedback, this would facilitate improvements in the delivery of training by allowing trainees to practise and self-assess.

Construction and Validation of a Women's Autonomy Measurement Scale with Reference to Utilization of Maternal Health Care Services in Nepal.

PubMed

Bhandari, T R; Dangal, G; Sarma, P S; Kutty, V R

2014-01-01

Women's autonomy is one of the predictors of maternal health care service utilization. This study aimed to construct and validate a scale for measuring women's autonomy with relevance to developing countries. We conducted a study for construction and validation of a scale in Rupandehi and further validated in Kapilvastu districts of Nepal. Initially, we administered a 24-item preliminary scale and finalized a 23-item scale using psychometric tests. After defining the construct of women's autonomy, we pooled 194 items and selected 24 items to develop a preliminary scale. The scale development process followed different steps i.e. definition of construct, generation of items pool, pretesting, analysis of psychometric test and further validation. The new scale was strongly supported by Cronbach's Alpha value (0.84), test-retest Pearson correlation (0.87), average content validity ratio (0.8) and overall agreement- Kappa value of the items (0.83) whereas all values were found satisfactory. From factor analysis, we selected 23 items for the final scale which show good convergent and discriminant validity. From preliminary draft, we removed one item; the remaining 23 items were loaded in five factors. All five factors had single loading items by suppressing absolute coefficient value less than 0.45 and average coefficient was more than 0.60 of each factor. Similarly, the factors and loaded items had good convergent and discriminant validity which further showed strong measurement capacity of the scale. The new scale is a reliable tool for assessing women's autonomy in developing countries. We recommend for further use and validation of the scale for ensuring the measurement capacity.

Construct Validity and Reliability of the Questionnaire on the Quality of Physician-Patient Interaction in Adults With Hypertension.

PubMed

Hickman, Ronald L; Clochesy, John M; Hetland, Breanna; Alaamri, Marym

2017-04-01

There are limited reliable and valid measures of the patient- provider interaction among adults with hypertension. Therefore, the purpose of this report is to describe the construct validity and reliability of the Questionnaire on the Quality of Physician-Patient Interaction (QQPPI), in community-dwelling adults with hypertension. A convenience sample of 109 participants with hypertension was recruited and administered the QQPPI at baseline and 8 weeks later. The exploratory factor analysis established a 12-item, 2-factor structure for the QQPPI was valid in this sample. The modified QQPPI proved to have sufficient internal consistency and test- retest reliability. The modified QQPPI is a valid and reliable measure of the provider-patient interaction, a construct posited to impact self-management, in adults with hypertension.

The presentation and preliminary validation of KIWEST using a large sample of Norwegian university staff.

PubMed

Innstrand, Siw Tone; Christensen, Marit; Undebakke, Kirsti Godal; Svarva, Kyrre

2015-12-01

The aim of the present paper is to present and validate a Knowledge-Intensive Work Environment Survey Target (KIWEST), a questionnaire developed for assessing the psychosocial factors among people in knowledge-intensive work environments. The construct validity and reliability of the measurement model where tested on a representative sample of 3066 academic and administrative staff working at one of the largest universities in Norway. Confirmatory factor analysis provided initial support for the convergent validity and internal consistency of the 30 construct KIWEST measurement model. However, discriminant validity tests indicated that some of the constructs might overlap to some degree. Overall, the KIWEST measure showed promising psychometric properties as a psychosocial work environment measure. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Psychometric evaluation of the Persian version of the Templer's Death Anxiety Scale in cancer patients.

PubMed

Soleimani, Mohammad Ali; Yaghoobzadeh, Ameneh; Bahrami, Nasim; Sharif, Saeed Pahlevan; Sharif Nia, Hamid

2016-10-01

In this study, 398 Iranian cancer patients completed the 15-item Templer's Death Anxiety Scale (TDAS). Tests of internal consistency, principal components analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to assess the internal consistency and factorial validity of the Persian TDAS. The construct reliability statistic and average variance extracted were also calculated to measure construct reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Principal components analysis indicated a 3-component solution, which was generally supported in the confirmatory analysis. However, acceptable cutoffs for construct reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity were not fulfilled for the three subscales that were derived from the principal component analysis. This study demonstrated both the advantages and potential limitations of using the TDAS with Persian-speaking cancer patients.

On the Value of Homogeneous Constructs for Construct Validation, Theory Testing, and the Description of Psychopathology

PubMed Central

Smith, Gregory T.; McCarthy, Denis M.; Zapolski, Tamika C. B.

2010-01-01

The authors argue for a significant shift in how clinical psychology researchers conduct construct validation and theory validation tests. They argue that sound theory and validation tests can best be conducted on measures of unidimensional or homogeneous constructs. Hierarchical organizations of such constructs are useful descriptively and theoretically, but higher order composites do not refer to definable psychological processes. Application of this perspective to the approach of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to describing psychopathology calls into doubt the traditional use of the syndromal approach, in which single scores reflect the presence of multidimensional disorders. For many forms of psychological dysfunction, this approach does not appear optimal and may need to be discarded. The authors note that their perspective represents a straightforward application of existing psychometric theory, they demonstrate the practical value of adopting this perspective, and they provide evidence that this shift is already under way among clinical researchers. Description in terms of homogeneous dimensions provides improved validity, utility, and parsimony. In contrast, the use of composite diagnoses can retard scientific progress and hamper clinicians' efforts to understand and treat dysfunction. PMID:19719340

Calibration of the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS Pain Behavior item bank in patients with chronic pain.

PubMed

Crins, M H P; Roorda, L D; Smits, N; de Vet, H C W; Westhovens, R; Cella, D; Cook, K F; Revicki, D; van Leeuwen, J; Boers, M; Dekker, J; Terwee, C B

2016-02-01

The aims of the current study were to calibrate the item parameters of the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS Pain Behavior item bank using a sample of Dutch patients with chronic pain and to evaluate cross-cultural validity between the Dutch-Flemish and the US PROMIS Pain Behavior item banks. Furthermore, reliability and construct validity of the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS Pain Behavior item bank were evaluated. The 39 items in the bank were completed by 1042 Dutch patients with chronic pain. To evaluate unidimensionality, a one-factor confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed. A graded response model (GRM) was used to calibrate the items. To evaluate cross-cultural validity, Differential item functioning (DIF) for language (Dutch vs. English) was evaluated. Reliability of the item bank was also examined and construct validity was studied using several legacy instruments, e.g. the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. CFA supported the unidimensionality of the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS Pain Behavior item bank (CFI = 0.960, TLI = 0.958), the data also fit the GRM, and demonstrated good coverage across the pain behavior construct (threshold parameters range: -3.42 to 3.54). Analysis showed good cross-cultural validity (only six DIF items), reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.95) and construct validity (all correlations ≥0.53). The Dutch-Flemish PROMIS Pain Behavior item bank was found to have good cross-cultural validity, reliability and construct validity. The development of the Dutch-Flemish PROMIS Pain Behavior item bank will serve as the basis for Dutch-Flemish PROMIS short forms and computer adaptive testing (CAT). © 2015 European Pain Federation - EFIC®

Engagement DEOCS 4.1 Construct Validity Summary

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-01

Engagement DEOCS 4.1 Construct Validity Summary DEFENSE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE DIRECTORATE OF...increasingly popular construct in industry and research. Indeed, management literature suggests employee engagement is the key to an organization’s...definition was drawn upon to inform the creation of a definition and measure of engagement that was then adapted using subject matter expert (SME)1

The Motivation of Stereotypic and Repetitive Behavior: Examination of Construct Validity of the Motivation Assessment Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joosten, Annette V.; Bundy, Anita C.

2008-01-01

Construct validity of the Motivation Assessment Scale (MAS) (Durand, Crimmins, The Motivation Assessment Scale 1988) was studied using Rasch analysis data from 67 children (246 MASs), with dual diagnosis of autism and intellectual disability or with intellectual disability only. Results failed to support the proposed unidimensional construct or…

Construction and Validation of a Holistic Education School Evaluation Tool Using Montessori Erdkinder Principles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Setari, Anthony Philip

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to construct a holistic education school evaluation tool using Montessori Erdkinder principles, and begin the validation process of examining the proposed tool. This study addresses a vital need in the holistic education community for a school evaluation tool. The tool construction process included using Erdkinder…

Teacher Efficacy and Preservice Teachers: A Construct Validation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kushner, Susan N.

A construct validation of a modified version of a teacher efficiency scale was conducted to establish its use with preservice teachers. The scale adapted by A. E. Woolfolk and W. K. Hoy from one constructed by S. Gibson and M. H. Dembo, which contained 12 personal efficacy (PE) and 6 general teaching efficacy (TE) items, was further modified for…

Reliability and Construct Validity of Scores on the Behavioral Competence Inventory: A Measure of Adaptive Functioning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarjoura, David; Hartman-Stein, Paula; Speight, Joan; Reuter, Jeanette

1999-01-01

Examined the reliability and construct validity in an older adult population (n=149 older adults and their informants) of scores on the Behavioral Competence Inventory (BCI) (P. Hartman-Stein). Results indicate that scores on the BCI's seven scales show adequate internal consistencies and represent seven overlapping but distinct constructs in this…

Psychometric Evaluation of a Persian Version of the Cardiac Depression Scale in Iranian Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

PubMed

Nia, Hamid Sharif; Sharif, Saeed Pahlevan; Froelicher, Erika Sivarajan; Boyle, Christopher; Goudarzian, Amir Hossein; Yaghoobzadeh, Ameneh; Oskouie, Fatemeh

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to validate a Persian version of the Cardiac Depression Scale (CDS) in Iranian patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The CDS was forward translated from English into Persian and back-translated to English. Validity was assessed using face, content, and construct validity. Also Cronbach's alpha (α), theta (), and McDonald's omega coefficient were used to evaluate the reliability. Construct validity of the scale showed two factors with eigenvalues greater than one. The Cronbach's α, , McDonald's omega, and construct reliability were greater than .70. The Persian version of the CDS has a two-factor structure (i.e., death anxiety and life satisfaction) and has acceptable reliability and validity. Therefore, the validated instrument can be used in future studies to assess depression in patients with AMI in Iranians.

Preschool Temperament Assessment: A Quantitative Assessment of the Validity of Behavioral Style Questionnaire Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huelsman, Timothy J.; Gagnon, Sandra Glover; Kidder-Ashley, Pamela; Griggs, Marissa Swaim

2014-01-01

Research Findings: Child temperament is an important construct, but its measurement has been marked by a number of weaknesses that have diminished the frequency with which it is assessed in practice. We address this problem by presenting the results of a quantitative construct validation study. We calculated validity indices by hypothesizing the…

Construction of Valid and Reliable Test for Assessment of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osadebe, P. U.

2015-01-01

The study was carried out to construct a valid and reliable test in Economics for secondary school students. Two research questions were drawn to guide the establishment of validity and reliability for the Economics Achievement Test (EAT). It is a multiple choice objective test of five options with 100 items. A sample of 1000 students was randomly…

Test of Achievement in Quantitative Economics for Secondary Schools: Construction and Validation Using Item Response Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eleje, Lydia I.; Esomonu, Nkechi P. M.

2018-01-01

A Test to measure achievement in quantitative economics among secondary school students was developed and validated in this study. The test is made up 20 multiple choice test items constructed based on quantitative economics sub-skills. Six research questions guided the study. Preliminary validation was done by two experienced teachers in…

An Evaluation of the Validity and Reliability of a Food Behavior Checklist Modified for Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Branscum, Paul; Sharma, Manoj; Kaye, Gail; Succop, Paul

2010-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to report the construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the Food Behavior Checklist modified for children (FBC-MC), with low-income, Youth Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)-eligible children. Methods: Using a cross-sectional research design, construct validity was…

Comparing the Construct and Criterion-Related Validity of Ability-Based and Mixed-Model Measures of Emotional Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livingstone, Holly A.; Day, Arla L.

2005-01-01

Despite the popularity of the concept of emotional intelligence(EI), there is much controversy around its definition, measurement, and validity. Therefore, the authors examined the construct and criterion-related validity of an ability-based EI measure (Mayer Salovey Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test [MSCEIT]) and a mixed-model EI measure…

Comparing Parent-Child Interactions in the Clinic and at Home: An Exploration of the Validity of Clinical Behavior Observations Using Sequential Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shriver, Mark D.; Frerichs, Lynae J.; Williams, Melissa; Lancaster, Blake M.

2013-01-01

Direct observation is often considered the "gold standard" for assessing the function, frequency, and intensity of problem behavior. Currently, the literature investigating the construct validity of direct observation conducted in the clinic setting reveals conflicting results. Previous studies on the construct validity of clinic-based…

Construction and Evaluation of Reliability and Validity of Reasoning Ability Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhat, Mehraj A.

2014-01-01

This paper is based on the construction and evaluation of reliability and validity of reasoning ability test at secondary school students. In this paper an attempt was made to evaluate validity, reliability and to determine the appropriate standards to interpret the results of reasoning ability test. The test includes 45 items to measure six types…

Hazing DEOCS 4.1 Construct Validity Summary

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-01

Hazing DEOCS 4.1 Construct Validity Summary DEFENSE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE DIRECTORATE OF...the analysis. Tables 4 – 6 provide additional information regarding the descriptive statistics and reliability of the Hazing items. Table 7 provides

Experimental and Computational Investigation of Multiple Injection Ports in a Convergent-Divergent Nozzle for Fluidic Thrust Vectoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waithe, Kenrick A.; Deere, Karen A.

2003-01-01

A computational and experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of multiple injection ports in a two-dimensional, convergent-divergent nozzle, for fluidic thrust vectoring. The concept of multiple injection ports was conceived to enhance the thrust vectoring capability of a convergent-divergent nozzle over that of a single injection port without increasing the secondary mass flow rate requirements. The experimental study was conducted at static conditions in the Jet Exit Test Facility of the 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel Complex at NASA Langley Research Center. Internal nozzle performance was obtained at nozzle pressure ratios up to 10 with secondary nozzle pressure ratios up to 1 for five configurations. The computational study was conducted using the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics code PAB3D with two-equation turbulence closure and linear Reynolds stress modeling. Internal nozzle performance was predicted for nozzle pressure ratios up to 10 with a secondary nozzle pressure ratio of 0.7 for two configurations. Results from the experimental study indicate a benefit to multiple injection ports in a convergent-divergent nozzle. In general, increasing the number of injection ports from one to two increased the pitch thrust vectoring capability without any thrust performance penalties at nozzle pressure ratios less than 4 with high secondary pressure ratios. Results from the computational study are in excellent agreement with experimental results and validates PAB3D as a tool for predicting internal nozzle performance of a two dimensional, convergent-divergent nozzle with multiple injection ports.

Experimentally Manipulating Items Informs on the (Limited) Construct and Criterion Validity of the Humor Styles Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Ruch, Willibald; Heintz, Sonja

2017-01-01

How strongly does humor (i.e., the construct-relevant content) in the Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ; Martin et al., 2003) determine the responses to this measure (i.e., construct validity)? Also, how much does humor influence the relationships of the four HSQ scales, namely affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive, and self-defeating, with personality traits and subjective well-being (i.e., criterion validity)? The present paper answers these two questions by experimentally manipulating the 32 items of the HSQ to only (or mostly) contain humor (i.e., construct-relevant content) or to substitute the humor content with non-humorous alternatives (i.e., only assessing construct-irrelevant context). Study 1 (N = 187) showed that the HSQ affiliative scale was mainly determined by humor, self-enhancing and aggressive were determined by both humor and non-humorous context, and self-defeating was primarily determined by the context. This suggests that humor is not the primary source of the variance in three of the HQS scales, thereby limiting their construct validity. Study 2 (N = 261) showed that the relationships of the HSQ scales to the Big Five personality traits and subjective well-being (positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction) were consistently reduced (personality) or vanished (subjective well-being) when the non-humorous contexts in the HSQ items were controlled for. For the HSQ self-defeating scale, the pattern of relationships to personality was also altered, supporting an positive rather than a negative view of the humor in this humor style. The present findings thus call for a reevaluation of the role that humor plays in the HSQ (construct validity) and in the relationships to personality and well-being (criterion validity). PMID:28473794

Reliability and validity evidence of the Assessment of Language Use in Social Contexts for Adults (ALUSCA).

PubMed

Valente, Ana Rita S; Hall, Andreia; Alvelos, Helena; Leahy, Margaret; Jesus, Luis M T

2018-04-12

The appropriate use of language in context depends on the speaker's pragmatic language competencies. A coding system was used to develop a specific and adult-focused self-administered questionnaire to adults who stutter and adults who do not stutter, The Assessment of Language Use in Social Contexts for Adults, with three categories: precursors, basic exchanges, and extended literal/non-literal discourse. This paper presents the content validity, item analysis, reliability coefficients and evidences of construct validity of the instrument. Content validity analysis was based on a two-stage process: first, 11 pragmatic questionnaires were assessed to identify items that probe each pragmatic competency and to create the first version of the instrument; second, items were assessed qualitatively by an expert panel composed by adults who stutter and controls, and quantitatively and qualitatively by an expert panel composed by clinicians. A pilot study was conducted with five adults who stutter and five controls to analyse items and calculate reliability. Construct validity evidences were obtained using the hypothesized relationships method and factor analysis with 28 adults who stutter and 28 controls. Concerning content validity, the questionnaires assessed up to 13 pragmatic competencies. Qualitative and quantitative analysis revealed ambiguities in items construction. Disagreement between experts was solved through item modification. The pilot study showed that the instrument presented internal consistency and temporal stability. Significant differences between adults who stutter and controls and different response profiles revealed the instrument's underlying construct. The instrument is reliable and presented evidences of construct validity.

Feasibility study of a gamma camera for monitoring nuclear materials in the PRIDE facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jo, Woo Jin; Kim, Hyun-Il; An, Su Jung; Lee, Chae Young; Song, Han-Kyeol; Chung, Yong Hyun; Shin, Hee-Sung; Ahn, Seong-Kyu; Park, Se-Hwan

2014-05-01

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has been developing pyroprocessing technology, in which actinides are recovered together with plutonium. There is no pure plutonium stream in the process, so it has an advantage of proliferation resistance. Tracking and monitoring of nuclear materials through the pyroprocess can significantly improve the transparency of the operation and safeguards. An inactive engineering-scale integrated pyroprocess facility, which is the PyRoprocess Integrated inactive DEmonstration (PRIDE) facility, was constructed to demonstrate engineering-scale processes and the integration of each unit process. the PRIDE facility may be a good test bed to investigate the feasibility of a nuclear material monitoring system. In this study, we designed a gamma camera system for nuclear material monitoring in the PRIDE facility by using a Monte Carlo simulation, and we validated the feasibility of this system. Two scenarios, according to locations of the gamma camera, were simulated using GATE (GEANT4 Application for Tomographic Emission) version 6. A prototype gamma camera with a diverging-slat collimator was developed, and the simulated and experimented results agreed well with each other. These results indicate that a gamma camera to monitor the nuclear material in the PRIDE facility can be developed.

Minimization of spurious strains by using a Si bent-perfect-crystal monochromator: neutron surface strain scanning of a shot-peened sample

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebelo Kornmeier, Joana; Gibmeier, Jens; Hofmann, Michael

2011-06-01

Neutron strain measurements are critical at the surface. When scanning close to a sample surface, aberration peak shifts arise due to geometrical and divergence effects. These aberration peak shifts can be of the same order as the peak shifts related to residual strains. In this study it will be demonstrated that by optimizing the horizontal bending radius of a Si (4 0 0) monochromator, the aberration peak shifts from surface effects can be strongly reduced. A stress-free sample of fine-grained construction steel, S690QL, was used to find the optimal instrumental conditions to minimize aberration peak shifts. The optimized Si (4 0 0) monochromator and instrument settings were then applied to measure the residual stress depth gradient of a shot-peened SAE 4140 steel sample to validate the effectiveness of the approach. The residual stress depth profile is in good agreement with results obtained by x-ray diffraction measurements from an international round robin test (BRITE-EURAM-project ENSPED). The results open very promising possibilities to bridge the gap between x-ray diffraction and conventional neutron diffraction for non-destructive residual stress analysis close to surfaces.

The Liquid Krypton Hugoniot at Megabar Pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Root, Seth; Magyar, Rudy J.; Mattsson, Ann E.; Hanson, David L.; Mattsson, Thomas R.

2011-06-01

Krypton is an ideal candidate to study multi-Mbar pressure effects on elements with filled-shell electron configurations. Few experimental data on Kr at high pressures exist, however, with prior Hugoniot data limited to below 1 Mbar. Similar to liquid xenon, the current Kr equation of state (EOS) models agree with the data and each other below 1 Mbar, but diverge with increasing pressure. We examine the liquid Kr Hugoniot up to 8 Mbar by using density functional theory (DFT) methods and by performing shock compression experiments on the Sandia Z - accelerator. Our initial DFT Kr Hugoniot calculations indicated the standard PAW potential is inadequate at the high pressures and temperatures occurring under strong shock compression. A new Kr PAW potential was constructed giving improved scattering properties of the atom at high energies. The Z Hugoniot measurements above 1 Mbar validated the DFT results and the pseudo-potential. The DFT and Z results suggest that the current EOS models require some modifications. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Company, for the U. S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Complexity of Gene Expression Evolution after Duplication: Protein Dosage Rebalancing

PubMed Central

Rogozin, Igor B.

2014-01-01

Ongoing debates about functional importance of gene duplications have been recently intensified by a heated discussion of the “ortholog conjecture” (OC). Under the OC, which is central to functional annotation of genomes, orthologous genes are functionally more similar than paralogous genes at the same level of sequence divergence. However, a recent study challenged the OC by reporting a greater functional similarity, in terms of gene ontology (GO) annotations and expression profiles, among within-species paralogs compared to orthologs. These findings were taken to indicate that functional similarity of homologous genes is primarily determined by the cellular context of the genes, rather than evolutionary history. Subsequent studies suggested that the OC appears to be generally valid when applied to mammalian evolution but the complete picture of evolution of gene expression also has to incorporate lineage-specific aspects of paralogy. The observed complexity of gene expression evolution after duplication can be explained through selection for gene dosage effect combined with the duplication-degeneration-complementation model. This paper discusses expression divergence of recent duplications occurring before functional divergence of proteins encoded by duplicate genes. PMID:25197576

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.

Are we puppets on a string? Comparing the impact of contingency and validity on implicit and explicit evaluations.

PubMed

Peters, Kurt R; Gawronski, Bertram

2011-04-01

Research has demonstrated that implicit and explicit evaluations of the same object can diverge. Explanations of such dissociations frequently appeal to dual-process theories, such that implicit evaluations are assumed to reflect object-valence contingencies independent of their perceived validity, whereas explicit evaluations reflect the perceived validity of object-valence contingencies. Although there is evidence supporting these assumptions, it remains unclear if dissociations can arise in situations in which object-valence contingencies are judged to be true or false during the learning of these contingencies. Challenging dual-process accounts that propose a simultaneous operation of two parallel learning mechanisms, results from three experiments showed that the perceived validity of evaluative information about social targets qualified both explicit and implicit evaluations when validity information was available immediately after the encoding of the valence information; however, delaying the presentation of validity information reduced its qualifying impact for implicit, but not explicit, evaluations.

Validation of a quality-of-life instrument for patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer.

PubMed

Rhee, John S; Matthews, B Alex; Neuburg, Marcy; Logan, Brent R; Burzynski, Mary; Nattinger, Ann B

2006-01-01

To validate a disease-specific quality-of-life instrument--the Skin Cancer Index--intended to measure quality-of-life issues relevant to patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer. Internal reliability, convergent and divergent validity with existing scales, and factor analyses were performed in a cross-sectional study of 211 patients presenting with cervicofacial nonmelanoma skin cancer to a dermatologic surgery clinic. Factor analyses of the Skin Cancer Index confirmed a multidimensional scale with 3 distinct subscales-emotional, social, and appearance. Excellent internal validity of the 3 subscales was demonstrated. Substantial evidence was observed for convergent validity with the Dermatology Life Quality Index, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Lerman's Cancer Worry Scale, and Medical Outcomes Survey Short-Form 12 domains for vitality, emotion, social function, and mental health. These findings validate a new disease-specific quality-of-life instrument for patients with cervicofacial nonmelanoma skin cancer. Studies on the responsiveness of the Skin Cancer Index to clinical intervention are currently under way.

Validity and Reliability Testing of an e-learning Questionnaire for Chemistry Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guspatni, G.; Kurniawati, Y.

2018-04-01

The aim of this paper is to examine validity and reliability of a questionnaire used to evaluate e-learning implementation in chemistry instruction. 48 questionnaires were filled in by students who had studied chemistry through e-learning system. The questionnaire consisted of 20 indicators evaluating students’ perception on using e-learning. Parametric testing was done as data were assumed to follow normal distribution. Item validity of the questionnaire was examined through item-total correlation using Pearson’s formula while its reliability was assessed with Cronbach’s alpha formula. Moreover, convergent validity was assessed to see whether indicators building a factor had theoretically the same underlying construct. The result of validity testing revealed 19 valid indicators while the result of reliability testing revealed Cronbach’s alpha value of .886. The result of factor analysis showed that questionnaire consisted of five factors, and each of them had indicators building the same construct. This article shows the importance of factor analysis to get a construct valid questionnaire before it is used as research instrument.

From Divergent Evolution to Witting Cross-Fertilisation: The Need for More Awareness of Potential Inter-Discursive Communication Regarding Students' Extended Historical Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, James Edward

2017-01-01

History education stakeholders in England have consistently judged that some students find formal historical writing prohibitively difficult due to the demands of constructing an extended argument. While policy makers have agreed students need support in their historical writing, recurring themes in centralised resourcing have been wastage,…

Research in Science Education...1992. Selected Refereed Papers from the Annual Conference of the Australasian Science Education Research Association (23rd, Hamilton, New Zealand, July 10-12, 1992).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Paul L., Ed.

1992-01-01

This volume contains 48 papers and 9 abstracts/research notes. Titles include: "Alternative constructs and cognitive development: commonalities, divergences and possibilities for evidence"; "Discipline knowledge and confidence to teach science: self-perceptions of primary teacher education students"; "Teacher beliefs about…